My question is for the Premier. It’s about anti-scab.

The Premier and the Conservative government talk a good game when it comes to support for workers, but nobody is fooled. For every single one of the Working for Workers bills, New Democrats introduced anti-scab amendments. They voted them all down. Last fall, I brought forward anti-scab legislation. They voted that down.

Anti-scab legislation prevents labour disputes from dragging on. It helps prevent conflict.

My question is, will the Premier tell the millions of Ontario’s workers, from skilled trades to public workers, why he supports their jobs being taken from them if they find themselves in a strike or lockout?

Speaker, to the Premier: The Jackman daycare in my riding and other child care centres are facing profound financial problems. Frozen or falling provincial funding for child care is causing centres to dip into their reserves to keep their doors open. Families cannot afford to lose child care should centres go under or be plunged into crisis. Will the Premier take steps now to address the financial crisis in child care centres?

Mr. Speaker, we have reduced fees by 50% for working families in Toronto and across Ontario. We are building 19,000 spaces in the city of Toronto; 86,000 across the province. We have increased funding for the child care sector at the provincial level, of course, supported by federal investment. Together, we’ve been able to support our operators—all operators, which, of course, is an ideological difference of perspective to the Liberals and New Democrats, who would have omitted the 30% of the sector who are, God forbid, for-profit small businesswomen who operate on small margins of profit. These are people who work hard in our communities; they deserve to have the full support of parliamentarians.

That’s why we stood up to the federal Liberal government for a better deal, for flexibility and support for all families in Ontario, and they should expect that our government will deliver more relief, more spaces and stand up against Liberal bureaucratic delay.

But what we don’t agree with, with respect to the federal Liberal government, is that they should omit for-profit families. We believe as Progressive Conservatives in respecting the choices of parents to raise their kids. We will stand up for flexibility, stand up for affordability and keep building spaces for the people of this province.

Thanks to the member from Sault Ste. Marie for the question. He is right: Members in northern Ontario, like in Sault Ste. Marie, don’t have a lot of choice when it comes to how they heat their homes. A lot of them are using home heating fuels, natural gas and propane.

April 1 is coming up fast; it’s about 25 days away. April 1 is known as April Fool’s Day, and this year it happens to be Easter Monday as well, but do you know what it is again in Justin Trudeau’s world? It’s Groundhog Day, because once again this year, they’re increasing the carbon tax. This time, they’re increasing the carbon tax by 23%. What does that mean for those who heat their home in Sault Ste. Marie and across Ontario? Almost $400 a year in an increase to their home heating bill, not to mention what it means for you when you fill up at the pump and what it’s going to mean in the grocery store.

Mr. Speaker, it’s time to stop this charade at the federal level. Call Justin. Call Jagmeet. Put a pause on this carbon tax. We need to stop it today.

With an increase of 23% in the carbon tax on April 1, it’s going to drive up your home heating bill by another $400 a year. There are many people across this province who simply can’t handle that.

We’ve done everything we can possibly do in Ontario to make life more affordable. We fought the carbon tax all the way to the Supreme Court. We’ve lowered gasoline taxes by 10.7 cents a litre, eliminated licence plate sticker fees and eliminated tolls on our highways. We’ve never raised a tax. We’ve never raised a fee. And do you know what has happened? In spite of that federal carbon tax, that terrible tax, being in place, we’re seeing record growth in our province: 700,000 more people are working today than when we took government in—

The supplementary question.

The next question.

Good morning. My question is for the Associate Minister of Small Business. Mr. Speaker, small businesses are the backbone of Ontario’s economy, employing millions of people across many sectors. Unfortunately, I’ve heard repeatedly from business owners in my riding that they’re facing ongoing challenges from rising costs due to the federal carbon tax. They were disappointed, to say the least, in the federal government’s decision to cut the carbon tax rebate for small businesses from 9% to 5%, effective this year.

Speaker, entrepreneurs need opportunity, not obstacles, to drive innovation and growth. While the Liberals and the NDP turn a blind eye to our job creators, our government is listening and looking out for them. Can the associate minister please share with this House what small businesses are telling her about the impact of the federal carbon tax?

Our government must continue to advocate for the small businesses across the province and ensure that they receive the support they need. Can the associate minister share with the House how the carbon tax is costing small businesses and consumers in Ontario?

I really do appreciate the question from the great member from Eglinton–Lawrence. Last week, I had the pleasure to talk to several chambers of commerce from across the province. However, I’ve heard the overwhelming frustration their members are feeling from last week’s changes to the federal carbon tax rebate still owed to our small businesses.

Small businesses from all of our ridings contribute significantly to carbon tax revenues but receive very small portions of it in rebates. Cutting the amount we return to businesses, as the federal government is now doing, will make the burden worse, especially given that they’re still owed billions of dollars from previous years of collections.

Speaker, whether it’s a rural bakery struggling with higher natural gas bills or an urban manufacturing shop dealing with diesel price hikes, business owners all agree this tax is unfair. Businesses need affordable energy so they can focus on retaining and creating local jobs. We’ll continue to stand up for the prosperity of small businesses across Ontario. It’s time the opposition did the same.

I would like to thank Jamie Paton from Bowmanville for this petition.

“Extend Access to Post-Adoption Birth Information

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas current legislation does not provide access to post-adoption birth information ... to next of kin if an adult adopted person or a natural/birth parent is deceased;

“Whereas this barrier to accessing post-adoption birth information separates immediate family members and prohibits the children of deceased adopted people from gaining knowledge of their identity and possible Indigenous heritage;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to extend access to post-adoption birth information ... to next of kin, and/or extended next of kin, if an adult adopted person or a natural/birth parent is deceased.”

I fully support this petition. I will sign it and pass it to page Abigail to deliver to the table.

Members will know that today is the Ontario Mutual Insurance Association lobby day. I just want to introduce Julie Garner, who’s the chair of Trillium Mutual Insurance, and CEO Tracy MacDonald from Waterloo. Welcome to your House.

We have heard the pleas of our seniors and our vulnerable citizens on this. We have taken action through section 60 of the recently passed Consumer Protection Act. We have consulted widely across the spectrum, and we are taking action. Doing nothing is not an option. We will stand up with our seniors.

What started out as a legitimate registration for HVAC equipment has become a tool for fraudsters and organized criminal activity. We will take action, Mr. Speaker. Doing nothing is not an option. The door-to-door sale solicitation has to stop. We are looking at everything, including an outright retroactive ban. Stay tuned.

I do have a point of order. I probably should know this one by heart by now. But I am seeking unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 100(a)(4), five minutes be allotted to the independent members as a group to speak during private members’ public business today.

I now seek unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 66(d), the time for debate on the orders for concurrence be allotted as follows: 56 minutes to each recognized party and eight minutes to the independent members as a group.

I would like to thank Melissa Anderson from Val Therese in my riding for this petition.

“911 Everywhere in Ontario....

“Whereas when we face an emergency we all know to dial 911...; and

“Whereas access to emergency services through 911 is not available in all regions of Ontario but most Ontarians believe that it is; and

“Whereas many Ontarians have discovered that 911 was not available while they faced an emergency; and

“Whereas all Ontarians expect and deserve access to 911 service, throughout our province;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To provide 911 emergency response everywhere in Ontario by land line or cellphone.”

I support this petition. I will affix my name to it and ask my good page Isaac to bring it to the Clerk.

“Health Care: Not for Sale

“Whereas Ontarians get health care based on their need, not on their ability to pay;

“Whereas the Ford government wants to privatize our health care system;

“Whereas privatization will bleed nurses, doctors and PSWs out of our public hospitals and will download costs to patients;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To immediately stop all plans to privatize Ontario’s health care system, and fix the crisis in health care by ...

“—licensing tens of thousands of internationally educated nurses and other health care professionals already in Ontario;

“—incentivizing health care professionals to choose to live and work in northern Ontario.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my name to it and ask page Winifred to bring it to the Clerk.

I have a petition here sent by the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario—thousands of students. In this case, I have folks from Trent University who have said:

“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.”

Of course, I will affix my signature to this and will send it to the table with Mesapé.

My question is to the Premier. For years, the government has ignored the crisis of predatory HVAC scams which target seniors, newcomers and those living with disabilities. Scam artists trick people into signing contracts where the devices get more expensive every year, the contract lasts longer than the lifespan of the machine, and the buyout is tens of thousands of dollars when the machine itself only cost hundreds. Sounds like a scam to me, Speaker.

When will the government stop talking about a problem everyone knows about and finally act to protect seniors and others who are being scammed to this day?

When these scam companies register a notice of security interest, or NOSI, it becomes a lien on a homeowner’s property. The scam artists target the vulnerable and give everyone else in the industry a bad name. According to the government’s own numbers, 38,000 NOSIs were registered in 2022. So I look forward today, when the NDP tables its legislation to look after NOSIs going into the future and those that have been registered historically, that this government will support it.

The government recently held a consultation where they learned 38,000 NOSIs had been registered in 2022 alone. My bill would stop this predatory practice in its tracks by allowing the registrar to remove a notice of security interest upon writing from a consumer, as well as stop those moving forward. It would make sure that we stop the scam economy in Ontario.

I’ll just read the explanatory note: Section 54 of the Personal Property and Security Act is amended to provide that a notice of security interest where the collateral is a prescribed consumer good or an extension of any such notice shall not be registered and that any such existing registrations shall be discharged by the registrar.

I look forward to this bill passing.

I want to thank the citizens of Grimsby for sending this petition to raise social assistance rates.

“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.”

Speaker, I support this petition. I will sign it and ask page Skye to bring it to the table.

Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery.

I recognize the member for Ottawa–Vanier.

The House recessed from 1146 to 1500.

Mr. Kernaghan moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 169, An Act to amend the Personal Property Security Act to prevent notices of security interests from being registered against homeowners where the collateral is a prescribed consumer good / Projet de loi 169, Loi modifiant la Loi sur les sûretés mobilières pour empêcher l’enregistrement d’avis de sûreté à l’égard d’un propriétaire si le bien grevé est un bien de consommation prescrit.

First reading agreed to.

Thank you, Speaker, and again to the member for the question. According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, if rebates were returned to all eligible incorporated Ontario businesses, each would see around $2,637 for the past five years. When considering the hardships many small firms have endured already, every dollar returned could make a vital difference, whether to cover bills, hire staff or invest in growth.

What’s worse is the provincial Liberals and NDP failed. They failed to stand up to their federal cousins as they announced they’d be slashing rebates to small businesses from 9% to 5%, which means they’re only going to get less than half back.

Speaker, unlike Carbon Crombie and the Liberals and the NDP, this Premier and this government will keep fighting until Ottawa scraps the tax because small businesses can count on us to have their backs.

I would like Jeannie Salvalaggio from Skead in my riding for these petitions.

It reads as follows:

“Let’s Fix the Northern Health Travel Grant....

“Whereas people in the north are not getting the same access to health care because of the high cost of travel and accommodations;

“Whereas by refusing to raise the Northern Health Travel Grant (NHTG) rates, the Ford government is putting a massive burden on northern Ontarians who are sick;

“Whereas gas prices cost more in northern Ontario;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To establish a committee with a mandate to fix and improve the NHTG;

“This NHTG advisory committee would bring together health care providers in” northern Ontario, “as well as recipients of the NHTG to make recommendations to the Minister of Health that would improve access to health care in northern Ontario through adequate reimbursement of travel costs.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my name to it and ask my good page Sarah to bring it to the Clerk.

« Soutenez le système d’éducation francophone en Ontario...

« Attendu que les enfants francophones ont un droit constitutionnel à une éducation de haute qualité, financée par les fonds publics, dans leur propre langue;

« Attendu que l’augmentation des inscriptions dans le système d’éducation en langue française signifie que plus de 1 000 nouveaux enseignants et enseignantes de langue française sont nécessaires chaque année pour les cinq prochaines années;

« Attendu que les changements apportés au modèle de financement du gouvernement provincial pour la formation des enseignantes et des enseignants de langue française signifient que l’Ontario n’en forme que 500 par an;

« Attendu que le nombre de personnes qui enseignent sans certification complète dans le système d’éducation en langue française a augmenté de plus de 450 % au cours de la dernière décennie; »

Ils et elles demandent à l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario « de fournir immédiatement le financement demandé par le rapport du groupe de travail sur la pénurie des enseignantes et des enseignants dans le système d’éducation en langue française de l’Ontario et de travailler avec des partenaires pour mettre pleinement en oeuvre les recommandations. »

J’appuie cette pétition, monsieur le Président. Je vais la signer et je demande à Skye de l’amener à la table des greffiers.

“Whereas Ontario residents should have the ability to make their own choices about their health and family planning;

“Whereas cost is the greatest barrier to access to contraceptives in Ontario;

“Whereas free prescription birth control is only available to Ontario residents under the age of 25 and without insurance coverage;

“Whereas the provinces of British Columbia and Manitoba already provide free prescription contraceptives to everyone under their health care plan; this helps thousands of people” gain “access to prescription birth control without spending” money;

They “petition the Legislative Assembly ... as follows:

“To immediately cover universal access to all prescription contraceptives.”

I support this petition. I will affix my name to it and ask my good page Max to bring it to the Clerk.

“Save ‘the Spot’ Supervised Consumption Site....

“Whereas Sudbury’s overdose death rate is three times the rate of the rest of Ontario;

“Whereas an application was submitted to the government in 2021 for funding of a supervised consumption site in Sudbury called the Spot;

“Whereas the Spot is operated by Réseau Access Network with municipal funding that” ended “on December 31, 2023, the province must approve funding very soon, or the Spot will close putting many people at risk of death;

“Whereas in 2023 alone, the Spot had 1,000 visits, reversed all 17 on-site overdoses, provided drug-checking services and prevented many deaths;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“Immediately approve funding for the supervised consumption site in Sudbury to save lives.”

I agree with this petition. I will affix my name to it and ask my good page Mesapé to bring it to the Clerk.

“Enact Anti-Scab Labour Law....

“Whereas strikes and lockouts are rare: on average, 97% of collective agreements are negotiated without work disruption; and

“Whereas anti-replacement workers laws have existed in Quebec since 1978, in British Columbia since 1993, and in Ontario under the NDP government, it was repealed by the Harris Conservative government;

“Whereas anti-scab legislation has reduced the length and divisiveness of labour disputes; and

“Whereas the use of scab labour during a strike or lockout is damaging to the social fabric of a community in the short and long term, as well as the well-being of its residents;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To pass the anti-scab labour bill to ban the use of replacement workers during a strike or lockout.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my name to it and ask James to bring it to the Clerk.

“Improve Winter Road Maintenance....

“Whereas highways play a critical role in northern Ontario;

“Whereas winter road maintenance has been privatized in Ontario and contract standards are not being enforced;

“Whereas per capita, fatalities are twice as likely to occur on a northern highway than on a highway in southern Ontario;

“Whereas current MTO classification negatively impacts the safety of northern highways;”

They petition the Legislative Assembly as follows:

“To classify Highways 11, 17, 69, 101 and 144 as class 1 highways; require that the pavement be bare within eight hours of the end of a snowfall and bring the management of winter road maintenance back into the public sector, if contract standards are not met.”

I fully support this petition. I will affix my name to it and ask my good page Charles to bring it to the Clerk.

Resuming the debate adjourned on March 5, 2024, on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 157, An Act to amend various Acts in relation to the courts and other justice matters / Projet de loi 157, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne les tribunaux et d’autres questions relatives à la justice.

I’m going to remind the members that when we refer to each other in the Legislature, we refer to each other not by our given names or our surnames but our riding names or ministerial responsibility, as applicable. Even when we’re presenting petitions, that would be the best policy to pursue.