My question is to the Premier. Small businesses have not fully recovered from the pandemic. They are still struggling with inflation and economic uncertainty. The government’s website encourages small businesses to sign up for the Digital Main Street grant program, but this Conservative government told the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas members that the funding for the program will be cancelled in three weeks.

Why is the government abandoning small businesses yet again?

They did so with good reason, Mr. Speaker. And I want to thank the honourable member for his question.

We heard earlier this morning about a Prime Minister who backed up his words with policies, commitment and change. So I’ve got to take the Prime Minister at his word when he says, “We’re walking the road of reconciliation,” and then says, with respect to costs, “Indigenous communities on affordability and supports”—you’d think he would do something. Silence, Mr. Speaker.

The calls from First Nations communities across the province, but particularly from communities in the isolated parts of northern Ontario, who look at $7 loaves of Wonder Bread with a built-in cost for transportation of those goods, have put the carbon tax front row and centre. And what did the federal government do? Well, they have pledged 0.7% of total charge proceeds to First Nations communities in Ontario. We don’t know where this is and how it will materialize, Mr. Speaker, but it’s a small sliver, a fraction of the costs that First Nations communities are paying as a result of the carbon tax—

In light of a difficult winter road season, all-season roads have become the topic. And since it will be a little while before electric vehicles provide part of that transportation solution, not only communities on diesel but communities who need transport this winter and winters moving forward—you’d think the federal government would remove the carbon tax as a starting point and join in our discussions around all-season roads, Mr. Speaker. Again, radio silence.

This government is laser-focused on challenging the federal government to reduce costs for our northern communities, and it starts with scrapping the tax.

My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development. The carbon tax is essentially a tax on everything, Speaker. It’s on your groceries, your gasoline, your home heating and every other day-to-day essential.

For over a year now, the Chiefs of Ontario have been calling on the federal government to consult with them on the impact that this harmful tax is having on all of their communities. Due to the federal government’s failure to address the First Nations’ concerns, the Chiefs of Ontario filed for judicial review into the application of the carbon tax in Indigenous communities. They have called this tax anti-reconciliatory and discriminatory.

Can the minister please tell the House how this carbon tax is disproportionately impacting northern Ontario communities?

Instead of helping northern Ontario foster economic growth and to reach our full potential, the federal government is bringing one tax hike after another after another after another. It is clear that neither the Liberals nor the NDP understand, respect or care about the financial hardship that many individuals and families are going through.

Northern and Indigenous communities should not be paying the price of this harmful and regressive tax. Speaker, can the minister please explain further why the carbon tax has such detrimental effects on northern Ontario and especially First Nation communities?

The supplementary question.

The supplementary question: the member for Toronto Centre.

The next question.

I want to thank my colleague for the question. Ontarians have told us very clearly: Public safety means everything to them. And do you know what, Mr. Speaker? It’s a top priority for our government, led by Premier Ford.

The carbon tax has significantly increased the cost of public safety, and in a few weeks, as we know, the federal government will do it again and raise the carbon tax by 23%. It’s affecting our firefighters and our police officers, our special constables and our first responders—people who are there to fight crime. Every day, thousands of vehicles are on the road that help keep our province safe, and the police budgets have to cover the carbon tax on these cars that get fuelled up.

My message is simple: The Liberals across the way can call their friends in Ottawa and say, “This is not fair. Scrap the tax.”

My question is for the Solicitor General. We all know that the carbon tax is making it more expensive for Ontario families and businesses. Not only is it increasing the cost of goods, but it’s also driving up the cost of fuel and gasoline for everyone in our province.

What’s more, public safety services across the province are being impacted by the carbon tax as well. Our police services need more support and resources to protect our communities, not additional fuel costs because of the carbon tax.

Speaker, can the Solicitor General please explain the negative effects of the carbon tax on law enforcement and public safety agencies across Ontario?

I want to thank the member opposite for the question. The Digital Main Street Program was a phenomenal program. Although brought in prior to the pandemic, throughout the pandemic it was key to helping many of our businesses—actually, over 82,000 businesses—to get an online presence and about 24,000 businesses to start or expand their e-commerce journey over two years.

But do you know what’s really exciting, Speaker? The sudden concern for our small businesses by the members opposite. We are talking to our stakeholders. We’re engaging with them constantly. But let me talk about some of the other wonderful supports available to our businesses.

The Digitalization Competence Centre connects companies with innovative digital solutions and helps SMEs across all sectors implement new digital technologies. The Canada Digital Adoption Program—

What would have helped small businesses recently was where the federal government provided absolutely no reprieve for the CEBA loan repayments. When I asked everyone in this House to contact their federal members, they did nothing. They stayed silent.

Another area that could really help our small businesses is if they would pick up the phone, talk to their federal cousins and ask them to scrap the carbon tax, because it hurts every single business and individual in this province. But they won’t do that. They will not call their federal cousins. And Carbon Crombie’s Liberals over there? Silent. They will do nothing.

Pick up the phone. Scrap the carbon tax right now. You can do that for your small businesses today.

Supplementary?

The member for Ottawa–Vanier has a point of order.

Interjections.

The House recessed from 1205 to 1500.

First reading agreed to.

Thank you to the Solicitor General for the response. It is concerning to hear that the carbon tax is affecting public safety efforts in Ontario. With the media reports about the crime and illegal activities in many areas of our province, residents in my community of Richmond Hill are concerned about the financial impact of the carbon tax on the day-to-day work of our front-line police workers. They are worried about how the carbon tax is placing a strain on policing services as well as on the budget. Our government must ensure police officers receive support as they carry out their duties.

Could the Solicitor General provide further details about the government’s initiatives to strengthen Ontario’s public safety in light of the carbon tax?

When people are being confronted by having their doors kicked in and their cars stolen, when people are being confronted by violent and repeat offenders on our streets, we need more boots on the ground as soon as possible.

When we look at what the carbon tax is doing for police service budgets—the OPP alone has spent almost $4 million on carbon tax; $4 million could have put 40 new boots on the ground, and that’s just the OPP. When I look around this chamber and I think of the First Nations police services and the other municipal police services across the province, how many more boots on the ground could we have?

The carbon tax is regressive. It hits us everywhere. It’s hitting us on public safety. The Liberals across the way can do the right thing. Pick up the phone, tell them, “Pause the tax. It is affecting our public safety.”

Last year, the Minister of Natural Resources started the spring with a shortage of 50 crews to tackle forest fires, lacking preparedness and seeking help from across Canada and Mexico.

My question is simple: Given the extreme lack of snow conditions this year, how many wildfire ranger crews do we need to be prepared for wildfires this season, and how many do we have as of right now?

I’m glad the member opposite asked the question, because recruitment is open right now for more fire rangers in Ontario. We’ve got many, many great returning crews from last year. We know that we’ll have new recruits this year to supplement a crew of those in the air, those on the ground fighting fires, keeping communities safe, keeping infrastructure safe in small communities all throughout the north, Indigenous communities—incredibly important.

I’m very, very glad that the member is supporting recruitment and retention of our firefighters. We want more to come into the fold, so I’d encourage everybody to make sure that you’re letting people know that recruitment is open right now and everyone is welcome to apply.

I seek unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 40(e), five minutes be allotted to the independent members as a group to respond to the ministerial statement tomorrow on International Women’s Day.

I would just like to remind all the women in the House that tomorrow, after question period, we will be taking a photo for International Women’s Day here in the chamber.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce a constituent from my riding today. She is a full-time student at the University of Amsterdam. She’s studying in the department of communications, which is the number-one-ranked department of communications in the world. As part of her program of study, she is required to do an internship, which she is completing at the Ministry of Education. Please welcome my daughter, Miriam Leardi.

At the risk of getting the MPP from Kitchener Centre in trouble with her daughter, I would like to welcome Zidra Fobel, who is up in the members’ gallery, to Queen’s Park today.

Ms. Clancy moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 170, An Act to amend the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the Municipal Act, 2001 to implement various measures respecting rental accommodation / Projet de loi 170, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2006 sur la location à usage d’habitation, la Loi de 2006 sur la cité de Toronto et la Loi de 2001 sur les municipalités pour mettre en oeuvre diverses mesures relatives aux logements locatifs.

I would like thank Barb MacFarlane for this petition.

“Blood and Plasma Donations Not for Sale...:

“Whereas in the 1980s, 30,000 Canadians were infected by HIV or hepatitis and 8,000 died after receiving tainted blood transfusions; and

“Whereas the resulting royal commission of inquiry led by Justice Horace Krever made recommendations to protect the integrity of blood-product collection; and

“Whereas recommendation 2(b) of the Krever inquiry states donors of blood and plasma should not be paid for their donations; and

“Whereas British Columbia and Quebec have forbidden deals between Canadian Blood Services and the for-profit plasma industry to outsource collection and pay donors;

“Whereas Ontario has legislation that forbids the private sale of blood and plasma under the Voluntary Blood Donations Act;”

They “petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To immediately act to forbid Grifols pharmaceutical from setting up for-profit clinics and paying donors to sell their plasma....”

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

I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that has been signed by thousands of students, but this particular page is signed by students at Trent University.

“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 am happily signing this and will send to the table with Mesapé.

I also have a petition from some Trent students.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas to support students and their families, Ontario is extending the tuition fee freeze for publicly assisted colleges and universities for at least three more years. While increasing tuition for out-of-province domestic students;

“Whereas colleges and universities will have policies in place relating to mental health and wellness supports and services. Every college and university is required to have policies and rules to address and combat racism and hate, including but not limited to anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia; and

“Whereas providing information about ancillary fees and including costs for textbooks or other learning materials. This could include ensuring that fees are published by institutions in a consistent manner the province will also engage with colleges and universities to create tuition fee transparency to help students and their families better understand how tuition fees are used; and

“Whereas to help more students find jobs, the province intends to allow colleges to offer applied master’s degrees in areas of study that will help students graduate with in-demand skills, expertise and credentials. This approach will also provide employers access to more industry-ready employees that meet labour market needs in specialized fields such as advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and animation; and

“Whereas introducing measures to protect students and improve the integrity of career colleges. The province will better integrate enforcement efforts across ministries to strengthen oversight of career colleges and will ensure timely responses to concerns and complaints by improving data management, documentation processes and the efficacy of compliance investigations; and

“Whereas launching a career portal to help students understand labour market needs and make informed decisions on post-secondary education. This will consolidate various sources of information to help students and newcomers access education and careers in Ontario;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To urge all members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to take on a responsible approach to allow flexibility amid a challenging financial climate, while protecting students and parents from additional costs.”

I fully endorse this petition and will give it to page Anushga to take to the table.