Good morning, Speaker. No further business.

Good morning. Let us pray.

Prayers.

Resuming the debate adjourned on March 18, 2024, on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 149, An Act to amend various statutes with respect to employment and labour and other matters / Projet de loi 149, Loi modifiant diverses lois en ce qui concerne l’emploi, le travail et d’autres questions.

Mr. Piccini has moved third reading of Bill 149, An Act to amend various statutes with respect to employment and labour and other matters.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

The House recessed from 0903 to 1015.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the International Women’s Day celebration with the Coalition of Muslim Women of K-W. The event brought together a diverse group of women to celebrate and learn from each other.

Founder and leader of the coalition, Fauzia Mazhar, shared with me how she dreamed of building this community since 2010. It was wonderful to witness her dream come to life and share that experience with her.

Fauzia’s story is truly remarkable. She arrived from Pakistan in 2000 and gave so much of herself to others to ensure bonds were built, both within her home as a mother and in her community as a leader. Then, in 2019, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. In 2022, when she had finally recovered, she was involved in a near-death collision. The impact caused life-threatening injuries to her head and spinal cord, leaving her in a wheelchair, but that did not stop her.

Fauzia’s leadership and dedication to the community are truly inspiring. She has brought together some amazing female leaders, and our community is stronger because of them. Her work in promoting gender equality, cultural diversity and women’s rights is commendable. The celebration was a reminder of the strength and resilience of women, especially in the face of challenges and discrimination.

Fauzia’s efforts are making a significant difference in the lives of women in the Kitchener-Waterloo community. The work of these women of the coalition is a shining example of the positive change that can be achieved through advocacy and empowerment.

Thank you, Fauzia, and thank you to the Coalition of Muslim Women.

Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to share my recent work aimed at enhancing the well-being and engagement of our cherished senior population. Our government’s unwavering commitment to seniors’ welfare is evident through initiatives fostering inclusion and community involvement, facilitated by a range of grants.

To empower senior organizations in accessing these opportunities, I recently hosted a hybrid workshop at my community office in Markham–Unionville. This session was designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools for navigating the grant application process with the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility.

I am grateful to the dedicated organizations and individuals who contributed to the success of this workshop, whether attending in person or virtually. Their active participation underscored the collective determination to uplift our seniors’ quality of life. I am also grateful to the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, particularly Mr. Varsava, director of policy, who shared his invaluable insights and practical guidance with our participants.

With the success of this workshop, I look forward to delving deeper into topics of interest to stakeholders in Markham–Unionville and organizing more workshops of a similar nature in the future. Their contributions to our community are invaluable, and it is our collective duty to ensure our seniors’ continued well-being and prosperity.

It is my pleasure today to stand today and congratulate Team Canada for earning a silver medal at the 2024 World Wheelchair Curling Championship. The annual tournament took place from March 2 to 9 in South Korea and featured a total of 12 participating countries.

From the round robin to the playoffs, the team fought hard, but fell 6-2 to Norway in the championship round. This is the second straight silver medal for the team and their third in the last four years.

I wanted to give a special shout-out to two members of the team that hail from my riding of Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock, Jon Thurston from Dunsford and Chrissy Molnar from Bobcaygeon. Thank you to my friend and home coach, Carl Rennick, for recruiting Jon and Chrissy to the team.

Carl has been a wheelchair curling coach since 2006. Jon Thurston made his fifth appearance for Team Canada in the World Wheelchair Curling Championship and represented Team Canada at the 2022 Beijing Paralympics, where the team took home a bronze medal. As for Chrissy, this was her first-ever appearance in the world wheelchair curling tournament after taking a break in 2012 to have her third child.

Congratulations on the hard-fought tournament and thank you both for being strong representatives for our area and for Canada on the world stage.

I rise pride this morning to thank colleagues at the federal level, who last night in a historic vote of 204 to 117, voted for a motion that was called “peace in the Middle East.”

Now, Speaker, I know on social media this morning, there will be people scoring points and talking about how this was a vote against certain people. I want to remind the members of this House that human rights is inter-jurisdictional. Seeing the value of every person to have peace and security is inter-jurisdictional.

I want to thank people from the Bloc Québécois, from the Green Party, from the Liberal Party and from my party, the New Democratic Party, who stood up last night to tell our government that we need to be a voice for peace. This is what Canadians have been calling for for months. It’s not easy to march in the rain, to march in the snow, to feel like you’re not being heard, to feel like your humanity is not being seen. But it was seen last night at the House of Commons, Speaker, and I want to thank MPs Heather McPherson and Matthew Green for leading that.

I want to end on a note of great pride from Albert Dumont, Algonquin elder, poet laureate of our city in Ottawa, who told me when I got elected, “Joel, you can use your platform to tear other people down, or you can use it to heal your community and to heal our country and heal our world.” So I want to thank the parliamentarians last night who sent a clear message to the government of Israel, who sent a clear message to all of those involved in a horrifying war at this moment: The war has to stop. The war has to stop, and we need peace.

I’ll remind the members to make their comments through the Chair.

Good morning. It’s my pleasure to rise today to recognize the achievements of a young student from my riding. Mitchell Clapperton from Waterdown is the winner of the Schulich Leader Scholarship. This $120,000 scholarship is awarded to high school graduates who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, charisma and creativity. Recipients have enrolled in a science, technology, engineering or math program at one of 20 partner universities across Canada.

Mitchell is beginning his first year studying electrical engineering at the Lassonde School of Engineering at York University. Mitchell is a four-time gold medal winner at the Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair. Three of his projects went on to win medals in Canada-wide competitions, and one qualified for an international competition.

He is always looking for innovative ways to solve problems. His first invention, in grade 7, was inspired by speaking with a family friend who worked at a pharmacy and developed carpal tunnel syndrome from opening pill bottles. To help the situation, he created an automated pill bottle opener.

Scholarships such as the Schulich Leader Scholarship allow students to enhance their knowledge and provide them with tools for after graduation.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing the positive impact that Mitchell will bring to our society.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I want to give a huge shout-out to South Coast Special Needs Kids and the Norfolk county OPP on yet another successful sledge hockey matchup last weekend in Waterford.

South Coast kids is a non-profit organization providing recreational sports programming for children with special needs. Activities include baseball, basketball, golf and, of course, sledge hockey.

Mr. Speaker, I was honoured to play in the game—my first sledge hockey game ever—and I couldn’t wipe a smile off my face. Sledge hockey is fast-paced, and it takes a great deal of skill. I was on the Norfolk county OPP side, and, well, we were severely out-played by some very fierce competitors on South Coast kids. The final score: 5-1.

The game helps raise awareness for the organization and also collects donations for local food banks.

Ron Guthrie is the president of South Coast Special Needs Kids. At the end of the game, he told the crowd how important this event is for the athletes. “It’s like their Stanley Cup,” he said.

More than a dozen athletes between the ages of seven and 33 were part of the South Coast kids team.

Thank you to the Norfolk county OPP officers who participated. I’d like to specifically mention Constable Jeremy Renton, who organized the game. Renton said, “It’s all about giving back to the community. It’s giving a showcase to amazing athletes that are there every Sunday practising their skills. It shows the community focus of Norfolk county OPP, engaging with their community. It’s a great day.”

Speaker, it was more than a great day; it was a terrific day. I can’t wait until next year’s puck drop.

Mr. Speaker, last month was the best month of the year, not because it was the Super Bowl but because it was lunar new year. Asian communities across my riding of Scarborough–Agincourt had the opportunity to celebrate the Year of the Dragon together with their families.

Mr. Speaker, lunar new year is a time when we remove the bad and the old and welcome the new and the good. It is an opportunity for quality family time, and to show gratitude and love towards those who are close to you. It is a time when families and cultural organizations come together to show unique and beautiful cultural performances and have feasts together.

I have to say that, this year, the celebrations were fantastic and marvellous. I had the opportunity to attend over 35 different lunar new year celebrations. I would like to thank the various cultural, seniors and business associations for organizing these jaw-dropping celebrations full of food, performances and games. It is events like these that make Ontario a truly multicultural and vibrant province.

I also had the opportunity to organize my first lunar new year celebration in my riding, where over 400 people attended. It was truly heartwarming for me to see the community come together and people from different cultures come to celebrate the lunar new year together as one big family.

Last week, I participated in one of my favourite events of the year, the Northern Bands Hockey Tournament in Dryden, Ontario. Year after year, this tournament brings hockey players, families, friends and fans across the north together to share their love of hockey.

People in Kiiwetinoong face challenges, barriers just to even play hockey. While artificial hockey rinks and hockey leagues are the norm across Ontario, most of the communities in Kiiwetinoong do not have organized hockey leagues because they do not have artificial ice and rely on outdoor rinks to play.

But hockey plays an important role for many people as we fight the ongoing mental health and suicide crisis in the north. Hockey supports our physical health and wellness. It is a lifeline for our mental health. Hockey is suicide prevention. Also, Northern Bands Hockey Tournament brings our nations together through sport. We reunited with each other, we are united with each other, celebrated, and cheered for all the hockey talent from the north.

There were 44 teams participating. At this time, I want to congratulate the A side champions, the Michikan Lake Mavericks; the B side champions, KI Native Wings; and the C side champions, Cat Lake Snipers on their championships. And to all the teams: Make sure you get in shape for next year. Meegwetch.

I’m proud to welcome my son Aleksandar Rakocevic who’s here in support of his father today for his Orthodox Christian week bill.

I’m pleased to rise today and update the members of this House on the historic success of the Lambton College women’s basketball team who, this past weekend, captured the silver medal at the Canadian College Athletic Association’s national championship in Lloydminster, Alberta. Described by their coach, Janine Day, as a team of firsts, this year’s team delivered a season for the ages for Lambton College, including finishing on top of the Ontario west division standings for the first time; securing home court advantage for the provincial championship for the first time; defeating the number-two-ranked team in the country and winning the provincial championship for the very first time; earning a berth in the national championship for the first time; and playing in a national championship game for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, on many occasions, I’ve stood in the House and spoke about the best-in-class education and experience that students receive at Lambton College. In turn, those students are using that education and experience to do amazing things right across the country. Lambton College is truly a centre of innovation and excellence within our province. Congratulations to everyone at Lambton College on such a fantastic season. Let’s go, Lions.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce Nicole Bowman from the great riding of Barrie–Innisfil. She’s also the mother of the fabulous page Anne Bowman. Welcome to your House.

Although not an introduction of visitor, I just wanted to share and send condolences to the passing of Roy McMurtry, the former Attorney General, High Commissioner and then Chief Justice of Ontario.

I’d like to introduce some incredibly young, talented leaders who are with us from the Shevet Hermon-Friends of Israel Scouts. These are young volunteers making a difference in our community and country. We welcome you. We thank you for your courage. Welcome to the peoples’ House.

I’d like to introduce and welcome to the House today Ms. Karey Anne Large, the executive director of the Scugog Chamber of Commerce, and her son Nolan. Welcome to the House.

Point of order, Mr. Speaker: I seek unanimous consent that, notwithstanding standing order 67, the time for debate on Bill 174, Supply Act, be allocated as follows: 56 minutes to each of the recognized parties and eight minutes to the independent members as a group.

It would be great for the 15 members of the independents to be able to discuss how the government is spending the people’s money.

That concludes our member’s statements for this morning.

I’ll recognize the member for Ottawa South on a point of order.

It is my great pleasure to introduce this group of legislative pages: from the riding of Sarnia–Lambton, Ahmed Arif; from the riding of Etobicoke North, Krishna Bhargava; from the riding of Essex, Parker Booth; from Barrie–Innisfil, Anne Bowman; from Etobicoke–Lakeshore, Julian Chapin-Ker; from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke, Emily Charbonneau; from Markham–Unionville, Tyler Chow; from Ottawa Centre, Christopher Falkner; from Chatham-Kent–Leamington, Alyssa Geene; from Simcoe–Grey, Korel Gogceloglu; from Guelph, Chase Hipel; from Parkdale–High Park, Olivia Jeens; from London West, Bhavneet Kaur; from Mississauga–Lakeshore, Noah Lakhani; from Eglinton–Lawrence, Ella Lau; from Ottawa–Vanier, Emma Taylor Lee; from Brampton North, Reyan Naseem; from the riding of Windsor–Tecumseh, Sarah Penner; from the riding of Humber River–Black Creek, Bhavna Prashar; from the riding of Scarborough–Guildwood, Farah Sharmin; from Windsor West, Jack Xu; and from the riding of Oakville, Owen Zeng.

Please join me in welcoming this group of Legislative pages.

Applause.