It is my honour to present the following petitions on behalf of Dr. Sally Palmer, chair of the Hamilton Social Work Action Committee.

“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 fully support this petition. I will affix my signature and deliver it to the Clerks.

I’d like to thank the member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke for his animated and excited presentation. One thing that I’m excited about in my area of London is the Humane Society London and Middlesex and their current project.

With their project, they’ve asked this government for $1.5 million. The federal government stepped up. The municipal government has stepped up. In fact, London’s city council has supported Humane Society London and Middlesex with $3 million. That’s twice what they’ve asked the province.

Will this government invest in the skills pipeline necessary to train veterinary technicians and support HSLM’s funding ask, yes or no?