I beg to inform the House that in the name of His Majesty the King, Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to assent to certain bills in her office.

Point of order, Speaker: I said May 31 rather than May 30. I want everybody to know that we will still be celebrating on May 31, but it will start on the 30th.

First of all, I would like to welcome the Croatian community here to Queen’s Park today. Thank you for being here. It is my honour to speak again about this great bill that my friend the member for Flamborough–Glanbrook has introduced. I want to thank her for bringing this forward and for the opportunity to speak in support of this bill, which would proclaim Croatian Heritage Day each year on May 30.

Ontario is a dynamic and thriving multicultural community. People are coming here from across the world. As you stroll down the streets in my riding of Mississauga–Lakeshore, you will see many diverse smiles, hear various languages and smell the aroma of delicious international cuisines. As our population increases, our economy, culture and society grows. It is vital to recognize the great contributions of new Canadians to our community.

Croatians have a proud history here in Ontario dating back to the 1920s, when they immigrated looking for a better life. They are well known for their commitment to serve humanity and create a robust community. The business sector has seen some of the most remarkable contributions from Croatian immigrants, notably in information technology, hospitality, construction and manufacturing. A large number of the first Croatian immigrants found employment in my riding at the Port Credit brickyard, which later evolved into the Texaco refinery, where my father worked for 30 years and, and in its current state now, the Brightwater development in my great riding of Mississauga–Lakeshore. They helped to produce more than 15,000 bricks every day to use in construction projects across the region, including my family’s home, which is directly across the street from the old brickyard and now is recognized as a heritage property by the Ontario Heritage Act.

At first, Croatian immigrants working at the brickyard were mostly male, but then women began to immigrate to Mississauga to join their husbands. These women only had letters that their husbands had sent them to rely on for information about their new home here in Canada.

While every Croatian came to Canada with a willingness to work extremely hard, women faced more barriers than men. The 1930s saw Croatian women move into semi-skilled labour positions, and from there, they set off to new positions. A page had turned in the history of Croatian women here in Canada. They were no longer only wives or domestic workers. During the Second World War, some went to work in the small arms building in Lakeview, manufacturing guns that were critical to the war that Canada was in during the Second World War.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I want to thank my friend who introduced this bill. I also want to thank the consul general from the Republic of Croatia here in Mississauga, Ante Jović, for his support, because without him we would not have been able to do this bill here today. So I want to thank you for that.

As well, I can’t wait to celebrate Croatian Heritage Day on May 30. Thank you. And thank you to the Croatian community that I was brought up with.

It’s an honour to stand before you today and advocate for the establishment of Croatian Heritage Day in Ontario to be celebrated annually on May 30. I believe all members will agree that Ontario should take the time to commemorate the cultural heritage, the achievements and contributions of Croatians to our province and beyond.

Croatian Heritage Day would not only serve as a celebration of Croatian culture but also as a recognition of the rich tapestry of diversity that makes Ontario such a vibrant and inclusive place to live. It would be a day to honour the achievements of Croatian Canadians in various fields—arts, sciences, sports, business, politics—highlighting their positive impact and contributions to our society.

The Croatian community has a long and proud history in Ontario, dating back over 100 years when the first Croatian immigrants arrived on Canadian shores. Since then, Croatians have played a significant role in shaping the cultural, social and economic fabric of our province, contributing their talents, their traditions and values to the mosaic of Ontario’s identity.

By establishing Croatian Heritage Day in Ontario, we would not only pay tribute to the contributions of Croatian Canadians, but it would also be a day to celebrate the shared values of respect and solidarity that unite us all as Ontarians, regardless of background or heritage.

Furthermore, the Croatian Heritage Day will provide an opportunity for all Ontarians to learn more about Croatian culture, history and traditions, fostering a greater appreciation and understanding among different communities. It would be a day of cultural exchange, dialogue and friendship, strengthening the bonds of unity and harmony that make Ontario such a great place to live.

Speaker, I was fortunate enough to visit Croatia on a number of occasions as a member of the Canadian Forces—Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik—and I was always struck by the elegance, by the beauty, by the art and culture that I saw everywhere. It inspired me so much that my husband and I went back for a 10-day holiday, and we loved it. I would highly recommend anyone who ever has that opportunity to do that. Time and time again, we were struck by the beauty of its landscapes, the friendliness of its people, the elegance of its food and its art and its architecture. They have so much to offer, and I wanted to say thank you to the people of Croatian heritage for sharing that with us. How lucky are we that you have chosen to share that grand heritage and culture and art with the people of Ontario?

In conclusion, I heartily support Bill 81 to officially recognize May 30 as Croatian Heritage Day in our province. Let us come together to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Croatian community and reaffirm our commitment to each other. Together, we will celebrate Croatian heritage and history and we will celebrate a vibrant Ontario for future generations.

The following are the titles of the bills to which Her Honour did assent:

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

An Act to authorize the expenditure of certain amounts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 / Loi autorisant l’utilisation de certaines sommes pour l’exercice se terminant le 31 mars 2024.

No further business.

It is a pleasure to rise on behalf of the resident of Simcoe–Grey this morning to join the debate on Bill 81, an act to proclaim May 30 each year as Croatian Heritage Day. I want to congratulate my colleague from Flamborough–Glanbrook on bringing this private member’s bill forward and thank you for the opportunity to join the debate this morning.

Diversity makes us stronger, and the opportunity to celebrate that diversity and recognize the important ways that other cultures and their heritage enrich our province to make us a stronger and more inclusive and more resilient society is worth celebrating and is the reason for this bill.

Following the defeat and dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after the First World War, the southern Slav people formed a new kingdom which included historic Croatian lands. It was known initially as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes and, in 1929, changed its name to Yugoslavia, which translates to “the land of the South Slavs.”

As noted in the preamble to the bill, Croatian immigrants escaping the oppression of the Communist regime began arriving in Ontario in the 1920s, seeking a better life. They worked in steel mills in Hamilton and Sault Ste. Marie, in mines in northern Ontario and on construction sites across Ontario, and I know they worked in the Collingwood shipyards as well.

They established vibrant communities across the province including Windsor, Welland, Hamilton, Mississauga, Toronto, and further north in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie. Today, Ontario is home to over 100,000 people of Croatian descent, the largest Croatian population in Canada, and the contributions of Ontarians of Croatian descent have been numerous.

Moreover, athleticism is an important part of the Croatian identity. As an aging athlete, I am a great believer in the saying that life imitates sport so I would like to focus my comments this morning on the great Croatian Canadian athletes that many of us grew up cheering for as they competed in Canada and for Canada. They entertained us, they represented us with distinction, and they made us proud to be Canadians.

The Mahovlich brothers, Frank and Peter, have Croatian parents and are National Hockey League legends. Frank, also known as the “Big M,” joined the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1957, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year and he won four cups with the Maple Leafs in 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1966.

Frank also won two Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in 1971 and 1973. Frank’s younger brother, Peter, known as “Little M,” even though he towered over his older brother, won four Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens, two with his brother and two more after Frank had been traded, in 1976 and 1977.

Peter joined his brother Frank on Team Canada for the memorable Summit Series against the Soviet Union in 1972, and the two brothers were key contributors to that historic victory, which has come, really, to be a watershed moment in Canada’s hockey history.

There are few hockey fans who watched that series who cannot recall in great detail where they were when Paul Henderson scored the winning goal in game 8 with 34 seconds left in regulation time. And the Mahovlich brothers are just one of numerous accomplished sibling duos of Croatian descent to embrace what for many Canadians is our national game, hockey, and to play in the NHL.

The Pavelich brothers were skating in the NHL before the Mahovlich brothers had ever put on skates, and their careers spanned four decades, from the 1940s to the 1970s. Older brother Marty played 10 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings during their heyday and was a member of four Stanley Cup teams with the Red Wings, in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955.

Marty’s younger brother, Matt, debuted in the NHL in 1956 as a linesman and retired 23 years later, in 1979, after working 1,727 regular season games, 245 playoff games and seven Stanley Cup finals. In 1987, Matt was the first linesman ever to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

And there were the Sakic brothers, Joe and Brian, another dynamic Croatian brother duo. Joe Sakic won two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche as a player in 1996 and 2001 and another as the Avalanche general manager in 2022—only the second player to do that with his own organization. Joe was also a key member of Team Canada in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where Canada won gold. And we all know the famous story of the loonie under centre ice.

Brother Brian was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 1990, but never played in the NHL. He played professional hockey in the Western Hockey League and had his jersey number retired by the Tri-City Americans, with whom he set WHL records for career assists and points.

And there are the Kordic brothers, John and Dan. They are the fourth sibling duo with Croatian heritage to play in the NHL. John played in the NHL for seven seasons and won a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986, and his brother, Dan, played for the Philadelphia Flyers for over five seasons.

There are, of course, other Croatian Canadian NHLers who have won the Stanley Cup, such as Cory Sarich, but these four brother duos are unique, not just because of their Croatian heritage but also because they won a total of 18 Stanley Cups between them—a truly remarkable feat. As new Canadians, they embraced our national sport, they excelled beyond all expectations and they made a place for themselves in our hockey lore.

Continuing with the siblings theme, Sandra and Val Bezic are another example of a Croatian sibling duo that excelled on the ice beyond all expectations as pair figure skaters. Sandra and Val were Canadian champions five times, from 1970 to 1974 inclusive, and placed a very respectable ninth at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan.

Speaker, the name of George Chuvalo, which has been mentioned previously, is another Canadian sports legend with Croatian heritage, and he’s very well known to sports fans in Canada and around the world. He was Canada’s heavyweight champion for 20 years and a two-time world heavyweight title challenger. George fought many of the heavyweight greats, including Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and George Foreman. He had 93 professional bouts and is famous for never being knocked down in his entire career.

Tragically, George faced his biggest losses outside the ring as he lost three sons and his wife to addictions and mental health struggles. Speaker, he faced those losses head-on, speaking candidly and openly about his family’s mental health struggles long before it was mainstream. He was perseverance and determination personified, both in and outside the ring, and for that, he won the admiration of Canadians everywhere.

I’d like to use my remaining time just to speak about my personal connection with Croatia and, in particular, Zagreb, the capital and largest city in Croatia. During my time on the Canadian rowing team, I had the great pleasure to race in Zagreb in 1987 at the world student games. I was a member of the coxed four. It is a beautiful 13th-century city, surrounded by pastoral countryside, and it had a state-of-the-art rowing course, perhaps one of the best courses I raced on in my time racing internationally. The final was a hard-fought and closely contested race that saw us finish third, within a second of the Italians and less than a second ahead of the Yugoslavian crew.

That, Madam Speaker, is an important note, because during my time on the national rowing team, one of the things that I got to witness first-hand was geopolitical shifts and changes in our world. We saw the coming down of the Berlin Wall. In 1988, I raced against the East and West German crews; in 1990, I raced against the unified Germany. In 1988, I raced against the Yugoslavian crew, that same crew that we raced in 1987, and I’m sad to say, they beat us that race. Then, in 1992, I raced against Croatia and Slovenia as separate nations, after Yugoslavia broke up during the Bosnian War.

Having a first-hand seat to those changes internationally gave me an understanding and appreciation not only for the athletes, but for the heritage and the places they came from. It’s a shifting world and we need to take time out to celebrate our heritage communally and collectively, and this is such a great opportunity in this House this morning to do that.

Today, the Croatian rowing program is thriving, and, once again, a sibling duo is their top crew, with back-to-back Olympic gold medals in two different events. Martin and Valent Sinković won gold in the men’s heavyweight double at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and, four years later, won gold in the men’s heavyweight pair at the 2021 Tokyo games. Interestingly, this is only the second time in Olympic history that this feat has been accomplished. I’m very proud to say that Canada’s own Kathleen Heddle and Marnie McBean, my teammates in 1992, were the first ever to accomplish this feat, winning gold in the women’s heavyweight pair in Barcelona in 1992, where they also won gold as members of the Canadian women’s eight, and four years later, they won in the women’s heavyweight double at the Atlanta games in 1996.

My last connection to Yugoslavia is my coach, Boris Klavora, he himself an Olympian rower who represented Yugoslavia in the heavyweight eight at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. To me, I think Boris really represents the spirit of Yugoslavia and Croatia. He is determined and analytical, with an infinite capacity to challenge himself fearlessly and relentlessly. Indeed, it is these traits that make our Croatian Canadians such accomplished athletes and valued members of our communities across the province, and it is just one of the many ways our Croatian communities make Ontario stronger, more inclusive and more resilient.

That is why I will be supporting Bill 81.

Further debate?

Ms. Skelly has moved third reading of Bill 81, An Act to proclaim Croatian Heritage Day. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carries? Carried.

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

Third reading agreed to.

Orders of the day? I recognize the deputy House leader.

The House recessed from 1002 to 1015.

Good morning, Speaker. Just two days ago, the Persian community around the world came together to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, marking the beginning of spring and a season of renewal and hope.

This year’s Nowruz celebration included the Haftseen Bazaar celebration in Oakville. I was happy to attend this amazing celebration and event in my home riding of Oakville. Over the course of three days in March, the Haftseen Bazaar became a hub of joy and cultural exchange. I want to recognize and thank Bita Fanaei, whose dedication brought to life an event that was nothing short of incredible.

Persian Heritage Month is celebrated throughout March. Thanks to the great members from Carleton and Aurora–Oak Ridges–Richmond Hill, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario passed Bill 271 in 2021, proclaiming March as Persian Heritage Month.

With thousands of years of history and tradition, Persian culture is rooted in one of the oldest civilizations. From ancient Mesopotamia to Cyrus the Great’s founding of the first Persian empire and beyond, Persians have held a home at the centre of countless empires, trade routes and cultures for centuries.

Over the past century, Ontario has been proud to welcome tens of thousands of Persian immigrants, growing into the largest Persian community in Canada.

I want to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous Nowruz, and may this year be the fresh beginnings of peace and happiness.

During pre-budget consultations, the finance committee had the opportunity to hear from people across the province who are struggling. Despite living in the richest province in Canada and during a cost-of-living crisis, our provincial government skimps on paying for the services that people need right now.

Educators in my community are running their classrooms on as little as $100 per year. How does that set kids up for success? Boards are running massive deficits while the government refuses to cough up money for legally mandated increases to CPP and EI. Conservatives are failing.

Education is an investment. Decades of Liberal and Conservative disinvestment and cost-cutting targeting Ontario’s youth have resulted in an education system on the brink. Remember when a Conservative minister admitted on a hot mike they were deliberately creating a crisis in education so they could cut, destroy and privatize? Here we are again.

Children are our greatest resource, yet governments reward their rich buddies while Ontario’s kids go without. School violence is at an all-time high and kids aren’t getting mental health supports. Conservatives pretend there are supports in schools, but no one across the province said they could access them. Ontario is dead last when it comes to post-secondary funding—dead last. Conservatives are getting an F grade in education.

Stabilize the system. Give kids the tools to succeed. Reverse the $1,200 cut per elementary and secondary student you’ve made since 2018. Help post-secondary institutions make young people’s dreams a reality by increasing funding with annual compounded increases of 11.75% for the next five years.

You have the money. Spend it on kids. It’s their future. You can do it in budget 2024.

Today, I rise to recognize a great Canadian and Taiwanese hero, Dr. George Leslie Mackay. As we take the opportunity to celebrate him today, on what would be his 180th birthday, his legacy of service to the people of Taiwan has never been more prominent.

George Leslie Mackay was born and raised right in Oxford, near the village of Embro. Mackay charted new paths as the first Presbyterian missionary to Taiwan. He went on to establish a mission in the town of Tamsui, which remained his home for the rest of his life.

Mackay embraced the island’s customs, traditions and people. His generous and accepting spirit compelled him to serve his community any way that he could. He spent almost 30 years building schools, founding churches and practising dentistry in his adopted homeland.

Mackay advocated for women’s rights and spoke against discrimination and championed public health care. Some of his most notable accomplishments include building Taiwan’s first school for girls and a major hospital in Tamsui.

On his birthday, we celebrate Mackay’s legacy of investing in Taiwan. Having laid the foundations for innovative education and a cutting-edge health care system, Mackay would be proud to see Taiwan reap the benefits of its now prosperous and mature democracy.

As our trade ties become stronger every year with increasing bilateral investments, I’m grateful to Dr. George Leslie Mackay for helping to establish an enduring friendship and shared confidence between Taiwan and Ontario.

This morning, I want to share examples from my riding of why privatization of the health care system is harmful. We all know that when the Conservative government of Mike Harris was in power, they privatized home care. Private companies were going to make home care more efficient, serve more people, offer more care. None of that is true. The privatization of home care made hundreds of millions of dollars for private companies’ shareholders and dire repercussions for people needing care.

Take Tina Senior’s beautiful six-year-old son Alex. Bayshore gets paid for 1.5 hours of nursing care daily when Alex is in school, but they only schedule the nurse for 15 minutes. What happened? His mom, Tina, a nurse with over 20 years’ experience, had to quit her job to keep her son safe.

Mrs. C from Hanmer agreed to take her husband home from the hospital while he awaits placement in a long-term-care home with home care services. Of course, home care never shows up when they’re supposed to. But get this, Speaker: They have a meeting, and her daughter mentioned that she would be there after work to help care for her dad. Now the only time Bayshore is available is after 4, when the daughter is there and when the family said, “We don’t need you.” Bayshore takes that as refused care, a cancelled appointment. They get paid, and the family gets zero care. This woman is burning out.

The list goes on. The privatization does money for shareholders, suffering for people who need care.

I rise today to recognize the Burlington Lions Optimist Minor Hockey Association. I’d like to congratulate BLOMHA for being a successful recipient of the government of Ontario’s OTF capital grant. BLOMHA received $25,000 for new hockey equipment to promote more participation of goaltenders in minor hockey. This funding will help break down barriers for players who don’t have access to goalie equipment, allowing all players the opportunity to participate in goaltending.

Hockey is an integral part of the Canadian cultural identity that brings together communities and creates lasting bonds. Players develop confidence. They learn good sportsmanship, camaraderie and a sense of community. Youth leagues like BLOMHA teach players valuable life skills, promote active lifestyles and contribute to mental health and well-being. That’s why our government continues to support organizations like BLOMHA to ensure aspiring players and goaltenders have the opportunity to reach their potential goals.

Seniors in my riding of Ottawa West–Nepean are being gouged by Alavida Lifestyles, and this government is letting Alavida get away with it. Residents at Park Place and the Ravines are being told that they need to pay thousands of dollars more per month in order to retain their housing. In one case, an elderly woman has been served notice of an increase of $27,000 more per year. Another resident has received notice of a $24,000 increase. Speaker, I doubt that there are many of us who are working who could afford to pay that kind of increase in our housing costs, and these are seniors on fixed incomes.

These residents feel like they are being forced out of their homes, forced to abandon their friends and their community. Some of them are also feeling so scared and isolated by the high-pressure tactics that Alavida has been engaging in that they are having trouble eating and sleeping.

I reached out to the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority, who said that it’s not their problem. I reached out to the minister of seniors and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to ask them to shut down this predatory behaviour. They literally responded with talking points, saying that retirement homes can charge whatever fees they want.

This is completely unacceptable. Seniors deserve a dignified retirement, not to have their home held hostage to increase the profits of a private developer.

Shame on this government for siding with a developer rather than with the seniors. It’s time that they actually stand up for seniors and come up with a plan to stop this kind of price gouging.

I stand today to applaud our government’s $70-billion transportation investment across Ontario, including the Scarborough subway extension, which serves Scarborough and beyond.

Our Premier’s leadership of this ambitious effort enhances connectivity, minimizes travel times and reduces congestion for residents and tourists alike. Educational, employment and recreational amenities will be easily accessible.

Transportation infrastructure improves economic growth by attracting investments and creating jobs. The extension improves public transit accessibility for all residents, especially those with mobility difficulties. The Scarborough subway extension is a major step toward a more integrated, active and sustainable Scarborough and greater Toronto area.

I appreciate the Minister of Transportation, his associate minister, Scarborough MPPs and the Metrolinx team for inviting us to attend the site visit progress update—great work. We are getting it done for the people of Scarborough and beyond.

I rise today with profound gratitude for our government in securing uninterrupted learning for Ontario’s students. For the first time in nearly a generation, our government has successfully negotiated agreements with four of Ontario’s teacher unions, ensuring stability for families and students alike.

As a parent of four children, I recall the challenges we faced during teachers’ strikes. Balancing responsibilities while scrambling to secure child care is not an easy feat. I do not want my children to go through similar hardships with their own children.

We are committed to equipping our young learners with the foundational skills necessary for academic success. The back-to-basics approach is well received by all parents in my riding of Richmond Hill. They say, “Finally, we have the crucial skills in reading, writing and math for our children. Yes, it lays a solid groundwork for our students’ future academic endeavours.”

On behalf of Richmond Hill, I express my heartfelt appreciation to Minister Lecce and our Premier for championing these initiatives. Together, we are ensuring that Ontario’s students receive the education they deserve—one that prepares them for the challenges of tomorrow while fostering a love for learning.

This week the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance was proud to announce the unveiling of local Indigenous artwork at its Chatham hospital. Adding art at the Chatham site was made possible by the innovation grant program, which allowed staff, physicians, volunteers and patient advisers to bring forward ideas for positive change that benefits patients and improves the quality of the workplace.

After a call for submissions and voting by the staff engagement council, the successful entries were made by artist Celeste Noah of the Delaware Nation, which now hang proudly in the ambulatory care waiting room, the dialysis waiting room, the intensive care unit family waiting room and in the reflection space. Each piece is accompanied by a descriptive plaque for visitors and patients to learn more about its meaning. Collectively, Noah’s vibrant watercolour artwork reflects the rich history and traditions of Indigenous storytelling. Hospital CEO Lori Marshall and board chair Deb Crawford were both on hand to congratulate Noah and commemorate the installation.

Noah is a self-taught artist who researched and took up the hobby during the pandemic. She stated that she used her knowledge and creativity to paint her people wearing their regalia, colourful, and in motion.

Deb Crawford noted, “Ms. Noah’s artwork serves as a powerful expression of connection to land, tradition, and spirituality.”

I can’t be more proud of our hospital’s exceptional care and this young artist’s successful contribution to this beautiful public space.

If there are no objections, I’d like to continue with introduction of visitors.

Il me fait plaisir de vous présenter l’Association des gestionnaires de l’éducation franco-ontarienne : Jean-François Bard, président de l’AGÉFO et surintendant de l’éducation pour le Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est; Jennifer Lamarche Schmalz, direction générale de l’AGÉFO; Jean-Guy Fréchette, Grande-Ourse Consultation; mais en particulier Guylaine Scherer, qui vient de mon comté, qui vient de Kapuskasing. Bienvenue, Guylaine. Elle est la vice-présidente de l’AGÉFO et direction des communications au conseil scolaire public du nord-est. Bienvenue à Queen’s Park.