Today is the 10th anniversary of James Michael Flaherty’s untimely death. He served in this Legislature as the MPP for Whitby–Ajax in several roles from 1995 to 2005, including Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance.

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Canada’s former Prime Minister, said appointing Jim Flaherty in 2006 as finance minister was one of the most meaningful decisions ever for this country, as James steered the economy through the global recession of 2008-09 and worked hard to get the country on a sound financial footing in the years afterward.

Jim Flaherty entered public life to make sure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, had the chance to live happy lives of purpose and dignity. Inclusion in every respect was his ultimate goal. He and Christine Elliott were instrumental in creating the Abilities Centre, a fully accessible recreational and community facility in Whitby. The centre’s mission is to enrich the quality of life for people of all ages and abilities.

We cannot know for certain how long we have here, nor the trials or misfortunes which test us along the way. We can learn from our mistakes and grow from our failures, and we can strive at all costs to make a better province so that someday, if we’re blessed with the chance to look back at our time here, we know that we spent it well and that our fleeting presence has a lasting impact on the lives of others.

This is how James Michael Flaherty lived. That, Speaker, is his legacy.

I think this is the first time I’ve been first; I’m usually last on the introductions. I want to welcome the members from the Ontario Federation of Trail Riders here today. I’m looking forward to meeting with them later today, and there’s a reception tonight in 228. Let’s welcome them to the House.

I have a few introductions. I will try and get through them quickly. I would like to welcome folks here today for the debate on Bill 173: Erin Lee, the executive director of Lanark County Interval House and Community Support; Cait Alexander, who is a survivor of intimate partner violence; Kirsten Mercer, a lawyer who represented end violence against Renfrew county; OSSTF members Kelly Bevan and Tracey Marshall; the vice-president of OSSTF, Martha Hradowy; and all the way from Windsor, Fartumo Kusow, who is here—her daughter was killed by her intimate partner last year.

I also want to welcome Chief Mary Duckworth of Caldwell First Nation, Councillors Duckworth and Heil of Caldwell First Nation, former chief and councillor Larry Sault of Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Chief Claire Sault of Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’d like to take a few seconds to introduce and recognize today’s page captain, Emirson Ricker, who hails from Dunnville in my beautiful riding of Haldimand–Norfolk. Emirson attends Cairn Christian School. Welcome, Emirson, and I truly hope you enjoy your stay here at Queen’s Park.

Good morning. Before I introduce my visitors today, I’d like to beg the indulgence of the House for just a few seconds, because today is the most significant observance in the Muslim faith. After weeks of fasting and prayer, Muslim Canadian families in Mississauga and across Ontario are observing Eid. To all my Muslim Canadian friends, a very happy and joyous Eid Mubarak and Eid-Ul-Fitr.

I want to welcome several people for the debate on intimate partner violence this afternoon: Alison Irons, the mother of Lindsay Wilson, who was killed in a murder-suicide in Bracebridge in April 2013; Dan and Michelle Jennings, parents of Caitlin Jennings, who was murdered in London, Ontario, in July 2023; as well as Emily McIntosh, Janice Jim and Amani Yagoub. Welcome to the House.

An old friend from the town of Amherstburg from Red Cloud Securities, David Talbot: Welcome to the Ontario Legislative Assembly.

Today we have folks from Oshawa for the debate on intimate partner violence. I want to welcome Karly Church from Victim Services of Durham Region, and Pamela Cross, legal director at Luke’s Place in Oshawa.

I’d like to welcome one of my staff members from Niagara Falls in my constituency office, Shannon Mitchell, who’s here. Welcome to Queen’s Park. Enjoy your day.

I would like to welcome my friends from Brampton: Abhishek Jain, Napinderpal Masaun, Puneet Sahi, Manu Mahajan, and a special guest from India, Updeep Singh. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’m just adding to the list of our friends who are here for a very important debate this afternoon: Yamikani Msosa from the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women—very happy you’re with us today, Yami.

I wish a warm welcome to two of my constituents, Norm Mero and Dillon Mero, who are here in the members’ gallery today.

On behalf of both Hamilton members here, we want to welcome to our House members from the Woman Abuse Working Group, Erin Griver, and from the YWCA, Daniela Giulietti. I want to thank all of the agencies in Hamilton working around intimate partner violence. It’s an important issue, and we really appreciate you coming here today to stand up—thank you.

Good morning. This question is for the Premier. Nearly 10 years ago, three women were tragically murdered in Renfrew county on the same day by the same man. Since then, hundreds of women have lost their lives to acts of intimate partner violence. The first recommendation from the coroner’s inquest into the murders in Renfrew county was to formally declare intimate partner violence an epidemic. It’s a simple yet very important and impactful step that this government has so far resisted.

My question is, will the Premier right this wrong and support the NDP’s bill to declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in Ontario?

I think all of us here often feel like we have a great privilege in being able to speak for so many who have been more directly impacted, often, by things like intimate partner violence. I always say it’s a privilege that we are able to be the ones to be here to advocate, and I do want to thank the government.

I am going to move on: I appreciate the government’s commitment to creating a committee. I’d like the government to consider taking everything a little bit of a step further today. We are joined, as I mentioned earlier, by dozens of survivors, their supporters, their loved ones, and they are here because, frankly, this government has ignored survivors for too long. This is the same government that cut millions in funding for the victims’ compensation fund and they changed the eligibility rules so that it’s even harder for survivors to get justice.

So I’d ask the minister and the Premier if they might consider explaining to the folks here today why they have taken that lifeline away and to, perhaps, restore it.

This is urgent. We need to increase that base funding right now. I would ask the government: Let’s not push this over to another committee for another 10 years or 12 years; let’s get this done today together.

I also want to mention courts again. We were joined this morning by a survivor who had the case against the accused stayed because too much time had passed. We hear this over and over again. We would ask the government to please consider properly funding the courts so that victims, survivors can truly see justice.

Will the government—and I know the government doesn’t want us to be talking about all these issues today, but this is what it means to declare this an epidemic. It means that you have to now treat it like the epidemic that it is. So I would ask the government again to restore the funding to the victims’ compensation fund and ensure that our courts are properly funded.

Interjections.

It’s always a pleasure when the people from our community from Peel region are here, including Abhishek Jain, Napinderpal, Puneet Sahi, Manu Mahajan and his guest from India, Updeep Singh. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

That concludes our introduction of visitors for this morning.

I appreciate the question from the Leader of the Opposition. Indeed, the government and this caucus will be supporting the private member’s bill that comes before the House later today.

In fact, we’ll be going a step further. The Premier has asked that we seek the advice of the standing committee on justice to do an in-depth study on all of the aspects with respect to intimate partner violence: both the current programs that are available, some of the root causes of it, and how we can do better in the province of Ontario. So we will be seeking that advice from the standing committee on justice in the coming days, as well.

Applause.

We will have the opportunity, should the justice committee seek to approve such a study, to do a very, very in-depth study and come back with recommendations on what supports are available, how can we do better.

We have heard across different ministries that this impacts different communities differently. I think the committee will have to go into all parts of the province and be given the tools and the resources that it needs to come back with recommendations that will ensure that we have all of the supports that are in place and that we continue to lead the nation in terms of how we respond. So we will do that, and we will work aggressively and quickly with the support of all colleagues to get action on this.

I think we have, as I said, a very, very good example in the province of Ontario. We literally lead the world when it comes to how we combat human trafficking, and we have heard not only from members opposite and from members of this caucus but different ministers that there has to be a better coordination of how we approach this. I think a standing committee with the full backing of this entire House to go to all parts of this province, have the ability to call ministers in front of that committee, have the ability to call survivors and victims of this, have the ability to, in fact, call on federal ministers to also appear before that committee, do a very in-depth, thorough investigation to come up with reports that we can enact as quickly as we possibly can—because, look, I agree; this is a challenge that we’re facing, another one of these challenges that we’re facing.

But as I said, I want to avoid the temptation to talk about—there are many good things that have been done, but we can do better, we will do better and we will ask all parliamentarians to help us in coming forward with something that works not only for the province of Ontario but has been so effective when it comes to human trafficking, so that we can show the rest of Canada and that we can show the rest of the world how Ontario can lead and do a better job for all.

I’d like to welcome Jenna Mayne and Lillie Proksch from the Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region. They’re here today for the intimate partner violence debate. And then Janice Jim, who is also a Waterloo constituent. Welcome to your House.

My question is to the Premier. I am incredibly disappointed to hear the government House leader talk about sending this to a committee. Nearly two years ago—

Interjections.

Interjections.