SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
April 17, 2024 09:00AM
  • Apr/17/24 11:10:00 a.m.

The member for Nepean is warned.

The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing can reply.

The supplementary question?

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  • Apr/17/24 11:20:00 a.m.

I just got back from Sudbury and Nickel Belt. On a beautiful spring day in northern Ontario, there was lots to say about that, but I think it’s important to just have some context here, Mr. Speaker.

The nation was in the grips of a soap opera called the carbon tax paradise. Trouble in paradise last week as Jagmeet was unsure of his commitment and Justin was confused with the position. By Monday, a tired, broke nation from paying the carbon tax found out that Jagmeet reaffirmed his commitment, embracing the carbon tax on families, communities and businesses.

The next episode started this morning, when Premier Furey from Newfoundland said that he felt baited by the Prime Minister, Mr. Speaker. He says he’s being “very sclerotic in his approach” to this ideological marriage.

Mr. Speaker, we’ve divorced ourselves from the carbon tax fully and completely. We stand up for families and businesses in northern Ontario who are probably looking at a $2-per-litre gas price tomorrow, Mr. Speaker. Scrap the tax.

In Sudbury and Nickel Belt yesterday, I spoke to a young couple who started up a new business, and they’re bringing out all the trail groomers from ski hills and snowmobile trails from across northern Ontario—from Kenora and Timmins all the way down to Sudbury for repairs, okay? And I said, “What is this costing your business?” He said, “It’s almost out of reach.” It doesn’t make financial sense to get this heavy machinery down to their shops in Sudbury.

Mr. Speaker, whether they’re steel fabricators in Nickel Belt or folks that do the real work, preparing for mining equipment—

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  • Apr/17/24 11:20:00 a.m.

My question is to the Premier. Every single day, every single question in this House is met with the same response, and we see it again this morning: the carbon tax. So let’s actually talk about it. It’s a distraction from the real issues, like the greenbelt scandal, the health care crisis, the $9.8-billion deficit, the increase in the Premier’s office staff, many of whom are enjoying an income greater than a combined income of families in my riding of Haldimand–Norfolk.

In January, I launched a petition calling on this government to follow the lead of Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe—no response except for carbon tax referendum legislation that does absolutely nothing to help the people of Ontario today. It’s a publicity stunt. So who is actually playing politics with the carbon tax here at Queen’s Park? If the carbon tax is front and centre here at Queen’s Park, then obviously the members opposite could take real action.

Speaker, through you to the Premier: Will this government follow the lead of Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who is providing real relief to the people of Saskatchewan today?

Interjections.

What this government doesn’t talk about is that it has its own carbon tax on industrial emitters, a result of the scrapping of Ontario’s cap-and-trade system. This government collects compliance payments from the biggest industrial producers of greenhouse gas and will rake in nearly half a billion dollars by 2030. What is happening with that money?

Members opposite might find it cute that they count how many times they say the word “carbon tax” during question period. What I don’t find cute is the families who come to me telling me they’re choosing between heating and eating. If this government will not provide meaningful relief for Ontario families and has no other plan against the carbon tax other than to consult, it’s time you stopped talking about it and focused on the issues you can control here in Ontario.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has truly taken Ottawa on—

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  • Apr/17/24 11:20:00 a.m.

Order.

The Premier.

Interjections.

Start the clock. The member for Haldimand–Norfolk.

The Premier.

I remind the members to make their comments through the Chair, not directly across the floor at each other.

The next question.

The next question.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:20:00 a.m.

They call saving taxpayers money a publicity stunt. You know, Scott Moe is one of my best pals there. We share the same values. But if you call saving taxpayers money by reducing 10.7 cents off the gas prices when everyone is going to wake up tomorrow morning and pay another 14 more cents on top of the 17.5 cents, getting rid of the licence stickers, getting rid of the registration, making sure we got rid of the 412 and 418 tolls—that’s a publicity stunt?

We’re the only government in the history of Ontario that has never raised a tax on your parents; making sure they’re going to have a job, the students up there; making sure that we created 700,000 new jobs; putting more money on people’s kitchen tables and being able to pay rent and put a deposit down for a house. You call that a publicity stunt?

By the way, you won’t have a job next election.

Interjections.

But guess what? We’re building Ontario. We’ve become an economic powerhouse. Under the Liberals and the NDP—you destroyed the province. You bankrupted it. You created hallway health care. You didn’t build any hospitals.

We’re building 50 new hospitals or additions. We’re building the 413 and the Bradford Bypass. We’re putting $190 billion into infrastructure to make sure people have an opportunity to get from point A to point B, but most importantly, we’ve landed $28 billion in the EV sector, creating tens of thousands of jobs.

Over 700,000 people are working today that weren’t working five and a half years ago. Under your watch, you lost 300,000 jobs—

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  • Apr/17/24 11:20:00 a.m.

Let me use just one example of what we are doing different. Back when I was a court clerk, the NDP were in charge of this province. If the court collapsed in two hours, I got paid two hours and sent home. It was precarious employment. When they were done with what they were doing, the Liberals took over. You know what they did? They did absolutely nothing.

You know what we’re doing, Mr. Speaker? We’re offering full-time employment to those workers. We’re increasing their pay. We’re making sure we have the resources in place. It took this government to pay attention, to invest in the justice system to make that happen.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:20:00 a.m.

Speaker, through you to the Minister of Health: My office continues to hear from constituents, including seniors, across Niagara suffering through unthinkable wait times for crucial surgeries. Elizabeth Cook, 83 years old, is in perilous condition as a result of a gastrointestinal issue that is causing fecal matter to leak through her reproductive organs. Two recent surgeries scheduled to occur at the Niagara Health System were cancelled, and she is again waiting for surgery after four years of dealing with intestinal issues.

What does this minister have to say to Elizabeth and the thousands of patients who are suffering through unacceptable wait times in Niagara and across Ontario?

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  • Apr/17/24 11:20:00 a.m.

My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Minister of Northern Development. The Liberal carbon tax is making life more unaffordable for all Ontarians, especially those in northern Ontario. That’s not a publicity stunt; that’s reality. Northerners already pay more at the gas pumps than in the rest of the province. They need relief, not a punitive tax burden.

As many Ontarians continue to struggle with rising costs, the independent Liberals and opposition NDP remain silent. They don’t care that this regressive tax adversely affects Ontario businesses and our economy.

Speaker, everyone in the province has had enough of the carbon tax. The federal government must scrap the tax. Can the minister please elaborate on the negative impact the carbon tax has on northern Ontario?

Unlike other areas in our province, northern Ontario has distinctive challenges related to fuel costs that need to be considered. While the Liberal and NDP members opposite continue to ignore the repercussions of the carbon tax on rural, remote and northern communities, our government will not stop calling for an end to this disastrous tax.

Speaker, can the minister share with the House the detrimental effects that the carbon tax is having on northern businesses?

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

I am pleased to rise today to table this petition with over 230 signatures, collected by COPE 527, which represents education workers in the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. These education workers are deeply concerned about the rates of violence within our schools, which they note are shockingly high, and that many education workers are suffering profound injuries, and yet many of these injuries are going unreported.

But we also know that increasing the number of educational workers in our schools and in our classrooms would help to reduce the levels of violence, making sure that there are enough adults to provide care, that children are not being frustrated and that their needs aren’t going unmet. So the petitioners call upon the Legislature to increase the number of education workers in classrooms across Ontario.

I am very proud to support this petition, will add my name to it and will send it to the table with page Simon.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

Order.

The supplementary question?

Interjection.

The division bells rang from 1141 to 1146.

All those in favour of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the Clerk.

Second reading agreed to.

The House recessed from 1151 to 1500.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

What I would say to Elizabeth and the many individuals across Ontario who want to get their critical diagnostic and surgeries done faster is, first of all, why is your representative, why is your NDP member, opposed to innovation in the health care system? Why does your NDP member continue to rail against innovation in our hospital sector, whether that is expansion of surgical and diagnostic centres in our communities so that we, yes, can continue to decrease wait times for diagnostic and surgical interventions?

It is really unfortunate that we have a member who represents a party who is diametrically opposed, philosophically opposed, to innovation in our health care system. We need to encourage that innovation to make sure that your constituents like Elizabeth, organizations and individuals across Ontario get access to that—

Interjections.

And again, I will say an organization and an NDP—

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

Speaker, this government has had six years to fix it, and it’s gotten worse, not better. That’s not innovation.

An Ontario Health Coalition report released yesterday uncovered the extent to which private clinics are using deceptive tactics to charge patients extra fees for OHIP-covered surgeries. In the case of cataract surgeries, they found clinics charging for extra eye measurements, tests, special lenses and unnecessary add-ons they say are better than OHIP-covered services. Seniors reported being charged for appointments, membership and administrative fees for primary care, as well as user fees.

Why is this minister ignoring the fact that seniors across Niagara and across Ontario are being ripped off by private, for-profit clinics?

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

Thank you to the excellent member from Essex for the question. This MPP is doing a marvellous job advocating for seniors. I was honoured to join him along with the MPP for Windsor–Tecumseh to visit the new seniors active living centres in Kingsville and Amherstburg. They will each receive $50,000 in new funding for seniors in the community. This means places like the Kingsville Community Centre can expand their activities and allow even more seniors to participate. It was amazing to see the energy of the seniors in Essex. It makes such a difference in the lives of seniors when they come together.

Mr. Speaker, everywhere I go, I see seniors so happy because they’re active, socially connected and having fun.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

Speaker, my question is for the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. Just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of hosting the minister in my riding of Essex, where we visited towns like Kingsville and Amherstburg and LaSalle. It was an opportunity to gather with seniors from communities and talk about the importance of staying active and staying connected.

Combatting social isolation is important for the health and well-being of our seniors. Our government must continue to invest in initiatives that help seniors stay fit and active and healthy in their own communities.

Speaker, can the minister share with the House what our government is doing to help seniors stay fit and active and healthy in Ontario?

We often hear the minister say that social isolation is enemy number one for seniors. They need access to programming that enables them to be engaged with their communities.

Speaker, can the minister share the importance of the seniors active living centres and how they are helping seniors in Ontario stay healthy and stay active and stay socially connected?

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

My question is for the Premier. In Waterloo region, 770 acres of prime farmland in Wilmot township are at risk of being expropriated for an undisclosed industrial site. Waterloo’s regional official plan accommodated all anticipated growth until 2051 without significant farmland loss. This is very important for the people of the region of Waterloo. Yet a month ago, farmers in Wilmot were offered an insulting cash offer per acre and given seven days to accept an offer or face expropriation.

This government’s current legislation makes it possible for what is happening in Wilmot to happen anywhere in Ontario, with no transparency and no community consultation. We don’t need any more Vegas deals on Ontario land in this place.

My question to the Premier, why is this government undermining the farming sector and encouraging backroom deals with developers?

We lose 319 acres of farmland every single day. This entire process has been without transparency, without process, is outside the official plan and is indicative of where this government is going with regard to encouraging sprawl and decimating farmland.

I fully support this petition and will affix my signature.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

Just a very brief introduction: I noticed that we’ve been joined this afternoon by a variety of rabbis and leaders who are here as part of Education and Sharing Day, which marks the work of Rabbi Mendel Schneerson. I want to thank you for your leadership in Ontario. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Deferred vote on the motion for second reading of the following bill:

Bill 185, An Act to amend various Acts / Projet de loi 185, Loi modifiant diverses lois.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

Actually, we’re doing no such thing. I suggest the member speak to the regional municipality if she has specific questions.

What she references in the bill, of course, is an issue that came before this House when the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade was trying to encourage the Volkswagen plant to operate or to establish itself in St. Thomas. The member will recall that a bill was brought forward into this House seeking to provide that community with the ability to provide incentives to help us land that. To the best of my recollection, that was passed unanimously by all members, including the member opposite. So if the member opposite and the party have a problem with what they unanimously passed, I would suggest that they chat with themselves about why it is that they would want to put at risk massive investments like the VW plant, like Stellantis and all of the other investments that we’re bringing that helped us create 700,000 jobs for the people of the province of Ontario.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

I would like to welcome back to the Legislature this afternoon folks from Ontario public health labs and OPSEU members Shannon Morris, Sara Fraser and Cody Williams. Welcome back to the Legislature.

These people have signed these petitions to ensure that we stop these closures in six communities and that the government invest in the infrastructure of Public Health Ontario labs.

I will sign my name to it and give it to page Aislyn, because I wholeheartedly support this.

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  • Apr/17/24 11:30:00 a.m.

I’d like to welcome a few special guests this afternoon: first and foremost, Jeffrey Roode—welcome to the Legislature; as well as Jane Kovarikova, Shaida Maleki, Kimiya Zamani, David Steele and Shauna Buttivant and other members of my team who will be joining me very soon. Thank you so much for being here.

Mr. Parsa moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 188, An Act to amend the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 and various other Acts / Projet de loi 188, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2017 sur les services à l’enfance, à la jeunesse et à la famille et diverses autres lois.

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