On a point of order, pursuant to standing order 7(e), I wish to inform the House that tonight’s evening meeting is cancelled.

I want to thank the member for Mushkegowuk–James Bay for his address this morning. I know he’s always passionate about issues in the north. In this budget, he spoke about the north extensively—and affordability. I have to ask the member—in this budget, we are extending the reduction of the gas tax until December 31, 2024. I come from a rural riding, as he knows well, and there are no places more than rural and remote ridings such as yours and mine that the cost of gas is more relative.

I ask the member, does he not agree that this initiative in this budget, which continues and extends that gas tax reduction until the end of this calendar year—does he not agree that this is vitally important to his constituents in Mushkegowuk–James Bay?

Merci à mon collègue pour la question. J’apprécie tout le temps ses questions, puis j’aime beaucoup l’entendre parler aussi. Il est passionné souvent. Des fois, on a ça en commun. On aime s’emporter.

Ce qu’il me demande est sur l’essence, le prix d’essence qu’ils ont baissé de 11 cennes ou de 10 cennes. Mais ce que j’aimerais voir, moi, c’est plus de réglementer le prix du gaz. C’est là qu’on va voir la différence.

Commencez à réglementer. On l’a proposé souvent; vous ne l’avez jamais accepté. On le baisse de 10 cennes ou 11 cennes; il est monté de 11 cennes. Le monde ne voit aucune différence. Au contraire, je pense qu’on prend ces 11 cennes ou 10 cennes-là et ils les mettent dans leurs poches—les grosses multinationales se les mettent dans leurs poches puis disent : « Merci beaucoup. On apprécie beaucoup le surplus d’argent que vous venez de nous donner. »

Mais la réalité des choses, c’est que le concitoyen ne le voit pas. Mais si on réglemente pour dire qu’à grandeur de la province, ça va être le même prix, que tu sois à Toronto, que tu sois à Kapuskasing, que tu sois à Thunder Bay ou que tu sois à Geraldton, le prix va être le même. Puis là, baissez-les de 11 cennes. Là, on va dire que vous avez fait la bonne chose—

Question : la question de la biomasse, de fabriquer la biomasse et les emplois pour les travailleurs et les travailleuses—je crois qu’il y a d’autres exemples pertinents ici; sinon, sûrement toujours les États-Unis, pour un autre exemple. On a aussi l’exemple de la Norvège. En Norvège, il y a une grande industrie de biomasse. Il y a la capacité de générer totalement l’électricité dans ce pays—renouvelable—à cause de l’hydroélectricité et la biomasse, et de la biomasse au nord du pays de la Norvège.

Est-ce que cet exemple-là, mon ami, est un bon exemple que l’Ontario pourrait suivre?

Écoute, il faut reconnaître que ce que le gouvernement propose, c’est un début, mais on aurait dû être beaucoup plus agressif, beaucoup plus agressif sur le dossier—ce que l’industrie forestière, en même temps, précise. On pourrait développer beaucoup plus d’énergie, puis non seulement ça : c’est gérer notre forêt comme il faut. Ça viendrait aussi aider aux feux de forêt, parce que la biomasse qui reste là, ou le résidu qui reste là, est très sujet aux feux de forêt. Souvent, ça cause encore plus—de brûler plus d’hectares.

Mais on a une solution qui pourrait aider non seulement l’industrie forestière, mais qui pourrait aider nos coûts d’énergie et créer plus d’énergie, surtout avec tout ce qu’on veut faire avec les véhicules électriques. Très bonne question. Je l’apprécie beaucoup.

Dans le budget, ça parle des travailleurs autochtones dans le Nord : 7,3 millions de dollars pour assister avec la main-d’oeuvre. Est-ce que tu supportes ça?

Les Premières Nations, oui, il faut investir dans les Premières Nations, la main-d’oeuvre. On sait que c’est la population qui grandit le plus. Mais quand tu vas dans nos communautés autochtones, par exemple, ce qu’on dit et ce qu’on fait, ce sont deux choses. C’est un peuple qui vit dans la pauvreté. Pourtant, ils sont sur leurs territoires ancestraux; pourtant, les richesses viennent de leurs territoires, et ils sont les plus pauvres. Je pense que c’est mon collègue de Kiiwetinoong qui en parle le plus souvent. On a le peuple le plus riche, puis on vit le plus pauvre en Ontario. Leurs enfants sont obligés d’aller dans des secondaires en dehors de leur ville parce qu’il n’y a même pas d’écoles secondaires, souvent, dans leur propre communauté. On a de la misère quand nos enfants partent pour le collège quand ils ont 18 ans. Imagine-toi quand tu t’en vas au secondaire; tu viens de finir le primaire et tu t’en vas au secondaire. Vous trouvez ça juste? Trouvez-vous ça juste que dans des communautés qui sont—

I’m honoured to rise today to talk about Bill 180, the Building a Better Ontario Act, our budget measures for 2024.

I want to start by saying that we have to go back to where this session of Parliament started. I remember the throne speech from Her Honour Madam Dowdeswell that day very well. I remember words that she spoke about Ontario’s unofficial anthem in 1967. If some of us remember that—I was a little baby, so I was very young, but I remember hearing it later. It talked about our aspirations. In 1967—this was Canada’s centennial—it talked about our aspirations for what we wanted our province to look like. The words and the lyrics were: “A place to stand and a place to grow.”

This budget today in 2024 takes its roots from 1967 and that theme song. We want to build an Ontario so we have a place to grow, and that is very, very important. This is why we’re building a better Ontario. It’s a better Ontario for everyone in Ontario. It’s a better Ontario for the people that are coming to make Ontario their new home. It’s a better Ontario for families like mine that trace their roots back here in Ontario for over 100 years. It’s a better Ontario no matter what culture we come from, no matter what our religion is. It’s a better Ontario for absolutely everyone.

I want to thank the Minister of Finance for his leadership in recognizing that when we have a better Ontario for everyone, this is something of a legacy that we will leave another generation. That’s exactly why I’m speaking today.

Building a better Ontario is about acknowledging the continuity from generation to generation. It is about understanding the continuity that everyone’s welfare is important. It’s understanding that the historic investments that we make today will be there for another generation to enjoy.

Part of the greatest honour that any of us can have, being elected to this Legislature, is touring Ontario. No matter what side of the House we are on, those who have had the ambition and the opportunity to tour see something amazing.

I think about my tour last year in the riding of Timiskaming–Cochrane. I asked my colleague my friend from Timiskaming–Cochrane to meet me in Cochrane. It was the first time I was there, even though my wife’s family historically traced its roots to South Porcupine in the riding of Timmins.

What fascinated me there in Cochrane was not only a warm community and a great fire service and a great OPP detachment, it was actually understanding the route that people take up to Moosonee in the summer on the rails and how our government, as an example—and we’ve mentioned this before—is making investments to make travel to the north that much easier. You understand the distances by going there to see for yourself.

That’s why we are, as Premier Ford has said so many times in this Legislature, a government that has never raised one tax. That will be etched into the indelible record of the Legislature that people in other generations will understand.

Our budget clearly reflects the need for Ontario to allow for a stronger future. For me, as the Solicitor General, the honour of a lifetime is that every day I work hard so that everyone has an inherent equal right to live safely in their own home and communities, budget 2024 continues on with this fundamental theme as well.

For me, on the public safety side—every time I have an opportunity to debate on anything, I always want to acknowledge everyone who keeps us safe each and every day because without them, we have nothing; with them, we have everything. So we say thank you to the police officers and the firefighters; the corrections, probation and parole officers; the special constables; the auxiliary officers, civilian and sworn; the animal welfare inspectors; and I’ll never forget those 911 call operators.

Public safety matters. Public safety in the themes for building an Ontario for everyone matters because of who we are.

Madame la Présidente, la raison de leur service est pour faire une différence dans la vie des gens lorsqu’ils ne s’y attendent pas, et parce que nous croyons en notre province et notre avenir. Ensemble, nous bâtissons l’Ontario.

Because we believe in our province, and together, we will build a better Ontario.

Today, whether we’re talking about the historic investments that our government has made—when we look at how we transformed our investments on infrastructure, it is really quite impressive.

As questions from the member from Nipissing–Renfrew–Pembroke mentioned, our government has stood up against a wall of opposition from the federal government to fight against the carbon tax. Day after day in this Legislature, questions are asked of ministers, including myself as Solicitor General: What negative impact does the carbon tax mean on our lives?

On public safety, I have said this many times: It means that the police officers have fewer resources to put more cars on the road; the fire departments have fewer resources because they have to spend 21.5 cents per litre for diesel to fill up an average fire truck, which is 200 litres. When you do the math, it’s substantial.

I’ve also said in this Legislature, it’s obvious who’s for the carbon tax and who’s against it. To be clear, and for the record, our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, is against it. It’s unfortunate that the leader of the Liberal Party of Ontario is for it because, as the mayor of Mississauga, she knew both on the police and the fire side how much this impacted them. But we’re going to stand up against the carbon tax each and every day.

And we’re going to stand up for seniors. We’re going to stand up for seniors so that they have places of residence that are dignified for them. They were there for us; we will be there for them, and I’m proud to say it as a son who is also caring for my own parents, who are seniors.

I want to talk about some of the highlights of the bill, which is important: GO Transit and TTC and Brampton Transit and Durham Region Transit and York Region Transit—the common theme now is that daily riders will save $1,600 per year through our One Fare program. I want to thank my colleague the Associate Minister of Transportation, who has led, until his voice is hoarse—to stress how important this program is.

Our government’s philosophy of putting more money back in people’s pockets is absolute and constant.

We’re ready to build the roads and the bridges and the highways and the transportation infrastructure for another generation. Never before in the history of Ontario have we seen something this ambitious. It’s quite exciting.

To my colleague from Windsor–Tecumseh—and I’ve been down to see him in Windsor–Tecumseh, to see how wonderful his constituency is: Shovels are already in the ground to expand Highway 3, with planning well under way to build a new interchange connecting the 401 to the Lauzon Parkway. I think when I was there, I saw that area, and I know how important it will be for the flow of traffic.

We’re also supporting a new interchange at Banwell Road and the E.C. Row Expressway to support the NextStar Energy EV battery plant. Why is this so important? Anybody can go to St. Thomas to see the area that will help revolutionize what an Ontario of the next generation will look like from our historic investments in EVs, and I have to tell you, it is mammoth; it is on a scale never imagined. And it took the vision and the ambition of Premier Ford to move this forward. It is something to see. I’ve seen this for myself. I’ve been to St. Thomas. I’ve seen the land area, and it’s unbelievable. To have the third-largest building on the entire planet in St. Thomas is a testament to the conviction of Premier Ford and Minister Fedeli to actually move this forward, and I really wanted to acknowledge that.

In order to build this envisionment of what our economy will look like, we need to have the infrastructure, and that’s the transportation, as well. That’s why, locally, in the GTA, we are advancing Highway 413, which will provide much better relief to commuters. Others have said it’s not necessary. Others have told us to stop. Others have said, “Wait. You’re not looking at this with a clear lens.” They’re dead wrong, because we know, unless we have an aspirational dream of seeing people live all over Ontario, to combat our housing shortages, to have the ambitions that members in this Legislature had, to set a target to build homes—you know what? We need the roadways. The roadways will be done and enjoyed by generations to come, and I’m proud of that.

In Niagara region—all we have to do is see the commute from Toronto to Niagara, and we know it’s already congested, because people want to live there. Houses are being built there. Hospitals are being built there. That’s why we’re moving forward with the QEW Garden City Skyway bridge twinning project, and I’m really proud of that.

We’re replacing a bridge that I myself have been to, in Little Current—the swing bridge on Manitoulin Island. I’ve been on that bridge, and I’m happy that our government is announcing we’re replacing that, as well.

In northern Ontario, we’re making infrastructure improvements on the roadways. We’re doing this absolutely everywhere.

The other thing that I want to comment on, that I think is very important as we look to the future is, how do we envision the other infrastructures that are required to build homes? You need roadways, but you also need the critical infrastructure, and the Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing have spoken to this. That’s why we’re not stopping. Again, we are not stopping.

The member from Mushkegowuk–James Bay spoke passionately about communities in his riding. I’ve been to some of them. He spoke about the sensitivities in the resource sectors, which are absolutely real. Governments can’t control commodity prices. If we could, then we’d have a lot more certainty. But we are a government that believes in free enterprise, and the markets dictate commodity prices. But governments have to be there to provide the support as well when we have the fluctuations that provide uncertainty for communities.

I do believe, very much so, that our government has stood up—has stood up for the communities in Hearst, has stood up for the communities in Kapuskasing, has stood up for the communities in Thunder Bay and in Sault Ste. Marie. I’ve had the privilege of visiting some of these communities myself, and I know how important they are to the fabric of Ontario.

I sit right next to the minister of northern affairs. Our government believes the north is important to the south of Ontario. This is important, and that’s why, as a member of provincial Parliament from the greater Toronto area, one of the greatest privileges I have had is to tour the north to see for myself.

Our investments that we’re making are important, are historic and will leave lasting benefit to the communities. The $50 million for northern and rural communities to recruit and retain health care workers is important. The $45 million over three years to enhance the Northern Health Travel Grant is important. We have to look seriously to make sure that health care is provided to everyone in Ontario. The Minister of Health and Deputy Premier has said that everyone who has an OHIP card, that is their proof of payment, and that is important. That’s why our government continues to make record investments in the health care system.

Madam Speaker, if it’s okay with you, I want to give a shout-out to the Humber River hospital in my own riding of York Centre because I see how transformational this hospital has been to our local community. I see the passion in the people that work there. I see the fact that this is one of our first digital hospitals, a hospital of tomorrow, built to help communities like mine today.

Whether we’re talking about assisting with over $128 million to help enrolment in nursing spaces, to have more nurses graduate—we’re building new medical schools. We’re dealing with the fact that the investments we need to make in mental health and addictions are the largest in the history of Ontario, over $400 million over three years. I’m proud to sit alongside Ontario’s first Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. How important is this, that the topic of such serious concern is represented by a person in our cabinet? I think this is very important.

We’re going to continue in new special education projects. We’re going to continue to make investments, especially—and I want to go back to public safety because there’s one thing that’s very important. Just as the people who think it’s okay to steal our cars at 5 a.m., to knock down our doors and to demand our keys—and you know what? It’s not acceptable. That is why the government came forward with a $51-million auto theft grant. And now, in this budget, in Bill 180, we’re now announcing monies to support police services across Ontario by having aerial support and purchasing new helicopters for the GTHA, as an example. This is very, very important.

I want to also give a special shout-out to our firefighters. Between our firefighters, I have to tell you, it has been an honour of a lifetime to stop the car—as I like to say—and visit fire halls.

We listened to the stakeholders at the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs. We listened to the stakeholders of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association, the OPFFA. I want to give a shout-out to Deputy Chief Rob Grimwood, from Mississauga, and the president of the OPFFA, Greg Horton. These are amazing people. We talked about what we can do to help the fire services, and we came forward in this budget to provide $30 million so that, through a grant-based program, fire services can have the protective equipment. This is very important.

Et pour moi, madame la Présidente, c’est personnel.

I am so happy that our government reimagined not only our province—go back to 1967. For some members around the Legislature—I don’t want to age them, but the member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke will have a better, clearer memory than I or the member from Eglinton–Lawrence will have—because we’re the same age. What did Ontario in 1967 envision the Ontario of 2024 to look like? We said it should be a place to grow, a place to stand and a place to grow.

I think our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, has provided that stability, that constancy, the integrity to say we are building an Ontario not only for today—because we’re living today, we need to have it for today—but for tomorrow and generations to follow. It has been a privilege for me to rise to speak on this bill.

Bien, c’est sûr que je suis pour construire de l’infrastructure. On a tellement une pénurie de logements dans mon comté. Mais ce que je ne comprends pas, par exemple, c’est qu’on vous a proposé—et même vos développeurs vous disent qu’ils ne seront pas capables de fournir ou de construire des coops, des logements soutenus, des logements pour les personnes handicapées. Tous ces logements-là, ils disent : « On ne peut pas le faire. Ça doit être le gouvernement qui le fait. » Le gouvernement conservateur avant vous l’a fait et encore vous vous acharnez à dire : « On ne le fera pas. »

L’infrastructure, c’est bienvenu, mais ça ne s’arrête pas là. Vous avez une responsabilité comme gouvernement de construire ces logements-là pour répondre aux besoins pas juste dans le Sud, mais dans le Nord, parce qu’on a une grande pénurie. Il y a du monde qui voudrait s’en aller dans ces centres-là, vendre leur maison pour s’en aller dans une maison de transition, comme j’appelle, avant de s’en aller aux soins de longue durée—s’il y avait des logements qui pourraient les accommoder. Il n’y en a pas.

Où est-ce que vous êtes là-dedans? Zéro. On ne vous voit pas là-dedans. Vous faites de belles annonces, mais quand c’est le temps de délivrer et de répondre aux besoins que même—

Our colleagues know very well that enabling water systems is key to housing and a critical part of the construction process. This budget allows for a system fund of $200 million to $825 million over three years, which is quite substantive.

I’m just wondering if the member will stand with our government to support these endeavours so we can get building going.

Further questions?

Je vais poser une question, parce que je sais que son français est très bon, au solliciteur général.

Vous dites que vous êtes à l’écoute du monde du Nord. Si « à l’écoute » c’est qu’on a une communauté comme Hearst où 70 % de la communauté sont orphelins, n’ont pas de médecin de famille; si c’est « à l’écoute » des gens du Nord quand, en 2022, vous avez fait une annonce pour plus de lits et un nouveau foyer de soins de longue durée, qui était supposé d’être bâti en 2025 et qui n’est toujours pas bâti, qu’on a des listes d’attente qui ne finissent plus quand ça vient aux soins de longue durée, qu’on voit la situation dont j’ai parlé, qu’Extendicare ne veut pas bâtir—et ça, c’est une liste—et le prix du gaz, quand on pourrait le réglementer. Si ça c’est être « à l’écoute », je ne voudrais pas voir si vous ne nous écoutiez pas, parce que je pense qu’on ne serait pas pire que ce qu’on est. Parce que, comme c’est là, la communauté souffre. Le monde a besoin d’aide et ils s’attendent—

Health care is important everywhere in the province. I think when we look at the seeds that we’re planting that will help alleviate the doctor shortages across the province, we’re represented by the investments that we are making in medical schools. We need to have more doctors graduate, and the way we’re doing it is, again, envisioning the seriousness in which we believe by building the medical schools. I want to, again, acknowledge the leadership of the Minister of Colleges and Universities and the Minister of Health. But we need these doctors. We need these nurses. That’s why we’re working tirelessly to make sure that they are here, that they are in our Ontario to serve not only the south but the north as well.

Madam Speaker, our communities matter. Our government is not stopping with investments in public safety. Whether that’s the $51 million to fight auto theft or the monies that we’re committing to buy the helicopters, we are taking public safety to a whole new level. And I’ll tell you why: Because everyone in their community has an equal right to live safe in it.

It is now time for questions.

I want to thank the Solicitor General for his address this morning. That was really fantastic. It just shows how you are into the job that you are doing and the work you’re doing for those that you represent.

Recently, I spoke to a gentleman in my riding, a lifetime Liberal, who said this budget was a great budget on the part of Premier Ford and the Ontario government—not so happy with the federal government. I was subsequently speaking to a fire chief who said no government has done more to stand up for firefighters than our government, under Minister Kerzner.

Minister, could you elaborate on some of the things that we’ve done for firefighters here in the province of Ontario under your leadership?

I’ll start by saying we’re treating the firefighters with respect, the respect that they deserve. And we’re acknowledging the volunteer firefighters as well: the member from Brantford–Brant and Sarnia–Lambton and others who have served in this place who have on their licence the emblem of a volunteer firefighter.

Madam Speaker, when we look at what we’re doing for the firefighters, we’re looking at treating them with respect; as an example, by changing the rules of inclusivity for those who have suffered esophageal cancer on the presumptive cancer elements. We have to treat them with respect, and that’s why the Fire Protection Grant will go a long way to make sure smaller services have the equipment that they need.

I’m listening to the stakeholders every single day, and just in the last 24 hours, I’ve spoken to both of them and I’m asking them, “What are we doing in 2025? What are your priorities?” So I encourage everyone, stand up for our firefighters.

Our government is tough on crime. Our government has set a priority that there is no crime, there is no form of criminality that we will accept.

To those victims and to the survivors, we are very, very empathetic and we’re sincere in saying that what you went through is not acceptable. That’s why we’re making investments to support victim services. That’s why we’re making sure there is education at the Ontario Police College. And that’s why we will always stand up for the survivors and victims who have been victimized so inappropriately.

Good morning, Solicitor General. I heard you say, “Everyone’s welfare is important,” and I agree. I’m hoping you will also agree that the welfare of sexual assault survivors is also important in this province. As you will know, almost 3,000 sexual assault cases were thrown out of the justice system due to underfunding.

We had a bill, Lydia’s Law, by Catherine Fife—the MPP for Waterloo’s bill—that was going to bring sexual assault survivors to this House today, and this government discharged that bill directly to committee and didn’t allow those sexual assault survivors the opportunity to be heard.

So while you talk about how you’re tough on crime, and auto thefts are important, I would imagine that the welfare—I mean, these are property crimes, but we’re talking about sexual assault crimes that have allowed sexual assault perpetrators and rapists to go free in our province, and you cannot be happy with that.

Yesterday, Conservatives used the rules of this House to silence women, to ignore survivors and to shut down debate, sending Lydia’s Law to committee to die. Is the Solicitor General against having the Attorney General report on criminal sexual assault cases that have been held up, analyze the reasons for the delays and address them?

It is my honour to speak to this budget this morning. I want to start my debate to say that, based on the government’s own numbers, you are spending big. I mean, it’s right here in your own budget. This is a budget that has increased the debt and the deficit to extraordinary measures. In fact, this is the most indebted the province of Ontario has ever been.

By your own numbers, this government is paying more interest on the debt than ever before. This government has a net debt-to-GDP that is approaching 40%, which actually doesn’t even meet your own numbers. And so, this ratio—how much debt you owe to how much the province is earning, the GDP—is higher than when Kathleen Wynne left office.

So let’s be clear: Your government is indebted. I would say you are now the most indebted sub-sovereign government in North America. Currently, you have a $9.8-billion operating deficit. Your total net debt is $439 billion. That is your current net debt, and that has grown under your government since 2018 by almost $200 billion, so you are piling debt upon debt on the backs of our future generations.

But let me be clear: What are you spending this on? Because you are also underspending in every category that is important to people. When we look at health care, this government spends the least for every individual in Canada on health care. You’re pulling up the rear when it comes to spending on health care. In education, you’re spending the least in the provinces of Canada. All of these things that people rely on—health care, education, the social services that we all rely on—you are underspending. So you have this huge debt and deficit, but you’re not spending it on people, so where is this money going?

And I would just like to say that it’s quite obvious that this government is not working for the people, they are working for the insiders. They are working for connected donors of the Premier, the developers who went to Vegas and got massages, the developers it was identified that you gave preferential treatment to. That’s who you’re spending your cash on. You’re also going to spend almost $15 billion on a highway, Highway 413, that nobody really wants except those developers whose land in and around the 413 was going to skyrocket in price, never mind all of the interchanges that will host Costcos and Home Depots. All of that is working for your insiders, but we know, by your own numbers, you are underspending on health care, education and social services.

But let’s go back to where you’re also spending, because the member from Ottawa South talks a lot about the gravy train, and I just have to say that it bears up, what he says, because now we see a Premier’s office that has ballooned in spending—ballooned in spending. There seems to be no limit on the spending when it comes to the Premier’s office. In the Premier’s office, there are 48 staff who are on the sunshine list—48. They’re earning a combined $6.9 million. That’s 48 people, up from 20 in 2019—so, yes, no problem spending money on your insiders.

We also see appointments to boards, to positions and lobbyists that were previous employees of the Premier or who were the friends of the Premier, like Dean French, like Jenni Byrne, like Ron Taverner, who now are receiving exceptional salaries in public appointments. That’s more taxpayer dollars—so absolutely no compunction, no problem spending money—

In fact, to the member from Eglinton–Lawrence—she may not like to hear the facts and the figures, but unfortunately, they come directly from your own budget. I don’t know what point of order that you are referring to, but when I’m talking directly about your spending and your budget, and I’m reading directly from the charts—

Interjections.

Interjections.

Interjections.

Evidence that this budget shortchanges the people of province of Ontario: Student nutrition programs are being cancelled all across Ontario—feeding kids. In Hamilton, at a high school in my riding, Westdale, they have a Bring Back Breakfast program that is aimed to make sure kids aren’t going to school hungry. They served over 45,000 meals last year by fundraising through volunteers, but because of the one-time cut of the provincial funding, they have had to close this. We thankfully have the Bulldogs Foundation that will fill the gap for hungry kids, but this is something that I think should be the responsibility of the government, not fundraisers and not private foundations.

I also want to say, shamefully, that patients are now being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, metastasized cancer, in emergency rooms. Dr. Grewal said, “The emergency department is a terrible place to receive this type of diagnosis.”

Why is this happening? I’ll tell you why this is happening. Again, from the government’s own numbers, comparing 2023 interim actuals with this budget, the government plans to spend $1 billion less on health care at a time when we’re seeing longer wait times in hospitals, ER closures and patients being diagnosed with cancer in emergency rooms. Imagine if that happened to one of your loved ones—but I’m sure it won’t, because you’ve got the inside track.

Finally, I have to talk about Lydia’s Law and funding for the justice system in this province. As we know, there were almost 3,000 sexual assault cases between 2022 and 2023 thrown out of court because of the underfunding of the justice system. Now, you have a billion-dollar courtroom, but unfortunately you don’t have any staff in that courtroom. So how is this the case? How is that a good use of taxpayer funding?

What I want to say is, we had a bill yesterday that was going to bring attention to the lack of funding in this justice system. The member from Waterloo, Catherine Fife, her Lydia’s Law—she had almost 100-plus women that were going to come and talk about their experience of being—

Interjection.

Point of order.

We are out of time for questions and answers.

We will continue debate.

I recognize the member for Eglinton–Lawrence.

Madam Speaker, we’re here in a Legislature, in a public Parliament of democracy, and part of the democracy is the committee process. When we go to committee—I was at the committee last week on the PUPS bill. People from the opposition asked me questions on the PUPS bill. That was their right.

So I’ll say it again, and to the member who asked the question prior: When it comes to supporting people who have been so brutally victimized, we take this matter seriously. We’ll make the investments in victim services, as we have done. We’ll work across the different ministries to make sure it’s an all-of-government approach. We’ll teach the education at the Ontario Police College. And we will not stop until everyone who feels it is okay to commit these crimes is behind bars.

I will ask the member to address her questions through the Chair and remind her not to use names but rather references to members, prior to that—just the riding—and for the government side to please come to order.

Third reading debate deemed adjourned.

This weekend, I attended the Cornwall Curling Centre’s Italian night fundraiser. The sold-out venue of 300 supporters enjoyed a delicious six-course meal, lots of wine and live music by the County Lads on the curling pads. The overwhelming support of this evening allowed the Cornwall Curling Centre to donate funds to each of their two teams headed to the seniors’ nationals this August in Quebec City.

The Cornwall Curling Club is one of the oldest curling clubs in Ontario. The earliest recorded curling activity in and around the Cornwall area was in the 1850s. In its initial stages, curling was played on the St. Lawrence River. Our curlers now enjoy six beautiful sheets of ice, where curlers of all ages enjoy the great sport. The centre offers a large variety of leagues that accommodate a wide range of curlers. Whether you’re a recreational player or a competitive one, if you’re six or 96 or anywhere in between, the Cornwall Curling Club has a league for you.

I cannot stress the importance of the club in our community. It is a place where our seniors go to keep active and socialize. The sport of curling is also thriving with our youth.

Curling is a game of strategy, finesse and strength, which brings our community together. I would like to invite anyone who is interested in seeing some of the world’s best curlers to come to the Shorty Jenkins Classic that is held every September in Cornwall. Last year, the classic welcomed some of the best curlers in the world. I look forward to this year’s classic and hope to see some of you there.