I’m honoured to rise today, acutely aware of the significant decisions made within this chamber and the impact they have on the lives of others. Being escorted in today was an overwhelming experience. I imagined these walls whispering stories of the rich history of pivotal moments and great leaders that shaped this province.

As I sat down here with my friend from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, I noticed the architecture and the grandeur of it and the respect it commanded. The details in wood and the majestic windows create an environment that is both inspiring and humbling. All this only solidified my appreciation for democratic process and the profound responsibility of governance that I do not take lightly.

As I start my speech, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate my colleague from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex on his victory. I am confident that he will do his constituents and the people of Ontario proud.

I’d like to begin by thanking the people of my riding, the riding of Milton. The opportunity to serve them fills me with an immense sense of duty. I recognize that the faith they placed in me is both a privilege and responsibility. As I address this chamber for the very first time, the weight of this responsibility is substantial, and I’m committed to working tirelessly on their behalf with unwavering integrity and dedication.

I’d also like to thank my parents, who are here today, Shakil Hamid and Asia Shakil. I think I always choke a little whenever I mention them. They taught me the immense value of service and hard work and that serving others with kindness and generosity enriches both our lives and the lives of others around us.

I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude to my wife, Maleeha, also here today, who has always stood by me no matter what, and I would not be here today ready to take on this responsibility for the province we both cherish if it wasn’t for her unwavering love and support.

I’d like to thank our six children in our colourful blended family, who might well be the cause of my stress-induced baldness, but they’ve also enriched my life in ways that cannot be measured in the count of hair follicles. They inspire me to work hard to create a better province with attainable housing, affordable higher education, better infrastructure and more jobs, not just for their generation but for everyone in Ontario.

I must also express my deep gratitude to the incredible campaign team and all my caucus members, starting from Premier Ford to staffers and everyone else that came out to help me, but especially my brilliant campaign manager, Blair Hains, who is sitting right there. He led with exceptional skills and dedication. His work ethic is an inspiration. To the many volunteers, way too numerous to name, their tireless efforts were the backbone of my campaign.

I’m also deeply thankful to my dear friends: Fwad Malik; Lubna Malik; Nadeem Akbar; my sister, Muzna Hamid and my amazing nephew, Maaz Subzwari, who are all here today. Maaz is 13, and he canvassed for me among his friends in school. I’m not sure if I got any votes, but it’s a 13-year-old’s first visit to Queen’s Park, so we better all behave. Although, I’m told it’s law to be nice to us today.

Finally, I’d like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to my predecessor Parm Gill for his public service. I wish him all the best and thank him for his contributions to Milton and to Ontario.

Madam Speaker, when I was a teenager, my parents started working at Sargent Farms in Milton. That’s when I fell in love with Milton, its main street, its small-town charm and the sense of community. Despite its growth into a community of over 150,000 people, Milton has retained the same close-knit sense of community that captivated me years ago. This enduring spirit of camaraderie and connection continues to make Milton a very special place to call home.

My riding borders the riding of Oakville North–Burlington, Burlington, Flamborough–Glanbrook, Mississauga–Streetsville, Mississauga–Erin Mills and our Speaker’s riding, the riding of Wellington–Halton Hills. Yet, like all of the ridings we border, the Milton riding is also unique and distinct. We’re dealing with rapid urbanization and population growth, but we still retain a large rural area with a thriving farming community along with many rural hamlets: including Campbellville, Brookville, Omagh, Moffat, Lowville and Kilbride, all with their own rich history and traditions.

The riding of Milton is named after the town of Milton, which itself is named after English poet John Milton, which was the favourite author of the Martin family that settled in the Milton area in the 19th century. Throughout history, the Milton area has been home to many Indigenous communities, including the Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabeg, including the Mississaugas.

I invite every single one of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to visit the beautiful riding of Milton and experience as many restaurants, coffee shops and walk our trails or visit one of our six large conservation parks. Today, the riding of Milton is incredibly diverse with nearly half of our population born outside of Canada. Roughly about 62% of residents of Milton work in the knowledge-based industry where coincidently I spent most of my working career. Growing up as a young person, my dream was the cliché dream of being an astronaut, but the dream died the first time a rode a roller-coaster and realized my crippling fear of heights. So I stuck with math and computer science and would have spent my entire career working in high tech if it wasn’t for a train.

I remember well once driving on Derry Road in Milton, some time in early 2009, when an approaching train caused the gate to close. I sat there—and the train must have been 17 kilometres long because it took nearly 10 minutes to pass. In all seriousness, I did learn later on that these trains can be a kilometre long. Once that train passed, the gate did not go up because a different train was passing on the other side, causing me to wait another long time.

When I got home, I was so frustrated that I wanted to do something about it, except I also had crippling social anxiety, which meant my doing something was limited to sending a strongly worded email to my councillor. Now that would have been the end of it, except the councillor sent a snappy response asking me how I managed to move to the wrong side of track without noticing it. That comment upset me so much, Madam Speaker, that without knowing anything about planning, politics or petitions, I immediately left my house and started asking my neighbours to send emails to their councillors and c.c.-ing me. That day, I only got one email. But I went out again the next day, the day after and the day after. By the time we were done, I was c.c.’d on over 600 emails. Now, I can’t be sure that that initiative caused the council to move, but the fact remains that the council managed to find money to move the underpass project up by 10 years—and I was hooked. When the next municipal election came along, I put my name forward. I ended up winning by 24 points.

To this day, I’m convinced, Madam Speaker, that if it wasn’t for that train, or had I left my house a little bit sooner, or if I took a different route, or if that councillor had validated my concerns—which is why it’s so important to respond to emails by the way—I would not be standing here today addressing this chamber. Now, as I was door-knocking during the by-election, there was one issue that kept coming up time and time again, and that was the fear that no matter how hard one worked today, they might not be able to afford the dream of home ownership. Almost every young adult I spoke with, including my own children, showed deep concerns that they were unlikely to provide their family with the same lifestyle that their parents provided for them. This pervasive anxiety underscores the urgent need for policies that address housing affordability and ensure that hard-working families can build a secure and stable future in this province.

Hearing those concerns, I was often reminded of my parents, who came into the country and started from scratch with five children. Through their hard work, they were able to provide for us—provide a comfortable roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and ample food in our bellies. And they raised five amazing adults, if I may say so myself. I want the same thing for the next family in this province who is starting out. Whether they’re starting their lives here or whether they’re immigrating in, I want the same opportunity, which is why it’s more important now than ever to increase the housing supply, to reduce red tape and invest in infrastructure that supports our growth.

In closing, I’d like to reiterate my profound gratitude for the trust and support I’ve received from the people of Milton and the opportunity to serve my community at Queen’s Park. This opportunity is a responsibility I embrace with utmost seriousness and dedication.

I also wish to extend my gratitude to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have welcomed me warmly. Despite differing political views, it is clear that we are united in our commitment to serve the people of this great province. I’m inspired by the dedication and passion each and every one of you brings to this esteemed institution, and I look forward to working together to advance the interests and well-being of all our constituents from every corner of this province we call home. Let us move forward with a spirit of collaboration and determination, ready to face the challenges ahead and committed to getting things done to build a better future for our province, ensuring that Ontario remains a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and thank you to all the members of the House for your warm welcome.

And with that, Speaker, I move the adjournment of the debate.

Applause.