I wanted to ask a question: In the debate on Bill 188, we heard how the staff at the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has consulted widely to develop the proposals found in the Supporting Children’s Future Act. That consultation, I understand, was broad and included over 30 virtual engagements with various stakeholder groups, including youth with experience in the sector, and that included engaging stakeholders through the Ontario Regulatory Registry as well. And the ministry, I understand, received something like 35 written submissions to proposed changes.

I just wanted to ask the minister, because he is here: Why is that engagement so important? And will the minister continue to engage toward the goals of this bill and our child welfare redesign?

Last Thursday, I was delighted to host my sixth annual Eglinton–Lawrence Volunteer Service Awards, my favourite event. Each year, these awards give us all an opportunity to recognize community heroes and allows all the attendees, along with friends and families, to reflect on the profound impact of their dedicated service to others.

This year, 110 people from 20 organizations received an award in recognition of their exemplary volunteer service. These organizations include places of worship, hospitals, not-for-profits, Toronto Police Service and others. Each award recipient is recognized for their individual contribution, but also for their work with an organization, emphasizing the notion that, while volunteering starts at the individual level, we’ll accomplish more by working together.

The recipients’ contributions are truly inspiring. For example, those serving the Italian community in my area through Columbus Centre, Villa Charities, received awards this year. One recipient from Baycrest Seniors Support Program, Susanne Treichel, has volunteered as a friendly caller and listened to the calls of the seniors with empathy and compassion for as long as they needed for over 25 years. Also, a volunteer, Clayton Johnson with the Asbury and West United Church, was recognized for all of his work with property maintenance over several years.

These are an inspiring award. It’s always better to recognize people for giving than for what they get, and I really want to congratulate all the Eglinton–Lawrence 2024 recipients for this year.

I want to thank my colleagues for their comments and their generosity to each other in how they characterized each other speaking.

I had a question for the member for Mississauga Centre, who I thought was extremely generous talking about our colleague from Peterborough–Kawartha but also talking about the member of the opposition’s comments as well, and you did end up speaking from an extemporaneous place and from the heart, and so I really appreciated that the member for Mississauga Centre was able to do that.

I was wondering if you could just talk about what matters most to you in what we are achieving in Bill 188 in the child welfare redesign.

Thank you to the member opposite for her submissions today on the bill. I heard a lot about what’s not in the bill. But there are great things in the bill, and I understand the member opposite is going to be voting for this bill.

I want to ask her if she thinks that the modern tool kit that we’re proposing for inspectors, with more measures on how to correct compliance issues, where there are issues, is good; that the administrative monetary penalties, for example, are good and are an addition to what we are offering in the redesign of the child welfare sector; and if she sees this bill, which I understand she’s going to support, as an improvement on the existing state of affairs, and whether or not—because it is an improvement—she thinks that we should all be joining in support and working together to improve it further.