Today, the Algonquin College board of governors is considering a motion to suspend the hairstyling and aesthetics programs for financial reasons. These programs graduate skilled trade workers, mostly women. The hairstyling program is so successful that it has a wait-list of 57 people, enough to open a second class. It is an affordable program that gives students a path to a stable career with a good income. That includes Indigenous students who choose Algonquin College because it welcomes their culture.

Speaker, this program is a success story that is in jeopardy today because of the lack of financial support for post-secondary institutions in Ontario. The member for Ottawa Centre and I wrote to the Minister of Colleges and Universities last Friday asking for more funding to save this program. Will she deliver that today?

Speaker, thank you again to the member for the question. The mining industry is driving a major economic shift to EVs, the likes of which we have not seen since the oil boom at the turn of the last century.

BNN reported that the world is going to need to mine five times more copper than we have ever mined in history in the next 30 years, and 20 times more nickel. This will be a monumental effort, but it is also a generational opportunity to reshape our economy and create thousands of new jobs for the next generation.

Yet, the Liberals and NDP seem to be actively chasing away companies and major investments with the terrible taxes and tone-deaf statements like, “We don’t need more roads.” Well, Speaker, I’ve got news for them: Continue down this road and you will destroy not only the jobs and opportunities today, but also the hopes and dreams of the next generation.

It’s long past for the NDP and Liberals in this House to stand with us and tell their buddies in Ottawa to stop taxing the people into poverty and chasing away life-changing business opportunities—

Thank you to the minister for that response.

We hear it time and time again: The Liberal carbon tax only hurts Ontario families. As people in our province continue to struggle with high interest rates and rising cost of living, all governments should be putting forward measures that provide financial relief for individuals and families. Instead, the federal Liberals, supported by their provincial counterparts, are choosing to drive up the prices of day-to-day essentials like gas in the tank and groceries.

Speaker, Ontarians have had enough. They want to see this tax scrapped. Could the minister please explain to the House why this federal government must end the carbon tax today?

The supplementary question.

Supplementary?

The Eglinton Crosstown was supposed to be completed by 2021. It’s now 2024. This project has no end date in sight and is costing Ontario taxpayers billions of dollars in cost overruns.

Will the government tell us when the Eglinton Crosstown will finally be open for service, or just admit that they have no idea when and how much more we have to pay?

It’s impossible to get real answers on the Eglinton Crosstown. That’s because this government and its transit agency are actually spending thousands and thousands of dollars on lawyers to hide information from the public. Will the government finally come clean and tell us just what they are hiding and how much the costs have ballooned under their mismanagement?

Thank you very much to the member for that question. We’re embarking upon the largest expansion in public transit in all of North America, and we’ll continue to do so. The Eglinton Crosstown project—we’re all frustrated by it, but we know that construction is complete on it and we are now in testing mode.

If it was up to the NDP, they wouldn’t want any of these projects to be built. They actually voted against the Eglinton Crosstown West extension. They voted against the Ontario Line. They don’t support our investments in public transit, where we’ve brought forward measures on affordability—$1,600 saved by transit users each year in the GTA and across.

We’re going to continue to invest in public transit. We’re going to continue to build and get shovels in the ground, like the Ontario Line and the Scarborough subway extension.

Let’s talk about those opportunities that the NDP have had to support important projects, like the Eglinton Crosstown West extension that’s going to put over 26,000 people within walking distance of public transit; the Ontario Line—40,000 people every single day. And these members, the NDP, are voting against that, not supporting that. The Liberals as well: For 15 years, they did absolutely nothing to build transit in this province. They voted against every one of our measures as we support public transit in this province.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’re embarking upon the largest expansion of public transit in all of North America.

Supplementary.

My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development. The Liberal carbon tax is exacerbating the financial pressures many people in Ontario are currently facing, and I hear it every day in my riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry.

During a time of a rising cost of living and high interest rates, the federal Liberals decided to hike the carbon tax by another 23%. This punitive tax is making everything more expensive for everyone in Ontario, especially in the north, in cities like Thunder Bay.

While carbon tax queen Bonnie Crombie and her minivan caucus continue to work against us, we will not let that deter us from getting it done for the people of Ontario. It is time to scrap the carbon tax now.

Speaker, can the minister please explain why the people of Ontario cannot afford this Liberal tax grab?

Speaker, ignoring the detrimental effects the carbon tax has on northern Ontario is disrespectful to every person living in the north. The NDP and Liberals need to do better. They should join our government in calling on the federal government to eliminate this tax and put more money back in the people’s pockets.

Speaker, can the minister tell the House what the people of Ontario have to say about this regressive and unnecessary tax?

I want to thank the member for Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry. He’s an outstanding member of provincial Parliament. He’s doing a great job as the parliamentary assistant to the health, and it’s his birthday today.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, I don’t have the present that he’s looking for, and that’s a pause on the carbon tax. The official opposition in Ottawa have finally caught on to the concept, since that’s what we’ve been doing now for a year or two: giving people relief at the pumps, giving northerners relief as we ship expensive cargo into isolated and remote communities.

I was in Sault Ste. Marie up to Wawa last week, and all I heard were people talking about how much more expensive it is to live. As people try to build new buildings in various communities along that beautiful stretch of highway, it was one thing: It was the cost and the impact the tax is having on it. The message—

As time has worn on, it seems like there might be a different way to do it. Now we’re seeing a complete ablution from all of the folks that used to support the carbon tax—so the Mark Carneys, the Jagmeet Singhs: gone. They’ve washed their hands of this expensive tax because they know consumers are paying more. They can’t afford it, and neither can northerners. They’re no exception, Mr. Speaker. They have one message: Scrap the tax.

My question is to the Premier. When a doctor tells you that you have to have surgery, you expect to have surgery, heal and not worry about the bill. That’s the health care that Ontarians deserve and expect, but that’s not what happened for Teresa in Oshawa. She went to her doctor, got a referral and had necessary surgery a few days ago at a cost of $3,600.

This surgery should have been covered with her OHIP card, but she paid with her credit card. Minister, what is happening in Ontario that seniors are being asked to pay for doctor-ordered necessary surgery?

Members will please take their seats.

The Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

I recognize the member for Mississauga Centre and the parliamentary—

Interjection.

The next question.

There is absolutely no doubt that we rely on and we include caregivers in all of our decisions when we are enhancing and improving the health care system here in Ontario.

I think of my own family, where we had people who were prepared to be part of a health care solution, working with clinicians, working with primary care physicians, working with PSWs to make sure that the care was being provided in community. It is exactly, frankly, why we have enhanced PSW and community care in our last provincial government, because we know how important it is to ensure the people who are able to stay in their own homes have that surrounding care that is so important, whether it comes from professionals like PSWs or, indeed, family and community members. We’ll continue to do that job.

My question is to the Premier. Just a few weeks ago, this government turned their backs on 3.3 million Ontario caregivers by saying no to a benefit for unpaid caregivers in the province of Ontario.

Over the last few weeks, thousands of people in Niagara have contacted me and come to our office to sign a petition and say we need a caregiver benefit. At the ALS and the Crohn’s fundraising walks this weekend, I heard loud and clear that we need a caregiver benefit.

My question is to the Premier. Will you listen to the 3.3 million caregivers in Ontario and the people of Niagara and support a caregiver benefit today?

Interjections.

Long-term care in Ontario is failing. Home care in Ontario is failing. And those failings fall on the backs of our loved ones: our moms, our dads, our aunts, our uncles, our sons, our daughters. They make real sacrifices every day to take care of their family members who they love.

Nova Scotia has a caregiver benefit in place right now, Prince Edward Island is creating a caregivers benefit as we speak, and federal parties in Canada support a benefit as well.

Premier, will you admit you were wrong? Make the right decision today and create a direct caregiver benefit here in Ontario to help those 3.3 million people who need one today.

Thank you, Speaker, and I thank that member for the question.

That member cannot be farther remote from the truth. The long-term-care sector in this province—

One can look no further than to our recent budget to show how much we are building long-term care in the province of Ontario, with our ambitious goal of 58,000 new and redeveloped beds and our $155-million commitment to the construction funding subsidy.

We are listening to the operators across the province of Ontario. We are getting shovels in the ground in nearly every community in the province of Ontario. After 15 years of building next to zero long-term-care beds, we are getting it done.

Thank you to the great member for raising this important issue. Speaker, just over a week ago, I joined my colleagues the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Minister of Colleges and Universities in Indiana for the Global Economic Summit.

It was a great opportunity to once again meet with Governor Holcomb and many of the world’s top economic and business minds. Each of us had an opportunity to highlight the measures our government has made to ensure Ontario is the jurisdiction to train, to invest and to grow.

From the UK to Australia, the EU to Peru, Premier Doug Ford and our government were being praised for creating the environment to attract and graduate the best talent needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

The biggest hindrance for investment was the increased cost due to the federal carbon tax. Just imagine how much more attractive Ontario would be if the opposition NDP and Liberals did what’s right for their entrepreneurs and called on Ottawa to scrap the tax—

Mr. Speaker, our government has been unwavering in our commitment to fighting this carbon tax and delivering the support our small businesses need. That’s why we’ve taken concrete steps to provide relief and assistance to small business owners across Ontario.

We’ve reduced red tape, lowered taxes, invested in programs that help entrepreneurs grow and thrive. Mr. Speaker, our message to the federal government and the opposition is clear: Scrap the damaging carbon tax. Let Ontario small businesses focus in on what they do best—

My question is for the Associate Minister of Small Business.

The Liberal carbon tax is one of the most harmful taxes this country has ever seen. It burdens families and small businesses and hinders economic growth and progress in our province.

Speaker, we know the people of Ontario deserve better. This is why our government has been fighting the carbon tax tooth and nail since day one, but it seems the Liberal members, under the leadership of the carbon tax queen, Bonnie Crombie, want to see this tax increased over time.

They are propping up their federal buddies’ tax-grab agenda at the expense of Ontarians. We are not going to let that happen, Speaker.

Speaker, can the associate minister please explain why Ontario small business owners want to see this tax abolished?

Under the previous Liberal government, businesses in my riding of Richmond Hill saw their electricity prices skyrocket and people couldn’t afford to power their homes. Now, the independent Liberals are supporting their friends in Ottawa as they carry on the mantle of costing Ontarians more.

Speaker, can the associate minister please tell the House how the government delivers and supports entrepreneurs’ needs as they continue to fight the job-killing carbon tax?

Teresa is 85 years old, and she’s trying to stay healthy. She followed her doctor’s advice. Surgery is stressful enough on its own; it should not cause financial stress too. Teresa is on a fixed income. Her pension doesn’t leave room for $3,600 surprises.

She told us, “I’ve got a money tree here and it hasn’t got any money on it.

“I would like this to be covered. If not for me, then I hope this gets fixed for the next person who needs it.”

Minister, can you reassure Teresa and other Ontarians facing necessary OHIP-covered surgery that they won’t have to pay out of pocket for their health care?

Minister of Health.

The House recessed from 1145 to 1300.

Ms. McMahon moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 205, An Act to proclaim Extreme Heat Awareness Week and to promote public awareness of extreme heat issues / Projet de loi 205, Loi proclamant la Semaine de la sensibilisation aux risques posés par les chaleurs extrêmes et visant à sensibiliser le public aux enjeux qui leur sont liés.

First reading agreed to.

I appreciate the question from the member from Peterborough, because he lives it every day, as do I in my rural riding.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s from fuel to food—the cost for rural life is going through the roof because unfortunately Bonnie Crombie and Justin Trudeau have never met a tax they didn’t like. It’s affecting everything in rural Ontario, from getting to work to getting our students to school on our rural school bus transitways, and even down to driving seniors to their daycare programs, through to Meals on Wheels. This horrible Liberal carbon tax is causing the cost of everything to go through the roof, and therefore it’s jeopardizing the pillars of community that we need in rural Ontario.

Ladies and gentlemen, we all need to stand together and implore all Liberals, backed up by the NDP, to scrap the tax.