Good morning, Madam Speaker. No further business at this time.

We were honoured to have Steve Jones as a guest speaker sharing invaluable insights into his personal journey contributing to destigmatizing mental health.

As Father’s Day approaches, let’s make a concerted effort to check in with our fathers, sons and brothers. The stigma surrounding mental health often deters men from seeking help, contributing to higher rates of suicide among men.

It is critical to recognize that while women attempt suicide twice as often as men, men die by suicide three times as often. Societal expectations of toughness and just dealing with it can discourage men from seeking help, leading them to resort to destructive coping mechanisms.

Our government has improved and expanded the supports in our Roadmap to Wellness. Since 2019, we’ve invested $525 million in new annualized funding for mental health and addictions services.

I’d like to thank Minister Tibollo, MPP Gretzky, MPP Bowman and MPP Schreiner for their attendance and contributions to this event. This important topic is not a partisan one and extends across all party platforms.

Thank you to all members, staff, guest speakers and stakeholders who were able to attend, even if it was just for a brief moment. Your support truly matters.

Questions? Questions?

Further debate?

Further debate? Further debate? Further debate?

Mr. Kerzner has moved third reading of Bill 159, An Act to amend the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, 2019. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Orders of the day? I recognize the deputy government House leader.

The House recessed from 0937 to 1015.

This week I met with the National Council of Canadian Muslims to discuss the rise of Islamophobia in Ontario; of the multiple incidents of violence targeting Muslim communities and mosques; of the hundreds of cases of mistreatment of Muslim and Palestinian staff and students in schools across Ontario, often directly connected to the conflict in Gaza.

Their experience mirrors the calls and emails we are receiving in our office from residents who are devastated by the loss of life and security in Gaza and fear the worrying rise in discrimination here in Ontario, which is far bigger than official statistics, because most hate crimes and hate incidents in Ontario go unreported.

Public dialogue about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has been so divisive, and it has harmed relationships between neighbours, colleagues, friends and Ontarians.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims has been clear in what they want Ontario legislators to do: Take proactive steps to halt the harassment and discrimination of Muslim, Arab and Palestinian Ontarians by reviving and passing the Our London Family Act, which includes an anti-hate strategy for the province and changes to education. It is a request that I support. It is a move that many of us in the Legislature support. It is a concrete step we can take to advance peace and diversity here in Ontario.

It’s an honour to rise to speak to Bill 159, an important piece of legislation. I want to begin by just saying that I’ll be voting in favour of this bill, because—

Interjections.

I think it’s important to bring in penalties to address puppy mills; there’s no doubt about it. But, Speaker, if we’re going to do this, we have to make sure we have a proper enforcement regime.

I’m the proud dog parent of a rescue dog named Helix. Helix was an abused pup that my family rescued and we’ve taken care of for many years, and I can tell you, Helix is still dealing with the trauma. Even though he’s been with our family and loved for about five or six years, you can still see the trauma Helix experienced. It highlights for me why so many pet lovers and dog lovers want puppy mills shut down.

But if we’re going to do that, we have to listen to the experts who want put on the record—and when say I’ve got to do my job, I’ve got to put a few things on the record—that if we don’t have a proper licensing and enforcement regime in place, this legislation won’t accomplish what we all want it to accomplish, and that’s shutting down puppy mills.

Penalties without enforcement will not provide the protections that puppies deserve and that Ontarians want. I think that is highlighted by the experience we’ve had with the PAWS Act, an act I supported but want to point out that, in an analysis comparing enforcement under PAWS verses previous enforcement under OSPCA, there were 64,000 inspections done under OSPCA, 69,000 done under PAWS. But issues ordered were 16,148 under OSPCA, only 6,970 under PAWS. Charges laid: 1,946 under OSPCA; 667 under PAWS, even though the budget under PAWS is $21 million and under OSPCA was only $5.57 million. We’re paying more for less enforcement.

If this bill is going to have the teeth it needs, we need to ensure that enforcement is in place, and a key part of ensuring that enforcement is in place is having a licencing regime with transparent data for the people of Ontario.

I rise in the House today to share two significant milestones for the residents of Brampton. The first milestone I want to celebrate is our government bringing a second hospital to Brampton. Our request for qualifications has been issued to select a qualified team to design and build the project, which will include a multi-storey patient tower, expanded clinics and Brampton’s second emergency department. Once complete, the community will be well served by a world-class hospital which will deliver the comprehensive health care that the residents of Brampton deserve.

The second milestone I’m pleased to the share is the progress being made on bringing the first school of medicine in the province in 15 years, and in over 150 years in the GTA. It will find its home at Toronto Metropolitan University. Our government is ensuring the next generation of medical professionals will be trained in Brampton, in Ontario, for Ontarians.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the partners involved in these projects. Thank you to Dr. Frank Martino from William Osler Health System and Mohamed Lachemi from Toronto Metropolitan University. Your visions and collaboration have made these advancements possible, and the people of Ontario will be better supported because of our work together.

Mine mill Unifor Local 598 members from Sudbury, including the member from Sudbury’s dad, travelled to the headquarters of Jarlette Health Services on Monday to hold an information picket in support of the workers at the Elizabeth Centre in Val Caron. Why did union members from Sudbury get on a bus early in the morning and travel three hours to Midland, Speaker? Because the workers at the Elizabeth Centre have been without a collective agreement since 2022—two long years. This is happening under this government’s watch.

With so little resources at the Ministry of Labour, once an employer asks for arbitration, it doesn’t take days, weeks or months; it takes years.

That’s right, Speaker: Retirees and workers on their day off travelled down to the headquarters to remind management that these workers are without a contract.

The Elizabeth Centre is a long-term-care home in my riding. They house 128 residents. The Unifor members working there look after frail, elderly residents. They are dealing with the same cost-of-living challenges that every other Ontarian faces. Many of them can barely afford rent, never mind a car payment. They need a new collective agreement now. But here we are, two years after their last contract ended. These workers are left to wait, wait and wait some more.

I hope this government agrees that this must stop. These workers need a new collective agreement, and they need a collective agreement right now.

Last week, the Thornhill Presbyterian Church celebrated their 175th anniversary, marking 175 years as a vibrant, multicultural and intergenerational congregation. From its humble beginnings on Yonge Street to its current location just down the road from my office, the church is a testament to a solid and historic area with almost two centuries of community stewardship.

Historically, picnics were literally gala events and one of the social highlights at the TPC. Football matches, bicycle races, strawberry socials—it all happened on the grounds.

This congregation played a pivotal role in the foundations leading to modern day Thornhill. In 1885, Toronto’s first commuter railway, the Metropolitan radial railway York-Simcoe, was opened just steps away from the church. If we look back as early as the 19th century, the location served as a critical junction for transportation. It was the natural pit stop for travellers moving north. A member of the congregation who also worked at the Ontario Department of Highways ensured that local pictures of the radial car included a photo of the church.

E.J. Sand elementary school was named after Eilert Sand, also a member and school superintendent back in the 1950s. His son Richard, who I’ve met, later when on to be a minister at the church.

There is so much history in Thornhill. As my father used to say, sometimes you have to look behind you before you know where you’re going.

Thank you, Reverend Heather and the congregation, for your hospitality as we celebrated 175 years at Thornhill Presbyterian. May there be 175 more.

I commend our government’s efforts to integrate youth into skilled trades amid high unemployment and labour shortages. This is a big game-changer to Scarborough Centre youth.

Significant enhancements to the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, supported by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and the Ministry of Education—we’ve launched 68 new pre-apprenticeship programs for 2024-25, now engaging over 1,700 participants, with women comprising 30% of the skilled trades labour force.

We have also expanded the apprenticeship program to include recruiters across 800 schools and introduced a mandatory technological education credit for high school graduates, beginning in September 2024.

Our Premier; the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development; the Minister of Education; various unions; community partners have been instrumental in achieving this. Now, 1.3 million people work in skilled trades, with over $1.5 billion invested since 2020.

After the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill knew that victory over Germany would only be achieved with a future invasion of continental Europe. After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declaration of war by the United States against the Axis powers, that invasion and the planning of it became a reality.

The attack, code-named Operation Overlord, began on June 6, 1944. Approximately 150,000 Allied troops landed or parachuted into the invasion area on D-Day, including 14,000 Canadians on Juno Beach. It was the largest seaborne invasion ever attempted in history.

After securing the beaches at a great cost, the Normandy campaign began. As the Americans battled on the western end of the front and struggled to take the prized port city of Cherbourg, the British and Canadians waged war around the Norman capital city of Caen. My father was one of those soldiers.

The Normandy campaign finally ended on the 21st of August 1944, with Canadians playing an important role in the closing of the Falaise gap. After D-Day, more than two million soldiers landed in France, ensuring an Allied victory and the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Tomorrow, we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Let us all take time to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and also those who came home to build the great country we know today, securing the freedoms that we sometimes take for granted, but are ever grateful for.

Lest we forget.

Last week, I joined the residents of Ottawa–Vanier as they kicked off the summer with festivities across the riding. I attended the popular summer fest in Beacon Hill alongside Mayor Sutcliffe, MP Fortier, city councillor Tim Tierney and community association presidents Heather Scott and Jeff Kaluski. Everyone enjoyed the weather, the activities, the free hot dogs and, of course, the traditional cake, which I had fun serving.

At the Beechwood Market summer opening, I connected with neighbours and bought local goods, witnessing vibrant community spirit.

The VeloFest in Vanier, hosted by Club Optimiste, was again a hit this year with several families winning brand-new bicycles. A special thanks to Club Optimiste for their constant contributions to our community.

The wonderful lobster dinner organized by the Club Richelieu was also very successful. Several volunteers and students from l’école élémentaire publique Le Prélude tended to all the guests, and the band performance by the school was simply a delight.

June will continue to be busy with AGMs, graduation ceremonies, fundraising events, tea parties and so much more. As we are nearing the end of our parliamentary session, I want to wish to all my colleagues here in the House a great summer in your respective communities.

I want to welcome some friends from Helmets to Hardhats here to Queen’s Park today: James Hogarth, who is also a great advocate for the construction sector. And also, I think—my eyes, Speaker; I’m getting up there. But Darryl Cathcart, I think, is here as well. Thank you for being here and thank you for being such a strong voice for military veterans and their families.

I would like to welcome my summer intern, Tamileni Vijay, from Scarborough–Rouge Park.

Also, I would also like to welcome Supothanam Jeyakumar, my operations adviser, and also would like to welcome Filipinos in the 6ix and Carlos to the chamber. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Good morning, everyone. I’d like to introduce my new intern for the summer. Her name is magnificent Mikaela Taylor, and she’s actually from Scarborough–Guildwood, so I’m borrowing her. Welcome to your House.

Speaker, I beg your indulgence for two groups to introduce this morning. First off, we have Brampton North’s own Guransh Ghai, who is operating as page captain today, and we’re joined by his family: his mother, Shaminder; father, Manpreet; and sister, Hasrat Ghai. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

Also, I’d like to welcome Aggarwal Sabha Canada to Queen’s Park—I had all the names, and I just clicked “X.” I’m very happy to have a whole whack of people, and thanks to my friend Ashwani Aggarwal for organizing. We have Satpal Gupta, Parmod Goyal, Vinod Bansal, Mrs. Gazal Bansal, Yash Rani Goenka, Ashwani Aggarwal, Suresh Aggarwal, Ajay Gupta, Sanjeev Gupta, Shiv Par Kash Bansal, Pardeep Goel, Ashok Aggarwal, Sandeep Aggarwal, Deewan Chand Goyal, Bajrang Gupta and Salil Aggarwal from Aggarwal Sabha Canada. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

I want to welcome Filipinos in the 6ix to Queen’s Park, to your House. I also want to say congratulations on a wonderful Filipino Heritage Hoop Fest. Congratulations.

They are making their way in. They are paramedics and dispatchers from all over Ontario, from Thunder Bay to Kingston to all over, making their way into the Legislative Assembly. Welcome to your House. Paramedics are very important to all of us.

Welcome to the House, Carlos Cabaneros from the Filipinos in the 6ix organization, who is hosting today’s Filipino Heritage Month event in room 228 at 5 p.m. You’re all welcome to attend.

Please welcome Carlos Cabaneros to your House.

That concludes our members’ statements for this morning.

Good morning. I have the pleasure of welcoming former pages Monica and Michelle Crawford, who are here to see their sister Farah Crawford.