I’m proud to say that one of Canada’s hip-hop artists is here: MC Mohammad Ali from Mississauga. My brother, it’s so good to see you here. Thank you for gracing us with your presence today.

Normally I’m not compelled to discuss federal politics in this place. We’ve got enough to do in Ontario. But I rise this morning, Speaker, to register my serious concerns with Mr. Pierre Poilievre, the federal Leader of the Opposition.

In recent months, he has been putting a maple glaze on Trumpism. He has used his platform to attack journalists attempting to hold him accountable. As Bruce Arthur from the Toronto Star has said, Mr. Poilievre is not just working the refs; he’s trying to replace them.

Speaker, there is always a tension between members of the media and elected officials. We interact with each other while doing very different jobs. Journalists work hard to report stories they believe are in the public interest, and we work hard as elected officials with the media to advocate for our constituents and broadcast messages we believe are important.

We may not like how our words are reported sometimes, Speaker, and journalists may not appreciate how their questions are deflected or spun, but still, we both try to do our jobs and the tension between us is critical for Canadian democracy.

But the moment you employ disinformation to question somebody else’s integrity, that is the moment you cross a big red line. It is the moment I believe you insult the democratic traditions built by our grandmothers and grandfathers in this place.

Speaker, through you, I call to Mr. Poilievre, I call to all members of this House and all elected officials everywhere, to do better, to respect each other as we do the work that we need to do for Canadians and to never cross that red line.

It’s always a pleasure to listen to my friend from Mississauga–Malton hold forth in this place.

I have a question around recipients of the Ontario Disability Support Program and what the member talked about in this financial update. He noted that it is a good thing that the clawback on income has been expanded to $1,000 a month. But as the member knows well, because we’ve had discussions on this in this place, a requirement to qualify for the Ontario Disability Support Program is a medical note, a certificate, demonstrating that you cannot attain significant attachment to paid employment. You can’t qualify for ODSP unless you have a medical professional—a doctor, generally—proving that to qualify for ODSP. So I’m going to ask the member, what is the government’s vision for people with disabilities who do not have the capacity to get that $1,000 of paid employment income? The income levels that we have on ODSP, the $1,200 a month—are those adequate to live in Mississauga–Malton, Ottawa Centre, or anywhere else in the province of Ontario? I would submit, no. So what is the government’s plan to help people with disabilities who can’t make that $1,000 a month? Moreover, what could the government do to acknowledge the volunteer labour that so many of those persons with disabilities do and the value that brings to our province?

I’d like to introduce the following petition, brought to us from folks participating in the Capital Pride festival this summer. It reads:

“Support Gender-Affirming Health Care

“Whereas two-spirit, transgender, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex communities face significant challenges to accessing health care services that are friendly, competent and affirming in Ontario;

“Whereas everyone deserves access to health care, and they shouldn’t have to fight for it, shouldn’t have to wait for it and should never receive less care or support because of who they are;

“Whereas gender-affirming care is life-saving care;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to support the reintroduction of a private member’s bill to create an inclusive and representative committee to advise the Ministry of Health on how to realize accessible and equitable access to and coverage for gender-affirming health care in Ontario.”

I want to thank Isabelle Coxworth for signing this petition as well as many others. I’ll send it to the Clerk’s table with page Malini.

“Stop Ford’s Health Care Privatization Plan.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontarians should get health care based on need—not the size of your wallet;

“Whereas Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones say they’re planning to privatize parts of health care;

“Whereas privatization will bleed nurses, doctors and PSWs out of our public hospitals, making the health care crisis worse;

“Whereas privatization always ends with patients getting a bill;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to immediately stop all plans to further privatize Ontario’s health care system, and fix the crisis in health care by:

“—repealing Bill 124 and recruiting, retaining and respecting doctors, nurses and PSWs with better pay and better working conditions;

“—licensing tens of thousands of internationally educated nurses and other health care professionals already in Ontario, who wait years and pay thousands to have their credentials certified;

“—making education and training free or low-cost for nurses, doctors and other health care professionals;

“—incentivizing doctors and nurses to choose to live and work in northern Ontario;

“—funding hospitals to have enough nurses on every shift, on every ward.”

I’m happy to sign this petition and will send it with page Rachel to the Clerks’ table.