Yesterday, there was an incredible announcement with the Minister of Transportation, and I was there. One thing we’re doing, in sending a message for people who think it’s okay to steal cars, is, we’re going to keep your licence suspended—you do it once, it’s 10 years; you do it twice, it’s 25 years; you do it three times, you’re gone, there’s no way of getting it back.

When it comes to fighting auto theft and understanding how serious it is, when it comes to understanding that there has never been a government that has taken public safety more seriously—to work with stakeholders, to work with the auto manufacturers, to work with police services—it is this government that’s standing up for public safety every day.

There’s no government in the history of Ontario that has taken public safety more seriously than this government led by Premier Ford, and he leads it everyday by saying that it is absolutely crazy that our doors are getting kicked in at 5 in the morning and people are demanded to hand over their keys.

But do you know what, Mr. Speaker? Our government is acting. That’s why we came forward with two asks for the federal government in Ottawa: (1) have minimum sentencing on those people who think it’s okay to steal our cars and (2) step it up at the Port of Montreal and at the rail ports and then the intermodals, where we are not inspecting the containers going outbound the same as they are inspecting them coming inbound. It’s so simple.

The federal government has an opportunity. And do you know what? The NDP across the way can call their friends in Ottawa and say, “We stand for public safety. This is unacceptable.”

I want to thank my colleague opposite.

It’s undeniable that the crisis that we have in auto theft is completely unacceptable—people’s doors are being knocked in at 5 in the morning and people are being demanded to hand over the keys. That’s why we’ve never had a government—we’ve never had a stronger government, our government, led by Premier Ford, that takes this so seriously.

Mr. Speaker, I have to say that the OPP and Toronto police have teamed up to lead a province-wide task force to fight auto theft, and in January, this past year—the proof is in the pudding, because of what they have accomplished: 89 people arrested, 554 charges laid, and hundreds of vehicles returned.

Our investment of over $100 million is working. Supporting over 21 police services with auto theft grants is working. We’re treating this with high priority.

Mr. Speaker, we know, on this side, where we sit, but the opposition does not stand for public safety. And do you know why we know it? Because when police board budgets went before their councils for approval, the proxies for the Liberals and the NDP voted no in Ottawa, in London, in Hamilton, and in other cities. It’s completely unacceptable.

The member is right. People have a right to be concerned about their safety, and public safety for this government is a top priority.

Let me say this, Mr. Speaker: Just recently, when police service budgets had to get approved in Toronto, Hamilton and in London, proxies for the Liberal Party and the NDP voted no. They do not stand as we do, having the backs, every day, of our police services.

We are not going to live and accept the fact that people can commit violent crimes on our streets and be back the next day. This is unacceptable.

That’s why, Mr. Speaker, we will continue to advocate to the federal government to move past C-48, which was a good first step. Do more so that we can keep our province safe.

But Mr. Speaker, I want to go back again: When a person is confronted with their doors being knocked in, and when they are demanded to turn over the keys, when people don’t feel safe, when our seniors don’t feel safe, something is wrong. That’s why our government will always prioritize public safety, fighting auto theft with over $51 million, fighting to keep these violent and repeat offenders off our streets with an investment of over $112 million, and putting more boots on the ground so that we, all over Ontario, can feel safe.

I want to thank my friend for the question. Auto theft in Ontario is a serious issue. Car thieves have no morals and no decency, and they don’t share the values of who we are as Ontarians. This government will not tolerate this crime. We are of a firm belief that these criminals belong in one place: They belong in jail. We will lock them up and we will throw away the key.

But, Mr. Speaker, our government is taking this very seriously, by investing over $160 million. We’re investing $51 million in the auto theft grant, monies that are flowing to the First Nations, municipal and OPP police service. We’re investing over $100 million in bail compliance to keep these violent and repeat offenders off our streets, and we’re putting over 800 new police officers on the ground by making it easier to get into the Ontario Police College.

For our government, public safety is a priority, morning, noon and night.

Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, we have one message for those who think it’s okay to steal cars in our province or anywhere in Canada: We’re putting you on notice. We’re putting you out of business.

I want to acknowledge the question from my friend opposite. Our government finds it unacceptable that every 40 minutes somewhere in Ontario a car is stolen. That’s why we made a record investment of over $51 million to provide the technology and grants for the municipal services and the OPP to combat this.

Mr. Speaker, just two weeks ago, the Attorney General and I were in Bromont, Quebec, for the federal, provincial and territorial meeting, and I asked my federal colleagues to step it up at the border and step it up at the port of Montreal. It’s completely unacceptable that our cars are going out through the port of Montreal.

I want to acknowledge the announcement made yesterday by the Toronto Police Service, with a record bust: Over a thousand cars were identified and recovered. Thank you to Chief Demkiw and thank you to everyone at the Toronto Police Service who is working to keep our communities safe.

It’s important to note that we want to keep these violent and repeat offenders off our streets, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. At the end of the day, our government cares deeply about our public safety. We will do everything we can to keep Ontario safe.

I appreciate the question from my colleague. She’s right: Public safety matters to everyone in Ontario and our government takes it very seriously. We’re taking action to protect the people of Ontario, and that’s why the government created the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy. We’re reducing illegal gun and gang violence by providing the resources to local police, prosecutors and community partners across the province, and I’m really proud of this. The strategy funds several initiatives that deliver strong enforcement and prosecution, proactive gang disruption and tailored youth and adult violence prevention. The amount that we have supported in this fund together with our federal partners is over $256 million.

And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, we are a government that has the backs of everyone that keeps Ontario safe.

At the end of the day, we have a right to live safely in our own homes and communities. That’s why our government will always have the backs of everyone that keeps Ontario safe.

The member from Chatham-Kent–Leamington is 100% right: Innocent people have lost their lives due to the dangerous criminals being on our streets instead of being behind bars, and that’s why Ontario is leading the way.

Thanks to Premier Ford, who coalesced all the Premiers and territorial leaders in our country to pen a letter to the Prime Minister calling on the federal government to enact meaningful bail reform, their bill, the federal Bill C-48, has now passed the House of Commons and is on the way to being passed, we hope soon, in the Senate.

But we’re not just standing by, Mr. Speaker. We’re strengthening the province’s bail enforcement and prosecutorial system with a $112-million investment to keep these high-risk offenders and those who will wreak havoc on our streets in jail, behind bars, where they belong.

And yes, as I said just a second ago, because the firearms are coming from across the border, we’re continuing to urge the federal government.

This is the message I said last week in Bromont, Quebec, when I was there together with the Attorney General at the FPT meeting: that the federal government has to step up border protections. I said to my counterpart, “Meet me at the border so you can see for yourself.”

I want to thank my friend from Brampton East for his question. As I said before, everyone in Ontario has a right to feel safe and free from harassment, hate and discrimination. That’s why we’re building an Ontario for everyone, where everyone belongs and everyone can contribute and prosper. This is our Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure this House that our police work day and night to protect all Ontarians from violence, and this government will always have the backs of everyone that keeps Ontario safe.

Recently, I visited the Ontario Police College, where I saw for myself the police training—the training for investigations and hate crimes, so that they are prepared to keep us safe.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: Our government has a zero tolerance towards hate and violence of any kind.

Let me be clear: There is no excuse for anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or racism of any kind. It’s totally unacceptable. Hate is toxic to our democracy. And if anyone here or anywhere engages in this type of behaviour and feels you can double down or triple down on this, we have a message for you: We will call you out.

I want to thank my colleague and wish her a very happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, the member is absolutely correct; public safety must be the centre point of our attention, as urgent change is needed.

Two weeks ago, as members will remember, this House came together in voting for a motion to call on the federal government to implement meaningful bail reform. I can assure this House that our government is looking forward to working with our federal counterparts, including Minister Mendicino, and we are ready to assist in any way we can to see critical change and reform as soon as possible. This matter cannot wait, and this House sent a strong message that signalled with our unanimous vote.

Maintaining law and order is impossible without our police services. The men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line need our support, and we will always have their backs.

We know that the majority of those firearms were smuggled into Canada from the US and sold illegally—and this is not new. That’s why we’re calling for greater border protection.

As a result of Operation Moneypenny, some offenders were charged with failure to comply in the courts, and that’s why we need bail reform, as the member said.

Our message to the people of Ontario is simple: The safety of Ontarians is always our highest priority.