I’m grateful to the member from Don Valley North for his important question.

Recent attacks against police officers are completely unacceptable. Especially at this time, we remember the sacrifice made by Constables Hong and Northrup and Russell. We can’t thank our police officers enough for their heroic work that they do to keep Ontario safe.

Monsieur le Président, je suis fier de soutenir nos policiers, qui assurent la sécurité de l’Ontario tous les jours.

Our policing partners put their lives on the line every day, and we recognize that police officers deserve our support and respect. We will provide the police with the tools and resources they need to keep us safe. Most importantly, we will have their backs each and every day.

Since our government came into office, we’ve invested over $300 million in grants for policing in the city of Toronto alone. More than $28 million of those monies were allocated through our anti-gun and gang strategy.

Retirer les armes à feu illégales est notre priorité absolue.

We’re optimistic that the federal government will continue to invest in Ontario’s anti-gun and gangs program and to take important action to stop the illegal firearms that are coming into our province at international borders. I urge our federal counterpart, Minister Mendicino, to go to the border, make an announcement and step up the inspections at the border so that Ontario can keep itself safe.

It’s simple, Mr. Speaker: Every dollar to fuel a vehicle in public safety—and public safety is very important to this government; it’s important to Premier Ford morning, noon and night, and it’s a priority for this government.

When you look at the numbers, 18 cents per litre for gasoline is just the carbon tax portion. If you look at the fact that an average SUV for public safety is 100 litres, you multiply it per year and it’s a minimum of $6,500.

When I met with Chief Jason Bellaire, also last week in Windsor—a great police service that keeps Windsor safe—the chief told me that the bill for their fuel is almost $1 million. That means with the carbon tax portion, they could put another constable on the road to keep Windsor safe. Bonnie Crombie—

Interjections.

I want to thank the member for the question and for the great work he’s doing in Scarborough–Agincourt.

Mr. Speaker, last week I had the privilege of going down to Windsor and meeting with fire chief Stephen Laforet. I spoke with him on the amazing work he’s doing, and I want to congratulate the member from Windsor–Tecumseh for representing his community with a concern for public safety.

It is absolutely undeniable: Bonnie Crombie, as mayor of Mississauga, saw the fire department bill for carbon tax as part of the fire department budget for Mississauga fire. And you know what? She approved it. She approved it with the line for carbon tax.

She was wrong for Mississauga, she was wrong for not saying she knew what was going on with the bill for carbon tax and she’s wrong for Ontario.

You know, here she is: The Deputy Premier is here. She’s the one who had the foresight to bring in the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, to see it passed in the Legislature in 2019 and move it forward.

We started at ground zero. We are making incremental progress every day. We have built out a team of very responsible, trained and educated animal welfare inspectors. And the most important thing is that we’ve set a standard, an expectation and a tone that started with the Deputy Premier when she was the Solicitor General, which I continue to do today. We’re going to continue to do just this. Everything that our government has done in public safety sends a message: Public safety matters.

I’m honoured to rise today to speak on Bill 159. I will be sharing my time with the parliamentary assistant to the Solicitor General, the member from Brampton North, and the member from Etobicoke–Lakeshore.

Today’s third reading of Bill 159 is part of our government’s commitment to public safety. It is a road map that our government is very proud to talk about. It is a road map, as I’ve spoken many times, that confirms our government’s commitment to public safety in all of its forms and to say that we’ve never had a government or a Premier—our Premier, Premier Doug Ford—who has led by example and has prioritized public safety every single day.

I’m delighted to talk about the bill today and to give a perspective of why public safety matters. I use every opportunity that I can to thank our police officers and our firefighters. I want to thank the special constables and the auxiliary officers, civilian and sworn; our correctional officers; our probation and parole officers; the amazing 911 call operators; and the animal welfare inspectors as well.

Today, Bill 159, the third reading which we will talk about, is important because it goes to the incremental steps that our government has taken in public safety, and it’s very important. I believe the reason that we are here today is to make a difference in the lives of the province. Every day, we can do something important. Every day, we can make a difference in a person’s life.

This is what our province represents, a diversity of peoples that have come here, regardless of how they got here. They all have an equal right to live safely and to succeed and to flourish. The government’s responsibility is to do absolutely everything we can to make the lives of Ontarians something that they can go about in a safe environment.

Monsieur le Président, les raisons de leur service : ils peuvent faire une différence dans la vie des gens lorsqu’ils ne s’y attendent pas—et parce que nous croyons en notre province et en notre avenir.

Mr. Speaker, this is important. When we look at the communities that we have, there are many components that we take for granted because we go about our lives each and every day, never really understanding how important it is that the network of people who keep us safe, the people that I just gave a shout-out to, are there to ensure with we can live our lives, and it’s very, very important.

Today, as we take a further step, another incremental step in animal welfare, we do so understanding where we have come from: the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, or as we like to call it, the PAWS Act. I want to specifically thank the Deputy Premier, the Minister of Health and member from Dufferin–Caledon for having the foresight to bring this bill, the PAWS Act, into force in 2020. It was passed in 2019. It modernized, it educated, and it set a standard for animal welfare. The Deputy Premier deserves a lot of credit for having the ambition to move in that direction. It has actually been transformational when we look at animal welfare today.

The PAWS Act came into force, and as a result of the PAWS Act, the assembly of animal welfare inspectors, the training of animal welfare inspectors, the setting up of the division came into being. I have seen these animal welfare inspectors in training myself. In fact, I was there with the member from Brantford–Brant in his own riding, and we went and we saw them in action. The member from Brantford–Brant and myself spoke to them about their commitment and their passion for wanting to make sure that the job that they will do throughout Ontario will be a fulfilling job for them, something that they will be able to look backwards in their lives to say, “We made a difference in animal welfare.”

The PUPS Act, which is Bill 159—the nickname of the bill is the PUPS Act—deals with filling the gaps that were as a result of learning from the PAWS Act. Now we’re filling the gaps of the prohibitions of buying, selling and breeding dogs in an unethical way, and I think it’s very important that we, again, look retrospectively as to where we have been so we understand where we are today.

I also want to mention that this is not the next incremental step since the PAWS Act came into force in 2020; it was actually Bill 102, which I was proud to speak on and help see move forward. Bill 102, as an example, did further strengthen animal welfare, including debt collection of fines, which is important.

So here we are today, and I want to speak about Bill 159, the PUPS Act, that will help crack down on puppy mills and the negative impact they have in the province. Premier Ford has made it clear that all over Ontario people need to feel safe. That’s exactly what I said in my preamble and that’s why we’re here today. The government’s oath and duty is to protect our communities so we can live safely, but it also means the care and welfare of animals is so important to the cornerstone of our society.

As I’ve travelled the province and listened to stories in this Legislature, we hear the stories of our own pets that are part of our family. They are in every way so essential to our families, to our raising of our children and our grandchildren, and to having these pets be part of our lives. It’s very important that Ontario’s consumers understand that they should feel comfortable in purchasing or in adopting an animal.

Our government is stepping up, and our government has stepped up. As I said, this is now the third iteration that I am so happy to support. The Deputy Premier brought the PAWS Act in. I helped shepherd Bill 102, and we’re here today for Bill 159. These foundations that we’ve laid are very, very important. It is our government, under Premier Ford, that built the division of good and bad actors around the legislation from the ground up. This was our initiative to ensure that any animal has the right to be treated fairly in Ontario.

Madam Speaker, this is not only about animal rights. Of course, most of this proposed legislation expresses compassion for our current and future pets. It also sets a precedent for how our societies operate and the tone we take to all forms of life in Ontario.

I want to talk about what owning a puppy should mean. It means bringing home a puppy that will be joyful for the members of our own families, the opening of our arms when we hold our puppies and our dogs, and to see these adopted animals as part of our own family. From the moment this happens, there is this overwhelming sense of excitement and happiness and tenderness. Watching the puppy exploring its new surroundings with curiosity brings excitement to everyone.

I have to say, Madam Speaker, especially during the pandemic, we’ve heard story after story as to how having our pets—our puppies, our dogs, our rabbits—in our lives made such a vital difference in a time that we had no precedent for.

Amidst the joy of having and being fortunate to have puppies, there is also a sense of responsibility. This is also very important. If the puppies were raised under perfect conditions by good actors, then that’s great and we’re happy about it. But that’s not what we’re here to talk about today. We’re here to identify why we needed to come forward with this legislation now: because we need to create legislation that denounces the operation of unethical puppy breeding, because it happens, unfortunately, much too often.

I want to preface my remarks about unethical breeding, because it’s very, very important. Right here in Ontario, puppies who are being bred cruelly and taken from their mothers too soon, and undernourished and displaying biological behavioural issues or diseases and lack of care, is a problem. This act of criminal behaviour—trying to finesse the province with cruelty—is something we will not stand for. We will not stand for bad breeders and bad actors, and as long as we are here in government, we will do something about it. Because when you’re dealing with a puppy mill operator, the transaction of faith must be acknowledged as something that is sacrosanct, which means that the transaction of the adoption must be something that will lead to a wonderful outcome for the family and the loving animal as well.

We have a problem when we look at the bad actors that are the problem. That’s why. We care about this province, we care about the people in the province, and we care about the pets that share our own homes. That’s why the PUPS bill is essential: because these puppy mills are a scourge on the rights of animals themselves and the peace of mind for those who have every expectation that the adoption process will be something that they can take a lot of pride in. When we’re dealing with bad actors, that’s not always the case.

The bad actors: Let me give you some examples of how they are and who they are. They deploy cruel breeding practices of poor nutrition and overcrowding; that’s absolutely true. They reduce the public’s trust in the dog-breeding industry; true. And they are the largest distributors of sick and diseased puppies in the province; true again. It’s time to put an end to all of this. Each day that goes by without this legislation is allowing these places to keep going, and we don’t want that to be the case.

The PUPS Act, if passed, will help deter the operation of puppy mills completely; ultimately, by extension, improving the health and welfare of dogs bred in Ontario. For the first time, this province would have an act that clearly denounces puppy mill operations and the horrific distress that results from them.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to understand the incremental approach, the thoughtful approach that our government, led by Premier Ford, has taken with public safety. This intersects absolutely with animal welfare. That’s why we’re moving forward with the legislation.

I would like to take a minute to tell the House now why we have to go through the modus operandi of puppy mills—and this can also be referred to as the measures—through which the Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act proposes to end. This includes but is not limited to the deplorable practices. My parliamentary assistant, my friend from Brampton North, will fill in more of the details, but I’d like to give the House some broad spectrum of this.

I want to say thank you to the responsible dog breeders in Ontario who do provide families with happy, healthy and well-cared-for dogs and puppies.

And to the puppy mills that are an abrupt departure from such responsible practices: We will come after you. I’m putting you on notice. We are coming after you.

Madam Speaker, the most important question that people ask—the members from the other side have asked it; people in Ontario have asked it; we’ve asked it: What actually is a puppy mill? This is where we start to get into more details. Operators of puppy mills devour and take for granted Ontarians’ love of animals. They prey on the desire to welcome new puppies into a household. The term “puppy mill” is generally used to describe a place where dogs endure horrendous treatment. They are subjected to poor breeding practices, inadequate care and immense suffering, but you don’t always know it when you legitimately want to adopt your furry friend, your dog; you don’t know the behind-the-scenes story. That’s exactly the point: Where there is this lack of basic needs for the puppies, an unforeseen person wouldn’t see that; they wouldn’t know that. Potential buyers often don’t get to see the conditions of the operations because puppy mill operators won’t let them nearby. It’s obvious. Why would a bad actor want to show a wholesome family, an honest family, a caring family who wants to adopt a dog, a puppy, what’s really going on behind the scenes? They don’t. Owners of the puppy mills do not think that we have a right to see how the puppy was raised, because it would completely ruin their income. It’s part of an unethical breeder’s business model, and this model is unacceptable.

Unethical puppy breeding is an unethical transaction that usually occurs in a staged area away from a boarding kennel. What’s worse is the illusion of the staged area isn’t even the worst part. Some breeders are making excuses to meet in an abandoned parking lot, straight out of a car or a van, or deliver the animal directly to your home—anywhere but where the dog was bred and where the dog was born. This legislation is to send out a red flag to a potential buyer that they’re not dealing with an ethical seller.

I’m sure many of us in this House have heard similar stories from constituents about these awful circumstances. If the customer was to be given a look behind the veil, they would be repulsed and sickened by what they saw. We hear stories, Madam Speaker, of dogs which are crammed and locked in cages, and treated badly and undernourished. Many mill kennels have no heating in the bitterly cold winters and no air conditioning in the hot summers. Mother dogs are often covered in their own waste, emaciated and suffering. It would be apparent to a person who would see it, because it would be so horrific, but we don’t get to see it. Nobody wants to take us behind the curtain.

And there are cases of inbreeding between sibling dogs and inbreeding between a parent dog and a dog of one of their litters. These breeders are breeding female dogs prematurely while they’re not physically able to breed or care for the litter. These are common practices that can lead to significant health issues for puppies. It’s absolutely sickening. It’s sickening to everyone here.

But, Madam Speaker, there are many more things that we need to talk about, and that is because we need to make change. It’s because puppy mills are churning out dogs with little or no regard to their health and their well-being.

I want to talk for a minute, Madam Speaker, about puppy mills versus responsible breeders. Breeding puppies isn’t a game. It’s not a game that you can cheat on either. So I want to compare the practices with valid, honest and responsible dog breeders, and to those, we say thank you.

Proper dog breeding comes with a significant cost. There’s a conscientious dog breeder that prioritizes the long-term care of the animal over the quick buck. And it’s not how fast they can take someone’s money; it’s more about raising a good-quality dog. So when it comes to leaving with their family on the day that somebody picks up their furry friend, they want to make sure that that dog is healthy, and that dogs that are given homes were raised in well-built, comfortable kennels with amenities like heat, air conditioning and electricity. Things that we take for granted should be no different for the people raising dogs. These dogs have had a nutritious diet. They receive regular exercise and they undergo health evaluations and visits. I want to give a shout-out to the veterinarians who help keep all of our pets safe in Ontario.

Responsible breeders dedicate ample time to caring for the new mother. This ensures they receive proper nourishment and attention. What’s so amazing, Madam Speaker, is that a good actor, a good dog breeder, a legitimate dog breeder will proudly open their kennels to a prospective buyer, and they will make sure that there is a good match between the buyer—the family—and the dog that will soon be adopted. The difference is that they will be able to showcase their operation and be proud of it.

I want to talk about the toughness of identification, because that’s also very important. Madam Speaker, it’s not always easy to pin down the exact number of puppy mills lurking in our province. We know this because many are hidden in plain sight. This can be on a property, such as a backyard, or even in a basement. Most of the tips my ministry receives on the location of puppy mills come from members of the public. That’s very important to know. Because we have the animal welfare hotline, the value of the public’s concern is very important.

Online advertising on platforms such as Craigslist, Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace have made it easy to expand the business of unethical puppy mills. By providing an easy avenue for dog breeders to unload puppies, unsuspecting families are that much more susceptible to come into contact with them. Again, that’s why we need to act now.

This act, the Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act would, if passed, help stop harmful dog breeding practices, impose new minimum penalties and make sure that dogs across Ontario receive the care and attention they deserve. Consequences are important because they impose accountability, helping these unethical people understand the impact of their actions. They reinforce learning and growth by providing clear feedback on behaviour and choices. Consequences that this legislation will contain are set to help maintain social order and fairness by ensuring the rules and the norms are respected when breeding. And they will also encourage responsible decision-making, promoting a sense of responsibility across Ontario.

So let’s talk for a minute about the consequences of minimum penalties. I want to reiterate: Owners or custodians of dogs are already subject to all measures in the PAWS Act—that’s the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act. This includes prohibitions against causing distress and general standards of care that apply to all animals covered by the PAWS Act. But there are no prohibitions in the act related to the key facets of what constitutes a puppy mill—until now.

Puppy mills can leave no footprints when dog sales are conducted solely through online platforms. We’re sticking a red flag and putting a notice on these types of operations. Through this proposed legislation, Ontario would become the first jurisdiction in Canada to explicitly include the term “puppy mill” into law, because it is the puppy mills that are giving dog breeders a bad name.

The proposed legislation, if passed, will target individuals who benefit from assisting puppy mill operators. This includes actors that may not directly operate the puppy mill themselves. Puppy mill operations can be complex, and they cover multiple properties and vigorous sales channels. Those who enable the suffering caused in puppy mills will be held accountable, regardless of their role. Guilt by association in this case will catch the divisions of good and bad actors in communities and perpetuate justice. Because not only does our government, on this issue, care so deeply about what we’re doing, we are also proud to implement measures to prevent it from happening in the first place. I think that’s very important.

The minimum penalties are important. The $10,000 penalty for anyone operating a puppy mill is important. The minimum penalty for anyone assisting or benefiting from a puppy mill is important. A proposed minimum penalty of $25,000 for anyone who has the audacity to cause or permit a dog to be in distress in relation to the breeding or selling of dogs is important.

Again, Madam Speaker, I want to be completely clear that the proposed legislation does not target responsible dog breeders. It’s aimed solely to go after the bad actors who breed dogs too early or breed them in a substandard condition. It is aimed at the bad actors who sell puppies in an unethical manner.

Madam Speaker, we know how important pets are in our lives and we want our Ontario, in every forum of public safety, to be recognized as a jurisdiction that is the pre-eminent, that is the mark of excellence, that is the gold standard for us to live our lives. To see our kids off to school in the morning, to check in on our parents and our loved ones, to go to work, to come home at the end of the day, to play in the park and to shop and to pray: We must do this safely, because this is our inherent right. Having our pets, our adopted furry friends in our lives, plays an important role. The standard, the expectation, of how we care for our animals is important.

I started my remarks, Madam Speaker, as a retrospective journey of why this is so important, why it’s important to me. Pour moi, c’est personnel. Rien pour moi, en tant que solliciteur général, n’est plus important que la sécurité de notre province. And I’m proud of this. I’m proud of taking this personally.

I’m proud of standing with Premier Ford every single day and having the opportunity to do my part as the minister responsible for seeing this legislation go to third reading and seeing it hopefully be approved by this Legislature, to send a message of how important public safety is in Ontario, that it is not a singular dimension. It’s not just this and it’s not just that. It encompasses so many components.

Speaking today on Bill 159 is important to me. It reaffirms our government’s commitment, a commitment that is absolute and constant, that is day and night, that we will take the public safety of all Ontarians and our animals very seriously.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It has been an honour to rise on this bill.

As we welcome so many fire chiefs here today from throughout Ontario, I want to especially welcome my friend, the president of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, Deputy Chief Rob Grimwood. Welcome to the Ontario Legislature.

I’m delighted to follow my colleague the Minister of Transportation and speak on Bill 197.

I want to congratulate my colleague the Minister of Transportation, the Associate Minister of Transportation and the parliamentary assistant for continuing the government’s message that public safety matters. It matters to Ontarians morning, noon and night.

When the minister just spoke, he spoke of the government’s commitment to extend our confidence in public safety by addressing a few issues that are very important.

The minister spoke about those people who think it’s okay to steal our cars; it’s not. And regardless of where we sit in this chamber, we all agree that no one should confront somebody knocking down their door at 5 in the morning who demands that the keys be turned over so they can steal our cars and send them off to another place in the world. This is completely unacceptable.

And when I stood with the Minister of Transportation just a couple of weeks ago, we highlighted that for those people who steal the cars, there would be maximum sentencing of suspending licences. The minister spoke of that, and I want to thank him.

Madam Speaker, I want to talk for a minute about why stealing cars is so unacceptable and why Bill 197 makes consequences for people who think it’s okay. Let me take you back to the recent auto theft summit in Ottawa.

Madame la Présidente, comme je l’ai dit récemment, lors de la conférence à Ottawa sur le vol des voitures, je prends la sécurité publique très au sérieux. Nous sommes préoccupés par l’augmentation récente des vols de voitures. Je suis préoccupé par l’augmentation de la criminalité. Mais, en même temps, notre gouvernement propose des solutions et des stratégies pour assurer la sécurité de l’Ontario.

When I went to that conference, it became obvious that we have an auto theft crisis. Bill 197 acknowledges this threat to our inherent right to live safely in our communities.

Again, I want to say, and I’ve said this before, we’ve never had a Premier, we’ve never had a government in my lifetime that has prioritized public safety more than our government, led by Premier Ford. And thanks to the minister and the associate minister, we have prioritized having some of the safest roads in North America.

Our new legislation would improve safety and protect families and communities by targeting road users who engage in reckless behaviour, including impaired driving and stunt driving, as well as those convicted of auto theft. And that is absolutely a preoccupation of this government—eradicating auto theft. Nobody should be confronted with having their car stolen, and this government is doing something about it.

The Safer Roads and Communities Act, if passed, would also introduce measures to improve safety for e-bike users and enhance commercial vehicle enforcement.

Impairment still exists in our communities, and it’s totally unacceptable. A driver’s reflexes and decision-making abilities are slowed, making it difficult to react quickly to sudden changes or hazards on the road, such as pedestrians and other vehicles. This often leads to risky driving behaviour such as speeding, aggressive driving or failure to obey traffic signals.

When speaking to police services, we see that impaired drivers are more likely to be involved in high-speed or head-on collisions, which tend to result in more severe injuries or fatalities. The aftermath of such accidents involving impaired drivers has profound consequences on the families. And I have to tell you, too many of us in this chamber have heard stories of people who have been impacted by somebody who was drunk or impaired and should not have been behind that wheel.

That’s why this government is introducing legislation that, if passed, would implement the toughest sanctions in Canada for impaired driving.

We have to tackle auto theft. I’m proud to be part of a government, led by Premier Ford, that came forward with the provincial auto grant. This $51 million—monies that are flowing across Ontario today in municipal and First Nations and OPP police services are proof of how seriously we’re tackling it. The $51-million investment over three years has started to pay dividends.

Just yesterday, Peel police service, as an example, made an announcement of a tremendous auto theft bust. I want to give a shout-out to Chief Nishan Duraiappah and everyone at Peel police service who made a difference, found our cars and are sending a message to those people who are stealing them: We’re going to put you on notice, and we’re putting you out of business.

Impaired driving in 2022 alone caused 110 fatalities and over 1,000 injuries.

We live in a province that everyone needs to feel safe in, especially those people who come here to discover Ontario, to see what our province is all about. We have people coming into our province as guests, as tourists, and we want to make sure they know that they can feel safe here.

It’s also unfair to the front-line people who keep our communities safe every day—and I’m thinking of our police officers, our firefighters, our correctional probation and parole officers, the auxiliary and special constables, and the 911 call operators. There is a network in the Ministry of the Solicitor General that works hand in hand with the Ministry of Transportation to ensure that our roadways are kept safe by being vigilant.

As part of the bill that we’re talking about today, we want to make sure that convicted drivers who operate a vehicle without regard to being impaired are aware that there will be substantial consequences. I might add that they may also be charged further under the Criminal Code of Canada or the Highway Traffic Act for improper use of a vehicle, and that’s something that’s important.

This legislation will also tackle stunt driving. Stunt drivers, as the Minister of Transportation said, are problematic because of their reckless behaviour—and they do so speeding; they do so weaving through traffic and performing dangerous manoeuvres. These actions not only endanger the drivers themselves, but everybody else on the road. Stunt driving contributes to anxiety and reduces road safety. Street racing also creates a public nuisance, and the minister spoke about that. It often generates excessive noise, disrupting the peaceful enjoyment in our local community.

Madam Speaker, I’ll end where I started. This bill is another example of our government’s commitment to public safety, our government’s commitment to accept our inherent right to live safely in it, to drive on our roads safely, to ride our bikes safely, to be able to go to work safely and to come home at the end of the day, and to shop and to play in the park and to pray, and to do so safely. Road safety is just as important. It has been a privilege to work alongside my colleagues the Minister of Transportation and the Associate Minister of Transportation to make sure that the message across Ontario is uniform. We live in the most amazing province and jurisdiction anywhere in the world, but it should be safe for everyone.

Madam Speaker, it has been a privilege to speak on this bill today.

I want to thank my friend the member from Newmarket–Aurora for standing up for public safety every day in her community and supporting the York Regional Police service.

Mr. Speaker, the member is right, and I’ve said this before in the House. When you look at the latest rates of carbon tax as of April 1, it’s 18 cents a litre for gasoline. When you look at an average SUV at 100 litres per vehicle, you multiply a daily fill-up, you’re spending $6,500 a year just for the carbon tax. It’s ridiculous.

And, Mr. Speaker, do you know who knew about it? Bonnie Crombie—because she was on the board of Peel police service. The queen of the carbon tax knew it. She should come clean with Ontarians.

But, Mr. Speaker, there’s more: Bonnie Crombie wants to support the Liberals in Ottawa to triple the carbon tax, go as high as it can go. Mr. Speaker, Ontarians cannot afford Bonnie Crombie.

I appreciate the question from the member from Kiiwetinoong. Last summer, I travelled up to Lac Seul First Nation in the member’s riding, and I saw first-hand exactly how important it is to have public safety in communities like Lac Seul. I want to give a special mention to Chief Bruno Rossi, who works hard every day to keep that community safe.

Mr. Speaker, the welfare of every person living safely in their communities, regardless of whether it’s in southern Ontario or northern Ontario or in First Nations communities, is equally important. Everyone keeping Ontario safe deserves to be safe themselves. Just in a couple of weeks, I will be at the Ontario Police College, where we welcome almost 500 new cadets to keep Ontario safe, including people serving our First Nations communities.

I want to say clearly that, under the leadership of Premier Ford, public safety matters all over Ontario, including in Ottawa.

I want to give a special mention to a great chief in the Ottawa Police Service, Chief Eric Stubbs. I speak with Chief Stubbs on a regular basis, and he’s excited with the government’s announcement of helping to work with the city of Ottawa and put in extra resources that will help him combat the crime in the ByWard Market district, where acts of criminality are deterring tourism.

That’s why, throughout Ontario and in Ottawa, our government will work with police services, with municipalities, to make public safety not only a focus but a priority.

Any death is too many. We are absolutely committed to making sure that Ontario’s correctional system is safe for everyone.

Years ago, under the previous government’s watch, they brought our correctional system and our public safety system to its knees.

That’s why this government, under Premier Ford, has made a tremendous investment to make sure that our correctional systems are safe. We’ve invested over a half a billion dollars on infrastructure improvement. We’ve hired over a thousand new correctional officers. We have native inmate liaison officers, NILOs, and chaplains there.

Mr. Speaker, we have done a lot in a short period of time, and we will continue to do so each and every day.

Mr. Speaker, that’s exactly why, in the last years since Premier Ford has been our Premier, we have taken public safety very seriously—and that includes the investments in our correctional facilities, the half-a-billion-dollar infrastructure improvements, the suicide prevention and intervention training to make sure that our correctional officers understand things that they may not have understood 20 years ago.

It’s important that everyone knows we will make the investments required to keep our Ontario safe.

Point of order.

I want to thank the member from Mississauga Centre for her remarks and her most recent comment about public safety. She represents an area that’s protected by the Peel police service, a phenomenal police service in Ontario, a flagship service.

In the budget, there was reference to us providing monies for helicopters so that Peel and other GTHA services would have the special aerial support they need to fight crime.

My question to the member is, how important are these investments to making a difference in her own community, to keep Peel safe?

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.

Madam Speaker, we’re here in a Legislature, in a public Parliament of democracy, and part of the democracy is the committee process. When we go to committee—I was at the committee last week on the PUPS bill. People from the opposition asked me questions on the PUPS bill. That was their right.

So I’ll say it again, and to the member who asked the question prior: When it comes to supporting people who have been so brutally victimized, we take this matter seriously. We’ll make the investments in victim services, as we have done. We’ll work across the different ministries to make sure it’s an all-of-government approach. We’ll teach the education at the Ontario Police College. And we will not stop until everyone who feels it is okay to commit these crimes is behind bars.

I’ll start by saying we’re treating the firefighters with respect, the respect that they deserve. And we’re acknowledging the volunteer firefighters as well: the member from Brantford–Brant and Sarnia–Lambton and others who have served in this place who have on their licence the emblem of a volunteer firefighter.

Madam Speaker, when we look at what we’re doing for the firefighters, we’re looking at treating them with respect; as an example, by changing the rules of inclusivity for those who have suffered esophageal cancer on the presumptive cancer elements. We have to treat them with respect, and that’s why the Fire Protection Grant will go a long way to make sure smaller services have the equipment that they need.

I’m listening to the stakeholders every single day, and just in the last 24 hours, I’ve spoken to both of them and I’m asking them, “What are we doing in 2025? What are your priorities?” So I encourage everyone, stand up for our firefighters.

Our government is tough on crime. Our government has set a priority that there is no crime, there is no form of criminality that we will accept.

To those victims and to the survivors, we are very, very empathetic and we’re sincere in saying that what you went through is not acceptable. That’s why we’re making investments to support victim services. That’s why we’re making sure there is education at the Ontario Police College. And that’s why we will always stand up for the survivors and victims who have been victimized so inappropriately.

I’m honoured to rise today to talk about Bill 180, the Building a Better Ontario Act, our budget measures for 2024.

I want to start by saying that we have to go back to where this session of Parliament started. I remember the throne speech from Her Honour Madam Dowdeswell that day very well. I remember words that she spoke about Ontario’s unofficial anthem in 1967. If some of us remember that—I was a little baby, so I was very young, but I remember hearing it later. It talked about our aspirations. In 1967—this was Canada’s centennial—it talked about our aspirations for what we wanted our province to look like. The words and the lyrics were: “A place to stand and a place to grow.”

This budget today in 2024 takes its roots from 1967 and that theme song. We want to build an Ontario so we have a place to grow, and that is very, very important. This is why we’re building a better Ontario. It’s a better Ontario for everyone in Ontario. It’s a better Ontario for the people that are coming to make Ontario their new home. It’s a better Ontario for families like mine that trace their roots back here in Ontario for over 100 years. It’s a better Ontario no matter what culture we come from, no matter what our religion is. It’s a better Ontario for absolutely everyone.

I want to thank the Minister of Finance for his leadership in recognizing that when we have a better Ontario for everyone, this is something of a legacy that we will leave another generation. That’s exactly why I’m speaking today.

Building a better Ontario is about acknowledging the continuity from generation to generation. It is about understanding the continuity that everyone’s welfare is important. It’s understanding that the historic investments that we make today will be there for another generation to enjoy.

Part of the greatest honour that any of us can have, being elected to this Legislature, is touring Ontario. No matter what side of the House we are on, those who have had the ambition and the opportunity to tour see something amazing.

I think about my tour last year in the riding of Timiskaming–Cochrane. I asked my colleague my friend from Timiskaming–Cochrane to meet me in Cochrane. It was the first time I was there, even though my wife’s family historically traced its roots to South Porcupine in the riding of Timmins.

What fascinated me there in Cochrane was not only a warm community and a great fire service and a great OPP detachment, it was actually understanding the route that people take up to Moosonee in the summer on the rails and how our government, as an example—and we’ve mentioned this before—is making investments to make travel to the north that much easier. You understand the distances by going there to see for yourself.

That’s why we are, as Premier Ford has said so many times in this Legislature, a government that has never raised one tax. That will be etched into the indelible record of the Legislature that people in other generations will understand.

Our budget clearly reflects the need for Ontario to allow for a stronger future. For me, as the Solicitor General, the honour of a lifetime is that every day I work hard so that everyone has an inherent equal right to live safely in their own home and communities, budget 2024 continues on with this fundamental theme as well.

For me, on the public safety side—every time I have an opportunity to debate on anything, I always want to acknowledge everyone who keeps us safe each and every day because without them, we have nothing; with them, we have everything. So we say thank you to the police officers and the firefighters; the corrections, probation and parole officers; the special constables; the auxiliary officers, civilian and sworn; the animal welfare inspectors; and I’ll never forget those 911 call operators.

Public safety matters. Public safety in the themes for building an Ontario for everyone matters because of who we are.

Madame la Présidente, la raison de leur service est pour faire une différence dans la vie des gens lorsqu’ils ne s’y attendent pas, et parce que nous croyons en notre province et notre avenir. Ensemble, nous bâtissons l’Ontario.

Because we believe in our province, and together, we will build a better Ontario.

Today, whether we’re talking about the historic investments that our government has made—when we look at how we transformed our investments on infrastructure, it is really quite impressive.

As questions from the member from Nipissing–Renfrew–Pembroke mentioned, our government has stood up against a wall of opposition from the federal government to fight against the carbon tax. Day after day in this Legislature, questions are asked of ministers, including myself as Solicitor General: What negative impact does the carbon tax mean on our lives?

On public safety, I have said this many times: It means that the police officers have fewer resources to put more cars on the road; the fire departments have fewer resources because they have to spend 21.5 cents per litre for diesel to fill up an average fire truck, which is 200 litres. When you do the math, it’s substantial.

I’ve also said in this Legislature, it’s obvious who’s for the carbon tax and who’s against it. To be clear, and for the record, our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, is against it. It’s unfortunate that the leader of the Liberal Party of Ontario is for it because, as the mayor of Mississauga, she knew both on the police and the fire side how much this impacted them. But we’re going to stand up against the carbon tax each and every day.

And we’re going to stand up for seniors. We’re going to stand up for seniors so that they have places of residence that are dignified for them. They were there for us; we will be there for them, and I’m proud to say it as a son who is also caring for my own parents, who are seniors.

I want to talk about some of the highlights of the bill, which is important: GO Transit and TTC and Brampton Transit and Durham Region Transit and York Region Transit—the common theme now is that daily riders will save $1,600 per year through our One Fare program. I want to thank my colleague the Associate Minister of Transportation, who has led, until his voice is hoarse—to stress how important this program is.

Our government’s philosophy of putting more money back in people’s pockets is absolute and constant.

We’re ready to build the roads and the bridges and the highways and the transportation infrastructure for another generation. Never before in the history of Ontario have we seen something this ambitious. It’s quite exciting.

To my colleague from Windsor–Tecumseh—and I’ve been down to see him in Windsor–Tecumseh, to see how wonderful his constituency is: Shovels are already in the ground to expand Highway 3, with planning well under way to build a new interchange connecting the 401 to the Lauzon Parkway. I think when I was there, I saw that area, and I know how important it will be for the flow of traffic.

We’re also supporting a new interchange at Banwell Road and the E.C. Row Expressway to support the NextStar Energy EV battery plant. Why is this so important? Anybody can go to St. Thomas to see the area that will help revolutionize what an Ontario of the next generation will look like from our historic investments in EVs, and I have to tell you, it is mammoth; it is on a scale never imagined. And it took the vision and the ambition of Premier Ford to move this forward. It is something to see. I’ve seen this for myself. I’ve been to St. Thomas. I’ve seen the land area, and it’s unbelievable. To have the third-largest building on the entire planet in St. Thomas is a testament to the conviction of Premier Ford and Minister Fedeli to actually move this forward, and I really wanted to acknowledge that.

In order to build this envisionment of what our economy will look like, we need to have the infrastructure, and that’s the transportation, as well. That’s why, locally, in the GTA, we are advancing Highway 413, which will provide much better relief to commuters. Others have said it’s not necessary. Others have told us to stop. Others have said, “Wait. You’re not looking at this with a clear lens.” They’re dead wrong, because we know, unless we have an aspirational dream of seeing people live all over Ontario, to combat our housing shortages, to have the ambitions that members in this Legislature had, to set a target to build homes—you know what? We need the roadways. The roadways will be done and enjoyed by generations to come, and I’m proud of that.

In Niagara region—all we have to do is see the commute from Toronto to Niagara, and we know it’s already congested, because people want to live there. Houses are being built there. Hospitals are being built there. That’s why we’re moving forward with the QEW Garden City Skyway bridge twinning project, and I’m really proud of that.

We’re replacing a bridge that I myself have been to, in Little Current—the swing bridge on Manitoulin Island. I’ve been on that bridge, and I’m happy that our government is announcing we’re replacing that, as well.

In northern Ontario, we’re making infrastructure improvements on the roadways. We’re doing this absolutely everywhere.

The other thing that I want to comment on, that I think is very important as we look to the future is, how do we envision the other infrastructures that are required to build homes? You need roadways, but you also need the critical infrastructure, and the Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing have spoken to this. That’s why we’re not stopping. Again, we are not stopping.

The member from Mushkegowuk–James Bay spoke passionately about communities in his riding. I’ve been to some of them. He spoke about the sensitivities in the resource sectors, which are absolutely real. Governments can’t control commodity prices. If we could, then we’d have a lot more certainty. But we are a government that believes in free enterprise, and the markets dictate commodity prices. But governments have to be there to provide the support as well when we have the fluctuations that provide uncertainty for communities.

I do believe, very much so, that our government has stood up—has stood up for the communities in Hearst, has stood up for the communities in Kapuskasing, has stood up for the communities in Thunder Bay and in Sault Ste. Marie. I’ve had the privilege of visiting some of these communities myself, and I know how important they are to the fabric of Ontario.

I sit right next to the minister of northern affairs. Our government believes the north is important to the south of Ontario. This is important, and that’s why, as a member of provincial Parliament from the greater Toronto area, one of the greatest privileges I have had is to tour the north to see for myself.

Our investments that we’re making are important, are historic and will leave lasting benefit to the communities. The $50 million for northern and rural communities to recruit and retain health care workers is important. The $45 million over three years to enhance the Northern Health Travel Grant is important. We have to look seriously to make sure that health care is provided to everyone in Ontario. The Minister of Health and Deputy Premier has said that everyone who has an OHIP card, that is their proof of payment, and that is important. That’s why our government continues to make record investments in the health care system.

Madam Speaker, if it’s okay with you, I want to give a shout-out to the Humber River hospital in my own riding of York Centre because I see how transformational this hospital has been to our local community. I see the passion in the people that work there. I see the fact that this is one of our first digital hospitals, a hospital of tomorrow, built to help communities like mine today.

Whether we’re talking about assisting with over $128 million to help enrolment in nursing spaces, to have more nurses graduate—we’re building new medical schools. We’re dealing with the fact that the investments we need to make in mental health and addictions are the largest in the history of Ontario, over $400 million over three years. I’m proud to sit alongside Ontario’s first Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. How important is this, that the topic of such serious concern is represented by a person in our cabinet? I think this is very important.

We’re going to continue in new special education projects. We’re going to continue to make investments, especially—and I want to go back to public safety because there’s one thing that’s very important. Just as the people who think it’s okay to steal our cars at 5 a.m., to knock down our doors and to demand our keys—and you know what? It’s not acceptable. That is why the government came forward with a $51-million auto theft grant. And now, in this budget, in Bill 180, we’re now announcing monies to support police services across Ontario by having aerial support and purchasing new helicopters for the GTHA, as an example. This is very, very important.

I want to also give a special shout-out to our firefighters. Between our firefighters, I have to tell you, it has been an honour of a lifetime to stop the car—as I like to say—and visit fire halls.

We listened to the stakeholders at the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs. We listened to the stakeholders of the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association, the OPFFA. I want to give a shout-out to Deputy Chief Rob Grimwood, from Mississauga, and the president of the OPFFA, Greg Horton. These are amazing people. We talked about what we can do to help the fire services, and we came forward in this budget to provide $30 million so that, through a grant-based program, fire services can have the protective equipment. This is very important.

Et pour moi, madame la Présidente, c’est personnel.

I am so happy that our government reimagined not only our province—go back to 1967. For some members around the Legislature—I don’t want to age them, but the member from Renfrew–Nipissing–Pembroke will have a better, clearer memory than I or the member from Eglinton–Lawrence will have—because we’re the same age. What did Ontario in 1967 envision the Ontario of 2024 to look like? We said it should be a place to grow, a place to stand and a place to grow.

I think our government, under the leadership of Premier Ford, has provided that stability, that constancy, the integrity to say we are building an Ontario not only for today—because we’re living today, we need to have it for today—but for tomorrow and generations to follow. It has been a privilege for me to rise to speak on this bill.

There is no government in the history of Ontario that has had the backs of the firefighters as our government, led by Premier Ford. And do you know what, Mr. Speaker? We’re proud of this.

I speak to Greg Horton; I speak to Rob Grimwood, the association presidents of the chiefs and the professional firefighters. We have volunteer firefighters in this Legislature: the member from Brantford–Brant, the member from Sarnia–Lambton and others who have come forward to keep us safe.

But Bonnie Crombie, as mayor of Mississauga, knew to the last cent how much the carbon tax was affecting the firefighters. It is absolutely proof positive Bonnie Crombie needs to come clean and say this is the most regressive tax that is affecting our public safety. It’s affecting our fire safety and she should say, “I’m not in favour of it. I will support cancelling it.”

I want to thank my colleague and friend from Newmarket–Aurora, and to also say that tonight, in the York Regional Police service, there will be a dinner honouring those from victim services who work hard every day to make sure that the victims are always protected.

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt in anybody’s mind whatsoever that the carbon tax affects public safety. Let me give it by the numbers to the member opposite—in an average SUV that might consume 100 litres of fuel, at 18 cents per litre for gas, that’s $18 per fill-up. When you multiply it per year—because these cars are always on the road—you’re talking $6,500 a year just for the gas on the carbon tax portion.

Bonnie Crombie knows this because she served on the board of Peel police service. She should tell the truth and say she knows this is affecting our public safety.

Mr. Speaker, do you know who knew about this? Bonnie Crombie. As the mayor of Mississauga, she knew the budget for the Mississauga fire department. She knew the budgets for the Peel police service, because she was on that board too. It’s time that Bonnie Crombie tells the truth, owns up to it, calls her friend Justin Trudeau and says, “I’m not in favour of this tax.”

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.”