Speaker, in any given year, one in five Canadians experiences a mental illness. Within these statistics lie the stories and struggles of individuals with a unique journey of mental health challenges. By age 40, one in two have or have had a mental illness. Each number represents a person, a story and a struggle.

In Ontario, 24,000 social workers tirelessly navigate mental health care, offering support in alleviating these struggles.

Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Thanks to the Ontario Association of Social Workers, the largest collective of mental health support workers with 9,000 members, for exemplifying compassion and resilience by providing comfort and understanding to those in need.

As we honour Social Work Week from March 4 to 10, let’s recognize the crucial role of social workers in Mississauga–Malton and across the province. Whether you are a social worker or have been touched by one, I invite you to explore this year’s theme of “Social Work Opens Doors” at oasw.org.

Let’s remember: With every open door, we pave the way for hope, healing, a bright future and a brighter Ontario.

I’d like to introduce Dr. Deepy Sur, CEO; Kaelen Boyd, director of policy and stakeholders; and Justin Dela Pena, social policy adviser, from the Ontario Association of Social Workers as we honour social workers week in Ontario. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas Ontario is expecting to continue to see rapid population growth and investments, the province needs additional reliable, affordable, and clean energy that businesses can rely on. To meet growing electricity demand this decade, Ontario is expanding generation capacity, conducting Canada’s largest clean energy storage procurement, and expanding energy efficiency programs; and

“Whereas new electricity transmission infrastructure is needed to meet growing electricity demand in the province. Last year, Ontario acted to ensure the efficient and timely development of five new electricity transmission infrastructure projects in southwestern Ontario, with additional new projects proposed in the coming years including three new transmission lines in northeastern Ontario to power forecast electricity growth, including the conversion from coal to electric arc furnaces at Algoma Steel as well as from growth in the mining sector; and one new transmission line to power growth in the Ottawa region and across eastern Ontario; and

“Whereas Ontario has launched the largest clean energy storage procurement in Canada’s history. The procurement, which is contracting 2,500 megawatts of clean energy storage, will increase the efficiency of Ontario’s clean electricity grid; and

“Whereas energy storage will support the operation of Ontario’s clean electricity grid by drawing and storing electricity off-peak when power demand is low and generation typically comes from non-emitting sources as well as returning the power to the system at times of higher electricity demand; and

“Whereas with the increasing demand for energy, the province is leveraging the Ontario nuclear sector’s experience and expertise in this safe, reliable, and clean energy source to develop the” new generation and the “next generation of nuclear power; and

“Whereas expanding Ontario’s SMR program enhances Ontario’s position as a global leader in new nuclear technologies, creating new export opportunities that will drive economic growth;

“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:

“To urge all members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario continue to create reliable, affordable clean energy while meeting the demands of a growing population.”

I fully support this petition and I will send it through Sarah.

Before I start, I want to acknowledge the member for Burlington. I had an opportunity to meet her in Mississauga when we are at Sheridan College. It was really good to have you there. Thank you for the passion and the compassion that you have.

Madam Speaker, as you know, my daughter just recently has gone to the University of Windsor. She’s doing nursing, first year. My goodness, hats off to these young students. University can be difficult and challenging. In fact, many of my constituents and members have talked about it, that navigating the university and college mental health program often requires a degree of its own.

The question to you is, you’ve brought this bill. What will this bill do to help those youth?

Madam Speaker, as you know, every student has the right to study at a college or a university. Removing barriers related to mental health, racism, hate, costs will assist students with obtaining a better experience from their campuses.

Bill 166 speaks to taking action in developing mental health policies, combatting hate and racism, and providing students with transparency on the costs being charged by an institution.

To the member opposite: My question is very simple. I’m sure you have read the bill now. What are the good things in this bill?

Again, Bill 166 is a major win for students and post-secondary transparency across the province. It deals with matters of basic transparency around costs associated with ancillary fees, costs of textbooks and other materials. I can only imagine—it’s a non-partisan issue—Bill 166 will receive unanimous support.

Through you, Madam Speaker, I just want to ask the member, do you support Bill 166, and do you support transparency in the post-secondary sector?