My question is to the Minister of Health. On March 5 to 7, Englehart hospital’s emergency room was closed—the first time ever in history. So people who don’t have access to primary care for that time didn’t have access to an emergency room either. Now we hear many hospitals are in danger of collapsing because of the extra costs they’re paying for agency nurses. And while this is happening, at exactly the same time, the government is spending advertising dollars saying how great the health care system is.

My question to the Minister of Health: Is she the Minister of Health or the minister of self-promotion?

My question is to the Minister of Health: You introduced this bill initially. What happened to those principles?

Interjections.

Word for word.

It’s always an honour to stand in the House and today to speak on our opposition day motion, which is basically trying to encourage the government to vote for opposition Bill 176, End the Public Funding of Partisan Government Advertising Act, 2024. I was very proud to co-sponsor that bill with our leader, Marit Stiles. But what makes this bill unique—and I didn’t think that we would ever do this, or admit to doing it, but we’re going to admit we copied this bill word for word from a Conservative member—word for word. When that Conservative member from Dufferin–Caledon was on the opposition benches, we debated that bill, and we voted for that bill because it was a good bill.

I’m going to go out on a limb a bit here, Speaker. Obviously, at the time, that bill was trying to stop the Liberals, who were in government, from wasting taxpayers’ dollars on self-promotion instead of investing in where they should be investing taxpayers’ dollars. At the time, it was actually something we agreed with the Conservatives on. Because although the NDP and the Conservatives are far apart in our philosophy, old-time political people will tell you that both the NDP and the Conservatives had principles. We believe in totally different things. We believe in publicly delivered, publicly funded services; they believe much differently. But we had principles. My question is—once they got to the government benches, the principles seem to have disappeared.

I’d like to read a quote, Speaker. I don’t read quotes very often, but today I’m going to do it. This is a quote from the original author of this bill, the MPP from Dufferin–Caledon, when she was talking about this bill to her local media:

“The PC Party has committed to restoring Auditor General oversight of government advertising, but last time the Liberals voted down this legislation. Reintroducing this important legislation is a second chance for the Liberals to do the right thing and ensure that taxpayer dollars are respected and ensure oversight is to the Auditor General.

“Despite the Liberal government proroguing the Legislature for political reasons, I will continue to use every opportunity to fight for the legislation I believe will make a difference to the people of Dufferin–Caledon.”

I couldn’t agree more. So once again, now we’re giving—this isn’t actually about Liberal/Conservative; it’s about doing the right thing, having the Auditor General look at advertising before they put it out.

We’re not opposed to government advertising. There’s a purpose for certain government advertising. Actually informing people of government programs or how they can get help, that makes sense. But when you start an ad with, “Imagine if you lived in a place,” and you end the ad with, “But you do live in this place,” there is no relevant information coming from that ad. We all know it. That is a self-promoting ad.

I’ll give you another example of how this government is doing this. When you drive down the highway, and you come, it says, “Here is the site of the 413, part of our government’s $28-billion road-building plan.” It doesn’t say, “Ontario’s.” It says “our,” with a big blue sign. It’s that kind of stuff. But when you spend millions and millions doing it, guess what, folks? When you’re playing this at the Super Bowl and saying, “Well, we’re going to bring business because of this,” do you know what? I know a lot of business people, and they do a lot of in-depth work to see where they’re going to locate. And I give credit where credit is due; I’m sure the Minister of Economic Development helps with that. But I don’t think that the captains of industry are watching the Super Bowl, going, “Oh yeah, let’s go to Ontario. They have a great Super Bowl ad.” No, no. You’re self-promoting, and that money, the taxpayers’ money—you claim to be so worried about taxpayers’ money. Those funds could be so much better invested in actually providing the services, because do you know what? News flash: If you actually provide the services, you don’t need to advertise that someday you might, and that’s what you’re doing.

In my riding, an emergency room was closed, and there’s ads on the radio saying, “Oh, things are going to be great in the future.” That is the problem.

What is so disappointing is, we thought—I thought—as many disagreements as I have with Conservatives on philosophy, I thought and a lot of people across Ontario thought, “Well, at least they have principles. We don’t trust the Liberals, but at least this government will have principles,” and the fact that you’re doing exactly—exactly, carbon copy—what the Liberal government did before shows that whoever is running your ship doesn’t have principles. I hope some of you do. I think many of you do, but you’re not showing it by (a) spending the money on these ads, and (b) for the Deputy Premier to potentially not even support her own legislation, her own, word for word. There’s no poison pill. This was done by the Conservative—whatever you call your think tank, this was written by that.

But do you know what? Once you crossed the aisle, you basically became Liberals. You’re willing to say and do anything to protect yourselves, and that’s why many people are so disappointed in this government—so disappointed. Specifically people in rural Ontario thought they were electing their neighbours with principles, and it’s not the case at all. Just like the Liberal government before you, you’re treating their money like your own money. That is what sunk the Liberals, and in the end, if you’re not careful, that is what will sink you.

Please show us you’re not like that. Vote for this motion.