School boards in Toronto are facing a funding shortfall because of this government’s failure to properly fund education in Ontario. The Toronto District School Board is short $27 million. Parents often contact me about how this underfunding is affecting their kids’ education.

I think of Adhi. His son is in a developmentally delayed class at Clinton school. His son has been attacked twice by another child. He has been scarred physically. The school knows they need another skilled educator in the room to keep kids safe, but they don’t have the staffing allocation.

I think of Janice and Christine at Kensington. They’ve just learned they will have a grade 4/5/6 class for this coming year. That means a teacher will have to explain three different classes all day, every day. That’s a very difficult task. It means that older kids will sit there in the class and be bored, and it means younger kids will sit in the class and feel completely overwhelmed.

Stories like this come into my office every single week. Every school is having to do more with less, year in and year out.

The TDSB has asked the ministry to fund schools properly and to account for the extra costs they must shoulder because of provincial and federal directives, because of COVID, because of inflation. How does this ministry respond? How does the minister respond? They look the other way.

I want schools to be properly funded. I want our kids to have an excellent public school education. The TDSB is asking for a new funding deal, and I support these requests, and I hope the ministry and the government support these requests as well.

Good morning. Let us pray.

Prayers.

On Saturday, April 20, I was so proud to join well over 100 volunteers, community members and sponsors to officially mark the opening of the Wheatley Arboretum and Learning Trail. The Wheatley Horticultural Society, led by my friends Donna Matier and Sophie Jefferson, in partnership with Chatham Kent Trails and supported by dozens of local sponsors, succeeded in crafting this vision. It includes a beautiful 1.3-kilometre trail and outdoor recreation and learning space.

Located strategically near our baseball fields and our local public school, the grounds feature hundreds of newly planted trees and plants native to the Carolinian forest, including the Kentucky coffee tree, hackberry, pawpaw, tulip tree and American sycamore. These precious tree species are complemented by manicured grounds and locally crafted metal park benches to relax and reflect, as well as outdoor, four-season fitness equipment for all ages to enjoy.

This project is another fine demonstration of a community’s resolve and resilience. Wheatley continues to work together to overcome adversity and care for one another. This beautiful outdoor activity and educational space symbolizes both healthy living and fellowship by reconnecting the community to one another and to nature.

Congratulations, and thank you to everyone involved for their hard work and dedication to bring this project from idea to reality. Thank you for being Wheatley strong.

Last weekend, over 260 hockey players converged on the Langton Arena, a beautiful building spanning five decades of rich culture and tradition. Those players were there for a tournament also rich in tradition, the Langton Oldtimers Six Pack.

This is a tournament that has been attracting and boasting hockey talent for over 28 years. It’s called the Six Pack because you have five players and a goalie—no subs. Competition is stiff in the carded division as junior and a handful of OHL players face off. The 35, 45 and 55 games showcase many of those who at one time could really light things up.

For the second time in the tournament’s history, a women’s division hit the ice. One of the five teams was the Underhill Brady Barnburners. Underhill’s Farm Supply and yours truly teamed up to sponsor both my son’s carded team as well as our ladies’ team. My teammates, who included goalie Ciera Bartik, Briar Barker, Brooke Cope, Courtney Dennis, Meg Sebok and Rachel Van Es, skated to the championship game but came up short against some talented girls from the Stratford area.

In the timekeeper’s box for many of the games was arena fixture Roger Demeester, who recorded his 8,660th game during the tournament—absolutely incredible.

The tournament has the little town of Langton buzzing from Wednesday to Sunday, with games running every half-hour. The Langton Oldtimers have this event down to a science, and they are the ones responsible for the great hockey, camaraderie and for bringing the community together.

Thank you to all who had a hand in another successful year. See you at the rink in 2025.

The Norwich Chamber of Commerce recently handed out its annual awards of excellence. These awards honour outstanding local businesses and residents who contribute to the growth and success of the community. I’d like to congratulate this year’s winners:

—Brandwood Farms and the Duizer family, winners of the farm family of the year award, north township;

—the Wikkerink family, winners of the farm family of the year, south township;

—Speedy Electric, recipient of the small business of the year award—congratulations on 50 years in business;

—Joe’s Carpentry, named the large business of the year—thanks for the work you did on my house;

—Paige, winner of the agricultural bursary essay contest and a cheque for her future education;

—Jared, winner of the high school scholarship essay contest and a cheque to be used for his post-secondary education;

—Everett McInnis, a member of the Norwich Upper Deck team and recipient of the youth citizen of the year;

—Lynne DePlancke, winner of the citizen of the year award for her community-minded involvement and volunteer work;

—Jacqueline Body, recipient of the Judy Cayley memorial award for her extensive volunteer service to the people of Norwich;

—and finally, Tom Hamulecki, who was presented the special achievement award for his significant fundraising and auctioneering contributions.

Mr. Speaker, these winners and their hard work, innovation and dedicated service are invaluable to the community of Oxford. Congratulations to all the winners.

J’ai écrit une lettre ouverte publiée la semaine dernière que j’aimerais partager aujourd’hui. Je vous en lis un extrait : « Près de 2,3 millions d’Ontariens sont sans médecins de famille. On estime qu’en 2026, c’est le quart des Ontariens qui n’en n’auront pas. »

Entre en jeu le premier fardeau : habiter dans le nord de la province. Je pense à la ville de Hearst, une ville du secteur forestier où habitent un peu plus de 5 000 habitants, dont 4 000 habitants sont sans médecins de famille.

Entre le deuxième fardeau : vivre en français en Ontario. Environ la moitié des francophones disent parler en anglais avec leur médecin de famille.

Dans le budget, la seule mention d’une somme pour l’amélioration de l’accès aux services en français dans l’ensemble de l’Ontario est de 10 millions de dollars sur trois ans, soit un peu plus de 3 millions de dollars par année.

Entre les entrepreneurs francophones, les nombreux conseils dans le système français qui demandent du financement pour le transport scolaire et les hôpitaux qui veulent régler une crise de dotation de médecins francophones, qui va gagner? De ceux-là, combien de ces 3 millions de dollars par année va aller dans le sud de la province ou dans l’est, plutôt qu’au Nord? C’est ça, la réalité du fait français en Ontario. Choisis : habite dans le Sud ou parle anglais.

Mr. Speaker, when people step up to help those who are struggling in the community, their passion to make a difference is often contagious. In the suburb of Riverside South, in the Carleton riding, a group of people has stepped up to create the Community Table, a new volunteer-run food bank. Statistics Canada reports that more than 600 households in that affluent community live below the poverty line.

Members of the Gathering, a Christian church in Riverside South, realized that families in Riverside South were using the food banks in the adjacent suburb of Barrhaven and in other communities. They launched an organic project and created the Community Table, which will open its doors on Monday, May 6.

Jeff Brierley, owner of the Your Independent Grocer store in Riverside South, where I often get my groceries, has generously provided a space inside his store until a permanent location for the Community Table can be found. He’s also assisting with the collection of food donations.

As the MPP for Carleton, I could not be more proud of the volunteers in Riverside South who have turned a need in the community into a reality.

More often that not, we are oblivious to the poverty and hunger that’s all around us. Our lives are measured by the impact we have on others. The Community Table will have an immediate impact on hundreds of people in our community, and before long, I know it will impact thousands.

We all know that gas prices jumped an average of 14 cents per litre across the GTA last week. Premier Ford immediately raised the concern of disgusting price gouging by Ontario gas stations. I applaud the Premier’s statement and rise to offer him a solution.

Residents of Nickel Belt in northern Ontario have been dealing with price gouging at the pump for years. Fuel companies set the price per litre according to what the market can bear. Apparently, in the north, we can bear a lot.

Thousands of people have signed my petition to regulate the price of gas. We regulate the price of energy when it comes to natural gas, when it comes to electricity; what is stopping us from regulating the price of a litre of gas? Five provinces and many US states already have gas price regulation, and it works.

I ask that the Premier finally consider regulating the cost of gasoline here in Ontario so that none of us have to be gouged when we go and fill up. This is a moment when this Premier can actually get it done. You have recognized that Ontarians are being gouged by fuel retailers across the province. Let’s end price gouging at the pump now. We can do this.

Colleagues, last Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending the arts, culture and volunteer awards which took place at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery in Owen Sound. It was a wonderful event that recognized many talented artists and community volunteers in our wonderful Grey-Bruce community. I was inspired by the amazing talents and energy of all who were nominated.

While Tom Thomson was born in Claremont, Ontario, he was raised in Leith, a lovely community just east of Owen Sound. He developed his distinctive craft after working with the artists who would eventually form the Group of Seven and also after visiting Algonquin Park. He spent much time at the park, and his outstanding work consists almost entirely of landscapes, including trees, skies, lakes and rivers. Some of his notable works include Northern River, Spring Ice, The West Wind and of course The Jack Pine.

Tom Thomson passed away at the early age of 39 on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park. While he died before the formal establishment of the Group of Seven, he is often considered an unofficial member. His beautiful resting place is at the Leith United Church Cemetery.

Thank you, Tom Thomson, for your amazing talent and for your link to our great Grey-Bruce community. And thank you to the great team at the Tom Thomson Art Gallery—the excellent staff, board and volunteers for making the gallery an inspiring place that honours an inspiring icon, Tom Thomson.

Good morning, everyone. I would like to introduce you all to Mother Earth and wish you a happy Earth Day.

I’m very proud to be able to announce and welcome to this chamber a bunch of leaders from First Nations communities across the province, including Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum from Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe of Anishinabek Nation, Chief Chris Moonias of Neskantaga First Nation and Chief Lefty Kamenawatamin from Bearskin Lake First Nation, as well as family members of a number of people who have lost their lives in the last few years: Vincent Ostberg, father of the late Jenna Ostberg; Vanessa Sakanee, mother of the late Mackenzie Moonias; Donna Belesky, sister of the late Corey Belesky; Colleen Belesky, mother of the late Corey Belesky; and Julian Falconer, who is working with First Nations.

I want to welcome them to the Legislature, welcome them here to the precinct and thank them very much for being here with us today.

I would like to introduce two of my guests who are here visiting from Simcoe North: Robert McGarrity and his daughter, Akira McGarrity. Welcome to Queen’s Park. I hope you enjoy your day here.

Last week was volunteer appreciation week, and it’s my absolute privilege to rise in the House today to celebrate the remarkable volunteers from Etobicoke–Lakeshore who have received this year’s volunteer service award. My colleague Minister Ford and the member from Eglinton–Lawrence and I were at the ROM last week to hands out these awards.

Volunteers are the backbone of our communities. Their work is indispensable, but it’s also sometimes invisible. On behalf of my constituents, I want to recognize these incredible community champions:

—Patricia Coyle for five years at Women’s College Hospital;

—Marlene DaCosta: five-year award for St. John Ambulance Toronto region dog therapy program;

—Simon Donato-Woodger: five-year award for Kensington Health;

—Joanne Van der Burgt for five years of volunteering at the St. John Ambulance Toronto region dog therapy program;

—Michiko Abe-Kozlowski for 10 years with the Japanese cultural centre—I have to go check that out;

—Sharon Kawabata for 10 years with the Harbourfront Centre;

—Giovanni for 10 years with the St. John Ambulance Toronto region dog therapy program;

—Susan Miller: 10 years with the St. John Ambulance dog therapy program;

—David and Hope Finnimore, both 15 years with the Toronto International Film Festival;

—Semra Salkok for 25 years with the Toronto International Film Festival; and

—Ken Fukushima: 30 years with the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.

Each award recipient has a story of generosity, perseverance and kindness. Thank you to our volunteers.

I’d like to welcome to the House the Beef Farmers of Ontario, particularly Chair Craig McLaughlin. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t give two beef farmers from my riding a specific shout-out: Mike Jeffries from Belmore and Jairus Maus from Cargill. Thank you very much.

I want to thank the Ontario Medical Students Association for a terrific meeting this morning, and I think they will be filtering into the House soon.

I also want to shout out Geordie MacLaren, who is here from the great town of Vankleek Hill, who I grew up with, from the beef farmers. Good to see you, Geordie. Welcome to the people’s House.

I wish to welcome to the House today a new member of my constituency staff, visiting Queen’s Park in that regard for the first time: Lauren Azzopardi.

We have with us in the west public gallery today seven teachers from across the province participating in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario Teachers’ Forum. Please join me in warmly welcoming some of our province’s educators to the legislature today.

I would like to introduce my legislative page, Brayden Vermet from St. Brigid Catholic School in Ayr. Joining us in the House today is his mom, Lisa; his dad, Brian; and sister Olivia. Welcome to your House.

I want to welcome Afshin Keyvani. He’s a teacher at the Greater Fort Erie Secondary School. He’s a big fan of the Fort Erie Junior B Meteors, who are in the final. I want to say to him, welcome to Queen’s Park.

I’m happy to introduce two constituents from the riding of Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock: Former mayor Ric McGee and his wife Caroline. They’re joining us today as they’re in the city celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary.