At this time, no further business.

I rise today to commend Khalsa Aid Canada for their remarkable humanitarian efforts, embodying the Sikh principles of selflessness and equality. As a non-profit organization, Khalsa Aid extends its support globally, exceeding religious boundaries to aid all those in need.

They are currently organizing a food drive in which they aim to provide over 200,000 meals for local food banks within the GTA. This stands as a testament to their impactful contributions to the community. In a time marked by economic challenges, initiatives like these are invaluable in addressing the issues of hunger and food insecurity.

In April, as we recognize Sikh Heritage Month, we are reminded of the profound teachings of our gurus, emphasizing courage, selflessness and equality. Khalsa Aid embodies these teachings and promotes the values of the Sikh religion through acts of seva, which is giving back to the community.

Members of the community who can and want to drop off donations can at select GTA gurdwaras, including Ontario Khalsa Darbar, Guru Nanak Sikh Centre, Dasmesh Darbar and Nanaksar, until April 30, to help Khalsa Aid in their goal of distributing 200,000 meals.

The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, gave us three principles to live by: naam japna, remembering God; kirat kamao, earning an honest living; and vand keh chakko, sharing with the less fortunate. It is truly inspiring to see Khalsa Aid living by these principles and making such a positive impact within our community.

Good morning. Let us pray.

Prières / Prayers.

Mr. Fraser, on behalf of Madame Collard, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr32, An Act to revive Allied Contractors (Kitchener) Limited.

Second reading agreed to.

Mr. Fraser, on behalf of Madame Collard, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr32, An Act to revive Allied Contractors (Kitchener) Limited.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

MPP Wong-Tam moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr34, An Act to revive Bongo Studios Inc.

Second reading agreed to.

MPP Wong-Tam moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr34, An Act to revive Bongo Studios Inc.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Ms. Bell moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr35, An Act to revive Winchester Design Build Inc.

Second reading agreed to.

Ms. Bell moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr35, An Act to revive Winchester Design Build Inc.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Mr. Pang moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr36, An Act to revive Eastern Children of Israel Congregation.

Second reading agreed to.

Mr. Pang moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr36, An Act to revive Eastern Children of Israel Congregation.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Ms. Smith moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr37, An Act to revive Doreen Scolnick Investments Limited.

Second reading agreed to.

Ms. Smith moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr37, An Act to revive Doreen Scolnick Investments Limited.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Ms. Hogarth moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr38, An Act to revive The Six Brewing Company Inc.

Second reading agreed to.

Ms. Hogarth moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr38, An Act to revive The Six Brewing Company Inc.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Mr. Byers moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr39, An Act to revive 1082472 Ontario Limited.

Second reading agreed to.

Mr. Byers moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr39, An Act to revive 1082472 Ontario Limited.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Mr. Cuzzetto moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr42, An Act respecting the Luso Canadian Charitable Society.

Second reading agreed to.

Mr. Cuzzetto moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr42, An Act respecting the Luso Canadian Charitable Society.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

The House recessed from 0911 to 1015.

I’m so happy to be saying this today. This past Friday, I was pleased to announce almost $2 million in new funding to support primary care in Windsor–Essex. This—

Interjections.

This funding will connect almost 8,000 more in our community with new services in primary care much closer to home.

Part of this funding will create new practitioner positions at the community health centre based at the Canadian Mental Health Association Windsor-Essex branch. More health human resources will mean more patients can access the roster of services available.

Part of this funding is also expanding the mobile medical support team, a mobile health care clinic that can truly go anywhere in the moment. Through episodic care, preventive care or wraparound services, our vulnerable, high-risk, underserved areas can more easily be helped.

Building on the $424,525 in support of the Essex County Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic just announced a few weeks ago in Kingsville, bringing more care to 1,200 county residents; the Windsor-Essex regional acute-care hospital; the mental health in-patient bed expansion at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare; among many, many other investments, our government is investing deeply in health care in Windsor and Essex county.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford and Minister Jones, our government’s additional $546 million over three years for inter-professional primary care teams will connect 600,000 people with primary care closer to home.

Speaker, London tenants got some good news last month, when the city of London moved closer to joining Hamilton in preventing bad-faith renovictions.

My office hears regularly from London West tenants about unethical landlords who use illegal renovictions to remove low-income tenants and jack up rents. In the face of a dire shortage of affordable housing options, the renoviction notice can be devastating.

Tenant advocacy group ACORN reports a 300% increase in renovictions between 2017 and 2021. Those numbers continue to grow, just like the average cost of rent. Meanwhile, vacancy rates in London are at record lows.

Municipalities like London are stepping in with bylaw protection because, unlike the Ford government, they recognize that illegally forcing low-income tenants out of their units when there is nowhere else for them to go is both inhumane and bad public policy.

According to ACORN, London ranks fifth in the province in the number of renoviction notices, but it’s not only renovictions that are squeezing London tenants. Above-guideline increases, or AGIs, also create huge pressures for tenants with low or fixed incomes, and London ranks fourth in the province in the number of AGI applications, typically made by big corporate landlords.

Speaker, almost one third of Londoners are renters. Why is this government doing so little to protect them?

I’m wearing my grandfather’s tie this morning, from the Clan Davison. It’s part of my family’s heritage. I’ve never sought permission to wear this tie in the House, however; and I know other members with Scottish roots have worn tartan garments, too. But there was a time when the tartan was banned. For 40 years after the Battle of Culloden, as British soldiers pillaged and cleared the lands of my ancestors, the crown banned the wearing of the tartan. That insult to my ancestors no longer exists.

But sadly, Speaker, I believe that today we are carrying a similar insult to Palestinian Canadians, Arabs and Muslims when we ban the wearing of kaffiyehs in this House.

The kaffiyeh is a symbol of rich cultural history. I am told it represents the fishing nets, olive trees, and ancient trade routes of Palestine. I believe we should be celebrating that culture in this place and not banning it.

The ban on the kaffiyeh in this House, in my opinion, only contributes to the rise of dehumanization, polarization and hatred that we are seeing. It divides us, precisely at the moment when we should be doing everything among all of us to bring our people together in the broader cause of peace.

I am not Palestinian; that’s true. But when the civil liberties of Canadians are under threat, I believe it impacts every single person in this building. It is a stain on the fabric of this House. We can, together, remove that stain if we stop the banning of kaffiyehs in this place, and I encourage us to do it right away.

Speaker, the Ford Conservatives’ planned service reduction of the Union Pearson Express, which they walked back in less than 48 hours, reminded me that since forming government, Conservatives have been forced to reverse their decisions, multiple times.

The cuts to the greenbelt—the Auditor General reported that a small group of connected developers stood to gain $8.3 billion from increased land values, and that led to an RCMP investigation.

Bill 124, which capped public sector wages to 1%—reversed because they lost in the courts twice.

Who can forget the “notwithstanding” clause suspending charter rights and freedoms, used to strip education workers’ right to fair bargaining? The Conservatives faced a general strike.

Dissolving Peel region without first finding out the cost and the impact on public services—the region didn’t dissolve, but it still cost taxpayers millions.

Massive retroactive cuts to public health, only paused after pushback—it took a pandemic to realize that cuts to public health are a terrible idea and put everyone at risk.

And some just downright foolish—like introducing the blue licence plates that were not visible at night and having to discontinue them.

Speaker, I only list a few, but you see the pattern. The Conservatives have a habit of making obvious bad decisions and reversing them. The Premier says it’s because he’s open-minded and listens to the people. If that’s true, then don’t hand over public lands at Ontario Place in a secret 95-year deal; stop privatization of our health care system; stop interfering with the Ontario Energy Board and independent regulator on behalf of Enbridge. Prove it.

Last week was volunteer appreciation week, and I was honoured to attend the volunteer service awards in my riding. Volunteers are the backbone of Ontario communities, and I was honoured to recognize more than 40 outstanding volunteers in Burlington. These volunteers have committed from five years of service to 45 years of volunteer time to our community. That is truly amazing. Together, they have accumulated over 700 years and thousands of hours of their time volunteering for various organizations.

The work volunteers do allows children and youth to participate in recreational and community activities, and helps people to experience culture and the arts. Volunteers also support seniors in our community as they participate in activities, and provide supports to various religious and service organizations. Their selfless dedication and commitment make a significant and positive impact on society.

Congratulations to everyone who received an award at this week’s ceremony, and thank you for the many hours of volunteer service in our community. Your dedication, kindness and support embody the very best of the Ontario spirit and help to bring communities together, inspire others and foster a sense of inclusion and connection.

Speaker, yesterday we had the opportunity to meet with the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network here at Queen’s Park. During their all-party cancer caucus, they stressed the necessity of cancer care as part of Ontario’s health care system. One thing that they stressed was the importance of screening and early intervention to increase the likelihood of treatment and remission in individuals.

This hit home for me. Right now, communities like Wawa, Hornepayne, Chapleau and White River are not scheduled as destinations for the Screen for Life mobile cancer screening bus. Screen for Life is a vital service for rural communities that do not have regular access to cancer screenings such as mammograms, pap tests and tests for colon cancer. Without access to a mobile diagnostic service, residents in these communities will have to travel upwards of 250 kilometres one way—and that means they won’t travel and they won’t get caught early.

Speaker, I share the concerns of residents who have reached out to my office about the loss of access to cancer screening and early intervention. We must ensure that rural and remote communities in northern Ontario are not left behind in our efforts to treat cancer across our province.

My office will continue to work with the cancer care programs in northern Ontario to make sure that services to all these communities are returned so that people can once again get timely access to cancer screening close to home.

Speaker, this year marks the 48th anniversary of the annual Festival of the Maples in Perth, Ontario. Since 1976, Perth has celebrated a legacy of liquid gold against a backdrop of heritage architecture on the banks of the Tay River.

Hosted by the Perth chamber of commerce, the Festival of the Maples embraces all that Lanark county has to offer, with artisans, vendors, musicians and award-winning maple producers.

Some of our smaller emerging producers were recipients of recent funding through this government, in partnership with the Canadian government. My thanks to Minister Thompson and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, 15 successful applicants in the Lanark–Frontenac–Kingston riding received a total of just over $239,000 to support the productivity and growth of their maple syrup businesses.

Speaker, Lanark county is hailed as the maple syrup capital of Ontario, and at this time of year, visitors are hiking our sugar bush trails, touring award-winning multi-generational sugar camps, and heading home with some of the finest maple syrup in the world. Throughout Lanark county, you’ll find maple syrup featured in restaurants, bakeries, coffee roasters and distilleries, all eager to embrace the sweet taste of spring.

I extend a warm Lanark county welcome to the 48th Festival of the Maples, this Saturday, April 27, in heritage Perth. I hope to see you there.

I’m excited to share the heartwarming experience of my recent visit to Crosby Heights Public School. The eagerness of the grade 5 students to understand the workings of the provincial government and my role therein was truly inspiring.

As I engaged with these young minds, their curiosity and enthusiasm were encouraging. They asked insightful questions and displayed a genuine interest in the legislative process and its impact on their lives. They also wanted to know what my roles are, what do I do at Queen’s Park, and how I can represent them as their voice. It was a reminder of the importance of fostering civic engagement from an early age.

This visit beautifully aligns with my community event, the April Monday Matters initiative that was just organized recently. We strive to connect with our constituents and address issues close to their hearts.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to interact with the future leaders of our province, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to promote civic education and engagement in our community.

I’d like to welcome back to the House my friend from Ottawa and member of the Ontario Autism Coalition Kate Dudley-Logue.

She’s really upset with me for doing this, but I have to. My daughter Lily is here today. She has a dance competition, so she has to come to work with me this morning.

We want to wish all Dancercise dancers good luck.

It’s my pleasure to welcome Monica Singh Soares to the House today. Not only is Monica an outstanding councillor from the municipality of Southgate in Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound; she’s also, more importantly, the mother of page Bella-Sitara, who has been with us the last three weeks.

Welcome, Monica.

I’d like to welcome the family of Lyra, our page from Kitchener Centre: Bob Cutler, Sue Cutler and Matty Hayes. Welcome to your House.

I’d like to welcome the terrific Toronto East Residents for Renewable Energy, TERRE, to the House today.

They’re not here yet, but they will be joining us very soon—grade 5 students from Fern Avenue public school, with their teacher, Lisa Nave.

Welcome.

It’s wonderful to rise here today to recognize the outstanding work of the general manager of the Stratford and District Chamber of Commerce, Eddie Matthews. He recently announced that he will be retiring from the chamber. I’ve had the privilege of working with Eddie in his capacity as general manager during my time as a member in this assembly for Perth–Wellington, and even before I arrived in this place.

Eddie is a diligent and hard-working individual who always has the best interests of our business community at heart.

Eddie has been with the chamber for the past five years, and during his time as general manager, he endured tough challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, completely reworking the chamber, how they ran their key events, and he was there for our small businesses as they dealt with those challenges. He was there to support our local businesses in good times and bad. He has played a key role in expanding the chamber of commerce membership beyond Stratford and into the area of West Perth and St. Marys.

Speaker, before Eddie was even general manager of the chamber, he had a long and successful career in radio. And I know in whatever he does next, he will succeed again.

I would like to sincerely extend my gratitude to Eddie for all of his service and leadership to our community.

I wish you all the best in your next chapter with Lori.

I’m so happy to welcome, for the first time, my constituency staff, Paul de Roos, Marisa Patricelli and Melody Watson, as well as East Gwillimbury town councillor Susan Lahey. Welcome to Queen’s Park.

First and foremost, over the last two years, on average, our hospitals have seen a 4% increase in their operating budgets.

For a decade, under the Liberals, supported by the NDP, they underfunded the health care system, closing hospitals, closing hospital beds, creating lengthy wait times, firing nurses, and cutting medical school residency spots.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making record investments in our health care to provide a system responsive to the needs of Ontarians. Since 2018, we’ve increased our health care budget by 30%, investing $85 billion into our publicly funded health care system this year alone.

Our bold and innovative action has seen Ontario have the shortest wait times for surgeries in Canada, with 80% of all Ontarians now receiving surgery within the target time.