Back to the parliamentary assistant: The Liberal carbon tax is hurting the household budgets for individuals and families right across Ontario. Ontarians should not be subjected to a tax that does nothing but burden them with unnecessary costs. To make matters worse, the Liberals in this Legislature, under the leadership of a woman who loves the carbon tax, Bonnie Crombie, ignore the hard-working women and men of our province who oppose this punitive tax.

But, Speaker, it’s not surprising, considering for 15 years, the previous Liberal government failed all Ontarians and drove 300,000 manufacturing jobs right out of Ontario. Now they want to make it harder for young people to get the skills and the tools they need to enter the skilled trades by supporting the federal Liberal carbon tax. That’s unacceptable.

Speaker, can the parliamentary assistant tell the House what our government is doing to get more people into the skilled trades, despite the Liberals advancing their anti-worker carbon tax agenda?

Wherever I travel in Ontario, and particularly in my riding of Flamborough–Glanbrook, the number one issue raised by Ontarians, by residents, is affordability. People are struggling to make ends meet. They’re struggling with increased mortgage rates. They’re struggling with the increased cost of food. They’re struggling to pay hydro bills. And now, as of April 1, they’re going to see yet another increase in the price of fuel due to a carbon tax.

As you mentioned, you come from a northern Ontario riding—it’s my hometown, actually, in Nickel Belt—and I note some people may be making $100,000 a year, which can go a long way. But in this day and age, if you’re the sole earner in a family of four, you’re still struggling with a $100,000 paycheque to make ends meet. Will you stand with our party and oppose this unnecessary carbon tax that will be imposed on Canadians—and, in particular, Ontarians—on April 1?

Ontario is home to over 500,000 people of Dutch heritage, and I’m proud to represent a large Dutch community in Flamborough–Glanbrook.

As we honour Dutch heritage throughout the month of May, I would like to celebrate one of the many businesses in my riding that was started by Dutch Canadian entrepreneurs. William Dam Seeds, located in West Flamborough, was started by William and Maria Dam, who immigrated to Canada in 1947. The couple met while working at a seed company in Holland, and they married in 1938. During World War II, William was involved in the resistance, helping to hide fugitives and transport weapons to push back against the occupation.

When William and Maria arrived in Canada, many immigrants were unable to find the vegetable seeds that they had grown back home in Europe. To fill this need, the couple started their own seed business at their kitchen table in Sarnia, and they eventually settled in Flamborough in 1959. For over 70 years now, this family business has provided Canadian farmers and gardeners with high-quality seeds for vegetables, herbs and flowers.

Throughout this Dutch Heritage Month, I encourage all Ontarians to visit a local Dutch Canadian business and to learn about the long history and values of liberty and democracy that our two nations share.

Madam Speaker, for the past 20 minutes, the member from Ottawa Centre has talked about how unsafe it is on transit—particularly in Toronto, but across Ontario. The number one ask of transit riders, transit workers and most Ontarians is a heightened police presence. And yet, the member opposite is part of a party that consistently attacks police in Ontario.

Let me just reference a quote by the newly elected member from Hamilton Centre: “Police in Ontario have a record of arbitrarily killing babies, Black, Indigenous, racialized, disabled civilians ... & those who are in crisis.”

My question to the member from Ottawa Centre: Will you ask the member from Hamilton Centre to apologize to the men and women who put their lives on the line each and every day to not only protect transit workers and transit riders, but all people across Ontario? And will you ask your party to stand up and support the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect Ontarians?

Throughout the evening, I had an opportunity to work with police who really do care about the homeless residents in the city of Hamilton.

This same young man is the person the member from Hamilton Centre accused of killing babies.

My question to the member from Ottawa Centre is, will you ask the member from Hamilton Centre to apologize to the members of the Hamilton police force for what she said about them?