I listened intently to what my friends in government were saying this morning. I know it’s only 10 o’clock in the morning, but I move to ask a bit of a big-picture question to solicit a response from either member: What’s the purpose of government?

Because for me, when I think about a debate on a bill like this, I think the purpose of government is to make sure there’s equal opportunity for people to seek redress when they’re harmed. That’s a major responsibility. And sadly, what I’ve seen in the last five years as I’ve been in this place is the end of the Environmental Commissioner, the end of the French language commissioner.

And when we have been offering in debate the prospect of a consumer watchdog—this is what the member from Humber River–Black Creek, our lead on this, has insisted that the government take on—we have not seen that taken up. What I fear is, for people in this House and others like us in Ontario who have the means and the capacity to fight for our consumer rights, the status quo may be fine. But as the member from London North Centre said very clearly, people are going to continue to fall between the cracks.

It’s an invitation to either member: There is a lot of good stuff in this bill, but would you propose a strong consumer watchdog to ensure that people who don’t have the resources that people like us do in this House can fight for their rights when they are harmed?

My question is for the Premier.

In a recent video posted online, Chloe Dion, a two-year-old girl, is labouring to breathe at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. The surgical tape that’s holding the breathing tube on Chloe’s face is cut in the shape of tiny hearts.

Speaker, experts are urging that all of us wear masks indoors to protect kids like Chloe and to ensure that kids can stay safe through this triple pandemic of countervail-ing factors. That’s why Chloe’s parents had the courage to put this video online so that we could all see it.

Premier, why not lead by example and put on a mask for Chloe and other kids like her today?

In the video I’m talking about, Chloe’s parents, Jeff and Christine, are singing Chloe Somewhere over the Rainbow as her eyes are filled with tears, and quite clearly she’s terrified about the situation she’s in.

There are 250 kids right now at CHEO, some of whom are going through that exact same nightmare. Some parents are living that exact same nightmare. On Monday, there were three kids who needed to be resuscitated for significant breathing blockages; on Sunday, there were four.

Premier, I see you here this morning, and I’m glad you’re here this morning. I want you to send a message to Jeff and Christine, Chloe’s parents, and every other kid struggling to breathe right now in the province of Ontario. Please, put a mask on. Show some leadership, as this province’s leader, so our kids can be safe. Will you do that today?