I just want to thank my friend from Kitchener Centre for focusing on climate policy and just give her this time to elaborate on anything she would like the government to focus on if we were going to elevate the amount of investment in climate policy.

My question is to the Premier.

The Rideau Canal Skateway is closed this year, for the first time since it opened in 1971. It’s a major loss to our city—and millions lost to local tourism. Experts are pointing the finger at climate change, but frankly, we should be pointing the finger at Ontario’s inaction on climate change.

Speaker, we’re living in a climate emergency.

When will this government act like we are living in a climate emergency?

I’m going to actually cite a research document to which he’s accountable. In 2021, the Auditor General said Ontario was on track to meet—wait for it, Speaker—20% of its climate emissions by 2030. That’s not even half of a pass, and we hear the minister crowing about action.

While Ontario continues to not act, eastern Ontario maple syrup producers are sounding the alarm. They’re sounding the alarm on earlier springs, on the expensive nature of boiling sap with a lack of support from this government on modern equipment. They are still suffering from the windstorm that hit our province in May 2022, with zero help from this government or that minister.

We know that this minister and the government will act immediately for big polluters—they’ll repeat their talking points—but what will they do to support small businesses that have been hurt and are trying to grapple with our climate emergency?

I have a petition that reads as follows:

“I Support Serious Climate Action Now.

“To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

“Whereas the climate crisis remains an urgent and existential threat; here in Ontario we are seeing record-breaking heat waves, floods, tornadoes, and even forest fires;

“Whereas the Rideau Canal Skateway could not open for the current winter season for the first time since it opened in 1971 due to warmer-than-average winter temperatures;

“Whereas Ontario needs to take bold steps to fight our climate crisis and create thousands of good jobs through investments in energy-efficiency retrofits, affordable housing, a public intercity bus program, renewable energy, infrastructure, electrified transit, child care and other low-carbon sectors, and” paid for “by taking on big polluters;

“We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to stop the development of greenbelt lands, invest in public”—all caps, for “public”—“transit projects, curb urban sprawl, and commit to real action on green energy, housing, transportation and jobs.”

I am honoured to sign this petition and I’ll be sending it with page Yonglin to the Clerks’ table.

Four days ago, you could hear the sound of hearts breaking across Ottawa. Why? Because the Rideau Canal Skateway was officially closed for the winter season. That was a tough loss for us. The National Capital Commission made the call because they said the ice wasn’t thick enough. It was a loss for local tourism, small business and residents of our city, but, to be honest, Speaker, in my opinion, it is yet another reminder that Ontario is not doing enough to meet the imminent threat of the climate emergency we’re living in.

Ottawa has been tested by extreme weather events time and again in the last five years and this government has done next to nothing about it: two once-in-a-century floods, two dramatic windstorms, millions of dollars in damage.

Speaker, it’s time for Ontario to be part of the solution, not the pollution. The great Neil Young, one of the best songwriters to ever come out of this country, is challenging us to ask, in a recent song:

Who’s gonna stand up and save the Earth?

Who’s gonna say that she’s had enough?

That has got to be us. It’s got to be the people of Ontario. We have an opportunity this Friday to be part of a global movement, the Fridays for Future movement. On March 3, join me and other people of conscience at 90 Elgin Street outside the department of finance, where we’ll ask the federal government to stop subsidizing, through tax expenditures, fossil fuel growth in this country. We have to stand up and save the Earth. Ottawa, I will see you on the street this Friday at noon.

As I was listening to the comments from my friends in government this morning, I’m mindful that we are living in a climate emergency. We just had an international conference talking about the need for everyone to take up their responsibility.

I’m looking at schedule 5 of this legislation that’s talking about the capture of CO₂ as a solution. I’m wondering if either one of the members who spoke could comment about what either of these initiatives are doing to meet our climate emergency targets, because what I’ve seen so far is a government ripping up the greenbelt, suing the federal government unsuccessfully around carbon mitigation measures. I’ve seen them literally tear EV charging stations out of GO station transit and now promote them later. I see a government caught in contradictions on climate change.

I’m wondering if either member could explain to me what schedule 5 does to get Ontario back on track to take the climate emergency we’re living in seriously.

“Petition to the Ontario Legislative Assembly:

“For Meaningful Climate Action Withdraw Bill 23.

“Whereas our planet is undergoing significant warming with adverse consequences for health, for agriculture, for infrastructure and our children’s future;

“Whereas the costs of inaction are severe, such as extreme weather events causing flooding and drought;

“Whereas Canada has signed the Paris accord which commits us to acting to keep temperature rise under 1.5 degrees Celsius;

“We, the undersigned, call upon the government of Ontario to withdraw Bill 23 and to create a new bill to meet our housing needs that is compatible with protecting the greenbelt, creating affordable housing in the current urban boundaries, and meeting our climate targets.”

Speaker, I’m happy to sign this. I’ll be sending it with page Yusuf to the Clerks’ table.