Je voudrais remercier mes collègues.

I want to thank my colleagues for their comments this afternoon. I want to note in particular the experience that every one of the caucus members on this side brought, the care, the thought that went into their comments.

I will say that I found it very difficult to hear the Minister of Education stand up and wave away the many significant issues and concerns that we have raised here today. There is no denying the state of our schools today. There is no denying that our kids are studying and working in overcrowded classrooms. There is no denying that our education workers and our students are experiencing more violence in classrooms than ever before.

I heard some of the members opposite, when one of my colleagues mentioned Kevlar, scoff at that. This is a reality. This is a reality that education workers in this province are facing every day. I heard the members opposite in the government talk about the fact that they were so proud of all of the hiring they’re doing. My goodness, where are they?

We, I think, have made a very clear case for the fact that our students are suffering, that our parents suffering, that they are bearing the literal cost of these additional resources. Right now, parents cannot put up with anything else.

We, in the opposition, will not put up with this government’s creating of a crisis in our education system. We will fight tooth and nail to save that public education system. It is the cornerstone of our democracy. We will stand for it.

I really do hope that the members opposite, that the government, support this excellent motion. Why would we not throw everything we can to support our public education system in this province?

Merci. Good afternoon, Speaker. Bonjour, tout le monde. Aujourd’hui, à l’occasion de la journée franco-ontarienne, nous célébrons les contributions des Franco-Ontariens et Franco-Ontariennes dans cette province et dans tous les secteurs.

La semaine dernière, j’ai voyagé à Hearst, à Kapuskasing, à Sudbury, à Timmins, et j’ai parlé avec différents organismes—santé, éducation, syndicat—et j’ai rencontré beaucoup de personnes qui m’ont dit qu’il y a une crise maintenant dans les services pour les Franco-Ontariens et les Franco-Ontariennes.

C’est pourquoi il est si important d’avoir des chefs élus qui connaissent les aspects socioculturels uniques de la communauté francophone. Je suis très fière du travail au sein de notre équipe envers l’importance des matières francophones, et j’applaudis notre député provincial Guy Bourgouin, porte-parole du NPD pour les affaires francophones, qui s’assure toujours que les voix des Franco-Ontariens et Franco-Ontariennes restent au centre des discussions.

As leader of the official opposition, I can tell you that I’m as disappointed as you that this government’s decision has been to cancel funding for a full French university in the north. In my travels to the north, which I just mentioned in French, I included a visit to the University of Sudbury, and I heard that need loud and clear.

À tous les Franco-Ontariens et Franco-Ontariennes, ma promesse et mon assurance sont les suivantes : quand nous formerons le gouvernement en 2026, le NPD de l’Ontario créera une université francophone autonome à Sudbury qui répondra aux besoins de votre communauté.

Merci. Meegwetch. Thank you, everybody.