Yesterday, in Ontario, we celebrated Family Day, a provincial holiday recognized by legislation in this very chamber. Today, I want to recognize another day of significance, Chosen Family Day, which is coming up in two days on February 22. On Chosen Family Day, we will recognize all Ontarians who have created families outside of traditional and legal definitions.

Chosen families are particularly common in queer and trans communities. We have historically high rates of separation from our birth families when they won’t accept us for living our authentic selves. We turn to elders in our community for life-saving support when our own families reject us. This is how I survived, Speaker, after coming out to my own parents at age 16.

People of many cultures and diverse social backgrounds create chosen families. Children in foster care, veterans, the elderly, the injured and sick receiving care, immigrants and refugees often come together when families of origin are unsafe, far away, unavailable to support them or simply don’t understand.

In collaboration with Friends of Ruby, a queer and trans youth shelter, last year I introduced my private member’s bill the Chosen Family Day Act, which would make February 22 Chosen Family Day in Ontario. This will send a strong and loving message to all chosen families that they are valued and that they are just as significant as traditional families of origin. Let’s honour them together.

A question to the Premier: During the Renfrew inquest, the jury was clear that significant change needs to happen in the way Ontario provides treatment to those who perpetuate intimate partner violence, but Ontario has not responded to this recommendation. International Women’s Day is fast approaching. How many more women will have to suffer preventable violence and death at the hands of perpetuators before Ontario will make meaningful changes in the system that’s supposed to protect them?

Can the government explain how many times it has been warned about the inadequacy of the services they provide perpetuators of intimate partner violence and why this government won’t actually fix it today? When will we get a commitment? When will you fix this?

Chosen families are made up of individuals who may not be biologically related to one another. These families are especially important to the 2SLGBTQI+ community. For individuals who have been rejected by their biological families, chosen families are picked instead of assigned, providing each individual the freedom to choose who they want to be understood and loved by. Chosen families help to impart a sense of acceptance and belonging in 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Chosen Family Day, held on February 22 of each year, celebrates the importance of such a day for the chosen families they belong to.

Mr. Coe moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 65, An Act to amend the Remembrance Week Act, 2016 / Projet de loi 65, Loi modifiant la Loi de 2016 sur la semaine du Souvenir.