Mr. Speaker, I heard a bunch of things in there. I heard “education.” It’s this Minister of Education who is building more child care spaces and making it more affordable for child care.

I think I heard “colleges and universities.” It’s this Minister of Colleges and Universities who is freezing tuition, making it more affordable for students and families.

I think I heard the word “transportation.” It’s these ministers making it more affordable to take One Fare, saving $1,600 a year for the daily rider.

While we’re at it, why don’t we talk about the gas tax that we’re cutting, continuing to put more money in the pockets of the hard-working people of Ontario?

And why doesn’t that opposition and that Liberal Party over there march down the road in Ottawa and tell the federal government to cut or freeze the carbon tax next week and help the people of Ontario?

What I can tell you is this: It’s an economy that is firing on all cylinders in Ontario. We’re investing in infrastructure, housing, hospitals, highways, transit, you name it. We’re investing in schools. We need the people to build those schools, those highways, those roads and those public transit systems. That’s why we need international students. That’s why the federal government should step up and help us build Ontario.

We’re not going to let the people of Ontario down. We’re not going to let the students of Ontario down. We’re not going to let families down. We’re not going to let the great people who are building this province down. We’re getting it done, and we’re going to do it together.

Mr. Speaker, through you to the member opposite: There’s no question that many are feeling the pinch in this province and many are hurting.

Our government understands that taxpayers are under pressure. That’s why we acted quickly last year to improve the cost of living for many in this province. We didn’t wait.

Let me just acknowledge a few other things while we’re at it. Why don’t I acknowledge the Minister of Energy, who reduced energy costs so that people could afford electricity prices? Why don’t I acknowledge the Minister of Colleges and Universities, who froze tuition to make it more affordable for many people in Ontario? While I’m at it, why don’t I congratulate the Minister of Education, who is providing child care so they can take their kid to school and have a world-class education?

Interruption.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You look a little different, but congratulations.

Thank you to the member opposite for that question.

I don’t think the parents of the two million students in this province consider catching up their children’s education as a gimmick.

Let me set the record straight for the people of Ontario.

I’m sure the member opposite has looked at the amount of spending in the last full year of the previous Liberal government versus the amount of spending that we’re putting—investments into education. It’s a massive increase. Why? Because we are investing in our children’s future and we’re investing today.

Let’s take a look at the budget, the 241 pages: a $3-billion increased investment in our children’s education; investments in child care; investments in COVID containment and HEPA filters for our schools; investment in the curriculum; investments in mental health and investments in tutorials—most parents would see that as an important investment in their children’s future.

We have 2.6 million people now in the province of Ontario over the age of 65, and over the next 20 years another two million people will join them. Then we’ll have 4.6 million people over the age of 65. What’s so important is that they have choice as to where they can age. Part of that choice is aging at home.

So what are we doing today to invest in our seniors for tomorrow?

The member mentioned the home safety tax credit, so they can have their homes retrofitted, who need it—guardrails and so on.

The member mentioned the care at home tax credit so that attentive care can come to the home.

I would add also that through the home and vehicle program, which is administered by the March of Dimes, we increased funding so that lower-income people—people who couldn’t even afford to get the tax credit because they didn’t have money—could afford to put infrastructure in their homes.

That’s what we’re doing.

We have so much more to do as a society to support all people in Ontario, including our Indigenous populations. I take the question with great interest and seriousness, because it is so important that we build Ontario for everyone.

That is why we have put more funding in place for economic development, in consultation with First Nations, so that, for example, they can share in the prosperity in the Plan to Build Ontario. That’s why, with regard to the Ring of Fire and opening up the prosperity for the north, it is inclusive, that it is in consultation with the people of the north and our First Nations.

This is the way we’re going to move Ontario forward together. We’re going to do it with everybody, including our Indigenous populations, so that we can have an Ontario that benefits everyone.