It’s a great pleasure to rise to speak to this motion about the government abdicating its responsibility to do anything whatsoever to assist families in their desperate time of need during this economic crisis.

As we know, this government has failed for the last five years—

My question is for the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, the emergency room in Chesley, Ontario had its hours limited from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Chesley residents who have emergencies outside of bankers’ hours, according to this government, are just out of luck. Coupled with our family doctor shortage, Ontarians are left with fewer and fewer options, and residents of Chesley are understandably angry.

Last month, hundreds of Chesley residents protested the ER’s extended closures, even organizing the petition that will be read into the record later today. The people of Chesley have had enough of this government’s inaction as the province’s health care crisis sweeps through their community.

Will the Premier drop his appeal of Bill 124, address the staffing crisis, adequately fund our hospitals, and keep emergency rooms open across Ontario?

The health care crisis in Chesley is not a one-off; it’s merely the tip of the iceberg. Unless this government changes course, it will happen again and again and again.

For the people in Chesley without a family doctor, who can’t drive half an hour when they’re having a heart attack and need emergency room access, what does the Premier recommend they do in a medical emergency?