And the member opposite, the honourable member for Oshawa, supports me in that salute.

Speaker, I also want to talk and focus on our recovery plan for the future. This was outlined in the speech from the throne yesterday. I am so proud to have campaigned on the plan of Premier Ford and the Ontario PC Party to get it done and to build our province. Far too often, politicians have had the tendency to say no. But, Speaker, I am proud that our government, through the speech from the throne yesterday, is saying yes:

—yes to rebuilding Ontario’s economy by creating new jobs with bigger paycheques;

—yes to Working for Workers by raising the minimum wage and investing in skills training and skilled workers;

—yes to building highways and key infrastructure, including public transit, hospitals and schools;

—yes to keeping costs down and lowering the cost of living by reducing the price of gas, eliminating tolls on Highways 412/418 and eliminating licence plate sticker fees;

—yes to staying open; and

—yes to increasing our hospital capacities and investing in hiring more doctors, nurses and PSWs.

Durham residents have witnessed and congratulated our government for policies and plans that are already being implemented. During the campaign this year, individuals and families warmly welcomed us to their doors and greeted us in parks and on main streets, overjoyed with the reality of Ontario being open again, while congratulating Premier Ford and our government for successfully leading us through the many challenges of the pandemic.

Families and individuals welcomed measures to keep costs down with the measures already mentioned. These make a difference to household budgets. They allow families and individuals to decide for themselves how to spend the extra money available as a result. And, as inflation is now on the rise, they are very confident that our government understands and is sensitive to the need to be vigilant to keep costs down.

Furthermore, Speaker, I am also proud that our government has invested, and is investing, in the expansion of Bowmanville Hospital. This is a much-needed expansion as our community grows and the need for quality public health care increases. We said yes to improving our public health care system and we will continue to say yes to hiring more nurses, more PSWs and more doctors.

And, Speaker, the GO train is finally coming to Bowmanville. This project will give families the opportunity to hop on the GO train, for individuals to get to and from work faster, for families to attend a concert or sporting event in downtown Toronto without having to do an additional commute to and from Oshawa. This investment in the expansion of public transit within Durham is just one example in my riding of a province-wide expansion and investment in public transit. It was announced locally by Premier Ford, with me, on May 6 in my riding. As a result, we can now get shovels in the ground and move past the endless delays associated with just talking about it. We are saying yes to getting it done in Durham in every possible way.

These are the pledges, Speaker, that our government is committed to. Building Ontario is essential because Ontario must be the engine of Canada’s economy. When Ontario succeeds, all of Canada can succeed for, as former Premier William Davis once remarked, “I am a Canadian first,” even though in that context he recognized that he was representing Ontario on the national stage.

It was Premier Davis’s leadership that inspired me to become involved as a student volunteer in the 1981 campaign that saw the Ontario PC Party returned to majority status, and that was in large part because of the pledge, which I remember well, “Help Keep the Promise.”

So as we go forward together as equals in this House, let us listen respectfully to each other as democratically elected representatives of almost 15 million Ontarians, being ever mindful of the fragile and precious gift of parliamentary democracy that we have all been so fortunate to inherit. Now more than ever it is our solemn duty, collectively and individually, to uphold, protect and defend parliamentary democracy. Let us together live up to the high ideals of the late Honourable Lincoln Alexander, a federal parliamentarian, cabinet minister and the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1985 to 1991. Lincoln Alexander stated, “Let us not just be average, as it is our duty to set a higher example for others to follow, and to do this job and ... do it well.”

There can be no doubt that there will be vigorous debate in this chamber in the context of this 43rd Ontario Parliament. As a trial lawyer for over 30 years, I am well familiar with the fact that in any court—and this House is styled like a court—emotions can get the better of participants, even when they have the best intentions associated with their cause. But let us remember that while fighting the good fight for our respective causes, and being passionate and dedicated as we must be, we must also remember to be wise, to listen to each other in our different points of view and, in doing so, we can set the higher example aspired to by Lincoln Alexander. We can be firm but fair, we can be strong advocates for our side of the debate, but we can and must be civil with each other, to demonstrate kindness and respect to one another. For as Thomas More, the patron saint of politicians, once prayed, please, may I not simply to win a point lose my soul. With that in mind, let us recognize that each one of us comes to this place with the common belief in the nobility of public service and public office.

Finally, to the residents of Durham, I once again wish to thank you for placing your trust in me. I am here to be a fierce advocate for you and I will do my very best to meet and exceed your expectations and to carry out the mandate that can and will be carried out on the basis of promises made, promises kept.

Premier Ford and our PC team, and I as a member of that team, made solemn pledges during the spring 2022 campaign. Those pledges are now contained within the throne speech read yesterday. It is with great pride that I can state unequivocally that this government and its members, having listened to the citizenry and made pledges to the citizenry, and having received a strong, stable majority mandate from the citizenry, this government will now act based on what has been pledged, and the evidence of that commitment is in this speech from the throne.

I move, seconded by Ms. Barnes, that an humble address be presented to Her Honour the Lieutenant Governor as follows:

To the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario:

We, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, now assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honour for the gracious speech Your Honour has been pleased to address to us at the opening of the present session.

It is indeed an honour to address this House as the member of provincial Parliament for Durham, the riding within the region that I have proudly called home for more than 30 years. I thank the citizens of Durham for placing their trust in me as their newest MPP.

I congratulate you, Speaker, on your election on Monday to preside over the proceedings of this House for the 43rd Parliament of Ontario. I also congratulate all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on your election victories on June 2. I look forward to working with all of you in serving our communities and our fellow citizens. Each one of us, as a member of this House, has been given the honour of representing our communities, and, in doing so, we gather here to engage in debate and discussion toward the passage of laws for the betterment of our province.

There can be no doubt that, regardless of where we sit in this House or the party we are associated with, we are first and foremost members of provincial Parliament, equal to each other in every way and elected to serve with the best of intentions. Accordingly, the standing orders of this House recognize “the democratic rights of members ... to debate, speak to and vote on motions, resolutions and bills, and collectively to decide matters....” When the Speaker is required to make a ruling, the Speaker must have regard to the precedence of this assembly and to parliamentary tradition. That tradition—responsible government or accountable government—is relatively recent as it is a tradition that is less than 200 years old in Canada and predates Confederation by less than three decades.

Now, like all members of this assembly, we have many people—I have many people, like you—in our lives to be thankful for. Allow me to thank and congratulate the previous member, former MPP Lindsey Park. Having completed her term earlier this year, she remains an active and dedicated member of our Durham community.

I would be remiss if I did not reference my campaign team. Now, since my nomination in December 2021, my team was with me every step of the way, knocking on doors across the region in the cold wintry days of January and February, and, as winter melted away into spring, we continued to meet with and listen to the cares and concerns of thousands of people in our riding of Durham. Then throughout the bright sunny days of May, we brought our message and our five-priority Ontario PC plan to the doors during the official campaign leading up to the June 2 election.

I thank my campaign manager, Kai Nademi; my CFO and official agent, Aaron Dias; my campaign chair, Doug Ellis; my office managers, Suzanne Prescott and Sheryl Greenham; my volunteer and canvass chairs, Bryce McRae and Chris McDowell; my Get Out The Vote chair, Quinn Anastas; my communications director, Zoe Waller; my Scugog campaign coordinators, Cearra Howey and Cheryl Doherty; and my sign co-chairs, Larey Reynolds and Glenn Baswick. Thank you, team.

As a new member, I am fortunate to have excellent staff supporting me here at Queen’s Park and at our constituency office in Bowmanville: Doug Ellis, Aaron Dias, Quinn Anastas, Susanne Prescott, Trish Martinolich and Sheryl Greenham.

In my professional life, I have been privileged to be a member of the firm of Flaherty McCarthy LLP, with our offices in Whitby, Toronto and Ottawa. I wish to extend my thanks to our managing partner, Frank Benedetto, who, as he leads our team of excellent lawyers and staff, wishes me all the best in my new role. Yes, this is the firm that was founded by the late Honourable Jim Flaherty and our immediate past Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Christine Elliott. The firm has been more of a family to me for the past 28 years, and I am proud of the work that the firm continues to carry on in advocating for justice across Ontario.

Jim Flaherty was a successful private sector lawyer before entering public office at both the provincial and federal levels. He was a perfect example of professionalism, private sector success and community service. All the members of our firm have tried to follow his example.

It is noteworthy that Jim remarked in his final year of office, during a speech at the University of Western Ontario, “Public service is good for you.” Jim Flaherty and Christine Elliott made a positive difference for Ontario and for Canada, and their example is an inspiration to thousands in our community of Durham and, indeed, across Ontario and Canada.

As a trial lawyer, I was fortunate to have Jim Flaherty’s mentorship and his example as a representative of our community at the federal and provincial levels. But long before that, I was blessed to have the love and support of my family.

My parents, John and Mary McCarthy, raised me with the gifts of faith, hope and love. I was born and raised in Scarborough and I attended Holy Spirit Catholic School and Senator O’Connor College School with my brothers. My parents instilled in us the importance of education and community service. Their example and their support provided me with the opportunity to be educated, to become a lawyer and to give back in every possible way, including involvement in coaching sports and charitable endeavours.

Being a public officeholder, as I was taught, is just another form of community service, and my brothers Gerry and John represent that. Gerry—John Gerrard—McCarthy is a member and adjudicator with the Social Security Tribunal of Canada and John Raymond McCarthy, my younger brother, is a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. My brothers Gerry and John continue to be among my best friends, and although we lost our father 25 years ago, we remain fortunate to have our mother still with us and to know that we have her unconditional love each and every day. I can say that that is a gift beyond measure.

Now, as many of you well know, it is not just our immediate family that affects us in our lives but the love and example of our extended family can also be invaluable. I was privileged to know and be inspired by the example of my grandparents, John and Francis McCarthy and Ray and Gladys Switzer. Their wonderful legacy of the love of extended family continues with the ongoing relationships I am fortunate to have with my many aunts and uncles, my numerous cousins on both sides and my sisters-in-law on both sides of the extended family. And when I married my wife Kathy 35 years ago, I was fortunate to have the additional guidance, love and support of her parents and her brothers. Dr. Paul Azzopardi and Maureen Azzopardi were very much like parents to me over the years, and my brothers-in-law, Dr. Peter Azzopardi and Dr. Mark Azzopardi, have been like brothers to me.

Kathy and I have three adult children: Meaghan, Brendan and Jake. Meghan recently joined me in the legal profession, and Brendan has successfully pursued his dream of being involved in sports media. Our youngest son, Jake, is our pride and our joy and our hero, having survived a battle with cancer. Despite his many ongoing challenges with autism, developmental delay and a prosthetic limb, Jake is our inspiration as he has many abilities that we celebrate.

I can say without hesitation that in being blessed as I have been by love and support from within my family and my community, my greatest accomplishment is marrying Kathy McCarthy on July 25, 1987. Kathy’s unfailing commitment, love, support and encouragement are what I have cherished the most in my life. Sharing our lives together, raising our children together, encouraging each other in our career and educational endeavours—these remain the greatest joys in my life. This new chapter in our lives is a partnership. Being at or near Queen’s Park recently, we have been reminded of our early days together as undergraduates at the University of Toronto–St. Michael’s College. I’ve always been proud of Kathy’s accomplishments, including her bachelor’s degree in history and psychology, her diploma from the Institute of Child Study at the University of Toronto and her 33-year career as a psychometrist at the Durham Catholic District School Board.

Many in our community and within our extended family who know Kathy have always found her to be consistently kind, generous, full of life and love for everyone—everyone she knows and meets has experienced that. And if, like me, you have ever campaigned with Kathy, you will no doubt be aware that many people who are lucky enough to see her knocking on their door or at community events are much happier to see her than me, quite frankly.

This morning I stand with all of you as newly elected or returning members of this assembly. In that role, I have been informed and affected by my life experiences. All of the members of this assembly bring richness and diversity to their positions because of their life stories, and that is what makes possible the collective decision-making that is the mandate that we are to carry out in this term. This is a true reflection of what parliamentary democracy is all about.

In my case, I come to my new role having been a trial lawyer and advocate for 33 years. I also did win one election before June 2 when I won a seat on the Durham Separate School Board in 1994. I won by three votes and two on the recount—I wouldn’t want that to be repeated. This was a little more of a comfortable victory on June 2.

I also served as a deputy judge at the Small Claims Court, presiding at the Durham Region Courthouse from 2002 to 2011. I’ve had the privilege of teaching courses in evidence, insurance and advocacy at both Durham College and Queen’s University faculty of law from 2010 to 2018. The skill sets developed in these various roles will, I hope, bring a helpful perspective in working with all of you in my new role.

I can confirm what many of this House are already aware of, and that is the many aspects of the job of being a member of provincial Parliament. In a single day, we can be engaged in duties here at Queen’s Park, learning the standing orders, carrying out our duties on committees as ministers, PAs or critics, and later on a given day or a day that follows, meeting with members of our community to assist in accessing government services, participating in joyous events such as weddings and birthdays, or involving ourselves in the trials and tragedies that our constituents face from time to time, including working with residents and other levels of government in the aftermath of the severe storms that adversely affected, among other areas, the Burketon area in north Clarington in my riding.

It is indeed a job like no other, a job that none of us can be fully prepared for. But I believe that every member of this House, Speaker, is capable of living up to the challenge.

The riding of Durham that I represent is unique and diverse in many ways. My riding is home to north Oshawa, Courtice, Bowmanville, Port Perry, Blackstock, Tyrone, Hampton, Wilmot Creek in Newcastle, Burketon in north Clarington and the Indigenous community of the Mississaugas of the Scugog Island First Nation. My constituency office is located in historic downtown Bowmanville, which hosts many festivals throughout the year, including Maplefest, Applefest and Twilight by Night, an annual shopping event promoting local entrepreneurs and businesses.

In Port Perry this year, the annual Canada Day parade and celebration returned, and I was privileged to gather with all of the families and individuals who were able to come out in person after a two-year hiatus. In doing so, I proudly distributed Canada Day flags and pins and Canada Day cupcakes.

Beautiful Port Perry and its historic downtown is home to many successful shops and businesses. Holly, who operates the Nutty Chocolatier, is just one of our successful entrepreneurs.

Nearby, outside of town, is Sargent Family Dairy, where Bruce Sr. and his family continue the tradition of providing the best Jersey milk in the region.

Further south in Bowmanville, Khurshid and Meena, who have come to Canada from India, opened Momos Eh! This is just down the street from my constituency office, and I can assure the House that they have the most delicious Indian-fusion momos.

Elsewhere in another rural area of my riding, Jack and Rita Hurst operate the Pegasus Animal Sanctuary. They have saved countless abused and neglected animals of all types. It is a true honour to see their work and the work of their staff in restoring these animals and protecting their dignity.

Nestled in another corner of my riding of Durham, you will find the Tyrone mill. The Tyrone mill was built, Speaker, in 1846 by a local engineer named John Gray and another individual, James McFeeters. That commencement date of 1846 makes Tyrone mill one of Canada’s oldest water-powered grist mills. When one visits, one can see the connected belts and pulleys that are still functioning today with little modern intervention. I was proud to have presented greetings to Bob and France Schaeffer and to the community of Tyrone to mark the mill’s 175th anniversary recently.

Other special people in our riding most certainly deserve an honourable mention. Port Perry resident Dorie McDonald and her son Bobby own and operate the Sunnybrae Golf Club. This is a 27-hole facility for golf tournaments and other events, including weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and family reunions. Sunnybrae Golf Club has been voted the best business, best patio and best golf club in Port Perry.

Further honourable mentions must most certainly go out to Kirk Kemp and his family, who operate Algoma Orchards, one Canada’s leaders in apple farming, packing and juice bottling. Algoma Orchards has over 1,600 acres of land within Durham region and it operates year-round. Within the municipality of Clarington, Algoma Orchards is home to a gourmet market which houses a deli, bakery and fresh produce.

Then there is Randy Farmer and his family, who own and operate Ranfar Steel Ltd., a metal fabrication and supply company operating locally in Courtice within the municipality of Clarington. Ranfar is just another fine example of a local company with a long family tradition. As a local employer, it uses tried and true methods while embracing new technology and while providing apprenticeship and employment opportunities for our young skilled workers.

Speaker, I also want to highlight the invaluable contribution of the post-secondary institutions within my riding: in north Oshawa, Ontario Tech, founded 20 years ago as the Ontario Institute of Technology, and of course Durham College. The creation of Ontario Tech in north Oshawa would not have been possible without the dedication and forward-thinking leadership of Jim Flaherty as a former Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance for this province.

Ontario Tech and Durham College continue to flourish, with enrolment by thousands of students within Durham region, across Ontario and Canada and, indeed, internationally. In offering unique programs to students, many of whom hold degrees and diplomas from both institutions, Ontario Tech and Durham College are set up to match students with jobs consistent with their educations and skill sets.

Durham region, therefore, continues to attract young talent and this is in large part why more and more young families are choosing to call Durham home, and why the citizens of Durham have so favourably responded to our plan to get it done by building more attainable housing.

As just one example of successful partnering between Ontario Tech and OPG, those organizations demonstrated their Ontario spirit and ingenuity by creating face shields during the pandemic. These were widely utilized and distributed across Ontario and the world.

Now, speaking of OPG—Ontario Power Generation—this is located in the municipality of Clarington and Courtice within my riding of Durham, through the OPG Darlington nuclear generating station, a four-unit facility responsible for generating over 20% of Ontario’s electricity needs, powering two million homes. OPG is working to build Canada’s first commercial-grid-scale small modular reactor. This SMR will be built by the end of this decade at Darlington in partnership with GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy.

According to the Conference Board of Canada, SMR development would create about 600 jobs during project development, about 1,500 jobs during manufacturing and construction, 200 jobs during operations and over 100 jobs during decommission after about 60 years of operation. So, Speaker, Ontario and Canada are leading the way with clean, safe, reliable and steady power. It runs 24/7, 365 days a year, regardless of conditions. Nuclear power generated in Ontario benefits our economy, creates jobs and powers our province.

I also want to highlight the great work of the Courtice masjid, the Bowmanville masjid and the Muslim community in our riding. They have—and continue to this day—supported great humanitarian and charitable organizations like the Muslim Welfare Centre in Whitby, the riding of my colleague the honourable member for Whitby. This welfare centre serves those in need regardless of religion, nationality, caste or creed. In Canada, they are involved in the fight against poverty and homelessness and are focused on providing food, health care services and culturally sensitive shelters for women, their children and families in distress. This is an example, Speaker, of how the Muslim community demonstrates its love for Durham region, by taking care of our less fortunate. Indeed, our many faith communities throughout Durham are essential to the spiritual and practical well-being of our citizens.

As a proud Canadian standing in this Legislature, I want to recognize and honour Trooper Donald White, one of Oshawa’s most distinguished World War II veterans. Trooper White joined the Royal Canadian Dragoons and landed in Italy in 1944 before moving with his regiment to liberate Belgium and the Netherlands. Don experienced many months of brutal conditions, having to fight the enemy from house to house and on flooded battlefields.

However, Don is perhaps most recognized for participating in the liberation of the Dutch town of Leeuwarden. Don recalls the feelings of joy in celebrating their freedom, as well as the pains of witnessing a population that had suffered greatly under the occupation of the Nazis.

Don survived the war and is still alive today, approaching his 100th birthday.He works diligently to help preserve and endorse Canadian military history, having volunteered as a guide at the Ontario Regiment RCAC Museum—this is in Oshawa—and he participates in numerous commemorative events and lectures in that pursuit.

Now, Speaker, as an avid sports fan, I also want to talk about our hockey teams. Our Junior C Clarington Eagles, owned and operated by Kirk Kemp, inspired and brought our community together with their stellar record and play by winning the 2022 Orr Division and eastern conference championship for the provincial Junior C hockey league. They went on to the finals and were finalists in the provincial championship series. We look forward to another great season in 2022-23, and, boys, you made us proud.

Another team that I want to give a shout-out to is the legendary Oshawa Generals and the great season they had last year in the Ontario Hockey League—

Interjection.