Well, we’re here debating Bill 26, so in response to the question relevant to Bill 26, if I may, Speaker, I can say that it is a major step forward for Ontario and consistent with the late Premier Davis’s legacy on community colleges. Look how far we’ve come in just 50 years since the creation of that. They are so well integrated in so many communities, like Durham.

But what this does, of course, is such that, when it comes to this particular bill—and certainly the opposition and the government MPPs have their differences, but on Bill 26 I believe we can stand united. I cannot see a single reason why members of the opposition would choose to vote against Bill 26 because of the position it would put unions in while bargaining new agreements. So I want to remind this House that members from Toronto Centre, Kitchener Centre, Davenport and Toronto–St. Paul’s introduced a bill about awareness of sexual violence on post-secondary campuses. Surely that awareness is there and should justify the—

As I join the debate this morning on Bill 26, I am reminded of how I celebrate with all members of this House and all members of our communities the great legacy of the late Honourable Bill Davis, former Premier of Ontario, who was recognized in this House just a few weeks ago. His great legacy was the community college system, which now stands proudly beside our great university system across the province of Ontario.

I can say that members of my family have had the benefit of post-secondary education through both the college programs and the university programs. In my riding of Durham, we have Durham College and Ontario Tech, a college and a university that work together, with thousands of students in both post-secondary institutions having diplomas and degrees from both institutions. That is part of the proud legacy of Premier Davis, and that is our future: diversity of students and diversity of programs, grounded in education and educational principles of the past, but preparing for the jobs and careers of tomorrow. And we attract, of course, students internationally at our colleges and universities.

As a student here at the University of Toronto, in my undergraduate studies I walked through Queen’s Park daily and was proud to do so. We’re right here, as a neighbour of the University of Toronto’s St. George campus. Then, of course, Osgoode Hall Law School at York University is where I attended after undergrad. I remember my days as a student, but I also had the privilege of being an adjunct instructor at Durham College, teaching evidence in the faculty of justice and emergency services, and then an adjunct, also, at Queen’s law school, teaching advocacy and insurance law.

When you have that opportunity to teach our students at college or university, it brings you back to your days as a student, and it’s such a wonderful opportunity to see the idealism of our young people. Our young people deserve a place to learn, to come together and to be safe and free. That is why I speak today in this House about the importance of moving forward to pass this government’s bill, the proposed Strengthening Post-secondary Institutions and Students Act, 2022, Bill 26.

This bill confirms our government’s commitment that was made to all students, leading up to the June 2, 2022 election this year. This commitment is to ensure that they have access to a secure and safe learning environment while attending any post-secondary institution across the province of Ontario.

This legislation, if passed, would amend the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act and the Private Career Colleges Act, 2005, to help protect students in cases of faculty and staff sexual misconduct and harassment, but also to allow the institutions to address complaints more efficiently when they arise. These changes would better protect students who experience faculty and staff sexual violence, on and off campus.

The proposed changes would do so in three ways:

—strengthening tools available to institutions in order to address instances of faculty or staff sexual misconduct against students; that is, deeming sexual abuse of a student to be just cause for dismissal;

—preventing the use of non-disclosure agreements to address instances where an employee leaves an institution to be employed at another institution, their prior wrongdoing thereby remaining a secret; that would be prohibited and prevented; and

—requiring institutions to have employee sexual misconduct policies that, at a minimum, include the institution’s rules with respect to sexual behaviour that involves employees and students of the institution, and examples of disciplinary measures that may be imposed on those employees who contravene such policies.

Within this proposed legislation, the bill would also amend the Ryerson University Act, 1977, and the University Foundations Act, 1992. This would change the name of Ryerson University to Toronto Metropolitan University—TMU—and it would change the size and composition of TMU’s senate.

As important as amending these acts are, I would like to return to the first points I mentioned earlier, because for far too long there has been a culture of sexual violence and harassment on college and university campuses. This is unacceptable. I listened carefully to the members speaking from the opposition benches earlier this week, yesterday in particular, and it seems that we share that great concern. That’s why I look forward to the members opposite supporting this bill, because the members opposite and this government know that students deserve better.

Therefore, we are proposing these legislative amendments that would require publicly assisted post-secondary institutions and private career colleges to have specific procedures in place that address and increase transparency—transparency of faculty and staff, transparency with respect to sexual misconduct—requiring institutions to have specific codes of conduct.

Mr. Speaker, as a proud parent who has seen both my son, Brendan, and my daughter, Meaghan, graduate from their respective universities—and Brendan graduated from a private career college, the College of Sports Media, in 2018. Both have gone on to thrive in their chosen professions: Meaghan as a lawyer, a barrister and solicitor, following in my footsteps, and Brendan as a story editor at TSN. I pause with great concern about all young students, however, who may not have been so fortunate because of the trauma that they may have endured as a victim of sexual violence or harassment. I also pause to raise concerns about the anguish endured by parents as they watch their children relive those experiences at the expense of a delayed or postponed education because of the trauma they endured while at school.

The status quo is no longer acceptable, and our government is prepared to act by giving post-secondary institutions the tools they need to address instances of sexual assault and sexual misconduct. To address this issue, then, our government held consultations with more than 100 stakeholders, including representatives from post-secondary institutions, labour and student groups, private career colleges, faculty associations and community organizations. Our government has heard from experts and stakeholders the best ways to address this ongoing and serious problem. These changes also build on the new regulatory amendments that our government introduced last fall to protect students from inappropriate questioning or disciplinary action when they report acts of sexual violence.

We all have a role to play in creating learning environments where students feel supported, protected and safe, and with these amendments, we can and will take action to change the atmosphere and culture of sexual misconduct and harassment.

The nature of this legislation is to support students and change the culture of behaviour within colleges and universities for decades. With this change of culture, members of this Legislature will recall that back in April, following many years of consultation and feedback, the recommendation was made to change the name of Ryerson University to Toronto Metropolitan University. In concurrence with this recommendation, our government is introducing legislative amendments to allow the university to legally change its name, along with the institution’s composition and size of its senate, to introduce two new faculties: the Lincoln Alexander School of Law and the soon-to-be established faculty of medicine. These legislative amendments will not only support our government’s efforts to ensure Ontario has a post-secondary system that is inclusive and promotes the success of students but also help Toronto Metropolitan University begin a new chapter in its history. These faculties are hailed as much-needed steps towards addressing Ontario’s post-secondary educational needs.

The naming of Toronto Metropolitan University’s new faculty of law after a renowned and respected public figure—that being the Honourable Lincoln Alexander, who was the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1985 to 1991—naming the new faculty of law at TMU after Lincoln Alexander does indeed do justice and respect not only to him but to the school and to our community at large.

The opening of the new faculty of medicine is consistent with our government’s commitment to improving and investing in Ontario’s health care by training and accrediting new doctors who will practise their profession in much-needed service areas throughout Ontario.

And this, of course, has a geographical component to it. Continuing with the trend that we’ve seen where post-secondary institutions have campuses at various locations, TMU’s faculty of medicine will be located geographically in Brampton, and that is consistent—near my riding, for example, Trent University, based in Peterborough, is located in south Oshawa, that part of Oshawa that I share with the member for Oshawa, who, I hope and believe, along with her colleagues in the official opposition, will support this bill.

With that, Speaker, I conclude my submissions in support of Bill 26, and I look forward to any questions and to further debate.