 It's now time for Question Period, the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Thank you, Speaker. My question to the Premier, when I grew up in the north end of Fort Erie, I think to most of my friends' parents, their mums or dads, usually worked at factory, they worked at the plant. Manufacturing helped to build our middle class, the backbone of communities like those that I grew up in. There's a long story list of manufacturing that has left our province. Navistar has left Chatham to go to Indiana. Extrad has left Timmins to go to Quebec. John Deere left our area in Niagara for Wisconsin. Siemens left Hamilton to go to Charlotte, North Carolina. Caterpillar left London to go to Indiana. I could spend my entire time, sadly, reciting this list. Premier, there have been 300,000 manufacturing job losses in a province. These products, Premier, are still being made. They're being made in North America, but they're being made everywhere. But the problems of Ontario, why is that happening? And where's your plan to actually bring those jobs back to our great province? Thank you, Premier. Mr. Speaker, and I know that the leader of the opposition will want to hear the list of businesses that have come to Ontario and jobs that have been created in Ontario, Mr. Speaker. But before I go through that, I want to acknowledge that there has been a shift in manufacturing in Ontario. There is no doubt about that. The fact that we decided as a government to support the auto industry, Mr. Speaker, the fact that we have put in place regional development funds, Mr. Speaker, to work with businesses so that they can make the shift to advance manufacturing. Initiatives, all of which the opposition voted against, Mr. Speaker, and did not support. We have recognized that there is a change. There's a change in the global economy. There's a change in Ontario's economy, Mr. Speaker. And we believe that the best thing that we can do... Order. Carry on. That the best thing that we can do, Mr. Speaker, is to work with businesses to create an environment so that business will come here. We have over 400,000 net new jobs that are in this 2009. I'm moving right to identifying writings. Supplementary, please. Premier, the problem is that Ontario used to be at the top of the list. We could invest in a job creation. And under an Ontario PC government, we'll be at the top of the list. I don't think that the Liberal government understands the importance of manufacturing and resource development to the economy. You can do all the research and development in the world, but unless you make something at the end of the day, it's about as useful as a two-legged stool. We have a plan to bring in 300,000 advanced manufacturing jobs to strengthen a middle class and not the Liberal jobs that are part-time, temp job to temp job with no wages or benefitting increases. We actually see good, strong middle-class jobs you can count on. We've got a plan to do so. Last week, they had to continue the loss of jobs in Leamington, Ontario. There have been 38,000 job losses under your leadership as Premier in manufacturing alone. Premier, I'll ask you again, why are they growing manufacturing everywhere else at the top of the list? Thank you. Minister Moulton will come to order. In my conversation on Friday with the community leaders and the business folks from the Leamington area that your member attended that meeting, Mr. Speaker, it was a very important meeting. Of course, we're disappointed with the decision that Heinz made around the Leamington plan. But we will work with that community, and I believe that there are many, many possibilities for that community. Mr. Speaker, the leader of the opposition and his party would cut and slash across the board and hire civil servants, Mr. Speaker. They would take workers out of education, out of health care, Mr. Speaker, and they would engage in a race to the bottom, Mr. Speaker, in terms of working conditions and wages and benefits. Because, Mr. Speaker, the member from the Pee and Carlton come to order, the member from Dufferin-Callen come to order. Please. We are not going to engage, Mr. Speaker, in that race to the bottom. It is not responsible. Mr. Speaker. If you had worked at Heinz, if you had worked at Caterpillar, if you had worked at Volvo and Goddardish, you went to Pennsylvania, Gracious Living, opening their plant in New York. If you lost your job at Extrata Premier, we have hit rock bottom. The Liberals are winning the race to rock bottom. My plan to put Ontario back on top, is to bring in 300,000 advanced manufacturing jobs, forestry, mining, manufacturing. And here's the other thing. You blew the cliff steel. This chance it could have been with the oil sands in Alberta, you fumbled the ball. We lost those jobs. That investment will go elsewhere. And the very same day that cliffs walked away from the table, they said high energy rates part of that equation, Heinz high energy rates, you spent your time hugging it up with Al Gore. The very policies that drove high energy rates through the roof in the first place. Don't you think, considering the impact of high energy on jobs, that was a poke in the eye. Wasn't that salt in the wounds? Wasn't that an extraordinary misjudgment to embrace the high energy policies? Both sides are not helpful. Member from Renfrew will come to order. Premier. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is extremely important that the people of Ontario listen to what the leader of the opposition just said, Mr. Speaker, because underlying what the leader of the opposition just said is this. He believes by what he just said that we cannot have clean air in Ontario, Mr. Speaker. No question. Member from Berry. Thank you very much. Speaker, my question this morning is to the Premier. Good morning, Premier. I have repeatedly asked the minister responsible for the pay-in-am games, for the real numbers on the pay-in-am games, after painstakingly uncovering multiple budgets. Finally, last week we got somewhere. The minister admitted to ballooning costs up to the $1.4 billion budget, to $2.56 billion. But we know the spending doesn't stop there, Premier. What scares me is that the Liberals are cutting deals with their enablers over here to cancel investigation into the minister's lackluster management of the pay-in-am games. Speaker, when will the Premier tell us exactly what she is hiding and will she tell it to us now? The member opposite has demonstrated that we have provided information. We provided the information that he has asked for. The government doesn't set salaries for the TO 2015 employees, Mr. Speaker. That's not an agency of the government, but we have absolutely provided the information that the member opposite has asked for. What is really important, Mr. Speaker, is that we understand that the investments in the pay-in-am games are investments that are going to pay off over the long term, Mr. Speaker. There will be legacies of these games, Mr. Speaker, in the terms of affordable housing, in terms of venues, and of course, Mr. Speaker, we have to be accountable for the expenditures. But, Mr. Speaker, it would be great if the party opposite had some enthusiasm about this fantastic games and legacy that are going to be in place, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, we're very excited about the games. We're just not excited about your mismanagement of them. Mr. Speaker, this government is saving themselves from the scrutiny of canceling the pay-in-am investigation in general government committee. Ironically, the very vocal third-party pay-in-am critic has sold out to make this possible. He traded pay-in-am accountability for support for his union-friendly bill, which effectively canceled this investigation. As the government continues to point out, we're just having the people's games. But just so we all know, it's also the people's money premier. Will the premier stop hiding and commit today to continuing the pay-in-am investigation into the accountability of the pay-in-am secretary? Yes or no? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. S. Leader is going to want to speak to the discussions that are going on at the committee in the final supplementary. But what I want to say, Mr. Speaker, is that it is extremely important that the questions be asked, that we be accountable for the money that's being invested. And, Mr. Speaker, to this point, the projects are all on time and under budget, Mr. Speaker. And as the minister has said many times, it's often the capital projects that cause the problem in games like this, Mr. Speaker. That is not the case. We are seeing a very good trajectory for those projects. And we expect that as the other costs and the other investments are made, the same will hold true, Mr. Speaker. 41 countries and their athletes are going to be here, Mr. Speaker, in 2015. This is the biggest event that we have held on Ontario soil. We are enthusiastic about it. We hope that the party opposite will get on board, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, this government has not been after it with the numbers since the beginning. They have not been forthcoming with any of the proper numbers for the Pan Am Games that admit it that they're going to balloon in the coming years. The Liberals do not want Pan Am Games investigated. Clearly. Clearly NDP doesn't either. And their committee maneuvering proves that they will go to any length of their ability for their compulsive spending habits. This includes the manipulation of the vocal third-party Pan Am critic who's bought with support for his union-loving bill in exchange for cancelling the Pan Am investigation. We want successful games and respect for the hard-working families. I'm very concerned about that last day, but I'd ask you to withdraw. But you're on. Investigation into the Pan Am management or ask the minister to step down. You choose. What are you trying to hide? Mr. Speaker, we are trying to make this legislature work. The fact of the matter, Mr. Speaker, is the Estimates Committee and the General Government Committee are both looking into the Pan Am Games. There were literally thousands of documents that were delivered to the Estimates Committee, the first tranche that went forward. We at General Government are looking at a way that we can look at Pan Am and also look at some very important legislation, Bill 105, which will reduce taxes for businesses in this province. But the Progressive Conservative Party, Mr. Speaker, is playing games that we won't allow there. The member from Simcoe Gray will come to order. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, it is a pattern there. Filibustering and committees of the taxes cannot be cut for small businesses. And the other night, Mr. Speaker, the bravery awards given out by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario were delayed by 20 minutes because of the bell-ringing antics of the opposition, Mr. Speaker. Member of the Leader of the Third Party. Thank you, Speaker. My first question is to the Premier. Yesterday I asked the Acting Premier if the Liberal government signed an initial agreement or term sheet with Cliff's natural resources. The Acting Premier wouldn't even tell us whether one existed. So today I'll ask the Premier, did the government have an agreement with Cliff's? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I know that the Leader of the Third Party asked this question yesterday. I know that she knows that what she's referring to is commercially sensitive and some personal information, Mr. Speaker. I know that she's aware of that. We're going to continue to work diligently to make sure that we're ready to support development in the Ring of Fire. That is our commitment. That is where our commitment has been all along, Mr. Speaker. But I think that asking for information that is rightly confidential, Mr. Speaker, does not advance the cause of the relationship and the development of the Ring of Fire in any way. Supplementary? Well, we would love to see the cause be advanced in some way, Speaker. The Liberals don't seem to be able to advance it at all. In May 2012, the Finance Minister confirmed the government had reached an agreement with Cliff's regarding plans to process chromite and caprio. Either the minister was mistaken or this agreement exists. If it does, what commitments did the Liberals make in that term sheet, Speaker? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The reality is that there were discussions and there were terms of reference for those discussions. But, Mr. Speaker, there was a lot of commercially sensitive information. That was part of that discussion. And that commercially sensitive information is not available, Mr. Speaker. And we're going to continue to work to develop the Ring of Fire. We are setting up the Development Corporation as the minister of mining. And that Northern Development in Mines has spoken about. We are not backing away from our commitment to develop this very rich deposit, Mr. Speaker. And I know that there are mayors from communities in the north who are here today who are going to be meeting with various of us who are very, very interested in that commitment. Because it has to do with infrastructure. It has to do with economic development. And it has to do with the capacity of the north to create the jobs that we know are necessary. That's why we're not stepping away, Mr. Speaker. Any supplementary? A KWG Resources press release indicates that the term sheet the government signed with Cliff's included commitments to a, quote, attractive electricity rate, as well as commitments to build a road to move people, equipment, and ore in and out of the Ring of Fire. We know none of these things have happened, Speaker. Did the government make those commitments? Again, Mr. Speaker, there were arrangements that were made. There was a discussion that happened with a business, Mr. Speaker. And we were very clear that we were pleased about that. It's unfortunate that for their own business model, their own reasons, Mr. Speaker, Cliff's has stepped away. But there are other companies, Mr. Speaker, who are interested in working with the government, and we look forward to working with them. I also, Mr. Speaker, hope that the federal government will be a partner in the development of the Ring of Fire. This has been the situation all along, Mr. Speaker, that we need the federal government, who in fact have sung the praises of the Ring of Fire, have talked about what a huge opportunity it is, Mr. Speaker, and how involved they are. In fact, they are not as involved as they need to be. We need them at the table with us, as we work with First Nations, as we work with the municipalities, as we work with commercial interests. We look forward to those partnerships, allowing us to continue to work to develop the Ring of Fire. Mr. Speaker, any questions for the Leader of the Third Party? Well, Speaker, blaming Ottawa is this liberal government's the dog ate my homework excuse, and we hear it far too often. As a cabinet minister, the Premier herself went to Capriol and announced thousands of jobs. Those were the government's words, Speaker. The government's words. Thousands of jobs. People want to know what happened to those jobs. The government said they saw it in agreement on behalf of the people of Ontario. Why won't the Premier release the agreement with Glyphs so Ontarians can see whether the Liberals actually lived up to their end of that agreement? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And, you know, I understand that the Leader of the Third Party is disappointed. We are disappointed as well, Mr. Speaker. That goes without saying. But the Ring of Fire is not about... It's not about one company. It's not about one level of government. And, you know, the Leader of the Third Party can chastise me for calling on the federal government. I think it's eminently responsible of us to call on the federal government to work with us. I'm not blaming the federal government. What I'm saying is that if this extraordinary... if this extraordinary opportunity is going to be realised, we need all levels of government working together. We need to be working with First Nations. We need to be working with Commercial Interest because it is a massive development. Why is there a partnership? And, in fact, Mr. Speaker, in the letter... their letter of November 20, 2013 in terms of relief, Cliff says that they will continue to work with the Ontario government, First Nations communities and other interested parties to explore potential solutions related to the critical issue of infrastructure. We look forward to continuing... Supplementary? Well, Speaker, as Liberals dithering and inaction has pushed cliffs away from the Ring of Fire, people are beginning to ask about the challenges facing in the Ring of Fire. How many other term sheets has the government signed and how many of these other companies are facing the same problems that push cliffs away, Speaker? Well, Mr. Speaker, when I was Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, I can remember in this House and in other venues saying that the development of the Ring of Fire was a very complex issue and it was going to require that we understand the many moving parts and one of those parts, Mr. Speaker, is the relationship with First Nations. And I said to my colleagues, and they will attest to this, I said very clearly that if we did not move in a responsible and coordinated way, if we did not make sure that we had environmental issues dealt with and that we worked with First Nations, Mr. Speaker, we would not be able to develop the Ring of Fire as it, from Renfrew, talks about delays, but Mr. Speaker, the reality is there are many complex issues that need to be dealt with in the development of the Ring of Fire. We are working on those and we look forward to working with commercial interests, including cliffs as we go forward. We're going to develop the Ring of Fire, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Finance told reporters that when it comes to the government's jobs plan, the net result is that it's working. For people in Capriol who received an empty promise of thousands of jobs, or frankly the families in Leamington watching the cornerstone of their economy pack up and leave, the net result is that people aren't working. I know the Premier likes to run, but she can't run away from the fact that these jobs are her responsibility. When will the government stop passing the buck, stop playing politics and admit that the status quo just isn't working when it comes to creating and protecting jobs in this province? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Again, I understand the rhetoric of the leader of the third party. In fact, it is the combined responsibility of the private sector and the public sector to work together. It is our responsibility as government to create the conditions so that the private sector can create jobs. I'm just going to talk about some of the places where that is happening because I understand I'm concerned about what happened in Leamington, and I know that the leader of the third party knows that I am, but I'm also pleased, Mr. Speaker, that in Ottawa, at Ericsson, Canada, there are 35 new jobs retaining 105. In Cambridge, Ontario, at Toyota, our investment of $16.8 million created approximately 400 jobs. In DM, Mr. Speaker, in Ingersoll, over 2,500 jobs as a result of the $250 million investment that the government green-arc tire manufacturing in St. Mary's on Terry, Mr. Speaker, 340 jobs. There is a long list of job creation, Mr. Speaker. We will continue to foster those conditions for job creation. New question, the member from Perry, Simon Stoker. My question is to the Premier. Premier, I can't believe you're trying to blame the federal government for your failure in the Ring of Fire. I, like many of my colleagues, were dismayed at your comments over the weekend suggesting, and yesterday in the House, your finance minister also tried to shift blame and refused to take any responsibility for the deal with cliffs falling through. Premier, your government was quick to take credit when you made the deal with cliffs. Your May 9th, 2012, 12,000 jobs commenced on Terry. By taking credit for the Ring of Fire before delivering, you and your government deserve the lion's share of the blame for your failure. Premier, now that the dust is settled, who have you held accountable for the failure of your government on this issue? Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker. Which is what we have said all along is that there are many partners who are needed in order to be able to explore and exploit the resources and the possibility of the Ring of Fire. It is impossible for one company or one order of government to do this, Mr. Speaker. It's a huge project and from the beginning we have said that we need the private sector, we need First Nations and we need the federal government and municipalities to work with us so that we can develop that resource, Mr. Speaker. That is not inconsistent. In fact, it is consistent with what we have said from the beginning. And I will be calling on Prime Minister Harper, as I have already done, to work with us. Have I called him? Absolutely. I've written to him and we're trying to set up a meeting. So I look forward to that meeting. I look forward to the opportunity to have a discussion with the Prime Minister about his role and about our combined partnership, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, supplementary. Well, with your 2012 press release you were sworn the mind was about to open. And, Premier, with all the bureaucracy that your government has set up around this project, it's no wonder you're having difficulty finding accountability. With overlapping ministries, the Ring of Fire secretariat, panels and the initiator that you appointed, there's a lot of talk and very little action. In your 2012 press release five different ministers and you yourself were quoted. Premier, had you taken the advice of our Northern White Paper, we wouldn't be in this place today. Why don't you do it now? Implement the PC plan and put a single minister in charge of the Ring of Fire. Can you see the peace? Thank you, Premier. Well, we won't implement the outline that the opposition has laid out, Mr. Speaker, because it's simplistic. It does not recognize the complexity of the development opportunity, Mr. Speaker. It doesn't recognize that there are many, as I said, many moving parts, Mr. Speaker. And I have said from the beginning the beginning of this opportunity that we have to work with all players in order for us to be successful. You know, when I traveled to Australia when I was the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and I met with the community there and we talked about the training opportunities. Training opportunities that are being made available right now, Mr. Speaker. Those training opportunities are being set up and there are young people at Webequay who are going to be able to be trained and will be ready to work in the Ring of Fire as we explore, as we develop that resource, Mr. Speaker. That's the kind of process that's necessary. It takes time. I recognize that and it will be successful, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. In a report released today, Campaign 2000 strongly condemns this Government's 2012 decision to delay scheduled increases in the Ontario child benefit and to freeze the minimum wage. They blame these Liberal Government decisions for the slow progress in reducing the child poverty in this province. In 2008, the Government made grand statements to reduce child poverty by 25% over five years and in 2013 it is absolutely nowhere near achieving what is a very modest goal. How does this Government justify its lack of action in reducing child poverty by 25%? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know that the Minister of Children Youth Services who has responsibility for the poverty reduction strategy will want to speak to the supplementary but I want to just say to the member of the third party that she knows full well that it's our Government that introduced a poverty reduction strategy in this province. We are the first Government to have a recession, Mr. Speaker. We have an Ontario child benefit because we introduced it, Mr. Speaker and we implemented it, Mr. Speaker. In fact, the child poverty rate in Ontario fell by over 9% during the height of the recession, Mr. Speaker. I believe that the member of the third party is talking about doing more and doing it more quickly. I understand that that would be her request but make no mistake, Mr. Speaker. We are committed to poverty reduction. We continue to be committed to poverty reduction and we will move on to future actions, Mr. Speaker. A supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again to the Premier, the campaign 2000 document cites a number of other devastating cuts to supports for low-income people made by this Government. For example, the 2012 Ontario budget saw the cancellation of people on social assistance including health benefits and, tragically, the community start-up and maintenance benefit. The Government talked about reducing child poverty by 25% in 2008 but this report, Mr. Speaker, makes it crystal clear that part of the blame for its failure lies in policy decisions made by this very Government. How does the Government finally, Mr. Speaker, explain those decisions to the hundreds of thousands of a number of children who go to bed hungry every night? Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the question as well. I, too, would like to thank Campaign 2000 for the report that they released today. I, in fact, have met with Campaign 2000 on a number of occasions and I share their concern with respect to our children and the future of this province and I'd like to reiterate that it was this Government that brought in the Ontario Children's Benefit that's paid out to 950,000 children that's been directly related to the fall of 9.2% of our child poverty rate and the report says that we were successful in that during the height of the greatest recession that we've had. Ontario has the second lowest low-income rate in the entire country, Speaker. We've had 61,000 children out of poverty and we prevented 61,000 children from getting into poverty. We have done a lot of work with respect to minimum wage, with respect to social assistance reforms, with respect to our housing benefits. Is there more work to do? Absolutely and that's why we're creating a new poverty reduction strategy and why we're all working together to that end. I am absolutely committed to this. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much for a large deal of energy. Minister, last Thursday the government announced it would be introducing the ending call for Cleaner Air Act. This important piece of legislation of past would ensure that Ontario never returns to the days of using dirty coal-fired plants to generate electricity for the province. This policy is one that I have had strong support for from the people of Auto-Arleans for the last ten years. The closure former business owner, a momentous achievement that will help protect the health and environment of Ontarians for generations to come. We must think of our children and our grandchildren. It is a significant landmark in the global fight against climate change. Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Energy please inform the House about the importance of the bill that will be introduced by the Minister of Environment later today? Thank you. Minister. Thank the member for his support. Last week I had the pleasure of standing with the Premier, the Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Health, our host, Environmental Defense, and a special guest, former Vice President Al Gore, to announce our vision of a coal-free future for Ontario. This magical generating station slated to close at the end of this year, and the Thunder Bay generating station set for conversion to advanced biomass, Ontario will have a coal-free electricity system, and to ensure that we never go back to the days of burning dirty coal, our government introduced a bill that, if passed, will make it illegal for the province to burn coal for power. Mr. Speaker, our government is a global leader on this issue. We are the first jurisdiction in North America to accomplish this goal, and it's a cause for celebration for all Ontarians. Thank you. Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you, Minister. Now that we've reached this significant milestone, it is important to ensure that we don't go backwards. Climate change is an issue that is not going to disappear. Ontario needs to remain a global leader going forward, because if nobody takes action, it will be impossible to avoid its catastrophic consequences. As Tim Gray, Executive Director of Environmental Defense said, Ontario has shown the world that bold action on climate change can be done. Ontarians should feel proud to live in the first jurisdiction in North America that is kicking the coal habit, a place that today took immediate meaningful action on climate change. Mr. Speaker, getting off coal is not only a major triumph in the fight against climate change, but will also provide significant health benefits to the people of Ontario. Can the Minister please tell us about the health and environmental benefits of eliminating dirty coal fire generation in the province? Getting off coal is the single largest climate change initiative in North America. It will save $4.4 billion in avoided environmental and health care costs. It's going to mean a better quality of life for people with asthma and less children and seniors suffering from air quality-related illnesses. It will mean fewer small days and lower carbon emissions, equivalent to taking 7 million cars off the road. Finally, I would like to quote Mr. Gore, when he was here last week, who said that future generations will ask, how did you find the moral courage to act against climate change? And part of the answer will be, Ontario-Canada led the way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health. Speaker Dr. Chris Mazza is under criminal investigation for his role in the Orange Air and Givens scandal. He is under investigation by the College of Physicians and Surgeons for his unethical conduct as a physician. He pleaded mental incapacity when called to testify at the Public Accounts Committee and had to be brought here under a special standard warrant. Frontline staff and patients were put at risk as a direct result of his gross mismanagement and fraudulent schemes and self-aggrandizement. Now we learn that he's back on the Ministry of Health payroll, working in the emergency ward at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Center. Speaker, how can the Minister justify this offensive disrespect for the frontline staff at Orange, for the patients whose lives are put at risk, and for the tax payers of this province, who were ripped off for millions as a result of this. Thank you. Well, thank you, Speaker, and the member opposite knows full well that hiring decisions are made by hospital speakers. They are made independently. Hospitals have the responsibility for the doctors that they hire. To suggest, Speaker, that I run the Human Resources Departments in hospitals across this province is kind of ridiculous. I will say, Speaker, that in order for a doctor to be hired, a doctor must be certified by the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Speaker, I look forward to the supplementary awareness. Thank you. You may even speak on that response. I call into question the competency of whoever was doing the hiring at that hospital, and I call into question the competency of this Minister who allows it to happen. Once again, she's pleading ignorance and that she has no authority. We've heard that throughout this entire file. She can't do nothing. She has no authority. Speaker, apart from the obvious irreparable damage that was done to our emergency ambulance service and the harm that was done to the men and women who were forced to work under this man's tyranny, he traveled the world in the lap of luxury at taxpayer's expense. He saddled taxpayers with multi-millions of dollars of debt, thanks to his mismanagement. Speaker, he should not be an emergency ward. He should be in a jail. This Minister stands but has nothing to do with this. She has a responsibility to it. Minister of Health, I'll take care of it. Well, Speaker, I do find it strange that the member opposite is suggesting that we investigate, convict, and jail someone. Speaker, that's not how we do business on this side of the house. Let me reiterate. Hiring decisions are local decisions made by the local hospitals. The College of Physicians and Surgeons. Stop the clock, please. This is very difficult for me to seize control at all when I've got members on the government side while the Minister is answering, provoking, and the other people accepting the provocation and responding, not while the Minister is answering or when the question is being put. I think it's less than polite. Finish, please. Thank you, Speaker. And just to reiterate, physician accreditation is the sole and independent responsibility of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. New question. The member from Nicobel. Thank you, Mr. President. My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-term Services. The Centre has been in crisis for almost a month. This crisis means there are no beds available for patients to need to be admitted. It means cancer surgery. It means patients are being cared for in hallways. A hospital is 54 beds over capacity and there are 64 people waiting for placement. The Minister can talk a good game about investing in home and long-term care, but clearly this talk hasn't resulted in action on the ground. Can the Minister explain what she is doing to address the crisis faced by Thunder Bay? Thank you, Minister of Health and Long-term Care. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the member opposite for this question. This is a question that has been raised by my colleagues, the member for Thunder Bay Atacocan and the member from Thunder Bay Superior North. There is very much an issue in Thunder Bay. I can tell you that the Linn and the hospital and the other providers in the area are very much focusing on resolving the issues that have been raised. Speaker, we have come a long way when it comes to providing more supports at home to free up hospital beds, but I must say in Thunder Bay I acknowledge that there is a problem that we are very focused on resolving. Thank you, supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the hospital in Thunder Bay is struggling and it's doing its best to cope, but they can only do so much when dozens of patients are stuck in hallways because they have nowhere to go. But in the hospital, hallway nursing is not quality care. Does government promise to address wait time for home care but clearly something is not working? We are just on the cusp of flu season and Thunder Bay residents need to know that their hospital will be there for them in their time of need. I ask the Minister of Health again, what is her plan to address the health crisis in Thunder Bay? Thank you, Minister. Well, Speaker, again thank you to the member opposite. This is an issue as I have said that has been brought to my attention by our members, the member from Thunder Bay Atacocan, the member from Thunder Bay Superior North. Our Linn is very focused on resolving these issues. These are complex problems, Speaker. We are opening new long-term care beds in Thunder Bay. There is good progress being made, but clearly there is more to do and we're committed to doing that work. No questions. The member from Thunder Bay. Thank you, Mr. President. My question is for the Minister of Health and Mrs. Jeffrey. This is National Housing Day. An important topic, a fundamental right for Ontarians because, of course, everybody deserves to have safe and secure housing. In my own writing of Etobica North, our government has made significant investments, such as the recently finished renovations and affordable housing units at 2667 and 2677 Kipling Avenue. But, Speaker, as you'll appreciate, there is still more work to be done. This is especially important and part of a just society when people live in safe and affordable housing, our communities thrive. Good housing promotes health, safety, physical and emotional well-being and we know that children even do better in school. Speaker, through you to the Minister, could you explain to my constituents in Etobica North what investments is our government making to ensure that Ontarians have access to affordable housing? Thank you, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Thank you, Speaker, and I really want to thank the member for the question. Checking homelessness is a very important issue to our government because there's nothing more distressing than the thought of a child, a senior, or a family being unsure where they're going to sleep at night. That's why we've invested over $3 billion in affordable housing since 2003. That investment is the largest in our province's history. It's meant that we've been able to create more than 17,000 affordable housing units and repaired more than a quarter of a million social and affordable housing units. By investing in Ontarians, we make sure that they have access to affordable housing and we can ensure that they're better prepared to enter the workforce because having a place to call home is the first step out of poverty. It is the first step to realizing new opportunities. It is the first step to a better quality of life. Thank you, Speaker. Supplementary. Thank you, Speaker. I appreciate, Madam Minister, your response about our government's investments. Ontario's most vulnerable, of course, deserve this. But, Speaker, I raise a genuine concern in this Chamber for all parties to consider. Despite the significant investment that Ontario has made, the Federal Conservative Government has largely failed to tackle this pressing issue. Canada remains the only G8 nation that does not have a national housing strategy, which, of course, undermines the progress that we have made in Ontario, leading to a piecemeal, Band-Aid solution approach. The Feds also ignore calls from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities as well as the City of Toronto to have a stable and long-term funding source so that we can make the necessary long-term investments in affordable housing. Speaker, I would invite the Minister to share with this Chamber about her recent excursion to Ottawa and the trip the meetings that she had with her counterparts at the federal level. Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Speaker. While I was in Ottawa last week, I reiterated our government's call to the Federal Government to come up with a stable long-term solution to homelessness in Ontario. But despite my invitation for a conversation, Minister failed to meet with me. A failure that has occurred since December 2009, which was the last time the Federal Conservatives sat down with the provinces and territories to talk about homelessness. This, despite the fact, last month, Minister Candice Bergen told the National Homelessness Conference that the Federal Government is looking for even more ways to support communities in developing solutions to homelessness. Well, Mr. Speaker, I have a suggestion for Minister Bergen. Talk to the provinces. Exactly. Pick up the phone and talk to us. For too long, Ontarians have failed to receive the attention and the investments that we need and we deserve from the Federal Government. And our government will continue to stand up for Ontario's most vulnerable. Thank you. Thank you. New question? Leader of the opposition? My question to the Premier with respect to a new regional hospital in South Niagara. Yesterday was, as I termed it, put up or shut up day when it comes to the new hospital in South Niagara. Yeah, you asked me why I said put up or shut up because you guys have been, you know, kind of on defense in this issue witnessed the February Article of Niagara Falls review when off to Rocky's start on the hospital file. Ontario Premier Kathleen winning her first week on the job through cold water on the proposed South Niagara Hospital and set back hospital reform in Niagara for two years. So we're trying to get a more positive answer. Get you off that fence a little bit, Premier. And conveniently yesterday when we had the put up or shut up motion in the House, Minister announced that she was finally looking at a programming grant for that hospital. So let me ask you this, how much exactly will that planning grant be worth when we actually make that announcement and is it actually budgetary? Thank you. I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to hear the leader of the opposition advocating for hospital capital projects. Wow. Interesting that he's focusing on one particular hospital uniting that happens to be in a by-election situation. But I'm sure his passion will be just as strong for the other hospital projects that are right there as well. I know the members from Greybrooks would love to hear a question from you on the Martell Hospital, for example, Speaker. But I am happy to say that we are going to be looking forward to taking the next step when it comes to the new hospital in Niagara. That's an exciting initiative. And I'm really pleased that it will be that we're moving to one more new hospital, Speaker, and a long, long line of new hospitals that are built under this government. Thank you. I don't think I actually got a straight answer there, speakers. Let me try again. And that answered your question. Yes, I'm confident that the PC government will get our economy growing and set priorities and build other projects around the province. The problem is the only way to get you guys to do something is when a seat is at risk. The only way to actually get you to do something like a subway to Scarborough is when you're worried about losing a seat. Witness in Windsor. When you had a seat at risk in Windsor, with great speed to announce a mega hospital for Windsor, you announced a planning grant there in the millions of dollars in a matter of months. Dr. Smith's report has been out for over a year now, and you still won't answer the basic questions. Now, I caution you, don't do what the NDP is doing. I mean, they're trying to be all things to all people, everything under the sun. They're main motive, protecting the seat of a member for Welland, as opposed to what's the best interest of healthcare for the people in Niagara region. I know the game they're playing. What game you're playing. You did it for Windsor during a by-election. Whatever the con, by-election or not, it's the right thing to do. Will you agree like that, Clinton? Thank you. Mr. Speaker, please. Minister? Well, Speaker, I'm just going to suggest that the leader of the opposition talk to some of his colleagues who actually have been proud to be at the opening of hospitals in their community. Maybe you could speak to the member from Barrie. He was there and happy to be at the opening of that hospital, Speaker. The member from Cambridge, I think, will be very pleased with the redevelopment moving ahead. Just yesterday, I was in Burlington, Speaker. Burlington, the conservative member from Burlington, where we talked about re-scoping the project at Burlington, so they will have a brand new emergency department, a seven-story tower, Speaker. The member from Alton, Speaker, who has been very... Answer it. Thank you. Do you have questions? Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the minister of long-term care and health. Recent reports from Hamilton tell us our area is amongst the worst in Ontario when it comes to seniors finding a space in the long-term home care. In the Hamilton area, seniors can expect to wait up to three-and-a-half years to get placed. They're being subjected to terrible stress and crisis before being forced to jump through never-ending hoops in order to get the care they need. The local CCAC has said that their hands are tied by government legislation. Is the minister going to address the problems that are forcing seniors into homelessness and other terrible situations? Please. Minister of Health, long-term care. Speaker, well, thank you for the question and I would be very interested if there are cases of seniors being forced into homelessness, Speaker. I would hope the member opposite would bring that to my attention, Speaker. I think it's important to note that, yes, there is a wait for long-term care, but thankfully, Speaker, as a result of the superb work that is being done by CCACs, by the organizations that they're responsible for, we are seeing the wait time for long-term care homes decline. That's an extraordinary change, Speaker. It's happening because we are spending more to get more people the care they need in their own home. This is the foundational part of our transformation of our healthcare system to provide the right care, the right time, and the right place as home whenever possible. Thank you. The long-term care unfolds. We are hearing of ridiculous decisions being made that bump seniors who have already been on the wait list for years. After four years, 92-year-old Marion Forrest finally got a space, but the day before she was supposed to move in, she was taken to the hospital and due to her very short stay in the hospital, she wasn't able to be there during that move and she lost her space. She ended up with nowhere to live. 88-year-old Internet DeFelco was given two possible placements. Both of them were entirely inappropriate. One was in a unit for Alzheimer's and Dementia, which she is not, and the other one was to be shared with the woman who has to live in total darkness at all times. Because she was attracted to these two offers, she was kicked off the waiting list. Again, I will ask the minister to end this shameful treatment of our seniors to ensure that the long-term care system works for them and not against them. Speaker, absolutely. And I think the member opposite would acknowledge that we have opened 500 long-term care beds in Hamilton since 2003, Speaker. So we are making progress and I also want to clarify that if someone is in hospital, Speaker, and cannot move into the long-term care home, they retain their space on that wait list. So they will be cared for, Speaker, until another vacancy comes up and they can move into the long-term care home of their choice. So, Speaker, we are doing our very best to provide the right care for senior Speaker and we will continue this work. But I think it's important the member opposite actually understands the policy. Thank you. I've got a question this morning for the minister of the environment. Speaker, over the years constituents from my riding of Oakville and the reason of Halton have been raising serious concerns regarding the toxic contamination of the Randall reef located just down Lake Ontario shoreline in Hamilton. The sediment of the Randall reef is contaminated with coal tar. Chemicals and coal tar are toxic obviously and they're harmful to aquatic life in the harbor. With the cleanup of the Sydney Nova Scotia tarpons in progress, the Randall reef site is now the largest coal tar contaminated sediment site in all of Canada. So, Speaker, through you with the minister please share with the House what the Ontario Government is doing to protect the health of Ontario and its aquatic life from the contaminated Randall reef in Hamilton harbor. Thank you. Minister of the Environment. Well, I would like to thank the member for what is an excellent question. The provincial government as members of the House would know is committed to the remediation of contaminated sites all over the Great Lakes. Provence of Ontario through the Ministry of the Environment has committed to an investment of $1 million to the cleanup of Randall reef in Hamilton harbor. The Ministry of the Environment has partnered with Environment Canada and others including municipal partners in the City of Hamilton, City of Burlington, Region of Halton, US Steel Canada and Hamilton Port Authority. I'm pleased that all funding partners have now finalized agreements to move forward with the cleanup. The cleanup of Randall reef represents a significant step towards delisting Hamilton harbor as an area of concern. We look forward to working with all partners as this project moves forward. Thank you, Speaker. That's excellent news about the commitment to the remediation of Randall reef. I think all constituents are going to be pleased to hear that this contamination down the shore is a very important concern of the community. Changing the image of Hamilton harbor to a place with restored water quality and sustainable ecosystems should also increase property values and should lead to the growth of commercial business. Constituents in my writing of Oakville understand the importance of the Great Lakes to this province. They understand that the Great Lakes provide drinking water to more than 80% of the people of Ontario as well as recreation, power and prosperity. But they also understand, Speaker, that the Great Lakes trouble. The Speaker, through you, would the minister explain what the government is doing to ensure that the Randall reef exercise and remediation is not the end and the work continues. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. This government recognizes that the Great Lakes are vitally important to the people of Ontario for our drinking water, for our water quality. Scientists tell us, however, that we're facing new challenges that are overwhelming old solutions. We need new initiatives to restore and protect the Great Lakes. That is why we've introduced Bill 6, the proposed Great Lakes Protection Act. The Great Lakes Protection Act is designed to give the province new tools to restore and protect our Great Lakes so they're drinkable, swimmable and sustainable. We are grateful to all members of this House for their input on Bill 6. I think we have an opportunity together to achieve considerable success in this province with the passage of this legislation. Your question? My question is to the minister of the environment. Minister, the Clarrington transformer station was to be the largest transformer station in North America and has been before your ministry for about four or five years. Originally this plan was a small scale transformer station and received the appropriate environmental assessment. However, Hydro 1 has then increased the size of the transformer station without the necessary environmental assessments. The Oak Ridge's brain is home to the environmental association to conduct an independent review of the environmental study to date. Dr. Cherry concluded that the class environmental assessment was completely inadequate. Insufficient well monitoring infrastructure has been installed and the appropriate hydrological study has not been conducted. The cost of the project will vastly exceed the original estimate of $280 million. Minister, we will ask you to ask the minister to protect the drinking water of millions of people. Mr. Speaker, I want to inform the House first of all that the member has taken the opportunity to communicate with me on numerous occasions about this by means of letters which have been forthcoming. I want to recognize that has happened so far. The environmental assessment process requires projects to ensure that it is protective of human health and the environment and time is taken to ensure that all of these standards and objectives are met. The Ministry of the Environment has received some 56 requests asking that individual environmental assessment is undertaken for the proposed Clarrington transformer station. The Ministry of the Environment officials are now reviewing those requests and all input will be very serious consideration before determination is made as to the BAPBAP request. Who writes your commentary? Very much for that response and the compliment, Minister. But Minister, last week the Vice President of OPA, the Interior Power Authority, Amir Shalabi was addressing the Derm Strategic Energy Alliance. And of course the main topic of the day was the uncertainty around the nuclear energy sector that was stated and I quote in the media report that said the OPA supports Hydro 1's plan to build the station on the Oak Ridge of Moraine and Clarrington. This raises the question of a senior executive at the OPA making an open statement about his approval long before this approval you've just addressed has even been brought to the attention of the Minister I'm sure and it's been for the Ministry's assessment to review process. I'm asking to give options, look at options for the relocation of this site long before you forge ahead and ruin the aquifers on the Oak Ridge of Moraine or at least do the appropriate studies. Of course that is why we have a very comprehensive and extensive environmental assessment process which often is criticized by members of the members party. I know he hasn't done so but some of his other colleagues are very critical of the environmental assessment process. I want to say to the member that the 56 requests asking for the individual environmental assessment they're all being given various consideration the individual to whom you have made reference has no more influence or sway over this particular decision than any of the 56 people who have already asked that there be a consideration for what we call a bump up or more extensive individual environmental assessment. I want to assure the member that consideration will be very serious and extensive. New question. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker my question is to the Attorney General Mr. Speaker there are legally clinics in our communities that provide an integral and fundamental service they provide us with access to justice and there are clinics that provide services to historically vulnerable groups like Aboriginal people seniors and disabled and there are those groups that provide services to geographic areas in the region of Peel we have two centers but based on population the region of Peel has 1.3 million residents however when we look at funding we receive half of the funding of other municipalities when it comes to a per capita basis. Now fair share for Peel is a is no stranger it's not a strange issue to Peel we've been underfunded on many issues on the many areas. I'm asking Mr. today Mr. Speaker will he commit to ensuring that the residents of Peel receive their fair share when it comes to access to justice Well as the member well knows we are committed to making sure that legal aid is available throughout the province of Ontario for those individuals that need it and that in mind this government even in tough economic times when our budget isn't balanced yet allocated an additional 30 million dollars specifically for family law and to the legal aid clinics we have been working with legal aid Ontario over the last four to five months since the budget was passed to make sure that the funding goes to those clinics that need the funding speaking. The Ministry of the Attorney General truly believes in the clinic system and that's why the additional funding was made available and I'm sure that Peel will get its appropriate resources Thank you there are no deferred votes this House stands recessed until 3pm this afternoon