 Okay, it's now time for member statements the member for Brampton One of you needs to stand up The member for Niagara Center Thank You speaker Mr. Speaker newly formed volunteer group in Welland is Focusing its efforts on a discarded needle cleanup in hopes of making the city safer for everyone Catherine Sullivan and her friends have formed the well and harm reduction society These residents walk the streets of Welland the parks underneath bridges and everywhere in between Collecting used syringes and drug paraphernalia. I Want to commend them for their efforts They're reaching out to the city Niagara region public health and other community partners like overdose prevention and Education Network of Niagara and positive living Niagara whose executive director is Glenn Walker who I know very well He spearheaded the safe injection site in St. Catherine's and their ongoing discussions with the possibility of similar sites in Welland and Niagara Falls Mr. Speaker as this government reduces the number of much-needed safe injection sites We at least have in Niagara community groups and people taking ownership They have feet on the ground and are doing outreach work and education and I say thank you for all that you are doing Thank you The member for Simcoe Norris. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to present someone exceptional from some content because of its contribution to I Wish to introduce you Martin alone. He will be here with us today will be received the award Governor Is awarded by the Assembly Parliamentaire de la Francophonie to those who have distinguished themselves in the service of the cooperation and friendship and I promoted their French language in their community It is an appropriate recognition of Mosher alone's decades-long career teaching Advocating and sharing the French language in Simcoe North Martin is a pillar of the Francophone community in Simcoe North in the early 2000s Mosher alone was integral in founding the Living Museum and the festival de l'eau both in the community of La Fontaine As the president of the festival he organized lead and partook in the annual howling contest in this amazing three-day event Martin is also very active in club, Richelieu's Seniors residences in La Fontaine and Penetang and has written for the community newspaper The good to Viva under the alias I Jean up our bear as an educator and community leader Most most here la land has dedicated his life to the continued vitality of our region's 400 year old French heritage Newly resident to Simcoe North You ask from Simcoe now. We wish to thank you for your contribution And we wish to thank you for your contribution Thank you, Mr. Martin la land Member statements the member for Windsor to come see you. Good afternoon speaker Tomorrow firefighters in Windsor and Detroit will hold a special ceremony on the international boundary line of the ambassador bridge This is all connected to the anniversary of Windsor's great fire in 1849 a warehouse Situated on the site now the home of the St. Clair College Center for the Arts Caught fire just after midnight Strong Northwest winds whipped the flames and in no time much of the downtown business corps was ablaze Windsor's volunteer fire brigade couldn't keep up The flames were seen from across the river and Detroit engine number five a hand pumper two hose carts And the man of engine companies four and five hopped aboard the ferry Hastings and rushed to Windsor They saved the Windsor Castle Hotel and other buildings even as their helmets burned to cinders and their hair and beards were singed The following morning most of Windsor's business district lay in ashes, but the village was saved Thanks to the aid of the firemen from Detroit Inappreciation Windsor citizens gave the Detroit firemen an elegant silver ceremonial speaking trumpet Speaker long before Electronic bull horns and PA systems fire chiefs use speaking trumpets to exhort their men to greater effort They remain an iconic symbol of command on fire service uniform badges The historic silver speaking trumpet will be front and center at the mid-bridge ceremony tomorrow It's a lasting symbol of friendship and cooperation between our two city fire departments Over the years firefighters from Windsor in Detroit provide our firefighters from Windsor provided mutual aid In Detroit as well speaker. What a fitting way for today's heroes to celebrate 170 years of a shared legacy Member statements the member for Thornt Hill Just the last couple of days I was shocked to learn from the center of Israel and Jewish affairs that a program at Stephen Lewis secondary school in Mississauga Promoted the libel that Israelis harvest Palestinian organs and conduct and I'm quoting human testing of pharmaceuticals on Palestinians These are more than offensive lies. They are contemporary manifestations of a viscous anti-Semitic trope Used to justify persecution and violence against Jews for centuries the international Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism the most widely used around the world right now is clear It is anti-Semitic to use the symbols and images associated with classic anti-Semitism Like blood libel to characterize Israel or Israelis that this has reportedly happened in a school in our province Where impressionable minds are being shaped makes it even more distressing according to statistics Canada an anti-Semitic hate crime occurred on average once every 24 hours in 2017 and that is up 60 percent from 2016 like I say 2017 up 60 percent from 2016 When it comes to hate crime Jewish Canadians remain the most frequently targeted group Mr. Speaker how we respond to incidents of this kind defines us as a society The Peel District School Board is investigating the center for Israel and Jewish affairs has offered to provide training and an entire Community is waiting for answers. We look forward to hearing what concrete action will be taken to hold those Responsible to account and to ensure this shameful episode is turned is turned into an impactful learning opportunity about anti-Semitic hate Thank you Member statements the member for st. Catharines. Thank you speaker Once again, I am bringing attention to the highly important issue of suicide prevention barriers That should be installed on the ongoing bridge in my riding of st. Catharines since October 2018 six individuals have tragically taken their own lives on the ongoing bridge in st. Catharines a Regional bridge might I add speaker? Last week the minister of transportation referred to it as a municipal city responsibility Expert trip testimony acquired through the Niagara region States that these barriers will make difference just as they have right here in Toronto at the Bloor and Viaduct Not only do the barriers prevent further tragedies for families of st. Catharines They act as protection for vehicle operators Driving directly below the bridge these barriers will save lives The very busy provincial 406 highway runs directly under the ongoing bridge in st. Catharines speaker I'd like to remind the minister of transportation that the ministry absolutely does have a Responsibility to protect any driver on the 406 highway Therefore the ministry Needs to contribute to the barriers and become closely involved in discussions With the region of Niagara surrounding the implementation of these life-saving barriers I look forward to discussing this matter further with the minister. Thank you Thank you member statements the member for Scarborough Guildwood. Thank you speaker It's my pleasure to rise in the house today and speak on behalf of my Resonance of Scarborough Guildwood this weekend the Rotary Club of Scarborough held their annual budget breakfast To talk about what the budget means for Scarborough Sadly, no PC members bothered to show up for this annual breakfast Nonetheless, we had a great breakfast with great discussion and what was made clear is that Doug Ford's austerity budget that was ushered in last week is bringing another era to refer to Ministers by their writing name or the premier by the premier members by their writing names since 1996 to 1999 It asks it actually puts forward the most conservative budget despite a growing economy here in Ontario Cuts to post-secondary education of seven hundred million dollars cuts to social services of one billion dollars cuts to justice cuts to Education by raising class sizes and giving students less on a per funding basis and cuts to indigenous affairs of 49% Speaker this budget shows that the PC government's priorities lie Based on what they focused on Alcohol beer and gambling they didn't mention poverty not even one time in this budget speaker Nothing speaks louder than this about the Ford government's priorities. Thank you Thank you very much the member for Chatham Kent Leamington. Thank you very much Today to commend the excellent work being done in my writing of Chatham Kent Leamington by the Children's Treatment Center of Chatham. Mr. Speaker the life of every child has value and the programs offered by the Children's Treatment Center work Wonders in helping children from birth to age 18 actualize their value and potential They help our communities know and realize that a child with special needs Gives far more to their family and community than they take. When a family has a child diagnosed with a disability It can seem like there was a mountain ahead of them without proper information and supports They can easily fall into despair This problem is exasperated. Mr. Speaker when the supports that are out there do not Compliment each other turning life into a long to-do list Chasing down the spirit and Unconnected services. That's where the Children's Treatment Center of Chatham and similar groups step in They ensure that all services and supports of family with a disabled child needs are in one location Locally administered for differing local needs and emphasizing a community experience one of the most important things They do is working with school boards to fully integrate Students with special needs training staff and students alike in supporting the transition from earlier supports to a Positive and safe learning environment local champions like the Children's Treatment Center in Chatham do great work in helping children with special needs Integrate successfully into our schools and communities. Thank you Number four Brampton Center Brampton Brampton North Thank You mr. Speaker mr. Speaker. It is an honor to rise in this house Pardon me in celebration of sick heritage month Six have been in Canada for over 100 years and they have made valuable contributions to Canadian society Their contributions enrich our community and make it a better place to live and thrive We just celebrated Black History Month in February and now we are celebrating sick heritage month This is very important mr. Speaker in the world of growing divisiveness Hatred and racism it is more important than ever to take the opportunity to learn about others in our society and be more accepting The sick community was recently belittled and labeled by the federal government with growing intolerance Such actions create conditions of racism and hatred and place a target on the community's back That is why sick heritage month is such an important platform for the sick community in Ontario Because it allows a platform to educate others about what six are and what their values and beliefs are I Want to congratulate the sick heritage month foundation who in partnership with the city of Brampton have put forward a Calendar of wonderful events in Brampton I commend the work that is the foundation that they're doing and I personally look forward to attending great community Based events celebrating sick heritage month for the rest of April I want to wish everyone a happy sick heritage month and a happy Vesaki Vagro G cut calsa Vagro G Kofate Thank you very much Member statements the member for Brantford brand. Thank you mr. Speaker It's always an honor to rise in this house and today I want to talk about some amazing athletes from my riding of Brantford brand Neil McDonald Kerry Lane and Jacob Potts just recently participated in the 2019 Special Olympics world games in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates this past March this year's games had an estimated 7,000 athletes from 170 countries and 20,000 volunteers competing in 24 sports in the sport of Bacchi Neil McDonald won two silver medals Kerry Lane won a silver and a bronze and as a team they won fourth in the world and that is just amazing mr. Speaker in Track and field Jacob Potts won fourth in the four by 100 relay Sixth and 200 meter run in seventh place in long jump won an achievement Prior to competing athletes were taken to Dubai where they did a variety of activities including seeing the Grand Mosque And after the games were over they did more unique things like driving over dunes witnessing native entertainment and camel riding These athletes truly are remarkable and I want them to know that brand for brand is proud of them for their dedication Commitment and passion congratulations Neil Kerry and Jacob you give me my juice. Thank you Member statements the member for Mississauga Moulton, Mr. Speaker Miss speaker this past weekend. I also had the opportunity to celebrate the sake With a key on the day of a sake in 1699 10th say guru Shiri Guru Gobind Singh Cheek created and initiated the Kalsa Kalsa a warrior with a duty to protect the innocent from any form of religious persecution Sakes all around the globe come together to commemorate and reflect on this significant historical event Mr. Speaker was a key is a day of celebration beginning of harvest period Families gathered at their local temples with flowers and offering to thank God for this year's plentiful crop and to pray for future prosperity It is also believed that goddess Ganga Descended to this planet and devotees take the ritual debt in holy waters of Ganga Not only this miss speaker this festival is also celebrated among Tamil community as puttendu By the Nepalese community as Nepalese New Year and by the Buddhist community as Visakha or Buddha Burima to commemorate the birth enlightenment and death of Gothenburg Irrespective of religious belief it is an occasion for celebrating the community's growth and for remembrance A set of shared value and united memories in both its cultural and religious context Visaki is essentially about community progress and celebration miss speaker I believe festivals are stress leavers and help us balance our emotions more positive Positivity naturally lowers negativity and brings us together on this auspicious week I like to urge everyone let's celebrate each other Celebrations and festivals together. Let's build a better world full of happiness and joy. Thank you, mr. Speaker Thank you that concludes our member statements for this afternoon reports by committees