 It is now time for all questions. I recognize the member for Tomiskeming-Pakr. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. There is a memorandum of agreement between the Ontario government and the Ontario power generation, and basically the government appoints the directors, and then the directors who were appointed by the government run the company. So they do the hiring, the firing, the managing. Does the Premier agree with that memorandum of agreement? Premier. For you, Mr. Speaker, the Ontario generation is responsible for their own hiring. But let me tell you what we did with the Energy Act. We canceled the Green Energy Act. We saved 7,500 jobs at Pickering that the Leader of the Opposition wanted to cancel. We saved $790 million in contracts. We got rid of Hogger One board and the CEO. They're gone, they're done. And home heating costs are actually going down. Energy costs are going down. That's what we did for the energy file. That's what we're going to continue to do. Order. Order. Start the clock. Supplementary. Thank you once again to the Premier. I think I heard that he said that the board is responsible for the hiring. Because I was surprised that according to media reports, Ali Khan Velshi was fired from his executive position at OPG after a single day on the job thanks to a call from the Premier's office. Yesterday when a terror power generation was asked for comment, they refused to give any details about Mr. Velshi's severance package. But some are already suggesting that it could be as high as $500,000. Half a million dollars. Can the Premier tell us how much of the public's money will Mr. Velshi be taking home for his 24 hours on the job? Again, through you, Mr. Speaker, the OPG is responsible for doing their own hiring. Again, I'm going to repeat. The opposition wanted to fire 7,500 people out of Pickering. They wanted to get rid of 7,500 people that were relying on good paying jobs to pay their mortgage, to put food on their table. You didn't worry about the 7,500 people in Pickering. We cared about the 7,500 people in Pickering. That's why they're still employed there. Start the clock. Final supplementary. Once again to the Premier. Once again it looks like the people of this province are going to be stuck with the bill for one of Premier Ford's decisions. And paying the price for settling his political score. The Tory Insider is getting paid half a million dollars for one day's work. People have a right to some answers. And the question that needs to be answered is did the Premier direct or request that Mr. Velshi be fired? And if he did, how much will his severance cost the people of Ontario? Premier, Minister of Energy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our generation is responsible for their own staffing decisions. OPG is a Crown Corporation that is responsible for their own staffing decisions. All staffing decisions at OPG are made by OPG. Thank you. Next question. The member for Brampton Centre. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. And this question is about the Premier's standards for Cabinet and his senior staff and how he communicates those standards. Over the last week we've seen the Premier say Minister was leaving for one reason, only to learn later on that that wasn't the reason at all. And now senior staff are being dismissed in the middle of the night and we've just learned that they're hiring their own legal counsel for representation. Can the Premier tell us who on his senior team has been let go this past week and what were the reasons for their dismissal? Premier? Through you, Mr. Speaker, I think I answered this yesterday. When it comes to staffing, we don't comment about our internal staffing. That is up to the PC party and that's the way it's going to be. Leadership is about setting a standard and communicating that very clearly. If the Premier has any standards at all, it's not clear what they are because he's not telling anyone. The Premier says he has 10,000% confidence in his new Minister of Tourism even though he felt the need to move him just after days after the revelations about his role in a Ponzi scheme that built 800 families out of their life savings. Was the Premier aware of this when you welcomed your new Minister into the cabinet? Through you, Mr. Speaker, you want to talk leadership at least the leader is here from the PC party. Not running away from it. Who know better that it's totally inappropriate to make reference to the absence of another member in this House and we all know that from time to time individual members will have to be away for good reasons and that's why it's totally inappropriate and I'm going to ask the Premier to withdraw. Withdraw. Where? The Premier can respond. Through you, Mr. Speaker, you're going after our team personally day in and day out. I'll tell you about our team. Our team is a strong team for the people. Our team is there representing the people and the taxpayers of this province. We're there for the people. We're there to reduce taxes, reduce hydro rates, making sure that people have a voice, empowering the people of this province instead of empowering the government. The opposition, they want to just raise taxes, lay off 7,500 people outpickering. They want to make sure that it's unaffordable to live in Ontario. We want to make sure it's affordable to live in Ontario. Create good paying jobs. That's what our party... Final supplementary. Speaker, people send us here in the hopes of seeing an open government that they can trust, a government that will be transparent with the actions that it has taken. Instead, the Premier is announcing cabinet changes in the dead of night and swearing in a cabinet behind closed locked doors. Earlier this week, media reported that the former Minister of Transportation was related to the head of the lobby group seeking to influence that very same ministry. Was the Premier aware of this when he appointed that minister to his position? Well, through you, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Jakobuski was appointed Minister of Transportation. He took immediate steps to declare a conflict with the integrity commissioner. So he is clean, OK? You don't have to worry about someone with integrity like Mr. Jakobuski. He's one of the most credible ministers that are down here right now. He has integrity. He has honesty. He has accountability. That's what our team is made of. Next question, the member for Essex. Thank you very much, Speaker. This is a question for the Premier and to the Premier about ensuring confidence in the transparency of police investigations. Speaker, Ontario provincial police are investigating the governing party and that should raise serious concerns. There's an ongoing police investigation into a data breach at the 407, which forced the resignation of a PC candidate. And another ongoing investigation into potential fraud in the nomination in Hamilton West. Speaker, what steps are the Premier taking to ensure that the public, the provincial police are able to conduct these investigations into the governing party in an impartial manner? Mr. Community Safety and Correctional Services. Mr. Community Safety and Correctional Services. You know, as a legislator, as a long-serving member of this parliament, I would have hoped that a member of the NDP would understand and appreciate that we cannot and will not comment on ongoing police investigations. Speaker, people need assurances that investigations are conducted without any interference from the government. It's a serious matter of public policy. In the ongoing investigation into the Hamilton West PC nomination, Court affidavits indicate that police are unwilling to release more information because it could bias people against the four government. And that numerous witnesses are uncooperative and try to control interviews with police. To ensure that there is independence and transparency at every stage of this investigation, previous governments have appointed special prosecutors from outside of the province. Will the Premier do that today? Mr. Community Safety and Correctional Services. In lightest of respect, the member office is making my argument. We cannot interfere with these investigations and lay charges when appropriate. It is for us to stay out of them. Next question, the member for Willowdale. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job, Creation and Trade. A week ago Saturday, the Minister's parliamentary assistant and I met with a dozen small business owners in my riding to discuss the challenges they face every day in building their businesses, our economy, and creating meaningful employment for the people of Willowdale. These hard-working entrepreneurs from a variety of sectors applauded the work this government is doing to make Ontario open for business and are extremely anxiously waiting for the steps being proposed in Bill 47 that will stop punishing small business owners for the important work that they do. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide an update to this House on those measures and on our government's larger strategy for making Ontario open for business? Mr. Economic Development, Job, Creation and Trade. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker, and a great question from the member from Willowdale. It's very helpful to have two great parliamentary assistants and Donna Skelly and Michael Parsley have been doing outstanding work across the province hearing firsthand from business owners and operators right across Ontario. Good news, Speaker. Yesterday, Bill 47 passed second reading. It's headed to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs here at Queen's Park. I just want to remind everyone that the deadline to request to present at the committee is noon today. Speaker, Bill 47 is a key piece of our government's plan to reverse 15 years, 15 years of liberal policy that attacked small business. And I'd like to read one of the many quotes that say we're on the right track with this bill. We're very supportive that the Ford Administration is listening to Ontario's hospitality industry as we were considered among all other sectors in a one-size-fits-all approach to all labour reforms. Tony Alenas, CEO, Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association. Let me start the clock. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through you, I'd like to thank the minister on behalf of the small business owners in my community for this very, very important work. One of the entrepreneurs I spoke with runs a restaurant in Willildale with very humble beginnings and with some hard work, he had some success and planned on opening a second location, creating new jobs and opportunities. But he put those plans on pause because he could not justify the cost and the risk with his wage expenses and they were to jump 32% in 18 months under the Liberals Bill 148. Increased red tape and out-of-date apprenticeship ratios are not just a barrier to business, Mr. Speaker. They're a hidden tax on employment. Can the minister expand on how the measures of Bill 47 will help business owners like those in my riding to expand, be successful and create more meaningful employment? Minister. Well, thanks again to the member from Willildale for another great question. Think of Bill 47 as one stop on the train to success on this particular rail line here in Ontario. We've got a long way to go to make this province the best place to open a business and expand a business and have a job in the whole country. Here's another quote. The repeal of Bill 148 is a major step toward reducing costs and restoring business competitiveness for Ontario manufacturers. We applaud the government's action to eliminate these barriers to doing business in the province. That's from Dennis Derby from the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association. Mr. Speaker, we've got a great team and we're on the right track over here with this PC government speaker. The Tories like to work day and night to make sure that we are open for business. We've unlocked the door. We're turning our heads. We're flipping over the open side. Start the clock. Next question, the member for Brampton Center. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. The Premier refused to answer a simple question, one that the public has a right to know. So I'll ask it again today, hoping for a straight answer this time. Will the Premier disclose what private company is running our cannabis warehouse operations and how were they able to land such a lucrative contract? Premier. Minister of Finance. Thank you very much. Well, the Ontario Cannabis Store has a number of contracts and agreements with different businesses and entities to provide recreational cannabis to its customers. So let's just run through this speaker once and for all. The Ontario Cannabis Store has signed supply agreements with 32 federally licensed producers who provide the Ontario Cannabis Store warehouse with its product. So there are several of these 32 out there that are well known names. Shopify was awarded a contract under the previous government to power the infrastructure of the OCS website where customers order their products. Orders are fulfilled at the Ontario Cannabis Store warehouse in a competitively tendered and negotiated contract under the previous government. Canada Post then delivers the orders. Those are the people who are involved in the Ontario Cannabis supply. Supplementary. But we still haven't heard who is running the actual warehouse. We've heard about all the others but perhaps we can get an answer this time with at least a thousand complaints to the Ontario Ombudsman in just a few weeks with problems with the OCS's deliveries, issues with the website, mislabeled products, botched shipping and packaging. Ontarians want answers. But we are not getting straight answers from this premier. Instead he's just blowing smoke. Now to make matters worse the government is unwilling to disclose who exactly is running our cannabis warehouses. Why won't the premier tell us who's running those warehouses and how they landed those contracts? Minister, can I ask? Again, I'll repeat myself that the Ontario Cannabis warehouse was competitively tendered and negotiated under the previous government. Many of us on the government side came here in the same way. We serve the people today provincially. Many of us serve the people locally and many of us were in business for ourselves beforehand. We understand how business works. Now I can appreciate very much that the NDP don't quite understand how business works. But as the security of the OCS warehouse is a top priority we will not be sharing further information on the day to day operation. That's how business works. Let's start the clock. Next question is to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. This past week during Remembrance Day millions of Canadians participated in Remembrance Day ceremonies across the country to pay their respect and recognize the many service members for their sacrifices, continued service and for putting their lives on the line every day to defend our freedom and values. I want to thank all the veterans and military personnel for their outstanding courage and tremendous sacrifices to our country. Many made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe and we as Canadians will be forever grateful to them and their families. Minister can you inform the House of the changes that our government is making as their way of giving back to the men and women who have served and those who continue to serve our country. Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Thank you Speaker. I would like to thank the members for the question and I would also like to extend my thanks to all our service members, active and veterans for their bravery and sacrifice to defend our freedom and our values in this great country and province. Last week I had the honour to announce that work was underway to amend fishing regulations so veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces members can enjoy free recreational by early 2019. As all members in this House know recreational fishing is an important part of the lives of many Ontarians. Fishing is a memorable way to experience the outdoors, relax, distress and get involved in their local community. We are blessed to live in a province that has a great diversity of freshwater fish and is recognized worldwide for its recreational fishing by allowing veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces to fish for free Ontario is making life a little easier for those who gave and continue to give so honourably with their service. Supplementary. It's nice to know that our veterans will be hooked on fishing. Thank you for that response and it's great to hear that our government for the people is giving back to veterans and the Canadian Armed Forces and their families by giving free recreational fishing licenses. But in addition to this great announcement, our government also announced during Remembrance Day week that the Royal Canadian Legion branches in the province will be exempt from paying property tax. The consultations will start on a new hotline for military families moving to Ontario making it easier to find information on health care, schools, job opportunities, childcare, licensing for drivers and vehicles and other programs and services as well as the government has also announced plans to build a memorial that honours the heroes of the war in Afghanistan right here on the legislative ground. Can the minister provide more details on the 40,000 veterans and 25,000 active service members and the Canadian Armed Forces who will be able to fish for free in early 2019. Thank you. And to the member for his question in early 2019, all veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces members of Ontario will no longer need to purchase a fishing license in this province. Valid military and veteran identification will be legally recognised as a fishing license and for those who have already purchased their three year permits they will be refunded on a pro-rated basis starting on the effective date of this change. More information will be available once this change becomes effective in early 2019. We are excited to be able to give back to the 40,000 veterans and 25,000 active service members in the Canadian Armed Forces that live here in Ontario. Your government for the people is giving back to those who have given so much to our country and province. This announcement is a small but tangible step to show our veterans and members of the Armed Forces that we celebrate their courage and are grateful for their service. Thank you. Next question, the member for Kiwetanong. Thank you. In May, a new tripartite this question is to the Premier. In May, a new tripartite agreement for improved police services was signed between Ontario, Canada and the Snabasci Nation. This legally binding agreement marked a new era in policing in the far north where after decades of chronic underfunding the Snabasci Nation communities would finally benefit from a level of service, police services available to all other citizens in Ontario. However, in a letter to the Premier the Snabasci Nation services and the NAN leadership sought confirmation within seven days that this agreement would continue to be honored. Exciting, a significant breach in payments of over four million dollars. That response is due today Mr. Speaker, a letter noted with the adequate funding that the government would be putting children, families, communities in the far north at risk again. That's the Premier. Not believe First Nations and Northern Ontario communities deserve police services that meet the same policing standards as those in the rest of Ontario. Premier. Community safety and correctional services. Thank you so much for the question. As I hope you can appreciate I just came to this file and there was a letter sent on November 3rd with a very short seven day timeframe. I am actively engaged in making sure that the excellent work that is happening with our First Nations policing continues but I do respectfully ask that you give me the time to assess and review those files thoroughly. Thank you. Supplementary. Thank you. Again, a question to the Premier. The Nishnabewski police service patrol an area the size of France often without backup or proper basic equipment such as working radios. If this government is serious about honoring treaty and legal obligations it would not withhold payments that are essential for the very existence of Nishnabewski police services and the safety of the people in my riding and also the far north. When will the Premier be providing a promised funding to Nishnabewski police services as per agreement the government of Ontario signed? Minister. Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Thank you Mr. Speaker and I appreciate the honourable members question. Of course we celebrate the great police work that they do up in the far north. I've been involved with those police officers as a frontline worker working in nursing stations. I've been involved in supporting those resources in the past and previous capacities in the other place and we're very excited about the work they do. The level of community engagement that they have the assets that they have to not just enforce the law but to engage the community on their own terms. Mr. Speaker, just a couple of weeks ago we made a great announcement that we're going to be having a world-class PSRN network of communications that will fit all frontline workers. Police, ambulance and fire Mr. Speaker, that member should be very pleased with that if he even knows what it's about. Start the clock. Next question, the member for Orléans. Thank you Mr. Speaker my question is for the Premier. Last night the Globe and Mail reported that Mr. Ford, top staffer, interviewed to have a Patrick Brown Tory fired from his position as Vice President of Ontario Power Generation. Speaker, to everyone here I can tell you this really looks sketchy. Speaker, not one not two, but three PC sources told the media that they would cost Ontario taxpayers $500,000. Through you Speaker will the Premier tell the House if he thinks it's appropriate to use meddling in internal staffing matters instead of funding like affordable housing, education seniors, healthcare transportation and infrastructure. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Premier, Minister of Energy Minister of Energy I just love it when the independent members once the Liberal Government list off all of the different files that they fundamentally failed Ontarians Act. It's a bit rich but with respect to the question OPG is responsible for their own staffing decisions. OPG is a Crown Corporation and they make their own staffing decisions. All staffing decisions are made by the OPG. Thank you. Supplementary So Mr. Speaker again, for the Premier you know for a government that says that you care so much about respecting taxpayers. This just doesn't seems right. I mean combined with the $3 billion cancellation of cap and trade and the fated lawsuits against the feds costing the province $30 million this seems more like a government for the lawyers, the insiders and for the Premier himself. So can the Premier tell us how much more of Ontario's money is going to waste fighting all battles as they prepare for his federal leadership campaign? Minister? Well, there it is Mr. Speaker. We finally heard it from the independent Liberal Party. A waste of taxpayers' money is when a government actually tries to put it back in their pocket. Their philosophy is it's a waste when they can't actually waste it. They can't just go out the door to projects that people didn't want and communities didn't need. They stripped municipalities of their powers decision making. And threw up the kinds of projects that have cost the kinds of families and businesses who are having difficulty paying those monthly bills a lot of money. We're out to reduce hydro tax rates. We're out to reduce tax rates. We're opening Ontario and we're going to be able to turn the light on Mr. Speaker to a brighter future. Next question, the member for Glen Gary, Prescott Russell. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister. Conditions from severe rainfall shortages. This drought has reduced their pasture yields that are vital for their livestock. Farmers have suffered management decisions following the drought including selling a portion of their livestock in some cases due to not having enough feed for them in the winter months. Farmers already experienced enough red tape and regulatory burden hurdles under the previous government and are counting on this government to help them when they need it the most. Can the minister please let us know what he is doing to help livestock farmers as a result of this drought? I thank the member from Glen Gary, Prescott Russell for the question. I've written to the Federal Minister of Agriculture and AgriFood to ask that he designate areas severely impacted by the dry weather as eligible for the livestock tax deferral program. The ability to use this program was a request from the beef farmers of Ontario and I want to commend them for standing up for their members and working towards finding a solution for those impacted. Our government would allow cattle producers who have to sell at least 15% of their breeding herd to defer a portion of the sale proceeds to the following year when they have to replenish their herd. Our government is committed to standing up for our farmers and putting money back in their pockets so they can continue to produce the best quality food in the world and keep Ontario open for business. Supplementary? Thank you to the minister for his answer and his action on this important issue that has impacted many areas across the province. Our government is committed to making life more affordable for our farmers and this includes putting more money in their pockets through temporary assistance programs like the Federal livestock tax deferral program. Certain areas across the province including parts of eastern Ontario near my riding have been affected by these droughts proportionately higher than other areas. Are most impacted by these droughts and what type of assistance can they expect from this program? Minister? Thank you again Mr. Speaker and I thank the member for her supplementary question and her leadership on this issue. The Federal livestock tax deferral program will greatly help farmers across the province who have sold a portion of their livestock due to experience in a reduction in their forage yields of at least 50% of their long term average. Some of these areas with the highest forage reduction are in Manitoulin, Great County and Leeds Grandville. I recognize the challenges and tough decisions that farmers in these areas have had to make and I want to reassure them that our government is committed to making life more affordable for our farmers. The request I sent to the Federal Government about this program will activate a process that examines which areas of the province are committed to. We will now hear from the Federal Minister to work with the Federal Government to provide our hard-working farmers with timely and effective solutions. Thank you very much. Thank you. My question is for the Minister of Agriculture. It's been a tough year for farmers that they have experienced drought, grain farmers experienced a really tough spring. They are experiencing a really tough fall to get the crops off and they are experiencing record yields which should be great. But once the crops started coming off they have been impacted by something called mycotoxin. So the corn, what you thought when you are having a record yield and you can sell at a very low price but it has a record yield compensate all of a sudden part or majority or all of your corn crop is unsaleable. It should be covered by production insurance but this is an emergency for farmers. If you have a crop you thought you could sell it and now you can't they need help now. My question is to the Minister how is he expediting that process? Minister. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker and I thank the member for the question and I'm aware that this year's pre-harvest grain corn survey revealed higher volmatoxin concentrations than previous years. This year's results will likely largely do to the wet and human growing weather as he would know. I understand that these findings are concerning to some farmers and as they are taking their crop off they can be very disruptive and these volmatoxins are very hazardous in some areas to the livestock feed. I spoke with the grain farmers of Ontario immediately following the issue and went to work with them to find solutions to the program. Ministry staff are monitoring this issue and working with grain farmers of Ontario the Ontario agribusiness association and the livestock sector to notify farmers about the findings as well as what can be done steps can be taken to reduce the risk to their operation and we look forward to continue that work as we go forward. Thank you very much. Supplementary. Thank you once again to the Minister and to everyone else for this issue. If you have part of your crop was infected with volmatoxin you can't store it with the rest of your crop so you have a storing facility or you take it to the elevator and they don't want it. So what do you do with it? And unless you know you're going to get compensated what do you do with it? This isn't something that we can take a lot of time to study because for certain farmers they might not have much but if the majority of your crop could be the end of your farm and this isn't something that they can control. So again I urge the Minister to act as quickly as possible to make sure that the farmers who have put everything in actually are somehow compensated under their production insurance so that they're still there to farm the next year. Thank you Speaker. Minister. Thank you very much again for the member for the question. I want to say we are working with the farmers recognizing that all the things that the member put forward in this question are in fact happening on the ground as we speak. We have farmers taking their crop off and we have been advised by the Ministry to make sure that they harvest the most acceptable crop in the marketplace first to make sure that the problem doesn't get worse as we collectively work to find a solution as to what we're going to do with that which cannot be used. Now some of it can be used but we have less thermotoxin on it and if you mix it properly it can be used in certain cases. In ethanol they can use it but we have to worry about the affluent that comes off of the process they can't use that for livestock feed so there's a lot of questions. That's why this coming Thursday we're having a meeting with all the players involved including AgriCorps as how the insurance is dealt with. We're going to meet with all the people to come up with solutions to deal with the possible. I want everybody to understand we have a lot of good corn coming off the fields in Ontario. We have to make sure we deal with that then we have to make sure what we do with the product that we can't use for its originally intended purpose and thank you very much again for the question. Next question, the member from Mrs. Aga Streetsfield. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Mr. Speaker, is committed to making the right decisions that create economic prosperity for all the people in Ontario. This is a promise that our government for the people takes very seriously and it includes creating the conditions for prosperity in Ontario's Indigenous communities. Together we can create mutually beneficial partnerships with community leaders that deliver economic prosperity to Indigenous peoples across Ontario. While we are developing these partnerships we must always respect the treaty rights of Indigenous communities. Can the Minister of Indigenous Affairs tell the members of this House how an important week that highlights the significance of our treaties in this province. Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Thank you Mr. Speaker and I want to thank the member for Mrs. Aga Streetsfield for the question. Last week from November 4th to 10th the province of Ontario celebrated treaties in Ontario during Treaty Recognition Week. I want to do a special shout out my very capable parliamentary assistant who is over at the University of Nipissing and Cannondorf College as I was at Beaver Bray Secondary School we put a particular emphasis on having these celebrations in our schools. It's a chance to gain a better understanding of the importance of the treaties to the history of Ontario we have more than 46 historical treaties Mr. Speaker and last week was a great sharing opportunity. I've had the unique opportunity of living in Canora for a great deal of my life where we're covered by Treaty 3 most of the riding and we had a chance to again celebrate the history of these treaties and we look forward to a renewed relationship with Indigenous communities and their treaties moving forward. Thank you. Back to the Minister. Ontarians can be confident that this government is working hard to ensure that we create economic prosperity right across Ontario. The members of this house are well aware of the important investments our government has continued to make to support the goal. Mr. Speaker many of the members know how much beauty Northern Ontario has to offer. It's important that our government for the people continues to make investments that will help Northern communities become even more vibrant destinations for tourists. Can the Minister please tell the members of this house about how our government is supporting tourism in the North? Thank you for that question and there's no doubt Mr. Speaker that it's high time that we're able to celebrate the rich history and contributions of treaties and the Indigenous communities and the opportunities and level of interest frankly that people have when they come and visit our vast region of Northern Ontario and in particular Northwestern Ontario and speaking of course of the numerous powwows Eagle Lake First Nations for example known around the world it's a great place to come in the middle of summer and celebrate Indigenous culture but I just want to finish this answer by celebrating something that happened in Canora Rainy River during that week. I had a chance to take part in a conversation with Mr. Gump to order. Go Broncos. I want to thank Principal Benoit, Elder Burt Landon for leading our opening prayer. Robert Green gave a compelling story of the history of Treaty 3 and how it shaped Northwestern Ontario. We're very proud of our heritage Mr. Speaker. A common understanding is important for us all moving together and I appreciate the respect and candor that I've drawn. Thank you. Order start the clock. Next question to come see. Thank you my question is to the Minister of Health Good Morning Minister. Speaker four people died from a drug overdose in Windsor within a 24 hour period last weekend. Four some say as many as 30 other users overdosed but their lives were saved. Fentanyl is one of the suspected causes. Speaker the government has put an arbitrary cap on the number of overdose prevention sites that are allowed to operate in the province pitting community against community while the opioid crisis continues to claim lives. With four fatal overdoses in just one day and 30 more close calls how can the Minister justify an arbitrary cap on overdose prevention sites that will leave Windsor without this important life-saving resource. Minister of health and long-term care well I do thank the member very much for the question this is a tragic situation I understand that it is being investigated at several levels that the they're particularly concerned because the four deaths did not happen together which sometimes happens they happen separately. I do understand that the coroner's office is investigating as is my office we want to understand exactly what happened here to make sure that we put procedures in place to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Supplementary. Speaker with an escalating opioid crisis we need more sanction overdose prevention sites not fewer. The new application guidelines the Ministry has put forward will make it next to impossible for some overdose prevention sites to continue and the arbitrary cap and next to impossible for new sites to open. In Windsor we need a sanction site where people can test their street drugs for fentanyl and other toxic chemicals to avoid more horrific fatalities we need to fill the gaps in harm reduction based treatment we need more outreach workers and we need more mental health and addiction supports and speaker most of all we need a government to recognize these needs and to take action on all fronts. Will the Minister commit today to answer our needs in Windsor and to do more to address the opioid crisis in every corner of our province? Minister I'm certainly sure that the member that we do take the opioid situation very seriously in Ontario and in all parts of Ontario and in actual fact as we announced several weeks ago it is possible that we have an organization to apply to become a consumption and treatment service operation site that is open to organizations in Windsor as it is open to other organizations across the province but it's also really important to remember that while we do have the consumption and treatment service sites available we also need to make sure that we have appropriate mental health and addiction treatment across the province that is what we are working on now for the people of Ontario that is why we have committed to spending $3.8 billion over the next 10 years to expand our services to make sure that we have the data to help provide housing to make sure that we can provide the treatment services that people need the consumption and treatment service sites are important of course but they are only one part of the bigger picture that we are working on Thank you Order Order Order Start the clock Next question the member for Cambridge The Minister of Education Yesterday the Minister and the Parliamentary Assistant stood in the house to debate the Safe and Supportive Classrooms Act This bill is designed to put students, families and educators first by making our schools safer and more supportive environments for everyone Speaker part of this bill focuses on ensuring more consistency and transparency for families who request permission for service animals in the classroom and initiative championed by my seatmate the fantastic member of Kitchener's School boards have service animal policies in place meaning half the school boards families are left unsupported without answers and sometimes forced to move to another school board district Minister what will this government do to provide consistency across the province when it comes to student access for service animals Thank you very much Mr. Speaker First of all I would like to thank the member from Cambridge for this very timely question and I too appreciate the fact that I have a team that's working very very hard at the Ministry of Education to make sure that students who require special supports have every opportunity to have success in the classroom and also with the member of Cambridge I add my appreciation to not only my amazing Parliamentary Assistant from the member from West but also to the member from Kitchener's South Hessler's family they have been tirelessly advocating for the proper approach to addressing the needs for support dogs that said it is because we know some students in this province rely on the assistance of service animals in their school environment this includes students with special education needs such as students with autism spectrum disorders and mental health disorder needs but we know unfortunately school boards don't have a consistent approach and what this bill, bill 48 will do is make sure all school boards will be directed to have clear and fair policies regarding service animals. Thank you very much Supplementary Minister for that response, thank you especially to your team for all the hard work you are doing for such a fulsome consultation My constituents have been participating in consultations with the CTA what I'm hearing as a member and as a mother is that our classrooms are safe and welcoming learning environments Through you Mr. Speaker to the Minister will you commit today to continue listening to parents, educators and students in my writing of Cambridge and in our great province of Ontario The member from Cambridge absolutely yes we are going to continue to listening and we have been listening and that is why it's so nice to be bringing forward a piece of legislation that demonstrates that parents in Ontario matter to the PC government and you know all matters of the public will have an opportunity to also provide input on the policy directive that will be issued to the boards that includes families, education partners advocacy groups and community agencies. It will help us form the best possible guidelines for school boards to develop policies that work for families for students with special needs and parents deserve and I can't stress this enough after 15 years of absolute mismanagement in this sector parents deserve a clear and transparent process for requesting service animals no matter where they live. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next question to member for University of Rosedale. Thank you Speaker. My question is to the Premier. The Hero Ontario LRT is a transit project that has a lot of community support. During the election the Premier promised to build it with Ministry of Transportation staff they refused to say whether this government is moving ahead with the Hero Ontario LRT. People are fed up with being stuck in traffic for hours or crammed like sardines in sweaty overcrowded subways, buses and streetcars. Since I can't get a straight answer from the Ministry staff Speaker, I'll ask the Premier directly. Is this government going to build the Hero Ontario LRT and provide transit relief to the residents? Premier? Minister of Municipal Affairs Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Thanks very much Speaker and I want to thank the honourable member for the question. As has been said in this House many times our Premier and our government's commitment to transit is second to none. We're going to continue to work with our partners. I appreciate the input that the honourable member has put on the floor today and I look forward to engaging her and the Minister further on this matter. Supplementary. Back to the Premier. Residents across the GTA are feeling the pain of transit construction that is required to expand an electrified go service. From Davenport to the St Lawrence Market Area to the beaches, residents are grappling with round the clock noise, dust and increased pollution. Their one consolation in the face of this disruption is the provincial promise to electrify go which will reduce air pollution and noise once the trains are running. But when we met with Ministry of Transportation staff they would not confirm whether the electrification of go is going ahead. Ontarians deserve the electrification that was promised. Is this government cancelling the electrification of go service? My question is to the Premier. Minister of Municipal Affairs Well again as Speaker I want to thank the honourable member for the question as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. I know I speak on behalf of my colleague the Minister of Transportation. This is a very important item for us but Speaker we look forward to dealing with that new streamlined council when they get sworn in in December because we want to work with them we want to work with the people of Toronto and their new council and our agencies to make sure that we build transit that we build housing in this community. So I look forward to continuing that conversation with this member and the agencies and council order further. Next question the member for Miss Saudis Cookstall. Thank you Mr Speaker my question is for the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. I know our government for the people is committed to supporting Northern Ontario's agriculture system. Investing in the agriculture sector sends a clear message that Northern Ontario is open for business. This is especially important in the agriculture sector because of increasing need for locally grown and produced food. I'm proud that our government for the people through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation is supporting agriculture projects. We are taking real action to support strong and vibrant communities across Northern Ontario. Can the Minister please tell us about recent investments that are helping Northern Ontario's agriculture sector. Thank you. Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. Thank you Mr Speaker I appreciate the member's question from Mississaug East Cooksville. In fact I like the way Mississaug is trending this morning Mr Speaker in appreciation for indigenous culture tourism in Northern Ontario and now this burgeoning agriculture sector that we have across Northern Ontario in Northwestern Ontario. They know that farmers feed cities Mr Speaker and I spend a great deal of time in the southern portion of the great North Rainy River. We have an awesome agriculture sector. I was happy to announce that our government for the people is investing in four agriculture projects. Four applicants included Dalton Martin, Alan Jolikour, Carnell Farms and AG's Produce. We're going to be farming equipment Mr Speaker. Building grain storage capacity and increasing greenhouse capacity Mr Speaker. Clover Belt, Country Meats later on in the week in Dryden building a great abattoir to support the processing of meat Mr Speaker we're very excited about agriculture in Northwestern Ontario and being open for business. Start the clock. Supplementary. Thank you Mr Speaker and thank you to the minister for that great answer and yes we do respect our farmers there is no doubt that our government is doing everything it can to ensure that we create economic prosperity right across Ontario. The members of this house are well aware of the important investments our government has continued to make to support this goal. Mr Speaker, many of the members know how much beauty Northern Ontario has to offer. It's important that our government for the people continues to make investments that will help Northern communities become even more vibrant destinations for tourists. Can the minister outline our government's plan to grow our tourism sector and create better jobs in Northern Ontario. Minister, thank you Mr Speaker I'll talk about a particular investment in a very special town and make a shout out for the media which I'm not reputed to do. I did a great announcement in last week and Dennis Smith who ran the Ignis Driftwood for several decades passed away with cancer last week. He was an honourable man with integrity. He kept the Ignis Driftwood alive and well informing those constituents of important events that were going on in his town and across the region and I appreciate him very much. But Mr Speaker I was in Ignis to celebrate a business development plan. A master plan to help a town historically hard hit with economic hardship over the course of time. Way out there on the eastern side of my riding but they're fighting back. Resolute forest products has put a mill not too far away. They've got some other activities they're focusing on. A beautiful golf course and some opportunities for kids to do things in their communities. We're investing in those small towns. Ignis wants to stand with Northwestern Ontario and the province of Ontario and be open. Next question, the member for Spadina or York. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development. This government is stripping away basic security for part time temporary workers and creating conditions that encourage employers to hire people on contract rather than creating full time permanent positions. Last week Professor Kimberly Ellis Hale came to Queen's Park. She has been teaching in Ontario's community colleges for 21 years as a part time temporary contract employee every three months. Over those 21 years she has had to reapply for her job. She says and I quote, despite having taught thousands of students in over 100 courses spanning two decades in front line experience, I am paid substantially less than a full time counterpart teaching for the very first time. Is this what a good job looks like in Doug Ford's Ontario? Once again I'll remind members that we refer to each other either by our name or our ministerial title if applicable. Response, Minister of Economic Development. Thanks very much Mr. Speaker. It's a pleasure to take this question from the member opposite. We were elected with a strong mandate as he would know and we all know on June 7th to make Ontario open for business. And that not that requires us to change the environment for business in the province that the liberals had created over the past 15 years. That was an environment that led to over 300,000 manufacturing jobs leaving this jurisdiction for other jurisdictions south of the border or other provinces within our country Mr. Speaker. So we've already started. We've already started to get Ontario back on track and make Ontario open for business by lowering the cost of electricity by eliminating the very costly cap and trade carbon tax and by taking on the very harmful bill 148 which was brought forward by the previous Liberal government. Speaker, we're doing everything we can. Restart the car. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, does open for business mean that you're going to do it on the backs of the staff and students at Ontario's colleges and universities? Does it mean that we're in a race to the bottom? One of the professors, Hamish Russell said of his students at Ontario's universities, they juggled multiple jobs, high rent, rising tuition and severe course loads. Bill 47 punishes them further by stripping them of paid sick days and allowing their employer to reschedule shifts without notice or with little notice. And I as an educator have seen firsthand how this jeopardizes studies and causes stress and anxiety. Can the minister explain how this is setting students up for success? Minister. Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the member opposite for the question. As the member knows, Bill 47 preserves equal pay protections based on gender and other human rights code characteristics. Our government strongly supports equal pay and strongly supports fairness and human rights. The so-called equal pay provisions in the previous bill 148 were impractical and burdensome for our job creators. Ontario's job creators know best how to recruit, retain and reward their employees. The Making Ontario Open for Business Act will give our job creators the ability to hire workers, invest back into their business and attract new businesses to come to Ontario and invest. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Start the clock. Next question, the member for King Vaughan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister of Conservation, Environment Conservation and Parks, while I see the minister has moved the right in this House, I see clarity from him if our opposition to Prime Minister Trudeau's job-cleaning carbon tax remains on the right side of history. Following the federal liberal announcement to circumvent the province in this province, Mr. Speaker, Conservatives say no. We say no to a carbon tax which disproportionately affects lower-income Canadians and increases the cost of everything. We say no to a carbon tax undermines our competitive advantage and our future prosperity. And we say no to a carbon tax that raises the prices of everything from groceries to gas to pumps. Speaker, while the NDP seems to defend the federal liberal increases on families, the liberals do not have an environment plan. They have a tax plan supported by the Democratic Party in this province. Minister, will you commit today to send a message to our Prime Minister that this government is going to fight this tax every step of the way? Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, through you to the member from King Vaughan, Mr. Speaker, this government was elected with a mandate, a mandate to make life more affordable for families. That's why we repealed the regressive job-cleaning, $20 in the pocket of every family, Mr. Speaker. That's $264 that they can use that the government can do without. Mr. Speaker, the federal carbon tax is going to add $648 to the price of a family's life. Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister talks about taxing polluters, he's talking about taxing computers. That's why, under the leadership of our Premier, we will use every tool that we have to fight this carbon tax, to protect unfertilized families, and to keep sure Ontario is open for business. The time that we have today for question period, Minister Finance has a point of order. Mr. Speaker, I rise in a point of order. After an answer, I made an unparliamentary comment that I would like to withdraw and I unreservedly apologize. Thank the Minister Finance for showing respect for the House and withdrawing his unparliamentary remark. Unprompted. Thank you. Member for St. Paul's. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise on a point of order this morning to call on the House to condemn the recent news of a hate-motivated crime against two Jewish youth in North Toronto. These youth were singled out for wearing a tire denoting their faith, and I call on all of us MPPs to denounce the specific act of anti-Semitism, similar discrimination and hate-based action against people solely because they are wearing articles of their faith. I encourage any witnesses in the Dall Park area of Toronto to come forward and help the investigation in their pursuit of the second suspect. It's up to all of us to ensure that no one in Ontario worries about hate-based crimes in their own neighbourhoods. The Toronto St. Paul's for that important comment. There being no deferred vote, this House stands in recess until three o'clock this afternoon.