 It is now time for oral questions, and I recognize the leader of the official opposition. Thank you, Speaker. My first question this morning is to the Premier. I want to start by asking the Premier about the impact of his health care cuts in one community. For patient safety, Ontario hospitals should be operating at no more than 85% capacity. That's the internationally recognized standard. Can the Premier tell us what level hospitals in Brampton are currently functioning at? Questions addressed to the Premier, Minister of Health, refer to the Minister of Health. Thank you. We do know that many hospitals across the province of Ontario are operating at over 100% capacity, but this is nothing new. This has been happening for a number of years. We were elected to change that. We were elected to end hallway health care, and we are doing that. There's no simple answer to it, I think, as all of you know. We know that we have thousands of people who are waiting for long-term care beds because of inaction by the previous government. We promised the people of Ontario that we would build 15,000 beds within five years. We are working on that. My colleague, the Minister of Long-Term Care, is working on that diligently. We know we also have people who are coming into hospitals with chronic mental health and addictions problems because there is nowhere else for them to go. We are creating community mental and health, mental addictions and health policies and procedures and facilities so that people can get the care they need before they get into a crisis. We know there are people with chronic disease management problems. We're working on those. I'll have more to say in the supplemental. Thank you. Supplementary question. Through freedom of information, we have learned that in fact Brampton Civic Hospital has spent the first half of 2019 over 100% capacity. But even more shockingly, Brampton's Peel Memorial Urgent Care Centre is operating at 587% volume compared to what it is funded for. I'll repeat that. 585% above what it is funded for. That means that for every patient that that Urgent Care Centre is funded to care for, nearly five other patients arrive looking for care. Does the Premier think this is acceptable, Speaker? Minister of Health? Thank you. We are certainly cognizant of those facts and it is not acceptable. We are working to change that. That's what we are elected to do. We are focused on that each and every day. We have raised the funding for hospitals. We know that there is more to do. We did provide $384 million more in funding to hospitals this year, a 2% increase. We've also funded another $68 million for small to medium-sized hospitals based on an inadequate funding formula, again brought in by the previous government. But we are changing our under pressure and we are working with the Ontario Hospital Association and with individual hospitals to change that. But this is not something that can happen overnight because this is something that's been growing for 15 years before we were elected. We are here to change that and we will do that. The final supplementary. Well, Speaker, this is not about small and medium hospitals, but I daresay it is about this government taking the same track as the Liberals took in underfunding our hospitals. Brampton's Urgent Care Centre was built to bring relief to the overcrowded Brampton Civic Hospital. But under this government, Brampton Civic Hospital has more patients in hallways. Freedom of Information documents show that there are more patients in hallways this year than last year. So why is hallway medicine in Brampton getting worse on this Premier's Watch? Minister of Health? Well, we certainly know that there are many areas in Ontario where there is increasing pressure because there are more and more people moving into the area. That is why we are taking a look at hospital infrastructure projects. We have $27 million that we are going to be investing. Sorry, $27 billion over the next 10 years to build hospital projects. But I'm sure the leader of the official opposition will know that we inherited a pretty dismal financial situation again from the previous government. We are working in areas where there's the most patient need. We're certainly aware there's a patient need in the Brampton area. We're working to address that, but this isn't something that can be turned around on a dime. This is going to take several years in order to be able to deal with this completely. But we are aware of these pressures. We do want to make sure that people are going to be able to receive the care that they need in their own communities, and that is making sure that we have hospital funding, that we have long-term care beds, that we have community mental health and addictions programs. We are working in all of those factions. We will bring down hospital hallway healthcare. Thank you very much. The next question, once again, the leader of the opposition. Thank you, Speaker. My next question is also for the Premier. The Liberals left patients in hallways, and this government is keeping them there, Speaker. That's the problem. And it's not just Brampton that seeing things go from bad to worse. Two weeks ago, I met with frontline healthcare workers in London who were being laid off as the hospital yet again was cutting beds to meet the budget crunch because they're not getting enough funding from the Conservative government like they didn't get enough funding from the Liberal government. The Premier knew that hospitals were underfunded by the Liberals for years. This Minister of Health has repeated that already with my first three questions this morning, or the three parts of my first question. Why has this Premier continued to underfund the hospitals in this province taking things from bad to worse here in Ontario? Any questions to the Premier? Through you, Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition. I find it very ironic that the Leader of the Opposition saying what she's saying because they voted 90% with the Liberals to destroy the healthcare system. We're investing, as the Minister of Health mentioned, historic $27 billion into infrastructure building new hospitals. William Osler, they had tens of millions of dollars of infrastructure put in place in their emergency room as they're not too long ago with one of our great MPPs from Mississauga that actually was a nurse there. And we're focusing on reducing hallway healthcare by putting in over 7,500 beds so far, long-term care beds so far. We're promising 15,000 beds and another 15,000 after that that will alleviate the pressures at the hospitals. But I do appreciate the question. Just supplementary. Well, Speaker, what I find ironic is that after five months the Premier still didn't study the answer to figure out what went on in the four years before they made government. But nonetheless, patients are stuck waiting in hospitals. They are not fooled by the Premier's rhetoric as they sit languishing in the hallways of our hospitals. They know that hospital funding is not keeping pace with inflation much less with patient need. They know that there are people in the hospital who are desperately waiting for long-term care beds and they see that the wait list for long-term care beds in fact has grown even longer after one year of the Ford government. Does the Premier understand that cuts and layoffs and budget squeezes won't solve the hallway medicine crisis? Premier. Minister of Health. Further to the Minister of Health. Well, thank you for the question, but I think we really need to look at the facts. We are investing $1.3 billion more into our healthcare system this year than we did last year. And we're doing that across a variety of areas. Hospitals certainly have received an increase, $384 million more this year than last year, a 2% increase. But we know that there's more that needs to be done. We have invested the $68 million in small to medium-sized hospitals and it may not be important to the leader of the official opposition, but it certainly is important to many hospitals and many people across full of Ontario that we are going to build more long-term care beds because we know that contributes to hallway healthcare. We have promised 15,000 new long-term care spaces for five years. We've already built or created more than 8,000 of those beds or have them in line to be opened within the next several years. We know it doesn't happen overnight. Thank you. Thank you. Order. The final supplement. Well, Speaker, here's what families see. Hospitals laying off nurses. Hospitals laying off nurses and beds still being closed in hospitals. Hospitals routinely operating over 100% capacity and in the community of Brampton and Urgent Care Centre that is operating at 587% volume compared to what it's funded for. This Premier committed to ending hallway medicine, Speaker. Why is he in fact making it worse? Questions been referred to the Minister of Health. Thank you through you, Mr Speaker, to the leader of the official opposition. I'm sure she will know that hospitals are independent corporations. They make their own decisions with respect to staff. Order. And that in the situation they are speaking of, I believe that the member, if she will listen, was speaking with respect to some changes in the London area. That is a result of decisions that they've made based on the need and the usage. They have made arrangements with community centres to take up some of the issues that need to be dealt with. But that's what we're doing with changing our system of health care to reflect patient-centred care. We want to make sure that people receive the care that they need both in the community and in the hospital. As we know, hospitals are not always the best place for people to receive care. Sometimes it's about home care. $155 million more in home care so that people can be treated in their own homes instead of hospitals, which is where they want to be. So there's no one simple solution to this, as I'm sure the leader of the official opposition knows. We are working on many fronts. Thank you very much. The next question, once again, the leader of the official opposition. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Government, whether Mario de Tomaso, who the Premier had recently appointed Deputy Minister of Community Safety, had declared a conflict of interest when he sat on the hiring committee for the new OPP Commissioner. We're still waiting for an answer, Speaker, so can the Premier provide one today? Questions to the Premier? Mr. Solicitor, referred to the Solicitor General. Thank you, Speaker. You know, I really want to talk about the great things that are happening under Commissioner Corrie and with the OPP. Order. We have a commissioner in place who is actively engaged with his commissioned officers and the OPP on actually dealing with the mental health crisis that we have within our police officers and our first responders. Now, when Commissioner Creek agreed to take on this very important role, the first question I asked him was, what is your top priority if you become the commissioner? And he said, the health and safety of my officers. And I can say without any doubt that what we have seen in place at the OPP with the working together with the OPPA is an amazing organization that is actually supporting and encouraging their officers to ensure that our communities are safer and public safety will always be first and foremost with Commissioner Creek and myself as the minister. Thank you. The supplementary question. Well, Speaker, the Globe and Mail has just published a new story detailing the close ties between Mario DiTomasso and Ron Tavener, the Premier's one-time pick for the OPP Commissioner. Among other things, the story reveals that Tavener actually helped organize the retirement party of the man who would then sit on his hiring committee. We already know that DiTomasso's predecessor felt he was forced from the job of Deputy Minister after feeling pressure to hire Tavener. So my question is, and with all due respect, I didn't get responded to in the last response from the minister, does the Premier acknowledge that the Deputy Minister he hired had a conflict? And if so, what's he going to do about it? The question has been referred to the Solicitor General. Thank you, Speaker. So to be clear, we have a 50-year-plus veteran of the Toronto Police Service who knows a 40-year-plus veteran of the Toronto Police Service. That is not shocking to me. That does not surprise me. And Speaker, when you get to 50 years serving in the Ontario Legislature, I would be honored to co-host and encourage people to go. I might ask the minister to withdraw that. I'm just kidding. Just kidding. The next question, the member for Brantford-Brant. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question is for our Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House is well aware that Ontario is the economic engine that drives the Canadian economy. The financial capital of Canada is right here in Ontario. Even more impressive is the fact that our province is also home to the mining finance capital of the entire world. The TSX and the TSX venture raise more mining equity than anywhere else on the planet. This leads to major investments in Canada and in our province. Mining benefits all areas of the province, providing a broad scope of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. Even in my writing, we have companies like ACON Mining. Can the minister please tell us more about mining in Ontario and the special celebration we are having today? The Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member from Brantford-Brantford for his extraordinary work that he does in this place on behalf of his constituents. And rightly points out that mining has a positive impact on just about every region in this province. We strive to make Ontario the mining centre of the world. He mentioned that it's the financial capital of the world. That's true, but we still face some challenges, Mr. Speaker. And that's why, born out of this annual tradition of meet the miners, which is today the long-standing tradition, the Premier and I and several other colleagues decided to establish the Mining Working Group. This calls on the Premier's office, the Minister of Labour Training and Skilled Trades, as well as the Minister of Environment, importantly, to attend panels with the OMA work with them on the challenges or the prospects, as we like to say, Mr. Speaker. And this Mining Working Group is a highly specialized discussion on the things that we can do to ensure that the entire spectrum of mining activity destination is Ontario. Thank you. Thank you. The supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'd like to thank the Minister for his answer. He has been an excellent advocate for the mining sector, and our work is only just beginning. We'd like to thank the mining community for visiting us here at Queen's Park today, and we'd like them to know that they have an ally in our government. We are focused on bringing good jobs back to Northern communities, and the mining sector is a huge part of that plan. Our government's plan is to keep taxes and power rates low, cut unnecessary and costly red tape, and create unprecedented jobs and prosperity, all of which makes Ontario more globally competitive and a great place to invest. Can the Minister please tell the members of this House about how important mining is to Ontario's economy? Thank you. Once again, the Minister of Energy, please come on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past 15 or 16 months, we've been actively involved in a number of key mining opportunities in Northern Ontario. Sadly, for the previous 15 years, the mining activity in Northern Ontario had been slowing down significantly. And so when we came on board, it was the Premier and I who went up to the Sugar Zone and the Heart Gold Project. We were involved in moving them past the starting line of the board in mind. We had a chance to celebrate the first completely electric or electrified mining operation, Mr. Speaker. And they will tell you, Newmont Gold will say unequivocally, that we did more to help them in regulatory matters in the year leading up to their opening than it had been done in the previous government. More recently, Mr. Speaker, we announced the East-West High, a corridor across Northwestern Ontario that holds the key to a number of developments to support mining activity. And, of course, the prospect in Greenstone Gold, Geraldton, Mr. Speaker, where we could be facing one of the biggest opportunities in a very long time, the center of gravity for the Ring of Fire, Mr. Speaker, and all that that region could benefit from. We're moving forward with these mining companies and the communities that surround them for a prosperous mining sector. Thank you. Next question, the member for Davenport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, 50 laid-off teachers were here in the public galleries. Among them was Lindsay. Lindsay is a math and science teacher from Chatham, who has worked for 12 years in various long-term assignments, but without permanent work. She's also a new mom. This year, Lindsay wasn't offered an assignment at all because there were no jobs available. Speaker, now that the impact of the Premier's cuts are becoming too difficult to ignore, does he still stand by his claim that not a single teacher will lose their job? The question is to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, and referred to the Minister of Education. Thank you, Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to the member opposite, I thank her for the question. It is clear that our government is committed to protecting frontline workers and frontline teachers in the classroom. It is why it was the driving force, Speaker, why this government, in our last budget, was going $6 billion to ensure teachers remain in the front of class. It is why, Mr. Speaker, our government has announced a fund that is demonstrably working. In fact, in Windsor Essex, in the upper grand district school board, all teachers that had redundancy notices have been recalled. These are the stories that have to permeate in the debate. In fact, Mr. Speaker, we're seeing more of this manifest in boards across the province. We will continue to invest in protecting teachers, invest in a modernizing our schools, because that's what parents expect. A supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier and the Minister can deny what's happening, but the fact is that teachers are still being laid off, and students are being forced to accept less. And with the greatest of respect, sorry, it is not clear at all that you are protecting these jobs. The independent Financial Accountability Office has reported that by the end of this government's term, there will be 10,054 fewer teachers in the education system. I have the citation right here. This year alone, the FAO estimates that there will be 967 fewer elementary teachers and 1,859 fewer secondary teachers. Does the Premier think it's right that qualified, caring teachers are moonlighting as waitresses to make ends meet while parents are seeing supports and courses that they need disappear? Before I ask the minister to reply, I'll remind the members to make your comments address them through the chair. Minister of Education to reply. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government made a determination to create a teacher protection fund because we want to ensure teachers remain in the front of class. Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition Wentworth Catholic District School Board where she proudly hails from. The chair of that board said that this year there are fewer classes with 30 or more students than there were last year. It is a proof positive Mr. Speaker that our plan is working. It is another example that our investments in the front line are yielding positive results. We're doing this while modernizing our curriculum by investing over half a billion dollars to renew schools in the province where we have a 200 million investments to ensure math scores that rise over time. We're doing all this because we believe in the potential of our young people in the province of Ontario. The next question, the member for Ottawa South. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And my question is for the Premier. And firstly, I'd like to congratulate the Premier on a genuine effort to change the tone of the legislature. And I think we all welcome that change. But Speaker, what Ontarians need more than a change in tone is a change in the Premier's priorities. So, this government is still trying to make class sizes larger. Wait times in emergency rooms are getting longer. They're not getting shorter. And what's most concerning is the Premier has already dismantled one plan for climate change and he's trying to tear another one down. In the federal election almost three quarters of Ontarians voted to support a plan for climate change. So Speaker, through you, why is the Premier trying to tear down a plan for climate change when he has none of his own? Thank you. Questions to the Premier? Minister of Environment. Minister of the Environment. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And my first opportunity to speak in this session of the legislature. I just want to thank you for your leadership and guidance in the legislature. I think we're moving to a better place here. So thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for that question. And unfortunately I'm going to just reject this whole premise about an environment plan for Ontario. Mr. Speaker, we're almost at the year to celebrate the anniversary of our Made in Ontario environment plan which is looking at protecting our land, air and sea, Mr. Speaker. We've moved forward with a number of initiatives already that are going to be bearing fruit in the short time coming forward. We've sent our mission performance standards to the federal government to target flexible, Mr. Speaker. We've moved towards changing the recycling program through this province to move plastics out of our landfills, out of our lakes and streams and put them into a circular economy to create a new economy within Ontario that's going to grow and create jobs, Mr. Speaker. It's also going to clean the environment. I have more to say on my supplemental. The supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. And I'd like to thank the minister for that answer. So, Speaker in August, here's what the Premier had to say about his court challenge. And I quote, once the people decide, I believe in democracy. I respect democracy. We move on. Speaker, what has changed since then? This government has no real plan for climate change. They're not even meeting meager targets. And I agree with the Minister of Education when he says, the next generation deserves better. So, it's ironic even the Premier's gas pump stickers, peeling gas pump stickers are trying to send him a message. So, Speaker, through you, will the Premier commit to withdraw his court challenge and work with all members of this House to come up with a realistic plan for climate change in this province? Questions been referred to the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks. Thanks again, Mr. Speaker, and thank the member opposite for that question. You know, Mr. Speaker, last June we were elected with a mandate to end the cap and trade program that that member opposite was a part of, Mr. Speaker, attacks that made life more unaffordable. But the main thing, Mr. Speaker, I find it ironic that the member opposite talks about democracy when he was part of a government, Mr. Speaker. He was part of a government following the leader that forced municipalities in rural Ontario to take these wind turbine projects in our municipalities, which split communities in half, drove up the cost of our energy, Mr. Speaker. They are the last people that should be talking about democracy. But let me just throw some facts out there, Mr. Speaker. Angus Reid released a poll from the National Post during the last week of the election. It showed that more than half of the people polled show that the federal carbon tax should be cancelled, Mr. Speaker. A fifth, 22% of NDP supporters said the carbon tax should be cancelled, Mr. Speaker. And 20% of the green voters voted and said that the carbon tax should be cancelled, Mr. Speaker. We're going to do everything we can to end the unaffordable carbon tax while implementing our made and unturned environment plan, which will make our tariffs. Thank you. Thank you very much. The next question is the member for Milton. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. Mr. Speaker, everyone in this house wants to know how much Ontario is the economic engine that drives the Canadian economy. Ontario is Canada's largest mineral producers producing $10.1 billion worth of minerals last year alone, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister share with this house the steps our government is taking to ensure Ontario remains the world leader in mining investments? Mr. Energy, Northern Development and Mines. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member from Milton. The important work he does on behalf of his constituents and the contributions he makes to this caucus. Our government's plan is to create a low-tax environment, Mr. Speaker, cut costly red tape and create unprecedented jobs and prosperity. You know, the financial activity in the mining sector is great and it's wonderful for Bay Street. But we're concerned, obviously, with the opportunities or the prospects of more than 200 mines, more than 75% of those in Northern Ontario. Look at the workforce here, Mr. Speaker. 11.2% of the people working in mines, at mine sites and mining activities are Indigenous peoples. This is an important part to our Northern communities, our Northern economies and the critical success for the vast region of this province, Mr. Speaker. We want to translate those financial investments and activities up north and that's why we're working closely with companies across the starting line, Mr. Speaker, and get digging. Thank you. A supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the minister, Mr. Speaker. Mineral wealth and its associated economic activities are the key source of jobs and prosperity for many mining industry workers and their families in communities across a great province. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the mining industry has created more than 26,000 direct jobs and approximately 50,000 indirect jobs in mineral manufacturing and processing across Ontario. Under the previous Liberal government, mining companies and suppliers faced delay after delay, Mr. Speaker. Can the minister share with this House the initiatives our government is taking to promote the industry's strong future in Ontario? Thank you. Minister. As I said, Mr. Speaker, we're taking a whole of government approach from the Premier's office, minister of environment, minister of labour, skills, trades and the minister of natural resources. We also have the support of the minister of small business, Mr. Speaker. In the Modernization and Efficient Ontario Act, we're proposing a number of amendments, in particular some to the Mining Act. This would provide proponents submitting an amendment with greater certainty by creating a 45-day timeline for those decisions. These mines need certainty. They need certainty when it comes to the regulatory environment. They need certainty when it comes to the cost of energy. That's why, Mr. Speaker, one of our first acts last summer was to make sure that mines that are particularly electricity-intensive experience significant savings on their per-monthly costs and burden a completely electrified mine, Mr. Speaker. We're going to continue our work. We celebrate the Ontario Mining Association's day today because, Mr. Speaker, mining matters. The next question, the member for Essex. Thank you very much, Speaker. My question is the Premier. It's going to be back here to see you in the chair. Speaker, for months the Premier has laid low while details of his patronage appointments leaked out, handing lucrative foreign postings and the lacrosse playing friend of his chief of staff, son. Stacking government agencies with friends and relations, and today we've learned more details of the close ties between the Deputy Minister of Community Safety and the man he wanted to make the OPP Commissioner. Speaker, the Premier claimed that the government was conducting a review of the appointments process. He's had five months to do so. Speaker, what is the status of that review? The question is addressed to the Premier. Government leader, host leader. And it's referred to the government House leader. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank the honourable member for the question. And the member knows obviously that the public appointment process is something that we're constantly working on, striving to make it more open and accountable, Mr. Speaker. And in fact, transparent. We've made a commitment that we continue to do that, not just over the last five months, but for the entire time that we have the honour of serving Ontarians from this side of the House, Mr. Speaker. He and the members of his party will send those forward. You are working on that, Mr. Speaker, and there is more to come. Thank you. Thank you. Supplementary question. I have a lot of suggestions, Speaker. One would be for the Minister to review the committee reports and the answer from the committee. We've made lots of suggestions to open up that committee for transparency and accountability for Canadians and Ontarians. Speaker, the sad reality is that nobody trusts Doug Ford and his government to investigate the premier's government scandals. The PC caucus has shut down any effort to have the ministerial name as appropriate. I would ask the member to rephrase his question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The sad reality is that nobody trusts the premier's government to investigate the premier's government scandals. The PC caucus has shut down any effort to have appointments reviewed openly by government agencies' committee, and there's no evidence that this government will conduct a review at all. Question. Much less an open and transparent one. Will the government commit today to a truly open and independent review of the appointments process? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the member knows, obviously, when it comes to the committee process, we're following the process that was actually put in place by the previous NDP government. Now, there's a lot that I would like to forget and have forgotten about the NDP's time in office, Mr. Speaker. But here's one thing that they can celebrate. They brought a process in that we have been using. But we are continuing to work on improving the process for public appointments, making them more open and transparent. Look, these are people that do very good work on behalf of the people of Ontario, Mr. Speaker, but we want to make sure that they're in it for the right reasons, that they're doing it, and that the work that they do is in the best interest of the people of Ontario, Mr. Speaker. And while I have the floor, let me just say, Mr. Speaker, I know that there is a new Conservative Member of Parliament for Essex. I haven't had the chance to contact him, so I wonder if he would express my congratulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. The next question, the member for Guelph. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to welcome everyone back to the legislature and direct my first question to the Premier. The Premier stickers that don't stick continue to ignore how the carbon rebate will leave 8 out of 10 people with more money in their pockets. I'm shocked, Mr. Speaker, that the Premier doesn't understand how markets work. We can put a price on pollution. We can reduce emissions and put money in people's pockets. The Premier says he wants to make life more affordable, but he continues to... Member for Guelph. The member for Essex will come to order. Member for Guelph, I apologize again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through you, Mr. Speaker, the Premier says he wants to make life more affordable but he continues to waste our hard-earned tax dollars fighting a program that actually puts money in the pockets of 80% of Ontarians. So, Mr. Speaker, why does the Premier want to raise taxes on 80% of Ontarians by taking away their carbon rebates? Questions addressed to the Premier? Minister of Energy. Bird to the Minister of Energy. I want to thank the honourable member, Mr. Speaker, and I would point out to him that the only problem that we've had with stickers are liberal staffers actually peeling them off gas pumps. You might want to check your Twitter account to see one that openly admitted they're ashamed of that tax, Mr. Speaker, because they know that when ambulances and school buses and families fuel up their cars, Mr. Speaker, when buses in Canora taking school kids and sports teams over to Dryden or across the Ignace, Mr. Speaker, are paying more to operate those buses, Mr. Speaker. It's costing the people of Ontario more money, Mr. Speaker. We are not standing down from this exercise in transparency, Mr. Speaker, to send a clear message that we reject this job pulling regressive carbon tax. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A supplementary question. Mr. Speaker, sorry, the government cannot have it both ways. So they say it's a job-killing carbon tax. Meanwhile, the next day they talk about how we're creating more jobs in Ontario. As a matter of fact, if you look around the world, the economy's creating the most jobs have a price on pollution. The bottom line is the people of Ontario are problem solvers, not problem deniers. They do not want their tax money wasted on a lawsuit that against the federal government that's actually going to increase taxes on 80% of Ontarians. Through you, Mr. Speaker, to the minister, will the government back off this wasteful lawsuit and work with the federal government on developing a real climate plan to create jobs and reduce climate pollution? Mr. Speaker, if the member could just provide any evidence that a carbon tax, especially here in Canada, has actually reduced GHG emissions, the only thing that's happened, Mr. Speaker, is that it's increased the cost of living in those jurisdictions. That's a fact, Mr. Speaker. And it's another fact that we know that at least one liberal staffer took pride in saying that he peeled off 100 of those stickers. Now, Mr. Speaker, we know why he did it. We know because that government time introduced a job-killing carbon tax, Mr. Speaker, that's still having impact on regions. I can speak as a guy from Northwestern Ontario, Mr. Speaker. We're having some hard time. Some of those jobs that are being created here are still a challenge for us in Northern Ontario. And the last thing that mill needs up in year falls, Mr. Speaker, spending a million extra dollars a year to the member of Kiwetnum on the carbon tax alone to operate that is unacceptable. We'll stand with our mills. We'll stand with our minds and the people of this province who are paying way too much. Thank you. The member for Thornhill. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the minister of long-term care. With an investment of $72 million this year over last year and the creation of a new ministry dedicated to long-term care, it is clear that our government is making long-term care a priority. We know that the stresses of our long-term care system are serious, and we know that our government has taken quick and concrete action to improve the situation. For example, our investment of $1.75 billion to build and redevelop 30,000 beds across Ontario, and with her background as a physician, the minister will have first-hand exposure to an experience of how we deliver healthcare and long-term care in this province. Can the minister provide some insights as to how she plans to build a sustainable long-term care system right here in Ontario? The minister of long-term care. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member for Thornhill for the question and for the good work she does. As minister of long-term care, I'm working to build a system that focuses on residents and that supports our province's most vulnerable in a place that they can call home. We are committed to building a 21st century long-term care system with dignity and respect, and one that will continue to be there for those who need it. We are committed to helping long-term care providers be more responsive to the needs of residents while maintaining safety and the highest quality of care. That means looking at ways to offer homes more flexibility to fund priority areas and reducing red tape responsibly. For the first time in the province's history, Ontario is prioritizing the long-term care sector and putting long-term care residents and caregivers first. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'd like to thank the minister for her answer and for all of her hard work. Building a sustainable and resident-centered long-term care system is clearly an important priority to our government. But I know that there can be a way and we have to work hard to achieve that goal. It recently came to my attention that long-term care is considered one of the most regulated parts and sectors in our province. While we need some regulation, I'm sure there is a build-up of red tape in the long-term care system that sometimes prevents residents from getting the care they need. Speaker, could the minister please tell the House what she's doing to make long-term care more efficient for the minister of long-term care? Thank you and my thanks to the member again for those questions. Our government also recognizes that sometimes we experience a build-up of red tape that interferes in the ability to deliver high-quality care for residents. We are working to reduce regulatory burdens and administrative barriers and to get shovels in the ground faster as we develop new long-term care beds and redevelop older beds to ensure that residents can get the best possible care when they need it. Recently, we also made changes under Bill 66 to modernize the long-term care licensing process. Our hope is that this will reduce the administrative burden for home operators and expedite the approvals associated with the development. Mr. Speaker, we are committed to reducing red tape. We are committed to getting beds built and we are committed to getting Ontarians off of wait lists and the care they need when they need it. Thank you. Thank you. The next question, the member for Kiwetanom. Good morning, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. North Spirit Lake First Nation, also known as the West US Igani, is in a state of emergency. The community has been devastated by a breakdown of its most important infrastructure. They have suffered over the past two years intermittently without essential services such as power and running water. Their sewage system repeatedly backs up into the community to do two faulty pipes and pumps. Mr. Speaker, this is Ontario. It is 2019. Yes. Will this government continue to stand by and use the excuse of jurisdiction to avoid stepping forward and helping North Spirit Lake? Question is addressed to the Premier. Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member opposite for his question. The short answer is we haven't and no we won't, Mr. Speaker. At every turn, we have clearly understood that there are a lot of cultural and long-term long-standing issues that some of the isolated and remote First Nations communities are facing, Mr. Speaker, and we work in lockstep with them on ensuring they don't come to a crisis situation. In the case of North Spirit Lake, Mr. Speaker, a series of unfortunate events happened in a very short period of time and the community was unable to mobilize and respond to them. That's why we worked effectively with Chief Alvin Fidler last week. We offered our full support. It was a coordinated effort through the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre and the Indigenous Services Canada, Mr. Speaker. We mobilized to lead the response on water system issues, public safety, and the health needs of the community and we remain committed to working with them on a day-to-day basis, Mr. Speaker, as they work through this difficult time. Thank you. A supplementary question. North Spirit Lake doesn't need just phone calls or calls. They need actual emergency support. Two weeks ago I was in North Spirit Lake. The community spoke to me about the social breakdown that occurs when you don't have the basic human needs. Teachers and nurses have been forced to leave the community because lack of basic services needed in the facilities to do their work, to do their jobs. They are experiencing an addiction epidemic and they need help. The children are experiencing trauma as a result of this and they need help. They have said to me, just because they are small, it's not the right to be ignored and being neglected by governments. Will this government be part of the solution for North Spirit Lake? Yes or no? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The answer is yes and we have been, Mr. Speaker. I had an opportunity serving that region as the Member of Parliament. That was not a small community to me. It was an important community and that's why we built a brand new school in North Spirit Lake at the time, Mr. Speaker. We recognized the importance of putting that asset in that community so the children had a better space and a better space to go to school. We are in the midst of an acute crisis, Mr. Speaker, and that's unfortunate. That's why we've provided funding, support and I have pledged, beyond phone calls, Mr. Speaker, to send mental health, mental wellness teams to cover the crisis and surge response to the community like basic needs for the children and families and travel costs for non-crisis workers, Mr. Speaker. We work with Nishnabi Aski Nation in particular, Mr. Speaker. Indigenous Services Canada to ensure we work through the acute crisis at Sarah North Spirit Lake and find solutions for some of the long-standing challenges that they have faced in the past. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. The next question, the Member from Mississauga Centre. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Long-Term Care. I would like to congratulate her that she's a health care provider who will serve Ontarians well. Every member of this House is aware of the crisis hallway health care poses to our province. 1,000 people are receiving health care in hallways and closets every single day in Ontario and over 33,000 are waiting for a long-term care bed. Mr. Speaker, the situation in my region of Peel and in Halton is serious with the long-term care list being the longest in Ontario. This is a sad legacy left to us by the previous Liberal government which has largely ignored this sector during their mandate. Residents of Peel, Halton and all Ontarians across this province should not have to wait so long for the care they desperately need and deserve. Could the Minister outline what action she has taken to shorten long-term care waiting lists in the region of Peel? The Minister of Long-Term Care. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much for your dedication to the Peel region. The member is correct in stating the seriousness of the problem, especially in the Peel region. Earlier this summer I was pleased to join the members for Brampton South and Brampton West to announce the allocation of 168 new beds and the redevelopment of 280 beds for Brampton at Tulamore care community. I was pleased to stand with 457 new beds and the redevelopment of 275 upgraded beds in Mississauga at the village of Aaron Meadows, Trillion Health and a new project, Mississauga Seniors Care Partnership Project. These beds will make a real difference in Peel and reduce wait lists to ensure that Ontarians who need to be in a long-term care home are there and not in a hospital. Thank you. I would like to thank the minister of long-term care for that answer and for the work she is doing in my region and for long-term care residents across the province. I am also excited to see new projects going ahead to ensure that the residents of Mississauga and Brampton receive the care they need when and where they need it. However, I know that with 15,000 new beds to be built across this province there is still a lot of work to be done. We need to take action today to ensure that our most vulnerable are getting the care they need now and for generations to come. Speaker, could the minister tell this house what she is doing to move these beds forward and ensure that Ontarians are getting the care they have been waiting for for so long? Minister to reply. Thank you. I would like to thank the minister of long-term care. Thank you. Thank you the member again for their questions. To date our government has allocated almost 8,000 new long-term care beds fulfilling more than 50% of our commitment. Our government is moving one step closer to fulfilling our commitment to create 15,000 new long-term care beds and redevelop 15,000 existing beds over five years. We also have a long-term and potential long-term care home operators to build new long-term care beds and redevelop existing beds in Ontario. This call for applications is designed to build the remaining beds. With an aging population these new and redevelop beds will help more families and residents get the support they need and the high quality care they need when they need it. Response? The member for Niagara Falls. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Yesterday Ford Motor Company announced they're laying off another 450 workers at their Oakfield plant. For months our highly skilled hard-working auto workers have been asking this government to stop hiding. Get off your hands and do something to protect this industry. Unfortunately the only time the Premier is not sitting on his hands and he's waving goodbye to good-paying auto jobs. He said not a single job would be lost on his watch. But it turns out that's just talk. Empty promises Mr. Speaker won't pay these families bills. It's time for action. Will the Premier commit today to finally developing a auto strategy and actually start fighting for what matters to everyday families not just his rich friends. Questions addressed to the Premier? Minister of Economic Development. We are and great. We're all disappointed to learn of Ford Motor Company's decision to issue layoff notices at their Oakville assembly plant. We want the employees to know that our government stands with them and with their families. But it's not all that long ago the CEO of Fiat Chrysler told former Premier Wynn that she has made Ontario the most expensive jurisdiction in North America in which to do business. And that is why our government took swift action to make Ontario open for business and open for jobs. Since taking office we have reduced red tape and reduced the cost of doing business in Ontario by five billion dollars. And this gives the sectors that had once lost hope under government a fighting chance. Speaker, our plan is working as we have seen the creation of over 272,000 new jobs in Ontario since our election. The supplementary question. Applaud to that quickly. We have the best auto workers in the world. Want to say that clearly. It's just not families in Oakville have been left to suffer thanks to this government's inaction and support. On the Premier's watch we sing thousands of job losses in Windsor, in Oshawa, in Ajax and more. I've heard from many families in the auto industry who are already struggling thanks to the Premier's cuts to health care and education and the sky high cost of living that this government only has made worse. The Premier needs to immediately start a new product line for Oakville Plant. Will the Premier finally take action to save auto jobs? Will more workers have to be sent to the unemployment line before the Premier finally does something to protect this important industry to Ontario? Thank you. Minister of economic development, job creation and trade. We want the employees at the Oakville assembly complex to know that our work is with them and their families. Yesterday when the Premier talked to Ford Motor Company's president and in my calls with their team we told them we said that we are actively working with the Ministry of Labour, training and skills development on how we can help with support. But this situation is exactly why we developed driving prosperity, our $40 million plan for Ontario's automotive sector with Ford adding 400 connected and autonomous jobs in Ottawa, GM adding 700 of those same jobs in Markham, with Uber adding 300 of those same connected and autonomous jobs here in Toronto, we are preparing for the future. And we also want to congratulate Toyota on their JD Power award, making them the single best automotive plant in all of the world. Premier, we do know how to build the future of Ontario and the rest of the world. Thank you. The next question, the member for Etobicoke Lakeshore. Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Transportation. A reliable and robust public transit network is what Ontarians expect. The GTA's relentless gridlock problem calls for real solutions. Solutions that will make life easier for commuters so they don't have to worry about the future. Just recently, an independent study from University of Toronto experts was released that examined how exactly the Ontario line, the centerpiece of our historic subway transit plan will benefit GTA commuters. Can the Minister please share the findings of this report? Great question. The question is addressed to the Minister of Transportation. The report states, political squabbling has prevented us from moving forward together on building transit in the GTA. This report confirms that the Ontario line stands to benefit all Toronto commuters, including marginalized communities who have had limited access to public transit until now. The report concludes that the benefits of the Ontario line are concentrated among low income, visible minority and recent populations, compared to the average benefit received across the entire population. Mr. Speaker, the Ontario line will grant access to public transit to communities that need it most. It's a path that the city is most vulnerable by connecting more people to more jobs and more opportunities. Supplementary question. I want to thank the Minister for that answer. I'm excited to be able to share with you the benefits of the Ontario line. Residents in my riding of a Tobacco lake shore are looking forward to finally seeing real progress being made on getting subways built right here in Toronto. The study conducted by U of T experts underscores just how important it is that we work together to get the Ontario line built. Thank you again for the question. Mr. Speaker, we've put forward a proposal that was endorsed by the mayor, by city staff and by the federal government. The new Ontario line will cover 15.5 kilometres creating a new access across the city centre connecting Ontario place through downtown Toronto to the Ontario science centre. The Ontario line will benefit all walks of life and the study shows it. The report confirms that and I quote, low income populations are more likely to see more reduction in transit travel time than the Toronto population on average. The Ontario line and our remaining three priority projects are good for Toronto, they're good for the region and they're good for the province. Today I'm calling on all members of this house to join us and the City of Toronto to support the Ontario line. Thank you. The next question, the member for Kitchener's centre. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the premier. This summer the Ontario NDP Black Caucus hosted deputation meetings where we heard time and time again that food and security was disproportionately impacting Black communities. And last week a study released by food share and the University of Canada was compared to 10% of white Canadians. And yet, just like the Liberal government before them, this government has failed to commit any real resources to anti-racism initiatives. My question for the premier, what steps is your government taking to address this crisis? Questions address the premier. Mr. Solicitor General. For the Solicitor General. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are actually doing some really exciting things. We have worked with them on some of the reporting that the member opposite would know full well is coming forward in the coming months. I'm proud of the work that they are doing. I think respectfully that the member opposite is not having a deep understanding of what the role of the anti-racism director is and the fact she continues to basically suggest that these very valuable individuals working within the director have been doing nothing for the last month is disingenuous at best. And I withdraw. My apologies. The supplementary question. Thank you Mr. Speaker and again to the premier. Racism is not an abstract problem. Racism is causing Ontarians to go hungry. That I understand. When the conservatives cuts have squeezed people struggling with the cost of basic essentials, black families have been disproportionately hurt. That means black children are more likely to go to school hungry. Black parents are more likely to be forced to choose between paying their hydro bill or paying their tax. And that's a question that I have to answer to prove it. So again I ask the premier when will this government begin collecting and analyzing race-based data and find solutions to systemic problems that are causing very real suffering for black communities across this province. Thank you speaker. On this I believe that we have good paying jobs in the province of Ontario. Which is why frankly we need to applaud the fact that 272,000 jobs have been created since our government formed. There is no doubt that when our families are challenged with paying additional costs like carbon tax on gas, it has an impact on their quality to serve their children. We are looking after the people of Ontario. We are making sure that those jobs are there. And that's why we have created things like the red tape commission where we can actually unlock some of the amazing potential that we have in the province of Ontario with our job creators. I'm proud to stand with premier Ford on this very important response. I will continue to do that. I will now present the question period. Pursuant to standing order 38a the member for Davenport has given notice of her dissatisfaction with the answer to her question given by the minister of education concerning the elimination of teaching positions. This matter will be debated today at 6 p.m. Pursuant to standing order 38a the member for Ottawa South has given notice of his dissatisfaction with the answer to her question given by the minister of education concerning the elimination of errant tax this matter will be debated today at 6 p.m. There being no deferred votes this house stands in recess until 3 p.m.