 It's now time for Member Statements. The Member for Muskegawak James Bay. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I rise in the House today to share concerns from the people of Musini and Moose Factory. Last week I attended an information session that Ontario Northland Railway held in Musini in an attempt to reduce the frequency of the Polar Bear Express train service. The Polar Bear Express is a magnificent ride that leaves Cochrane to Musini on the trip to James Bay. Not only is it a tourist attraction, but it is an out-function, the main port of entrance for goods and people to an otherwise isolated region. In spite of this, Ontario Northland wants to reduce the weekdays from five round trips to an alternate days, travelling north and south, and on a Sunday round trip in exchange. Speaker, passenger rail services plays an extremely important role in the region economy of my riding. Because of the lack of years-long road connection to the south, the train provides critical transportation options for family, elders, students and workers. This government is committed to millions of public transit systems in the south of southern Ontario, and rightly so, but has left the northern Ontario, Ontarians waiting for their return on the Northland, and now they want to cut the Polar Bear Express. Northern Ontario, Ontarians certainly want better and deserve better. Thank you Mr. Speaker. The member for Eglinton Lawrence. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Today marks the beginning of Italian Heritage Month in the province of Ontario, and Sunday June 2 marks Italian Republic Day or Festa della Repubblica. This day marks a decision made by the citizens of Italy in 1946 following the Second World War when they voted in a referendum to determine the form of government in their country. And Italian Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the contributions of the Italian Canadian community, the culture, the heritage, la bella lingua, and yes, the cuisine all month long. Mr. Speaker, I have previously referred to the Columbus Centre in my riding of Eglinton Lawrence in this house as the cultural hub of the Italian Canadian community. It is home to somber observances like the Italian Fallen Workers Memorial, which I have attended for a number of years now on the International Day of Morning, but it is also home to celebratory occasions like Italian Heritage Month, and throughout the month of June, the Columbus Centre will be hosting events to celebrate Italian heritage and showcase the talents of Italian Canadian performers. I look forward to attending many of these events in the upcoming weeks, and I invite all members of this house to join me. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Members statements? Members for Kitchener Centre. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak about Amy Smoke, a constituent in my riding of Kitchener Centre. Amy is an MSW student in the Indigenous field of study at Wilfred Laurier University. She is also a powerful two-spirit Mohawk woman from the Turtle Clan. We have been blessed to have her complete her practicum placement in my community office. I have learned a great deal from Amy, and she has taken it upon herself to teach me, my team, and the members of our community about working inclusively with Indigenous communities, the first peoples of this land. I have learned that we must work differently if we are truly committed to reconciliation. Most importantly, we have to do more than listen. We need to hear and we need to act. Because what we do in this house has a real impact, it has a real impact on Indigenous communities, and that impact extends to the work that the government fails to do and the rhetoric that the government chooses to use. It matters when we cut funding to Indigenous culture and arts. It matters when we cut the budget of the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs. It matters when we cancel the Indigenous curriculum writing sessions. And it matters when we tell our students that learning about Canada's colonial history is not important enough for it to become a mandatory course. We must remember that learning is our responsibility, and when someone takes it upon themselves to teach us, that is their gift. And the only way that we can express gratitude for their gift is to support the important information that they have given us and put that right beside action. That is true reconciliation. Thank you very much. Member Statements. Member for Oakville North. Speaker, when it comes to protecting our natural environment, keeping our water sources clean, and fighting climate change, we need everyone to get involved. Our government is taking action through measures such as our Made in Ontario fund to develop new technologies to fight climate change. Residents of my riding of Oakville North, Burlington, know best what is needed in our communities. That is why people in my riding are so proud of the work that Oakville Green Conservation Association does to preserve our environment for future generations. Oakville Green is a volunteer-driven organization that focuses on practical work such as tree planning, stewardship programs for local forests, education and advocacy. I was pleased to join them last week to celebrate the construction of a rain garden project in St. Luke's Church in Oakville's Palermo community, one of four to be planted in Halton. Oakville Green is planting trees in rain gardens in Oakville as part of their Ready for Rain program, looking to create more resilient neighborhoods during heavy rainfalls. Oakville Green designed the program and then won a $75,000 seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, demonstrating the need and the value of the program. I'm very proud of the work of the volunteers at Oakville Green and the important work they are doing in our community. Thank you. Well done. Next we have the member for Thunder Bay Attic Oaken. Thank you, Speaker. In Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, the most vulnerable members of our community depend on the legal services of the Kinaway illegal clinic. Kinawayas board and staff work tirelessly and are gravely concerned by how this government's plans will harm the growing numbers of people they serve. Those cruel plans include a billion dollars taken away from community and social services when so many are already suffering crushing poverty. The stricter definition of disability, leaving those with temporary or intermittent disability to be forced to try and survive on Ontario works. Instead of mandatory health benefits, a limited discretionary health spending account, and limiting the compensation to victims of crime. On top of all that, legal aid clinics are facing their own funding crisis and uncertainty, all because of the forward government's cuts, taking away the voice of the poor and their access to justice. This government is bringing back austerity, choosing to resource their rich friends. But austerity is a failed strategy. It causes real harm to vulnerable communities and it harms the economy. The IMF has said so, the Bank of Canada has predicted it and has the conference board of Canada. So I encourage this government to stop the cuts and stop making the cuts on the backs of the most vulnerable in our province. Thank you. Thank you. The member for Orléans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a great pleasure and it's important to find ways to engage people in our collective. It's to form a youth council, speaks to students in their classes, attend graduation ceremonies and sign each graduation certificate. Recently I joined a civic French emergent class at Gloucester High School and I spoke to them about being leaders of today. I was so inspired to learn that they are organizing a garage sale to support their local boys and girls club. I'm very proud of our students. Moreover, on Saturday here in Toronto I joined Equal Voice, the Ontario Chapter Daughters of the Vote, an organization that works to empower women and allow for civic engagement opportunities. I acted as a keynote speaker where I talked about the importance of becoming action oriented and surrounding yourself with good mentors. I hope my message, action speaks louder than anything else, open yourself to possibilities and take a leap, is able to resonate with young women across our province. Mr. Speaker, access to housing is also an issue that is top of mind for Ontarians. I would like to thank the work of first land work by Habitat for Humanity. The last phase of their 16 townhouses development in Orleans. I wish to warm welcome to all our new family moving in our community. Merci, Monsieur le Président. Thank you. The next statement, the member for Barry Innis Films. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, the local business. Thank you. And the local business in my riding has been recognized at a national level for its excellence in home building. On May 10th, the Canadian Homebuilders Association held their 2019 National Awards for Homebuilding Excellence. Over 700 entries from across the country were entered and I am proud to say that a business in my riding, San Diego Homes received an award for the new home production category where their home, the Strathmore, won the award for the best one story detached bungalow in all of Canada. San Diego Homes brings pride to my riding and to Innisville as a local family home building company. They have been one of the largest home builders in San Diego County for many years and have created more than 1,500 homes in the county. I also wanted to personally congratulate them on their accomplishment and also thank them for all their work that they have done in the riding, including the $2 million that they have donated to our local health hub to make health more affordable. It is actions like this that bring our community together. I also want to acknowledge all of the other home builders in our province as Ontario companies brought home 21 of the 40 awards at the conference. Just another case for how Ontario home builders are some of the best in the country and this is why we must work to reduce the red tape and allow them to continue their success like we're doing in our bill more homes, more choice. Thank you. The member for Toronto Centre. Thank you Speaker. Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend the end of the season concert for the St. James Town Children's Choir. The choir is made up of children from grades three to eight living in St. James Town, a vibrant and diverse community in my riding. Speaker I watched in awe as I was transported back to my own childhood and reflected on the impact that access to music programs had on my life. In grade six I had the opportunity to learn the cello at a public school, something I otherwise would not have been able to afford to do. The music program gave me focus and drive in a time in my life when my family was struggling with deep poverty. And there is no single moment in my life that I consider more pivotal to my trajectory out of generational poverty than the day that I was accepted into the music program at Atopico School of the Arts. I was exposed to middle class communities for the first time and through that I learned the unwritten rules of that middle class that allowed me to succeed in post-secondary education and in my early career. Access to arts programming was about more than music to me and it's about more than music to the kids in St. James Town. It's about giving them every opportunity to succeed and feel proud of their accomplishments no matter the socioeconomic situation they were born into. I urge the PC government to stop your callous cuts to the arts and to after-school programs. Invest in programs like the St. James Town Children's Choir and watch our children flourish. Thank you. Speaker Thank you. Member Statements. Member for York Centre. Speaker Thank you Speaker. With the Toronto Raptors competing in the NBA finals what a remarkable time to be a fan. In October of 1995 a mere seven weeks after immigrating to Canada my high school buddy and I went to the inaugural first ever game in Toronto Raptor history at $2.50 for the nosebleed seats at the Skydome. I was hooked for life. Because of that when I think of the Toronto Raptors I often think about my magical experience as a teenager of coming to Canada through thick and thin I've been a diehard fan of my beloved Raptors ever since. Between multiple losing seasons last minute heartbreakers six Atlantic division championships New York Knicks and five game seven against Philly Vince Carter miss larry's three quarter court buzzer beater against the heat getting destroyed by LeBron Drake getting mad at the ref's court site I saw it all when two weeks ago Kauai's first game seven buzzer beater shot in the NBA history bounced on the rim four times. Times stood still. What Kauai Leonard did for the city of Toronto will never be lost on the fan based. I'm prepared to call it now. Mr. Speaker Kauai Leonard is the best without a doubt best Raptor in NBA history. And now with victory over the box I cannot describe the joy I have for the Raptor fans and especially for the people that make the Scotiabank arena to me always the Air Canada Center a place where magic happens. The Raptor fans have been so diverse civilized and kind. They represent a true makeup of our magnificent city of Toronto and fans we've earned it we deserve it and we're going to own it. No matter what happens we're going to the NBA finals bring on the Warriors. Let's go Raptors. Member statements member for Brampton South. Mr. Speaker this past Saturday history was made the Toronto Raptors made the NBA finals for the Raptors. The Raptors made the NBA finals for the first time in franchise history for long suffering Toronto sports fans. This was one of the most gratifying and rewarding feelings. Canadians from coast to coast have joined Canada's team and cheering them on throughout the playoffs. Our team is battle tested we found our focus and rhythm defeating the Orlando magic in five against the Philadelphia 76ers quite Leonard hit one of the greatest shots in NBA history in game seven to win it all and create a memory that will last forever in all Toronto sports fans. Finally we defeated the Milwaukee Bucks down to zero we beat them four times in a row the best team in the regular season in the NBA quite Leonard who is arguably one of the best two way players in the entire NBA is ready to deny the Golden State Warriors their three Pete just like he denied LeBron James in the Miami he their three Pete in 2014 he's done it before he can do it again. I ask all Canadians from coast to coast to continue cheering our beloved Toronto Raptors whether it's that Jurassic Park in downtown or Jurassic Square in Brampton and to Kauai Leonard we know that California winters might be a little warmer but this city has your back and is in all of your commitment and talents hopefully you'll consider staying a little longer so we can create more memories for young basketball fans across the country I urge all members in joining the Toronto Raptors and wishing them all the best in the NBA finals. Thank you very much. I conclude our member statements