 It is now time for Member Statements. I recognize a member from Niagara Center. Thank you, Speaker. It is exasperating for us on this side of the house to continually raise the concerns of so many out there struggling on social assistance to no avail. People on OW and ODSP are struggling more and more every day, unable to support themselves and their dependents. Linda Weir lives in Welland with her two 14-year-old grandchildren. She is paying rent which eats up most of her ODSP, which is less than 1,200 a month. The child tax benefit helps, but she sleeps on the couch so the grandkids can have a bedroom. She knows that many in her position cannot even afford to eat. A taxi to get groceries when she can afford them is $35 a round trip. She knows that many in her position have become homeless and are living on the streets, and she knows that food banks are overwhelmed. This pandemic has hit us all hard, but for those on social assistance, the future is becoming more and more bleak as the cost of living rises and their benefits remain frozen. Folks like Linda are crying out for help. This government has not increased social assistance rates since 2018, even though inflation is at its highest in 30 years. It is true that this government inherited an ODSP program that was gutted by the former government, but this government has done nothing to improve it. Right now, Speaker, ODSP and OW payments are simply not enough. As Linda told me, she's making ends meet for her and her grandkids is a challenge every single day. If this is a disability support program, you'd never know it. We have failed those on social assistance and failed in our responsibility to care for those in need during and after this pandemic. Thank you very much, Speaker. On March the 12th, our daughter Heidi turned 41, but I didn't attend a party for Heidi. I attended a party for someone who was celebrating a birthday that Heidi won't see for another 59 years. I joined family and friends to celebrate the 100th birthday of Janine Mones. Speaker, 100th birthday is not as rare as it used to be, but it is still quite an amazing accomplishment. I've had the honour of attending a number of them over the years, but I've never seen one quite like Janine's. When I entered the hall, I expected I'd be saying hello to someone in a chair, perhaps even a wheelchair. I asked her son, Tom, Tom, where's your mum? The guest of honour. He pointed out to a young looking lady engaging with the folks attending the party, moving around in a way that would defy my age, let alone hers. Her son, Rick, managed to get Janine to sit down long enough for us to make a couple presentations and, of course, for me to sing a couple songs. Besides myself, presentations were made by Teresa Sabara on behalf of the town of Petawawa and an old family friend and former MP, Hector Cluche. After which, Janine jumped up, took the mic herself, regaling the guests with memories and stories that only a centenarian could pull off. She even treated them to an old wedding night joke that had everyone in stitches. Speaker, I don't expect to be around anywhere near 100 years, but it was a special treat to witness someone with that kind of vigor and vitality, even as she moves into her second century. In fact, I spoke to her son, Tom, today and he said she was out playing bingo yesterday. Speaker, may God continue to bless Janine Mones and her family. Thank you. I recognize a member from Windsor to come see. Good morning, Speaker. I'm sure you were watching the national television news when downtown Ottawa was held hostage while protesters were demanding the overthrow of the Liberal government. That occupation started in late January and lasted more than three weeks. And I'm sure you're watching when some of those same demonstrators blockaded the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor and Detroit. They moved in on the 7th of February and it took a week to come up with a peaceful resolution. That illegal blockade shut down international trade over the Ambassador Bridge at a cost of more than $300 million a day. Manufacturing plants were shut down. Workers sent home. Businesses in the area of the bridge lost their customers. Speaker, a protest against the federal and provincial governments and the way vaccines against COVID were mandated brought our international trade to a halt for a full week. Now Windsor taxpayers are on the hook for $5.7 million, the cost of people breaking the law during that illegal blockade. The feds have put up more than $2 million on the table to help small business community affected during this bridge protest. Store and business owners can apply for up to $10,000. The feds did the same for businesses in Ottawa. And Ontario said they would match half of that up to $5,000. But, Speaker, here's the rub. Despite repeated requests, Ontario has yet to announce any money for the losses in Windsor. Fair is fair, Speaker. Windsor taxpayers are on the hook for more than $5.5 million. Our small business community is out more than $2 million. When will Ontario step up, do the right thing, help pay some of the bills in Windsor? Speaker, there's an election coming. Windsor's conservative candidates will have no place to hide on this one. Thank you. Member Statements, I recognize a member from Brantford Branch. Thank you, Speaker. It's such a pleasure to rise in the House today and talk about the amazing work and people from MyRiding of Brantford Branch. Liberty for Youth is a non-profit charitable organization supporting at-risk youth, providing mentorship, education-related assistance, and a safe and welcoming environment. In MyRiding of Brantford Branch, Liberty for Youth has a ranch, which has the goal of enabling youth to escape the city and develop new skills. Liberty for Youth provides a place where marginalized youth can find acceptance regardless of their life situations. Of particular interest is their basketball program, which seeks to direct the energy of at-risk youth to a positive team sports, developing skills of discipline, teamwork, and activity. I am so happy to announce that through the Trillium Grant Program and Resilient Communities Fund this coming Friday, April the 8th, Liberty for Youth is celebrating a grand opening of their new basketball court. The Trillium Grant funding received has enabled them to build a wonderful basketball court, which will allow them to continue reaching out to the youth in our community. Kudos to Liberty for Youth and all involved in this amazing project, and I look forward to the ribbon-cutting ceremony this Friday afternoon. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. I recognize the member from Muskega Walk, James Bay. Thank you, Speaker. I want to bring your attention to an issue happening in MyRiding in other regions. Access to Francophone Residential Group Homes. Mr. President, in Ontario, there are very few residential centres that are only Francophone in Ontario, and that's a reality, especially for families like Miguel. I would put emphasis on the sad but true reality of what's happening in MyRiding because of the lack of access to Francophone. The mother of Miguel asked our office to help her son. He is now 21 years old. He will not be able to attend high school in September. He is nonverbal Francophone. Mr. Speaker, this mother is looking for a Francophone group home for an autistic son. She wants her son nearby. Erica Falls is the nearest residential group home that offers some French services, but there is no spot for him. This means she has either sent him down south, leaves her job to be close to him, or just drop him off and can't see her son. This is absolutely unhumane and not a decision a mother or family should be making. Mr. Speaker, I hope this government is aware of this situation and not ignoring such an important file, and if they have any plans to invest in creating Francophone Residential Group Homes in Northern Ontario. Thank you. I recognize the member for Orleans. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, too many Ontarians are struggling to make ends meet. Under this government, despite promises four years ago, we've seen the price of gas go up. We've seen the price of hydro go up. We've seen the price of food go up and we've seen the price of housing go up. And at the same time, Mr. Speaker, we've seen access to health care go down. Access to OSAP go down. Progress on building the green economy go down. Autism services down. Mental health supports down. Everything that should be up is down and everything that should be down is up Mr. Speaker. And this government's upside down priorities are having a negative impact on the quality of life of Ontarians. Ontarians expect their government to have a plan to make life more affordable, to take strong actions and provide relief. To ensure that all Ontarians have the economic dignity they deserve living in the most prosperous province in the country. Whether it's the cost of a new home, the cost to turn on the lights, the cost to commute to work, or the cost of groceries on Saturday morning. This government has no plan to provide relief for middle class families. Whether it's the cost of home care, the lack of funding for ODSP, or the cuts to public health. This government has no plans to provide for those who are suffering the most. The government doesn't have a plan to make Ontario more affordable. And what's worse, they delayed the budget, the opportunity to provide that plan for Ontario families. They've announced a lot of gimmicks, Mr. Speaker, but a handful of gimmicks does not make a jobs plan. A handful of gimmicks does not make an economic recovery plan. A handful of gimmicks does not help families with inflation and the runaway costs of living. It's time for real leadership, Mr. Ontario, and Mr. Speaker, and a real plan for Ontario families. Thank you. I recognize the member for Mississauga, Erin Mills. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past few weeks I had the pleasure to visit many businesses in my riding, Mississauga, Erin Mills. I toured restaurants like East Tikan, Taste of Village, Omda, Kiryoki, Masrawi. And I visited a convenience store like Stubborn Go Food Market. I visited food stores like Adonis, Arzen, and Nigma. And I spoke, I had the owner to spoke to the owners and the employees at those businesses. I have, Mr. Speaker, we are committed to giving Ontario small businesses and workers the tools they need to succeed. From reducing the business tax by 1% to covering the gas costs by 5.7 cents per litre, we will make sure more money stay in the buckets of Ontario. We also recently announced $5 million investment to help Black and Indigenous and other racialized and intravenous overcome economic obstacles. With funding, training, and culturally relevant services, no entrepreneur in Ontario will be left behind. Mr. Speaker, these measures will help businesses around Mississauga and across Ontario to grow, create new jobs, and adopt a future challenge. Mr. Speaker, entrepreneurs and workers alike are counting on our government to keep up with rabbit-evolving post-COVID-19 playing field. And our government is committed to answering their call and to get the job done. Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I recognize a member from Tremescom and Cochrane. Thank you, Speaker. I'd like to take the opportunity to make the houseware a tale of two restaurants. The Outfitter Bar in Tomogamy, high-end restaurant, beautiful on the lake. You can boat up to it. You can snowmobile up to it. It's a fantastic spot. I recommend it to everyone here. The Cafeteria in Sturgeon Falls. It is what it sounds like. It's owned by Carmen Benet and good, hearty food. It's affordable. But you always come out of the cafeteria well-fed and happy. Two totally different business models. Both successful, both extremely stressed. What they do share is both those businesses and many other restaurants across the province were denied the Small Business Relief Grant when they were closed in the last lockdown. Now, again, and in the case of the Outfitter, the Outfitter put in investments because they are qualified and were denied. The Cafeteria had never applied before. They had gone through the first two and thought, okay, we're being closed. This grant is there. There is no appeal process summarily denied. This government does not understand Small Business, though they claim to. Thank you, Speaker. I recognize the member for Stormwood, Dundas, Seth Glengari. Thank you, Speaker. The tartan of many color stands for the people of Scottish culture who carried the values of Scottish enlightenment to many distant lands and gave birth and meaning to modernism and innovation as we know it. A mere 300 years ago, Scotland was known as the poorest nation in all of Europe. But with the union of the two parliaments in 1707, the Scots became in short order the most educated and literate population of the time, casting their moral values wherever they traveled. The Highland clearance started in the mid-1700s and continued for approximately 100 years, forcing more than 100,000 Scottish citizens to emigrate, many looking to North America to create new life. There are many prominent Scots who impacted the world, the most notably in Canada, where people claiming Scottish ancestry are one of the most populous groups. Father Alexander McDonnell organized his place Highlanders into the Glengari fensimals, and after fighting for King and Country during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, their loyalty was rewarded with a land grant known today as Glengari County. As the first Bishop of Upper Canada and a member of this legislature, he went on to organize the emigration of tens of thousands of Scots to Ontario. All in all, the story of Scots in Ontario is one of harmony and respect for other cultures and religions, held together in the peaceful pursuit of abundance. Today's display of Scots around North America celebrate Tartan Day, the day of Cayleys and Singlesoft Scots whiskey. As you remember, 2,000 years of hardships and victories can protect in their harsh homelands from the Vikings, the Romans, and the English to the South. Mr. Speaker, Happy Tartan Day. I recognize the House Leader, Government House Leader. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Speaker, I believe if you seek it you'll find unanimous consent to immediately move Government Notice of Motion number 14, respecting expedited passage of Bill 111, an act to amend the Fuel Tax Act and the Gasoline Tax Act with respect to a temporary reduction to the tax payable and certain, clear fuel, and on gasoline, and that the Speaker shall immediately put the question on the motion without debate or amendment and that no deferral of the vote on the motion be permitted. Mr. Klander is seeking unanimous consent, Bill 111, immediate passage. I am seeking unanimous consent to immediately move Government Notice of Motion number 14, respecting the expedited passage of Bill 111, an act to amend the Fuel Tax Act and the Gasoline Tax Act with respect to a temporary reduction to the tax payable and certain clear fuel, and that the Speaker shall immediately put the question on the motion without debate or amendment and that no deferral of the vote on the motion be permitted. Agreed? I heard it all. For introduction of guests.