 Next, we have oral questions. I recognize the leader of the official opposition. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. My first question is to the Premier. As the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated families and businesses, Ontarians have by and large done their best to follow the rules set out by health experts. The Premier has been harsh with most people who ignore the rules. In fact, he said they're too fry short of a happy meal. He's just found a music teacher for failing to wear a mask, but the Premier has nothing but excuses for the assistant to his Minister of Education. So my question is, why does the Premier think conservative MPPs can ignore the rules during this pandemic? Mr. Labour. Well, thank you very much. And I thank the member opposite for the question, Mr. Speaker. The health and safety of every worker in this province is our government's top priority. My ministry has been inspecting workplaces every single day during this pandemic. In fact, Mr. Speaker, we've done now 25,000 investigations related to COVID-19. Mr. Speaker, regarding the situation in the example that the Leader of the Opposition mentioned, I want to reiterate that our ministry met with every school board across the province communicating the health and safety guidelines. We met with local health and safety committees, including worker representatives at the local level. Mr. Speaker, our ministry, our health and safety inspectors visited St. Charles Catholic School on October 23rd, and I can confirm that a worker was charged with failing to comply with section 28-1B of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and I'll have more details in the supplemental. The supplementary question. Well, Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, this isn't about the teacher being fined. This is about one of the members of the Conservative caucus being given a blessing to break the rules and not having any consequences whatsoever. It's a double standard, and people need to know why the Premier is protecting his member instead of being fair in terms of the way that this pandemic is being dealt with. It's just the latest example of the Premier's confused and chaotic response to COVID-19 second wave. Working people break the rules and get steep fines, right, which is okay, but when Conservative MPPs break the rules, the Premier defends their actions. The Premier claims shutdowns will be based on science and the best health advice, but he ignores that advice and even encourages his own MPPs to challenge that advice. We are in the midst of a deadly second wave of COVID-19. Why does the Premier seem to be making his responses up as he goes along? Mr. Labour? Mr. Speaker, all of us have a role to play in preventing the spread of COVID-19. That's why, Mr. Speaker, we've spared no expense to protect the health and safety of every worker across the province. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I joined the Premier just three weeks ago to announce that we're hiring 100 more inspectors. It'll be the highest number of inspectors that the province of Ontario has ever had. Mr. Speaker, we expect every employer and every worker to follow the rules that are in place. That's why, Mr. Speaker, we clearly laid out in our 200 guidelines that are available at Ontario.ca that workers, if they have COVID-19, they have to let their employer know. They have to let public health know. Mr. Speaker, every workplace is to have a prescreening measure in place. Every employee has to prescreen before going into work every day. And, Mr. Speaker, I'm proud of our inspectors. 25,000 investigations that have been taking place during COVID-19 to protect the health and safety of everyone in Ontario. The final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, families are looking for leadership in the midst of this pandemic. Ontario is facing now record-high cases. Hospitals are already operating above capacity and hundreds of millions of dollars in deficit. Classes are overcrowded. Long-term care homes are understaffed. And the Premier has not only failed to prepare for the second wave, but seems to change the rules of pandemic response day by day, depending on who is lobbying him and when. What is the Premier going to do to bring confidence back or bring confidence, period, in the government's response to the second wave of this pandemic? Mr. Labour. Well, Mr. Speaker, what we're going to do is to continue protecting the health and safety and the health and well-being of everyone in this province. And Mr. Speaker, like I've said, we've been doing it every single day at the Ministry of Labor, Training and Skills Development. We've been out on job sites in workplaces, ensuring that health and safety practices are followed. Everyone in this province knows every employer that they have legal responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. We expect those laws to be followed, and we expect employees to also follow those rules. As I said, Mr. Speaker, our health and safety inspectors visited this local school in question that the member opposite raised. We have issued a fine to that worker, Mr. Speaker. It is before the courts. But we have clear guidelines in place. We want every worker to pre-screen before going into their workplace every day, and if they have COVID-19, Mr. Speaker, they have to let public health know and let their employer know. Thank you. Thank you. The next question. I'm going to do the opposition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My next question is also to the Premier. But I do have to say that it's quite interesting that working people are being held to task and being fined when they do the wrong thing. But the MPP for Niagara West gets nothing. In fact, the Premier says he's doing a great job. I stand behind him, even though he was in an indoor space with more people than should have been, none of them wearing masks. So what is it? Do as we say, but not as we do? This is what confuses people about the way that this government is handling this pandemic. The government's failed response to the second wave, Speaker, has meant actually life and death consequences in long-term care, particularly. A few weeks ago, the minister of that ministry said that the COVID-19 impact was similar to that of the flu, which is just wild. But since then, the number of residents with active cases in long-term care has lasted 24 hours. 11 dead. Today, another five. The Premier, or rather the province, has not seen 11 deaths in a 24-hour period since June. So after the horrors of the first wave, what the heck is going on? Why is the government standing on for that? Thank you. Minister of Long-term Care to respond. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the member opposite for the question. I wish to reiterate my position that our vulnerable people in long-term care have experienced tragedy in the past, and they are vulnerable. Our government is committed to high quality care in long-term care, to the safety of residents and staff and caregivers. This is something that our government has demonstrated our commitment to from the very beginning. Our ministry is a standalone ministry to shine the light and make sure that we address the issues that have been longstanding and neglected by the previous government, often time supported by the opposition, including the member opposite. This is something that we are taking active measures on, and I want to reiterate that COVID-19 is unlike anything we've ever seen before in the world, and the impact have been devastating. I want to be clear about that. Thank you. The supplementary question. Well, Speaker, history is repeating itself as we speak. History is repeating itself in long-term care. After the Canadian forces exposed the horrors inside Ontario's long-term care homes during the first wave, the Premier promised change. That's what he promised. And just like the promise of an iron ring back in the spring, that promise has meant nothing. It's meant nothing. The Premier simply has decided not to act. And now we learn that the armed forces were at the ready for an entire month. For an entire month, they were waiting to get the call from the Premier to protect our seniors in long-term care. So the question, Speaker, to the Premier is how many people actually lost their lives? How many people died in long-term care while the Premier waited a month before calling in the armed forces that were at the ready to help us out? Mr. Long-Term Care. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you again to the member opposite for the question. Our government is a compassionate government. Our government understands the needs in long-term care, which is exactly why it has focused its efforts and made long-term care a priority. COVID-19 was ravaging the world in the first wave. Our long-term care homes are faring substantially better with all the actions we've taken, including actions to address the IPAC, the staffing, the measures we've put in place to address caregivers. And I want to thank the Canadian Armed Forces for coming in in our time of need. And I have a quote from Brigadier General, who told the Commission that he believes the military arrived at the right time to make a difference. He says, we didn't come too early and weren't applied in incorrect locations. And we didn't come too late to actually not be of any value to be able to stabilize these homes he testified. We are honestly proud to have been called in to help Ontarians in their time of need. So thank you. Thank you. The final supplementary. Speaker, I can guarantee the government, the minister and the premier, that those people who can't get a day in court, that can't get accountability, that can't get any kind of justice for their loved ones, do not see this government as a compassionate government. Do not. The premier's failure to plan for the second wave of COVID-19 has put seniors in long-term care and danger once again, shamefully. We're seeing that across the province today, with outbreaks in 88 homes. Let me just see if that's increased again today. Well, actually 87 homes today. But the people that the premier's promise around the iron ring in long-term care, the people that he promised that protection would be in place, didn't get it. Instead, who he's protecting is the for-profit companies and his own government. If this government was sincere at all, remotely sincere about change, the minister responsible for the tragedy would have resigned by now. The premier would have moved heaven and earth to shore up long-term care and get them the staff and resource they needed. So the question to the premier is why hasn't he done any of those things? Speaker, and I'm pleased to rise to talk about where we are focused. We are focused on the people of Ontario, the people who are struggling through very tough times through COVID, whether it be small businesses or individuals, whether it's people who are contributing to the community, people who want to contribute to their community. But they're not feeling comfortable and safe and secure. And so we're doing so many things to try and provide a level of comfort so that they will engage in the community and help Ontario recover and come back forward as Ontario recovers together. Instead of taking individual speculative potshots, Mr. Speaker, I think we should ask the opposition to come join us to help support the people who are supporting the rest of us in Ontario. We only have one direction to go, Mr. Speaker, and we have to move together. The next question, the member for London Fanshawe. Speaker, my question is to the premier. Today, my time to Care Bill will be debated in this House and voted on tomorrow. This is now the fourth time the new Democrats have tabled this bill that calls for a minimum standard of four hours direct care, hands-on care. It is a practical, effective and immediate solution that would vastly improve the lives of those who work and live in long-term care. And it has been endorsed by all major unions, prominent long-term care academics, advocacy groups and families. It has also been called for by the government's own staffing report and long-term care commission. This government, the minister has said, is a compassionate government. Will the government dig deep, find their compassion, and will the premier fast-track the bill and make a minimum standard of care law today? To reply, the minister of long-term care. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member not only for the question, but for the work she has done on this. As has been mentioned for many years, this effort, previous efforts, by the governing parties before did not result in any tangible difference. And I think that that really speaks to the neglect of the previous government on this. A time to Care Act aligns with the lessons we've learned from the experts, the data that we have. We understand the importance of what you've described. And I just want to say that proper staffing is absolutely critical to our ability to care for loved ones, our residents, our most vulnerable people in long-term care. And that is something we've been actively working on to make sure that we take the expert panel, the advisory panel's recommendations to heart. It is important that we continue to work across ministries, whether it's the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labor and others. And I will be voting in favor of this bill. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. Yesterday, when asked if she would support the time of Care Bill, the Minister of Long-Term Care said she would vote to support in favor. And now she's saying she's vote in support in favor. But I also want to make sure that she votes and pushes her colleagues and the Premier to expedite this bill through the committee process. And back into this legislative or third reading to make it law. So, and as you know, in committee, when we ask that question, of course, I'll read what the Minister had said and quote, as she said today, she said, you have to understand that in order to provide four hours of care per resident, you need the staff to provide that end quote. If this government is truly a compassionate, serious enough about this issue, implementing this bill, funding needs to be attached. Will the Premier commit to significant investments in the upcoming budget to hire more staff with full-time hours and a liberal wage and benefits and pass my time to Care Bill to make quality of care happen for all our vulnerable seniors in long-term care? And we will please take their seats. Minister of Long-Term Care. Thank you, Speaker. And once again, thank you for your interest in this area and the question. We've been very clear, and I said, as I said yesterday, publicly, I will be supporting this bill. I repeated that again today. But I'd like to outline the dollars that have already been spent in this. But clearly, we need to understand what has been spent and how we move forward. $540 million investment just a couple weeks ago to protect seniors living in long-term care. And specifically, $405 million to help homes with operating pressures, including staffing supports. We're providing another $461 million to give PSWs a $3-an-hour wage increase, another $14 million to the PSW training funds to continue training more PSWs and more staff that is so badly needed to address increased levels of care, an additional $10.3 million for a new personal support worker return of service program. We have the responsibility, as the Premier has said, to protect our most vulnerable while ensuring that they continue to have access to the best medical staff and their caregivers. And we will continue to do this. Thank you. Thank you very much. The next question, the member for York Centre. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education. Speaker, after the Liberals' disastrous record of 600 school closures and an enormous repair backlog, Ontarians expect better from their government. This government, led by Premier Ford, is committed to doing all we can to support students and staff, investing in our students and their learning environments. Last week, I was pleased to see the Premier and the Minister of Education announce our government's historic investment in new schools, additions, and childcare spaces across the province. Can the Minister of Education please tell the House why these investments are so important in reversing the disastrous liberal legacy of cuts and closures and how this funding will help our students? Minister of Education. Well, thank you very much, Speaker. I want to thank the member from York Centre for his advocacy for public education in the province. Indeed, the Premier announced another investment. In the midst of this pandemic, we've been in dealing with the great consequences of COVID since really the March. And since then, we've announced really a billion dollars in new investment to flow to rebuild schools, to renovate schools, and expand childcare for working parents. In fact, this is part of our broader $12 billion plan over the decade to enhance, improve, and modernize public education and public schools in the province. Last week, the Premier announced that 20 new schools will be funded, that eight major permanent renovations would be funded, representing nearly 16,000 net's new spaces for learning within our schools, as well as an additional 870 licensed childcare spaces, affordable childcare for working parents. We know there is much more to do to improve the state of our schools following a decade of closure under the former Liberal government. But this Premier and this government is committed to improving our schools, modernizing our learning spaces, and ensuring parents get the very best from their government. The supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you, Minister, for that response. These are great initiatives our government is taking. And I know that parents who reside in my writing take supporting the next generations very seriously. Can the Minister please assure the legislature that the government will not stop supporting our students with the important repairs and new school buildings as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic? Minister of Education. Thank you, Speaker. I mean, obviously the Premier and the government is fully committed to making sure our schools are modern, that they're accessible, they're technologically connected. And that's why, Speaker, we've ensured that funding is flowing. Twice now in this pandemic, we've announced capital rounds to rebuild schools or renovate schools and expand childcare. Speaker, what we are committed to doing is ensuring that the learning spaces that house our children meet the standards of parents in this province, a high standard. And we understand that the schools that we've inherited require major improvement. That's why we made a landmark investment, underscoring our commitment to ensure these spaces are improved. Just last week, I joined the member from Eglinton Lawrence to announce a significant investment in Loretto Abbey, an institution that has educated women in this country before our country was founded. We are ensuring that that space, a historic space, can be preserved. We're taking action in urban and rural French and English schools across the province, and we are going to continue to do that to ensure students of this province learn in the very best spaces. Thank you. The next question, the member for Kiwetanon. Good morning, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Last week, the Scandinavia First Nation evacuated. They had to shut down the water plant when an oily sheen was found in the reservoir. Test show it is hydrocarbon. I was in the Scandinavia and saw this myself a couple of days ago. With no running water, people have to use bottled water and lake water to flush toilets and wash their hands. Speaker, this is so wrong. Complacency and inaction equals apartheid to access clean, tricky water. Water is such a basic human right. Nisqandaga is a signatory to treaty number nine. This government needs to provide direct funding and support to Nisqandaga to this crisis. What has Ontario done for Nisqandaga? The Parliamentary Assistant, member for Peterborough Coortham. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member very much for that question. It gives us the opportunity to talk about the great work that Minister Rickford has been doing on this file. We know that the water treatment plant was built by the federal government, and there are some deficiencies with it, that we have been working very closely with the federal government to make sure that they step up and actually do what they need to do to ensure that there is safe drinking water. The federal government has made a commitment to end boil water advisory. So Minister Rickford has been working directly with Minister Miller to make sure that they actually complete that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The supplementary question. To this day, Minister Rickford has not reached out to Minister, I mean Chief Mouniaz. Paying jurisdiction ambiguity on the lives of the people in Nisqandaga is not acceptable. All services are shut down in Nisqandaga due to this crisis, due to this public health emergency. Losing water to the whole community during COVID-19 is a disaster, Mr. Speaker. After 25 years plus without clean drinking water, Nisqandaga has no running water at all. There are 14 other Nisqandagas across Qedno, and they need drinking water as well. This would not be allowed in the riding like Etobicoke North. When will Ontario invest in infrastructure for clean drinking water for Nisqandaga and other First Nations who need it? Again, the Parliamentary Assistant to respond. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And again, thank you very much for the question. It gives us the opportunity to talk about what the Ontario government has been doing. The Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks Indigenous Drinking Water Projects Office staff worked directly with Nisqandaga with respect to the building of this treatment plant. Minister Rickford, I'm sorry, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs has been working directly with Chief Archibald, the regional chief for the area, to make sure that we're doing what we need to do to get the federal government to step up and do what they are supposed to do. This is their responsibility, and we are working with the community to make sure that the federal government completes what they have started. The next question, the member for Ottawa South. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Long-Term Care. Today, there are 87 homes in outbreak in Ontario. 11 of those have double-digit cases. So in Prescott Russell, double-digit resident cases. In Prescott Russell, there are 37. At Starwood, in the Pean, in the Nisqandaga backyard, there are 41. 21 people have died at Ottawa's West End Villa. The Minister has failed to protect all residents in long-term care, failed to move residents out of four-bed ward rooms. At Fairview Nursing Home, they are separating COVID-19 positive patients from COVID-19 negative patients in the same room with wall dividers. So given the Minister's training, does she think that wall dividers is an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Ontario's long-term care homes? Minister of Long-Term Care. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member for the question. Really, the data is important, but we always have to keep in mind, it is the residents and the staff in our long-term care homes, they're families that are the centre of our government's efforts to prevent and contain COVID-19. This is something we've been active on since the very beginning. The long-standing neglect of our long-term care homes, some built in the 1970s, and very few spaces were built under the tenure of the previous government. So the stage, unfortunately, was set by the previous government's inaction and supported by the opposition we have here today. But looking at the numbers, our homes, and I reiterate this issue, an outbreak means one resident case or one staff case and in 52 cases of our outbreaks, there are no resident cases. In the homes where there are outbreaks, there is an integrated response using Ontario Public Health, the public health units in the area, the hospitals, the IPAC teams, the rapid deployment teams. Our homes are faring much more. Thank you. Thank you. And then the supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. So the minister mentioned inaction. So the minister's delayed decision-making and failure act quickly has caused unnecessary suffering and death. Last March, the minister waved more than a month to raise the wages of PSWs and prevent them from working in more than one home. We found out this morning that they waited a month. The Canadian Armed Forces were ready for a month before they were called in. And it took three months to figure out the importance of the role of essential caregivers. So this summer, while BC and Quebec were aggressively hiring PSWs, this minister was doing not enough. Order. Not enough. So no plans were made to move residents out of four-bed wardrooms or what the minister likes to describe as decanting residents, decanting. Question. So, Speaker, through you, speaking of inaction, why is the minister taking so long to make decisions that save lives? The minister of long-term care. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. I would like to emphasize to the member opposite that we have three highly respected individuals eminent in their fields that have used the term decanting and decant. And that is a term that is being used. And that is... Position, come to our... It is a term that needs to be understood so that we can understand what the commission is asking for. And I think that's the first thing. The second thing is, our efforts to address a new virus that the world has never known before, affecting long-term care homes across the world was taken as an integrated approach with public health experts, across ministries, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Long-Term Care, many, many ministries involved in this, Ontario Health, the public health units, the medical officers of health, the hospitals, an integrated response. All of this had to be measured because in health and the healthcare system, if you move one area, another area is affected. All of this had to be coordinated. And I'm grateful to all the... Thank you very much. The next question, the member for Oakville. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And my question is to the Associate Minister of Children and Women's Issues. On Monday, I heard some deeply troubling allegations concerning women's issues here in the House. Interstatement for Women's History Month, the member for Toronto St. Paul's, raised concern over unanswered letters, the lack of support for women across the province, and quite frankly, the allegations were very concerning. Speaker, the member said, and I quote, I wrote to the minister about women, these women's plights. I wrote to the minister about more funding for sexual assault centres, more funding for pay equity, and I was told, try Ministry of Attorney General, try housing. We heard that the minister, quote, stands with the government that didn't supply enough PPE to essential workers on the front line, end quote, and that she doesn't support the female teachers of the province and has legislated dangerous schools. These are just some of the many things that were alleged. So can the Minister of Children and Women's Issues please address these allegations? The Associate Minister of Children and Women's Issues. Speaker, and thank you to the member from Oakville for that question. I know you are an advocate for women, not only in your home as a father of four daughters, but also for the women in your riding. Unfortunately, the member from Toronto St. Paul's mistaking in her assertions. I have said before and I will say it again, this government and the Premier is committed to ensuring that women and girls across Ontario have access to opportunities they deserve. We have provided $405 million to help long-term care with operating pressures related to COVID-19, including additional PPE for frontline workers who are predominantly female. In my own ministry, the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies has been working with us to provide over 10 million pieces of PPE to those in residential settings, including in women's shelters to protect those fleeing from domestic violence. Speaker, thanks to the work of the Minister of Education, we are investing $550 million across the province as part of the 2021 Capital Priorities Project. And I'll have more to say in my supplemental. Thank you, Speaker, for clarifying it. Speaker, the member for Toronto St. Paul's also raised the alarm and suggested that this government and the minister have left female small businesses and I quote, hanging by a thread. She also stated that this government works in silos and doesn't know what each other's ministers are doing. Finally, Speaker, this minister, the member stated that girls need to see leaders today become leaders tomorrow and that I certainly agree with. As a father of four daughters, it is important for me to see strong women in many different roles in their lives, be they teachers, be they mothers, be they political leaders, be they business owners. Speaker, for the women in my riding and for the generation of girls in the wings, can this minister needs to respond? Through you, Speaker, can the minister answer the question? What are you doing to make sure that women are not left behind? Thank you. Thank you, Minister. And thanks again to the member for raising this question. Speaker, I am floored by these assertions. I speak to and work with my ministerial colleagues on a daily basis, whether it is with the Solicitor General and the Attorney General to combat human trafficking and support those fleeing domestic violence, or the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services working to support children and women in Ontario in residential settings, or the Minister of Labor Training and Skills Development, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Colleges and Universities, encouraging more and more young girls and women to get into the skilled trades and STEM sectors. Speaker, I also work with the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, the Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction to support all job creators across Ontario, including our women-led and women-owned businesses. I could go on and on, but I'll run out of time. But what I will say, though, is I strongly agree with the member, both from Oakville and the member from Toronto-Saint-Paul's, that girls need to see leaders and become leaders of tomorrow. And I want to thank all the women in this House for being examples to girls in their ridings and across Ontario. All right. The next question, the member for Kitchener Center. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. This week, the public found out that the Premier prioritizes backroom deals for his friend Charles McVidi over helping people through this pandemic. And that's what he spent his summer planning. That's what his focus was on. And now our offices are receiving letters. At least 10 universities and the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations has written to us. They said this Premier is undermining public education and the Ontario Human Rights Code. They said the Ontario government shouldn't be giving degree-granting privileges to institutions or any school that embeds hate in their curriculum. What did the Premier make? Why did the Premier make the time to help Charles McVidi grow his platform for hate rather than helping the people of this province survive the pandemic? Thank you for your help. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the member opposite for a question. It's not the first time that we've heard the question in this legislature. As I've said before, we respect all communities, all religious communities, all types of communities, well, whether they be LGBT or anybody else, whatever the community is in our writings. But we also respect the process. There are political processes. There are government organizations and institutions that have processes. And we understand that this is an independent review. We are waiting for the ruling by this independent review. Then the ministry will be able to review the review. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Order. Supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will keep asking questions until we actually receive answers. Back to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, we all know that the hate that Charles McVidi spews, we know all about it. We know what the goals are for his college. It is shameful that while Muslim Ontarians are writing this government demanding that they address Islamophobia, that the Premier delivers a gift to an Islamophobe. It's shameful that the government let Charles McVidi know that they'd be putting together new legislation specifically for him. The government keeps claiming that this is a process, but it's clear from Mr. McVidi's application that he knew that this was a done deal. And serious questions remain about why the Canada Christian College application mysteriously disappeared as soon as questions were raised. So my question to the Premier, will the Premier admit that this is simply not a transparent process? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to remind the member opposite that this is the exact same process that the OCAD and Algoma went through just last year. And that it's unfortunate as well. Order. Since the NDP once supported these very institutions, especially when its own members, David Winniger and Mazariam Archezi brought forth similar bills for faith-based schools such as Heritage Baptist College and Heritage Theological Seminary and Institute for Christian Studies. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The next question, the member for Lanark Frontenac Kingston. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. In April, the FAO reported that in March, over 1,000 sick and elderly patients in our hospitals had been transferred to our overcrowded and understaffed long-term care facilities. This was at the direction of your government, under the advice and guidance of your unelected public health officials in the COVID command table. Two thirds of all COVID deaths, nearly 2,000 people, died in these overcrowded LTC homes. We were all witnesses to these horrible tragedies that happened in long-term care. But is anyone responsible? Speaker, Bill 218 will not only provide immunity for the consequences of these actions, but also conceal these actions from all time. What is the Premier afraid of? To reply for the government, the Attorney General. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And what our government is doing is looking out for the people of Ontario in terms of making sure that those who have acted in good faith and those who have made an honest effort and have taken public health advice, that those people have a level of security to contribute to our communities, to engage in our communities. And I'm talking well beyond what the members are referencing. I'm talking about the Colberg Soccer Club who didn't operate this year because their board of directors and their volunteers were too nervous to get on the field and get the kids in the field, Mr. Speaker. I have dozens and dozens of, hundreds of examples, quite frankly, of that mental health and addictions, ramifications. You can touch on almost any area of society, Mr. Speaker, and there was nervousness. And that is what our government is protecting and moving forward so that we can reinvigorate our communities and make sure that we come through COVID as a team. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The supplementary. Again, to the Premier, we know that confinement and isolation is unhealthy and is reserved as a punishment for dangerous criminals. But the elderly in LTC have been subjected to this cruelty for eight months. Every day we hear more stories from the elderly who would rather die than live any more alone and in fear. We hear the tragic stories of families not permitted to visit. The refusal to hold a public inquiry and now Bill 218 ensures that the full extent of this tragedy will be hidden from public scrutiny. And why? Why did we not provide temporary transfers out of LTC? Why were our elderly denied healthcare in our hospitals and why were doctors prevented from helping in LTC? Just to name a few. Speaker, why is the Premier abdicating responsibility and hiding from accountability? Is he afraid that the truth will be his end? Attorney General. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, we're supporting the communities and we want to make sure that those bad actors are held to account. We are going to make sure that there is room in the system and focus so that some of these tragic situations will be dealt with accordingly. There seems to be some misunderstanding by the member opposite of what exactly is happening. We've been investing. We are the first government to set up a long-term care minister. We are the first government to invest record numbers in our systems to protect the people of Ontario and there are tragic situations and those will be dealt with. But we want answers and we want them quick and that's why we set up the commission so that we can get answers and we can react to them. If we put in place an inquiry which he keeps asking for, it would be years and years and we don't have that kind of time, Mr. Speaker. Next question. The member for Markham Thornhill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions to the Associate Minister of Energy. As everyone know that previous liberal government drove up the price of electricity, crippling our economy and imposing unbearable cost on my constituents and on residential customers across our province. Could the minister please tell us how our government is cleaning up the hydromass the liberal left behind? Thank you. Associate Minister of Energy. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and thank you to the member from Markham Thornhill for the great question and the great work he does on behalf of all of his constituents. Mr. Speaker, when our government was elected we found that the previous liberal government had signed over 1,300 expensive contracts for wind and solar power with the Auditor General saying that their scheme had cost insurer ratepayers over $37 billion, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely shocking and deplorable. Mr. Speaker, we promised to clean up the hydromass and that's exactly what we're doing. You cannot undo 15 years of wild mismanagement overnight, Mr. Speaker, but we have made significant progress. We took immediate action to cancel unnecessary contracts that have been given to liberal insiders which saved over $800 million in system costs. We modernized the Intura Energy Board and we undertook a systematic review to remove unnecessary costs from our energy system. Mr. Speaker, we are also giving consumers choice and how they pay for their electricity to best suit their needs and save on cost. And Mr. Speaker, there's more to come and I'll talk to that in my supplement. The supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you Minister for that response. I'm glad that our government is focused on putting rate payers and the people first and making the electricity system more affordable. Could the minister please assure my constituents that they can expect long-term stability and predictability in the electricity pricing under our government. Thank you. The associate minister. Thank you again through you, Mr. Speaker. Unlike the liberals supported most of the time by the NDP, our government will always put the people of Ontario first. I can assure the member and his constituents that we will never stop working for the people of Ontario as we fix what was a broken over-price system under liberal mismanagement for 15 years. Mr. Speaker, every month when Ontario businesses and or homeowners look at their electricity bills, they can thank the previous liberal government for their strapping them with the global adjustment fee, a fee designed by the liberals to pay for unnecessary green projects. They made decisions about this province's energy future based on ideology and not what's in the best interest of Ontario people. Ontario's energy advantage is our clean, reliable, and affordable nuclear and hydro assets. Mr. Speaker, Ontario's weren't part of the backroom deals that the liberals gave to solar and wind generators that guaranteed 20-year contracts that sometimes up to 40% more than fair market price. Ontario's don't deserve to pay for liberal mistakes and we will continue to work tirelessly to restore fairness and predictability to our energy system. Thank you. The next question, the member for Hamilton Mountain. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. This week, the Hamilton-Wenworth District School Board announced that it will be eliminating 200 teachers and collapsing classes. As cases of COVID-19 once again are on the rise in the province, classes in Hamilton's public school board are going to increase. For months, families have been begging this government to take COVID-19 seriously and reduce class sizes. Instead, this government spent the summer declaring victory while boards were scrambling to make sure that schools were safe. Now we're seeing the consequences of the government's inaction. Why is this government allowing Hamilton class sizes to increase during the rise in COVID-19 cases? Minister of Education. Well, on the contrary, Speaker, we've seen classroom sizes being reduced in Hamilton. The public and Catholic school boards, according to their own directors and the admission of their own school boards. In fact, in Hamilton District School Board, they've been provided with, when you look at unlocking the reserve fund, provincial fund, federal fund, 21 million more dollars to help them hire more nurses. 23 more nurses were hired in the public health units to date as a consequence of provincial investment. More educators were hired. 87 is known according to the September Pulse Survey. Overall, in this province, there are 2,700 new educators hired because this premier has in-funded public education to ensure we have the most comprehensive plan to keep kids safe. And we will continue. We will continue to be there for our school boards. We will continue to build upon the national leading investment, the comprehensive guidance we've provided to ensure all students and all staff remain safe in the province of Ontario. Great. The supplementary question. Speaker, this government is sitting on $9 billion of COVID-19 support money and $500 million in federal dollars for return to school funding. But in Hamilton, our public school board is facing a deficit this year. Teaching positions are being eliminated and class sizes are going up. This government has the power to ensure that Hamilton students have safer and smaller class sizes, but instead is choosing to save money on the backs of Hamilton students. Why won't the government support Hamilton's public education system? Thanks for your participation. Well, Speaker, across the province of Ontario, including in Hamilton, likewise right across the GTHA, school boards have acknowledged that provincial funding, federal funding, reserve funding has enabled them to hire more educators than they had last year, hire more custodians in those, both public and Catholic school boards than they did last year, according to their director, according to their chair, that there is more hiring as a consequence of provincial investment. Classroom sizes within your respective community member have actually been reduced as a consequence of provincial investment. So that is the relevant element for a parent observing. Has the classroom size been reduced according to the provincial average? Are there more custodians? Are there more public health nurses? Are there more teachers? And in each and every example, the answer is yes. And that is because with a $1.3 billion investment, notwithstanding, we are spending more than any province, above and beyond the financial investment. It's about ensuring we have a comprehensive guidance that it protects kids, mitigates the risk and ensure that we do our part within our schools to flatten the curve in the province of Ontario. Thank you. The next question, the member for Glenn Gehry, Prescott Russell. Merci, Monsieur le Président. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the finance minister. Repeatedly over the summer, I've been asking this government to address the price gouging that has been happening with food delivery services, something this government has been slow to address as in five months slow. Restaurant owners, small business owners have been pleading with this government for months to cap food delivery commission fees at max 15%. Now the Premier's nephew, Toronto City Councilor, is asking the same question. So my question to the finance minister, now that his boss's nephew is also asking, will he finally support small business owners by capping food delivery commission fees at 15% in next week's budget? The parliamentary assistant. I want to thank the honourable member for that question, and I followed that question as well. And I think what this government early on asked every Ontarian to support their small business owners in the restaurant business as we know they're hanging on as the Premier said, by the skin of their teeth. And so what we've asked and what the Premier has asked with the food delivery businesses, also put some skin in the game, help these restaurant owners that are trying to employ their employees, pay wages, pay rent, keep viable so we can get through COVID-19. So whatever city council in Toronto decides, they've been told to talk to the mayor, and the mayor will talk to the Premier and we'll see where that ends up. Thank you. She's supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member. Mr. Speaker, again, to the finance minister, this government continues with contradictory and confusing messages while we're in stage two and a clear lack of movement on important files. They continue to offer no support to restaurant owners and job creators who have been asking for it for almost six months. Last week, a Ford family friend contacted the Premier directly to rush through approvals on a plan to extend patio dining. Yet again, we can see that the only way to get any movement on this file is to have someone with a personal relationship with the Premier to give him a call. Mr. Speaker, when will this government start respecting Ontario's business owners who don't have a personal relationship with the Premier and give all business owners the support they need during this time? The Parliamentary Assistant, the Member for Wildale. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Speaker, unlike the Liberals' opposite, we don't define success on the government benches by how quickly you spend money. That's why we've put aside the necessary resources, the largest contingency fund in history, the largest reserve fund in history to be adaptive in an ever-changing environment that is COVID-19, Speaker. We recognize that businesses are suffering across every corner of this province. And that was the case in March when we introduced our initial set of supports. That was the case in August when we increased those supports to 30 billion. And that is the case today, Mr. Speaker. And that's why recently we announced $300 million in direct support for those businesses affected by the revised stage two. And that's going to help these businesses with their fixed costs, like cutting additional taxes, like helping with property tax, and like keeping hydro rates low, Mr. Speaker. We recognize that small businesses that are frowning on this government and we will continue to provide those supports to whether they're stormed. The next question, the Member for University, Rosedale. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Vermont Square is a long-term care home in my riding. 62 residents and 47 staff have tested positive for COVID-19 and eight residents have died, making this the worst outbreak in the province. I recently held a meeting to hear from staff and family members. I heard about long testing delays, making it difficult to stay on top of the outbreak. I heard about the need to hire more staff and concerns about the aging HVAC system. I heard from Toronto Western, who's been tasked with supporting Vermont Square, about the need for more provincial funding to help cover the costs of helping this long-term care home. Funding that has been promised but hasn't arrived. When are Vermont Square residents actually going to get the help that they need to control the largest outbreak in the province? Mr. Long-Term Care. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you for the question. Vermont Square is a high priority for us in the Ministry of Long-Term Care, working with all the various groups that are supporting this home right now and have been supporting it, including the hospital, including public health, including Ontario health, making sure that there is PPE and staffing is made supportive. Again, many, many homes that have experienced outbreaks in Wave 1. We're experiencing critical staffing shortages. In Wave 2 right now, there are no homes with critical staffing levels because we're getting them the help that they need, including the PPE, and the six to eight weeks that our government announced a couple of weeks ago to make sure that all our homes are equipped with that. So the staffing, the PPE, the infection prevention and control, making sure that our residents are supported and that all families get communications from their home. So Vermont Square has been getting the support it needs and we will continue to provide Vermont Square with the help that it needs. Thank you. The supplementary question. Minister, I speak with Vermont Square regularly and they have made it very clear to me. Staff have made it very clear to me that they need more help than they are currently getting. Back to the Premier. Before the outbreak at Vermont Square, surveillance testing was completed every 14 days and then it took another 14 days for test results to be returned. Now staff and residents are tested weekly but still wait six days for results. As COVID cases rise, this government's testing strategy is very clearly putting seniors and long-term care at greater risk. Staff at Vermont Square are telling me very clearly that these testing delays are making it difficult to manage the outbreak. Toronto-Western is telling me that the backlog in important tests is too big. And then caregivers are telling me that Tiago, his mother, is placed in the same room as someone who is COVID positive but they will not move his mother until her test results come back. Why is a long-term care home in Ontario with the worst COVID-19 outbreak waiting so long for test results? The Parliamentary Assistant, Member for Eglinton Lawrence. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. We remain committed to ensuring that Ontarians can continue to get tested and receive their results in a very timely manner. And I understand Toronto Public Health reported this past Monday that 85% of tests are coming back in 24 to 48 hours which is up near the high standard we had before August 26. I think we had 90% of tests coming back in 24 to 48 hours. Our government has invested over a billion dollars recently to expand our provincial lab capacity and we're processing those tests as fastly as they come in. This investment includes hiring more lab staff, professional staff, improving data quality through digitizing requisition forms and other automated features. And I want to make it clear Ontario Health has been certain that long-term care homes have a priority at provincial labs and those tests will be returned. Response? We have tested almost 5 million Ontarians to date, which is about a third of the population, which is a very high record of testing and we're going to keep working on it to make it better. The next question, the member for the land. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, it's become clear that Charles McVeedy knew that legislation would be introduced to give his college a new degree granting powers before he had even applied for them. We know this because he put it in writing for all of us to see, Mr. Speaker. What we don't know is how many meetings Mr. McVeedy had with the Premier, his minister or other government officials because Mr. McVeedy has never registered as a lobbyist. Ontarians deserve to know who Mr. McVeedy met with, when and for how long. It's appalling that the government is using the COVID-19 emergency to slip through legislation, to benefit one of their friends and long-term, a long-time supporters, certainly someone with a long track record of homophobia, Islamophobia and bigotry. So my question, Mr. Speaker, is, who did Mr. McVeedy meet with and how did he know that the government's legislation was coming before it was produced? Member for Thornhill. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. Enabling legislation for private faith-based degree granting institution has happened under governments of all stripes here in Ontario. All private post-secondary institutions in Ontario require thorough and rigorous organizational review in order to change their names or expand degree granting authority. This review is being undertaken by the independent nonpartisan post-secondary education quality assessment board, we call it PCAB, and PCAB is made up of independent experts and individuals with significant experience in post-secondary education experience. I think the member opposite joins all of us here in the legislature in waiting for that independent review process to take place and waiting for their ruling. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My supplementary list for the Premier. Why won't the government answer the question? Who did Mr. McVeedy meet with and when? It's a simple question. If the government won't stand up for transparency, hopefully someone on that side will not condone Islamophobia, Mr. Speaker. Let me quote Mr. McVeedy very quickly. Islam is not just a religion, it's a political and cultural system as well. And we know that Christians, Jews and Hindus don't have the same mandate for hostile takeover. Here in Canada, there is a real clear and present danger. Well, Mr. Speaker, I've attended services at the Majid in Orleans and in Cumberland many times, and I've never heard anyone discuss a hostile takeover of Canada. What I have heard them discuss, what I have heard them discuss is love for all and hatred for none. And frankly, Mr. Speaker, that's the same thing taught at my church. So my question, Mr. Speaker, how can this government possibly allow a man with such a record of bigotry, Islamophobia and homophobia to grant degrees in the arts and the sciences? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And again, I thank the member opposite. Once again, I support and I invite everybody in the legislature to also say that they support the independent review process and the independent review process is not going to be interfered by members of the legislature on this side of the house. And I think that we should respect them as professionals not to be interfered by anybody. So we will await their ruling. It's an independent ruling, as I've said several times, and the ministry will then review and make their decision based on that independent review. Thank you. The next question, the member for Davenport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This question is for the minister of finance. Yesterday, we saw another 144 new school-related cases of COVID-19 bringing the cumulative total to over 2,000. Wow. Over 12% of our schools have reported cases right now. As Ontario continues its record-breaking second wave of COVID-19, we're still hearing of class sizes that are increasing despite the minister's spin as students move between online and virtual learning. And even after questioning the education minister at Estimates Committee for hours yesterday, we still don't know what changed following the Premier's June commitment to 15 student classes and the announcement of the reopening plan, which kept most class sizes status quo. So, Speaker, my question to the finance minister, will the November budget include additional funding to reduce class sizes to protect students, school staff, and their families? Mr. Mitch Beats? Well, thank you to the member officer for the question. Indeed, in the last budget, the government announced a $700 million increase, a $25 billion in the grant for student needs, which is the vehicle funding. The most significant investment at that point, we've then enhanced investments with provincial monies, $300 million more federal monies, and of course, reserve funding. Speaker, just to respond to the issue of outbreak in schools, according to the Chief Medical Officer of Health, he has noted that transmission has been low and a relative success, 87.7% of schools have had no reported active cases at all. All schools in the province of Ontario are open today. There's not a solitary example of a school closed today, knowing that this fluctuates according to public health data. We've seen an incredible resolve of our educators, of our principals, of public health nurses and doctors working together to reduce the risk in our school, and we should celebrate the hard work being done on the ground to keep these kids safe. Supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier said he was going to spare no expense to keep COVID out of Ontario schools, but when it came time to act, he held back. In the Toronto District School Board, 5,500 enrolled students are unaccounted for. They just never returned to school. Thousands more have left in-person learning because they are not confident in this government's plan. The TDSB estimates that if these enrollment changes hold, the corresponding reduction in funding through the funding formula is going to mean a loss of $41 million. During a pandemic, will the minister commit today that no board will see a reduction in their provincial funding as a result of enrollment changes? Minister of Education. Well, every single board in the province of Ontario is receiving more money because this government is committed to protecting kids and the staff in the province of Ontario. In fact, in Toronto, we have unlocked over $110 million provincial, federal, reserve funding, $110 million for a single school board, an 26-school board, to ensure they could hire more teachers, which they have, to ensure they could reduce class sizes, which they are. In fact, Speaker, within the average class size in Toronto, in kindergarten, it's below 18. In grade one to three, it's below 17. Between grade four and eight, it's around 20 kids. These are well below the provincial average of last year, for example. It underscores quite clearly, Speaker, that we are putting in place the funding to hire more teachers, to ensure distancing, and to ensure every layer of prevention according to the public health advice. Knowing, Speaker, that this plan has been fully endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer of Health of this province, which I believe gives confidence to parents that doctors, not politicians, are in charge of keeping kids safe in Ontario. Order. That concludes question period for this morning.