 It being 10.15 of the clock, it is now time to go to members statements. And first one is the Member of Foreign Appeal. Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure to rise today to talk about something that we don't discuss often in the public, but needs to be discussed here in this chamber, in chambers across Canada and in our City Council chambers. Last week when the Mayor of Gatineau announced that she was going to resign her seat effective immediately, citing mental health issues and a death threat, it hit home to me. It hit home to me because I have been here for 18 years watching a variety of different protests occur at people's homes, like at Sam Usterhoff's, at Kathleen Wins, at Doug Ford's, at Christine Elliott's, and of course Stephen Leche's. I have seen my colleagues see their constituency offices vandalized, like the member from Halliburton Quartha Lakesbrook, Lori Scott, or the leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition, Merritt Stiles. And I too have had my share of private security, legislative security, and of course OPP and Ottawa Police Protection, as someone was incarcerated not once but three times in her uttering of death threats against me. And of course it came with a significant toll for my mental health. I think we must have a national conversation and I think we have to talk about misogyny and politics, radicalization and politics, and international influence in politics as it pertains to the safety and security of everyone from a municipal councillor, to a staffer that's at the front lines, to a federal parliamentarian. I'm pleased that I was able to write an op-ed for iPolitics and I'll continue to do this advocacy and this important work. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Member's statements? The Member for Kiwetnau. Miigwech, Speaker. Speaker, life has become very unaffordable for people across Ontario for working people, for people on fixed incomes. The lack of competition lets big corporations like the Northwest Company control the goods, the cost of goods with no consequence. When we talk about affordability in northern towns and First Nations, it is not comparable to the rest of Ontario. A case of water that costs $3 here in Toronto costs $3 or more in Kiwetnau. Gas prices in Webequia last summer were $4.60 per litre. Speaker, families need to be able to afford the necessities of life. But how do we fix it in the north? All of us need to work together, leadership, businesses, First Nations, municipalities. We can all work together to ensure people don't have to choose between buying food or gas because they can't afford both. We can work together to ensure that there is an affordable, nutritious supply of food available across the north. We must find these answers because the health and the wellness of the north depends on it. Miigwech. Member's statements? The Member for Brampton North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Look, Speaker, I have some news today that will dismay members of this House. Believe it or not, on April 1st, the federal liberal government is set to increase the carbon tax. I wish I could tell you this was an April Fool's joke, but it's not. Speaker, the carbon tax makes life way more expensive for families across Canada. It's a tax on driving your car to work and a tax on driving your kids to school. It's a tax on heating your home and a tax on the groceries you need to provide for your family. It's a tax that does absolutely nothing for our environment because for communities across the country driving your car, heating your home, buying groceries is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Look, Speaker, I can appreciate why the wise minds of Canadian academia thought this might be a good idea when it was first conceptualized. But the carbon tax has clearly not worked. It has clearly punished families for living their lives. I am pleading with the federal liberal government not to increase the carbon tax on April 1st. Families in Ontario could really use a break. Please give us one. This April Fool's Day, let's leave the jokes to the kids and let's finally scrap this ridiculous tax. Thank you, Member's statements. The Member for Oshawa. Thank you, Speaker. Ed Broadbent was born and raised in Oshawa and from early on, by all accounts, he was a leader. Ed was elected in 1968 and served as the Member of Parliament for Whitby Oshawa then Oshawa until 1990. He was the Federal Leader of the New Democratic Party from 1975 until 1989 and served again as the MP for Ottawa Centre from 2004 until 2006. He was always tremendously well liked and respected, even by many who didn't agree with his politics. Ed passed away on January 11th of this year and was 87. Ed Broadbent shaped so much of what it means to be Canadian. He championed human rights and principles of social democracy. Few politicians have stood as tall or cared with such principled commitment about the betterment of society for all Canadians. In Oshawa, we also mourn the loss of a friend, leader and neighbour who cherished his deep local roots. Across party lines, Ed's legacy endures and will long inspire us to care and work for a better, kinder society. At the opening of the Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park, Ed did not reflect on his accomplishments, but instead on the community volunteers and caring adults who had helped to guide and inspire him. Ed always saw value in all people. He had hope for a life and a fairer path that was filled with opportunity for everyone. Personally, I'm grateful for each warm and inspirational opportunity I had to learn from him. I remember being a fan girl the first time I met Ed Broadbent and it was shortly after being elected in 2014 and winning the seat back for the NDP. I've been proud to call him through the years with good news or to steal a quick selfie and a laugh in between important engagements. We offer heartfelt condolences to his family. There are so many who worked with Ed, learned from him and countless folks who will miss him tremendously. I will continue to work for the vision of society and country that Ed Broadbent championed throughout his career. He wanted us to be better and make the world better. Thank you, Ed Broadbent, and we miss you. Thank you very much. Member Statements. The member for Markham Unionville. Speaker, it is indeed a pleasure to return to Queensborough Park after a productive winter break. I'm grateful for this opportunity today to share my recent engagements with stakeholders and constituents in Markham Unionville during the Lunar New Year festivities. The Lunar New Year holds profound significance for the Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean communities across Canada. To celebrate this cherished tradition, I host a meet and greet event and attend different celebrations in the community, which were met with great enthusiasm and participation from local families. Wincing the community come together to embrace ancient customs and celebrate familial bonds was truly heartwarming. And I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Premier Ford, Minister Donald, Minister Lecce, Minister Parcer, Minister Williams, as well as my fellow MPP's Wei Kenapathy and Smith for raising us with their presence at the celebration at first Markham Place. Together, we shared warm wishes and distribute red packets to families and friends. This year marks the Year of Dragon in the Lunar calendar. The dragon symbolized strength and vitality. As we embrace the spirit of renewal and embark on new beginnings, let's face the opportunities ahead with courage, resilience and unity. May the Year of Dragon bring strength, vitality and abundance to Ontarians. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. March 10th this year marks the 65th anniversary of the Tibetan people's uprising against China's illegal occupation of Tibet in 1959. Today, Tibet remains an occupied territory under tight military surveillance. Since 2008, over 160 Tibetans have self-emulated to protest China's repressive policies. UN experts have raised alarms about the forced separation of 1 million Tibetan children from their families for assimilation into Chinese colonial boarding schools. Just recently, more than 1,000 Tibetans were arrested in one day in Dergy County as there were unprecedented protests against the construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Trichu River by the Chinese government, which would force the displacement of thousands. This proposed dam would also cause significant environmental harm and destroy six monasteries, including submerging the Wonton Monastery, founded in the 14th century, and has one of the finest examples of Tibetan Buddhist murals and is of great historical and cultural significance. Even to see footage of these protests on social media is incredibly rare, as Tibet has consistently been ranked as one of the least free countries in the world by Freedom House, with little to no information making its way out. Tibetans inside Tibet have shown extraordinary courage. Language, culture, history and identity is under threat in Tibet, but resistance is as strong as ever. I strongly condemn the brutal crackdown and urge the international community to call on China to free the protestors and halt the construction of the dam. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements. The Member for Kitchener Center. Speaker, I want to take a moment to express my deep condolences to the family and friends of Nicholas Nemhard. He is a young black man who struggled with mental health. He was in a crisis and was shot and killed by the Waterloo Region Police Services last week. Nicholas's family called for help. Unfortunately, Nicholas didn't get the intervention that would have kept him healthy, safe and alive. I know many in our Kitchener community are deep in grief, anger and pain right now. I share that grief and I share your need for answers. Yes, we must demand accountability from the SIU process, but we must also acknowledge a bigger systemic issue in our justice system. We need a response that acknowledges anti-black racism and mental health stigma that exists in our community and across the province. People experiencing mental health crisis need help from mental health professionals. I hope that as provincial leaders we can learn from this horrific loss and take action to end the cycle of violence. Starting by giving mental health professionals the resources they need to do wellness checks and distress calls at all hours of the day across the province using an anti-oppressive lens. Rest in peace, Nicholas. My heart is with you and your family. We've got the rotation mixed up, so we've pre-concerned it. Thank you, Member Statements. The Member for Sault Ste. Marie. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The 61st annual Bonsu Winter Carnival was held from February 2nd to February 9th of 2024 in beautiful Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Incredible events were planned, including the opening ceremony fireworks, the Polar Bear Dip, the Polar Rush obstacle course, the EDM snow bath dance party, the Fire and Ice Hot Sauce Challenge concert with Canadian country singer Brett Kissel and so many more. Nineties of family fun in the Sioux were held at the Canal District, Northern Superior Taproom, Canadian Bush Plain Heritage Centre and Search Mountain Resort and others. The Bonsu Festival has been going on just to speak a little bit freely about this, Mr. Speaker. All of my life, I remember going there as a kid, participating in a kid. It's changed a lot over the years. It's fun to be able to bring my own children there. Unfortunately, this year was a bit of a tougher year with the snow not being around and us having a very green Christmas, yes, even in Sioux Ste. Marie. Not a lot of snow, so things like our bumpslides, snow sculptors, things like this had to be removed. Well, we lost snow sculptors quite a number of years ago. I'd also like to say, though, I'm really not that disappointed about one piece. Unfortunately, the day of the polar bear swim, I was encouraged to attend and take a dip in the icy cold waters of the St. Mary's River, which I have done once before. This year, unfortunately, fortunately, I had to be out of the community with my children at another event and wasn't able to jump in the icy cold St. Mary's River. Perhaps another time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Member Statements, the member for Renfrew, Nipissing Pembroke. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the town of Iron Pryor lost one of its most respected and loved citizens this past Friday. On Sunday, a crowd of over 700 in the appropriately named Glen Arthur Arena said goodbye to Glen Arthur. The fact that Glen's tribute was held in an arena named after him speaks of the affection the community had for him. Glen was Iron Pryor's recreation director for over 36 years. During that time, he earned a reputation not only in his own community but throughout the entire valley as one of the best in the business. Glen was already a legend when I was elected here some 20 years ago. And from the first time I met him, I knew I was in the presence of someone truly special. Someone who was not only immensely talented but also absolutely committed to getting the job done. Glen was a miracle worker navigating through the maze of government bureaucracy ensuring Iron Pryor got its fair share of funding. He would follow that up by delivering results. Every single interaction I had with Glen, whether in his professional life or after his retirement, was one that always left me feeling how blessed we are to know someone like Glen Arthur. His passing leaves a hole in the Iron Pryor community that will be felt for years to come. Our condolences go out to his dear wife Kathy, their children Aaron, Shane and Amanda, and their families. And while Glen never got to see the Leafs win another Stanley Cup, perhaps they could fulfill that wish this year as a parting gift to their number one fan. Rest well, my friend. You will be missed. Member Statements. The Member for Flamborough, Glenbrook. Good morning, Mr. Speaker. It's my pleasure to rise today to highlight an organization in my writing that is a recipient of the Skills Development Fund. This month I visited the UBC Millwright Local 1916 Training Center in Stony Creek to tour their new facilities and to hear about how they are using their funding to enhance operations. The Training Center, which was originally built in 2015, was extended with two new shops in 2022. This extension allowed the Training Center to be successful with their Skills Development Fund Stream 2 application. They received over $400,000, which they used to fund the equipment purchase for their welding shop. With this shop and through the Canadian Welding Bureau, they train and certify members on four different weld processes, as well as carbon, arc, gouging and torching. Any funding the organization receives leads directly to employment. All their training is industry relevant and will create employability for its members. I would like to extend a special thank you to UBC Millwright Local 1916 Training Center for the tour earlier this month and for all of their hard work throughout the years.