 It is now time for members of statements to member from Nipissing. Thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, this is the story about Ernest Gilmette. We first met at the ribbon-cutting of the Canadian Hearing Society. He couldn't hear, but his interpreter, Beth, was there to assist our conversation. He loved life. He loved to joke. He loved his Tim Hortons. He also loved to flirt with the ladies, and he rarely ever paid for those Tim Hortons. Speaker, Ernest died on April 16th at the age of 86. His friends came to my office last week. I knew them. And they told me the story of Ernest's death. Although he was in the hospital, they felt that he died alone. Now, I know the frontline healthcare workers at the North Bear Regional Health Centre did absolutely everything to make Ernest feel comfortable and safe as he went through his last struggle, but that's what they do, Speaker, and they do a remarkable job. What was missing was his interpreter's friendly face and familiarity. Ernest was old school. He used old school sign language with lots of nuances. But his interpreter is in her eighth week of the Canadian Hearing Society strike. There are only a few freelance interpreters for the entire North, and the hospital did bring one in two or three days a week. But that's very little interaction for someone of that age, hospitalized for five weeks, left with only their own thoughts going through their mind. Speaker, I urge all parties to resolve the strike as another death did occur in Thunder Bay. Thank you. And there are similar concerns in Sudbury. Further, Ernest, a member from Welland. Thank you, Speaker. Today I rise in support of Bill Hodgson, a member of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, board who is being censured by the board because he dared to express legitimate and valid concerns about a questionable RFP they recently issued. Our community has raised serious concerns about the board's lack of operational accountability and financial transparency. The outer general intervened offering an impartial audit when the board declined. Perhaps fearful of what the AG may uncover, but it issued its own RFP, except it reported back to the very people it was supposed to be auditing. The public called fall. We wrote letters. Councillor Hodgson did what was right. He questioned it. The NPCA retracted the RFP and decided to go back to the AG. It's clear that the NPCA board chair, Sandy Ananziata, in an attempt to cover up his and some of his board members' own actions will stop at no end to silence anyone who seems to disagree. The majority of elected municipal officials and our communities are fed up. It's time for the government to appoint a supervisor to oversee this NPCA. Today I stand alongside local Councillor Hodgson to send a strong message to the NPCA board chair, Sandy Ananziata, and his cohorts. We will not tolerate bullying and we will always stand up for transparency and accountability. Thank you. Point of order. The Chief Government whip. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the member on that statement and say I agree with her. That's not a point of order and I wish I would have caught it quicker. Further members' statements. We're from Wellington, Halton, New York. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to inform this House today that Ellis Dawn Infrastructure Healthcare has been selected as the preferred proponent to design, build, and finance the new Groves Memorial Community Hospital in the Township of Centre Wellington. This latest announcement in the government's multi-stage approval process brings us closer than ever to the commencement of construction of our new Groves Hospital. My involvement in this issue began around 2002 or 2003 when the Groves Hospital Administrator first came to my office to tell me that the hospital had a plan for redevelopment but it seemed to be stuck at a preliminary stage. She asked me to make inquiries. I replied that I would support whatever plan for redevelopment of the hospital that was submitted to the ministry that the community was behind and would want to help in any way I could, and so our work began. There were many ups and downs, twists and turns, and even a complete revision of the redevelopment plan. And let me be clear, I'm not pretending to be the architect. But by setting aside partisan differences and seeking to work across party lines with no fewer than five ministers of health for more than a decade, we slowly but surely made progress towards our vision of a new hospital for our growing community. I want to express my sincere thanks to all MPPs past and present who have supported the Groves proposal. But we need to save our most generous expression of appreciation to Groves staff and volunteers, our donors, successive County of Wellington councils and staff, successive Township of Centre Wellington councils and staff, the adjacent municipalities in the hospital's catchment area, our local Linn, indeed the entire community for having the vision, the patience and the perseverance which has brought us finally to the conclusion of the planning process. We look forward to seeing construction begin very soon. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. And then we're from Windsor to come see. Speaker, we had a special guest at our day of morning ceremony in Windsor last week. Silver Curious is 13 now. She lost her dad, Sam, to a workplace accident when she was seven. She wrote this poem when she was 10 called My Daddy. When I close my eyes at night, I make a wish with all my might that my dad will come home safe to me. Do you think that that could ever be? I know my dad is up in heaven. He's been there since I was seven. He sets up there and watches over me. He keeps me safe as I can be. I miss my dad every day. Will anything ever be okay? I miss his hugs. I miss his kisses. But most of all, I miss our reminisces of all the fun we had together and sun and rain and all kinds of weather. My brothers are brave. They pretend they don't care, but I'll tell you a secret. They hide it in there. It's not fair to lose a dad. It makes me sad. It makes me mad. Dad shouldn't die just going to work. It just isn't right. The danger may lurk. If I could change things, here's what I'd do. I'd invent a new workplace, something new, a place where no one could ever get hurt. It would be like magic. Do you think it would work? No more tears and sadness. No more missing and badness. Every mom and dad would come home safe. A world like that would never chafe. When you go to work today, play it safe. Make it okay so you didn't go home safe and sound to kiss your kids and be around. I love you, dad. Love, silver. Thank you. Thank you. Further member's statements? The member from Stormwreck Dundas, South Hungary. Thank you, Speaker. Glengarry County has been the forefront of agricultural excellence and innovation since its inception in the late 1700s as a home for Scottish settlers. Last Saturday, I was honored to attend the 17th induction ceremony of the Glengarry Agricultural Wall of Fame. This year's ceremony honored three pillars of our local agricultural heritage. William and Margaret Van De Bile came to Canada from Holland in 1951, and like many of our Dutch farmers of that day, billed a diversified farming business involving mares, hogs, sows, dairy cows, and cash crops. William was the founding member of the Quigley Cheese Manufacturing Association that represented the county pork producers. Bruce Sova, born and raised in Glengarry, was a dairy farmer who set up his own monthly dairy testing records, keeping ahead of the Dairy Heard Improvement Association. Beyond farming and raising four sons with Chris Smith, Bruce was an active participant in this community through the Charland Junior Farmers, the Glengarry Milk Committee, Glengarry Cheese Produce Association, Hospital Board, and the local Minnesota Council. The Wall of Fame is also recognized all of the Glengarry County Dairy Princesses. Speaker, it was amazing to see the successes of this group of ladies. They went on to be teachers, principals, high-ranking government, and private sector managers at a much higher rate than the rest of the community. It is clear to me that the leadership skills learned through this program paid off in spades, and the community was truly the winner. Speaker, I want to thank President Bruce McDonald and the Board for a fantastic event. Thank you. Thank you. Further members' statements? Further members' statements? The member for Halliburton, Quartha Lakes, Brock. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year, hospitalizations for mental disorders rose in Ontario by 67%. My area's Central East Lynn has the second highest number of active mental health cases in the province, and yet they are not receiving the support they need. Based on the government's moving on mental health strategy, there are at least 890 children with mental health challenges in the city of Quartha Lakes alone, and no 24-7 integrated children's mental health service in the community. Studies show that kids suffering from mental health issues do much better if they are able to stay at home, which is why it's important to have local services that are closer to home. These children have to go to Peterborough or Ontario Showers, which are both under-resourced and over-capacity. The Peterborough Regional Health Centre's emergency department is running at 113% capacity, and it's not hard to see why. They are simply not equipped to provide appropriate care for children suffering from mental health issues. Children on wait lists for treatment are often hospitalized before they can receive care, only to be put back on a wait list of up to 18 months after they are discharged. They miss school and work opportunities while being denied care. Sadly, some children even take their own lives as they languish on wait lists. Children in Ontario need mental health services now. I urge the government to take real action and address the urgent need for dedicated mental health services, not only in my writing, but across Ontario. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank all members for their statements.