 I welcome everyone to Queen's Park and it's now time for question period the member from the peon Carlton I guess it won't be the member from the peon Carlton. Were you standing for an introduction? Thank you the member from the member from the Pacific Thank You speaker and good morning speaker my questions are for the acting premier over the weekend We heard from a liberal party that is dangerously out of touch with reality Your premier claim to offer quote safe hands. Well those safe hands have delivered 1 million Ontarians into unemployment. Yes, you can clap for that Those safe hands signed the cabinet document to pay 1.1 billion dollars to cancel the gas plants And she's clearly using those safe hands to cover her eyes if she can't see the damage The Liberals have done to the province of Ontario That's why we put forward a motion calling for the Liberals to table a budget by March 31st Will you support our motion or will you continue your search and shell game we exposed last week? I will only ask for statements if I ask for the please Deputy Premier Well, thank you speaker, and I really do want to start by Welcoming Maitland Hutton who'd act to the world. We're we're very proud to welcome this newest Ontarian, so So I'm afraid speaker what what we're witness to here is just another gimmick I guess we were coming used to seeing this kind of gimmick from the PCs especially Given that every single budget that they introduced was delivered in May or June Speaker and the leader of the opposition sat and applauded each one of those budgets Even the one that was not delivered here in the legislature speaker We will be coming forward with a budget shortly. It will be an aspirational That'll do wrap up please Speaker it's a plan that will create security and opportunity for Ontarians We're not about slashing and burning on the backs of the middle class. Thank you supplementary. Thank you Yes, we heard last week what aspirational means you aspire to have a great budget You just don't know how to get there. Is that your idea of governing your minister stands here telling us you've created 400,000 jobs yet your own Documents show us and I quote there are fewer jobs relative to our population and more Unemployed these are the facts. You don't want us to see you get caught and your plan is to distract from the fact That you have no plan for the 600,000 men and women who woke up this morning without a job This is the latest example of the Liberals putting their priorities ahead of the needs of the people of Ontario It's obvious. You don't have a real jobs plan So use ours and if you choose not to act at all stand up and face a confidence vote The member from the Rathamberlin, Quinty West will come to order Deputy the member the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs will come to order Meeker what I've been able to glean from the jobs plan of the party opposite is their plan to cut jobs Yeah slash jobs to fire nurses to fire educational workers speaker that is their plan It's not about creating jobs. It's about slashing and cutting I can tell you that the the radical ideas proposed by the party opposite member from the Rathamberlin, Quinty West will come to order Cut home care to our seniors. It would be on the backs of the middle-class speaker. That's their position It is definitely not our position. Our position is about building our future It's about supporting the wonderful people we have in Ontario speaker. I'm proud of our plan and I'm afraid Thank you speaker while you can aspire all you want I'll pass that message on to the 40 nurses you fired in North Bay already Speaker last week I exposed the 4.5 billion dollar gap in your budget order or premier tried to explain it away by pointing to a Potential 5 billion revenue shortfall in last fall's economic statement But that gap was from new spending and I'm not talking about last fall I'm talking about what you knew and what you said half a year earlier in March You were told by the Ministry of Finance that you were quote not on track to meet the 2012 Budget deficit targets then you went out one month later and told the bond rating agencies quote The government is on track to meet the buff budget deficit targets outlined in the 2012 budget Why did you tell everybody one thing last March when you knew the complete opposite to be true? Thank you Mr. Speaker The member opposite took six months to read something that we put already out in the public realm He only now was citing information that is in fact as he's just stated very old and of course It's important it's important and prudent For any Minister of Finance or any government to react and recalibrate their spending appropriately to the conditions that are facing them And that's exactly what we've done Remember from left and can't middle sex will withdraw I'll withdraw you carry on So we've taken the steps necessary to control and be disciplined our spending We're the only government to actually cut spending year over year Ontario is the lowest cost government in Canada mr. Speaker because of the steps and the issues that we've taken Members opposite are only playing slogans gimmicks, and they are politics of division They're creating fear and they're hurting the recovery of this province by the antics that they play We won't stand for that the people of Ontario deserve better And that is why we're taking the steps that we're doing to protect their interest mr. Speaker I'm from Barry Thank You speaker speaker my questions to the minister responsible the pan para pan am games Minister these games have a higher turnover than your liberal caucus This pan am Friday. We learned you fired two more to 25 executives But you replace them with a McGinty staffer renowned for scandal hopping and six-figure salaries Neela Barton shows up in gas plants Premier Redford scandals, and now wow pan am Unbelievable you're in trouble minister. You're in big trouble Tell us how much the soft landings for your disgraced executives of cost plus Neela Barton's homecoming How much will all cost Ontario tax? The minister of pan pan and pan pira pan American games. Thank you. Thank you a speaker for the question A new day a new attack of the pan game game by the member opposite speaker To 2015 is working in coordination with the member from the pink car will come to order the federal government and 15 men's ability to deliver the best game ever for the pan and para pan American game part of to 2015 Monday is to ensure an efficient and effective Delivery of the game Includes staffing streamlining and organizational changes as team appropriate speaker Starving decisions are made by the CEO of to 2015 The organizing committee is shifting from the pending stage into the operational stage in the lead up to the game Speaker recent changes in the management structure will serve by the CEO to reflect this new phrase Thank you. Thank you supplementary Minister to resign. Let's play clear minister. This is not an attack on the pan and games It's an indictment of your mismanagement of the pan and executives who actually make it to the end of the game It's a tax. You have to pay for the endless to 2015 personal mistakes We pay for the sunshine list salaries. We pay for their teas pets and parking We pay for their showing up for work bonuses We pay for their golden parachutes when they're fired and now we pay for Neela Barton's liberal party loyalty Minister, this is shamefully unethical at best. We'll use step down and take responsibility Thank you minister So, thank you speaker. Thank you again for the pressure speaker the member opposite allocations have no credibility Allow me to give you some example speaker He told the public he did not know member from rents, we have to see people come to order Wasn't in the 1.4 billion budget Toronto star and a Toronto Sun report in 2009 the village cause is outside the tea the to 2015 budget Speaker he says he's a real man resource expert But has not heard of a completion incentive program speaker He claims security is going to be cost 1 billion, which he is wrong He claimed this answer was going to be over a million which he is wrong again He publicly claim our partial reception in October for five times. Thank you actual cost speaker We are planning the best Thank you Minister just so you know people are watching so it's about time you start giving some real answers here Here at this rate sadly, you'll be the only one left standing at the end of this I just so you know in the end not even your new communications VP will save you So just so you know minister you hire the only person in Canada who is press secretary to McGinty and Redford The night they resigned Creating a tanning bed issue to detract from the gas plant scandal Wow taxpayers should not be paying liberals a premium for spinning screwed me away from the Pan Am Games Mismanagement Pan Am is not in safe hands minister. It's not in safe hands. Neither are you and Neela Barton By the way, minister since you won't resign. Do you think you should be the next one fire for the blatant patronage appointment of Neela? Thank you minister Outside the house Thank you much again for the question What people watching every day is the constant attack by the member opposite of the Pan Am game Sticker To 2015 and the main day to ensure a deficient and effective delivery of the game that includes starving Streamlining and organizing no changes member from Prince Edward Hastings come to order decision made by the CEO of 2015 Hamilton Stoney Creek come to order Continually play politics is an awful shame the member opposite does not want these games The member opposite constantly attack from Cambridge come to order all his interests it is doing is tearing down the game This is his contribution to the game to continually bad mouthing them and embrace our problems The member from family Gordon Moulton. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker. My question is to the acting Premier After months of insisting that she was the new leader of a different government The Premier confirmed this weekend that her back room advisors have talked to ensure something different She's no longer going to promise change. She's going to offer Ontario another dose of Dalton McGinty And proudly defend the liberal status quo For people worried about jobs That means more of the same approach that's left us with unemployment. That's above the national average Does the acting Premier really think that this is good enough? Well speaker I can tell you that that our Premier is demonstrating change every single day I do have to say in reference to to our gathering this past weekend it was an extraordinarily positive upbeat event and people from across the province are delighted To be to be supporting such a strong leader She has laid out very carefully our six-point plan speaker to create jobs to have a strong economy she makes a very clear point that That having a strong economy is essential to having a fair society And that's exactly why she is continuing to answer on the issues that that the member opposite used to raise Thank You mr. Speaker before I begin my next part my question I want to also congratulate on behalf of the new Democrats Tim Houda I can dab house under the birth of their child as well Now that the Premiers rediscovered her inner McGinty she's minister of the environment As she did as he did and they're just not again Here's the facts that keep Ontario families nervous one 300,000 manufacturing jobs lost over the last decade the highest hydro and auto insurance rates in Canada and an Unemployment rate that's still above the national average Does the Premier really think it's okay to simply praise the McGinty record and say steady as she goes Well speaker I have to say that it's pretty clear that the NDP is a party without a plan And there is no plan speaker. There's no plan for pension security There is no plan for the minimum wage speaker and the plan they're putting forward when it comes to the job Creator tax credit is simply an unrealistic Impractical plan that would not have the impact that they claim it so speaker. I think that our plan is clear It's practical. It's achievable and it's exactly what the province needs right now. Thank you Thank you very much mr. Speaker well the Premier talks about the steady hands she shared with Dalton McGinty Let's talk about a decade or over a decade of liberal rule and what those hands have brought us Those liberal hands signed million-dollar bonus checks at hydro Those liberal hands gave a thumbs up to a billion-dollar payout to move a gas plant and to stir up hydro Those little hands wave goodbye to three hundred thousand manufacturing jobs over the last decade and those liberal hands Tensely sure to create insurance companies while leaving drivers with skyrocketing bills People are hoping for a little better. Why is a premier suddenly so determined to become Dalton McGinty 2.0? Minister of economic development trade employment Minister of economic development created Mr. Speaker mr. Speaker we've created almost 450,000 full-time jobs Because the NDP do have a plan they have a jobs plan it's to and it's to get two billion dollars That's what finance estimates this will cost for their job creator tax credit Which has been discredited by the Obama administration by Democrats and Republicans alike 92% in the United States they found 92% of the jobs created through this scheme would have been created anyway Mr. Mr. Speaker and it's been found that it would be subject to abuse difficult to administer so they have a plan Unfortunately, it's a plan that's going to cost two billion dollars. You haven't costed it out So I'm gonna cost it out for you two billion dollars annually, and it's not going to work I'm going to give money to businesses who are already Medina Thank you, mr. Speaker my question is for the minister of health and long-term care Mergers of the hospital in this carburetor area in the Toronto Star She admitted that hospital in our entire health care system are facing pressure to make member from Eglinton Lawrence when you sit down in your seat We can't provide the home care we want for seniors and plans for more housing for people with mental health will also be delayed Can the minister explain what she met by that? What I can tell you speaker is that our action plan for health care is being implemented across the province It is resulting in better value for money in our health care system And most importantly speaker is resulting in more people getting the right care at the right time and in the right place When it comes to hospital merger speaker We we are not forcing hospitals to merge But it's certainly clear that there are some advantages if hospital boards decide that that's the direction they want to go To to merge to integrate services to provide higher quality of care in their community speaker. So we The hospital boards are exploring this we're there to support them if indeed they decide to move forward with it speaker But my answer remains clear. We must do better when it comes to mental health We must do better when it comes to improving access to home care speaker. We've still got work. Thank you And we're nicely on that path. Thank you supplementary Thank you speaker. Well when Ontarians hear their minister of health is Searching in every corner of our health care system to find savings They want to know that their frontline health services that they depend on will be protected And when the minister makes comments about not being able to provide home care or mental health the concern They turn to fear Speaker in the coming weeks will Ontario be learning about promises Minister consumer services will now be broken Thank you I'm afraid and it's Unfortunate that it's unfortunate that the member opposite is taking this quote out of context What I said speaker that because the federal government has cut their funding to the province that will create real pressures for us here in Ontario we are committed to continuing our progress on mental health on care at home But speaker of the federal government does not accept its responsibility and withdraws funding from from Ontario That creates real problems for us So I would ask the member opposite to join us in our fight with Ottawa Perhaps she could speak to her federal colleagues to raise this issue to stand up for Ontario Thank you speakers Well Ontarians understand better than anyone that in tough economic times Every health care dollar must be spent carefully and wisely That is why the government's change choice to encourage such thing as Private scheme for health care cuts to nursing services or their refusal to cap CEO salary Makes no sense to them Speaker will the minister come clean with Ontarians about whether her comments are actually Warning signs of the budget to come. Thank you Speaker let me underline we are We are implementing our action plan for health care. It means more care for people in their own homes It means better supports for people facing mental health challenges. Could we move more quickly with federal support? Absolutely, right. Am I signaling any cutbacks? No, I am not speaker. You can rest assured I want to also underline 20,500 more nurses are working today than 10 years ago Then a year ago 4,000 more this year than last year speaker. We are shifting. We are not cutting Thank you very much speaker. My question is to the acting premier It's an accepted fact in Ontario today that the Green Energy Act has been an abysmal failure, but don't take my word for it Take the 81 municipalities who declared themselves not willing hosts or the auditor general who said for every job The Green Energy Act creates for our loss or the energy minister himself who said he spent 20 billion dollars To produce 1.1 percent of power But the final nail in the coffin comes today as we do not meet our WTO obligations for international law because of your government's Domestic content rules and your generous subsidies. We will not meet international law obligations today speaker Even though they have known about it for four years. They have been told to correct it in the last year We want to know on this question. Enough's enough. Will the minister cut our losses with this Green Energy Act and finally repeal it Thank you deputy minister deputy premier. Thank you speaker We've already taken the preliminary steps to ensure that Ontario is in compliance with the WTO ruling And if pass bill 153 would complete that process and would save Ontario rate payers $1.9 billion speaker I think it's important that we take a look at what the PC energy plan is speaker Yeah, it's a very very frightening plan $35 billion would go back to rate payers under this plan It would add a massive cost to energy bills $35 billion cost Ontario jobs and drive away potential investment speaker They want to cancel 20 billion dollars worth of unconnected clean energy projects putting rate payers on the hook for cancellation costs That's 20 billion dollars on others They want to spend on new nuclear that we don't need and will send rates sky-high They need to look again I appreciate that the acting premier isn't abreast of the file that she's carrying today on behalf of the energy minister But I'm wondering does she want to create a trade war in Ontario? They're going to create a more job losses in our province and come at a significant disadvantage to Ontario Commodities, I also wonder if the deputy premier is excited about damaging Canada's international reputation With the World Trade Organization as I stated the government has known for four years that they were breaking international law They have known for a year now that they had to redress this and they had to become compliant by March 24 2014 which is today so if the compelling job losses if the compelling evidence of job losses municipal and rest and Their their plan just not working a dozen influence them to do the right thing and to cut the Green Energy Act loose Question perhaps complying with international law will do that So I'll ask again will the Liberals do the right thing will they break with the Green Energy Act and will they repeal it Deputy Freeman The member opposite I believe already knows but I need to remind her that the Domestic requirements in the fit program were always intended to be temporary while our Ontario industry was established Now speaker, I'm very pleased that Ontario's clean energy Manufacturing sector is best in class. We're able to compete on a global level and I'm seeing that happening in my own community in London Speaker She should also know if she doesn't already that at least 85% of Ontario's domestic clean energy jobs will not be impacted by the reduction in domestic content rules But what these changes do is they continue our government's commitment to clean affordable energy In stark contrast to the PC plan, which is what and I'll quote the member from London Kent Middlesex He had to say this last January. We've been cleared will not be going ahead with however many projects are left Clearly, there'll be a cost associated with it. I guess we're not going to bless. We've got answer so speaker It's reckless. It's ridiculous Thank you Thank you speaker to the acting Premier On this side of the house, we've been clear on the sort of changes that we need to see We can start by fixing the mess in our electricity system US jurisdictions are literally taking our electricity at a third of the cost that we pay to generate it and using the subsidy to lure Our manufacturing to the United States and to add insult to injury Municipalities in upstate New York are now targeting business in Ontario with a promise of lower electricity rates Why is the acting Premier defending the same McGuinty liberal status quo? That's driving up electricity prices and driving business out of Ontario Thank you Well, just as an aside speaker Last year our exporting of electricity actually reduced costs to consumers by 300 million dollars Out of that business that is a reckless approach speaker We are though very concerned about hydro cost for small businesses speaker This is a serious issue and it's one we're taking seriously and appropriately We are saving businesses money on hydro bills as of 2013 under the industrial electricity Incentive eligible companies qualify for electricity rates that are among the lowest in North America speaker in Exchange for creating new jobs and bringing new investment to the province speaker The industrial conservation initiative is helping large consumers save on costs by Incentive them to shift their electricity consumption to off-peak hour speaker. It's working. Thank you Speaker Ontarians paid a billion dollars for that 300 million dollars worth of electricity We sold families and businesses across Ontario have been saying that skyrocketing hydro bills are making it harder than ever To meet their budgets and it's making harder for Ontario businesses to grow We've put forward a practical solution Manitoba and Quebec sell their electricity into the same US markets as we do for 50% more That's because they cut out the middleman and sign long-term contracts that get the best export price The acting premier and our energy minister are defending a status quo that is sending discount power to the United States While our bills are expected to go up another 40% question Does a premier see a problem with this or does she think things are perfectly fine? Of course our Concerned for people who are paid a high energy prices is is is real speaker because their problems are Real and that's why we've taken action to reduce the price Speaker the NDP has one plank and one plank only that I've been able to find on their energy plan and that's $100 off Speaker the national post said that proposal veers straight into crazy talk So it shows that the NDP does not have a realistic plan when it comes to export speaker The national post says those who claim that Ontario subsidizes electricity Electricity exports fail to understand both economics and how the Ontario electricity sector actually works speaker So we agree that this is a challenge for people. We know that we hear that we feel it We have a plan speaker to address it. Thank you. He simply does not Your question My question is to the Minister of Health and long-term care on Terriers all remember the tainted blood scandals of the 1980s about 30,000 Canadians were infected with HIV And hepatitis C tainted blood and blood products Thousands also die since then maintaining the integrity of our blood system has been the utmost importance to all Canadians That system is built around the voluntary donations and yet private for-profit companies setting up clinics in Ontario Where people will be paid for donating blood plasma speaker through you to the Minister Can she please inform the house where she's doing the dresses threat to our blood system? Thank you Minister of Health long-term care Well, thank you speaker and thanks to the member from Scarborough agent court for this important very timely question I know many Ontarians are deeply concerned about a thought private for-profit company Plans to play blood to pay blood plasma donors and sell that plasma to an international market I wrote to the federal Minister of Health a year ago to express those concerns and unfortunately Health Canada has been unwilling to take leadership on this issue So our government is as a first step we've enacted Regulatory changes that would prohibit any licensed lab or specimen collection center from paying for blood or plasma Donations and last week I introduced legislation that would have passed go a step further by making it an offense To offer to pay donors for blood or for individuals individuals to accept payment This is an important legislation speaker. I understand the members on both sides Support it. I really am calling on both parties to commit to passing this legislation Thank you as soon as possible Thank you speaker and thank you to the Minister. I'm pleased to hear that our government is addressing this serious health issues However media reports indicated one of the clinics opened up last week and has been accepting donors Not only does this action undermine Ontarians confidence in the integrity of our national blood and blood product system It also poses a real health risk to the system Speaker to you to the Minister Can she please also to inform the house how she plan to stop this clinic from playing donors for blood plasma? Thank you minister Speaker I have been very clear with the operators of this clinic from day one that what they've proposed is unacceptable and That they would require a license to operate in Ontario. I did not I would not I will not approve a license for any lab or clinic that would undermine our voluntary blood donor system Speaker the operators opened their clinic anyway last week We sent in observers to monitor the clinics activities and based on what they found we have investigated an inspection of the facility If the laboratory if the company chooses to undertake activities governed by the laboratory and specimen collection Center Licensing Act without a license I will take every action necessary to ensure they comply with the law and to ensure that paid donations Do not undermine our voluntary donation system. We must pass bill 178 as quickly as possible again I'm calling on all members. Please do not hold up this bill Deputy Premier you will know that London an area of being hard hit with recent plant closing announced at Heinz Kellogg's Worthington cylinders and Westcaste industries In fact a recent Ivy School of Business report says that London has lost one-third of its manufacturing jobs in the last Despite the ongoing job losses We also know that London police wage hikes have outpaced inflation by 32% over the past decade And now two-thirds of London's professional firefighters are now making over now making more than a hundred thousand dollars per year Deputy Premier with the literally thousands and thousands of jobs being lost in the city of London Why do you think these pay increases for police and firefighters are sustainable for tax Who pay the bills? Thank you? Speaker I really want to speak to the economic situation in Southwest, Ontario that the member opposite referred to and I tell you I have had the the great pleasure of attending events where new investors are coming to southwestern, Ontario Hiring people who otherwise would not have had that opportunity. This is happening through the southwestern, Ontario Development Fund which shockingly the member opposite voted against these are investments that are making a difference I will refer the supplementary speaker, but I do want an answer from the member opposite. Why didn't you support your own community? Why didn't you support businesses in your own riding to create the jobs? We so best Mr. Speaker that was quite an answer but back to the deputy premier deputy premier only about half of the working-age Population in the city of London even has a full-time job But yet London's police and fire departments continue to add more and more employees to the list of those earning over a hundred thousand dollars per year so I was like London sunshine list shows 239 London professional firefighters are now making over a hundred thousand dollars per year That's more than double the number a year ago my deputy premier. This is unsustainable There are hundreds of public sector employees in the city of London that are now making over a hundred thousand dollars per year including a hundred and seven different City Hall managers a hundred and ninety-two police officers and 239 firefighters Deputy premier with so many London residents currently our student will your government answer our PC call and Immediately implement and across the board two-year public sector wage freeze and fix Ontario's broken arbitration system Thank you deputy premier to the Minister of Labor Thank you very much speaker. I don't know what the member opposite is Referring to but we on this side of the house speaker are grateful to the work that our first responders do Hard-working Ontario's a speaker This is this is speaker coming from a party who wants to fire teachers who have to fire nurses in the future like They have done that in the past under the government of Mike Harris speaker We reject the refuse we refuse that proposition and we also reject their proposition of right to work for less type of policy Speaker that is going to drive it is down. That's going to result in a loss of benefits for hard-working Ontario's and loss of job Speaker that is not the direction we want to go and serve in and we refuse that That notion. Thank you very much Thank you speaker my question is to the Minister responsible pan para pan American games Speaker the first casualty of the Pan Am to 2015 was Ian troop CEO who got an extraordinary severance now we have the firing of two more to 2015 executives presumed presumably with yet another set of fat cat severances These recent firings expose the dangerous instability at to 2015 Speaker with such extraordinary instability at the helm of to 2015 para pan in games How can Ontarians have the assurance that we will be ready and on budget for the games? Thank you, thank you speaker speaker the all the capital cost and also the Capital capital for the Pan Am game they are on budget under budget and you know once of the time I just want to make sure the member opposite. No speaker this is changing the Management team at to 2015 because the decision was made by the CEO mr. Ravi the organization committee's mandate is to ensure an effective and Efficient games delivery. I am confident in mr. Ravi's decisions to streamline The organization as he sees fit today the committee has been able to bring in all capital project on budget They are all going to be completed world before the game next year speaker Their performance so far have been great and I look forward to more updates on game process progress Thank you supplementary. Well speaker. I hear they want to aspire but with answers like that. You might expire speaker Ontarians are quite concerned about the one degree of separation between the board the cabinet minister and the new CEO of 2015 and now the appointment of Neela Barton yet another well known connected liberal insider is drawing a lot more Concern couple these disturbing connections with their possible sweetheart severance deals With the serious concerns about rising security costs and the lack of transportation plans It's no wonder Ontarians are worried speaker Will this minister finally clear up the murky mess that bubbles to the surface almost weekly in TO? 2015 or will this chaos continue? Talk about the management of the game and let's talk about the management of game speaker the management of the organizing committee has Most recently farm saving of forty nine million dollars The operating budget now decreased from one point four four one billion to one point three ninety two billion speaker The management of the games is effective and cause saving I am confident mr. Ravi's decision for the good of To 2015 and the games speaker again all the member opposite is Interested in his tearing down the game in any way possible They do not want the game to come to Toronto. They do not want a game to come to Ontario They do not want our athletes to leave their dream to compete in the game. That's sir. They can Contribute the bad mouth the game, but we are preparing for the best games ever. Thank you New question remember from Scarborough Rouge River Thank you, mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Transportation Speaker recently I introduced bill 116 The manner and janna can us about pati act This was legislation dedicated in honor of a resident who was killed by a distracted driver in Recent years our government introduced distracted driving laws to keep drivers safe However, distracted driving is still a major issue on our roads. Mr. Speaker. I was pleased to see the Minister of Transportation Introduced stricter laws with bill 173 last week True you to the Minister. Can you please explain the enhancement to distracted driving laws that you introduced in bill 173? Mr. Transportation Thanks very much. Mr. Speaker. A matter of fact the bill that was Introduced last week was really the work of the member for Scarborough Rouge River and Later was one of four private members bills that found expression in this and I want to thank him for his leadership And for his concern for public safety because all Ontarians are benefiting From this legislation, which we hope will see passage in the house soon Mr. Speaker this law will allow justices to increase fines We're setting a minimum of 300 to a maximum of $1,000 as the member act asked for mr. Speaker he also lobbied very heavily that Dumeric points should be increased a matter of fact the MPP for Scarborough Rouge River suggested that three Dumeric points like as with impaired driving should also be and I'm happy to report to him That his effort has been successful and that's will be the actions taken by the government Thank You mr. Speaker and thank you to the minister for that answer I know for a fact that most to most Ontarians are supportive of the measures to make roads safer for pedestrians Cyclists and drivers alike Yet still speaker we see way too many drivers taking risk and still using handheld devices While driving mr. Speaker, I'd like the minister to speak to what other changes are included in bill 173 That will aim to keep drivers Cyclists and pedestrians safe and also why we should all work together to get this piece of legislation Past as soon as possible. Thank you. Thank you minister. Thank you. Mr. Speaker Well, the reasons are are pretty significant a Distracted driving now exceeds drink the drunken driving as the leading cause of accidents in Ontario, mr. Speaker Just this past year. We have seen 78 deaths from Distracted driving mr. Speaker and that compares with 57 deaths from impaired driving and 44 deaths from speed speeding Almost twice as many as from speeding so this has become the serious biggest killer of people on our roads mr. Speaker But what we need passage of this bill and we tried to do it and the other measures actually reflect The work of other members and I I do want to just again. Thank the member for Simcoe north who did the move move and pull over to end fatalities and road safety the member for Perry Salmasco on shoulders and cycling and the member for part Dale High Park for the one meter rule mr. Speaker I think this is our bill as a house and I hope we'll pass Thank you, my question is for the minister of transportation as well minister during the break week You visit my riding and met with a delegation from the county of rent fruit to discuss the four lane of highway 17 through the rent fruit The implication you made you coming out of that meeting was that somehow this project is being held up Because of a lack of support from opposition and from myself as the local representative Minister I've been committed to this project since you were still the mayor of Winnipeg Successive transportation ministers have complimented me on my advocacy. In fact, you did so yourself In a meeting with county officials and myself last fall Minister I say it's a priority You say it's a priority. Why don't you exercise the power that you have? Stop passing the buck and ensure that this is in that's trans the next five-year transportation plan. Will you do it? Thank you Thank you minister of infrastructure and transportation Thank you very much mr. Speaker in fact I did commend the member for his advocacy when I was in his constituency what I said was this this project The first phase was just opened in November of 2012 all the way to arm Priory has shown our commitment And I know the member advocated for as well That was 75 million dollars this government committed to tweeting that highway Mr. Speaker what I was asking is if the member would join myself and other members along the four The 17 of the 400 highway because the federal government's commitment for the entire Province of Ontario next year not just for highways for schools water. Everything is only 73 million dollars, mr. Speaker as you know Our government's investment in the 417 was 75 million That's two million dollars from this government for that one project the government of Canada will spend in this entire province next year Mr. Speaker I was looking for his leadership in getting this go on to another to get the federal government We can complete this project soon Minister you always seem to have someone else to blame One minute sits us the opposition the next minute sits the federal government as far as the federal government is concerned That would be helpful However, you don't seem to need you don't seem to need their help in implementing a pension plan It is going to take tens of millions of tens of millions of dollars out of our economy each and every year as far as the opposition is concerned You seem to think that we're the ones that With your e-health scandal In case he didn't hear me while he was yelling Minister of Finance will come to order Thank you I'll just with your e-health scandal. You didn't consult us when you implemented the HST You didn't consult us about the power plant calculation one billion dollar project if you want my commitment It's been there for ten years I'm absolutely totally committed to this are you because as mr. Firestone says this is where the rubber meets the road Mr. Transportation Mr.. Speaker what I was trying to invite was a partnership with the member of the opposition to try and get miss galant to the table This federal member mr. Speaker. I'm gonna say this very slowly so I'm understood Mr.. Speaker this government the government of Kathleen win has spent $75 million already Twinning that highway to our prior our government is continued to we are working to fund it all the way to run through and Eventually to Pembroke mr. Speaker we spend three billion dollars a year on highways We're not making excuses When the member opposite was in government their entire budget for everything was 1.4 billion our entire budget for everything Is 14 billion mr. Speaker right now? The federal government will only spend 73 million dollars for water sewers schools roads and highways That will not even extend the highway to Renfrew. We need them to be serious partners mr. Speaker. They are not Thank you very much mr. Speaker my question is to the Minister of Tourism Mr.. Minister last week I raised a very distressing issue in the legislature the biggest jazz festival in the entire province learned that it did not qualify For celebrate Ontario grant for this year 2014 Lido Chalali of the beaches jazz festival said that without this money, which they have received by the way for the last seven years Drastic musical cuts will have to be made both the Premier and the Minister of Economic Development Assured me that they would look into this wrong headed decision my question to you mr. Minister Will the minister do the right thing and reverse the devastating cut to the beaches? festival funding Thank you, thank you speaker for the of the question and the member knows the last week I actually walk across the floor and Told him that I have contacted or outreach to the organization Regarding these particular funding Speaker the Ministry of the environment is a competitive Program and the funding is all exhausted But I we do have other program in my ministry test what we are prepared to talk to the organization So that we can come up ways and means to help them and I have a wise study member opposite I'm surprised that he brought up the question today. Thank you supplementary. I Brought the question up because if they don't know what funding they have by the end of this month They're going to have to cancel three of the four stages. That's why I'm asking today Mr. Speaker the beaches jazz festival is open and accessible to everyone it is free to the public It supports young and emerging musical talent, and it is world-renowned although fast which is taking place in Toronto on August the 3rd and 4th Reportedly sold nine million dollars worth of tickets in 48 hours, but your ministry Your ministry gave them $300,000 Even the tiny Markham jazz festival in your own riding Is receiving the grant music festivals across the province are getting help from celebrate Ontario But the biggest the best and free of charge in the showcase for new talent is receiving nothing from Ontario will this minister reverse this Direction and support the beaches jazz festival and do it today Thank you You're right here, thank you speaker. Thank you very much But the question I just heard my honorable colleague talk about there's a lot of festivals and event Happening every year in Ontario and our celebrate Ontario program is a highly competitive Program this year we received 441 applications requesting more than 34 million in funding and as you know a sticker that the funding we available is about 20 million of the 220 nights successful applicants are hundred and twenty nine more than half Well in both opposition and third-party Writings to say the program plays favorite of some is simply Ridiculous speaker It's time for the member opposite to stop playing polity with Ontario's wonderful festivals and event It insults all the applicants answer organization. Thank you speaker Thank you speaker my questions for the Minister of Northern Development and Mines As a member from Ottawa, I understand the importance of mining not just for the north but for the entire province in 2013 the value of mineral production Ontario was nine point eight billion up from six point three billion in 2009 this industry has an economic impact in the entire province that is an increase of over fifty percent I think fifty seven percent in only four years I'm proud of our government's success at helping helping to foster this important industry For instance on terriers among the top ten mineral investment jurisdictions in the world as a result 24 new mines Have opened here over the last ten years. That's more than anywhere else in Canada Mr. Speaker can the Minister of Northern Development Mines? Please educate this house on any new Ontario mine openings. You've minister northern development mice Well, thank you very much that the speaker and I thank the member for the question and he certainly write the Mining industry has enormous benefits for the entire province certainly not just northern Ontario and when a new mine opens It's it has an immensely positive impact on the regional economy and every community surrounding it shares in those benefits That's why certainly premier win and I were so pleased to be up in greater Sudbury on February 21st at the official opening of the of the Totten mine valets first new mine the Sudbury basin in over 40 years And we're joined by a number of other members of the legislature's wall because it's such a huge event the project itself Created over 500 construction jobs and now is employing over to under Area residents. This is a great story and really a positive piece of news It's worth talking about the safety record as well may I say of this answer during construction It was exemplary or achieving over one million Person hours without a lost time injury. Thank you. It's a great project. Mr. Speaker great Thank you speaker. I would like to thank the minister for that update and he is right Dotten's employment and safety record is impressive I'm very pleased to hear about both the economic benefit and the safety record of this new valley mine I know this government and the minister are also concerned with community engagement and environment effects Environment effects of the mining industry that is why our government has modernized our legislation so that first nation Consultation is one of the first steps in the mining sequence since the beginning of the abandoned mines Rehabilitation program Ontario has undertaken rehabilitation on 80 mines Demonstrating our commitment to environmental stewardship. Mr. Speaker through you to the minister How is community engagement and environmental protections? Ensured in the operations of the new mines in Ontario. Thank you minister again I thank the member for Ottawa Orleans for the question and it's just really as an example of how the mining industry has changed So immensely mr. Speaker. I mean It's the the leaders of that mind are demonstrating leadership in both community engagement and environmental stewardship They've utilized some of the best technology automation and environmental management in the in the mining industry So it's one of the taught in my way is one of the most environmentally-friendliest minds in the province One of the gradually valet obviously, but also chief Paul as Cackigan, I believe is how you pronounce it from the Sagamot and it's not the first nation signing an impact benefit agreement I mean this is a game proactive and a beneficial type of community engagement very much supporting the approach taken by our government when we Modernized the the Mining Act first nation aboriginal It's one of the first steps in the mining sequence. This is tremendous a project great economic Benefits great social benefits. I want you all to be very proud of Minister today we have in the members gallery a young hairstylist by the name of Kailin Ambrose Kailin finished her height hairstylist apprenticeship, and she's a loyal group of customers who believe she is an excellent hair hairstylist Repeatedly she has tried unsuccessfully to pass the written exam She's tried the exam six times and has spent over $800 without success She now is classified as a journey person candidate on April the 8th the first anniversary of your boondoggle Ontario College of Trades her time is up She either passes the exam or according to a letter signed by by your five directors, and I have a copy right here She no longer can practice hairdressing in other words. Mr. Speaker. She's out of work There are another 4300 apprenticeship candidates and Kail like Kailin according to the Ontario College of Trades website Minister are you prepared to see this tragedy happen to so many people just like because they are not have trouble passing a written exam Minister let's bring some comments into this place Minister of training colleges universities well, thank you, mr. Speaker and through you to the hairstylists that are here today Welcome to Queens Park. Thank you for being here, and I'm delighted you're here because it gives me an opportunity Through the speaker to address this issue with you and compare our approach to the approach opposite mr. Speaker We believe in you as tradespeople a skilled tradespeople who are more than capable of making decisions for yourself So the decisions governing your sector ought not to be made by politicians like they want to do but be made by the sector itself By tradespeople in a form form form of self-government We believe mr. Speaker that that hairdressers mr. Speaker hairstylists and all tradespeople deserve to be protected They've gone to school. They've gone through apprenticeships. They deserve to have their jobs protected mr. Speaker from the Which is what the college of trades does that party over there mr. Speaker does not believe in that To stand up Supplementary well, thank you. This is not some answer. It's not pathetic What came today are other hairstylists and business people who have started the interior hairstylist association They have also started the cut the salon tax campaign and Mr. Speaker Every hair salon in Ontario is going to hear about the cut the hair tax on salon Okay, you can be sure that's going to happen because we're going to get to you over through this interior college of trades Mr. Speaker, you know the one thing we've got going for us is one of our puppets here on this side of the house for pat Dylan and the Working Families Coalition like that true over there You can't take this any longer the people of Ontario deserve better mr. People like that representing the month cabinet I will never be a puppet for a pat Dylan type of person. You are Explain yourself why you're not a pat Dylan puppet. Yeah Thank you Minister just because what we're going to do is we're going to continue to work with trades people across this province to ensure that they Can have their own voice so decisions that impact their trades are not made in smoky back rooms Stop the clock, please The member from Simcoe North asked the question and I think you want to hear the answer and if you don't want to hear the Answer, I don't want anyone speaking while I'm speaking The member from Oakville. I don't need your support Member from Halton come to order Finish, please the difference mr. Speaker between us and them is we believe skilled trades people in this province The member from Simcoe North will withdraw absolutely not well, I will never withdraw for a comment like that While there was noise the member from Simcoe North was named You have 10 seconds. Well, thank you, mr. Spear. We're going to continue to stand up for trades people across this That they're going to be protected from the underground economy. We're going to stand up for consumers. Thank you New question Remember from Hamilton Mountain. Thank you speaker My question is to the minister of community and social services Cameron Lafam is a young man with autism Who lives in Hamilton with his parents Marilyn and surge? He attends an excellent high school program that meets his needs and allows his parents to work But at the end of June Cameron will be aged out of school He could attend a day program, but his family barely receives one third of the cost of this program The family doesn't need a spot on the passport funding waitlist. They need increased support Speaker will the minister commit to providing Cameron with the support he needs before the end of the school year Well, mr. Speaker is the member opposite Shirley knows I'm not in a position Personally or legally to get into answering specific questions about specific cases I would suggest to the member opposite that if she would like to sit down with me and talk about her situation Or with my parliamentary system. I don't know if this is the same situation you were talking about we'd be delighted to To have that conversation and to see Not only what might be provided but also to bring the member up to speed in terms of how she acts as services on behalf of her Her constituents, mr. Speaker. Thank you supplementary Thank you speaker and back to the minister. No minister. It's not the same case It's a different case as there is a different case happening every day better supports for person with disabilities and their families is Desperately needed waiting lists are not the answers No one can put their life on hold whether waiting for a decision from this ministry Every young person will be aged out of school and developmental services knows exactly when this is going to happen And they should be prepared yet this transition continues to occur and throw families into turmoil Speaker to the minister instead of properly supporting persons with developmental disabilities as their needs change Why does this government choose to leave Ontario families in the lurch and force them to fight for more support? Mr. Speaker, I don't disagree with much of what the member opposite has said We all have a responsibility in this place to put in place the kinds of supports for those in our developmental services sector And their families who are having challenges the member opposite did speak with me in passing about a specific case last week Which I assured sure her we would work on she hasn't unfortunately spoken to me about this until just now If she'd like to do that, I'd be pleased to offer whatever help I can There are no deferred votes this house stands recess until 1 p.m. This afternoon