 Member Statements, the Member for Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke. Thank you very much, Speaker. After a two-year absence, the fall fairs, which actually happened in the summer for the most part, have returned to the Ottawa Valley. The fairs are back and in a big way. It all began a few weeks ago, as it always does with the Beechburg Fair, as Dye Basset referenced in his song, The First Big Summer Fair. That was followed by a new weekend fair in Arnprower called the Valley Agricultural Festival. This past weekend, as I did in Beechburg and Arnprower, I opened the 163rd Cobbden Fair. And coming up the second weekend in September will be the 167th edition of what we call the greatest fair in the Ottawa Valley, the Renfrew Fair. While every one of these fairs is unique in its own way, they all have two things in common. They bring communities together, and each one of them has agriculture at its roots. While today there is something for everyone, including midways, horse straws, live entertainment, and smash-up derbies, the heart of our fairs is still the farm, and the families that work so hard to put food on our tables. When attending these fairs, I can't help but think how much they've changed over the years, but how much people still anticipate going to the fair with their families, rubbing shoulders with and enjoying the company of friends and neighbors in such an enjoyable environment. While always being open to the reality of changing times, by holding fast to the traditions that made them a must-see, must-event, must attend events so many years ago, it's what makes our county fair so special, and gives me confidence that they'll still be around 100 years from now. Thank you, Speaker. Member Statements, the Member for London Fanshawe. Thank you, Speaker. On a daily basis, my office receives emails and phone calls from constituents about the health care system, from doctor shortages to excessive wait times in the ER, and about this government's G7 more beds and better care act demanding public hearings take place. Brian sent me an email, and he's asked me to get his story out there because he says he's not alone. His daughter's a registered nurse with over 30 years experience, and she's seen the health care system crumble. Brian's an 82-year-old senior. His doctor has just retired. He signed up with Health Care Connect, and all he was offered were phone numbers to call doctors' offices in hopes that they were accepting patients. He couldn't get through to speak to doctors in filling out applications, and he's heard nothing. He's being forced to monitor his own health, blood pressure, and arranging blood samples to check cholesterol, and as a cancer survivor, his blood count. He is attending an urgent care clinic just to have his prescriptions filled. He also has a pacemaker, and lucky for him, he's monitoring by downloading an app. Brian has been living in London for 51 years, and he feels like a senior that's been cast out in an open vote. This is beyond shameful, Speaker. Speaker, it's time to fix the health care system, and the NDP has put forth solutions. Will this government finally agree to reinstate the practice of ready assessment program for internationally trained doctors and nurses, repeal Bill 124 to give health care workers the pay and incentives and respect they deserve? Yes or no? The member for New Market Aurora. I rise in the chamber today to inform you of an important organization in my writing of New Market Aurora that is making a positive impact on the lives of seniors. It is called the 108 Health Promotion Association. This is our local Chinese community organization. Their president, Mr. Zanzou, named it one away as he wants to help their members live to 108 years of age. Their vision is to support healthy aging and culturally appropriate community programs that encourage physical activity and mental well-being. Current programming includes yoga, health related workshops, singing and dance clubs, as well as seasonal vegetable cultivation workshops, and a training course on preventing elderly from falls. At the beginning of 2021, I am proud to say that 108 was a recipient of our government's seniors community grant. Through this funding, they were able to help older adults and seniors in our community by staying mentally and physically healthy during COVID-19. They transformed their programming to a digital format to continue social interaction within the community of 2,000-plus seniors promoting healthy and safe engagements. This past Saturday, I was honored to be invited to the 108 family bonding event. There was a barbecue, a dragon dance, as well as Chinese waist drum dance, and many other forms of entertainment for the entire family. Seniors are and will always be important members of our communities. We must take care of them and each other as we grow as a province. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Nickel Belt. Thank you, Speaker. There's this beautiful community in Nickel Belt called Go Gamma. They are about an hour and a half south of Timmins and about two and a half hours north of Sudbury. The only access to the good people of Go Gamma to our healthcare system is through a nursing station. The nursing station has been there for a decade, giving all of the residents of Go Gamma, I must tell you, though, that over 60% of them are over the age of 65. And they gain access to our healthcare system through the nursing stations. Unfortunately, Speaker, tomorrow, September 1st, the nursing stations will close. They were given notice that the nursing station would close on September 1st, which means that all means of access to healthcare would stop. I have approached the Minister of Health to see what can be done to make sure that the people of Go Gamma continue to have access to a full-time nurse practitioner in their community so that they have what we call equity of access. Will we do double-long transplant in Go Gamma? No, we don't. But do we need a full-time nurse practitioner working in Go Gamma so that the people of Go Gamma can gain access to the healthcare system? I was talking to Dan Manta yesterday who needs to go to a walk-in clinic in order to gain access. And now we're away from his home. The Minister has to get on this file. She has to sign the new agreement so the nursing stations stay open. Thank you, Speaker. Member Statements. Member for Carlton. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's with a heavy heart that I rise today. On August 19, 2022, Jerry Coutts, father, grandfather, friend, colleague, and one of my closest mentors passed away peacefully and quickly at the age of 84 in Ottawa. Jerry will be lovingly missed and cherished by his daughter, Cammie Ritchie, and grandson, Marshall Ritchie. Jerry's many friends and colleagues will remember the memories of happy times together for years to come. Jerry was born in Winnipeg and grew up in the southern Manitoba town of Ridgeville. In 1956, he entered the Royal Roads Military College as a naval cadet, moving on to the University of Manitoba where he received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. After a wonderful career in the military, Jerry's second career was spent in international marketing, where he conducted business in over 40 countries. He retired in 1998 to help care for his wife, Edna Mae Eddie Coutts. During this time, Jerry worked for over 10 years as a business and marketing consultant. He was also an author with over eight published books in Canada and the USA. His golden years were spent happily helping and sharing his vast business knowledge and support sitting on local committees, assisting local businesses, building and organizing community associations, and volunteering his time and services to charity events, including assisting me on my campaign as part of my election campaign committee team. He was an active and dedicated member and pillar in the Greeley area and beyond. This is to Cammie, Richie, his family, and the entire Greeley community on this loss. My condolences. Member Statements, the Member for Davenport. Thank you Mr. Speaker. This weekend I had the great pleasure of dropping off my second child university. Quite a momentous occasion, I know for a lot of us, and so I wanted to use this opportunity to speak to all the parents out there that are sending off their kids to new beginnings in our post-secondary educational institutions. It's a difficult time, it's a really important time, and I know personally what an emotional time it is too, Mr. Speaker. I want to also speak to the government for a moment about I think what our post-secondary students need at this moment. A lot of our kids struggled over the last two years under closures during COVID, whether at post-secondary institutions or in our schools. A lot of our kids are struggling young people today, struggling to find affordable, truly affordable housing, and a lot of families struggling to put together the supports they need for their kids at this really difficult time. So Mr. Speaker, I want to encourage the government to use this opportunity as we head into this new school year to support our post-secondary institutions, to support our post-secondary students, to support our faculty members who've really struggled in this time, and to encourage the government to be there to reduce the tuition levels for our students and support families to date more than ever. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Members statements? Members for Kitchener, Conestoga. Well thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Next week over 800,000 students across Ontario will once again be taking the bus to school every day. In Waterloo Region, that is nearly 30,000 students that take the bus to school. Starting next week, Ontario will join every other state in province in North America when our school buses will be picking up our students with the safer, dual amber-red warning light system. Until now, Ontario was the only jurisdiction in North America to not use amber-warning lights to let drivers know school buses are about to come to a stop. Think of it as a stoplight that suddenly went from green to red. Now imagine every pedestrian at that crazy intersection being a child. Provincial data estimates that there are roughly 17,000 incidents involving drivers who blow by stop school buses every day across our province. A pilot program in Waterloo Region found that there were nearly 5 to 700 blow-bys each week. School bus drivers know this all too well. In a recent CTV news article, Jen Mazer certified driving instructor with the Switeser-Carty Transport was quoted to say, I had a frequency of at least three cars a day passing my red lights when I was stopping trying to let school children off the bus. So thank you to members from all parties who unanimously supported my private members bill. This common-sense change will save lives, Mr. Speaker. In that spirit, let's all do our part to keep our kids safe by driving carefully every day, but especially during the school year. Member statements? The member for Haldeman Norfolk. Speaker, I rise today asking the government to end the patchwork of approaches to in-person learning at colleges and universities. Several families impacted by recent policy changes as some schools have contacted my office. These families are aware rules are to be followed, but question why these policies were not advertised prior to acceptance letters being issued. These institutions knowingly accepted tuition payments between the beginning and middle of August, and then last week changed the rules. Remember playing games with the kids who changed rules partway through? Speaker, it's inappropriate, it's irresponsible, and I would go as far as to say it's disingenuous. Even for those students who wish to comply, the timing may make it difficult. Instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, which made COVID-19 vaccination policies mandatory in post-secondary institutions, were revoked on March 1st, 2022. Speaker, I question why some institutions are adding stress to the lives of students at a time when they are already anxious. Why is Western University the only Canadian University mandating boosters? I know the government will say it does not meddle in the everyday operations of publicly supported institutions. However, government has, in the past, waited into correct patchwork policies, especially at the municipal level. These young people are our future leaders. These are the same young people who have missed out the past three years. These students need assurance the rules will not continue to change. Speaker, I call on this government to ensure Ontario students are treated fairly and consistently, no matter where they choose to learn in Ontario. Speaker, I also wish all students across the province all the very best this school year. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements. The Member for Essex. Mr. Speaker, Tuesday, September 6th is back-to-school day in the province of Ontario. We have over 2 million elementary school students and secondary school students who are going back to school after two years of pandemic disruptions that they went through with their parents. Now is the time for us to get back to normal. I want to thank the Minister of Education on behalf of parents like me and parents across the province for making it absolutely clear that we want our kids in school, in person, full time with sports and a full array of extracurricular activities we want for our children the full school experience. And so let me take this opportunity now to wish all the students and staff members across the province of Ontario and especially for my folks in Essex County a very successful academic school year. Thank you. Member Statements. Member for Ajax. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to say it's an honour to represent the people of Ajax. This past weekend I had the privilege of attending a family fun day put on by the Islamic Society of Ajax. The exact community and faith-based groups continue to grow and build strong ties within our community. The Islamic Association of Ajax completed its construction for the first much-jit in the town of Ajax in the year 2016. The mass-jit is located on Harwood and is led by our Iman Waqas Sayed. The Ajax mass-jit has become a focal point for the Muslim of Ajax. It is centrally located in the Muslim community and services the social, economic and recreational needs of that community. The family fun day event this past weekend was tailored for families and children of all faith, but they also put on events for our seniors. A few weeks ago they were able to take a group of seniors to Niagara Falls and the tales and stories are amazing. These trips offer more entertainment for our seniors as a chance to socialise and break out of the norms which are a huge benefit for their mental health. Social isolation among seniors is a growing issue, not just in Ajax but across Ontario. Groups and organisations like the Islamic Society of Ajax are some of the main reasons that the Ajax community is growing continually strong. Under the Premier's leadership we hope this government will continue to encourage and support opportunities for these organisations that are playing an integral part for our communities and confident that our government's continued involvement in organisations and groups like this will make Ontario a global destination to work, live and raise a family. That concludes our member's statements for this morning. Introduction of visitors.