 time for member statements. I recognize the member from Stormont, Dundas, South Lancaster. I'd like to recognize our Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation for the inaugural Dancing with the CCH Stars event held on Saturday at Cornwall's Altiful Theatre. This fundraiser celebrated the exceptional care, tenacity, compassion and hard work of our local healthcare professionals who treat patients across SNG, aquasocene and Cornwall. Dozens of local businesses sponsored the event. Thank you to the many community-minded business who always step up. Success is not possible without the support of the business community. The event sold out in less than two days and guests were treated to high-quality entertainment. Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation will purchase $50,000 worth of medical equipment for a special project chosen by the winning team. I'd like to acknowledge the six teams of dancers who spent the last five months training with two local school dance schools, Powell School of Dance and Studio Dance C School. Talk about dedication. Dr. Akram Arab and Megan Kafferkey, Dr. Salin Lamir and Anthony Powell, Dr. Renee Givari and her husband Tim, RN's Joyce Sella and Amy McCauchin, RPN Kathleen Jack and Dr. Leslie Stevens, Jose Amyot, RN and Ryanon St. Pierre, as well as RN's Andrew Beesonet and Robin Bilaro, both RN's at the hospital and at the college. Congratulations to Dr. Akram Arab and his team partner Megan Kafferkey who won the competition with $50,000 going towards medical upgrades supporting critically ill patients at CCH's ICU. Huge congratulations to the Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation Executive Director Amy Gillespie and Development Coordinator Kelsey Lindsey on raising over $125,000. Member Statement. Member from Thunder Bay, Superior, North. Thank you, Speaker. When I was a young woman in the 1970s, there were no women's shelters and there were no rape crisis centers, but because of the growing second wave of the women's movement, women were gathering together and creating safe spaces from the ground up. But if you read the newspapers of the time, you would have seen these community builders, these feminists described as half-crazed man-haters out to destroy the world as we knew it. Well, we did want to change the world as we knew it because domestic violence was commonplace, though never spoken of at the time, and victims of sexual assault had no supports and were blamed for the behaviors of their attackers. Thank goodness those activist women persisted and others have come along since to keep these safe places going in spite of perpetual underfunding. Because today we are still struggling with violence against women and non-gender conforming folks, feminicides and rapes that are still routinely blamed on the victims. And if those victims are racialized, especially those who are indigenous or black, then they will be doubly blamed, particularly in our court systems, because being racialized is often reason enough to be beaten down and cast aside. We call these things sexism and racism, and say that we want to celebrate diversity, but talking about diversity doesn't acknowledge the root of the problem. Sexism and racism aren't here because people look or act a bit differently from ourselves. They are tools to take what would not otherwise be freely given. They are here because of beliefs in entitlement, beliefs that some people have the right to dominate others, that some have the right to punish those who deviate from gender-based norms, or the right to punish those who don't go along with what someone has decided they should be doing. I'm thinking at this particular moment actually of the indigenous communities that are being told we know best, even if it takes being run over by a bulldozer to get their agreement. But I want to turn now towards those people and organizations in Northwestern Ontario who put themselves on the line every day to provide safe spaces, and name the residential shelters of Northwestern Ontario. These are Bindigan and Fay Peterson House in Thunder Bay, First Step Women's Shelter in Sioux Lookout, the Geraldton Women's Shelter in Greenstone, Hoshizaki House in Dryden, Marjorie House in Marathon, New Starts in Red. Thank you. I want to thank the member for her presentation. Thank you very much. The next member statement, the member for New Market Aurora. December I had the privilege of attending the second year anniversary event for Construct, a social enterprise by Blue Door. It was held at the brand new training space in my riding located in Aurora. Construct is a proven solution to end homelessness. It provides individuals at risk or who have experienced homelessness with in-class training and hands-on experience in the construction industry. Both youth and adults are given the opportunity to improve their lives by gaining financial stability and affordable housing through a well-paying career. Construct is working to turn insecurity into permanent change by connecting participants with apprenticeships and opportunities with contractors and unions. Since Construct's launch in 2020, which was made possible by our government's support through a grant of over $1.3 million, they have seen over 200 trainees go through the program, which has helped participants find over 120 well-paying construction jobs. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to thank our government for providing the funding. The positive impacts on people's lives resonates throughout my community. Thank you. Member statements, the member for Sudbury. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, today is International Women's Day. Today we remember that International Women's Day was inspired by working women. Today we remember that in 1908, 15,000 women marched through the streets of New York to protest unfair working conditions. Today we remember that in 1911, the Triangle Street Waste Factory fire killed 146 workers in 20 minutes. Today we remember that most of the workers were Italian or Jewish immigrants aged 14 to 23. Today we remember that these workers were trapped behind locked doors, trapped out of reach of firefighter ladders. Today we remember that these workers died from the fire, these workers died from the smoke inhalation, and today we remember that 62 of these workers died by leaping from factory windows to the pavement below. These workers died because the doors were locked to prevent worker theft. These workers died because the doors were locked to prevent union organizers from entering. The 1911 Triangle Street Waste Factory fire killed 146 garment workers in 20 minutes. And from those ashes, Speaker, the International Women's Day was reborn. Speaker, we are legislators. If we want to truly celebrate International Women's Day, let us honor the workers who died. Let's write labor laws that make it easier to join a union. Let's write labor laws that demand better working conditions, and demand better wages, and demand better safety. Speaker, we are legislators. Let's truly celebrate International Women's Day and make life better for Ontario's workers. Member Statements. The Member for Sault Ste. Marie. Thank you and good morning, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this month, I was able to make a Northern Ontario Heritage Fund announcement in the digital tech sector in beautiful Sault Ste. Marie. Village media was a recipient of two separate grants totaling nearly $130,000. That were used to upgrade their Sault Ste. Marie facilities and assist in the purchase of technology and communication equipment. Ontarians may recognize names like Sault Ste. Marie, Aurelia today, and Stratford today, and many other digital media platforms that are based at their headquarters on Queen Street in my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie. And Village Media does not stop there. They own and operate local news sites in a number of markets and also provide technology consulting and fulfillment services to strategic media partners. Village Media has grown to become a worldwide media company with outlets across Canada, in the United States, and even Nigeria. I would like to congratulate Jeff and the entire Village Media team on the newest Village Media outlet based right here at Queen's Park, the Trillium. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member for Trottle Centre. Thank you, Speaker. Today on International Women's Day, I want to focus on real actions that this House has the power to take to support all women. To support all women, we need pay equity. We're acting the Pay Transparency Act, shelled by the Conservative Government, which would have ensured that women in all sectors, such as law, technology and business, would receive equal pay for equal work. To support all women, Speaker, we need to take the housing and homelessness crisis seriously. Women don't want to hear vague talking points about how much you love them. They want this government to find the love to actually fund shelters and fund housing. That will truly support them. To support all women, Speaker, we need to reverse the cuts to sexual violence support centres and legal aid. These services heal and empower women. It allows women across Ontario to access justice. To support all women, we need to implement recommendations from the Renfrew County Inquest to support gender-based violence and end it in Ontario, including the recommendation number one, which will declare intimate partner violence and epidemic. To support all women, we need to pass the Gender Firming Healthcare Act to ensure all women have access to the healthcare that we need and deserve. To support all women, Speaker, we need to follow the lead of provinces like British Columbia and guarantee universal free access to contraception. To support all women, we need to repeal Bill 124, which is sexist and wage suppressing. That will truly support women. Happy International Women's Day, everyone. Thank you. Member Statements, Member for Kitchener Conestoga. Thank you very much, Speaker. I promise I'll keep mine under the minute 30. I think March break starts next week for families across my riding of Kitchener Conestoga and of course across the province. Members from all parties will be heading back to their communities to connect with constituents and spend time with their families. So I want to remind everyone that when school is out, of course, so are kids. With the weather, warming and school out children will be excited to play outside and visit with friends. So keep in mind that crosswalks or intersections that normally have crossing guards during school days may not have them next week. On residential streets without a school, remember that kids will be present during weekdays. Exercise caution when near community centres as they will be running camps and activities. That said, there's plenty of free family fun to be had across Waterloo Region. 3 on 3 basketball tournaments are taking place nightly at community centres across Kitchener. Participation is open to kids aged 12 to 17 and you can register out the door. In addition, a number of local arenas across Waterloo Region are holding free March Break skates. There is a free skate on Sunday, March 12th from 3.30 to 4.20pm at Rim Park, Mr. Speaker. You can also check out the City of Waterloo and Kitchener websites for more information. Kitchener Public Libraries have hockey skates that you can borrow from the Central Library on Queen Street North. Mr. Speaker, and Waterloo has a similar program at the Eastbridge branch of the Waterloo Public Library. The libraries are another source of activities for little ones as well, Mr. Speaker. Thank you so much, my minute and a half is up. And then some. The next member's statement, the member for Haldeman Norfolk. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today to talk about an amazing group of volunteers in Haldeman Norfolk who are working to make life better for people in the worst of human situations. The Norfolk Haldeman Community Hospice has been soldiering through the years undeterred with the long-term goal of building a six-bed hospice in a location central to the two counties. Currently, we are fortunate to have Norfolk Haldeman Community Hospice as well as East Haldeman Hospice providing vital palliative supports in our communities, not only in the way of medical care, but spiritual and emotional care as well. However, right now, Haldeman and Norfolk residents have to go to Hamilton, Brantford or beyond to live in a hospice facility Families in already stressful situations find making the trip a far challenging and it adds to the stress and grief. I think we can all agree that we want the very best for our loved ones and perhaps one day ourselves when we are faced with end of life. Hospice care provides compassion, quality and dignity. Locals are finding unique ways of fundraising for the Norfolk Haldeman Community Hospice which comes with a steep price tag of about $14 million. The group will undoubtedly reach its goal but is asking the province to lend a hand with respect to operating costs. The estimated cost of operating the six-bed hospice would ring in around $1.5 million annually and I am asking this government in its upcoming budget to have a good look at the many benefits and value of investing in end of life care across Ontario. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Member Statements. The Member for Essex. Mr. Speaker, in my writing we used to have a high school called Secondary School. It was a skilled trades high school. The only one in my writing and the Liberals shut it down. Contrast, Mr. Speaker, this PC government invests and believes in the skilled trades and that's why we have the Skills Development Fund which we use to help purchase machines for high schools and some of the high schools in my writing that have benefited from this fund are the District High School Sandwich Secondary School Kingsville District High School and North Star High School they have received CNC milling machines plasma cutters lathes desktop milling machines high precision conventional milling machines lathes with readouts and more. I want to thank the Minister of Labor and Skills Development for these fantastic investments in our young people and skilled trades because as we say often when you have a skilled trade you have a job for life. Thank you. Member statements? The Member for NAPI. I want to wish all members of this Assembly, particularly the female members a Happy International Women's Day and I want to stand here to recognize the talented women not only who sit in this assembly but the talented women who are behind the male members of this Assembly as well as the non-binary members of this Assembly. This Parliament finally boasts what I would consider the most diverse and the most equitable that we've ever seen. We still have a lot more to do but we should celebrate where we have come. I can say that because this month I will celebrate 17 years in this Assembly and my daughter this Sunday turns 18 through her eyes I have watched this Assembly grow through all of you I've been able to see some of the great changes in fact during the first months of my tenure here at Queens Park when she was just an infant we fought to make sure that there were change tables in the bathrooms that we had seeds for children in the restrooms or sorry not in the restrooms in the restaurant I remember her creating a security incident here because Christina Blizzard taught her that there were ghosts in the Assembly and she took all of the other children and hid off into the library with them causing a lot of parents from the Pean to be quite alarmed for the safety of their children. They were safe and the ghosts didn't turn out. She once asked me if Garfield Dunlop ate peanut butter and jam sandwiches to which I said I don't know she said but does Bob Bailey I said I can guarantee yes she has been a page on this floor she learned to walk on the third floor of the assembly she once had a very long and lengthy political debate with Steve Clark about whether or not Justin Bieber's song was never say never or always say always she blamed me in 2020 on her birthday for canceling her hockey tournament when I was Minister of Sport it apparently coincided with the global pandemic and she has seen me work with nine leaders of the official opposition four different speakers but I'm sure she was your first she liked you the most I'm sure she's seen three peers in six selections and through all of that she has become an amazing young woman and on 18th on Sunday my little girl Victoria Varner turns 18 she's not in the assembly with us today but I wanted to say thank you to her and to me as a remarkable young woman on this International Women's Day through her I see progress That concludes our member statements for this morning