 It is now time for all questions and I recognize the leader for Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, my first question this morning is to the Premier. This morning, the head of Ontario's Hospital Association reports that, and I quote, as of this morning, there are now 150 patients in ICU with COVID-19 related conditions. All Ontario regions reporting increases in admissions, not only GTA and Central. Speaker, 150 patients in ICU had been the threshold that would necessitate the cancellations of surgeries and other life-saving procedures in our hospitals. The Premier has announced that he plans to have a plan tomorrow for the surging second wave of COVID-19, but why has the government yet again waited until this crisis point before taking action? The Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. Thank you very much, Speaker. Well, in fact, we have been taking action since this pandemic began. Last year, we increased the capacity of hospitals. We added to them a 5.5% increase, the largest increase they've had in over a decade. We've also added $341 million earlier this year to add 500 acute care beds and 100 critical care beds. We've added another 139 more critical care beds and 1349 beds, and most recently spent another $116 million to create another 700 plus beds. We've added over 3,130 beds since the beginning of this pandemic, and we're prepared to do more and expand more spaces if we need to, because we know that it's very important to continue to accept the COVID-19 patients, but we also want to keep going with the surgeries and procedures that were postponed during wave one. The supplementary question. Well, Speaker, you know, the Premier wants to blame someone for the devastation that's been caused by COVID-19. He does that every day. He should start by looking in the mirror and taking some responsibility himself. It was the Ford government, Speaker, that refused to ramp up testing capacity and tracing through the summer. And it was the Ford government that not only reduced public health measures as cases started to spike, but claimed their reckless plan was actually backed by experts who really opposed it. Is the Premier prepared to take any responsibility for the government's confused, erratic, delayed, and underfunded response? The Premier. Well, Mr. Speaker, I've been in front of the people of Ontario every single day since this pandemic, taken numerous occasions. I take full responsibility of anything that goes on with this COVID. But I just love the question from the leader of the opposition. We, as of today, have tested 5,737,000 people. That's more than all the provinces combined. We never took the foot off the pedal. Matter of fact, we've increased it to 50,000 tests a day. That's our capacity right now. We're going to continue testing it. And we have about 40% of the population. But again, we're well over 50% of the testing. And I give all the credit to all the folks out there, be it public health or Matt Anderson on Ontario Health. They're doing an incredible job. We're going to continue ramping up. Our government is investing $1.376 billion to enhance and expand efforts on test, trace, and isolate new cases of COVID-19. But thank you for the compliment, leader of the opposition. Final supplementary. Well, Speaker, Ontario families have risen to the occasion in this pandemic. They're living with daily health risks, lockdowns, and economic uncertainty. And they're ready to do whatever it takes to crush this virus. But they need a government that works with them, steps up with supports, and tells them the truth about expert advice. Not a Premier who ignores expert advice, shouts out and blames Ontario in daily campaign events, and only acts when things reach a crisis point. Will the Premier commit today to lifting the gag order on experts from the health sector, expert health advisers, and let the people know exactly, the public of Ontario, know exactly what was recommended by them and where the Premier is refusing to follow expert advice? Through you, Mr. Speaker, I have never once, ever, from the beginning of this pandemic, ever disagreed with Dr. Williams or our health team. Matter of fact, to the contrary, every measure that he's put forward, we've implemented. Now, on the testing, we've received about 98,000 ID Now tests from Ottawa, and we're expecting another shipment very soon. We also have the Pan-Bio test of 70,000 tests that we're implementing. We're rolling out, as we speak right now, into the most vulnerable areas, long-term care health, the health sector, and our First Nations communities. We're going to continue rolling out these tests and continue being the leader in the country when it comes to testing and tracing. Thank you. The next question, either the opposition. So much, Speaker. Speaker, my next question is also for the Premier. The Premier has indicated that new COVID-19 measures will be announced tomorrow, weeks after new Democrats and frontline doctors and health experts first called for them. If new measures are going to be effective, small businesses will need concrete, direct, financial support now to pay the rent and to protect their staff. A tax break next year won't make a difference if you closed next week. Will the Premier be announcing new business supports tomorrow to ensure that businesses can stay afloat while government plays catch-up with the second wave? The Associate Minister with Swanson School of Business and Red Tape Production. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. This government, since the start of this pandemic, has been committed to supporting small businesses. That's why we introduced new support programs, $300 million for businesses in the areas of Peel, York, Toronto that have been impacted by these new measures. It supports those with property tax payments, energy payments. But on top of that, in the piece of legislation, the budget that we've put forward, we've introduced record supports to support them in the future to help them recover, to get back on their feet, whether it's a $1.3 billion in reduction to hydrates. This government will always remain committed to supporting small businesses, whether it's before the pandemic, during the pandemic, or in their recovery. Hey, what's the supplementary question? Speaker, it's more clear than ever that essential workers are particularly vulnerable in the second wave. The people who go to work every day in communities like Scarborough and Brampton keep Ontario running so that others can stay home. They deserve our thanks, and more importantly, they deserve protection on the job. Paid sick leave would make it possible to actually miss work to get tested and quarantined if necessary. Will the Premier be announcing paid sick leave tomorrow to ensure that working people can afford to protect themselves and all of us if they fear they have become infected with COVID-19? Respond, the Member for Burlington, the Parliament for your system. Thank you so much for the question. Just to recap, on July 16th, Premier Ford joined with the federal government in a historic $19 billion safe restart agreement. The deal includes $1.1 billion, which includes 10 paid sick days. Unlike our government who continued to work through COVID-19 for the people of Ontario, the federal government paroched the House. I clearly understand your frustration as we have been waiting for months. It's still in the Senate. We will keep you posted when we finally get an answer. Final supplementary. Thanks, Speaker. So far, not so very good. Zero for small business, zero for essential workers. So I'm going to try again. Any measures that are announced tomorrow must address the unfolding crisis that's happening yet again in long-term care. Another 17 people lost their lives just yesterday. People that we mourned just a minute ago with our unanimous consent motion. And while the Minister of Long-term Care desperately denies that there's a crisis in these homes, staff on the front line report clearly that once again, exhausted co-workers are forced to do the work of at least two people and sometimes more. To quote one PSW from a COVID-ravaged facility in Scarborough, and I quote, they go on camera every day, and it's lies, lies, lies. That's what she said. Will the Premier be announcing tomorrow an immediate... Can I ask the... I don't need any assistance with this. Thank you very much. I would ask the Leader of the Opposition to withdraw the unparliamentary. Withdraw, Speaker. As you can see, PSWs are extremely frustrated. They're worried, sick about themselves, the people they take care of and their co-workers. So will the Premier be announcing tomorrow an immediate PSW recruitment plan, something that should have happened in the summer with increased wages and increased training to actually start addressing the staffing crisis that they have ignored for months and months and months? Mr. Long-term Care. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. Indeed, we have been working on the staffing strategy ever since the Ministry of Long-term Care was created as a standalone ministry to demonstrate our government's commitment. The staffing, whether it was the Justice Galicia's recommendations, whether it was our expert panel that reported, whether it is getting the support that it is required for the recruitment of PSWs, the return of service, the funding for return of service for our PSWs is $10.3 million. The training funds for PSWs, $14 million, $461 million to increase PSW wage by $3 an hour. And that's not including the pandemic pay that preceded that. $405 million to help with operating and staffing and PPE issues in long-term care. That was part of a $540 million package added to the $461 million, added to the $243 million. We've been taking steps this whole time, not only addressing the long-term, the long-standing issues left behind by the previous government, but taking urgent actions. Thank you very much. The next question is from Davenport. Mr. Speaker, good morning. This question is for the Premier. Speaker, on November 3rd, Ontario Schools were reporting about 2,300 cumulative cases of COVID-19 just over two weeks later, and those numbers are up to 3,626 and growing by about 100 new cases a day. On Tuesday, the minister signaled that closures might be coming here as well. But yesterday, he announced they would remain open, but without any additional support for our students. With the recent flip-flop up-down sideways on regional restrictions, parents and educational workers are watching very closely. They want to know that all decisions about schools are being driven by public health advice, not political considerations. So my question to the Premier is this. What changed between Tuesday and Wednesday, and was this decision made by Dr. Williams or Dr. Ford? Oh! The Minister of Education. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the decision point and the context of looking around the holidays to make sure our kids remain safe, that decision was made on the advice exclusively of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the public health tables. That is a matter of fact, Speaker. Now, in the context of what we're doing in this province, in the context of our schools, we have put in place a plan fully supported by the Chief Medical Officer, fully funded by our province, and evidence informed. And the evidence that underpins our plan demonstrates it's keeping kids safe. The fact that 99% of kids are COVID free. The fact that 99.5% of staff are COVID free. The fact that 85% of schools have never had a COVID case. It underscores that we're doing something right in this province, led by our teachers, by the sacrifice of our parents, and by our public health leaders, and we are proud of each and every one of them, Speaker. Well done. And a supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And while the Minister tries to justify his government's underfunding with these cold stats, I want him to remember that these numbers are people. Each worker or student case impacts a whole family, a whole school, a whole community. No case of illness or death is acceptable. Speaker, New York City just closed its schools, citing a positivity rate of 3% in the community as the threshold for risk. Toronto's positivity rate is double that. We need our schools here to stay open, but we need them to stay safely open. Classes are still being combined into larger ones. Itinerant teachers are still moving between as many as eight schools. New custodians are still unaccounted for. So in the interest of complete transparency, Mr. Speaker, will the Premier make public the advice he's received from Dr. Williams and the Ministry's new in-house adviser? Minister of Education. Well, Mr. Speaker, Dr. Williams, the command table, are accessible to the public multiple times a week, and I look forward to that question being posted because he will affirm, as he advised myself and members of cabinet, that our plan in this province stands alone as one that is keeping kids safe. That is a position of Dr. Williams, Dr. De Villa, Dr. Dubé, Dr. Silverman, Dr. Chagla, Dr. Yaffe, and the list goes on because there is a consensus in this province. The plan we have unveiled, informed by the best medical science in Canada, is keeping students safe. And those data points, they instill confidence in parents that 99.95% of students are COVID free. They may be inconvenient facts for you, member, but they provide confidence to the people in the front lines, sending their kids every day to school. And we are confident. We are confident in our teachers, we are confident in our nurses, in our doctors, and in everyone working together to reduce the risk of community transmission in this province. So good. And once again, I'll remind all members to make their comments through the chair. The next question, the member for Ottawa, West Napa. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Last year, before the onset of COVID-19, our government began an ambitious project to significantly improve the care Ontarians receive and finally put an end to the hallway healthcare crisis in our province. We moved quickly to set up the first group of Ontario health teams. It was a new concept of integrated care designed in consultation with the healthcare sector. And I was proud to join the Minister of Health in announcing the Ottawa Health Team. When the pandemic hit, this new model became all the more important. In fact, we are already seeing the results from these early initiatives. These health teams are working together to combat outbreaks in their community and coordinate support across long-term care homes, hospitals, family doctors' offices, and home care partners. Speaker, can the Premier please share with my constituents further information about the Ontario health teams and the supports our government is providing during this crucial time? The Premier, there's fine. Through you, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member from Ottawa, West Napaian, for the great question and the great work he's doing up there. And I'm proud to announce we're investing to support 13 more Ontario health teams across the province. That brings the total of 42 health teams, Mr. Speaker, right across our province, everywhere from Toronto to Rainy River, that people can rely on 24-7 care around the clock. And when all these teams are fully up and running, that's 86% of Ontarians will be covered, better and connected care. Mr. Speaker, we've added $2.4 million investment that will support these teams in their response to COVID-19 and help maintain hospital capacity through the programs and the link hospital, primary care home, and community care, long-term care homes, and other congregate settings and services. Thank you. Tell them that's your question. Well, thank you for that response, Premier. I know that my constituents are incredibly excited about the future plans for Ontario health teams. Through these organizations, patients will experience easier transitions from one provider to another, including, for example, between hospitals, home care providers, or long-term care homes with one patient story, one patient record, and one care plan. Premier, I know that a robust testing infrastructure is key to our province's strength in addressing the second wave of COVID-19. Our government and yourself in particular continue to be champions for our frontline healthcare workers in hospitals and long-term care facilities. This has included strong advocacy on rapid testing systems to identify and stop COVID from spreading. Speaker, could the Premier please elaborate further about the status of rapid testing products from the federal government for all Ontarians? Premier? I want to thank the member for the question. And yes, we're number one in the country when it comes to testing, bar none, over anyone. And I'm so proud of that. And again, I want to congratulate the people out there doing the testing. As I said earlier, Mr. Speaker, we received 98,000 ID now tests that is out the door. And we're going to long-term care homes, as I mentioned earlier, healthcare workers, northern remote areas, First Nations communities. And we also have received approximately 70,000 pan bio tests which are going out the door. But again, I want to thank the federal government but we need more of these tests. We're delivering them the areas, as I mentioned, all over the province, putting a priority with the health teams. That's the number one priority. We're also planning on sending these rapid tests to areas and areas that don't get the testing turnaround as quickly as we'd like to see, Mr. Speaker. So this is a game changer. And we're going to continue changing the game here. Thank you. The next question, the member for Kitchener Center. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Each day brings more and more serious questions about this government's decision to give the Premier's long-time ally an unapologetic bigot, Charles McVeedy, the right to grant university degrees at his Canada Christian College. During the 2018 PC Party leadership race, the Premier used Mr. McVeedy's college boardrooms to get people to vote for him. Now this isn't just a sign of the cozy relationship between the Premier and Mr. McVeedy. It's a violation of elections law and charitable tax law. Can the Premier explain why this supposedly non-partisan charity was using space to help him become the PC leader? Minister of Colleges and Universities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to rise and again address an issue that is of significant importance. And you know what that issue is, Mr. Speaker? It's what our job as legislators is. It's to be procedurally fair. It's to create processes that we can all respect. That is the job that we have as legislators. It's a job we take very, very seriously, Mr. Speaker. The members opposite continually heckle and hiss and play politics with an issue of grave importance, an issue of grave importance. And you know, I can listen to the member from Ottawa South and his continual constant lack of understanding of what the Charter of Rights and Human Freedom stands for, Mr. Speaker. It stands for something extremely important, very important. And I would love to continue to explain it. And I will continue to explain it to the members opposite because what we believe in, Mr. Speaker, is procedural fairness. It is what is guaranteed in our laws in this province. It is what makes us a democratic and free society, Mr. Speaker, and will continue to fight for our democracy. Thank you. Supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and back to the Premier. Our job in this House is to not legislate hate. That is our job in this House. I have written to you. Please take their sheets. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have written to elections in Ontario to investigate why the Premier's financial returns have no payments to Mr. McVeedy's college. And I've asked Revenue Canada to review why Charles McVeedy's college, a registered charity, didn't report this political activity. The Premier can't ignore Mr. Charles McVeedy's hateful rhetoric, and he can't sweep the scandal under the rug. While these investigations take place, will the Premier do the right thing? Pull Schedule 2 from Bill 213, which gives Charles McVeedy an even bigger platform to spew his bigotry and hate, and assist elections in Ontario with any investigation that they may decide to launch. Mr. Colleges and universities, Mr. Speaker. Again, Mr. Speaker, and I won't speak to the status of investigations because it's inappropriate to interfere with processes. And that's what we've continually referred to time and time and time again, Mr. Speaker. So let's see if I can, in the most respectful way possible, Mr. Speaker, to this House and to everybody who has stood before us in this House, any individual, any institution is allowed to apply for a license or designation of this nature. Anyone can. They apply directly to an independent body. That independent body, Mr. Speaker, is called PCAP. We've taken that independent process. And we've also indicated that once that process is complete, they would therefore have the benefit of legislation to be proclaimed into force if an independent process is completed. That is what we've created, Mr. Speaker. Response. An independent process that is accountable and a transparent process in this House, open for everybody to debate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The next question, the member for Don Valley West. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, this past Tuesday, my colleague from Ottawa South asked the Premier to stand in this House to disavow the vile Islamophobic opinions and remarks of Charles McVeedy. The Premier did not do that. Instead, the Premier gave an answer that was the equivalent of, and I quote, some of my best friends are Muslims and lesbians, Muslims. Speaker, whether the Premier behaves decently to an individual Muslim, men and women, whether he is polite to individual lesbians, gay, trans, queer individuals is irrelevant. If the Premier continues to support the bigotry of Charles McVeedy, then is kind words about one Muslim, one lesbian, one queer person ring hollow. The Premier's actions speak much louder than those words. His actions signal bigotry, hatred, and rejection of every Muslim child, every Muslim family, and every LGBTQ plus person in Ontario. I'm going to interrupt the member. Nope. The member must take her seat, and she must withdraw that unparliamentary attack. Withdraw. Will the government withdraw schedule two from Bill 213 and send a message of inclusion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just last week, I responded to the member opposite, and we discussed the importance of independent processes. We discussed the importance of not interfering with processes, much like the member presided over a government who did on a regular and consistent basis, Mr. Speaker. There were numerous scandals. I can get into those in the supplemental. But what I really want to focus on here is the fact that we have continually indicated there is absolutely no place in the province of Ontario for Islamophobia, homophobia, hatred, racism, discrimination of any kind. But Mr. Speaker was imperative that we stand as leaders is to stand by the rule of law, the rules that require fairness, the rules that require procedural safeguards in every process. You cannot interfere with any individual putting forward an application. It goes to an independent body. It's reviewed. And it's in a transparent process here in this house, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. And the supplementary question. As I have said in this House a number of times, I am not talking about the PCAB process. Mr. Speaker, I am talking about the legislation that has been brought in by this government that, in fact, protects a bigot, Charles McVity, as a homopole, so that the minister is going to continue to hide behind the PCAB process. But that is beside the point. And he knows it. I had a chance to talk with some members of the executive of the College Student Alliance yesterday, Mr. Speaker. And they're worried about a whole lot of things. They're worried about cuts to OSAP. They're worried about mental health in their colleges. But, Mr. Speaker, they also raised spontaneously the issue of Charles McVity. They are worried about the message that this government is sending to the LGBTQ-plus students on their campuses, Mr. Speaker. And these are young people who are in an extremely stressful educational environment right now. Mr. Speaker, will the government remove Schedule 2 from Bill 213 and send a message of inclusion to those students and every child in this province? Members of PTA-4C and the minister of colleges and universities to respond. You know, Mr. Speaker, I have so much respect for the member opposite. All of the things that she's accomplished in her profession, it's outstanding. I was there when her portrait was unveiled as the first female premier in Ontario. And I remember that she was an educator herself before stepping into the political arena. I have so much respect for the member opposite. I'm going to ask that the member opposite, please listen. And as she did many times as an instructor and a teacher herself, listen to what we're trying to say here. Please don't play games with the politics. Please listen to what we continually say. The PCAB process is independent. The PCAB process is part of the legislation. The legislation is simply there to provide an open forum for us to be able to demonstrate that if the independent process is done, then it would be proclaimed into force, Mr. Speaker. It is independent. It is accountable. It is transparent, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Order. The next question, the member for Stormont-Bundes. It's okay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The leadership's and poses challenges to Ontario drivers in every corner of the province. Safe winter driving has been discussed in this legislature many times. I understand the members of the official opposition have raised the issue in the past, particularly on behalf of Northern Ontarians who face some of the most challenging and harshest winter conditions. Road safety is indeed a priority for every member of this house. And there's always more work to do to ensure Ontario's roads remain among the safest in the world. Speaker, can this minister share the latest news on how we're supporting Ontario drivers during this winter season? Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member from Stormont-Bundes, South Glen, Gary, for the question. I am pleased to confirm that the Enhanced Ontario 511 app is available in both the iOS app store and Google Play Store for all Ontarians to download on their mobile devices. This updated Enhanced Ontario 511 app, which is available in both French and English, will allow drivers to check their road conditions, Environment Canada weather warnings, track the loa... Member for Timmons, come to order. You can't show it across the floor like that. I apologize to the minister of transportation. Thank you, Speaker. Track the location of snow plows and easily locate rest stops along our provincial highways. Mr. Speaker, we understand our responsibility to support Ontario drivers during the winter season. With the launch of the 511 app, winter updates, our government is making life easier for drivers to plan ahead before they get behind the wheel. Supplementary question. Thank you to the minister for her response. This is both exciting and relieving news to hear because I know it will help alleviate many winter driving stresses. We need to make sure that drivers have the right information at the right time. These updates to the 511 app are the means to do just that. So could the minister share more about the resources drivers now have at their fingertips? Great question. Minister of transportation. Thank you, Speaker. And we brought in the Ontario 511 app at the beginning of the pandemic to help truckers. And today we're announcing that we're launching it for all drivers across Ontario because it's been such a success and help to Ontario truck drivers. The Ontario 511 app includes an easy-to-use map view and a drive mode that provides hands-free audio alerts for safe driving. It also provides images from over 600 cameras and includes up-to-date highway information on construction, collisions, and road closures. Speaker, I want to remind Ontarians that the 511 website is also a resource for drivers to learn more about road and weather conditions in real time. We all have a part to play in keeping Ontario's roads safe. And I'm confident that this news will significantly help Ontarians navigate safely during the wintertime. I want to encourage all drivers to take advantage of these resources and to plan ahead. And don't forget to put your winter tires on. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. The next question, the member for Kingston and the Islands. Thank you very much, Speaker. And through you, my question is to the minister of the environment. Changes in Bill 229 rewrite the rules for conservation agencies that protect Ontario's watersheds and allow developers to skip checks and balances, undermining conservation authorities, and recklessly endangering communities. The scope and powers of conservation authorities will be limited to the point that no meaningful integrated watershed management will be possible. Schedule 6 is clouded with uncertainty as much of the detail, particularly in relation to setting out the scope of programs and services, standards and requirements, and other important matters, will be left up to future regulatory development. The opposition to this lobby-driven schedule is coming from every corner of Ontario, Speaker. Among many others, the mayors of Halton joined together in a letter asking the government to stand the schedule down. Can the minister explain how this government's approach to locally-driven, cost-effective conservation efforts is not a failure in protecting our parks, our wetlands, and our communities? Thank you. The Minister of the Environment, Conservation, and Parks. Well, thanks very much for that question, Mr. Speaker. And I'm glad it was asked, because I can dispel some of the myths that the member opposite was spreading in this legislature. There is no checks or balances that will be overlooked during the changes of the legislation. Yeah. I'm going to ask the minister to withdraw the unparliamentary comment. Okay, I'll withdraw. Thank you, Speaker. Who does answer? Listen, the legislation does not change any sort of checks and balances that are in the system. In fact, it's strengthening the role of the Conservation Authority to ensure that they're able to focus in on their core mandate services, while including accountability and transparency to the municipalities, Mr. Speaker. We put in a provision of an appeal. I don't know if the member's opposite doesn't believe in the appeal process in this province, but we're going to go to the ALPAT to ensure that decisions may be appealed like every other government agency in this province has, Mr. Speaker. And again, Mr. Speaker, this will ensure the transparency and accountability. I'm not sure what the member opposite has against having accountability and transparency between municipalities and Conservation Authority. It's a supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. It's actually municipalities themselves that are most opposed to this. And as I stay in the first question, they have been voicing their displeasure with this schedule for weeks now, Speaker. But I'm really not surprised by the answer from the minister, because, frankly, this schedule speaks to a pattern of dislike for local governance, a pattern that dismisses environmental protections and the well-being of future generations. But don't take my word for it, Speaker. Yesterday, the auditor general thought of the general least a scathing report detailing the government's environmental failures. Note that the AG provides value for money reports and it still was damning pointing to systematic non-compliance by ministries. The government's poor view of the environment and Ontario's bill of rights is on every single page. Ministries having collected the data needed to track progress, the government will miss its own weekend GHG targets. My question is quite simple, Speaker. How is this minister going to explain to the next generation his role in the development of legislation that undermined their safety and damaged the world that they're going to inherit? Mr. Dean Byron. Well, thanks, Mr. Speaker. There was a lot in that question, but I'm going to address another issue the member mentioned about local autonomy and respect. Mr. Speaker, this government is probably the strongest government to return local autonomy to Missapali throughout this province. Mr. Speaker, the former Liberal Party supported by the NDP took away the rights of Missapali's inciting green energy projects, re-returned that, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're giving Missapali's the right to deny landfills built in their locations if they do see, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've given the rights to Missapali to turn down permits to take water going forward, Mr. Speaker. Again, the NDP were against each and every single movement we've gone to give autonomy to municipalities, Mr. Speaker. So don't lecture me on the local economies of municipalities, Mr. Speaker, because this government is working with municipalities and giving them the autonomy they do deserve in order to run their recourse. The independent members will come to order. The independent members will come to order. The next question, the member for Ottawa South. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Yes, don't lump us all together, please. My question is for the Minister of Health and a Minister of Pediatricians raised concerns this September about the increased difficulty for children under five getting their flu shots this year. And it's particularly difficult because doctors' offices are closing. Public health units are stretched and not able to do what they've done in previous years. So it's a particular challenge for two to five years olds. There is a simple solution to this, though. The Ontario College of Pharmacists has proposed a regulation change to allow pharmacists to vaccinate two to five year olds. And Ontario's pharmacists are ready and willing to do this. So, speakers, through you, can the Minister commit today to making this regulation change and allowing pharmacists to vaccinate two to five year old children? Thank you. The Minister of Health. Thank you very much, Speaker. And thank you to the member for the question. I know this has been an issue of concern to you. But first, I would like to advise that this has been the most successful flu campaign in Ontario's history. Long before we knew that COVID was on its way to us, we ordered over 5.5 million doses. 5.2 million have already been distributed. Usually by this time, by mid-November, about 500,000 flu shots have been administered by pharmacies. This year, they have administered 1.4 million doses. So, we are very pleased about that. And I want to thank all Ontarians who have stepped forward. We are receiving another 142,000 doses of the vaccine from Sinofi. However, I do recognize the concern with respect to children. Up until this point, children age two to five have only been able to receive flu shots through their primary care offices. I will have more to say in my supplemental on your specific issue. Supplementary question. Well, I look forward to the supplemental. And I'm in suspense right now, whether it's yes or no. So, what I do want to say, this is not just it's important because we need to do this right now for the two to five-year-olds and all those families. And that's why I'm asking you to do this. But as my colleague from Orleans said the other day, is we're going to go into another set of vaccinations in the next year. And Ontarians need to have confidence that we'll be able to move quickly and dimly to do the things we need to do, like change regulations, adapt, to be able to make sure we deliver that vaccine to everybody as quickly and as safely as possible. So, I'll just ask my question again. Minister, can you commit today to making sure this regulation change happens so that two to five-year-olds will be able to have their vaccinations at Ontario's pharmacies? Minister Veldt. Thank you. Well, what I can say is I know that in the past, many vaccines were given by primary care rather than in pharmacies because there was some concern about very young children being vaccinated by the pharmacists that they were concerned about that themselves. I understand that the situation has changed now, that the College of Pharmacists and Pharmacists in general would be very pleased to, with perhaps some additional training, be able to administer the flu vaccine and hopefully the COVID vaccine. One-one comes forward to children between ages of two and five. And I can tell you that we are in serious discussions right now with the College and with pharmacists with a view to bringing forward that regulation. So I can't say today that it's happening today, but I can tell you that we're in serious discussions on that matter. Thank you very much. The member for Scarborough Center. Thank you, Speaker. The Ontario College of Teachers is a critical institution as it governs the profession of teaching here in Ontario. As a member myself, I believe that we can all agree that it is important that Ontario families have confidence in the OCT and in its members. All parents want to know that their child will feel respected and that teachers will help students to reach their utmost potential. The OCT and its role of licensing, governing, and regulating the practice of teaching takes this and many other responsibilities on. Can the Minister of Education please share with us what the government is doing to strengthen governance within the OCT and address issues of equity? Good question. Minister of Education. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member from Scarborough Center for her advocacy, both as an educator, as a mother, and as a member in this House. It is quite clear the Ontario College of Teachers requires some reform. And the Independent Report Commission under the former government in 2018, they called for significant reform to their governance to deal with issues of advocacy and the say of parents. We have taken action to empower parents by reconstituting the body to have an equal number of parents or the public and educators, nine and nine, to better balance the public interest that needs to be at the heart of the regulator of the profession speaker. In addition, in the context of equity, in the context of combating very legitimate and, in some regions, escalating levels of racism and discrimination that is arising within our schools, we have, for the first time, made it clear by regulation that any professional misconduct dealing with racist nature, remarks, or actions will finally now have a clear, transparent, and effective accountability mechanism to hold those individuals to account, to inspire a better culture within our schools and to combat racism in Ontario. These supplementary questions. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the minister for that answer. These changes will certainly benefit the OCT and further increase public confidence in the teaching profession as a whole. I know that our government has also been focused on making changes to the College of Early Childhood and educators that strengthen protections for all of our students, which is very welcome news and shows a true commitment to seeing Ontario students thrive. But truly, nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our kids. Can the minister outline how our changes will protect Ontario students and as well as how it will provide support for students who have heart-breakingly been victims of sexual abuse? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's quite obvious. I think for all members of the House, the priority for us all is the safety of our children. Under our reforms, no longer can an educator be reinstated following mandatory revocation for sexual abuse or for child pornography. They will not work in this province under this government no longer if they have that history. We will revoke all certificates retroactively to all members who are guilty of professional misconduct, dealing with acts of sexual abuse or acts of child pornography. All disciplinary decisions will now, under this government, be public for parents to see and for all to know. We are mandating a sexual abuse prevention program for both colleges to again reinforce the importance of child protection and we are extending support, therapy and counseling to the victims of the kids themselves. Mr. Speaker, we are wholly committed to the safety of kids. These reforms endorsed by the chair of the college herself saying quote, the legislation mirrors and reinforces numerous recommendations we have made. I think Speaker provides confidence that we'll do whatever it takes. Thank you very much. The next question, the member for Parkdale High Court. Thank you, Speaker. My question's to the Premier. A new report from the Chief Coroner's Office has revealed a horrifying state of the overdose crisis in Ontario. We are on track to see almost 2,300 deaths from overdoses by the end of this year. A record high and an increase of over 50% from last year. An NDP Freedom of Information request found no correspondence about opioids between the Minister of Health and top officials at all this year. It's clear the overdose crisis is not a priority for this government. What is your response to the more than 2,000 families who have lost a loved one to overdose this year? Mr. Veldt. Thank you. Thank you to the member for the question. This is a very serious issue and one that we are taking very seriously in Ontario. As you will know, just before we were struck with COVID-19 in the province, we issued our roadmap to wellness, our comprehensive mental health and addiction strategy for the province of Ontario. We are investing $3.8 billion over the next 10 years in strategies to help both with mental health and with addictions problems. We have also, we're investing $176 million this year. The funds are flowing for that, but we recognize that there has been an increase in addictions and overdoses from opioids and other issues. That's why we opened the consumption and treatment services sites in the first place. Those are working very hard. We are hoping that there will be other communities that will apply. There are still some openings where municipalities can apply if they are having significant problems. And we certainly know there are problems across the province. So they are there to help people to be able to consume whatever substance they're consuming to make sure that they don't overdose and that they will be safe. And I will have more to say in my supplemental. Thank you, Speaker, my question is to the Premier. Speaker, last Tuesday, I met with Denise Sanduil in Sudbury to discuss the September 8th overdose over Sun Miles. Miles Keeney was 22 years old. He was an athlete. He absolutely loved Joe Mack football. Miles was also addicted to opioid, Speaker, and he tried to get help with addiction several times and none was available. Last Tuesday, I walked with Denise and two of our daughters to visit Miles' Memorial Cross. In September, Miles' Cross was alone. When we visited last week, there were 20 crosses. Today, there are 33, but this weekend, there'll be 51. The opioid death rate in Northern Ontario is almost twice that of Southern Ontario. Suburbanians are suffering. Family members are in mourning. Local resources are overwhelmed. My question, Speaker, is will the Premier commit to immediately increasing funding to help Suburbanians like Denise Sanduil and her family? First, let me express my condolences to Miles' family and all of the other families who've lost anyone through an overdose, through addictions of any kind. That is something none of us want to see happen in the province of Ontario. That is why we've brought forward our road map to wellness to make sure that across Ontario, that includes Northern Ontario, Southern, Eastern, Western Ontario, that we can have that core basket of mental health addictions and mental health treatments. That's why the Mental Health Centre of Excellence was set up in the same way that Cancer Care Ontario was set up to make sure that all parts of Ontario have excellent quality cancer services. The Centre for Mental Health and Addiction is being set up to make sure that all parts of Ontario have excellent mental health and addiction supports. We know there are many areas that don't have either the consumption and treatment services sites or the withdrawal management supports that they need. That is what our plan is addressing and that is what we are going to bring forward in the province of Ontario. Thank you very much. The next question, the member for Simple Grade. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. You must be busy just with the title alone. Tourist operators in my riding, we're pleased to learn in this year's budget of the government's commitment to making 2021 the year of the Ontario State Cation. But as is common with most government budgets, there weren't a lot of details. As the Minister knows, tourism is at the heart of our local economy in Simple Grade. A major participant in this important industry is the ski resort business. Although people are being asked not to travel now because of the pandemic, many are buying seasons passes right now like ski passes and are asking if those receipts will be eligible for the 20% rebate. Speaker, as I asked the Minister, what advice she might have for those booking and prepaying for a staycation now with respect to keeping their receipts? And basically, when do you expect the program to start? Perfect. Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. Thank you very much, Speaker. And thank you very much to my friend, the member from Simcoe Gray. I had the opportunity to spend some time with him this summer visiting Blue Mountain and the beautiful village of Clarksburg that's affectionately named Artsburg by the locals. He's right. We do have a $150 million Ontario travel tax incentive that we'll be rolling out in likely early April or perhaps in the spring. We wanted to make sure that we signal to the industry that was hardest hit during this pandemic that we will be there for them. And so we will be investing. We are working right now with the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario as well as our regional tourism organizations to see how we can best adapt this program. It is the most generous in Canada. And we've actually called on the federal government to implement something similar so that we can get people going around the province again. I want to be very clear, though. Response? We are encouraging Ontarians only to travel when it's safe to do so. And at the moment now, we are not encouraging people to go on staycations around the province. In fact, we're trying to ensure people stay safe. But when it is safe to do so and we feel confident, we want to restore confidence in the province. Thank you very much. The supplementary question. Well, thank you and thank you, Minister, for that comprehensive response. And thank you for visiting my riding at least a couple of times since the pandemic that I'm aware of. And thank you for including me in those visits. Maybe you can come up again and bring the Health Minister and the Education Minister, which is my theme this week. Traveling ministers, Mr. Speaker. Traveling ministers would be great. And they're welcome anytime to the riding simple. Great. You mentioned staycations and people not being encouraged to travel now. Again, I need some clarification. If they're buying or paying for staycation for next year, presumably when they can travel, will those receipts be eligible? Do you have any thoughts on that? I appreciate the question. And I think the Health Minister and the Education Minister would like to go up and visit your riding. I want to say to be perfectly clear, we have a white paper process that is going to be unveiled in the next couple of weeks where we're going to be asking operators from tourism, cultural attractions, and sports organizations to feed in to what will be a strategic five-year plan. The centerpiece, obviously, of that plan will be the redevelopment of Ontario Place as well as this tourism and travel tax credit. Those details are being worked out at the moment between my ministry officials as well as the Ministry of Finance officials as all of our tax credits within this ministry are. And we'll continue to work with operators such as Skihills. And I recognize as well there is a lot of questions and concerns with respect to Skihills and what those capacity limits are. And so the ministry, along with the Ministry of Health, is working those details out and we should have some clarification for all of your constituents in the next couple of days. Thank you. Thank you. The next question, the member for London North Centre. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, this government has had months to increase tested capacity so the family caregivers can visit their loved ones secluded in long-term care. But with the second wave upon us, Londoners are facing even more delays, not fewer. One of my constituents, Sheldon, told me that in order to visit his mother in long-term care, he drives to the city of St. Thomas to get tested because it is impossible for him to get tested in London. Does the Premier really believe that caregivers like Sheldon should have to drive over an hour to get tested in the hopes of visiting their mother? The Minister of Long-term Care. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the member opposite. Our government recognizes the essential assistance that caregivers can provide their loved ones in long-term care and that importance of well-being. There's no doubt about that. That's why we've been working very hard to make sure that essential caregivers can be designated by residents so that they can go into the home and assist even during an outbreak. However, I know that the testing has been an issue in some areas and that is something that we're consistently working on to improve and to create an environment where potentially the caregivers can get testing through the home. So we're working on this to make this easier, recognizing the importance of caregivers. So thank you for your question. Supplementary question. It's fine for the Minister to say that they recognize it, but we see that there's a lack of support for family caregivers. My question is back to the Minister. Speaker, the delays Londoners face while simply trying to visit their parents are unacceptable. As if driving to St. Thomas wasn't enough to get tested wasn't enough, Sheldon and his wife often experience significant delays getting their results. With the backlog in our communities, there's simply no guarantee that they will get their test results in time so that they can see their 101-year-old mother living in long-term care. Sheldon told me that each time it has been taking longer and longer to get our results. Why after eight months into this pandemic, are family caregivers still waiting weeks to visit their parents when this government has had months to prepare for second wave delays? Minister of Health. Well, first, we have significantly increased our testing capacity. At the beginning of the pandemic, we were able to test approximately 4,000 people per day. At this point, we are able to test over 50,000. So we have made significant strides. However, we know that when family members want to visit their loved ones in long-term care, they need faster answers. And sometimes they're taking longer than the 48 hours that we're aiming for. But I believe, as the Premier said, that the Abbott tests that we're receiving now, the PanBio and the ID Now, are going to be game changers in that they are going to be able to provide those results very quickly on-site. We have already received and sent 70,000 of the PanBio tests to hospitals and long-term care homes. And I anticipate that you will find that the turnaround time for tests will be increased quite considerably as we receive more of these tests and are able to send them to long-term care homes. The next question, the member for Scarborough, Gilder. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health. The Toronto Star unearthed an internal report from the Scarborough Health Network. That showed alarming trends. Roughly 14% of tests at Scarborough Assessment Centers comes back positive, which has tripled the provincial average. There are outbreaks in 13 Scarborough long-term care homes. Scarborough's three hospitals are treating nearly a quarter of all hospitalizations in Toronto and Peel. And many Scarborough schools are in outbreak. Hotspot communities have not had a break since the pandemic began. They live in high-rises, multi-generational homes. Many residents are essential workers and in healthcare or elsewhere on the front lines. And they face higher risk of contracted COVID-19 with few options to self-isolate. Speaker, through you to the Minister, will you step in and provide the resources that are necessary for these residents in dense housing to stop the spread of COVID-19 by working with the federal government to set up... Thank you. Minister of Health, through you. The short answer is yes, we will. And I would like to read just a statement that we received from the Scarborough Health Network very recently. Our community is an explicitly acknowledged hotspot and has been for some time. This is a known issue, and we have been receiving support through Scarborough Health Network, Public Health, and Ontario Health. Resources to support testing, long-term care, and increased hospital capacity are aligned with the high community prevalence, spokesperson Lee Duncan said. So we are providing those supports with respect to testing, with respect to making sure that we can provide whatever supports the Scarborough Health Network needs. I will respond with respect to the issue of quarantine in my supplementary. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker, and I appreciate the hope that I'm hearing coming from the Minister of Health, because we do need more testing and we need more resources dedicated to these hotspots. Minister, the situation in Scarborough is unacceptable. The areas with the highest positivity rates have populations that are disproportionately low income. People are often from the black community, indigenous communities, and other people of color. They rely on transit to get around. In the recent Daily Bread Food Bank report showing poverty by post-acode, and it uses the low income measure after taxes, the Wolburn community specifically stands out in deep need. It is not surprising that it is consistently high for COVID-19 positivity. Some of the hardest hit pockets of Scarborough have some of the lowest testing rates because they are isolated from the permanent assessment centers. The Scarborough Health Network is doing an excellent job with its pop-up assessment centers. I visited one last week, and I saw the hardworking staff on the front lines, and they're doing all they can. But the solution just isn't enough. There's more that is needed. And Speaker, I'm asking you... Thank you. Thank you. The minister to reply. Can advise that we are providing special supports to parts of Toronto that are hotspots, and there's no question that Scarborough is in that zone. We know there are a number of issues that need to be addressed, including the ability for people to have greater access to testing. That's why in addition to the assessment centers, there are limited walk-ins for people that are not able, for a variety of reasons, to a book online or to call to make an appointment. We also have pop-up centers and mobile testing units. Sponsors? We are also working. Many of the hospitals are working with units that supply other health facilities locally to create that bond of trust in that relationship with people so that they will go in for testing, and they will also have that relationship when we're ready with the... Thank you very much. The next question, the member for Thunder Bay Attic Oakley. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Schedule 6 of the government's budget bill, 229, makes significant changes to the Conservation Authority Act. Conservation Ontario says, changes have been made to the planning role for conservation authorities, which could actually put more people at threat, rather than protect them from natural hazards. Others have echoed that sentiment. MNRF is responsible for protecting Ontarians from natural hazards. Speaker, why is this government drastically changing the role of conservation authorities and putting Ontarians at risk in a budget bill and during a pandemic? Good job. Mr. DeEnvironment, Conservation and Parks. Thanks very much, Mr. Speaker, for that question from member opposites. And, you know, my response is, this legislation we put through Schedule 6 in the bill is actually going to allow conservation authorities to focus in on their core mandate and at the same time address the non-mandated programs through agreements, through the municipalities. This is going to ensure there's transparency and accountability, which is lacking throughout our conservation authorities at this point, so that municipal councillors and municipalities can understand where their money is going and how it's being spent. In the same respect, the conservation authorities will open up the door to have those conversations with municipalities on the importance of their work to do. But by no means does this legislation change the core mandate of looking after hazard effects happening within our communities, whether it's floods, Mr. Speaker, or looking after erosion programs. Response? The municipalities will still focus on that, including water protection, Mr. Speaker. And I look forward to the member opposites' further questions so I can continue my comment. Thank you very much. The supplementary question, member for Niagara Falls. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and again to the minister. If you came to Niagara and spoke with the residents, you would know how hard they have worked to get our conservation authority back on track. Instead of controversies and lawsuits, the regional appointed dedicated citizens to focus on protecting Niagara's environment. These citizens include environmentalists, professors, lifelong citizen volunteers, and a veteran, all of whom are dedicated to our local environment. Now in the minute of a pandemic budget, you quietly hit a line that removes all the Niagara citizen representatives and takes away their voice at the NPCA. Minister, we have no intention of going back to the way things were, or letting development run rampant over our green spaces and our natural heritage. Question? Yes, sir. Will you side with the people of Niagara and keep these citizen voices on the NPCA by striking down this flawed legislation? Thank you. Thank you. This is the environment. Thanks very much for that question, Mr. Speaker, and I've been to Niagara Falls, its area, it's beautiful. Niagara on the lake is probably one of the most beautiful places. My wife and I love to visit, and I'm sure we'll be heading there to support the stacations that our government is bringing forward in this upcoming budget, and hopefully the member opposite will support that. But Mr. Speaker, listen, what we're doing is ensuring that there is accountability and transparency. We believe that counselors who are elected, duly elected, are held accountable by the electorate, Mr. Speaker. They will be able to do their job on the boards of conservation authorities, Mr. Speaker, to ensure that the accountability is put in place. Right now, Mr. Speaker, conservation authorities are answerable to nobody, Mr. Speaker. They have no appeals processes for the orders, Mr. Speaker, and we are going to put forth measures in this bill that their financial statements are online. There's going to be... Thank you. Thank you very much for the response. That concludes our question period for this morning. In the form that the government host leader has a point of order. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just rise in importance with standing order 59 to provide that order of business for next week. On Monday, we will be dealing with an opposition day motion. And we will then continue on with bill 213. On Tuesday, we will be in the morning dealing with a budget motion, continue on with a budget motion in the afternoon. That will continue on Wednesday morning, as well as Thursday. On Thursday, we will be continuing on our path to ensure that we have more private members' bills passed in this house. We will be bringing forward the Magna Carta Day Act and the great bill standing in the name of the member Ottawa West and the PN, the Time Amendment Act. We look forward to that. Also on Thursday morning prior to question period, as you know, Mr. Speaker, there is a legislative requirement which was brought forward, I believe in a previous parliament by the MPP for Parkdale High Park, Mr. DeNovo, that we recognize Trans Day of Remembrance and we will be doing that Thursday before question period. The private members' business will be ballot item number 36, Monday morning, standing in the name of Mr. Wilson. Ballot on Tuesday, it will be ballot item number 37, standing in the name of Mr. Besson. We still do not have notice of what that is, but I do recognize that there are a number of lakes and streams in order to rename, so maybe one of those will become the priority. Ballot item number 38, to be debated Wednesday, is standing in the name of Mr. Carpoche, Mr. Tabins, and ballot item 39 on Thursday, standing in the name of Mr. Bantock. Thank you, Speaker. Yeah, you can rise on the same board of order. I recognize member for Timmings. I think that the government has given us the business for next week, but my private members' ballot is on the order paper. It's fairly simple. This isn't a debate. This House stands in recess until 1 p.m.