 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the member for Scarborough. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, my question is to the premier on Friday. Parents finally had some relief to hear that the first vaccine for their youngest children have been approved this week. Children from five to 11 can be immunized, but it's up to parents to contact their public health unit for details. That's because the province's central website still does not allow appointments for children. So, Speaker, my question is why has it was the provincial booking system not yet set up for children to be pre-registered for these vaccines? The premier Minister of Health to reply. Because I think the member opposite for the question. This is a really wonderful time. It's it's great news on Friday that Health Canada approved the vaccine for use, a different vaccine than the adult vaccine, of course, for children age five to 11. And we're ready to deliver those vaccines. Parents will be able to make appointments for their children as of tomorrow on the online booking system. But we have more than that because we know that while most parents are happy to have their children vaccinated, some some still have some questions. And so we have a collaborative relationship with Sick Kids Hospital for any parent that wants to ask questions before having their child vaccinated, they can simply call one eight three three nine four three thirty nine hundred or make an appointment with Sick Kids at sickkids.ca slash vaccine consult because this is really important. Sponsorants consider having their children vaccinated. But we want to make sure all their questions can be answered before they do that. Thank you. The supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. And I want to thank the minister for the answer because this morning we heard from parents that Sick Kids were already booked up for those appointments that the minister just mentioned, as well as no one was picking up the calls for those one eight hundred number that she just gave. So my point is, Mr. Speaker, in other provinces, and they could have set up these websites ahead of time in other provinces, the systems were already already in place for parents to pre-register for their children in British Columbia, for example, seventy five thousand kids are already signed up for the vaccine in Alberta, which launched online pre-registration last week in Manitoba. They allowed registration this morning that has been given, that has actually given a lot of parents across many provinces. Some certainty which helps parents know when what plans to make, for example, get their child care arrangement, for example, or take time off. Why has Ontario not been able to do what other provinces have done because and is it just incompetence of this government because we're proposing the solution. But the government doesn't seem to act on time. So maybe they should just go on a vacation, for example, and hand over the job to us because we should have done this months ago. We knew this was coming, Mr. Speaker. We should have done this months ago. Minister of Health to reply. Thank you, Speaker. The government is certainly well prepared for the immunization of children age five to eleven. We have been working on the plan with 34 local public health units for months. We are ready as soon as the supply is ready. One of the issues is, of course, you can't make bookings until you know exactly when it's going to be approved and exactly when the vaccines are going to be ready. So as of tomorrow, people will be able to make the appointments for their children. We are expecting two large shipments today and tomorrow. Over one million vaccines will be received in Ontario. We are shipping them the same day to all of the 34 public health units. And we will be ready to have vaccines going into children's arms as of this Thursday, November 25th. The final supplement. Speaker, I can just imagine tomorrow morning the number of calls that our offices will get because so many parents won't be able to book their vaccine for their kids. And that's because the website will crash or that there will be no more appointments available. The province has to do more and their own data shows that last week, fewer than 70 percent of 12 year olds were fully immunized. In many communities in the province, the vaccination rates are still low, which leaves young people more vulnerable as case counts have rapidly increased. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Tam, the Canada's chief medical officer, says the virus is now disproportionately affecting Canada's children. So my question is, what steps will this minister take to ensure our youngest children are quickly vaccinated? Thank you, Speaker. Minister Hall. Thank you, Speaker. And, Speaker, with respect, the member is imagining problems that don't even exist. Our system has not crashed yet. We have had one of the most successful vaccination programs in the entire country. We have 89 percent of our population, aged 12 years and older, having received their first dose and 86 percent having received the second dose. The system hasn't crashed yet. And the system is not going to crash for children aged five to 11. We are receiving the vaccines. People can make the appointments and children will be able to get those vaccines in a timely manner. Next question, member for London North Centre. Good morning, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. In June, our community of London faced a senseless islamophobic attack. Three generations of the Afzal family were killed, leaving a nine year old as the only survivor. No one should be at risk of such an atrocity. That's why Ontario needs to take action to stop islamophobia, white supremacy and hate crimes. Will table a new bill? The Our London Family Act developed in partnership with the National Council of Canadian Muslims early next year. Will the government work with us to pass and implement this important legislation? Minister, citizenship and immigration. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mrs. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for the important question. Mr. Speaker, islamophobia and hate has absolutely no place in our province of Ontario. The horrific terrorist attack in London was a solemn reminder that solutions who address racism and eliminate our province of hate are needed urgently. Our government continues to work closely with our community partners like National Council of Canadian Muslims. We know there's more work that needs to be done, Mr. Speaker. That's why we are making the necessary investments including the eight point one million dollars in our recent fall economic statement of combat racism of hate, including doubling the anti-racism anti-hate grant program from one point six million to three point two million dollars. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. The supplementary speaker for far too many Canadians feeling unsafe while simply going for a walk or going to worship is much, much too common. Police reported hate crimes have grown rapidly over the past few years and many, many more go unreported. As the NCCM CEO, Mustafa Farouk has said, hate fueled acts of terrorism must stop. For the Muslim community in London and across Ontario, it's a time for action, not just words. Will the Premier commit today to work with us to stop white supremacy here in Ontario? Mr. City's chip and multiculturalism. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on this side of the house, we condemn any act of hate and violence in the strongest terms possible. Mr. Speaker, Ontario's anti-racism directorate continues to lead the government's efforts when it comes to anti-racism work, including Islamophobia. Mr. Speaker, let me share a coat with the House what the National Council of Canadian Muslim had to say about how we have taken action. And I quote, the NCCM welcomes new increases in funding to strengthen racialized communities in the province of Ontario, end of code. And that's from the CEO of NCCM. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely committed to taking strong action to combat racism and hate-motivated violence in our province. We will continue to defend the rights of everyone in our great province of Ontario to worship. To practice their faith, live their lives free of fear, intimidation and violence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Final supplementary. Speaker, as a legislature, we must not only condemn acts of hate, acts of terrorism and acts of Islamophobia. We must also distinctly and unequivocally call out white supremacy for what it is. The Ireland and Family Act is going to include new tools that will help members from all parties, I hope, will support. It will introduce new resources in Ontario's schools so young people will understand Islamophobia. It will work to dismantle white supremacist groups by preventing their registration as societies as well as preventing intimidation at places of worship, such as mosques, synagogues and gurdwaris. And it will reestablish a fully funded anti-racism directorate. Will the Premier commit today to work with us to implement these tools to stem a rising tide of hate in our province? Citizenship and multiculturalism. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we can all agree in this House that there is definitely more work that needs to be done. Part of the reason the Premier and our government take this serious absolutely very, very seriously. And we, of course, thank our partners like NCCM and other organizations since taking over my role, Mr. Speaker, in this ministry. I have been out and about meeting with organizations, community leaders right across our province, hearing firsthand, you know, recommendations and what we can do work together to address the serious concern with the Speaker. I'd like to remind the members opposite. This is not a political issue if they are serious about helping address this issue to work with our government, to work with us, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, we are making the necessary investments. And I'd like to remind the members opposite or every single investment, eight point one million dollars that we put forward in our recent fall economic statement, the opposition voted against Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Next, we have the member from Parkdale Health Center. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. The cost of living has skyrocketed and life in Ontario is simply not affordable for the everyday person. Things are even worse for people on social assistance like my constituent Laura, who is on ODSP. Her maximum allowance for rent is only four hundred and ninety seven dollars four hundred and ninety seven dollars when the average rent for a one bedroom apartment in Toronto is nearly two thousand dollars. My question is simple. With the cost of everything rising, why aren't social assistance rates? In response, Mr. Children, Community and Social Services. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the member opposite. We know that this system has been challenged. We acknowledge the issues with this system. And that's why we've been working across ministries, across government to make sure that we get the support to our most vulnerable people through ODSP, through Ontario Works. And, you know, we've rolled out over about a billion dollars in social services relief. We've also put an increase as soon as we became government. We know the pressures that are on this system. And this fiscal year, funding for social assistance on increase of three hundred and forty one million dollars. We know that this is an important area of concern. And that's why so much emphasis is put put on this area across across ministries. We will continue to be committed to making sure the vital services go to our most vulnerable people. So thank you for your question. The supplementary question. Back to the minister, Speaker, with rates being frozen under consecutive liberal and conservative governments and now with the rate of inflation, cost of living increases, people receiving social assistance are further behind and living in deeper poverty than 17 years ago. But it's not only the social assistance rates that need catching up. The program policies are also incredibly outdated. When my constituent, Laura, considered asking her boyfriend to move in, ODSP told her it meant her allowance would be clawed back. Will the minister update these policies that punish people on social assistance for forming relationships and living with a partner? Minister Sheldon, Community and Social Services. Thank you, Speaker. And once again, thank you. Thank you for the question. Our government is continuing its effort to renew the social assistance area, whether it's through the. Well, well, look, look, what we have is the million dollars that have gone into the social services and relief funding with working with the Ministry of Labor, Training and Skills Development, the microcredentialing strategy, the road map to wellness, three point eight billion dollars over 10 years to create a coordinated mental health system that supports people and helps them reach their full potential. As I said, a billion dollars for the Social Services Relief Fund, but also another billion dollars for a new childcare spaces in schools over the coming years. And that's on top of the nineteen thousand five hundred and sixty three new spaces already added last year. The one point two billion last year in the Ontario child benefit. We're investing ninety million dollars to provide dental care to one hundred thousand low income seniors. We've introduced the care tax credit, which will provide about three hundred thousand families up to seventy five percent of their eligible child care expenses. And this builds on the work our government has done on the income individuals and family family tax credit or lift, which will result in Ontario personal income tax being reduced or eliminated for about one point one. Thank you very much. The next question, the member from Mississauga Lakeshore. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. We have seen a lot of news recently about the potential that exists in the ring of fire. There are billions of dollars of untapped minerals right here in Northern Ontario. These minerals can be used to build electric car batteries, which would help us transition to a greener transportation option, creating jobs and providing economic prosperity for communities in the far north. After years of previous governments say no, Ontario deserves a government that will finally say yes to unlocking the potential of the ring of fire for communities in the north and other in Ontario. Through you, Speaker, will the minister say yes to changing the Far North Act? That's a good question. Member for Peterborough, North, the parliamentary system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member from Mississauga Lakeshore for that question, because I could sit and talk about the ring of fire all day long. It gives me a great deal of pleasure to rise and talk about the ring of fire in this case. Speaker, we're at a critical juncture right now when it comes to the electric vehicle market. Companies are rapidly preparing for a shift to an all electric vehicle fleet. We've got the minerals here in Ontario. We've got the manufacturing capacity to become the global leader in electric vehicles. And it's unfortunate that for 15 years, the previous government supported by the NDP made no progress whatsoever on the ring of fire in the last potential it holds for the surrounding First Nation communities after years of saying no to economic prosperity. We're saying yes by making changes to the Far North Act. And I'll be happy to elaborate response supplementary. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. Back to the minister. We all know electric vehicles will be a key part in the fight against climate change. And as myself, being a worker at the Ford Motor Company, I know how important this will be. The previous government, who talked a big game on climate change, clearly missed an opportunity to position Ontario as a leader in electric vehicle market. Speaker, they say no. It seems that Ontario is playing catch up where it comes first on this file. While it is refreshing to see that the fall economic statement included language that will better position Ontario to be a forefront in the mining and materials that will power electric vehicles of tomorrow. We also can't do it without carefully considering and consulting with the partners in the First Nation community. Speaker, through you, will the minister tell the House where our First Nation partners consulted in this in this process? Member for Peterborough Court. Thank you, Speaker. Our government remains committed to building strong relationships with First Nations and the foreign earth. We need to work with them to unlock the economic potential of this region. And the changes in the Fez were extensively consulted with by First Nation partners and industry. After careful consideration and input, this legislation, if passed, would target barriers that prohibit economic development in Ontario's far north while keeping environmental protections and consultation with communities in place. These changes would allow us to mine the minerals needed for electric vehicles while First Nations are able to build infrastructure that will serve their communities. Speaker, we're making sure that these proposed changes will benefit communities for generations to come. We're saying yes to jobs, yes to economic opportunity for all of Ontario. Well, the Liberals and the NDP will be happy to say no and say goodbye to the jobs and the prosperity that the Ring of Fire could bring. Next question, Member for St. Catherine. Thank you, Speaker. My questions to the Premier. Last week, I was on a panel discussing affordable childcare in Niagara. It is clear that the cost of doing nothing while playing politics is way too high. The municipality is flagging that childcare providers in Niagara are operating at 50 percent staff capacity. So when you talk about adding childcare spaces and tax credit, this ignores the problem at hand. It is no wonder Ontario has the highest childcare fees in this country. No wonder that I have pediatricians highlighting the good childcare is fundamental to childcare development and families need support urgently. We know that childcare will receive increased funding when the Premier finally gets to work and makes a deal. So why is Ontario not acting today to correct the low wage force that has led to staffing crisis in Niagara right now? Minister of Education. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the member opposite for the question that we do appreciate the work of early childhood workers in the province of Ontario who make a difference in our childcare settings. It's why, Speaker, we on an annual basis invest two billion dollars to ensure quality childcare is available to moms and dads in Ontario. It is true the member is right. Childcare is inaccessible and unaffordable for too many Canadians under the former under the former liberal government. A childcare rose 40 percent above the national average. We know that is unacceptable. It's why the government in our first budget introduced a Ontario childcare tax credit to reduce costs for working parents. We enrich that tax credit by additional 20 percent announced by the Minister of Finance in the last budget to help more families providing $1500 per child on average. We're committed to getting a deal. We're working with the federal government this week, meeting with them with the aim to land a fair deal for the people we serve, one that is accessible, one that is sustainable and flexible to support all parents of this province. The supplementary question. Thank you back to the Premier Speaker. Last summer, the executive director of a child's world, Kim Cole, a large Niagara childcare provider, wrote a letter about the staffing crisis for ECEs and what the cost is in Niagara. They lost almost 300 spots due to staff shortages. I am puzzled when this government talks about making more spots when we cannot even sustain the ones we have. A child's world could add another 200 spots today if they had the staff. This is support for families, allowing parents, mostly women, may I add, to go back to work. We are in a crisis today. It is a disgrace that we know that it takes two years to become a registered ECE. So every day we lose in stalled negotiations has a real cost for Niagara. Premier, if you are determined to hold up the childcare deal with the federal government, is it not sensible to start investing in ECE workforce in Ontario with larger investment immediately because we are in a crisis today and no funding will be there tomorrow. Thank you, Speaker. I thank the member opposite for the question. The government and the ministry does provide a wage enhancements grants to childcare workers with the aim of retaining them because we know that there's more demand than the spaces available. That's the legacy of the former Liberal government. Too few spots, inexpensive for too many families. We know we can do better. That's why we're sitting with the federal government, both to stabilize the workforce and really to make childcare more affordable in this province. It is way too expensive for families. We are on their side by taking action through the introduction of the Ontario childcare tax credit, which is making a difference in reducing costs, but we do believe more systemically the solutions for the federal government increase their investment from 2.5 percent today to something much higher, much more equitable, again, that they have skin in the game as well to make affordability a priority for all families in this province. Mr. Speaker, we're investing two billion dollars every year, a billion dollars over five years to create more spaces. 35,000 spaces were created last year because of our actions. We're going to continue to work with the sector and the feds to get a deal that is good for all families. The next question for Ottawa. Very much, Speaker. Speaker, on Friday, Health Canada approved the Pfizer vaccine for kids age five to 11 and the first doses arrived last night in Hamilton and they'll be in kids arms by the end of the week. It's a really important step that province is taking to make sure we protect our kids and their families. Children's vaccines need parental consent, which means in most cases parents are going to have to be present. They'll need time off work. The government's temporary paid sick days are set to expire on December 31st, and it's actually not clear whether workers can get the time off to get their children vaccinated. So, Speaker, through you, will the government commit to making paid sick days permanent and ensure that all parents can use these days to get their children vaccinated? Government House Leader. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Member, for the question. The Member knows, of course, that this government did bring in in cooperation with our federal partners a number of sick days that workers could use. We also were the first government in the country, in fact, that protected workers and their ability to take time off either for themselves, their family, should there be an issue with COVID in their home, Mr. Speaker. Very proud of the fact that we were one of the first governments across the country to do that. Speaker, we continue to offer that. We understand how important it is for parents to get their children vaccinated. As the Minister of Health highlighted, we are doing extraordinarily well in this province with close to 90% of our population having received a first dose and I believe close to 87% having received that second dose, Mr. Speaker. And we expect that there will be every bit as... Response? The same amount of support for our children getting their vaccines, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Any supplementary question? Well, Speaker, under the government's legislation, workers can take paid sick leave to provide care support for relatives and that includes if they're sick with COVID or they're self-isolating, not getting vaccinated. It doesn't specify that. So I think the government needs to clarify that admission so that employers know and that workers know and that the people paying it know. In any event, these parents, they're going to need time off in January and in February to have their kids vaccinated. Your paid sick days are set to expire December the 31st at the end of this year. So, Speaker, through you, will the government move to ensure that all parents are entitled to pay time off to get their children vaccinated and or will the government just pass my private members bill or the member from London's West Private Members Bill that's going to be debated tomorrow so we can just put this issue to rest. Thank you, Speaker. Again, the government House leader to respond. Thank you very much, Speaker. The member knows full well that since the onset of this pandemic, this government has led the way with respect to protecting workers when it comes to accessing COVID, not only COVID vaccines, but protecting workers in advance of the vaccines, Speaker. We were, as I said, the first government in the country to protect workers who got sick with COVID. We understood how important that would be. And as the member said in his own question, not only did we do it for the workers, we did it if workers had family members at home, children at home. If the challenges of online learning became an issue, we protected those workers' jobs, Speaker. We're the first government to do that. That will protect and still remain in place for workers, Mr. Speaker. The real important part here is that very soon, children from five to 11 will be able to get those vaccinations. And we expect the people of Province of Ontario will embrace that as they have, Mr. Speaker, to give us one of the highest vaccination rates in the entire world. Next question, the member for Brantford Grant. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, keeping kids in school and learning has been a priority for this government. We know that our children need to be learning in person, in class, every day. Not only does it ensure a continuity of quality learning, but it allows kids the essential socialization they need for their mental health and well-being. Safe and open schools are essential to the social and intellectual development of the next generation. Speaker, through you, to the Minister of Education, with the winter and holiday seasons coming up, our youngest students who cannot yet be vaccinated need our government support. How is the Minister planning to keep schools safe for Ontario students? Minister of Education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member for Brantford Grant for his question and advocacy for the safety of schools in this province. Mr. Speaker, we have taken action listening to the best expert advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Pediatric Institutes, and the Children's Health Coalition themselves who've called for an expansion to low barrier testing in Ontario. We are leading in this respect in the nation. Starting in September, we equated acts to rapid antigen tests for public health units to deploy at any time, wherever they saw fit, to ensure schools remain safe. We then added in the test-to-stay protocol, which is guidance designed to minimize disruptions and keep kids within our schools to minimize learning disruption. We then announced the first province in Canada to extend take-home PCR tests to all families in all regions of Ontario. And finally, just days ago with the Minister of Health, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, we announced an additional expansion in the first province in Canada to provide five rapid antigen screening tests in a... Response? Every child in a publicly funded school designed to ensure the holidays are safe and kids can get back to learning this January. A supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. And I thank the Minister for his answer. You know, as I heard on Saturday when I was knocking on doors seeing how people are doing through COVID-19, parents across the province are glad to see the steps this government has taken to keep schools safe. The delivery of over 11 million rapid antigen tests to students will mean a safer return to school for Ontario students in January. Speaker, we know that a priority for student learning has been the return of a more normal school year. Families in my writing want to know what the government has planned and through you, Speaker, what measures will the minister and the government take this upcoming year to make for a more normal and experiential school year for our students? Thank you. Minister of Education. Well, thank you, Speaker. It is an important question because I think many families in Ontario are looking forward to the province incrementally and cautiously returning to a more normal experience for all of us, most especially for our kids that have shouldered such a disproportionate burden of this pandemic. It's why we're very grateful that 81, roughly 81% of children, 12 to 17 today are double vaccinated. One of the highest rates of immunization in the country for young people. We're proud of that. As a consequence of that high rate, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Minister of Health and I announced last week that we're moving forward with a regular timetabling model of four courses a day that is a great relief to school boards, to children, as well as to parents across Ontario. That in itself will be a positive intervention to support the mental health and learning of all children. I will also say, Speaker, we restored extracurriculars and sports for children in this province critical to their mental and physical health, and we're taking action to make it more normal by the increasing rates of vaccinations in our schools. The head of the Ontario Public School Board Association said this return to normal timetabling will improve student engagement and achievement while allowing educators to claim more effective teaching learning environments. It was applauded and we're going to continue to take action to keep the school safe in this province. Thank you. The next question, the member for Waterloo. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. This morning, the Auditor-General released another scathing report that details this government's lack of action on climate change. The report clearly states that the Premier is doing absolutely nothing meaningful to fight the negative impacts of climate change. She says, and I quote, the public, businesses and stakeholders are in the dark on the overall state of Ontario's environment and how it is changing over time. The auditor goes on to say that little has changed in 20 years. Speaker, why is this government dragging us back decades on climate action when we know that you can't meet an emissions target if you aren't prioritizing climate change and if you have no plan to address this very serious issue in Ontario and across this country? Thank you, I, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Thank you, Speaker. And I thank the member opposite for her question. We certainly appreciate the feedback from the Auditor-General. And I do think it important to remind everybody that Ontario is, of course, taking meaningful action to achieve our 2030 targets. In fact, we have 40% of Canada's population. We generate approximately 40% of the GDP and yet are only responsible for 22% of the emissions in this country. That's thanks, Mr. Speaker, to important investments this government's made in making gasoline cleaner, launching the emissions performance standards, supporting industry, in the case of Algoma Steel with the recent electrification of their arc furnace, investing in transportation, expanding subways, promoting active transit, one in every four go... Sponsors? ...trips in the Durham region to get people to where they work is thanks to investments this government's made. We're going to keep making those investments, Mr. Speaker, and keep leading Canada in greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Thank you. Supplementary question? The Minister forgot paving over paradise for political donations. That should be your campaign slogan in the next election. Now, the Auditor-General... Yes, we don't impute motive against the standing orders. I'm going to ask the member to withdraw. Withdraw. And conclude a question. Clear in her finding, Speaker, the government is not doing enough. She says, and I quote, little progress has been made on 50% of the recommended actions and that the Ministry does not have an expected time frame for presenting an updated climate change to Cabinet. Never mind an actual plan, Speaker, they don't even have a timeline. She goes on to detail how even the Ministry of the Environment's Climate Change leadership team has no authority over whether any other ministries adopt their recommendations and they are making moves that actually increase Ontario's emissions. Is it clear that the attempts made by this government to fight climate change are just pure political theatre? When are you going to do your job and come up with a plan that actually addresses climate change in Ontario? Member for Renfrew, Nipissing, Tembroke will come to order. Minister of the Environment, to reply? Thank you, Speaker, and I'll continue on. The member opposite didn't mention one substantive initiative or one thing that she disagreed with that this government's doing. As I said, investing in active transportation, public transit, we've launched the province's first ever climate change impact assessment. When that member was propping up the previous government that did nothing on adaptation and resiliency, they could have invested in a climate change impact assessment. They did not, Speaker. Speaking to our reporting requirements on the Environmental Bill of Rights, we issued 2,000 notices last year alone, Speaker. In fact, when that member propped up the previous government, they posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights, but they never issued notices after. In fact, most of their posting was stale and outdated. When we came into government, we cleaned that up. No thanks to the member opposite. Thankfully, we reduced that by 93%. We're going to keep reporting to interns in a transparent manner, keep taking robust action to clean our land, water, lakes, and provide active transportation. The member for Waterloo will come to order. Minister of Energy will come to order. The next question, the member for York Centre. Speaker, to the Minister of Health. When asked a difficult question about government policy, the Minister of Health is lecturing us that the government is trying to save lives. But what about lives lost as a result of the minister's actions? What about Ontarians killed by lockdowns, increased substance abuse, or lack of access to health care? Is she not responsible for their lives? Speaker, I asked the minister a year ago before the winter lockdown if she was sure that she is not killing more lives than she's saving. She didn't know the answer then. But now we learn that the increase in deaths from overdose alone under age 65 is more than double than all COVID deaths under age 65. That's just overdose. A McMaster pediatric brain surgeon wrote a couple of weeks ago that very often she saw children whose lives could have been saved if their cancer was diagnosed earlier. Can the minister tell us if the ministry or anyone at Public Health conducted an analysis of how many lives were lost as a result of the lockdowns and does she take responsibility for those lives? Minister of Health. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member officers for the question. The health and welfare of all of the people of Ontario has been our government's priority since day one. There's no question that unfortunately we had to go through the periods of lockdown that we did to prevent this virus from multiplying far much more than it has. We are very fortunate in Ontario right now that we have not run into the problems that many other countries have. They're shutting down entirely in Austria starting today. We're following what's happening in other countries. We've lost lives in Ontario, yes, sadly, due to COVID and due to other causes of death. But we're working on that. We're working on reducing the number of COVID cases. We're looking at reducing the number of people waiting to have cancer surgeries and other surgeries. Response. If there are any responses, we're making sure that with our mental health roadmap to wellness, we're making sure that we're investing $3.8 billion to get people that the help they need for mental health and addictions issues. We are... Thank you very much. Thank you. The supplementary. It's November 22nd, 2021. And for the first time, I heard the Minister of Health acknowledge that lives were lost because of lockdowns and Ontarians are owed a response as to what is the estimate of Ontarians that lost lives because of lockdowns. A quarter million surgeries postponed. A million cancer screenings missed. Has anyone done the math on how many people died because of government policy? Who should care about people dying from cancer? Speaker, in a report of inquiry into the conduct of Councillor Van Luen of Central Wellington, released on August 24th, the Presiding Integrity Commissioner asked the province if it has any analysis with respect to the adverse impacts of the lockdown. The Integrity Commissioner was told that there were none. So my question to the Minister of Health, why hasn't the ministry weighed the adverse effects of the lockdowns? And will she apologize to the families who lost a loved one because of our government policy? Minister of Health. Thank you. Well, I'm very sad for any family that's lost a loved one due to COVID or for anything else that's happened during the course of this pandemic. However, I still know that this policy that we had to bring forward was the one that saved the most lives. Saved the most lives. Yes, lives have been lost due to COVID in Ontario, but it could have been far, far worse. And I thank the people of Ontario for all of the steps that they've taken to reduce the transmission of COVID by being vaccinated, first of all, and anyone who has not yet been vaccinated, please do so. We have more than enough vaccines available. We have them readily available at any place they wish. Please continue to wear a mask when you're in public spaces. Please continue to follow physical distancing. Please make sure you look at ventilation spaces to make sure that they're adequate and continue to follow those rules. That is what's going to get us through this pandemic. And that is what's going to continue to save lives. Next question. The member for Mrs. Saga Moulton. Mr. Speaker, my question is for Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks. But Mr. Speaker, before I ask a question, I'd like to congratulate Minister's PAPA Kenjin for the new addition to the family with the newborn baby. And to the Minister, with the days getting short and winter being down on us, many Ontarians will be looking for a way to get outside and fight the winter blues. Our Ontario provincial parks are a perfect source for all Ontarians to get out, get active, and get some fresh air. For an example, Wildwood Park provides the perfect place for my residents to spend time participating in some great winter activities. Can the Minister responsible for our provincial parks? Please share what winter opportunity Ontario's provincial parks offer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And to reply to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. I'd like to make that member opposite for that question. And I too would like to congratulate a parliamentary assistant Kenjin on the birth of her beautiful new boy, who I know, who I know, will be active in Ontario's provincial parks in the many years to come. So congratulations, Andrea, on behalf of all of us here at the legislature. Speaker, I'm glad the member asked that question because our provincial parks offer a wonderful opportunity for Ontarians to get outdoors, not just in the summer months, but throughout the winter months as well. Whether it's skating at Arrowhead provincial park, enjoying the frozen winter waterfalls at Kaka-Beka Falls provincial park. And I know the members opposite have been there. It's a phenomenal park. Or whether it's the winter bird watching at Wasega Beach provincial park. There are no shortage of activities for Ontarians to enjoy in our wonderful provincial parks across the beautiful province of Ontario. I know Kalarney provincial park is one of my favorites. And in the winter months, they offer 33 kilometers of beautiful mature pine forests, open fields and frozen over marshlands in which one can snowshoe. So I encourage everybody to get outside, get active, get outdoors and enjoy. Thank you very much in the supplementary question. Thank you minister for your passion and enthusiasm when it comes to the well-being of Ontario's resident. I'm happy to hear of the winter opportunities that many provincial parks have to offer. And I look forward to sharing these opportunities with my resident and I'm sure each one of you will do the same. While I know the minister has been working hard to expand and grow access to our parks and I know more can be done. Parks offer Ontarians unique way to connect with their community and they deserve to know that our government is committed to protecting the environment. So through you, Mr. Speaker, to the minister, what initiative has this government put forward to encourage Ontarians to experience and celebrate our parks? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The minister of the environment. Well, thank you for again for that question and it's not just about experiencing the great outdoors. Christmas is soon will be upon us and folks across Ontario can now go online and order some of their favourite Ontario Parks merchandise by visiting ontarioparks.ca. In fact, Speaker, since we launched that, we've seen over 4,000 orders generating hundreds of thousands of dollars that will be invested back into Ontario's provincial parks. So I encourage everybody, as you get set for the holiday season, go online ontarioparks.ca, visit the online store, purchase a wonderful gift for one of your loved ones, be it a friend. I know I've done my Christmas shopping, I encourage everybody to get out and do theirs, ontarioparks.ca, go online and order today. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. The next question, the member for Key Whatmore. Speaker, my question is with the Premier. Grassy Narrows has invited Ontario to the table to resolve land protection issues eight times since this government was elected. Ontario has yet to answer. Last Thursday, the Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry met with Chief Fobuster. The Chief was there to talk about the mining permits that Ontario issued on the treaty territory of Grassy Narrows. Without informing the First Nation. At the meeting, the Minister refused to discuss the mining issues. Speaker, this is so disrespectful. When will Ontario stop working against Grassy Narrows and work with them to resolve these land protection issues? Core effect, reply. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, the member opposite for the question. Our government takes the challenges at Grassy Narrows very, very seriously, and we're committed to the success of all First Nations, especially those in the Grassy Narrows area. We will continue to work with ANA to establish a positive relationship and promote reconciliation to ensure the community is appropriately consulted with as we move forward. But as this issue is before the courts, I'm afraid I'm not able to answer any further. And the supplementary question. Miguette, over the hundreds of years, those are the types of answers we keep hearing. It's very, to hide behind courts and to fight First Nations with courts is very colonial. Grassy Narrows has invited, I mean, Chief Folp, I want to say this, the position of Grassy Narrows is clear. Chief Oberster stated, I quote, when the government issues mining permits behind our backs, that's not reconciliation, that's destruction. The government isn't working with us. They are working against us. They need to stop logging and mining so the land can heal. Ontario continues to behave like a colonizer who believes that they can force anything they want on our people and on our land. End quote. The Speaker, the Chief is asking Ontario to join them on the path to protect the lands and to support the nation's healing journey. Will they honour this request? Member for Peterborough, Corrithard, reply. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's true that the Minister of Indigenous Affairs did meet with the Chief and some of the delegates from Grassy Narrows just last week, but unfortunately, because there's ongoing legal proceedings, we're not able to discuss the issues around the mining claims. When the legal proceedings are completed, we'll be able to discuss it further at that point, but as long as it is before the courts, I'm afraid that there is nothing more that I can say on that. This question, the member for Don Valley West. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Speaker, for the first time in decades, we have a federal government in Canada that has put a concrete funded plan for childcare across the country on the table, a $30 billion plan that would reduce fees to $10 a day. This should be good news for premiers of all provinces and territories as they grapple with post-pandemic economies. COVID-19 forced hundreds of thousands of Canadian women out of their jobs, and they're not coming back into the workforce as quickly as men. The pandemic has wrought havoc in the lives of millions of people in this country, and for women who have children, parents and grandparents to care for, that havoc has often come at the cost of their careers. This is a huge issue for these families and for the Canadian economy and for the economy of all provinces and territories. Now, the minister and the Premier have offered excuses for why Ontario does not have a childcare deal. For example, only Ontario has full day kindergarten. That's not true, Mr. Speaker. The network of kindergarten programs across the country and at least one, Nova Scotia has a full day program as does ours in Ontario. The question for the minister and the Premier is whether they actually believe in high quality, fully funded childcare. And if they do, why have they not yet signed a deal with the federal government? Minister of Education. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We're very much committed to getting a fair deal, a good deal for the people we serve. We are sitting with the federal government this week, in fact, in order to land a fair deal for families, one that is sustainable, that increases investment, that ultimately gets us to $10 a day. Because the proposal noted, as I've mentioned in the past, currently does not get us there. If the aspiration of the federal liberal government is to reach $10, for the purpose of equity, Ontario should not be treated any differently than the provinces east and west. We want to get to $10, we want to get that fair deal. It's why the province has been working with the federal government to make that case directly to them. And with respect to Ontario's actions, we've increased investment in annual basis to build spaces, a billion dollars over five years, to build 30,000 more spaces. Last year alone, 16,000 spaces were created largely by the market, supported by the government. In addition, we introduced a tax credit that incrementally is helping to reduce costs, given the spike in fees that happen under the former liberal government. The supplementary question. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I understand that the government has continued the building of 100,000 childcare spaces that had begun under our government. But a tax credit does not create childcare opportunities for people who can't afford them in the first place. And Speaker, each province and territory has a different set of circumstances in its education and childcare system. So it is incredibly difficult to compare systems. But now that the government has, the federal government has stepped up and is offering per capita funding and is committed to funding the program on an ongoing basis, another barrier that this government set up, Mr. Speaker. The Premier's excuses for not signing a deal have evaporated. I heard from young parents at their doors on Saturday that they want to see this deal now. Municipalities are frustrated enough that some of them are ready to jump over the province's delay tactics to deal directly with the federal government. And, Mr. Speaker, if Alberta, led by Jason Kenney, whose ideology is diametrically opposed to Justin Trudeau's, has been able to craft a deal for the good of the children of Alberta, how is it that the Ontario government has not been able to do the same? Is it possible, Mr. Speaker, that the Premier believes that by artificially dragging out this negotiation and then magically pulling out an agreement out of the air just before the... Thank you very much. Thank you very much. The Minister of Education to reply. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You know, as we reflect on the history and the legacy of the former Liberal government, under the tenure of the former Liberals, childcare rose by 400%. 40% higher than the national average. And here we have the provincial Liberals lecturing any party in this legislature, given the reckless record of making childcare totally inaccessible and absolutely unaffordable to virtually all families in Ontario out of touch, disconnected from reality. The Premier is working hard at the table to land a good, fair deal that finally makes childcare affordable for the people we serve. It's why we've increased investments to build spaces. It's why we've dedicated funding to lower the fees on an annual basis. Responds. What we know there's more to do, we're going to stay at the table to get a fair deal, a better deal for the people we serve. Thank you very much, Speaker. My office has been flooded with calls angry about the Premier's decision of symptomatic COVID testing performed in pharmacies. Pharmacies are where people go when they're the most vulnerable. It's where parents will wait with sick children waiting to speak with a pharmacist about over-the-counter medications. It's where seniors go to pick up their prescriptions. And people are concerned in Sudbury. They're concerned that COVID tests can be performed at the pharmacy located in the middle of their grocery store. They're concerned that shoppers are browsing for fruit and vegetables while waiting for the COVID-19 test results. COVID testing at pharmacies, especially pharmacies and grocery store speakers, exposes vulnerable people and their families to potentially COVID positive cases, which doesn't make any sense. Leanna had this to say, we keep hearing how the PC government is doing everything in their power to give us safe. I disagree with this. The main places that people go for essentials are grocery stores and pharmacies. Leave the testing sites where people are not intermingled. My question, Speaker, Premier. When will the Premier finally stop focusing on what's best for his big business buddies and finally focus on protecting community members, like Leanne? And it's going to help. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. Our focus is, and always has been, the health and welfare of all of the people of Ontario. And as we are gradually reopening Ontario, vaccination remains the best way to protect oneself, one's loved ones and one's community. But we also need to have many more places where people can be tested in a timely manner. The last thing we want to see happen is people who may have symptoms who don't get tested who then pass COVID on to other people. So we need the cooperation of pharmacies, especially in rural and Northern Ontario, places that people can quickly get to for testing. Not every pharmacy is going to be able to offer symptomatic testing, however, just due to the physical configuration of the pharmacy. In some cases, they may be able to have outdoor testing, but that's not the reality for many places in urban areas. But we are going to make sure that if a pharmacy is able... Response. ...to do symptomatic testing, due to the configuration of the location that there are very strict infection prevention and control measures, which must be followed. Thank you. It makes no sense to direct people who may have COVID symptoms towards where there's more people doing their shopping. I want to tell you about David. He's a pharmacy assistant. It's not as real namespeaker. I'm using David because he's worried about reprisal, if I use his real name. He works at a pharmacy that's located in a large grocery store. He's a clerk. He's been assigned the additional task of performing these COVID test speaker. And because of the Premier's decision to have these tests performed in pharmacies, David will soon be in close contact with potentially positive COVID cases on a daily basis. He's received no additional training, no additional PPE. There's no additional hiring to help with the increased workload. And as a reminder, speaker, people like David, they lost that hero's pay 17 months ago. David's concerned for his health. He's concerned for the health of his coworkers and the health of the vulnerable people that he regularly serves at the pharmacy. He's also concerned about the grocery store customers because potentially COVID positive people have to walk through the store to get to the pharmacy. My question, speaker, is when will the Premier finally stop focusing on what's best for shoppers drug mart and finally focus on protecting workers like David? When it's still health. The Premier is focused on protecting the health and safety of all Ontarians. And I think there are just a few comments that need to be made with respect to the member's question. First of all, as I said before, not every pharmacy is going to be able to provide symptomatic testing just due to the physical constraints of that pharmacy. Secondly, people are not going to be able to go and do their grocery shopping or other shopping in a pharmacy if they're coming in to be tested. They're going to need to have an appointment. They're going to need to follow the infection prevention and control measures as will the person performing the test. This test has been approved by the Chief Medical Officer of Health and Public Health Ontario. There are very strict infection prevention and control measures that are going to be applied, a dedicated space to provide the specimen collections, physical distancing, time between testing appointments to allow for cleaning and to avoid lineups, wearing massive course inside pharmacies, and all of that is going to have to be done. Dr. Moore has said, with respect to symptomatic testing, absolutely anticipate a great partnership with their pharmacy experts and that they will be able to test in a safe manner. Thank you very much. The next question, the member for Scarborough Guildwood. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Energy. As you know, thanks to the phase out of coal electricity and introduction of renewables, Ontario has one of the greenest, cleanest grids in North America, which is why I was so surprised to read an op-ed from your hand-picked chair of the Independent Electricity System Operator who is in charge of that very system. Joe Oliver wrote about how Canadian politicians are adopting increasingly damaging climate policies and instead he argued that Canada's climate change targets from COP26 were virtue signaling and moral gestures. Is this a view shared by your government? I ask the Minister of Energy. I'm sure it will apply to the Minister of Energy. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I'm pleased to say that Ontario's electricity grid is 94% emissions free. Thanks in large part. Thanks in large part to the hard work of our nuclear workers, our power workers at both areas. Order. Minister of Energy has the floor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over 60% of Ontario's electricity every day, the foundation, the backbone of our electricity system comes from nuclear. It comes from Bruce, it comes from Pickering and it comes from Darlington, Mr. Speaker. Another 20 to 25% of our electricity comes from our hydroelectric fleet, Mr. Speaker. Also, emissions free in a workhorse when it comes to producing electricity, emissions free in our province. We do have about 8% or so that comes from unreliable renewables so far and that needs to be balanced off with natural gas, Mr. Speaker, and we're using our natural gas fleet. The supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker, and back to the Minister. I hope he stops skating around my question. The op-ed goes to say that Prime Minister Trudeau and many premiers will not have the intellectual honesty to concede their policies are ineffectual and will reduce our standard of living and endanger our society and national unity. This is from your hand-picked chair of the IESO, Joe Oliver. Candor, he goes on to say, would produce a political backlash that would undermine public support for green initiatives and imperil their own political survival. So, Speaker, through you to the Minister, do you share the view that addressing the rising threat of climate change will reduce our standard of living and endanger our security and national unity? Minister of Energy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. What I do believe in is that we have to have an energy system and an electricity plan here in Ontario, one that's reliable, one that's affordable, one that gives customers choice, and we're providing that choice finally to customers across the province and one that's sustainable, Mr. Speaker, one that is sustainable. We saw what the energy policies of the previous Liberal government did to create an unstable environment. I hear the former Premier over there talking about her policies. That created... Come to order. Member for Scarborough-Gildwood, Member for York Centre. Minister of Energy to reply. Mr. Speaker, they may like to forget, but the people of Ontario do not forget the chaos that was created when it came to our electricity system in Ontario under their guidance, Mr. Speaker. Energy poverty. Energy poverty was a thing here in Ontario, Mr. Speaker. We have gone to great... Stop the clock. Stop the clock. The House will come to order. Minister of Energy's finished his question. His response. Thank you. The next question, start the clock. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question's to the Premier. Last week, the Premier voted down a motion in this House designed to tackle affordability crisis. In the city of Niagara Falls, the average home price is $700,000. And for those who can even get a bid in. In some cases, we're seeing homes get sold for cash without inspections and for $200,000 over asking price because people are so desperate for a place to live. And now, young Niagara families are being torn apart and have to leave the region. In Niagara, we're seeing developers with no connection to Niagara region, buying up properties, invicting long-term residents and then flipping their houses for a profit. And the people these developers evict, they can't afford rent, they can't buy a house anywhere else in Niagara. How can the Premier allow this to happen to seniors in Niagara under his watch? How can you expect kids to be able to move out of their parents' homes when they need a down payment for a house that sells for three quarters of a million dollars? My question is simple. Will the Premier agree that there is a housing affordability crisis under his watch? And more importantly, is he going to agree to take the steps we need and that the NDP has laid out to resolve this issue? Thank you very much. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. It's National Housing Day and I'm pleased to respond through you to the member opposite. As the member will remember in 2019, I was proud to introduce More Homes, More Choice, our Housing Supply Action Plan, which is focused on making houseable more affordable by encouraging development of all types and all kinds. We've made record investments, Speaker, in our community housing system and we again call on the federal government to pay their fair share. I know they're back to work today. Member for Hamilton Mountain, come to order. But again, Speaker, although a housing supply action plan, despite the pandemic, has created a tremendous increase in housing starts, we know that there's much more for our government to do and I'll have more to say this afternoon as I make my statement on National Housing Day. Oh, good. I conclude that question period for this morning. I thank to inform the House that pursuant to Standing Order 101C, changes have been made to the order of precedence on the ballot list for private members, public business, such that Ms. Lindo assumes ballot item number 23 and Mr. Vantoff assumes ballot item number 91. There being no further business this time, House stands in recess until 1 p.m.