 and you'll be able to get more on the record. At this time, we'll move to member statements and I recognize the member from Windsor to come see. Speaker, I'm calling on the Premier, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to join the partnership in creating a national urban park down in our area. The federal government recently came on board. The city of Windsor is all in favor of it. So is the Essex Region Conservation Authority and all of the areas, natural heritage and environmental groups. What we need from the province is no different than what was required when the Rouge National Urban Park was established in Toronto six years ago. Speaker, Ontario owns and manages the Ojibwe Prairie Provincial Nature Preserve. These 230 acres are the largest protected remnant of native prairie in Ontario. At one time, Speaker, parts of this great province were home to grand stretches of tall grass prairies and savannas. This nature preserve is needed for a natural patchwork quilt, if you will, connecting other pockets of natural areas close to our new international border crossing, the Gordie Howe Bridge. When we put them together, we'll have about 900 acres starting along the Detroit River, connecting Ojibwe Shoresy, Ojibwe Tom Joy Woods, the Spring Garden Natural Area, the Black Oak Heritage Park, along with the Ojibwe Prairie Provincial Nature Preserve, and the Oakwood Bush, now linked by a wildlife corridor across the Herb Gray Parkway, which connects to the Gordie Howe Bridge. Speaker, this concept has been around for 20 years. Now that the feds are on board, it's really just up to the province. I urge the Premier and the ministers to work out a deal with Ottawa and create the Ojibwe National Urban Park. Member Statements, I recognize a member from Mississauga Lakeshore. Thank you, Speaker. I'm pleased to rise here today to speak about a very special and unique historical exhibition happening now in Mississauga, in a 10,000 square foot gallery at the Air Mills Town Center. Thousands of pictures, documents, artifacts are now on display. The showcase, remarkable life, and the incredible achievements of my mentor, my advisor, my friend, the legendary Mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion. Curator, Madalina Van Duzer, put together an extraordinary collection and educational expression about Hazel's many decades, breaking barriers in business, sport, and her leadership from the Mississauga Miracle in 1979 to the transformation of Mississauga into a world-class city. Speaker, many items are from McCallion's own home, including a picture of the Mayor, then 92, reeling in a 16-pound Chinook salmon at a fishing derby off the Port Credit as Toronto Mayor Rob Ford held on to stop her from falling into Lake Ontario. One of Van Duzer's favorite items in mind is a lawn sign from Hazel's first campaign in 1978. She ran against an incumbent Mayor who used the slogan, a good Mayor. Hazel's slogan was, a better Mayor. And she was. And she never needed another lawn sign again. It was an honor for me to attend the grand opening on October 26th, along with people from around the province, including the mayors of Brampton, Caledon, and Milton. And the sponsors included the Art Gallery of Mississauga, Leona 183, and Lakeview Community Partners. I encourage everyone to visit Hazel McCallion's 100 Years Memorial. The exhibit is open until February 28th, and it's free to everyone. So I hope that you all attend. Thank you. I recognize a member from Algoma, Manitoulin. Thank you, Speaker. And I want to talk about the Superior Children's Center, particularly Lauren Stefanic, the coordinator out of the Horn Pain Early on Child and Family Center. And I think I better use her words because what they do there is almost a little bit of a miracle. She says, as a professional registered early childhood educator working in an early on child and family center, I consider myself to be a mental health care provider. We feel a critical role in supporting families in their daily struggles to maintain their mental health and well-being. Individuals within our professional have been engaging in numerous strategies to connect with families during stressful times, through music and movement sessions, story times, baby wellness program, parent and caregiver chats, parenting workshop discussion groups, community stories, walks and scavenger hunts, just to name a few of the things they do. We have been creating nurturing relationship with families to meet the needs of being able to connect with others during an extremely difficult time in their lives. We reach out to them on a daily basis and provide programs that are aimed at engaging and encouraging them to interact with their children. We provide informal and connection, information and connections to specialized services and we connect families to other programs and services by promoting community activities and programs. We are often the lifeline of many families without them even realizing it. I take off to my hat to these individuals who are working at these early on centers and the positive impacts that they bring to the community, to families and the mental wellness of us all across Northern Ontario. Thank you. Let's offer everyone a reminder that member statements are 90 seconds if you could please try to adhere to the time. I now turn to the member from Markham Thornhill for a member statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize all those affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, otherwise known as COPD. This chronic disease caused airflow blockage and breathing related problem. As a fourth leading cause of death in Canada, COPD affect more than 2.5 million Canadian and over 900,000 Ontarians. Mr. Speaker, as many of our loved ones continue to battle respiratory illness throughout this pandemic. It is a critical time to bring awareness to this deadly disease, especially as the people with COPD are the higher risk to become severely ill from COVID-19. More than half of those living with COPD are unaware they have this disease. That is why in December 2019, I introduced a private member bill, Bill 157, to proclaim the third Wednesday of every November COPD awareness day. My aim was to increase the public awareness of COPD so that we can promote early detection and the treatment and the early diagnosis. Mr. Speaker, after Bill 157 received royal ascent this June, I am pleased to recognize today, Wednesday, November 17th as the first COPD awareness day in Ontario. I encourage everyone to advocate yourself on the risk of COPD and to be proactive in maintaining good healthcare. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I recognize a member from Humber River, Black Creek. Thank you, Speaker. Faith is a central part of many people's lives. And as part of their faith, they go to a safe place to pray with others, to reflect, to find peace and tranquility. But last week in my community, that tranquility was broken when an individual threw a huge rock through the window of the tarik mosque while people were praying. Thankfully, no one was injured, but not all injuries are physical. The Muslim community has been shaken by ongoing acts of Islamophobia and hate. Last June, four members of an entire family were murdered in a targeted attack while they went out for a walk simply because of their faith. In September, 2020, an elderly man was murdered in another hateful Islamophobic attack as he sat outside of the IMO mosque in Rexdale, where he was volunteering to help worshipers follow COVID-19 guidelines. And Speaker Sadli, there have been many more incidents as a vandalism and Islamophobic hate that has left Muslims feeling unsafe. There's no place for Islamophobia or hate in any of its forms here in our province. Last Sunday, I visited the tarik mosque in solidarity with the Muslim community. We must stop this hate. It's past time for this government to take action. The National Council of Canadian Muslims have made 61 recommendations to all levels of government to combat Islamophobia in Canada. This government must implement the NCCM's provincial recommendations so we can take real action to stop this hatred. Every Ontarian deserves to feel safe. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Mississauga Centre. Thank you so much, Speaker. I have had... It has been an active few weeks for the Polish-Canadian community with many events and initiatives that I have had the privilege of being a part of. First, there was the recent second reading of Bill 18 that will, if passed, declare the month of May as Polish Heritage Month. A month to reflect on the contributions that Polish-Canadians have made to Ontario's history, culture, and economy. Sponsored by my colleagues, the member for Renfrew-Nipisic-Pembroke and the member for Etobicole Lakeshore, this bill was met with strong support in the local Polish community. In celebration of this, we welcome the new consul-general of the Republic of Poland, Mrs. Magdalena Bztukowska, for a small meet and greet. But the month of November was also a time for somber reflection. Coinciding with Remembrance Day, the Polish community came together to commemorate Polish Independence Day by paying our respects to Poles who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defending Poland's sovereignty, democracy, and freedoms. With the messages of Remembrance Day and Polish Independence Day being so closely related, it reminded many of us that the struggle for freedom and democracy is one that resonates with nations around the world. Finally, speaker, beginning this Friday is the 12th annual Polish Toronto Film Festival organized by Ekran Polish Film Association. The festival will showcase films with both a Polish and multicultural focus, all featuring English titles for everyone to enjoy. For more information and film listings, I encourage everyone to check out ekran.ca and go see some incredible Polish filmmaking. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Toronto Danforth. Thank you, speaker. Speaker, everyone's been following the news. You know what's going on in British Columbia. Climate-driven flood rains are having huge impact wreaking havoc in that province. At least one woman was swept to her death by a massive mudslide that buried the highway she was driving on. Towns have been flooded, thousands of people are being evacuated. This is a taste of the climate crisis, the future that's wreaking havoc today. And what's extraordinary to me is that this government can ignore that reality. It's plowing ahead with Highway 413. It's plowing ahead with the Bradford Bypass. When we all know that these highways will be adding substantially to the climate crisis, they will accelerate the heating that will put people's homes, their livelihoods and their lives at risk in the years to come. We've seen it in Northern Ontario. Communities have to be evacuated by aggressive, because of aggressive forest fires. We know what's coming at us. The Premier needs to abandon these projects as soon as possible, and he needs to shift course and take aggressive steps to reduce our emissions so we can at least slow down the climate crisis, at least slow it down. It is not too late to act, so act now. Thank you. Member Stavins, the Member for York Centre. Exactly 20 months later, and in response to rising case numbers, the head of Ontario Science Tables said Thursday that we need two more weeks to flatten the curve. Apparently, lockdown school closures, passports, mandates and the erosion of democracy didn't work. The government subjected Ontarians to the second longest and harshest lockdown in the world. It costs countless deaths, and many of us will not rest until we get a fair audit so history can judge lockdowns fairly. The government caused our children irreparable harm with the longest school closure in the world, despite seeking and getting unanimous advice to open the schools. For 20 months, Ontario's pandemic response leaders denied science by denying natural immunity while peddling herd immunity. Now the science cut up and they can no longer deny it. The increase in deaths from overdose alone under age 65 is three times greater than all COVID deaths under age 65. According to a McMaster pediatric surgeon, multiple children died from a late cancer diagnosis and mental health catastrophe is gripping the province. The chief medical officer finally admitted that natural immunity is good immunity. The governor of California acknowledged that it's seasonality that accounts for the rise in COVID cases. And finally, the CDC abandoned any plans for herd immunity because you cannot obtain herd immunity with a leaky vaccine. For 20 months, the science deniers told us to listen to the science. 20 months later, they want two more weeks to flatten the curve. Thank you. The next member's statement, the member for Perry saw Ms. Coco. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to celebrate a milestone in my riding. Dear Hearst Resort and Huntsville celebrated its 125th anniversary this summer and is one of Ontario's oldest resorts and greatest hospitality success stories. Dear Hearst has grown from a family run seasonal hotel with just two guests during its initial season in 1896 to year round operation that can accommodate more than 1,000 guests at a time. Today, Dear Hearst boasts exceptional recreational amenities including two golf courses, a treetop trekking park, many water sports in the summer and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing in the winter. Dear Hearst boasts one of the biggest conference facilities north of Toronto, a facility that hosted the 36th G8 summit. And country music fans may know Dear Hearst as the place where Shania Twain got her start as a professional singer. Through it all, Ms. Coco's beautiful lakeside surroundings and the congeniality of Dear Hearst staff remain its biggest assets. Speaking of Dear Hearst staff, I want to congratulate Executive Chef Rory Golden on receiving the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario Lifetime Achievement Award. With more than 30 years of experience at Dear Hearst, Mr. Golden's passion has helped put Ms. Coco on the provincial, national and international culinary map. And his dedication to using local ingredients has supported many other local businesses. Dear Hearst is a huge driver of the Tourism Industry. Ms. Coco normally attracting visitors from around the world. As we rebound from COVID-19, I hope that our government's staycation tax credit will inspire more Ontarians to visit Dear Hearst next year. Thank you. Thank you very much. That concludes our Member Statements for this morning.