 They're, unfortunately, the time for a debate has expired, but it is time for members' statements and I will now recognize a member from Kingston and the Islands. Thank you very much, Speaker. Over the past several months, my office has heard from so many Kingstonians who are experiencing significantly higher hydro bills every single month than they are used to. A number of Kingstonians who called my office said that their bills have gone up $100 compared to the same month last year. For over a hundred-year, Speaker, affordable public electricity helped build Ontario into an economic powerhouse and a province where opportunity attracted people from across Canada and the entire world. It has allowed each successive generation to build new opportunities. However, since the Conservative and Liberal governments privatized Ontario's hydro system, the system has come to include healthy profit margins for private and foreign companies all at the expense of Ontario ratepayers and their families. The current government did inherit a mess from the Liberals, but they are making it worse. Few issues exemplify the incompetence of governments as the energy sector in Ontario. And while campaigning 2018, the Premier did promise that he would reduce electricity rates by 12 percent. Instead, they have jumped significantly from 13 to 21 cents per kilowatt hour for some folks since the Premier took office. Even Band-Aid solutions like the Ontario electricity rebate might constituents are still paying more even making use of those programs. During a pandemic with so much financial strain, this is unfair for the people of Ontario. Thank you very much. Further member statement, I recognize the member from Kitchener, South Hesbler. Thank you, Speaker. Last week I had the honour of meeting with firefighters from my riding. I was immediately struck by just how grateful they were that I would take the time out of my day to meet with them. And to me, it is the least I can do to show support for the firefighters in my community who go to work every day to ensure that all residents are safe. When Ontarians are experiencing an emergency, over 11,000 career professional firefighters are there. I believe most people presume that our career firefighters are qualified to a recognized industry standard, such as the National Fire Protection Association. Many may also believe these same firefighters are certified to the same level from one municipality to another, but they are not. While we have standardized provincial qualifications for other first responders and even skilled trades professionals, sadly, we do not have a recognized industry standard for our career professional firefighters. Additionally, simultaneous notification with EMS dramatically improves outcomes in critical situations when every second counts. In 2012, Kitchener and Berry were early adopters of the system, and in Berry, response times improved by 36% in the first year alone. Last year, Cambridge residents experienced an improvement to response times when Cambridge consolidated with dispatch services with Kitchener to ensure simultaneous notification with EMS. Unfortunately, not all departments across Ontario are dispatched at the same time as EMS. And Mr. Speaker, I just want to finish off by saying a heartfelt thank you to all of our fantastic professional career firefighters in Ontario. Thank you very much. Further debate, I recognize a member from Mesquigalot, James Bay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I'd like to talk to you about the mental health crisis. Because of this crisis in my writing, the mother of a young adult who is facing serious mental health problems, she tried to help her son. Despite her efforts, her son was not able to receive the support that all Ontarians deserve. And since a year ago, his situation got worse. She had to face the impossible. She had to sue her son for what her son did to her. And right now, her son is detained. He deserves to have access to mental health, regardless of where he lives in Ontario. None of that would have happened if mental health services were in place in the northeastern part of Ontario. So I asked the minister, why did this mother and her son have to face this troubling situation for her and her family? Where is the support for northeastern residents? Thank you. I see further member statements. I recognize the member from Markham, Thornhill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These are the drying time for Ontario's small business owners. The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for so many small retailers and every day mom and pop shops. In my riding, Markham, Thornhill, hundreds of small businesses have told me that daily struggles they are going through just to make ends meet, just to keep their workers employed and paid. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak to those small business owners who are worried they might not make it through this pandemic. Our government is working each and every day to help Ontario business community in their economic recovery while keeping Ontario safe from COVID-19. We are making electricity costs more affordable, assisting business in area under lockdown with municipal and education property taxes, supporting businesses through the Ontario Together Fund, the Ontario Made Program, a new invest Ontario agency. Mr. Speaker, since the start of this pandemic, our government has invested billions of dollars to support business owners to protect the workers and remove barriers to our economic recovery. Mr. Speaker, while there is a hope over the horizon with the vaccine, I want to remind those small business owners who are struggling through this difficult time, not only in Markham, Markham Thornhill Riding, but across the Ontario that we won't let you down. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. Further member statements? A member from London North Centre. Thank you, Speaker. Today I rise to recognize a brilliant individual whose creativity and ingenuity is boundless. Tarek Moharam of Moharam Ventures from my riding of London North Centre is an example of someone who doesn't simply accept the status quo. He believes in fostering innovation as well as responsible systems. In the next 60 seconds, 700 tons of plastic will be produced on this planet. His invention, truly green plastic, a fully biodegradable product will help mitigate the disastrous impact of single-use plastics. Additionally, truly green plastics uses cannabis plant waste and represents the circular economy at its best. As if that weren't enough, Tarek also told me about a platform he developed to assist those seeking legal representation. Too often people call a lawyer from a billboard. I'm sure you're thinking about the astronomical contingency fees charged by these organizations, Speaker. Tarek's platform, in two words, contingent C, is revolutionizing how people secure legal representation. Their system empowers clients as they anonymously post information about their potential case, lawyers review the postings, and then make a bid on the cases they'd most like to represent. It helps people on both sides of the equation. Congratulations, Moharam Ventures, for your brilliant, timely and socially responsible innovations. I look forward to many more. Thank you very much. Member Statements. The member for Ottawa South. Thank you very much, Speaker. Tomorrow we will recognize the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. And as I've said before, COVID-19 has been the great revealer. This continues to be true when we consider accessibility and inequality for persons with disabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic is deepening preexisting inequalities, exposing the extent of exclusion and highlighting that work on disability inclusion is imperative. Speaker, roughly one billion people on this planet have a disability. One in seven Ontarians have a disability. And if you're over 60, it's almost one in two. And over the next 20 years, the number will rise to one in five Ontarians. And the number of people over 60 may actually invert. So persons with disabilities are one of the most excluded groups in our society and amongst the hardest hit during this crisis. We must recognize the value that persons with disabilities have in our society. A few weeks ago, I spoke for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, just like this day of action. It recognizes the potential that persons with disabilities have and how they can provide unique insight and be such a valuable member of any team. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. Member's statements? Member for Don Valley North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge the Chinese community for its generous donation to make throughout the past months of pandemic. Last Friday, I joined Premier Ford alongside MPB Way, MPB Pan, MPB Barbican, and MPB Kanepathy in a virtual donation appreciation meeting to acknowledge and show our deep appreciation to the incredible donors whose support has helped our communities so much during the pandemic. Mr. Speaker, as our government relies on expert guidance from public health officers to steer our way through this public health crisis, we also count on the public to cooperate to be a part of the solution. It is wonderful to see so many remarkable individuals and businesses demonstrate true Ontario spirit during this unprecedented time. Those who willingly donated their time, money, food, and PPE to help lessen the hardship of others deserve our gratitude. Speaker, our province is lucky to have a strong leadership, an incredible cooperation from Ontarians as we continue the fight together to stop the spread of virus. I'm sure we will all get through the current challenges to triumph over the virus because of the corrective action of Ontarians, the people who choose to make a difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Timiskming Cochran. Thank you, Speaker. Once again, Ontario, Toronto has had a taste of winter. And in Northern Ontario, we have also had that taste of winter for a while. And one thing that comes with a taste of winter in Northern Ontario is driving on Northern Ontario highways. And we bring this up lots and house. But the specific incident, I would like to bring this to the Minister of Transportation's attention. We will send her the video and we want answers on why this happened. On November 28th on a Saturday, there was no weather warnings, no, but Marika Revort and her family got in an accident on Highway 11 south of Tomogamy. Luckily, they weren't hurt. But she took a video of the highway conditions. And she described it as black ice. But the video was very obvious. It wasn't black ice. It was a layer of ice that people were seen walking. They could barely walk on it. This is a highway, the Trans Canada Highway, that should be patrolled, should be salted, should be sanded. And it was obvious that on that morning, nothing, nothing was done. Now, I'm sure everyone's trying to do their best on the roads, but this video made it very obvious that on November 28th, on a layer of ice, causing accidents on the Trans Canada Highway, and there was no action taken, I would like an answer from the Minister of Transportation. Thank you. The member for Hastings, Lennox and Addings. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak on a matter that I know we all hear about almost every day. That's the stressful challenges from this horrible year, 2020. I know it's weighed heavily on all the people in Ontario. The anxiety has been extreme for those losing family and friends to COVID and for those unable to even give their last respects to those who were close to them no matter the cause of their deaths. Tragically, we have lost elders and even younger leaders in our neighborhoods, our organizations and our lives. We have lost dreams and promise and people who have made them happen. It's been a challenging year at best for all of us. There's no bright side to COVID-19. Yet, despite these adversities, there are heroes who have risen to the occasion as there always are. They walk among us and make the best of a bad situation. Some are well-known leaders. Some are simply working quietly in the background, enabling us to be fed and clothed and send our children to school and enable us to go to work safely. There is inner strength and bravado, Mr. Speaker, because you know what you bring to the table? We all do, but we also have to recognize when that stress gets too much. So I say to colleagues all and Ontarians, please recognize when you need help. Reach out for it. And also to everyone, as we approach this Christmas season and emotional time of year for many, many people, please be there for your neighbor. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Carlton. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I want to give a shout out to a very special little girl who's watching me right now. Just want to say hi to Princess Eliana. I know you're watching on TV, and anti-Goldie misses you. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to read a comment that I received from someone a couple of days ago by email. And this person wrote to me and said, thank you very much, said, hi, Goldie. I just wanted to reach out and say, as a healthcare professional and someone who was really sick from COVID, I respect that your government is looking out for people's best interests. I couldn't do your job. People have too much ability to spread hate. Just wanted to reach out and say, thank you, Goldie, take care. And when I responded to this person and let them know that I'd like to share their comments in the legislature and I asked them if I could identify them, this was their response. Thank you for your response, Goldie. I really appreciated that. I think there is so much more we will learn from this virus as time goes on. Until that happens, we all just have to do our part. Regarding my message, for sure you can share it, but if you don't mind, I prefer not to use my name. I don't have thick skin like you and I'd be nervous. Some crazies will try and look me up and hit my social media with hate. Mr. Speaker, my message to all Ontarians is, I know this is a difficult time for us all and I know that we're all under a lot of stress and we're dealing with COVID fatigue. But I think it's important for all of us to remember that we have to be kind and that we have to be supportive and that no one should be afraid for speaking out against their experiences with COVID. Thank you very much. That concludes our member statements for this morning.