 It's now time for Member's statements. The Member for Beaches, East York. International Women's Day is tomorrow, and it's important to recognize just how anti-women and girls the government's disastrous new autism defunding plan is. The program treats all children with autism as though they all have the same needs and therefore dramatically disadvantages kids with the greatest challenges. But it is also profoundly inequitable with regard to women and girls. As economist Mike Moffitt notes, childhood budgets are designed to heavily tax second incomes. Women make less than men on the dollar so the policy effectively tells them to stay home. It becomes prohibitively expensive for many women with kids with autism to work. Second, the second income tax effectively discourages single parents of kids with autism from remarrying. It is possible that they would end up owing the system dollars they have already spent when their household incomes increase. As women earn less than men, this is going to disproportionately disadvantage moms. And finally, the program is designed to give more dollars to younger kids than older ones. Girls are typically diagnosed later than boys, so their childhood budgets will tend to be lower, which means the odds are stacked against their ability to reach their potential. It is deeply and profoundly hypocritical for the Minister to be praising women while enacting policies that actively hurt them. I'm going to have to ask the member to withdraw her own parliamentary remark. Withdraw. Include her statement. The Minister needs to go back to the drawing board. Member Statements. The Member for Thornhill. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I'm very happy to welcome Shelly Austin from my writing of Thornhill here today. We're going to be debating Bill 65 in a little while, presented by my colleague, the member from Etobicoke Lakeshore. And it's an act to establish the Companion Animal Wellness Review Committee. And so Shelly's kind of visiting here, and I wanted to give a little statement, because she is involved in dog rescue. Dogs without collars rescues what it's called, and she does it with another colleague of hers from the Board of Toronto Humane Society, where she's been a member of the Board since 2016. And she's running again for another three-year term, and I'm sure they're going to need her and want her to stay on for even longer than that. They transferred dogs from Egypt and Thailand, and we know that the animal welfare in many countries is not like here in Canada, but we still want to see improvements here as well. So we want to support Shelly and all the other volunteer drivers for Freedom Drivers Animal Rescue Transport, which transports at-risk animals from high-kill shelters in Quebec to rescues and foster homes in Ontario. So I'm glad you could be here today. I'm glad that we have so many supporters for my colleague's bill. I'm looking forward to the debate and hearing from all members of the house their support for the bill as well. We know that there's a lot more work, and we have to work together to ensure that all animals in our communities, all the companion animals, are getting treated with the respect and that people have the knowledge that they need to treat those animals with respect. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. Next we have the member for Waterloo. Thank you. On Sunday, March 3rd, the MPPs from Kitchener Center, Hamilton Mountain, and I hosted an emergency town hall on autism in the Kitchener South Hasper Riding. We held it there because promises were made by the member from Kitchener South Hasper to the autism community that we're not honoured. After years of working with her as an autism advocate against the liberals, I thought that we would always share the common goal of improving the lives of children with autism. Some of the families that came to the town hall said that they voted for the Conservative members from Kitchener South Hasper and Cambridge because they promised to deliver more funding and services for their kids. It's clear those members have failed these families by supporting the flawed Ford government's new autism programme. Parents feel betrayed. They are angry, they're confused, and they're afraid of the uncertain future that will be their reality on April 1st. And nobody from the Ford government is listening to them. Addressing the waitlist is laudable, but it should never come at the expense of children who are receiving therapy they need to thrive. This new programme balances the books on the backs of some of the most vulnerable Ontarians. But at the town hall, we heard from a researcher who said this plan will actually cost the province more in the long run. We also heard from grandparents who were hopeless and crying, and we heard from nine-year-old Addison, whose six-year-old brother Andrew has autism. She just wants her brother to have a fighting chance, ensuring that no child receives a chance is not equity. It is callous, it is cruel, and these parents that are out there right now will never give up on their children and nor will we. Member Statements, the member for Markham Unionville. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I recently met with the York Region Police Chief, Mr Eric Joliff, along with the Deputy Chief of Operation Andre Crawford and Superintendent Chris Bullen regarding the series of break-in and stall robberies that took place in Markham. The York Region Police have been working diligently on this file and continue to provide the residents of Markham and beyond quality and professional policing services. Mr Joliff and his colleagues were extremely knowledgeable and aware of the events, and we are sure to meet at Markham and more broadly York Region are in good hands. Mr Speaker, I'm also aware that our police officers deserve more respect. Under the previous government, the professionalism of our force has been compromised with the enactment of the Police Service Act. However, this will and has been changed under our government. I'm proud to stand alongside with the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, the Honorable Sylvia Jones, in support of our police officers through Comprehensive Ontario Policing Services Act and allowing them to continue their great work within our communities without the fear of being reprimanded for simply doing their jobs. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Member Statements. The Member for Humber River, Black Creek. Thank you, Speaker. It is always an honour to rise here as the member for my lifelong community of Humber River, Black Creek. I've been meeting with groups and individuals across my writing, seniors groups, school parent councils, associations and nonprofits. They've shared their concern of the direction this government has taken us. They've told me that things are going from bad to worse. My community used to have a hospital at Jane and Finch, a place where many of my neighbours were helped when they were sick, a place where many were born. The previous government closed it down against the will of our community. But now, this government wants to tinker with our healthcare system. We remember the conservative legacy on healthcare. Hospital closures, frontline staff fired. Ontarians do not trust this government when it comes to their health. And they do not want to see the privatisation of healthcare in this province. But perhaps the most disappointing has been the handling of the future of Ontarians who are on the autism spectrum. They're replacing a waitlist with a system where no family will find the support they need. Today, hundreds and hundreds of families have gathered on the lawn of Queen's Park to fight this government's plan. You can hear them now. We will continue to fight shoulder to shoulder with them until this government does the right thing, goes back to the drawing board and delivers a plan that serves the real needs of these incredible, devoted families and individuals. When will this government take a hint? They've given over a billion dollars in cuts to the richest Ontarians while trying to balance a budget on the backs of those who need the help the most. Speaker, we are going from bad to worse. Thank you. Member statements, the Member for Scarborough, Guildwood. Thank you, Speaker. This past weekend, 32 individuals from across the region gathered to sign the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to remind the government of the fundamental rights and freedoms afforded to us as Canadians, such as freedom of association and freedom of legal freedoms. Today, as I present the signed copy of the Charter to the Premier, I urge this government to listen to the people of this province. In case the government needs a reminder, subsection 2D guarantees freedom of association. Collective bargaining promotes inclusive participation by strengthening weak voices and protecting workers from exploitation. Unions play a key role in improving occupational health and safety outcomes for workers across the province. Schedule 9 of Bill 66 removes the very bargaining rights and collective agreements that lie at the heart of freedom of association to the detriment of this province's workers and people. The Charter also protects the legal freedoms of Canadians and shields us from living in a police state. We should be absolutely alarmed that Premier Ford has been treating the police force like his own personal security system. The separation of police and state is necessary for democracy. Friends of Ford are not above the law. Perhaps the Premier would like this copy of the Charter for his own collection. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Remind members it's inappropriate to use props in the chamber when they're making a presentation. Member Statens. Member for Mississauga Streetsville. Tomorrow, March the 8th is International Women's Day, a day to celebrate and reflect upon the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women not only here in Ontario, but around the world. I know our minister responsible for the status of women who's been doing a phenomenal job advocating for women and women's issues will be making some remarks later. So I want to focus on how my writing of Mississauga Streetsville and Mississauga as a whole are recognizing this important day. Our Mayor Bonnie Cromby and Council will be hosting a women's empowerment breakfast with female high school students, our leaders of tomorrow to share our experiences and discuss how we can take action to motivate society to adopt a gender balanced world. The Mississauga Living Arts Centre will be hosting a panel of women in politics where I will be joined by my colleague from Mississauga Centre. Our Mayor Bonnie Cromby, our former Mayor Hazel McCallion and other female leaders to talk about women in politics. And throughout the weekend, so many community, cultural, arts and charitable groups are recognizing women within their organizations. I am proud of how far women have come not only in politics, but all sectors. And I'm very proud to serve in a government so committed to advancing the status of women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Member Statements. The Member for Tamiskaming Cochran. This morning in question period, the Minister of Northern Development, Mines mentioned by remarks while answering a question about reducing regulations in the mining sector. Minister Rickford stated, and I quote, the Member for Tamiskaming Cochran apparently said this week that the problem isn't regulations. He should ask valet that end of quote. I am confident that many of the shareholders of valet now wish that Brazil had a strong regulatory and enforcement regime as Ontario. I know that the families who lost loved ones in the tailing dam collapse do. Strong regulations not only protect the environment and local residents, but they protect companies and their shareholders. Tamiskaming Cochran is a strong mining sector. The problem that stakeholders constantly bring to my attention is not the amount of regulation, but rather the uncertainty of the permitting process and the length of time that it takes to get multiple permits for a new project. There are jurisdictions in Canada that have stronger regs in Ontario, but permitting takes one third of the time. In a market that competes for investors worldwide, that is the major roadblock. Getting rid of regulation might actually make getting projects in the ground harder because investors and stakeholders may lose confidence in the province. In the future, rather than making partisan attacks, I hope that the minister concentrates on the real issues facing Ontario's great mining sector. Thank you. Member Statements, the member for Barry Innisville. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This March marks the second annual Caffeine Awareness Month in North America. It's an opportunity to discuss one of the world's most heavily studied food ingredients in the world, caffeine. I know many residents in my riding of Barry Innisville reach for a caffeinated drink on a cold winter morning after digging out from the snowstorm. And when it's roll up the rim season, many people double up on their caffeine-loving habits. Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed foods in beverage ingredients around the world. It has been consumed for hundreds of years. 98% of Canadians consume caffeine from beverages such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and caffeinated energy drinks. Health Canada, among other leading global health authorities, has provided a daily suggestion of a limit of 400 milligrams for all sources of caffeine. It's important that consumers know what that means to their daily diets. Despite the wealth of research about caffeine, many myths still persist. Caffeine Awareness Month gives Canadians an opportunity to join in the conversation about caffeine to understand the answer to questions like, how much caffeine is in different types of beverages, for example, a typical caffeinated energy drink has less than half that of the same size coffee house beverage. I encourage all Canadians and all Interians to get informed about their caffeine habits by visiting energydrinkinformation.ca. That way, next time they reach for caffeinated beverage they can make informed choices about one of the most widely consumed food and beverage ingredients in the world. Thank you. Member Statements. Member for Hastings, Lennox, and Addington. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And today I'd like to talk about a critical element in life. And I'm not gonna suggest these are not important, but of course, food's important. Water's important. Shelter's important. But there's another critical element that I do think it's a part of our psychology and thank goodness is what we have such an abundance of as the nation, as the province, as the community. And that's volunteers. I dare say there's probably not one member in this house would be here without volunteers. The countless people, hundreds of people, sometimes thousands. They do an enormous amount of late work for us. Whether they're knocking on a door, they're shuffling paper, they're making a phone call, they're fundraising, they're giving us sound counsel, advice, they're absolutely critical. But they're certainly not relegated simply to politics. Quite frankly, that's a small part of the puzzle. The volunteers, they actually are so critical to our communities. Whether it's for health, whether it's a cancer society, whether it is the Chamber of Commerce, whether it is the Lions Club, what else did I say? So many, the Rotary Club, so many other ones. Actually, I was a member myself of a whole pile of clubs and served as a volunteer for most of my life. And quite frankly, it was one of the most educational serving and one of the most beneficial things that I've ever done, Mr. Speaker. I encourage every other Canadian to jump in and take advantage and be part of our communities. Thank you very much. Point of order, the member for Scarborough Southwest. Thank you, Speaker. I'd like to take a moment to congratulate our captain today, our page captain today, Martin Makaviv. I know I'm proud of you and your parents, Peter Makaviv and Daniela Makaviva will be very proud of you as well. Thank you so much to Martin, who's from Scarborough Southwest. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. Reports by committees.