 Therefore, it is time for Member Statements, the Member from Kitchener, Conestoga. Thank you, Speaker. It's with much appreciation that I thank the Greater Essex and County District School Board for their lengthy, now victorious fight to be allowed to tender projects fair and openly. Since 2001, the Board has fought for their right to the highest quality work at the best possible price after being certified as a construction employer. A school board is clearly not a construction company, and yet certification has meant closed tendering, which restricts bidding while limiting competition. After three attempts by the school board to prove it met the definition of a non-construction employer, a recent Labor Board decision finally means the school board's construction projects are open to all qualified contractors. So, area contractors head over to the Board website and start bidding as Greater Essex is open for business. And while we thank the Board for their perseverance and persistence, their struggle for fairness only further highlights the flawed legislative loophole that allows school boards and municipalities to be certified in the first place. Since the Liberal government rejected my Fair and Open Tendering Act, the impacts of closed tendering continue to drive down competition in Hamilton, Toronto and Sault Ste. Marie, of course, in my region of Waterloo, while driving up costs for local infrastructure. That's why I'm here today to not only thank the Greater Essex and County School Board, but also to build on their efforts. I remain dedicated to restoring fair tendering for our public sector institutions, Speaker, and look forward to taking further legislative steps that will make it clear rules for construction companies should not apply to municipalities and school boards. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, over the past few weeks, two independent officers of the Legislature, the Auditor General and the Environmental Commissioner, have reported on the Liberals Climate Change Action Plan. Speaker, neither support the claim that the government's plan, as written, will allow Ontario to meet its 2020 target to protect us from dangerous climate change. And Speaker, that's a big deal. We're approaching substantial climate tipping points that could put us at much greater peril. This is not a time to be playing games. Both the Auditor General and the Environmental Commissioner have serious questions about the viability and credibility of a number of the major programs that the Liberal Climate Plan claims will allow them to meet their targets by 2020. It appears the Liberal government is planning to paper over the gap between the story they tell and the reality by allowing the purchase of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cheap carbon allowances from California and then saying the job is done. Speaker, that strategy is irresponsible. It drains money from Ontario and frankly could discredit climate action in this province. I call on the Liberals to change their climate plans, to focus on real emission cuts at Ontario and focus on protecting this province from dangerous climate change. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Member from Scarborough Aging Court. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about the recent basic income pilot consultation in my writing of Scarborough Aging Court. In 2016 budget, the government made a commitment to further address poverty in Ontario by committing to pilot a basic income for Ontarians. We're looking to test the view that a basic income could be better way to deliver income supports while improving the health housing and employment outcomes for Ontarians. The idea of basic income is generating immense interest both here in Canada and around the world. The Ministry of Community Social Services in partnership with the Ministry of Responsibility for Poverty Reduction Strategy has begun consultation across Ontario to get feedback from people with live experiences, municipalities, experts and academics. The consultation held my writing of Scarborough Aging Court last Tuesday was the second consultation of 14 to be held. 78 people participating in this consultation and to date, Mr. Speaker, basic income has received the most feedback ever seen during the consultation on ontario.ca. Over 20,000 responses have been received on the survey online alone. I want to thank the Minister of Justice and Minister Ballet for their leadership in implementing a new approach to improving income security. I also want to acknowledge the contribution Lee Soda, her staff at Aging Court Community Services Association and the clients who participated in last week's consultation. Mr. Speaker, I believe that working through with organisations like Aging Court Community Services Association and also looking into innovative approaches for delivering support we can improve the lives of Ontarians. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you and good afternoon Speaker. Communities in my writing are seeking confirmation from the government on the continued stability of the provincial tax credit for the film and television industry in Ontario. You may remember that in the 2014 budget the government planned to change the tax credit but on this side of the chamber we fought hard to keep it in place. We worked with industry, won that battle and as a result the film industry has re-benefits across the province particularly home in the north. Mr. Speaker, for example just last week a new production announced it would be coming to North Bay. This continued success is what prompted the municipalities of East Farris and North Bay to each pass resolutions highlighting their concerns. Given their uncertainty and the government's commitment to the film and television industry these municipalities resolve that the government of Ontario and the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport make a public commitment to the stability of the provincial tax credit system and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to ensure continued foreign and domestic investment in northern production along with increased work opportunities for northern Ontario residents of all ages and backgrounds. It is important that the government reaffirm confidence in the film and television industry and support continued growth in the sector. Thank you. Thank you for your member statements. Mr. Speaker, since this is my last member statement before the House rises I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone both here and at home on Merry Christmas but even more importantly I'd like to in advance thank all those people who while we are enjoying ourselves over the holidays the people who work hard to keep us happy, healthy and safe all the people in the healthcare industry and even in corrections and all the people you don't think about the people who work not only during the holidays but who work every day but specifically during the holidays and coming from an agricultural background I would like to take this time to thank the farmers of Ontario specifically the livestock farmers who on Christmas Day will be feeding, will be milking will be doing all the things it takes to keep animals happy and healthy and lastly but certainly at least I'd like to thank everyone who was on call on Christmas Day be it a plumber be it an electrician be it a veterinary anyone who was on call I know in my business I have had a few times the vet on Christmas Day pulling a calf and it's jolly I can tell you but there's both places there were places that they would rather be and it's a great time of year and they're protected by so many people in this province and I'm happy to be able to recognize that. Thank you. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker I'm privileged to welcome Global Medic to Queens Park today Global Medic is a non-partisan registered Canadian charity that runs capacity building programs in post-conflict nations and provides disaster relief services to large-skilled catastrophes both internationally and domestically their priority is to save lives by providing short-term rapid response in wake of disasters and crisis both at home and abroad Global Medic is at Queens Park today to package welcome to Canada kits these kits contain essential household and hygiene items that will be hand-delivered to families that have fled the violence in Syria and have newly arrived in Canada the kits are to be packed by all of us here I invite everyone to participate I invite everyone to participate in room 230 anytime during the day and spend some time to support this cause this is a hands-on opportunity for all of us to support the newly arrived Syrian families and welcome them to our great province Thank you Mr. Speaker Thank you Thank you Mr. Speaker I want to share with you a good news story from West Side Secondary School in Orangeville Last month I visited West Side as they held their 12th annual ThinkPink fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Society Canada's Dress for the Cure West Side began holding Pink Day fundraisers in 2004 after several staff members were diagnosed with cancer For the last number of years West Side has been recognized as the top school fundraiser in all of Canada This year was a special celebration of raising over $100,000 since 2004 The students of West Side were packed into the gym and everyone wore a lot of pink to show their support Brave students and staff raised hundreds of dollars by offering to shave their head or cut their hair Some young men were even brave enough to have their legs waxed in public It was a great afternoon as we cheered on students and staff The biggest cheer of all was when we heard that West Side had raised an incredible $20,000 this year Sometimes young people get accused of only caring about their Instagram accounts or their weekends West Side Secondary School proved them wrong Congratulations to Principal Wilson the staff and students of West Side for their fantastic work Well done Thank you Mr. Member Thank you Mr. Speaker What a thrill it was to once again join the St Andrews Society of Kingston as they celebrated 176 years during their annual dinner on November the 20th Guests were served with a traditional Scottish feast which was not complete without a wee I guess and many were dressed in kilts and other customary Scottish attire As always it was a festive gathering with engaging conversation and excellent company Kingston welcomed an influx of Scottish immigrants including my mother seeking better opportunities to Canada following the Industrial Revolution Founded in 1840 the St Andrews Society began as a charitable organization to welcome Scottish newcomers and their descendants as they transitioned to life in Kingston The society continues to play an important role in supporting newcomers to Kingston fostering a strong sense of community St Andrews Society has been enriched by some famous and influential characters including Sir John A. MacDonald our first Prime Minister and I have no doubt that our current members like John and of course legendary Isabelle Turner who instills the fear of God into you if you can't attend a dinner the Rutherfords and so many other families who will likewise be remembered for their outstanding contribution to the society and congratulations once again to the St Andrews Society of Kingston for 176 years of Scottish cultural tradition in our city. Thank you Thank you very much further member statements from Wellington Mr. Speaker During my canvas of Wellington Halton Hills in the 2014 general election I met thousands of people I sought to answer their questions listen to their concerns and encourage their aspirations but I have to say that our constituents do not have access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet and we know that in today's economy connectivity is an absolute necessity for households, farms and businesses when the House resumed immediately following the election to consider again the government's budget I tabled a resolution urging the government to develop a strategy to ensure that all Ontarians would have access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet to achieve this goal with public-private partnerships exactly 24 months past then this past July the government announced a commitment to doing precisely what we had urged them to do setting aside 90 million dollars with an equal federal government contribution to support the south-western integrated fibre technology project known as SWIFT while it sounded good, they didn't announce a time frame for the launch or completion of the new and improved internet service that they claimed would benefit from the program we all need to recognize the public interest in getting this done working together to accomplish interim objectives and prerequisites and this includes the private sector partners I want to express my thanks to everyone involved with implementing this proposal but let's keep it moving the county of Wellington and the town of Halton Hills are very enthusiastic about expanding access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet let's get behind our local communities and the local fibre network throughout rural Ontario that gives every Ontario an access to high-speed, affordable, reliable internet service and all the benefits that technology entails thank you I'm a part of a member from Brampton West welcome the hard-working Raul Seng who's the Executive Director of Global Medic thank you I was just about to do that so I appreciate it I've known Raul for quite some time after his order of Ontario that he received so congratulations on that