 It is therefore now time for Question Period, the leader of Her Majesty's Royal Opposition. Thank you and good morning, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Sadly, all of us in the legislature are aware of the tragedy involving Stuart Klein. Stuck in Mexico, he was unable to fly home because there were no hospital beds available in Ontario. But on Monday, the Premier said there were dozens of available intensive care beds in southern Ontario. She said that was including 31 in Toronto, 34 in Hamilton Niagara, and 16 in the southwest. The Premier blamed the insurance company. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier admit this was her government's failure and stop trying to pass the buck? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the question from the member opposite. I just want to take a second because it is near International Women's Day. I just noticed that the Somali Mothers Group came in. I just want to acknowledge them. These are women who have lost their sons, their children in violent incidents. I want to acknowledge them and thank them for working with us to find solutions. Mr. Speaker, and back to the question from the member opposite. This was a tragedy, Mr. Speaker. There is no doubt about that. I have acknowledged that and my deepest condolences to the family and friends of this gentleman, Mr. Speaker. I can only imagine how difficult this has been for them. What I said in answer to the question earlier in the week was that there are questions about the breakdown in communication between the insurance company and the healthcare system. I'll come back to that in supplementary. Thank you. Back to the Premier. This government's explanation, Speaker, doesn't hold water. Let me read you a quote. Quote, Natalie Merra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition, told CBC's London Morning Program Tuesday, quote, I'm not buying that at all. Merra said the truth is, despite what the Premier said in the legislature, virtually every large hospital in Ontario that can deal with complex illnesses is running at 100% capacity or higher. London is often running way higher than 100%. That means every bed is full, quote. The real problem is the Liberals have eliminated too many hospital beds. So, Mr. Speaker, does the Premier blame the insurance company for this government's cuts and closed hospital beds? Well, Mr. Speaker, again, we have repeatedly acknowledged that opening 1200 new beds, Mr. Speaker, was necessary because there is a challenge, Mr. Speaker, particularly at this time of year when the flu season is upon us, Mr. Speaker. So we have opened 1200 new beds, Mr. Speaker, and that's the equivalent of six community hospitals. So we recognize that there is more that needs to be done. But the fact is that at the time of this situation, Mr. Speaker, there were those dozens of beds available around the province. So all I'm saying to the member opposite and all the comment I'm making on this situation, Mr. Speaker, is that there were beds available. There was an insurance company that was apparently working to find those beds. What was the disconnect, Mr. Speaker? We need to get to the bottom of that because obviously there was something that was lost in the translation between what the insurance company was seeing and what was happening in the system because the beds were available. Final supplementary. Back to the Premier. Well, Speaker, this government has been in power for 15 sad years. This isn't anyone else's fault. This is squarely in the... Order, please. Thank you. The member from the Topical North come to order. The member from the PN Carlton come to order. And that inched me towards warnings. This isn't anyone else's fault. This is squarely in the hands of the Liberal government. Natalie Mara added, quote, last week the new health minister said there hadn't been any hospital cuts. Quote, clearly she has no idea what she's talking about. Ontario has cut more hospital beds than any other province in Canada. They haven't listened for 15 years and no one should have to go through what Stuart Klein's family is going through ever again, Speaker. Will they come clean and admit this government has cut hospital beds to a crisis level? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And the member opposites attempt to sort of conflate the hospital overcrowding issue, which we acknowledge. We obviously have acknowledged that. That's why we have increased beds by some 1200. The equivalent of six medium-sized hospitals. We made that announcement in the fall. To conflate that with this particularly tragic event, I think, is not doing anyone a service. Because not only were there beds available, but in particular there were, in respect to this particular individual's neurological deficits, there were four neurocritical care beds at the Toronto Western Hospital. Absolutely there to look after this individual. Should the physician discussion between the physicians in Mexico, the physicians here... Answer. Now we're a millimeter away from warnings. One wrap-up sentence, please. So to conclude, the beds were available. We need to work on improved communication in these repatriation situations. Thank you. New question? The Leader of the Opposition. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. We know that life is more expensive under this Liberal government. They nickel and dime the people of Ontario every single chance they get. Yesterday, the Financial Accountability Officer highlighted yet another example. The province forecasts that it will collect $2.9 billion in service fees in 2017-18. Speaker, that's an increase of 8% over the previous year. And up from the average annual increase every year of 6.5% between 2011 and 2017. That's 45% more revenue from fees since 2011. Question? Is there not a fee this government won't raise to make life more expensive? Thank you. Good luck. Good luck. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member opposite for his questions. You know, Speaker, it's important for us to thank the Financial Accountability Officer for his report. We work very closely. We value and appreciate the ongoing relationship that we have with the FAO. You know, we work closely on a wide variety of issues, Speaker, and service fees is an important part of that. They provide a means of ensuring that the costs of programs and services that Ontario's want and need most are covered and that those who benefit from the services pay those services, Speaker. But you know, it's a balance. Achieving that appropriate balance of cost recovery and affordability is exactly what we are doing, Speaker. And in fact, I understand that recently the Auditor General applauded those efforts, Speaker. And so I know the member opposite is concerned about that kind of affordability issue. And so are we, Speaker. That's why we continue to work very closely and productively with the FAO. And we thank him very much for his work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back to the Premier. This year, the Liberals introduced five new fees. And in addition to those new fees, the Liberals increased the rates of 90 existing fees. They ranged from hunting and fishing licenses to driving and registration fees. On the whole, the rate increases were significantly above the rate of consumer price inflation. Simply put, life continues to get more expensive under this Liberal government. Mr. Speaker, they usually rob Peter to pay Paul, and Paul is usually a Liberal insider. Why do they feed their spending addiction on the backs of Ontario's families? Thank you. Listening carefully, it's tiptoeing towards an unparalleled entry acquisition. So I'm going to warn the member, instead of doing anything else, stay away from there. The member from Lanark, come to order. Thank you, Speaker. The Minister of Government and Consumer Services. Thank you, Speaker. We are reviewing the findings of this report to make sure that Ontarians are getting value for money. It's about fairness, Speaker, and opportunities to work across a province to make life more affordable for people of our great province. I was very pleased, Speaker, to see the report pointed out that 66% of service fees are set well below operating costs, making these services more affordable for Ontarians. And I was also pleased to see that the Auditor General report, one back in 2009, indicated Ontario service fees per capita amongst the lowest in Canada. And my understanding that continues today. Also, Speaker, in 2013 the Auditor General stated that the government, of course, should recover costs where reasonable and practical to do so. And the Ministry filed an updated report on that just last year, Speaker, and we continue to focus on ensuring that Ontarians are getting good value for their money, for the services they need. And we'll continue to work closely with the Auditor General. Thank you. Thank you. Final supplementary. Well, back to the Premier. The Independent Financial Accountability Officer noted that the annual Ontario budget includes a forecast for service fee revenue. But it does not provide a comprehensive list of planned service fee rate changes. Now, we know that their fees will go up. History always repeats itself and the Liberals are always looking for more money to spend. With the election just months away, they'll take every dollar they can just... Excuse me. Stop the clock. We are now in warnings. Finish. Speaker, with an election just months away, the Liberals will take every dollar they can to make more announcements. So, Mr. Speaker, will the government provide a list of all their fee and rate hikes? The people of Ontario deserve to know just how much more money this government is taking out of their pockets. Thank you, Speaker. So, the reality is, across government, we've been eliminating fees as we move to more online services. Speaker, in fact, there are 40 online services available to Ontarians today. And this spring, Speaker, people will be able to renew their driver's license and health care cards online that will save money, make the programs more accessible and convenient for consumers in Ontario. And in my ministry alone, Speaker, we have been holding a number of fee increases for almost 20 years, Speaker. So, as President Treasury Board pointed out, there is a balancing act. There is a need to look at cost recovery. We are looking at this report. But I can assure members of the House that Ontarians are getting good value for money and will continue to work hard to make sure that happens. Thank you. Thank you. New question, a member from London West. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, London's Cardiac Fitness Institute is a long-term cardiac rehab program slated to close at the end of this month. London CFI patients have told me that if they had not enrolled in the program after their heart attack, they would not be here today. Not only does CFI help patients recover from a cardiac event, it helps them retain their health with support from healthcare providers and other patients who know exactly what they are going through. The Premier and her Minister of Health have defended the closure of CFI, saying that six months of cardiac rehab is all that is needed, that there is no scientific evidence to prove otherwise. Speaker, does the Premier stand by this explanation? Minister of Municipal Affairs is warned. Finish your question, please. Does the Premier stand by this explanation, this defence of the closure of the CFI? Thank you, Premier. Mr Speaker, and I thank the member opposite for the question, and I know that the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care is going to want to comment on the specifics of the program, but let me just say this, Mr Speaker, that it is extremely important. Given that the healthcare system, I think, is the finest expression of our values as a province, and that's a non-partisan statement. Mr Speaker, I think all of us believe that the healthcare system that supports everyone is an expression of Ontario values, Canadian values, Mr Speaker, and that it needs to be fair and accessible to everyone, and that it needs to do the very best job, Mr Speaker, to have the highest quality in every single sector, Mr Speaker, whatever the illness, whatever the condition of patients is. Mr Speaker, it also has to be based on evidence. We have to use evidence to inform the practices in our healthcare system. Otherwise, Mr Speaker, we are cut adrift, and there's a randomness that really will make healthcare unsustainable. So we are using evidence, Mr Speaker, to the best of our ability. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, not only is there British evidence to prove otherwise, but yesterday, media reported on a recent Ontario study that says the more cardiac rehab care that patients receive after a cardiac incident, the longer they live. The study was about healthy hearts, a cardiac care program in Goderich that was modeled after the CFI. The researcher who conducted the study said the London cardiac rehab program should be placed on a pedestal instead of being torn down. Speaker, why is the Premier tearing down a program that has helped so many Londoners prevent youth of our critical care system and inspired groundbreaking scientific research? Thank you. That's a long-term care. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Our government is absolutely committed to ensuring that patients in Ontario receive the high-quality healthcare, including, in this case, rehabilitative care that they expect and deserve. And as the Premier has said, we are a government that absolutely believes in evidence-based decision-making. We are the government that introduced measuring outcomes, which, quite honestly, was not done in the past at all. So the London Health Science Centre has made the decision to end patient referrals to the Cardiac Fitness Institute, but we're absolutely confident that patients in London will continue to receive cardiac rehabilitation care through the program at St. Joseph's Healthcare London. This St. Joseph's, as I'm sure the member opposite knows, specializes in rehabilitative care. It's exactly the right place where these patients should be receiving the care that they need. There will also be services available that will be continued to offer through the cardiac rehab and secondary prevention program that is also available in London. Thank you. Speaker, Bill Anderson is a World War II veteran who turns 96 this week. He will be heading to Northern Ontario next week to celebrate his birthday fly fishing with his friends. He told media that he has been in the Healthy Hearts program for 21 years after suffering two heart attacks and that he probably wouldn't be here today without it. There are many, many Londoners who feel exactly the same way about the CFI. Speaker, the evidence is there to support the continuation of the CFI program. Why is the Premier not there? With the funding necessary to keep this life-saving, life-changing program running at London Health Sciences? Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and we're certainly going to be working very hard on the transition of patients to St. Joseph's. In terms of the scientific evidence, we are saying six months of cardiac rehabilitation. It's actually a fact that the Mayo Clinic only recommends three months. The American Heart Association recommends three months, and across the province we provide six months. Now, is it always important to increase physical activity, to have a healthy lifestyle? Absolutely, going forward. And the member opposite did reference the Goddardidge Healthy Hearts program. Now, this is a program in Goddardidge that is run by the YMCA, a much more appropriate setting than an acute care hospital. And of course, this is something that is funded on an ongoing basis, not by the government, but by the participants in the program. This is entirely appropriate. This is post-acute cardiac rehab. This is the way we should go in terms of consolidating services at St. Joseph's. New question, the member from Kitchener, Waterloo. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Rachel is an educational assistant in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. She contacted my office because she is very worried about the violence that she sees in the school where she works. In fact, she has experienced violence herself many times. In the most recent incident, her hair was ripped from her scalp, and she received a headbutt to the side of the face from a student. Here, this is not an isolated incident, but rather evidence that schools need more resources and more people in the classroom so that students get the one-on-one attention that they need. Why is the Premier refusing to give educational assistance like Rachel the support they need to support our students and keep our classrooms safe? Thank you. Minister of Education. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to thank the member opposite for this very important question. You know, Mr. Speaker, violence in our schools is absolutely unacceptable. And I have to tell you that I have been having many conversations about this, and I want people out there in our province to know that this is something we take very seriously, and it is absolutely a priority when it comes to our education system. So I don't need to tell anyone here that our schools need to be safe, inclusive, and welcoming places, and that we have been listening. And we are very aware that there is a challenge here that we need to face and we need to address. And so that's why, Speaker, this year we move forward by ensuring that we have moved forward with an additional $223 million targeted for additional teachers and education workers. This is to support special education and other staffing priorities. Now, this is just one step that I'm telling you about, but I want you to know that there are a number of different pieces that we're moving forward with because we know it's a priority and we're going to make our schools safe. Thank you. Minister, nine out of ten teachers have experienced or witnessed violence or harassment in their classrooms. Nine out of ten. For years, teachers in my community have shared their growing concerns about the workplace stress that they and their students experience on a daily basis. Rachel told me that she's lost sleep because of the violence she has seen and she has experienced. She worries about the next school day. She worries about the kids that she works with and knows that without more individual help, some of them are not heading for success. What is the Premier's plan? What is this government's plan to make sure that every child and educator in Ontario can go to school without fear of violence in their classrooms? Thank you. So, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And once again, I want to thank the member opposite for this question. And once again, I want to say, actually, we are working on a plan. And frankly, we're working on plans on many different levels. So as soon as we recognize that there were tools and resources that were needed, we move forward with $223 million, Speaker. But we didn't stop there. In fact, we are continuing to look at this issue. We have a working group, and I'm working with the Minister of Labour on this because we recognize we need to put those supports in place. So we're not just talking about the issues and challenges out there, Mr. Speaker. We are actually on the ground every day doing everything we can. Here are some of the things we're doing. We move forward with an additional $6 million to create new and expanded programming to support staff. We are looking as part of our working group at expanding access to information, enhancing the Ministry of Labour's role, streamlining reporting requirements. All of these pieces are pieces, teachers and support workers told us they need. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, the plans need to be funded and the funds need to be enveloped for the classroom, Minister. That needs to happen in this province. When it comes to our public schools is highly questionable. The Ontario schools are facing a backlog of $15 billion in capital in maintaining the infrastructure that we've already invested in. Parents are stressed because they're not seeing the resources, particularly for special education children. Workplace stress is up and it is impacting the learning environment. Learning conditions are working conditions in our education system. This government's failure to review the education funding formula has resulted in a system that is both stressed for our students and for our staff and for our parents. Why is this premier not prioritising public education in the province of Ontario? Thank you. Thank you. Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, I want to make it very clear that we take this seriously, that violence in our schools is unacceptable and that we are working on many different levels, not on just one level in order to make sure that we're putting the supports in place. We're putting in supports right now. We're looking at the other supports that we need by working with the Ministry of Labour on health and safety in the classroom. I have a working group on this that I'm talking to and I speak to people. Wrap up, please. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How important is this education to makeении sure that we have all the right amounts of money into our school system, because we understand how important it is to create safe learning environments. You are part of the members of the members. My question is Minister of Health and K care. Ontario's an opioid crisis hundreds of families have lost loved ones and thousands struggle with addiction. This government has shows a 52% increase in opioid related deaths and a 70% increase in ER visits from opioids year over year. Speaker, this government was slow to respond to the crisis and it shows in the stats. Speaker, my question is to the Minister. Since the former Minister of Health failed to timely respond to this crisis, will the new Minister of Health respond to this crisis in a more expedient manner? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I think we should acknowledge that every life lost in this opioid crisis is an avoidable tragedy and our government is committed and has been committed for some considerable time to doing everything in our power to combat this public health crisis. And so, of course, we are investing over $222 million over three years to combat this crisis here in Ontario. And we're going across the spectrum. We're expanding harm reduction services, hiring more frontline staff, and improving access to addiction supports across the province. In our news release this morning, Mr. Speaker, we, of course, stated the latest statistics from our Chief Coroner, and these are certainly most alarming. There were some 1,053 opioid related deaths in Ontario from January to October 2017, compared with 694 during the same time period in 2016. Thank you. This does represent a 52-percent percent. Thank you. Supplementary. Back to the Minister of Speaker. Speaker, this crisis has been on the radar in Western Canada for years. Yet this government chose not to take preventative measures to protect Ontarians from the dangers of opioids. Voice of government and the previous Health Minister have clearly failed to properly address this crisis. Speaker, Global's Alan Carter notes that there is a significant lag time in reporting the data. Other jurisdictions, including B.C., report much more recent data. Speaker, the government's reporting opioid death numbers are out of date and incomplete. My questions to the Minister, can she explain why the numbers they provide are so out of date compared to other jurisdictions and why there is such a lag time between reporting this crucial information? Thank you. Actually, I really resent this particular allegation because it's absolutely not correct. I met with the Chief Coroner yesterday. Obviously, these statistics are extremely accurate and indeed they are alarming. That's precisely why my predecessor on October 4, 2017 announced the creation of a new opioid emergency task force chaired by the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario. They are meeting regularly. I also met with the Chief Medical Officer of Health. They are having a strategy that will address each component of this particular issue. It's very much wrapped up with our mental health and addiction strategy as well. Obviously, any opportunities to prevent the mental health issues that may potentially lead to addiction are extremely important. But we're also introducing overdose prevention sites. And the member opposite will start to see. I'm sure he's aware of the one that we opened in London recently. I just would like to question why on Earth the members opposite were completely silent on supervised injection sites, harm reduction, and nothing in their platform on opioids? New question? Can you see it, please? Can you see it, please? New question, the member from Algolma, Manitoulin. Thank you. My question is for the Premier. The Trans-Canada Highway was closed from Wall Water White River. Highway 101 between Wall One and Chaplot was also closed because there was enough snow plows available. Too many had broken down and the contractor just wasn't fixing them. I received a call from Sue Koshay, a Chaplot resident, describing her ordeal regarding the conditions and her thankfulness to being alive. I spoke to her again this morning, Premier, and she talked about an incident again yesterday where she was begging the OPP to contact the service provider with salt, plows, and sand on the roads. Ross Joyce from Manitoulin Island contacted me last night describing an incident that his wife had experienced on roads on Manitoulin Island. Premier, enough is enough. When is this government going to fix the Winter Road Maintenance Program in Northern Ontario? Can you see it, please? Premier. Thank you very much, Speaker, and thank you very much for the question today on a very important issue, which is winter maintenance. We're continuing to work hard to ensure that the roads and highways that families rely on right across Ontario are safe and well maintained to a high standard. Our winter highway maintenance action plan is improving driving conditions each winter. We've taken strong actions by improving the Ontario 511 website, including a new forecasted road conditions feature, launching the Track My Plough in all 20 contract areas, and I would suggest to the member that he gives that information to his constituents. We've increased the use of anti-icing liquids before winter store. Wrap up, please. We've provided more equipment in key locations, including another 52 pieces of equipment in Northern Ontario to ensure that our roads are kept clear. Thank you. Premier. Back to the Premier. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. My name is Premier and I am the councillor for the winter road. cab of the truck. The Ministry of Labor was called in for an investigation. A change in name does not change the fact that the private contractor, like best broad spectrum, care only about profit, not the safety of drivers, employees or the public. When will the Premier and this government return winter road maintenance into public hands? Can you see it, please? Thank you. Minister. Thank you very much, Speaker, and you know our number one priority is to ensure that we've got good working order equipment as well as making sure that the number of clouds that we need on the roads continue. The contracting industry has delivered winter maintenance successfully for many years and our shared priority again remains road safety. The Ministry is continuing to work with the contracting industry over the last several years to ensure that our maintenance services are sustainable and leading to the best results of the traveling public. As a result, we've seen a number of improvements to winter maintenance services have been made in recent years and moving forward with any new contracts we're introducing further improvements to keep our roads safe. As Minister of Transportation, it is my number one priority to ensure that the traveling public can get home to their families safely each and every day. We'll continue to work with our contractors to ensure that all all their equipment is up to date and that we continue to provide the services that we need to. Thank you, Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of International Trade. Minister, as part of the Ministry of International Trade global trade strategy, the diversification of trading partners and the goods and services which Ontario trades is essential to the future prosperity of our province. The initial steps of exporting can be intimidating. With that in mind, Ontario has created export service seminars which help potential new and experienced exporters identify markets of opportunity and help guide businesses in the development market and entry strategies. These workshops have been influential in growing Ontario global footprint, identifying new markets and building partnership across the world. On Thursday, the Minister of International Trade is teaming up with the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and the Community Council for Abortion of Original Businesses to host an Indigenous-owned business export capacity built event. Mr. Speaker, could the Minister please share with the House some information on this groundbreaking event? Thank you, Minister of International Trade. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, the member from Northumberland and Quintiwes is correct. Tomorrow we are hosting an exporting service event for the Indigenous-owned businesses. Indigenous-owned businesses are stable of Ontario's economy and because Ontario's global market diversification efforts, these seminars are timely and important. First-day seminars will deliver customized information to help Indigenous-owned businesses expand their global footprint. Speaker, myself and the member from Willowdale will attend the event. Tomorrow's afternoon, Indigenous panelists from across Ontario will also speak about their experiences, successes and obstacles in exporting. The excitement surrounding the event gives me confidence that there is much more to come. Thank you, Speaker. Well thank you, Minister, for your answer. Ontario economy is in a position of strength. In the last year we've created 128,400 jobs. Our employment rate is 5.5%, which is the lowest in 17 years and under the national average of 33 months straight. And we are leading the G7 on real GDP. Our government is committed to fairness and opportunity for all Ontarians and want to ensure that all communities are able to fully participate in Ontario's strong economy. This event is just one of just one of a number of ways our government supporting Indigenous economic development. Mr Speaker, could the Minister tell us more about how this event will fit this event to our government broader effort to support Indigenous participation in Ontario's strong growing economy? Thank you, Minister. Minister, Indigenous relations and reconciliation. Minister? Thank you. Speaker, international trade is obviously vital to Ontario's economy. It's an important part of growth for businesses of all types. And in that regard I can tell you Speaker that Indigenous partners, many of them, have expressed to me their interest in export opportunities. They want to improve trade literacy among Indigenous businesses. In that regard, the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business reports that most Indigenous businesses in Ontario have a strong improvement in profitability and revenue since 2010. And it's this growth, Speaker, this growth that indicates an opportunity to benefit by Aboriginal businesses accessing alternative and larger markets, hence international trade. Through events like this, as well as initiatives like our $650 million Aboriginal Loan Grantee Program and the $95 million for the Indigenous Economic Development Fund, we are supporting meaningful Indigenous opportunities. New question to the member from Halliburton, Co. of the Lakescraft. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Bill 175 will be reported back to the House today, after only a few short hours of debate at committee and despite serious concerns expressed by stakeholders, especially our police associations. But this government is hell-bent on ramming this bill through, forcing a time allocation motion that cut off the debate at opposition amendments and committee and gave us only an hour to debate it at third reading. This is yet another example of this government's lack of respect for the democratic process and the members of this House. But what's even worse is the government's attack on our hardworking police officers and civilian staff. Why has this government chosen to completely ignore the very serious concerns expressed by our police associations with Bill 175? Well, I thank the member for questions because, you know, actually it allows me to talk about the Safer Ontario Act that represent, Mr. Speaker, the largest transformation to Ontario's policing and community safety in more than 25 years. And if this bill is passed, Mr. Speaker, it will create a stronger, a safer communities where people get the services they need, when and where they need them most. This is not a last-minute project. Actually, Mr. Speaker, it's a five years in the making. We have consulted across the province through our strategy for Safer Ontario, across our... Answer. And Mr. Speaker, we've been working very closely actually with our community partners, listening to their ideas and concerned in order... Thank you. I stand, you sit. And the reason why you're not seeing me stand is you're not addressing the chair, which is what you're supposed to do. Supplementary. Well, Mr. Speaker, back to the minister. The fact is even the government, your government, tabled around 250 amendments to its own bill, the substantive concerns expressed by our police associations. Rob Jameson, the president of the Ontario Provincial Police Association, couldn't have been clearer about what he thought of the government's legislation when he tweeted, quote, another anti-law enforcement amendment. It's hard to believe how much this government despises our profession. Despises, Mr. Speaker, that's a pretty strong word. So my question to the minister is, why won't this government just admit what Bill 175 really is? A symbol of their distrust and disrespect for Ontario's police officers. Never too late to get a warning. Minister. So, Mr. Speaker, you know, I think what it demonstrates to the House and to all our stakeholders that we have engaged in the past years is that we are listening. And that's why as we have listened throughout the community process, we knew that the introduction of this bill, and I've always been very clear, was never the finish line. All right. Member from Prince Edward Hastings is warned. Minister. You know, people spoke passionately during those those conversations. And as I said, this is not the finish line. This is the beginning of our journey in creating it. Member from Kitchener Conestogue is warned. If I hear another comment, I might go to naming. Carry on. So, so Mr. Speaker, this is the beginning, the beginning of our modernization to the first time where you will have a sir, a community safety well-being plan where the first nation policing will have access to opt-in on our first nation on our Police Services Act. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Hospitals in Hamilton are dangerously overcrowded because of this Premier's cuts. Patients are being treated in hallways. And now the number of times when ambulances aren't available is skyrocketing. In January, we had 31 Code Zeros when there is only one or none at all ready for calls in our entire city. It's the highest monthly level in five years, and it's completely unacceptable. People who need an ambulance shouldn't have to worry that there won't be ambulances available when they need help. Why is this Premier doing nothing to stop the Code Zeros in Hamilton and make sure ambulances are always available when people need them? Yeah, well thank you, Mr. Speaker, and we certainly understand and absolutely recognize just how critical ambulances are in providing urgent care to patients who are most in need. In fact, in my former capacity as the Commissioner of Health Services in York Region, I was charged with the responsibility of our emergency medical services there. And that's why, of course, the province has provided 100% of funding for dedicated nurses to receive ambulance patients and get them into appropriate care in hospital as quickly as possible as part of the dedicated offload nurses program. This year, we're providing $1.4 million to the City of Hamilton for nursing teams dedicated to quick and efficient offloading of patients when they arrive at our busiest hospitals. We have an excellent partnership with the City of Hamilton, with Hamilton EMS, and our hospitals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our city is growing. Our population is aging. There was a growing demand for health care services and ambulances, but this government has cut over 120 million dollars from Hamilton Health Sciences. Patients are being treated in hallways and paramedics who do amazing work every day are waiting at hospitals instead of responding to calls. Councillors in my city are calling on this government to start funding the new ambulance services that we need. It's time for this government to stop cutting Hamilton's hospitals, provide the funding that our hospitals need, and stop the offload delays for ambulances in our city. Why is this Premier refusing to listen to the people of Hamilton and fix the problems that her cuts have created? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't understand where the member opposite is getting her numbers from. Obviously, we work very closely with the local in, and in this year's budget we provided Hamilton Health Sciences with nearly 17 million dollars in increased funding. They have received 33 additional beds and St Joe's Community Health Centre has received a further 35 additional beds to increase access to hospital care throughout Hamilton. Just last week I was at in Hamilton to announce 128 new long-term care beds for the people of Hamilton. This is going to assist in terms of moving alternative level of care patients into the long-term care system. We are in close communication with our paramedic services partners, and we'll continue to work closely with hospital partners to remain attuned to their needs and determine how to best to provide for ongoing support for them now and into the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. My question is for the Minister of Labour. Minister, gender-based violence is far too widespread in our society. That's right. It is never acceptable and it is never okay. Everyone in this province deserves to feel safe in their homes, in their schools, and in their workplaces. I'm proud that our government has recently announced the important investment of $242 million into Ontario's gender-based violence strategy. However, our government is not new at taking action on gender-based violence. In 2016 we established Ontario's sexual violence and harassment action plan which went further than ever before to protect our workers. That plan established a dedicated enforcement team that exclusively responds to complaints of sexual harassment. In the first year it investigated over 1,400 complaints. We are sending a clear message that this will not be tolerated. Minister, what are you and your ministry doing to ensure that women feel safe? Minister of Labour. Thank you to the member from Barrie for this incredibly important question. Everybody in this province should be able to go to work, Speaker, knowing they'll be safe at that workplace and they're going to return home safe at the end of the day. It's why I'm so proud this government continued our commitment to addressing gender-based violence when we passed Bill 148. What we did, Speaker, was create a new and a separate job-protected leave for those that are affected by domestic violence and sexual violence. Those people will now get 17 weeks of leave, five of those days are paid. Speaker, it's incredibly important that survivors and their families have the time and the support they need while they deal with tremendously difficult circumstances. This leave affords them that time, Speaker. It's hard to comprehend how the Conservatives in this House could vote against that legislation, Peter. How they could deny their constituents, the men, the women, and the families that need this protection, Speaker, they should be ashamed. Thank you, Minister. When I look around the legislature, I'm very proud to see so many women working hard for their communities and for Ontario. I'm proud and humbled to represent so many incredible women from my riding of Barry. Women are present in all industries and sectors across this province. However, despite our participation throughout the workforce, barriers remain. Barriers that prevent full participation by women in the workforce. Most notably, women continue to earn 30% less on average than men. The gap is larger for racialized women and even larger for women with disability. It's time to close the gender wage gap. It is time for a comprehensive plan that recognizes economic empowerment, isn't a quick fix, and isn't a one-size-fits-all. Minister, what are you doing to close the gender wage gap? Thank you, Speaker, and thank you again to the member from Barry. Speaker, for the past four years we brought together stakeholders. They came from advocacy groups, labour organizations, human resources and business. We consulted with the public. We wanted to know how to move forward on the gender wage gap. We've already made progress. Yesterday, we announced the next step. Pay transparency legislation. Ground-baking legislation. It's going to remove barriers to women and girls' full economic participation in the economy. I'm appalled that the party opposite again does not think that this is a priority. No. They're trying to delay the debate on this important legislation. They're trying to delay closing the gender wage gap. The women in all writings across this province deserve better. The women of Ontario deserve better. We're building a better Ontario, fairer Ontario. Should be ashamed. No questions. The member from Perry Sound, Muscova. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. The regulatory framework governing Ontario's forestry sector is set to expire at the end of June. Thousands of jobs are on the line in Northern Ontario. Many northern communities, including many First Nations, rely on these forestry jobs. In January, the MNRF finally recognized that they had failed to adequately consult with municipalities and First Nations. The Minister is now proposing a two-year extension of the current framework so they can consult with stakeholders. So my question, Mr. Speaker, what has the government been doing for the past five years? Why did they wait until the 11th hour before they even began consulting? Never mind acting to save these jobs in Northern Ontario. Thank you, Mr. Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the question, actually. We are very pleased with this two-year delay and that is there to set up an advisory panel to find concrete solutions to the problem. I think I've had the occasion to speak to the forest industry, and they are actually quite encouraged by the ability to continue to work to resolve the issue between the Endangered Species Act and the forest development. Forestry is important to Ontario. It leads to good jobs. It's important to the north, but it's also important to recognize that we need biodiversity and we need to protect our endangered species. The forestry is on board with this. They do want to ensure that the forestry continues to reflect well and protects the biodiversity of Ontario. So we are quite confident that actually this panel will provide very concrete, pragmatic solutions to resolve the debate. Thank you. Supplementary to members from here on this. Thank you very much, Speaker. Back to the Minister. Many forestry companies in Ontario are owned by First Nations communities in need of economic development. Indigenous people in Ontario need jobs close to home in their communities. How can First Nations plan for the future of their communities if they don't know how their forestry companies will be regulated? Comments on extending the current regulatory framework were accepted up until this past week, March 5th, less than four months before the current framework expires. Mr Speaker, if the government claims to care about the interests of Indigenous people, why on earth then are they making it harder for First Nations to create sustainable jobs? Indeed, I think the commitment of Indigenous communities to continuing to work with the ministry and work on this panel to find the appropriate solutions to reconcile the Indigenous Species Act with the good forest management is clear it's there. And I think that this the panel that will be working for the next two years will allow us to provide some concrete solutions to resolve the debate. Certainly, I think the jobs that are at stake are protected in this context. The Indigenous communities are part of this panel they will be consulted in. It is indeed important that we recognize that we want to resolve the problems for good. We need to have the endangered species applying to forestry or solutions that actually recognize that we need to balance between protecting our biodiversity and ensuring economic development for the north and for Indigenous communities. Thank you. No question. A member from London West. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, this morning I welcomed to this legislature seven grade eight girls from London who are here as the London West Girls Government to advocate for a provincial youth suicide prevention strategy. One of their main recommendations is mandatory K-12 mental health curriculum supported by age-appropriate evidence-based resources and teacher PD. Gail Lalonde, mental health lead for the Thames Valley District School Board says the girls are forcing educators and policymakers to confront a gap in the system that a mandatory mental health curriculum would ensure consistency across all Ontario schools in how mental wellness skills are taught. Speaker, will the Premier listen to these girls and implement mandatory K-12 mental health curriculum? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I know that the Minister of Education is going to want to comment in the supplementary, but I want to thank the girls government group on youth suicide for their advocacy. This is so important. And Mr. Speaker, women's day, Mr. Speaker, and to have a group of young women raising their voices on an issue that is so important to them is absolutely a wonderful thing to see. So congratulations to them. And the bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that we agree. You know, we agree that we agree with these young leaders that the importance to prevent youth suicide is a priority. It's something that we must focus on, Mr. Speaker, particularly in mental health promotion, Mr. Speaker, and as well as in the early detection of mental health issues and addictions problems. And that's exactly why our health and physical education curriculum was updated, Mr. Speaker. So those kinds of issues that were not part of the outdated curriculum, it's very important that they are there. And I agree with the young women that those issues need to be dealt with across the age range of kids in our publicly funded schools. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, Osta Aeco, the voice of Ontario student trustees, released their student platform following extensive consultation with students across the province. Their platform also recommends suicide intervention and mental health training programs for school staff and students. Last November, Osta, the College Student Alliance, Colleges Ontario, and the Council of Ontario Universities issued an urgent call to action on student mental health in their report in it together. They recommend mandatory K-12 mental health curriculum, along with transition programming for high school students who are going into post-secondary and early warning systems for both K-12 and PSE. If the Minister won't listen to the students from the London West Girls Government, will she listen to Osta Aeco, Ousa, CSA, COU, and Colleges Ontario, and implement mandatory mental health curriculum in all Ontario schools? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to thank the member opposite for bringing up this very important issue. And I want to thank the girls government on youth suicide members for their advocacy and for bringing their voices right here to Queen's Park. It was a pleasure for me to meet with them earlier and I want to tell you and as I told them that absolutely suicide when it comes to our young people or anyone in our province is heartbreaking and tragic. And we have to do everything that we can to ensure that we are not only preventing it but we're putting the tools and resources in place to help our young people. And so I am committed to that and this government is committed to that. So I'm going to tell you a little bit about what we're doing. We're certainly focusing on mental health promotion, early detection, and certainly ensuring that there are supports in place when it comes to issues and addictions problems. We have absolutely built in pieces into our curriculum from grades one to 12 and I can take you through all of those pieces. And we're not going to the new question of the member from Davenport. Thank you Speaker. My question this morning is to the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport. Ontario's festivals and events attract tourists, support tens of thousands of jobs, and generate millions in economic growth. I'm proud to be part of a government that supports these events so people are drawn to visit and live in our communities. In my own community of Davenport and across Ontario, the government's support for festivals and events has played a fundamental role in our cultural and economic vitality. That's why I'm pleased to ask the Minister about an announcement she made this morning in my writing of Davenport at the Theatre Centre. The Minister announced the investment we are making in the Celebrate Ontario 2018 program and spoke to how it will bring people together and support our communities to attract more tourists. Mr Speaker, through you to the Minister, can you tell the members of this House more about what you announced this morning at the Theatre Centre and how the Celebrate Ontario program will impact our communities? Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Sport. Thank you Speaker and I want to thank the member for Davenport who is a very strong advocate for her writing. Speaker, we were at the Theatre Centre this morning with the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. This is Toronto's longest running comedy festival that showcases comedy heroes every March. Visitors can take in up to 12 days of the best live scripted comedy in North America. The festival has been around since 2005 and has grown into a must-see for celebrating the theatrical tradition of sketch comedy. We're proud to be supporting the Sketch Comedy Festival, we're doing this through Celebrate Ontario. Speaker, these events draw thousands of visitors and tourists every year. Because of the tremendous attractions right across Ontario, people are visiting, they're staying, and they are spending. So I look forward to speaking more about Celebrate Ontario in the supplementary. Thank you Speaker and thank you to the Minister for her answer. Many festivals and events like the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival are having a positive impact on the culture scene in Ontario. Across the province, support from Celebrate Ontario 2018 means that organisers can enhance their programming activities and services. They can offer new and enhanced experiences that attract even more tourists and increase visitor spending. I know that Celebrate Ontario will have a positive impact in every corner of the province in 2018. From food festivals like Pan Am Food Festival and music festivals to street festivals like Bigelblur and Davenport. Events that teach us about our heritage and cultural diversity our communities will benefit from increased tourism and visitor spending. Mr Speaker, through you to the Minister, can you update the members of this House on the economic impact that Celebrate Ontario will have this summer? Thank you Minister. Thank you very much Speaker and thank you to the member for the question. Speaker, Celebrate Ontario has been tremendously successful. Every dollar of Celebrate Ontario funding triggers almost $21 a visitor spending. It supports thousands of jobs and it generates millions of dollars in revenue and that's why we're investing over $20 million to support 328 festivals and events. That is the highest number in the history of the program. This commitment is going to have a province-wide impact in both small and large communities. It's going to boost our booming tourism sector. This is a sector that is pumping $32.5 billion into Ontario's economy every year. Speaker, we're providing support to 198 events in rural and northern Ontario as well and we're very proud to be supporting all the festivals right across Ontario. Thank you. There being a point of order I will turn to the member from Hamilton Milton. Thank you very much. I appreciate you're acknowledging me Speaker. I have some guests who are here with me in the East Gallery. Shamsho, Elmi, Zahra, Ismail, Kamar, Abdiraham, Abidah, Hamidah, Mohamed, Sara, Ziyad and Munna Ali. They're here to support the Medante Community Services. Welcome to Queens Fire. Minister of Transportation, point of order. Thank you Speaker. I know he was here a little earlier but I'd like to welcome James Maxwell from E.S. George P. Vanier School in Cambridge who is here today for the Francophone Youth Parliament reception. Thank you. Thank you. I had a couple of people from Windsor arrive late. I see they just left early but Eric Reynolds and Robert Mates were here and I'd like to welcome them to Queens Park as well. Thank you Minister. Thank you very much. I'd like to introduce Nancy Chamberlain from my riding of Thunder Bay Atacoka. Nancy's here from Thunder Bay Counseling for the 10th Annual Family Service Day. There are being no deferred votes this house stands recess until 3 p.m. this afternoon.