 Seeing no further introductions it is now time for members statements from Simcoe Gray. Thank you Mr. Speaker today I rise to recognize a very special constituent in Simcoe Gray Dr. Bill Ives turned 90 years earlier this year and I want to take this opportunity to congratulate him on this important milestone and thank him for his contribution to our community. I have known Dr. Ives for many many years and he is an amazing person and a dedicated member of the community. He lives in the great town of Stainer in Clearview Township. He was raised in Stainer and attended public school there. He went to the University of Toronto for medical school following in the footsteps of his father Dr. R. E. Ives. Mr. Speaker Dr. Ives had a medical practice in Stainer with an office on the main street. He started his career when patients still paid doctors in cash or trade. He often bartered chickens, baked goods and other items for his services before Medicare came into effect. Dr. Ives was instrumental in getting the Stainer Medical Centre built and it remains a tremendously important service in the community today. For many years Dr. Ives traveled to Ecuador to provide his services to people in need. His commitment to those less fortunate than us in Canada was amazing. I'm proud to call Dr. Ives a friend and he is the epitome of saying of the saying once a doctor always a doctor. He continued to provide medical service to patients well after the age that most of us would have retired. For many years Dr. Ives was involved with the Clearview Community Theatre acting on stage and helping behind the scenes with many productions. His commitment to our community and his patients is a great example to all of us. Thank you Dr. Bill Ives. Thank you. Further member statements? The member from Parkdale, Hyde Park. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Today is both a sad and glad day for me. Sad because I have formally announced that I will not run again in the election of 2018. I wish to thank the people of Parkdale, Hyde Park for re-electing me four times and for all the members of this assembly who've worked along with me to accomplish what we've managed to accomplish out of my office in the last 11 years. We've passed more private members bills anybody in Ontario's history and more LGBTQ legislation limiting Canada's history. I would not have been successful without the assistance of members of all of our political parties working across partisan lines as the way forward. When we keep in mind the best results for the most Ontarians we keep the spirit of parliamentary democracy alive. I will miss all of you. I'm also excited. I'm in fact returning to my true love theology, advocacy and ministry. I've been doing consulting work for the National Democratic Institute out of Washington where LGBTQ and women's rights are concerns internationally and will continue that work but I'm not leaving Toronto. In fact I'm moving only a mile or two away to become minister at Trinity St. Paul's Centre for Faith Arts and Justice on Bloor Street by Spadina starting January 1st 2018. Trinity St. Paul's is and will be a centre for all non-binary queer, lesbian, bisexual, trans and gay people, folk like me. It will be a centre for queer theology and spirituality for all those fleeing oppression based on race, class, immigration status and poverty as well. I'm thrilled. It's a place, one of the few, where women's leadership is extolled and encouraged. Queen's Park will be a part of my parish and I intend to continue fighting for those who are marginalised but also providing pastoral care for those who are in need in the political sphere both here and in Ottawa. Political work is non-stop exhausting and demanding. I intend to be here and there for anyone who needs someone who can listen and someone who can pray. There's much work to do. Climate change, LGBTQ and human rights, interfaith work, animal protection, economic justice, housing, workplace fairness, union support and women's rights. I promise to be very present for all of it. My radio show on CIUT 89.5 FM will continue under its original name, The Radical Rev. and at the same time I'm also delivering a TED talk on October 27th on queer Christianity and of course you will be able to hear me any Sunday at Trinity St. Paul's at 10.30 a.m. which will also be aired. I invite you all, no matter what you've done, no matter what you believe or don't believe, no matter who you love, no matter who you are, you will be welcome there. God gifted me with a voice. I will continue to use it. Thank you all for your love and support. I thank the member for her statement and we shall miss you. Further member statements? The member from Scarborough Agent Court. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise this afternoon to remember, celebrate and honor my dear friend, the honorable Arnold Chan. I would like to thank Arnold's parents, Anthony and Sandra, his brother, Dr. Kevin Chan, his wife, Jean and their three beautiful young sons, Nathaniel, Ethan and Theodore for sharing him with all of us. Arnold grew up in Agent Court. He lived, breathed, promoted and practiced liberalism throughout his youth and until his untimely death on September the 14th. But almost 40 years, Arnold's had been advocate for lives of Canadians. His dream was always to serve. His aspiration began in his high school years with young liberals in George and Sylvia Pusey's basement. He epitomized everything that is good about public service. Arnold was a strong defender of democracy and billiard life's values on devotion, dedication and duty as a public servant. He was devoted to his family, democracy, civility and humanity. Even while undergoing treatments and in his exhaustion, Arnold was dedicated to his constituents. He will return calls Mr. Speaker, attend functions and meet with them to offer his support. Mr. Speaker, I last saw Arnold on August the 27th. He we spent most of our time talking about Brattle Town Hub that he championed for since elected in 2014. These described the measure of the man and the commitment to the constituents. He knew his time was short, but he was not afraid to speak out, Mr. Speaker. He always meant what he said. Canadians heard Arnold's eloquent remarks in the House of Commons on June the 13th. Arnold reminded us that our civic duty includes not just casting a ballot, but quote taking care in our everyday actions of the country we are lucky to call home and a quote. He encouraged our parliamentarians to start quote ditching the candid talking points to elevate our debates and listening to each other and a quote. Mr. Speaker, Arnold's inspiring words reflect a great Canadians legacy. Our lives are enriched by his contributions to both provincial and federal governments. Arnold Chan, our proud son, our proud brother, proud husband, proud father and a proud friend and most important and proud statements. Thank you for your strength, your courage and your love. And thank you, Arnold, for your lifelong commitment to public service. I thank the member for her statement and also for the family and friends for being a very nice tribute. I appreciate it very much. The member's statements, the member from Dufferin calendar. Thank you, Speaker. I rise in the House today to express my concern over the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. In the past two and a half weeks, an estimated 370,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled violence in Myanmar. Eastern state of Rohing, heading towards the border of Bangladesh. Eight agencies in Bangladesh are overwhelmed by the massive influx of refugees at their doorstep. Bangladesh has the eighth largest population and is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. An event of this magnitude will surely strain the country's social and physical infrastructure as it attempts to accommodate such a large influx of refugees. The Bangladeshi Canadian Canadian Bangladesh or BCCB has been doing an outstanding job in raising awareness on this crisis. BCCB is a community organization that aims to promote Bangladeshi culture in Canada. In two years since the formation of BCCB, the group has grown to over 1500 members. Members from BCCB are actively organizing and participating in charitable events and fundraising drives to raise money and collect used clothes for the victims of this crisis. I would like to acknowledge and thank BCCB for raising awareness of this growing tragedy and encourage others to do the same. Thank you. Thank you. Further members? The member from Ajax Pickering. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Today marks the beginning of Navaratri Hindu Festival, which is celebrated for 10 days and nine nights beginning today, September 20th and ending on September 30th. Mr Speaker, Sharad Navratri is an important time of the Hindu calendar. Over the nine nights and 10 days, families and friends come together to celebrate nine incarnations of the goddess of Durga. Those celebrated in different ways across many communities, this festival is known as a time of fasting, worship and vibrant celebration, rich with symbolism and traditional music and dance. On the final day of the celebration as an effigy of raven, the evil king, is burnt with firework symbolizing the destruction of evil. The festival also starts the preparation of one of the most important and widely celebrated holidays, Diwali, the festival of lights. I was honored to introduce the Hindu Heritage Monthly Bill last October to officially recognize November as Hindu Heritage Month in Ontario and my private member's bill 56 was passed into law on December 8th, 2016. I look forward to November when we will celebrate Hindu Heritage Month officially in Ontario and the many great Hindu celebrations to come, wishing you and your families a happy Navratri. Thank you very much Mr Speaker. Thank you for the member's status, the member from Stormont Dundas South Cungary. Thank you Speaker. On Sunday I had the honour to represent my riding in Stormont Dundas in South Cungary at a ceremony commemorating the 225th anniversary of the First Parliament of Upper Canada in Niagara in the lake. Speaker under an act of British Parliament elections were held in August of 1792 to elect a 16 member House of Assembly. Senator Governor John Simcoe called the assembly together for the first meeting of the new legislature on Monday, September the 17th 1792. Several important acts were passed by the First Parliament including the establishment of English civil law and trial by jury, the abolition of slavery, division of the province into 17 counties or districts, the building of a courthouse and gallows in every district of the province, and the introduction of a standard system of way to measure. Speaker it is interesting now in the First Parliament Eastern Ontario had nine of just over 16 ridings. Glengaria two ridings Hugh McDonnell and John McDonnell who were who was elected Speaker of the Assembly and the clerk of the Assembly was Angus McDonnell. Clearly Speaker Upper Canada was in good hands in 1792. As you fast forward 1867 when Glengaria and John Santel McDonnell was for the last Prime Minister of Upper Canada and the first Premier of Ontario and Sir John A. McDonnell was the first Prime Minister of Canada, clearly Eastern Ontario and in particular Clan Donald had a huge impact on our history. Thank you. And they're still in good hands. Member from Ottawa South. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to say a few words about Frank Lecari, a resident of my riding of Ottawa South. Frank passed away last week after beating the odds for the last 16 years. Frank was a true community builder. He cared deeply about his neighbors, the Ridgemont community and the city they all lived in. He tirelessly found ways to bring people together through street dances, garage sales, winter carnivals, hockey and skating. He continued to shovel the local hockey rink until he could no longer. In short, Frank was the kind of person that we all like to see in our community, that we all need in our community. I got to know Frank about 15 years ago when he was standing up for his community's concerns over the proposed expansion of a local business. He was an articulate and fierce advocate. You could always count on Frank to tell you exactly how he saw things. Always authentic and genuine. What you saw is what you got. Frank even received the Mayor's City Builder Award for his years of service to our community. I spoke to Frank about six or seven weeks ago and he called me to alert me something about something that was happening in the community and I really appreciated that call. Frank was a man of deep faith, loved his family and kept them close. To Frank's wife Madeline, daughters Christine and Joanne and their families, his extended family and his many friends, Frank will be missed. His spirit lives on in the community that he called home. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I appreciate the statement. The member from Nipissing. Thank you, Speaker. It's a pleasure to talk about a true success story in my writing of Nipissing. I'm talking about the film and television industry that is taking over North Bay and surrounding towns actually for the last dozen years. Cardinal, the popular TV series, takes place in the fictional town of Algonquin Bay, a thinly disguised North Bay. That's because the original John Cardinal books were written by North Bay author Giles Blunt. Carter, the popular detective series starring Jerry O'Connell is also being shot in North Bay. Jerry truly embraced North Bay and his playful forays into our local nightlife and wrestling circuit got the attention of TMZ. But Speaker, if seeing snow in September is your thing, then North Bay is your city and hideaway pictures wins your Oscar. Fake snow and Christmas decorations are everywhere throughout our downtown core as Christmas movies are underway downtown. That makes a lot of turn heads as people drive through our town. This weekend I chatted at length with Beau Bridges on the set of Angel Falls, one of those Christmas movies. Now, Beau is no stranger to North Bay. In fact, he's pretty much a regular. Last year he shot several episodes of the Flower Pot mystery series in North Bay with Brooke Shields. We can thank Dave Anselmo, a great friend to North Bay and hideaway pictures for their continued support of North Bay films. Thank you for the member's statements, the member from Al Gholma Manitou. Well, thank you Mr. Speaker. Folks, tomorrow there's going to be drums, there will be eagle staffs, there will be jingle dresses, there will be regalia, and there's going to be a celebration on the front part of the Queen's Park grounds here and I invite you all to come and join on the powwow that will be celebrated out there to celebrate the welcoming of a private member's bill that I'll be introducing to declare June 21st as a statutory holiday, a recognition of indigenous a path to truth and reconciliation. I've been having a lot of discussions with a lot of my First Nations communities across the province and also with the indigenous circle of all the the labor organization Opsu. We've come up with this as part of the truth and reconciliation recommendation number 80 and bringing it forward so that we can go back home and on this wonderful day celebrate the the cultures and the true meaning and the history of what indigenous people have brought to all of our communities and how it has benefited us and I am one who is always proud that I am a product of treaty and I have no shame in saying that and none of us in this room should have that issue as well. We are all products of treaty and we should be have that ability to share that on that day and that day will be June 21st. I invite you all tomorrow to join in the wonderful feast and the dance that will be gathered right here on Queen's Park tomorrow afternoon starting at noon. Thank you very much. I thank all members for their statements. It's therefore time now for reports by