 introductions. Therefore, it's time for members statements. The member from Huron, Bruce. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Each year, one in five Canadians will experience a mental health or addiction problem. It's a troubling statistic, Speaker. When you consider many who experience it, do it alone. And I tip my hat to the member from Nippee and Carlton, who bravely stood tall so that she can inspire more people to come forward. Congratulations. And that's why today I'm also proud to share with you the good work that local business in Huron, Bruce is doing to help end stigmas and start conversations. Yesterday, Bruce Power launched its hashtag break the silence campaign on social media with the goal of raising money to help support local mental health initiatives and getting the conversation going on mental health. I'd also like to acknowledge West for Youth online as well as get in touch for Hutch. They are two amazing online systems that reach out and help young people deal with their issues. And going back to Bruce Power's initiative, it's been inspired by Bill's hashtag Let's Talk. For every like, share or retweet of the hashtag on Facebook and Twitter, Bruce Power will be donating $1 and up to $80,000 in total to a local initiative in Bruce, Gray and Huron counties that help support people living with mental illness issues. As part of the campaign, Bruce Power has also launched a website, breakthesilencebgh.com, which provides an overview of other initiatives that Bruce Power has worked on to combat stigmas around mental health as well as a list of local and regional resources for people who need help. So I'd like to encourage my fellow MPPs, no matter what party lines we may sit behind, to join the conversation and spread the word. Please take to your social media platform of choice this week and hashtag breakthesilence. Thank you very much. Thank you for the members. This is the member from Niagara Falls. Thank you. Allow me to speak today. I'd like to use my time to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Niagara and the Lake Fire Department and the incredible firefighters there. Founded in 1816 in response to fires started by the Americans in the War of 1812, the first fire department in the province was Niagara and the Lake Fire Station. It was built in the market square and stored buckets, axes and ladders, the first volunteers used. By 1826, the Niagara Fire Department became the first Ontario to be created by an order of Canada. As Niagara continues to flourish, more stations were added, Queensland, Virgil, Glendale and St. David's. In fact, the St. David's station is also commemorating a milestone with its 75th anniversary this year. Mr. Speaker, the 110 men and women who are part of the fire department today all volunteer for the department and for the charities in their community. As it was in 1816, these great members of our community used their time both on and off the forest to serve. No one understands or respects our first responders more than myself. For two centuries, these brave men and women have been saving lives and making life better for people of Niagara Lake, the surrounding towns and families like mine. I want to commend the town of Niagara on the lake. On this occasion, I want to congratulate the town's fire department on their 200th anniversary, making them one, if not the oldest fire department in all of Canada. I say to them as well as my colleagues here, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you, further members students, a member from Mrs. August Streetsville. Speaker, early each May, Ward 11 City Councilor George Carlson organizes an annual village litter blitz. This Saturday, May the 7th in Streetsville is the fifth annual chance to get some exercise and to tidy up our historic community. The 2016 blitz will take place at Centre Plaza, located at 128 Queen Street South in Streetsville, between two and four o'clock in the afternoon. Students will receive volunteer hours for their efforts. Following the cleanup is an annual barbecue and refreshments served by the Streetsville Lions Club. This year's annual village litter blitz is supported by the Streetsville Business Improvement Association, all of the Cadets, Streetsville's Rotary Clubs, the Lions Club, Scouts and others. Councillor Carlson is the driving force behind this event, ensuring that all residents of Streetsville can join their friends and families to spruce up Streetsville's environment. Experience worldwide shows that the more regularly people clean up their common living spaces, the more likely a community in its many backlots and forgotten corners will remain free of litter and spray painted graffiti. Come and meet me, our Cat Merlin and other local elected representatives on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Centre Plaza in Streetsville and pitch in and do a little bit of your part in helping keep Streetsville clean. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you for the member's things, the member from Elgin Millistex London. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to rise on behalf of the PC Caucus and our Leader Patrick Brown to mark the occasion of May the 3rd Polish Constitution Day. The adoption of the Polish Constitution in 1791 is an event of great pride for Poland in a significant moment in the history of democracy. Poland's constitution is Europe's very first democratic constitution. It has become the symbol of Polish resilience and independence, especially during the years of partitions and Nazi and Soviet occupation. The values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law, which this day celebrates, are values that Canada shares with Poland. Ontario is home to half a million Canadians of Polish heritage. Today I'm pleased to welcome Julius Kierczyk, President of the Canadian Polish Congress, the Toronto branch and many members of Polonia to the legislature. Earlier today I was thrilled to participate in the reception, celebrating this important day, and I'm looking forward to participating in the Polish flag raising this coming weekend. In Poland, the anniversary of May the 3rd has been observed as the most important civil holiday since Poland regained independence in 1918. May 3rd is free from work and many celebrations. There are parades, exhibitions and public events. I extend my warmest wishes to all Polish Canadians celebrating May the 3rd Constitution Day. Thank you very much. Thank you for the members. The member from London West. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today as MPP for London West to provide an update on my community's rapid transit initiative, Shift London. Currently London is Canada's largest urban centre without a rapid transit system. It has more per capita transit ridership than any other comparable city. To engage the community in the development of Shift, an extensive consultation process was undertaken, which generated near-unanimous support from Londoners for rapid transit. $125 million has been allocated by Council toward the cost of rapid transit and in November 2015, Councillors endorsed a hybrid LRT BRT option as its early preferred option. This week, Council will be meeting to consider a revised option for full BRT based on a staff business case that considers multiple factors. Chief among these is the $300 million cost difference between the hybrid option and full BRT, and which of these two options are more likely to be funded by upper levels of government. Speaker, $15 billion has been dedicated by the government for transit projects outside the GTA and the 2016 budget committed to cost sharing the capital costs of municipal transit projects. As the urban hub of southwestern Ontario, an investment in rapid transit in London will have a major positive impact on the entire region. But good local planning about the best transit option requires firm provincial funding commitment. I call on this Liberal government to let London know today whether and how much it is prepared to invest in this transformative city building transit initiative. Thank you. Further member statements? The member from Ottawa South. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last Sunday I had the opportunity to join hundreds of people at Carleton University for Hospice Ottawa's annual hike for hospice. Despite the cool wet weather, families and friends gathered to raise thousands of dollars to support hospice, palliative and end-of-life care in our community. Hospice Ottawa has 19 beds at the May Court and Central West location and a number of community programs that provide compassionate care and support for families. Mr. Speaker, I know they're looking forward with community support to break ground on the Shinkman Ruddy Hospice in the coming months. Hospices like the May Court and Central West are special places. They accompany families along a loved one's last journey and they are indeed rest stations between heaven and earth. I would like to congratulate Hospice Ottawa on another successful hike thanks to all those who worked hard to make it possible but most importantly a special thanks to all the staff and volunteers for the compassionate care you provide every day to families at a very important time. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Thank you for your member statements. The member from Leeds Grenville. Thanks Speaker. May 1st was a sad day and as families in Leeds Grenville were sent reeling by yet another hydro-rate hike. Too many are literally being left in the dark unable to afford skyrocketing bills under this government. Every day I hear heartbreaking stories from young parents, seniors on fixed income, and folks in between. Now before he gives another non-answer in question period I'd invite the energy minister to spend just one day in my office talking to moms like Tracy who says we have to choose between paying hydro, rent, and food every month. We pay what we can with every paycheck which leaves us nothing in the bank between pays. I use the local food bank every month great people but it is not enough for a family of five. Or Speaker John and Christine whose monthly bill has doubled since buying their home in Oxford bills in 2012. They are the faces of the crisis created by this government's disastrous energy policies. But the minister's only concern is those with deep pockets enough to attend his private fundraisers. The struggles of those who can't pay the hydro bill and put food on the table are ignored. While Speaker I'm standing up for those Ontarians today in my riding I'm using my voice to demand the government get hydro rates under control to give desperate families a break before more people suffer. Thank you Speaker. A member from York Center. Mr. Speaker I'm proud to rise today to recognize and congratulate the recipients of the 2016 Ontario Volunteer Service Awards. Presented annually since 1986 the Volunteer Service Awards recognize individual volunteers for continuous years of commitment and dedicated service to an organization. This year Ontario is celebrating the contributions of more than 11,000 volunteers at 54 award ceremonies across the province. The awards recognize people volunteering their time to organizations like the Canadian Red Cross and helping out with community projects. Certificates and customized trillion pins will be awarded to people with five to 60 or more years of service. Youths will also be recognized for two or more years of volunteer service. In my riding of York Center I'm honored to present 27 awards representing an astounding accumulation of 342 years worth of volunteer service. These awards represent a way for myself and the government of Ontario to thank the thousands of volunteers which are relied on every day. Volunteers like Alan Marks who has dedicated 50 years to the Canadian Diabetes Association or youth volunteers like Michael Kulik, Andreas Cristina Levitic-Cura who volunteered with St John's Rehab at Sunnybrook. The selfless work of these volunteers has a tremendous impact. People of all ages and diverse backgrounds can come together in their community and experience a higher quality of life. We are truly grateful for their accomplishments. Thank you. Thank you for their members ladies the member from the topical Lakeshore. Thank you Mr. Speaker I'm pleased to rise in the house today to recognize May 3rd Constitution Day a very important national holiday in Poland. Polish Constitution Day celebrates the declaration of the Constitution of May 3rd 1791 one of the landmark achievements in the history of Poland. This historic document was the first democratic constitution in Europe and second in the world only to the U.S Constitution. Despite being in effect for only 19 months the Constitution of 1791 helped inspire Poles to have an independent and just society for generations. It did not save the Polish state at the time but it did save the Polish nation. Although the celebration was banned under various authoritarian regimes between 1792 and 1990 Constitution Day is now openly and proudly celebrated in Poland and around the world each year. And today members of Polonia are at Queen's Park to commemorate this important day and I would like to specifically recognize Mr. Juliusz Kirejczyk president of the Canadian Polish Congress Toronto branch and the other distinguished community leaders who help organize and celebrate this 225th anniversary. I want to thank these community leaders for all their efforts in keeping our Polish traditions inherited strong in Ontario. Thank you.