 It is therefore now time for member statements and I recognize a member from Scarborough Southwest. I can't read lips that's right but it makes it top doesn't it? Please the member from Scarborough Southwest. Mr. Speaker most of the vaccine clinics which are meant to be immunizing those who are facing the highest risk in our province are only running during business hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 11 to 8 p.m. The hotline set up for registration are also only running between these are working hours and the online registration well that's a complete mess. The government has turned something as simple as securing a vaccination appointment into an unnecessarily stressful situation Mr. Speaker and not only do we not have enough available appointments these limited hours are making it difficult for essential workers the very people who are meant to be prioritized and protected to find a time to get their vaccines. Large cities like London and New York are running 24-hour vaccination clinics to ensure they can vaccinate as many people as possible. Advocates across the province especially in the hardest hit communities across the GTA have been telling us that pivoting to a 24-hour vaccination program is essential for an equitable and an effective vaccine rollout. Healthcare workers across this province have risen to the occasion to vaccinate our communities and this will be no different. People in communities like mine in Scarborough Southwest work multiple jobs work odd shifts and simply cannot accommodate some of these hours. I'm proposing that the Minister of Health set up a 24-hour vaccine clinic across this province especially in hard-hit communities along with equitable distribution of vaccine so that anyone who needs to get vaccinated in our province can get vaccinated without any barriers. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Member statements the member for Kitchener Conestoga. Well thank you very much speaker and we are in the middle of one of the sweetest times of year here in the province of Ontario and that is maple syrup season. I have the honour of representing the riding which you'll know very well speaker that hosts the largest maple syrup festival in the world the Elmira Maple syrup festival. Traditionally this past weekend we would have seen tens of thousands of people come to downtown Elmira to celebrate and support local producers in my riding and across Ontario and for a great cause too speaker. All of the proceeds raised go back to the community through donations to local charities and nonprofits. Over 1.6 million dollars has been raised over the past 56 years and in particular Elmira district community living receives a significant portion of these donations which goes to supporting their work with adults with developmental disabilities. Unfortunately last year for the first time in the festival's history it was cancelled and this year we were not able to get together in person Mr. Speaker but thanks to the hard work of the volunteers and organizers my family and I were able to enjoy a wide range of virtual activities from the comfort of our home like the maple taffy demonstration and sugar brush tour. While COVID-19 may be keeping us apart community spirit is still alive and well in Kitchener Conestoga and I'm so pleased that our traditions continue to live on albeit a little bit differently. With Ontario moving full steam ahead on the vaccine front and pending any further supply delays from the federal government I am very hopeful that next year it will be safe for all of us to get together on Arthur Street in Elmira for this special event. The next member statement the member from Michigawa James Bay. Today I'm pleased to be here to talk about the city of Capscasing. It sits on the 3D9 traditional territories of Michigawa Creek. The history of the town of Capscasing began in the early 1900s with the opening of the lands of Transcontinental Railway. After that period the first paper mill in Dam are built and with the expected population boomed the provincial government commissioned the project of the planning of the town. So Capscasing is the first provincially planned town with an idea of promote healthy living, environmental and architectural harmony. Truly Capscasing owes its designation as Garden City and the model town of the north. Of course forestry is also very present. Capscasing's history started in the 1930s purchasing spruce for power and paper by the workers in the community. There is a large Francophone community. There's a lot of arts as well. It may have forced Capscasing to celebrate virtually but it didn't take away our identity, our history and our future. Happy birthday, Bosan Capscasing. Thank you very much. Member statements, the member for Perth Wellington. Thank you speaker. Local small and medium-sized business are the backbone of our economy. This is true in every community I represent. They are employers, they are contributors and we cannot succeed without them yet they paid a high price during this pandemic many times over. Despite our government's unprecedented support programs, many businesses have not survived and many more are at risk unless conditions soon improve. Last week I received letters from members of the Stratford City Centre BIA. They raised many concerns. The immense challenge of planning around lockdowns and the costs they impose, the physical and mental health effects of trying to keep businesses afloat, retaining staff and maintaining their confidence in paying the bills without income. That's just to name a few. These challenges are not unique to businesses in Perth Wellington. They are the daily reality for businesses across the province and beyond. Our government is responding with support programs like the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and soon the Ontario Tourism and Hospitality Small Business Support Grant. I was very pleased that the government heard our call to support accommodation providers, travel agencies and others but we also know that businesses that business operators just want to do what they do best. They want to run their businesses. No support program can replace that nor can it replace what has been lost. I will continue speaking for local businesses at every opportunity. Their success matters to me every single one in every single community. We cannot do without them. Thank you. Thank you. Member statements. The member for York Southwest. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in the house this morning to speak to the situation in York Southwest regarding a vaccine for our community. York Southwest is designated hotspot and one of high risk. It is home to many hard working essential workers, seniors who should not be neglected by this government's covered response. Very much like when we had to wait until September 28 for a permanent testing facility. We are now waiting for a permanent vaccine facility. Our residents need access to the vaccine and that is why we didn't wait for the government to act and we teamed up with Humber River Hospital to help organize, register and distribute vaccine to seniors, buildings, places of worship and Toronto Community Housing. I would like to thank Bob Collins and Ruben Rodriguez from Humber River Hospital for their community for their community leadership and for allowing us to assist them in their creative endeavors to deliver vaccines. We would like to continue with those efforts but the government needs to increase their vaccine supply. I urge the government to deliver more vaccines and as well to finally establish a permanent vaccine facility that is badly needed by our community. Mr. Speaker, thank you for your time. Thank you very much. Member statements? Member for Perry Salma Skolka. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I rise today to pay tribute to his Royal Highness Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh. Beyond being a great support to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip made many contributions to Ontario, Canada and the world through his 99 years. Before marrying the Queen, Prince Philip served in the Second World War with the Royal Navy. Over the course of his life, Prince Philip was associated with 992 organizations all over the world. He was most interested in science and technology, the welfare of young people, education, the environment, conservation and sports. Prince Philip leaves behind a legacy of outstanding service to society that reaches around the globe, especially through his Duke of Edinburgh awards and an international program founded in 1956 that encourages youth to develop their highest potential in all areas of life. On June 5th, 1985, during one of Prince Philip's, I believe, 38 visits to Ontario, he presented the Duke of Edinburgh Goard Awards to 100 young Canadians right here in the legislature. I wasn't one of those award winners, but the next day I was honored to meet Prince Philip during a dinner at Ontario Place, which was hosted by my father, Premier, at the time. On behalf of the people of Perry, I want to express our condolences to Her Majesty, the Queen and to all of the Royal Family. Prince Philip will be remembered fondly by people whose lives he touched here in Ontario and around the world. Thank you. Thank you so much, Speaker. And today I'd like to extend my best wishes to all of those celebrating the Holy Month of Ramadan in my writing of Toronto Centre. Ramadan is a time to reflect and worship, to connect with loved ones and to extend generosity and kindness to those in need. This is now the second Ramadan since the pandemic has started. This year it may feel especially difficult, once again, as communities will not be able to come together and celebrate in person at iftar, at prayers, and at community events. It's been inspiring though to see that the local mosques and the Muslim community organizations in my writing have still found ways to celebrate and give back even under these difficult circumstances. I want to thank our local Muslim community for your dedication and your compassion for those in need during Ramadan and all year long. Your support is especially appreciated this year. So many people in our community are experiencing so much hardship and so much loss. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Muslim Welfare Canada for their incredible work providing Regent Park Lunch Service to folks experiencing isolation and food insecurity. And I also want to recognize the Regent Park Islamic Resource Centre for their advocacy and commitments to collaboration and knowledge sharing. And I, last day, I'd like to thank all of the mosques in my writing in Toronto Centre for being really a cornerstone cornerstone in our community when people are feeling so isolated and so alone. So I sincerely hope that we can all come together next year. And to everyone in my community, I hope you have a peaceful and fulfilling Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak, Mubarak. Member statements? Member for Sarnia Lampton. Thank you, Speaker. And it's an honour to rise today and inform everyone in the legislature and in Lampton County that there continues to be significant shipments of vaccine arriving on a weekly basis in Lampton County. I encourage everyone that is eligible to get their shot when their turn comes. This week, Lampton Public Health will receive an additional 7,500 doses of vaccine to use at their mass vaccination clinics and pop up clinics around the county. On average, over 1,000 people per day will be able to receive a vaccine through Lampton Public Health, thanks to their dedicated staff and efficient vaccine clinics. Moreover, on Sunday, I was able to announce that two additional pharmacies in Lampton County will begin registering eligible individuals and administering vaccines this week. That brings the total number of pharmacies in our community with the vaccine to five. Thousands of vaccines have been made available through the vaccine, through the pharmacies to date. They are delivered to a different supply chain and are not counted in Lampton Public Health's impressive vaccination numbers. When it comes to vaccines, the situation in Lampton County really is a positive and hopeful one. Lampton Public Health alone has administered over 30,000 doses of the vaccine to date, accounting for over 30% of the eligible individuals in Lampton County. Real progress is being made, Speaker. The way out of this pandemic is vaccines. As a province, we are leading the country at getting them in arms. I encourage everyone in Lampton County and across this province to stay tuned for more good news on vaccine supply. And as I said earlier, when your turn comes, get your shot. Thank you. Okay. Member for York Center. Thank you, Speaker. Almost three years ago, I rose in this house for my inaugural address and spoke about Canadian kindness. I believe then and I believe now that Canada is the best country in the world. And why? Because of Canadians. So kind, so gracious, so charitable. People from coast to coast, loving, respecting and caring for each other because kindness is Canadian. But, Speaker, I'm so fearful of this COVID dogma. COVID is a risky infection to some folks and we need to protect them. But this radical obsession with COVID protocols that make ordinary people, mistreat other people, is putting Canadian kindness in jeopardy. You know, I was born and lived in the Soviet Union for the first nine years of my life. In autocratic regimes, people don't show kindness to each other. Thugs bully people into compliance on the street. Teachers tell on children. Neighbors snitch on neighbors. Nonconformity to state edicts result in exclusion, hate and prejudice. It's unthinkable. It's evil and it's most certainly un-Canadian. So plead with all the members of this house and anyone watching. Please stop the COVID bullying. Please try to love thy neighbour again. Please remember Canadian compassion, tolerance and accommodation. Please don't be mean to people in store or in transit. Please recall what makes us Canadian and bring back the foundation for everything that's so wonderful about our country. Please try to be nice and compassionate with each other. Please bring back Canadian kindness. Thank you. The next statement, the member for Eglinton Lawrence. Thank you, Speaker. Today I rise to mark the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the Bank Act of 1871. The act laid the groundwork for Canada to have a safe, sound, stable banking system, one that is highly regarded by global financial institutions and bodies like the IMF and the World Bank. According to Joseph E. Martin, a business historian who is also my husband's father, the Bank Act was one of, or arguably the greatest single accomplishment of our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. McDonald, other than Confederation itself, of course. Had an earlier proposed Bank Act passed from 1869, it would have given the Bank of Montreal the status of the Bank of England in the UK, thereby reducing Ontario banks to local county banks without branches. But at around that time, two banks in Ontario had folded and Ontario MPs were concerned about future banking stability. The 1871 Bank Act created a national branch banking system based on the ideas of Alexander Hamilton, founding father and first secretary of the US Treasury. McDonald had studied Hamilton's ideas and saw the wisdom of a strong central government and a national banking system. I believe there are many important things we can learn from studying our history. Although Sir John A. McDonald was undoubtedly a man of his times, we should celebrate not just his role in founding this country, but also his role in founding our sound financial system through the passage of the 1871 Bank Act, which is so important to our strong and vital economy, which we will surely need post COVID-19. Thank you very much. That concludes our member statements for this morning.