 I'm from Member's Statement. Thank you to the Member from Durham, the Member from New Market Aurora. Thank you Speaker. I'm pleased to rise in the House today in support of the Canadian Cancer Society's Daffodil Campaign. Every April, the Canadian Cancer Society's Daffodil Campaign raises essential funds to save lives and improve the quality of life for people affected with bi-cancer, spreading hope from community to community. A key part of this effort is supporting the world-leading work of cancer researchers in Canada to transform cancer care and improve the treatment experience. I'm thankful for the Canadian Cancer Society for all the work they do across this province, but also in my writing. I am confident that everyone in this Chamber had or currently has a loved one who was diagnosed with cancer. I have a sibling who was diagnosed a year ago and is today fighting for her life. As the member of the Provincial Parliament for New Market Aurora, I'm committed to continuing to work closely with the Canadian Cancer Society as they establish health policies to prevent cancer and better support those living with this disease here in Ontario. Thank you. Thank you the Member from London West. Thank you Speaker. I rise today on behalf of London West families of children with autism. After four and a half years on the waitlist, Sarah Ferrantz felt hopeful when her seven-year-old son Mason was invited to register for the OAP in October, but she has heard absolutely nothing since. While she waits the one time funding that paid for Mason's speech therapy has run out and so has Sarah's hope for Mason's future. After a 10 month wait for an assessment for his three-year-old son Luke, Sean Menard was told he could wait years for OAP funding. Sean wants a plan from this government to clear the backlog and get Luke the critical early intervention he needs. Sean desperately wants Luke to speak one day but says without help from the government, Luke may never speak a single word to his mother or me. Even for families who have been approved, the autism program is broken. Virginia Ridley's two teenage sons received OAP funding but Virginia struggles to find services geared to youth and faces constant delays getting reimbursed. At the end of February she was out of pocket $9,000. Speaker with no mention of autism in the 2023 budget these families feel abandoned by the Ford government. Where is the plan? Where is the urgency to fix the OAP and get Mason and Luke and Virginia's sons the services they need and deserve? Thank You Speaker. Speaker this year marks the 47th anniversary of the annual Festival of the Maples in Perth, Ontario. Since 1976 Perth has celebrated a legacy of liquid gold against a backdrop of magnificent heritage architecture on the banks of the Tay River. Hosted by the Perth Chamber of Commerce the Festival of the Maples embraces all that Lannark County has to offer with artisans, vendors, musicians and award winning maple syrup producers. For residents, guests and tourists of every age the day begins with steaming stacks of pancakes and on wines with music, shopping, dining and classic entertainment including the historic sap tapping contest and the wood cookie cross-cut saw competition. Speaker Lannark County is the maple syrup capital of Ontario and this time of year visitors are hiking our sugar bush trails, touring award-winning multi-generational sugar camps and heading home with some of the finest maple syrup in the world. Throughout Lannark County you'll find maple syrup featured in restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops and distilleries all eager to embrace the sweet taste of spring. Last year's festival featured 160 vendors and welcomed over 30,000 guests. This is the town of 9,000. 30,000 guests to this event. Today Mr. Speaker I extend a warm Lannark County welcome to one and all to experience the 47th Festival of the Maples Saturday April 29th in beautiful heritage Perth. Hope to see you there. The member from Thunder Bay, Superior Noe. Thank you Madam Speaker. Unfortunately the foreign government is not helping Franco Ontarians. The provincial budget of this year is actually a clear example of these policy. They don't have any program and any help for Francophone speakers. It is incredible. Our government is actually not having a real vision for Franco Ontarians. We do need a government which is going to show solidarity to Franco Ontarians which offer healthcare in French, which offer helps for mental health and helps people to have access to health services and to affordable housing. And one more thing. Very often the highways 11 and 17 are closed because of accidents. First of all we need to have inspections on these roads and also we need to control and to check the drivers life license of drivers of track drivers because very often these drivers are not ready to drive on these roads because of the weather conditions and because of the road conditions. Franco Ontarians deserve more than that. Thank you very much. First of all I want to congratulate the new Minister for Children and Community Services. Minister is a very compassionate and hard-working. Minister is someone who talk from the heart. I'm very excited to working with him as a parliamentary assistant. I also want to thank and congratulate the new associate minister for housing for a new role. Madam Speaker, the 2023 budget is resonate in my riding of Mark Antondale very well received. My constituents at the Armadale Seniors Club, Tamil Seniors Association, Boscow Seniors Wellness Club and Green Bro and Middlefield Seniors Wellness Club in Markham are all very happy with the budget and commanding that changes to expand the eligibility for Keynes program what he called as a current annual income system for the seniors. We have a Minister for Seniors aside beside me. Thank you Minister. Keynes program for seniors another important news and also my constituents like Miss Cho appreciate the increases in the ODSP benefit by our government. Also parents and students are both very happy to know that through the targeted math support an additional 12.6 million investment is provided. I will it will double the number of math coaches who will be responsible for implementing early intervention strategy for better understanding math concept. Thank you madam. Thank you speaker. Today I want to talk about my friend Marcel Sharon. Mars was a mill operator at Glencore back when it was called Balkan Bridge. He worked on the floor to blue collar job. He was a sort of guy who was friendly and quiet. He's definitely funny. He's proud to be blue collar but he wasn't a stereotype speaker. Marspelle spoke openly about the horrors of Femme aside and the damage it does to community. His sister Chantel was murdered by an ex-boyfriend and Mars shared his pain hopeful that it would help. Hopefully it would lead to change. Most people knew Marcelle is only believed in workers. He spoke for workers. He stood for workers. He simply wanted a better world for everyone. His activism got him more involved with his union and 2013 he was elected as vice president of mine million for local 598 my dad's union. Five years later he was their president. Unfortunately early in his term Mars was diagnosed with cancer. The fight with cancer was hard over the past five years but I witnessed a love story and I'm a sucker for a love story and fewer is beautiful how much Kathy loved Marcelle and how much he loved her right back speaker. It's easy to be in love in the best of times and it's beautiful to see love fight through in the worst. Last Friday I visited Kathy Marcelle at the Mizzone McCall hospice. Cass said he knew he had to come but he was mad and Mars winked at her. He said I'll get over it. This is the last time I ever see Marcelle speaker. A blue collar worker, a vocal advocate against Femmecide, a worker activist, a union president, a loving father, a loving husband. I'll miss you brother. Kitchener self-haspiler. Thank you speaker. A brief statement about about about death and about gratitude. When I was 19 about 17 years ago I was driving to work. I was late and I changed lanes to avoid a bus and I rear-ended an old lady and as I said that was 17 years ago and most rear-endings don't follow the story that we did but what ended up happening was we sort of adopted her into our family as a bit of a grandmother figure for me. Her name was Elta and she was from the island country of Dominica and over the years my mother took care of her and that care escalated. Elta passed away recently and in the course of her passing I had the opportunity to experience both the palliative care team in our area particularly Dr. Celine Sandor and then ultimately the incredible benefit that we have in Waterloo Region of Hostess Waterloo Region. A week before her passing Elta was moved to Lazard House Hospice and we were very worried that it would be incredibly stressful for her but her first day there I came into the room and she held my mother's hand and she just said I'm so happy and I want to tell them how thankful I am for them taking care of Elta in her years and how grateful I am that we have them in our riding. Thank you. Other statements the member for Haldeman Norfolk. Thank you speaker on Tuesday I was invited to a mom's and talk's tea party in the Hamlet of Fairgrounds Norfolk County. This tea party hosted by the Norfolk Community Help Center is part of a much larger picture a bigger community initiative. Speaker the Help Center supports women in the community largely from the Mennonite population but also women from the indigenous community and as of late the Ukraine. The goal is to often work toward obtaining a grade 12 education while learning English as a second language. Since the program began 64 low German speaking women have graduated with their Ontario secondary school diploma. The center also has a partnership with Fanshawe College and the Grandary District School Board. Currently 15 people of diverse backgrounds are learning quick books accounting. A mom's and Todd's program allows these women to come together to improve social emotional and general well-being. Many of the families served have between five and nine children. These vital community connections enhance independence and coping skills while raising awareness of nutrition reproductive practices and physical activity. Other supports offered are in areas such as settlement advocacy pre and postnatal care as well as low German interpretation. The supports being offered in the community continue to grow all on a shoestring budget all with the love of a few key people and under the leadership of executive director Nancy Hildebrand. Speaker this is a small but very interesting area with many issues and needs. I look forward to working with Nancy and her team for more opportunities to assist and empower this community. Thank you. Thank you. Member statements. The member for Mississauga Moulton. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker culture gives us a sense of belonging and help us connect to serve and celebrate while bonding for life. That is why cultural organization like Rajasthan Association of North America do remarkable service to the world we live in. Started in 2007 Rana Canada has grown into a vibrant association of entrepreneurs, healthcare providers, lawyers, educators, financial and IT professionals. From last 15 years Rana has been promoting cultural values through community events like holy, Gangur, Canada Day, India Day and Diwali. Mr. Speaker tough times are the test times. During COVID-19 Rana members distributed meals to the homeless, supported hospitals, local food banks with the financial contribution. Rana also provided scholarships to deserving youth and supported students with extreme financial hardship. Provided platform to mentor local and international students to help them to better integrate, succeed and contribute to Canada. I am pleased to share that our Mississauga Moulton community office is joining hands with Rana to organize our blood donation drive in the effort to keep working for the good of the entire community. Thanks to Rana members for going above and beyond the call of duty and becoming integral part of beautiful music of Canada, your true representative of Ontario spirit. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Member statements. The member for Hastings Lennox and Addingson. Thank you Mr. Speaker. This coming Sunday April the second is World Autism Day. Many of us are aware of autism and we recognize that autism brings with it its unique challenges and obstacles but also strength skills and perspectives that enrich our communities and contribute to our collective growth. Now we must turn our attention away from awareness and towards acceptance and inclusivity. I ask that all of us here in the chamber and all in our audience embrace the diverse spectrum of human experiences by creating environments where individuals with autism feel valued, heard and supported. Let us take it upon ourselves to learn about autism to challenge misconceptions and break down barriers by cultivating a culture of acceptance. We nurture the growth of individuals on the spectrum and allow them to thrive in their own unique way. Speaker on World Autism Day let us commit to a world where awareness leads to inclusion, where understanding leads to acceptance and where every individual regardless of their neurological makeup has the opportunity to contribute their talents and reach their full potential. Thank you Speaker. Thank you very much. That concludes our member statements for this morning.