 Therefore it is now time for a question period. The leader of Her Majesty's Royal Opposition. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier this morning. I was planning on asking the Liberals about the health cuts, about the autism funding cuts. Instead I'm forced to ask this Premier about a media report by David Reevely about an unprecedented fifth OPP investigation. The member from the appeal Carlton is warned. Mr. Speaker, an unprecedented fifth OPP investigation. OPP investigation number one, orange scandal. OPP investigation number two, the gas plant scandal. OPP investigation is number three and four, the Sudbury bribery scandal. Can the Premier confirm that her question is in fact under a fifth OPP investigation? Thank you very much Mr. Speaker and I know the Minister of Energy will want to comment. We were not aware of any investigation until the media report Mr. Speaker. If we are contacted, we will as always cooperate fully with authorities. We're taking a cautious and a responsible approach Mr. Speaker to offshore wind to allow for the development of research and coordination. The Minister of the Environment is doing some of that research Mr. Speaker, looking at the issue to ensure that we protect the health and safety of people and of the environment Mr. Speaker. We look forward to additional research coming forward and we stand behind our cautious and responsible approach to offshore wind to allow for the development of research and coordination. Mr. Speaker, I haven't acknowledged you yet. Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, in early 2011 Trillium wind power was moving ahead with their offshore wind project near Kingston. At 3pm on February 11th, 2011 Trillium was set to close a deal on financing that project, a fact that the Liberals were well aware of. At 2.24pm that same day, minutes before the deal was to close, the Liberals put out a press release cancelling the offshore wind program without ever explaining why. When Trillium tried to find out why, there wasn't a single record of the government's decision. Mr. Speaker, does the Premier normally make policy by press releases? Mr. Speaker, the Premier has been extremely clear that we would open up the government completely. If you choose to go down that road, I think I've made it quite clear I want to go through question period properly. Finish please. Mr. Speaker, the allegations are within a time frame, Mr. Speaker, that are covered by this report from the Information and Privacy Commissioner in which I quote, I have appreciated the cooperation I have received from Premier Kathleen Nguyen. The Premier issued a directive in accordance with the recommendations made in the report and committed the government to greater transparency and accountability. In addition, political staff received in-depth training on record retention responsibilities and I applaud these developments, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate, Mr. Speaker, that the opposition are heeing and hawing about the report of the Independent Information Commissioner, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. Dodge, deny, deflect, muddy, the waters. Let me be a bit more specific. We know the Premier signed the deal to cancel the gas plants in order to save the seat of the Finance Minister. But the question is, why did the Liberal Cabinet cancel the offshore wind project? Is it because the current Economic Development Minister was worried about the planned wind project at the Scarborough Bluffs? Was it to save the Liberal seat in Kingston? Or was it because Trillium never donated to the Ontario Liberal Party? Minister. Mr. Speaker, on the issue of offshore wind, we continue to take a cautious and responsible approach, Mr. Speaker. There are thousands of land-based wind turbines around the world backed by decades of science and experience, Mr. Speaker. Offshore wind in freshwater lakes is still at early stages of development, Mr. Speaker. Worldwide. That's why we still have a moratorium on offshore wind development. The Ministry of Environment continues to research this issue to ensure we protect our health and the health of our environment, Mr. Speaker. We look forward to additional research coming forward from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Even though he's in a different seat, the member from Prince Edward Hastings will come to order because I don't think he heard me because he was still heckling while I was asking him to come to order. You have a wrap-up sentence, please. I'm finished. Thank you. New question. The Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. We know the Liberals cancelled the gas plants because they were afraid of losing seats in the 2011 election. That political decision cost Ontario a billion dollars. That billion dollars is being paid by every senior, every family in Ontario on their skyrocketing hydro bills. And now Ontario families and seniors may be on the hook for another $500 million that Trillium is suing for. Is that the cautious approach the Minister of Energy describes? Premier. Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, why should families and seniors pay for yet another liberal scandal? Premier. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and as the Minister of Energy has said, there is research that is ongoing, Mr. Speaker. There are decades of research on land-based wind turbines, Mr. Speaker. There is not the same body of research for freshwater lakes, Mr. Speaker, turbines. The member from Renfrew, Nipissing, Pembroke come to order. And whoever said that last one, if I knew who you were, I couldn't bring you to order, too. That's why there continues to be a moratorium, Mr. Speaker. We are taking a responsible approach for that body of research to be developed, Mr. Speaker. The member from Nipissing come to order. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. I think the government and the Premier is missing the point. Because of their actions, every family is paying more. And hydro customers are already paying more than $1,000 extra under the Liberals because of your political intervention. Now Trillium, and I'll be very clear on this, is suing the Liberals for $500 million that's going to go on everyone's bill. That's an extra $100 for every home in Ontario. When is enough? Enough. Because of your mistakes, everyone in Ontario is paying. Mr. Speaker, does the Premier really think Ontario families and seniors should pay thousands of dollars more because of this government's incompetence? Thank you. This is not the moment in which I ask for attention and I even am still standing. And when I sit down you start, I'll deal with it. Premier. Mr. Vanity. Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition knows that this matter is before the courts. He also didn't mention Mr. Speaker, he didn't mention Mr. Speaker that their statement of claim was thrown out by the Court of Appeal or not, Mr. Speaker. And they restarted that court case, Mr. Speaker, or not, it's an allegation. But this part of Mr. Speaker doesn't know anything about oversight. This, Mr. Speaker, this government has created the position of financial accountability. I will be insistent and consistent. Finish, please. Mr. Speaker, this government has created the position of financial accountability officer. Made the French Language Services Commissioner independent, Mr. Speaker. Put into place. Finish, please. I'll complete the list, Mr. Speaker. Put into place the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth. Answer. Allocated new powers to the Provincial Advocate for Children. Expanded the ombudsman's role to include oversight in municipalities, school boards, and publicly funded universities. Thank you. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. If the Ministry of Energy is correct, we can't talk about anything related to an OPP investigation. When there's five, that... The back and forth is not helpful. I'd like to be able to put the question properly as I want the answers to be able to be put properly. Please finish. Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, the question is for the Premier. If we can't discuss any matter that's under an OPP investigation, when there is an unprecedented of five OPP investigations, you have to leave us something to ask about here. In the legislature, on eHealth and orange scandals are being felt in every community in Ontario. Hospitals being closed, doctors being fired, nurses being let go. The billions of dollars wasted on smart meters and gas plants are being felt. I'm sorry, but I'm getting challenged. The member from Hamilton, East Stony Creek, the member from Hamilton Mountain, Trinity Spadina, come to order. Carry on. Those scandals are being felt in every bill, Mr. Speaker. Life is getting harder under the Liberals. So my question is, does this government not appreciate that it's harder and harder for families and seniors? Does this government not care that people can't get the health care they need, Mr. Speaker? My question is for the Premier. Thank you. Your time is up. Thank you, Minister. Mr. Speaker, the opposition continues to ignore what's really happening in the electricity sector, Mr. Speaker. They have acknowledged and they support what's happening in the nuclear sector. Member from Leeds, Grenville, second time. Finish, please. They acknowledge and support what's happening in the nuclear sector, Mr. Speaker, where for the next 30 years we are going to be introducing into the grid electricity at 7.7 cents per kilowatt hour, Mr. Speaker. We'll be producing clean energy. They refuse to acknowledge that wind prices, Mr. Speaker, are coming in at grid rate now, Mr. Speaker, at 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour, Mr. Speaker. They've been allowing a special, Mr. Speaker. They can't face the truth, Mr. Speaker. The third party. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Apparently the Liberals ripped up energy contracts for political gain. Again. Again? It's allegedly destroyed energy-related documents. Again. Again. And now the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch is investigating the Premier's office. Again. Again. The Premier signed off on the Gas Plants' Cancellation, Speaker. What was her role in the cancelling of the wind projects? The investigation until the media report. If we're contacted, we will obviously cooperate fully. We're taking a cautious and a responsible approach to offshore wind in order to allow for the development of research and coordination, Mr. Speaker. The Ministry of the Environment is undertaking that research, Mr. Speaker. And you know, the fact is that there's a large body of research that backs up the placement of land-based wind turbines around the world, Mr. Speaker. That same body of research does not exist for offshore fresh water wind turbines, Mr. Speaker. We will await that body of research before decisions remain, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, we have a very serious problem here in the province of Ontario. You know, when the Quebec Liberals were facing scandal after scandal in the construction industry, they decided to clear the air by establishing the Charbonneau Commission. Officially, it was called the Commission of Inquiry on the awarding and management of public contracts in the construction industry. After the Gas Plant scandal, the Hydro-1 sell-off of fundraising quotas in the energy sector, and now the latest OPP investigation, it's time for a similar commission into the energy sector here by the people of this province and call a Commission of Inquiry on the awarding of management and management rather of public contracts in the energy industry so that Ontario... Member from Renfrew, come to order. Premier. Minister of Energy. Minister of Energy. Minister Speaker, I appreciate the role of the opposition. I appreciate the fact that they have something in the newspaper, which is in the form of an allegation, Mr. Speaker. And I appreciate the fact that the opposition is not going to stand up and say anything good about this government, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, but I know Mr. Speaker. You know what? She hasn't... She hasn't mentored Hydro-1, Mr. Speaker, because the way we're paying down debt from the proceeds of the IPO, we are saving interest charges, Mr. Speaker, of $100 million a year by paying down debt, Mr. Speaker. Finished? Is the member finished? Wrap up. Wrap up. Thank you. Ask Plants Contracts so they could win a handful of seats in Mississauga and Oakville. The Premier admitted that. That cost Ontarians $1.1 billion. It's a... Minister of Natural Resources. Stop the question. Minister of Natural Resources. Come to order. The Deputy House Leader. Come to order. Finished, please. That they ripped up fit contracts and then tried to hide the evidence in order to win seats in Scarborough. This could cost Ontarians $500 million or more. These decisions are about helping the Liberal Party. Not the people, not green energy or good policy. But people end up paying the price, Speaker, and they deserve the answers. Will this Premier do the right thing by the people of this province and call a commission of inquiry into the awarding and the management of public... Minister. Mr. Speaker. Again, I understand the role of the opposition, Mr. Speaker. But, you know, when the leader gets up, it's hard to focus on an answer, Mr. Speaker. Members of Bruce Gray own sound. When she takes Kanora in the north and she takes Toronto in the south, Mr. Speaker. And she pees all over the map, Mr. Speaker. On every issue that she could possibly raise in a question. So I choose, Mr. Speaker, to take one aspect of what she's been raised in her shotgun approach, Mr. Speaker, and talk about what's positive happening in this province today, Mr. Speaker. She won't ask a question about Moody's investors raising the credit rating, Mr. Speaker, out of the province of Ontario, saying that we're leading our targets, we're growing the economy, Mr. Speaker, and we're creating jobs, Mr. Speaker. She won't talk about any of those, Mr. Speaker. She's embarrassed by how successful we are. New question. Leader of the third party. Thank you, Speaker. My next question is also for the Premier, but I might remind the Minister and the Premier that the role of government is actually to work in the interests of Ontarians, not the Liberal Party. The scandal plans and the fit contracts was cancelled to help the Liberal Party. The government is selling Hydro One, which doesn't build infrastructure, but does help us help out rather a group of bankers who in turn attended private fundraisers with the Minister of Energy and the Minister of Finance. The Liberal Party held a $100,000 fundraiser with private nuclear companies immediately before the government chose private companies and scrapped their plans to work with the OPG. People want their government to focus on making sure that families and businesses have affordable, reliable electricity in this province. But every time the Liberal Party makes a deal, their only question seems to be, how can this help the Liberal Party? Will this Premier, the air speaker, and actually call a commission of inquiry? Mr. Member from Trinity Spadina. It's the second time. Premier. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to talk to the member opposite on the issue of fundraising that she raised. Because, Mr. Speaker, when we talk about getting ideas from various parts of the province, Mr. Speaker, and from the opposition parties, we actually have asked the PCs and the NDP and the Green Party to sit down and look at draft legislation. Well, Mr. Speaker, you know, the question that the leader of the third party asked was a very wide-ranging question. And she began with fundraising, Mr. Speaker, and it's really disappointing. Thank you. Premier. Of all of the parties, so the PCs, the NDP and the Green Party, the only party that has refused to come to look at the draft legislation and give input is the NDP. Mr. Speaker, disappointing since the Liberal Party wins and Ontarians time and time again. There is something seriously wrong here, Speaker, and people deserve some basic answers from their government, from their Premier. She has promised openness and transparency. Will she finally, Speaker, take an opportunity to actually fulfill that promise and call a commission of inquiry on the awarding and management of public contracts in the energy sector in this province? Mr. Speaker, so let me take another piece of the question that the leader of the third party focused on. Mr. Speaker, she talked about Hydro-1. Now, I understand that the leader of the third party and I have a difference of opinion on Hydro-1, but here's the thing, Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised that the leader of the third party has not once expressed her support for the building of transit and transportation infrastructure in this province. Mr. Speaker, that we need funding in order to do that, Mr. Speaker. She campaigned on the same fiscal assumptions that we did, Mr. Speaker, and we have moved forward to make those investments. It's very surprising to me, Mr. Speaker, that not only will the NDP not give us substance in terms of fundraising advice, but she also isn't interested in talking about how we should invest in transit and how we should pay for that, Mr. Speaker. Do you see the place? Final supplementary. Speaker, the Premier of this province and her ministers insisted their energy decisions are business as usual, but there is a pattern, Speaker. There's a pattern that is very serious and very wrong. Liberal party benefits, the OPP investigates, and people pay more. That's the pattern of this Liberal government when it comes to the energy sector. The Premier has promised transparency over and over again, Speaker. I think she does not know what that word means. I'm calling on her to keep that promise, Speaker. If everything is okay, if everything is above board, if there's no problem whatsoever, then the Premier's got nothing to worry about and the air can be cleared for the people of this province. I ask her to take my question seriously to actually give the people of this province the respect they deserve and answer the question that I'm asking her. Not try to be obtuse about it, but answer the question that I'm asking her, which is will she give Ontario people the answers they deserve and call a commission of inquiry into the awarding and management of public contracts in the energy sector in this province? It's simple. She knows that there is a case before the court. We use energy, Mr. Speaker, to gather evidence to look at the research, Mr. Speaker. She knows. I would think that the NDP has got research on clean renewable energy, Mr. Speaker. She would know that there are decades of research that has been done on land-based wind turbines, Mr. Speaker. That same body of research does not exist for offshore fresh water sighting of turbines, Mr. Speaker. That research is being done, done, and we will take the responsible approach and await the results of that research. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Premier. A year ago today, the Minister of Economic Development said, and I quote, I'd like to see us land a new manufacturing plant or two in the next five or ten years. He even went so far as to point an auto czar to make that happen. Yet the Minister of Environment has totally different plans. At the same time that he threatened the 50,000 jobs in the nuclear industry, he also took aim at the nearly one in six Ontario jobs that benefit from the auto industry. Speaker, the Minister of Environment described our Canadian manufacturers as, and I quote, lacking courageous leadership and doomed to have BMW and Tesla start eating our lunch. Unquote. Mr. Speaker, for the second day in a row, which cabinet minister does the Premier side with? The minister who wants auto manufacturing or the minister who doesn't? Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, we've been very clear all along that we are going to invest in our economy to create good-paying jobs, and we have. The plan's been working over 603,000 net new jobs since the recession. We have become the top destination in all North America for foreign direct investment. People know California, Texas, New York, and every other province. And we do so because we are partnering with the auto sector, recognizing the transformations that they're making in manufacturing for value added manufacturing, which by the way also is an improvement for our environment. They work can and hand, Mr. Speaker, we're working closely together to improve our economy, improve our environment, and Mr. Speaker, we're winning by this point. Well, again to the Premier. Speaker, just last year, the Premier appointed Ray Tangay, the auto czar, to help bring new auto investment to our province. In one day, the environment minister has reversed much of that hard work. It's another day, another uninformed comment from the environment minister. Speaker, we've already lost General Motors and Windsor, the Ford plant near St. Thomas, and the GM plant in Oshawa could be next. If the GM plant leaves, it alone will cost Ontario $5.7 billion in GDP and over 33,000 well-paying jobs in Ontario. Speaker, that's why I wrote to Ray Tangay to see if he agrees with the minister's comments. Speaker, who does a Premier think should produce the government's policies on the auto sector? The expert with over 30 years experience or Glenn Murray? Minister's title or writing, please? Mr. Finance. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the question because it gives us the opportunity to once again talk about the importance of the auto industry, the importance of concern and continuing to support a sector which, by the way, Mr. Speaker, the Progressive Conservatives voted against the opportunity to save the auto industry when it was most in need. They stood on their hand and they did not support what was necessary. As a result of our ongoing support, since 2003, our government has invested over $1 billion in leveraging an additional $12 billion for the private sector for the auto industry. Ontario owns four of the top five positions in the latest survey by JD Power Associates for the quality vehicles built in North America. Over the past two years, Ontario has seen nearly $4.5 billion in new auto investments. This is helping create and sustain over 21,000 jobs in that very sector as well as a peripheral sector that services those speakers. The auto industry is critical to Ontario and we are going to continue to support it and we're going to continue to support it. Thank you. New question from the member from Bramley, Gore-Multon. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Currently, the OPP is investigating the Liberal government for gaspan scandals, orange kickback, Sudbury bribery scheme. Now the OPP is investigating the Liberal government for deleting documents in a $2.25 billion lawsuit regarding the cancellation of wind contracts to save seats. Now it seems that this is the fifth OPP probe into this Liberal government. It seems every time we look at Liberal self-interest, it leads to police investigations. Can the Premier explain this pattern? Thank you very much, Speaker. I appreciate the question from the member opposite. Look, it's pretty clear, Speaker, that on this side of the house, open, transparent, and accountable records is what this government supports. Look at Bill 8, where the member opposite laughs. But when we introduced Bill 8 with higher standards for transparency and accountability, the NDP voted against it. They said they were lying about it, but they voted against it. We created an offense for up to $5,000 for the willful destruction of records, ensuring that all chiefs of staff were designated as the person accountable for records and compliance. We developed a mandatory training program with respect to that, and we required that every institution have reasonable methods to secure their records. And when we introduced Bill 8 to raise the standards and raise the bar in Ontario, this party and those members would clear the air. It would clear the air with regards to the cancellation of the wind contracts and the destruction of documents. It would perhaps clean the air with regards to why this government is selling off Hydro-1, and it would answer probably some questions around the Liberal government's fundraising and the connection to the energy sector. Now, if the Premier has nothing to hide, why not just clear the air? Will the Premier do the right thing and call the Commission of Inquiry into the awarding and management of public contracts in the energy sector, yes or no? Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. The OPP investigation will take place, and it will take place as an independent investigation, and we're not going to interfere in that in any way, nor should we. The importance of this, Speaker, is to ensure that we continue to raise the standard around record keeping, record retention. That's what our government is doing. And in fact, the Information Privacy Commissioner commented on that and specifically said, with regard to Bill 8, that they voted against and with the steps that we've taken, I'm pleased to report that the Premier and the government have made significant progress in addressing each of the recommendations made. I appreciate the cooperation I've received from Premier Kathleen Nguyen. You know, Speaker, this, I think, premier in raising the standards for record keeping, retention, and ensuring that records are kept. Thank you. As the question ended, I was ready to stand up and ask the member from Lanark to come to order and also the member from Kitchener Waterloo. Sorry, new question. Sorry, the member from Durham. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. We all agree that the quality of our air directly impacts our health, our environment, and the future of all Ontarians. I and the residents of Durham take particular interest as we live east of Canada's largest city and our air quality changes are impacted by air in Toronto. So it is in my constituents and everyone's best interest that our air be as clean as possible. I understand that the 2014 air quality report was recently released, marking 44 years of reporting on air quality in Ontario. Would the Minister please provide more details to the House on the findings of the 2014 air quality report? There's very, very good news in the air quality report, and I'd like to share with the House, Mr. Speaker. Member from Wren for the second time. Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The air quality, the State of Air Quality Ontario report has shown some amazing progress. There were absolutely no smog advisories in 2014, and the province's air has rated very good for 94% of the year. The 2014 Ontario air quality report shows significant decreases in smog-causing pollutants. Specifically, 42% decrease in nitrogen oxide, 49% decrease in sulfur dioxide, 40%. Member from Bruce Gray, Owen Sound, second time. Just as a reminder, if you get to warnings, the next time you're out. Carry on. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. 31% decrease in smog, in particular manner, Mr. Speaker. These are very significant reductions. As a matter of fact, they're record-breaking reductions. Mr. Speaker, thank you to the Minister. The 2014 air quality report seems to confirm that our actions are contributing to improved air quality and helping to fight climate change. I am glad to be part of a government that takes the health of our people and environment seriously. We have set a new air standard and rules for industry. Air emissions, eliminated coal-fired power plants, continue investing in clean and renewable energy, and help place emissions, cap, and sulfur, dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. So, all across Ontario, we are seeing improvements to air quality. Would the Minister please provide the House with specific regional information coming out of the air quality report? Christian, thank you. Minister? Thanks, Mr. Speaker. It's a pleasure to do so. Ontario has a network of 39 outside air monitoring stations, Mr. Speaker. I'd just like to give a bit of a summary of what's going on across Ontario. In Windsor, very good to good air quality, 90% of the time in 2014. Nitrogen dioxide concentrations of problem in Windsor are down 26%, and sulfur dioxide down 58% in Windsor. In London, very good air quality, 91% of the time in London, nitric dioxide, 58% of them. Here in Toronto, Mr. Speaker, very good to good air quality, 93% of the time nitrogen dioxide down 36%, and over the same period, sulfur dioxide down a remarkable 75%. In Kingston, Mr. Speaker, good air quality, 94% of the time nitrogen oxide down 35%. And in my parliamentary assistance, the great city of Sudbury, Mr. Speaker, air quality is good 97% of the time, which is a record. Thank you. No questions from the members from Leeds Rumble. Our back, Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Speaker, volunteer groups were shocked this minister allowed the Ontario Trillium Foundation to scrap its vital capital program. Now we learn the move is just part of what only can be described as a traumatic overhaul of Trillium. And it's all happening without input from frontline staff, OTF volunteers, or the communities this cherished program has served so well. Included in a proposal by the OTF Board to dramatically reduce local input in the granting process by slashing the number of catchment areas from 16 to just five. Speaker, is the minister aware of this plan and what is he doing to protect frontline jobs at OTF and ensure it continues to support volunteer groups in small towns and rural Ontario? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to start by saying how proud we are as a government to support the Ontario Trillium Foundation. We know that the Trillium Foundation is such a successful organization and it does great work right across the province of Ontario. Mr. Speaker, this year our contribution as a government to Ontario Trillium is $115 million that goes out to many different parts of Ontario. We've invested $25 million to Ontario Trillium for a new community capital program that we know is going to support the capital build of many different organizations here in Ontario. And with Canada 150 we see this as an exciting addition to the celebration that will take place next year. We're very proud of our Trillium Foundation and the local boards that make the decisions at the local level across the province, Mr. Speaker. Well, Speaker, back to the minister, but from that answer, Speaker, it's obvious that the minister doesn't know about the situation. He'll be interested to know though that decisions made by local grant review teams were recently reversed by OTF's Central Liaison Committee after $3.4 million was left on the table at year end. Instead of going back to the local teams, these experts, this committee handpicked the winners by approving applications that were previously rejected. This behaviour is eroding the role of local volunteers and program staff who know the communities that they serve. The good news is though the minister can stop it. The CEO's report to the board states very clearly the minister must approve the regionalization plan. Speaker, why is the minister allowing the board to proceed with this plan without insisting OTF conduct broad consultation first? Thank you, minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the member opposite for the question. It sounds as though he has some concerns. Mr. Speaker, there's a business plan that's presented to us as a ministry each year. Anything that's in that business plan is approved by me as the minister, and it goes through a very serious process locally. Any type of major shift that happens in any of our agencies that affects the public is open to a discussion locally. Mr. Speaker, I continue to submit names that goes to cabinet that are approved for people who serve on these 16 boards. The 16 boards are currently intact, and they will continue to be in that position. That's the current plan now. If he has a specific item that he'd like to talk to me about, maybe perhaps a local board that's within his area, I'd love to sit down and talk to him about that. Thank you. Thank you. New question? Leader of the third party. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. When it comes to our health care, what's best for patients should always be the bottom line, Speaker. But this Premier is forcing Ontario's hospitals to make deep cuts to frontline care, and patients are the ones who are paying the price. More than 1,200 nursing positions have been cut since the start of 2015. Hospital beds are being shut down. Lab services and outpatient clinics are closing. Patients see what's happening to our health care, Speaker, and families are feeling it. And frontline workers and nurses know exactly how deep these cuts are, but the Premier doesn't seem to be listening. Speaker, what will it take for this Premier to stop cutting hospital care and restore the stable, predictable funding that our public hospitals deserve? Mr. Health and Long-Term Care. Mr. Health and Long-Term Care. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And this year in the budget, we've increased our hospital line by 2.1%, well above the rate of inflation, Mr. Speaker. It's a $345 million increase. But at the same time, if we look, we're now entering year five of the changes, the quality changes that we've made to our health care system, beginning with their hospitals. And we asked ISIS, the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, rather, to do a preliminary evaluation of the impact. And here's what they found. In our hospitals, they found that we are seeing more patients, Mr. Speaker. We're seeing a reduction in the average length of stay for surgical and medical admissions, Mr. Speaker. We're seeing importantly improvement in nursing sensitive measures for selected conditions. We're seeing fewer falls, fewer pressure sores, fewer urinary tract infections, fewer in hospital cases of pneumonia. And we're seeing that hospital readmission rates have not changed, Mr. Speaker. So we're actually seeing tremendous improvements with the changes we've made. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, for the past four years, base operating funding for hospitals increased by, just take a guess, zero, Mr. Speaker, zero percent. And now in 2016, notwithstanding the way the minister tries to kind of reclaim what's really in that budget, it's only a 1% increase to base funding in that budget. Page 116, he can ask his finance minister to look it up for him. It's no wonder that 1,200 nursing positions have been cut, Speaker. It's no wonder that people in Toronto hospitals are being treated in hallways. And it's no wonder that folks in Scarborough are having surgeries in operating rooms that were built in 1956. Healthcare is the silent crisis for this liberal government. Order. What will the Premier do the right thing, Speaker? Stop the hospital cuts and ensure funding for our hospital keeps up with inflation and population growth in our province. Thank you. Minister. Well, I know that the leader of the third party understands that base funding is just part of the funding that hospitals receive. We're increasing the funding for operating for hospitals by 2.1% this year, Mr. Speaker. But I understand that she's going back to their behaviour in the 1990s when they were in power. We're not going to do that. We're not going to do what they did in the last two years of NDP government where they cut the healthcare budget two years in a row. We're not going to do what they did where in their last year they reduced hospital funding by 1%. We're not going to do what they did when they were in power, which is close 13% of the mental health beds. That's 300 beds. They closed 24% of the hospital beds, Mr. Speaker. We're continuing to invest in our hospitals, in our healthcare system. That's demonstrated clearly in the budget. The math does add up and makes sense. This is a substantial investment, and I want to congratulate our healthcare workers for the excellent work that they do every day, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Any questions or comments from Dr. West? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Community and Social Services. Today, we're pleased to have Family Services Ontario with us here in the Legislature. The FSO and its 48 member agencies play an integral role in this government's efforts and violence against women, and as well as the transformation of Ontario's developmental services system. I'm proud that one of these agencies, Catholic Family Services Peele Dufferin, is located in my riding of Brampton West. They're the lead agency for the Conjoined Counseling Pilot Project, and I know that their Executive Director, Sharon Main, is with us here in the House this morning. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please elaborate on the important work that FSO does to support vulnerable Ontarians and how the Ministry supports them in this? Good question. Minister of Community and Social Services. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and to the member from Brampton West for the question. As the member has said, the work of Family Service Ontario and their agency touches thousands of Ontarians and helps to make the lives of the people they serve better. FSO offers programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities. They receive ministry funding for community participation, caregiver respite services and supports and case management services. Also, through funding provided by my ministry, FSO agencies provide counseling and therapy for survivors of sexual abuse and family violence. The services provided by FSO and their member agencies are vital. I truly value the work done by FSO frontline workers and will continue to work closely with them in order to support vulnerable Ontarians. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you, Minister. Clearly, this government recognises the great work organisations such as Family Service Ontario do in our province. In fact, I know that we continue to make investments that support some of our most vulnerable individuals. With the 2016 budget, our government has announced $2.4 million to pilot a new portable housing benefit that would offer more options for those fleeing domestic violence benefiting nearly 500 households. $1 million rural realities fund to help rural, remote and northern agencies develop local solutions that address the unique challenges in serving their communities. $1.5 million in Aboriginal design and delivered community service, including the development of an expanded province-wide counseling helpline for Aboriginal women. Minister, I have recently heard that counseling services through FSO have also been expanded. Mr. Speaker, can the minister please share some of the details of this expansion with the House? Thank you, Minister. Yes, Mr. Speaker. As part of our government's ongoing efforts to end violence against women, I am pleased to let this House know that we are currently funding a two-year pilot project with FSO to provide joint counseling programmes for couples experiencing situational couple violence. This pilot will serve 100 couples from three pilot sites—one northern, one rural, and one urban—and a focus will be placed on serving the Aboriginal community as well as French-speaking clients. This pilot is part of work aimed at reducing the thinking behaviours and conflict that may lead to domestic violence. This project is exploring the effectiveness of joint counseling for couples in lower-risk situational couple violence and whether early intervention would lead to prevention of further domestic violence. I would like to thank FSO for being here today. Your work makes a real difference in the lives of thousands of Ontarians every day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. New question? The member from Kitchener, Conestoga. My question is to the Minister of Education. While families of children with autism struggle to deal with this government's removal of vital IBI services, others are facing further hardship and having their children's designated service dog approved for use at school. Families in the region of Waterloo have reported significant hurdles with the local board in not letting their child's trained service dog accompany them to school. These are trained, professional dogs that are to be the child's constant companion, helping them overcome their challenges and improve social interactions. Speaker, does the Minister agree that families of children with autism shouldn't have their service dogs taken away from them when they get to school? Good question. Thank you. Yes, thank you, Speaker, and I thank the member opposite for his question. Obviously, we are very concerned about the safety and the health and the well-being of students with autism or students with, quite frankly, a variety of other disabilities. We know that in many cases that service dogs do help children with disabilities and that could be blind students or it might be deaf students in some cases. Certainly autism students with variety of mental health issues may have service dogs and we know that there are a variety of circumstances. School boards are responsible for having their own policies. What I would say is that their policies, however, must be compliant with the Ontario Human Rights Act and must be compliant with Ontario's equity and inclusive education policies. So there are provincial law and policy. Supplemental? Speaker, nine-year-old Jack and his dog Jensen will now be allowed on school grounds for just certain activities, but accommodation in the classroom has still yet to be addressed. Meantime, the father of a seven-year-old says the board jerked my chain for four months of process followed by a flat denial in another case. The AODA calls for accommodations for people with service animals and the Ontario Human Rights Code speaks to the duty to accommodate persons with disabilities. We support service dogs for the blind, PTSD sufferers and others. Families of children with autism shouldn't have to face further hardships to get the same accommodations for their children. Speaker, will the Minister commit to reviewing Ontario School Board service dog procedures and prevent further hardships for families of children with autism? Thank you. And certainly the boards are responsible for complying with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the equity policies. But at the same time, I think it is important to understand that regardless what the dog is for, what disability is being addressed, that these are individual circumstances. And the board does look at things like the training of the dog, whether or not the child, if the child is being left independently with the dog during class, the training relationship between the child and the dog and the ability to control the dog or at least to make sure that the dog is under control. So there are a variety of things that have to do with the individual child and the individual. Thank you. And that's why boards make it. Thank you. New question? The member from Dickel Belt. Thank you. My question is for the Premier. Thank you. For four straight years, hospital budgets have been frozen and our hospital has been forced to make deep cuts to patient care, nor in Ontario hospital have been hard hit. Frontline workers have been laid off, beds have been closed across the entire north. In Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, North Bay, Attic-Holken, Timmiscombe and Shore, and the list goes on. At the North Bay hospital, more than 300 frontline workers have been cut in the last four years. But this government doesn't seem to care about cuts to patient care. When will the Premier stop the cuts to health care in the north and restore stable, predictable funding to Ontario hospitals? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the member opposite well knows that we continue to invest. Our health care budget goes up each and every year, an additional $1 billion to almost $52 billion this year alone. And those are important investments. And it includes $160 million dedicated solely to improving access and wait times for hospital services, things like cataract surgery and knee and hip replacements. Importantly, $7.5 million dedicated just for our small and rural hospitals, many of them in the north of the province. And that does not include a continuation of our small and rural hospital transformation fund, which is a $20 million annual fund, just for the small and rural hospitals as well. $6 million of new funding for mental health hospitals. So we continue to invest. These are important investments in our hospitals, but we also need to recognize that we're transforming our health care system and moving more activities and support to better hospitals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaker Nortoners have a hard enough time gaining access to health care. We also face some of the greatest health inequity. And the last thing we see and we need is a Premier's that cuts our hospital. Health care in the north is a silent crisis of this liberal government. Patients know it. Nortoners know it. Families know it. But the Premier refused to admit it. My question is straightforward, Speaker. When will the Premier stop cutting hospital care in northern Ontario and make sure that at the very least, hospital funding keeps up with inflation and Ontario population growth? Well, Mr. Speaker, the facts just don't support what the member opposite is alleging. We've increased hospital funding across the north by 54%. We're building new hospitals right across this province and seven new builds or substantial additions are taking place in Thunder Bay, in Sudbury, in North Bay, Sioux Lookout, the Sioux Hospital, West Perry Sound, Madiwa General Hospital. We're making investments. The member well knows that I was in Sudbury not that long ago announcing a new PET scanner for the Sudbury Hospital, Mr. Speaker. We are investing like never before. We have a new School of Medicine in the north, which has resulted in an increase of more than 20% more doctors being employed and working in the north before. Our first nurse practitioner-led clinic was in Sudbury in the north. We are investing in some of the part of this province in health care like never before, Mr. Speaker. New question, the member from Sudbury. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Northern Development and Mines. Speaker, the mining and exploration industry is an incredibly important contributor in my writing of Sudbury and, of course, to our provincial economy. Ontario is a leading jurisdiction for the exploration and production of minerals in Canada and a major player across the world. Mr. Speaker, one of the major players is the Ontario Geological Survey. This organization is responsible for documenting and communicating the geology of Ontario, and it has achieved many milestones for Ontario's mineral sector. Mr. Speaker, throughout the north today, the OGS is celebrating its own major milestone, its 125th anniversary. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please tell us more about what the OGS is doing for us in Ontario? Thank you, Minister of Northern Development and Mines. Well, thank you. That's just a great question for the member from Sudbury. I mean, this year is the 125th anniversary of the Ontario Geological Survey. We could not be prouder. In fact, celebrations of this historic occasion are happening all across Northern Ontario today, so I want to do a bit of a shout out if I made it to the OGS members who may be watching today. Speaker, the OGS has been involved in some amazing and cutting edge initiatives. Not everybody may know this, but the OGS worked with NASA on its missions to the moon in the 1970s. It's even connected to the first rock with evidence of water discovered on Mars. The OGS work has led to some incredible discovery, Speaker, such as a 9,000-year-old arrowhead near Wawa. The Ontario Geological Survey provides essential tools that are readily available to governments, to industry, communities at large, and these tools are critical to the ongoing development of Ontario's mineral sector. I am proud of the OGS. I know everybody in the house is happy to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Minister, for that answer. So, Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Ontario Geological Survey has an important role in helping to support Ontario's mineral sector. Ontario accounts for approximately 25 percent of mining jobs in Canada, with about two-thirds of these jobs in the North. Mr. Speaker, I also understand that the mineral sector is the largest private sector employer of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, something to be very proud of, Mr. Speaker. So, it is great to hear that our government has been taking steps to maintain Ontario's place as the top jurisdiction for exploration and production of minerals in Canada. Mr. Speaker, there have been many concerns recently about the mineral sector due to the global commodity prices. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please tell us more about the OGS and the investments that Ontario is making to support the mineral industry in our great province? Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pride to be able to say that today Ontario is the Canada's leading jurisdiction for the exploration and production of minerals in large part because of the work done by the OGS. And the work of the Ontario Geological Survey has impacted an extraordinary number of initiatives. OGS mapping in the Werner Lake area north of Canora led to an $11 million investment for cobalt exploration. OGS dialogue was part of the early groundwork that led to the discovery of a gold deposit near Fort Francis, an emo and attracted private sector investment of a new Gold's Renny River project, a very exciting new project. The work of the OGS helped the municipality of Shelburne find safe drinking water. So there's so many different initiatives. The list goes on and on after 125 years of exceptional service and public good. I am sure excited to say that the Ontario Geological Survey will continue its good work for many years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Despite the current situation, this government continues to see deaf and blind people as people they can save on. And this is cruel, really cruel. And there is only one bilingual school in Ontario in existence. And if the government was to close the school, it would mean cancelling all services for blind and deaf people in Ontario, especially children. Will the government commit to help the school remain open? Thank you. Thank you, the Premier. Thank you, the Minister of Education. Thank you. We're back to talking about the provincial school and the demonstration school. In the case of Sainte-Regeux-Léger, it serves both purposes. In terms of the demonstration school, we know that we have reopened the admission for this next year, as we have with all the demonstration schools. And we're getting the report back now on how do we address the issue in the future. It's interesting at Sainte-Regeux-Léger that when you look at the children that attend actually the demonstration school there, that about half of them actually come from northern Ontario. And we really do need to consider how to serve not just the cluster of francophones who live in the Ottawa area, but also francophones who live in northern Ontario. Thank you. Supplementary. Thank you. Back to the Premier. There have been years of mismanagement by this government, years of scandals. And this is why the Premier is being forced to cut essential services. And this is in direct contradiction with evidence that demonstrates that such schools can't really help children not to carry their deficiencies into adulthood. And so the Premier was forced to reopen admissions for 2016-2017 at the Gilles-Léger Centre. But given this children, giving this children one more year will not solve the problem. Will the Premier commit to keeping this centre open for the future? Thank you, the Minister. I think that the member in her question has actually covered the issue, which is we know that the work that happens in the demonstration schools, be they francophone demonstration schools or English demonstration schools, we know that the work is highly effective in helping children who are multiple grades behind in the ability to read, that it actually is very effective programme at helping them learn the skill of reading, which is essential to everything else. We know they are effective. That's not the issue. The issue is that we have children all over Ontario who are struggling with the ability to read. And we need to make sure that the programmes, which will help those children to read, in fact are available throughout Ontario, either in French or in English, as the case may be. Thank you. The member from Trinity, Spadina, on a point of order. Thank you, Speaker. On a point of order, I didn't get a chance to introduce four of my constituents here with us in the Members' Gallery. Mr. Hao Chen-Fen, Mr. Hong-Ku Chen, Ms. Sisi Liu and Ms. Xiang Tai. Welcome. Thank you. I beg to inform the house that I have today laid upon the table the post-event report of the Whitby-Oshawa by-election from the Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario. There are no further deferred votes. This house stands recess until 3pm this afternoon.