 Member Statements. Member Statements, the Member for Brampton West. Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. I'm honored to rise today to speak about two significant festivals that hold immense cultural and spiritual importance for millions around the world. Diwali and Bandishore Divas. I would like to wish the people of Ontario that celebrated a very happy Diwali and Bandishore Divas. Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by people of various cultures and religions. The festival spreads across many borders, Mr. Speaker. It symbolizes the victory of light, our darkness and good over evil. Homes are lit up with divas and colorful rangolis. Diwali is also a time for reflection. Mr. Speaker, Bandishore Divas is also celebrated on the same day and it is a significant day for the Sikh community. It commemorates the day 6th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Hargobind Sahibji and 52 kings were released from imprisonment. On Guru Hargobind Sahibji's return to Amritsar, the Golden Temple was lit up with lights, marking the festival's association with lights. Both Diwali and Bandishore Divas underscore the themes of freedom, light and the triumph of good over evil. May the lights of Diwali and the spirit of Bandishore Divas fill our lives with joy and guide us towards a future filled with hope and harmony. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the Member for Ottawa Centre. Thank you, Speaker. Last Friday I sat in the gym of Lady Evelyn Public School with my friends Wanda and Robin from the local Legion. As we remembered the sacrifices of veterans, the children saying, Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Those are powerful words, but in Gaza right now, Speaker, peace seems impossible. Babies in intensive care clinging to life, mass graves being dug at Al-Shifa Hospital. Meanwhile, some are taking this moment to call for more violence. But then I think about Vivian Silver, Speaker, a Canadian Israeli peace activist who we lost on October 7th. Vivian spent every day of her life working for peace. She helped sick Palestinians go to Israeli hospitals. She demanded her whole life a political solution to decades of suffering and military occupations. And like her, we must also persevere. We have to organize for peace, even if some people call us haters. We should demand a ceasefire for the release of all hostages and for the investigation of all war crimes. History will not be kind, Speaker, to those in this moment who acted in vengeance. History will remember people like Vivian Silver, like the Palestinian families I've met at home who in their grief have spoken out about the family members they have lost and have built a peace movement that must continue in this country. Let there be peace on earth, Speaker, and let us all have the courage to fight for it. Thank you very much, Member Statements. The Member for Glengarry, Prescott Russell. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to start by thanking everyone who participated to the many Remembrance Day ceremonies across Glengarry, Prescott Russell in the last few weeks. Thanks to the organization for organizing these ceremonies. Thanks to the legions, the cadets, and all the people involved in organizing these Remembrance Day event year after year. And let's make sure that we do our best to gather every year for many generations to come to remember the sacrifices of these men and women who fought for our liberty. On another note, I'd like to also congratulate the organizations and the businesses they contributed to the Hawkesbury Expo that took place on the 11th and 12th of November last weekend. The first of its kind at the sports complex in Hawkesbury. I'd like to thank the Chamber of Commerce of Hawkesbury. It was a great opportunity to meet people in the region and to create relationships with a number of businesses and to continue conversations and to continue to speak about the priorities of Glengarry, Prescott Russell. It's a very important opportunity for me as their member here in this House and it's very important for us as a government and we continue to listen to Ontarians throughout the province. Thank you. Member Statements. The Member for Toronto, Dan Ford. Thank you Speaker. It came out just the other day that this government is paying substantial bonuses to private clinics for surgery that is done in public hospitals. It was revealed that the payments to the Don Mills Surgical Unit, part of the Clear Point Health Network is getting paid almost double the amount that public hospitals get paid for cataract surgery but double the amount for knee surgery. Speaker, this government is engaged on a straightforward project of privatizing our healthcare system. That project is one which will result in less medical care for people which will result ultimately in people being able to pay for their surgery in healthcare if they have the money and have to go without if they don't. It is a disastrous course of action. I call on the government to end the privatization of our healthcare system to stop paying bonuses to private clinics and to actually protect the healthcare of the people of this province. Thank you Speaker. Thanks. Thank you very much. Member Statements. The Member for Peterborough, Corbertha. Thank you Speaker. I want to take a moment today to talk about a great initiative that was started by a couple of friends of mine. During COVID, low is tough and watched as a number of volunteer organizations saw a huge decline in the number of people willing to volunteer. While simultaneously having people reach out to her and ask her if she knew of places they could volunteer to help the community. So she enlisted a few other powerhouse people in our area like Sarah Budd from the Chamber of Commerce and came up with the idea of volunteer Peterborough. It's like a dating app for volunteers and volunteer organizations. Since launching in July, volunteer Peterborough has signed up more than 400 volunteers eager to connect with a cause and more than 90 organizations looking for that perfect match. Volunteer Peterborough.ca basically works like a dating or job hunting site. It matches people's interests, skills and time with organizations that are looking for helpers. You can sign up for the newsletter and stay up to date on volunteer opportunities and learn more or you can jump right in and go through the opportunities that are already available. Whether it's an hour a day, an hour a week, or an hour a month. If you're looking to make a difference in Peterborough, look to www.volunteerpeterborough.ca. Of course, if you're an organization that needs volunteers, volunteerpeterborough.ca is also the place for you to go to find eager volunteers. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Member Statements, the Member for Parkdale High Park. Thank you Speaker. I'd like to discuss a problem that all of us see daily. In fact, when we walk out of the legislature, we cannot walk more than 100 meters in any direction without seeing an unhoused person. Some are intense, some are not, some have covers on, some don't. In the park that is right across the street, there is a tent. This is right under our nose. There are an estimated 10,000 homeless people in Toronto alone. Now multiply that in every city, every region across this province. Does this Conservative government not see that we have a major problem? Municipalities see it. That's why the declaring state of emergency is on homelessness. But there's only so much they can do. This is a province-wide issue and the province must do something as well. Winter is here. The shelter system is going to be overloaded. We know it because it happens every year. Where are the homeless people supposed to go? Where are they supposed to sleep? In the subways? In AT and vestibules? In front of small businesses? In parks and playgrounds? So I'm urging this government, take this issue seriously. Everyone is impacted by it. Declare a state of emergency on homelessness. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Markham Unionville. Thank you, Speaker. This June, I took the initiative to propose a motion requesting the Ministry of Public and Business Service delivery to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the issue of notice of security injuries, a.k.a. noses, and report its findings to the House by the end of this year. I am pleased that this motion garnered support and was passed by the House. Recently, I am delighted to see the Ministry is conducting a public consultation on the issues to address the harmful and inappropriate use of noses. The issues of noses has been extensively covered by the media, shedding light on the challenges faced by unsuspecting homeowners. Regrettably, homeowners in Markham Unionville are no exceptions to these difficulties. A noses services as a registration on the land registry system. It notifies third parties of a lender or a lacer's invest in a fixture on the land. While noses plays a crucial role in business landscape, they can, unfortunately, lead to disputes. Some unscrupulous businesses have exploited noses as leverage when consumers attempt to sell their homes or seek refinance their properties. These tactics can place an unfair burden on consumers. Consumers are forced to pay excessive amounts or engage in costly time-consuming legal battles to have noses discharged. This Ministry's engagement with the public and stakeholders underscored the government's unwavering commitment to create a fair and just marketplace for consumers and businesses. I truly appreciate it. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the Member for Dawn Valley West. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Every day in this province, people are struggling to pay rent and put food on the table. In my riding of Dawn Valley West, residents in Thorncliffe Park are resorting to rent strikes because they're facing repeated years of above-guideline rent increases. Take John, a veteran on disability facing a 12% increase who said, my pension does not increase by 12% each year. Joe has called the Premier and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to ask them to do something to limit rent increases for those on disability and pensions. Like John, I anxiously await their response. Speaker, building new housing that's affordable is part of the solution. But what is the government doing now for people like John and tenants in Thorncliffe Park who are struggling with $300 a month rent increases because the government removed rent control in 2018? We know the government thought that allowing a few developers to make $8.3 billion in windfall profits was a good idea. But now we need good ideas that help those struggling to pay rent and buy food. As Steve Pomeroy, a profit McMaster's Housing Evidence Collaborative said recently to CBC, an ideal approach would limit the volatility of rent increases for non-rent controlled units while ensuring new projects still make financial sense for developers. Speaker, it's time for the government to take the affordability crisis seriously and take serious action to help people who are choosing between paying rent and buying food. Thank you. Thank you very much. The next member's statement, the member for Oakville. Thank you, Speaker. The Shifa Gala 2023 is just around the corner and I'm genuinely excited by what we're going to accomplish together for Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. This event is more than just a night out. It's a community coming together for a cause that touches all of us, the health and well-being of our town. A heartfelt thank goes out to Raza Hassan and every member of our local Oakville Muslim community for their commitment to local health care. Seeing the people of Oakville Unite to support our hospital is truly inspiring. Having access to top-tier medical care right here in Oakville is essential and your contributions are making a difference. Let me express my sincere gratitude to the healthcare heroes at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. Your dedication and tireless service have not got unnoticed. You are the cornerstone of our community and your relentless commitment to care is what propels us forward. Every contribution matters. The essential medical equipment for our hospital relies on entirely from community support. So let's come together to make this event memorable and one to have a lasting impact on our families and neighbours. Mark Sunday, November 19, 2023 on your calendars for the Oakville Legacy Banquet. This year is about action. It's about ensuring our hospital continues to serve our community at the highest level. I look forward to seeing everyone there. Thank you. Member Statements, the Member for Oakville North Burlington. Thank you, Speaker. Last month, during Small Business Week and Manufacturing Month, I had the pleasure of visiting Rapid Dose Therapeutics and Root Tree to stellar examples of Made in Ontario innovation in my community of Oakville North Burlington. Rapid Dose Therapeutics has developed a game-changing drug delivery system. Its patented oral thin film platform offers a unique delivery with a rapid absorption when placed in the mouth, eliminating the need for needles or swallowing pills. It also saves transportation costs and eliminates the need for deep free storage. Root Tree is spearheading a global movement to achieve a greener packaging identity that addresses all parts of the eco-friendly packaging life cycle. Already recognized as an industry leader for its sustainable packaging and product co-packing, the company is a shining example, unafraid to dream big and keep innovating. Root Tree is also conducting research into how to use waste cooking oil as an alternative feedstock, further building on its innovative solutions for reducing waste. Please join me in celebrating these two Made in Ontario, Made in Burlington's success stories. Thank you, Speaker. Good. Thank you. That concludes our Member's Statements for this morning. Thank you very much.