 I appreciate you recognizing that it is time to move to member's statement. First member's statement, a member for Thornhill. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, two weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting the 50th anniversary of the Artisan craft show featured in the historic Heinzman House located in my riding of Thornhill. This annual craft show is a special tradition started by the Heinzman House Auxiliary and is now managed by a dedicated group of board members. The event showcases the diverse and creative talents of local artisans and also features the historic beautiful 19th century heritage property. The Heinzman House has an interesting history, built in 1798 by Empire Loyalists then eventually purchased by Charles Theodore Heinzman of the Heinzman Piano Company. Heinzman Piano, also known as the Steinway of the North, this brand of piano was a fixture in homes all across Canada. The Heinzman House has also been the venue for seniors health club and high tea, Halloween events and this very special seasonal art shows. Sadly, members of the board, including Bob Wilson, are no longer with us, but their memory lives on through the efforts of current members including Chair Ken Steinberg and previous ones like Roger Jones. This Sunday evening, the Heinzman House hosts their family, Carol, sing along a favorite tradition for the community and by the way, Madam Speaker, we are fortunate to have a beautiful Heinzman upright piano right here at Queen's Park. I discovered it last week. It plays at special events and very much a part of this house and I would be happy to show anyone interested at the break. Madam Speaker, our community is grateful for the timeless privilege of the Heinzman House and like a well-built piano, this house may have a few years on it, but she withstands the test of time and still looks pretty beautiful to me. Thank you. Thank you. Next member statement, come over for a water loop. Thank you very much. Today is the fifth day of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. I am so grateful to the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly every day to end gender-based violence in Waterloo region and across Ontario. It is my privilege as the Waterloo MPP to recognize the ongoing work of local women leaders in KW, including Jennifer Breaton at the YWCA and the former ED, Elizabeth Clark, Sarah Castleman at the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo, Jen Hutton at Women's Crisis Services, the Feminist Shift and of course Project Willow. In the callous absence of leadership and adequate funding by this government, these women have stepped up to fight for supportive housing and anti-human trafficking resources. They have stretched their budgets to support women and children who have experienced unthinkable violence and whose innocence has been stolen. And yet, in Ontario, we must fundraise to keep women safe. When survivors have the courage to come forward and ask for help, the resources should be there for them and their children. Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo region reports a 26% increase in femicides in 2021 compared to the previous year. OAITH, OAuth, reports at least 50 femicides in this last year. And yet, Women's Crisis Services had to turn people away at times because their 90 shelter beds are full. This should serve as a wake-up call for this government. My colleague MPP Lindell and I will not rest until we see women supported through the court system, through supportive housing, through counselling, and until all women in Ontario no longer have to live in fear. Member Statements, the Member for Oakville North, Burlington. In Canada, a woman is murdered every 2.5 days—144 to 178 murders each year between 2015 and 2019. And in 2021, the rate of femicide was trending even higher across the country. Of the women murdered, 50% were killed by intimate partners and 26 by family members. Halton Women's Place is the shelter and support system in my own community for women with fleeing abuse or in need of immediate assistance. They alone reported 2,200 crisis calls from the region in just 2021. This evidence shows that violence against women continues to be a serious problem. And while we all vigorously work to raise awareness and make changes, there is still so much more we need to do. That is one of the reasons why November 25th has been declared the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and why the United Nations launched the International Campaign from that day—16 days of activism against gender-based violence. It's a time we break down barriers and work together to increase knowledge and end the cycle of violence against women and children. It's why I've introduced a motion to be debated this Wednesday to ensure that Ontario judges, crown attorneys, section 30 assessors and other professionals in the family court system have the knowledge they need to make their best judgment when dealing with child welfare. Thank you, Speaker. A low-income senior contacted my office and she called because she was trying to make an appointment to get her teeth looked after. But then she was told she doesn't qualify any more for the Ontario Senior Central Care Program. She was confused as to why she had qualified before, but no longer does. The feds tried to do the right thing by increasing payments to low-income seniors. They increased CPP payments by nowhere near enough, but enough to kick seniors out of provincial funding qualification. In this case, she has been kicked out because of about $224 per year. The province hasn't adjusted the threshold, so she's been cut from the program. She was surprised to no longer qualify by less than $20 a month. However, this government isn't surprised. They know, and they're fine to save a couple of bucks because, ironically, getting them to spend money on real folks and do the right thing is like pulling teeth. Now she needs dentures. She no longer qualifies for the program. There is no way she can ever afford this without coverage. She shared with my office that she came to Canada for the promise of a better life, worked hard when she was younger. She's paid her taxes. She expected the government to fulfill their end of the bargain and care about her in her old age. She is having to fight tooth and nail for what she needs. This government needs to adjust the threshold so that seniors who depend on the Ontario seniors dental care program aren't being kicked out of it. And then after that, show some leadership and realize that dental care is health care and teeth aren't luxuries. The government knows that they have allowed the lowest-income seniors to be quietly booted out, and while they keep saving money while choosing to drag their feet, they leave low-income seniors in pain and without dental care when they have promised them that they would have it. So shame on this government. Please fix this. Thank you. Mr. Statements, the member for Sarnia-Lampton. Thank you, Speaker. It's an honor to rise in the legislature today in recognition of Mike Lapine, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Water Health in Sarnia-Lampton, who has announced that he will be retiring on December 31. Mr. Lapine began working with Blue Water Health in 2008 as Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer and has been President and CEO since 2016. During his time with the organization, he has played a leadership role in many transformational projects, including the 2010 opening of the new Norman Street campus at Blue Water Health, the largest public sector redevelopment project in Sarnia-Lampton's history, and the amalgamation of Sarnia's two hospitals. In recent years, Mr. Lapine has led the redevelopment of Charlotte Eleanor Engelhardt Hospital in Petroia, helped secure permanent funding for the local withdrawal management facility, opened an air-orange helipad on the Blue Water Health campus, and spearheaded the efforts to create a standalone Sarnia-Lampton, Ontario, health team. And of course, Mr. Lapine was always available to discuss health care with his local MPP, and I enjoyed those conversations very much. Today, Mr. Lapine's family, friends, and colleagues are marking his distinguished career with a celebration at the Sarnia Golf and Curling Club. On behalf of all the residents of Sarnia-Lampton, I'd like to say thank you to Mike for everything he's done for Blue Water Health and the Sarnia-Lampton community over the last 14 years. Congratulations, Mike, on your retirement. Thank you for your leadership and the lasting impact you've made on Sarnia-Lampton. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Niagara Falls. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to rise today to speak about the Shaw Festival in Niagara and the Lake, and to congratulate them on their 60th anniversary. On this past Saturday, I got the chance to go with my beautiful wife, Rita, and see the opening night performance of Irving Berlin's White Christmas at the Shaw. It was a wonderful show. I even had the privilege of meeting some of the talented cast members. It all started in 1962 when the Shaw was founded, and inspired by the life and works of Bernard Shaw. This year in 2022, the Shaw is celebrating not only their 60th anniversary, but their biggest season yet, with 14 plays in three different theatres, as well as outdoors at the Shaw, a series of concerts, outdoor events on the festival theatre grounds. This has been a banner year for Shaw. They have come back strong from COVID and showed the world they are one of the best destination for theatre in Canada. Through their impressive fundraising achievements this year, community support, they continue to grow. The Shaw is a shining light in our arts and culture community in Niagara. And something that's very, very important throughout the entire pandemic. The Shaw has kept all 500 of their employees working. We need to thank Tim Jennings, all the staff, the actors, the board members, and the volunteers for such a successful organization. The Shaw Festival is truly remarkable. It's a wonderful hub of culture, an important part of what makes our community and our heritage in Niagara so special. And I will want to thank the tourist minister and his wife for coming to the Shaw on Saturday night to help us celebrate our 60th anniversary. Thank you very much. Member statements. Next, we have the member for Brantford Brandt. Thank you, Speaker. Nearly four years ago, I was honored to be the first MPP in Brantford Brandt to go on a police ride along with Six Nations Police Service. Immediately after the introductions and pleasantries, I asked the Six Nations Police Officer behind the wheel of the cruiser, so where's the onboard computer? His answer was swift and professional. We do what we do with what we have. Everything is verbal over radio communication. That faithful ride along will be ingrained in my memory forever, Speaker, and that is what started a chain of events that led to Friday's announcement. Our government announced more than $6 million to help First Nations Police Services across Ontario better protect their communities. That includes nearly $643,000 directly to Six Nations Police Service in my home writing of Brantford Brandt. This investment speaker is part of the First Nations Policing Modernization Initiative that will be used to purchase new technology, including mobile workstations, body cameras, and automated license plate readers. I'd like to thank former Solicitor General Sylvia Jones and current Solicitor General Michael Kertzner for making this funding happen. And a particular shout out to Retired Six Nations Police Chief Glenn Lickers and current Six Nations Police Chief Darren Montour for your advocacy, not only for Six Nations, but indigenous police services across the province. As an active duty first responder myself, Speaker, my message to every indigenous police officer across Ontario is, we've got your back. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the Member for Scarborough, Guildwood. Thank you, Speaker. I want to use my time today to talk about a matter that requires urgent and immediate attention and that is school safety. The harsh reality is that there has been a rise in violence in our schools and on school property. This is a crisis. Phone calls and emails from residents in meetings with school boards and trustees make clear that this is a pressing issue that demands immediate action from this government. In my own writing of Scarborough, Guildwood, I've got students in grade eight who are afraid to go to high school. And here, I want you to hear what a grade 10 student from Wolverham Collegiate wrote to me last week. He says, you are probably aware of the recent tragedy that took place right on my school grounds a couple weeks back. Unfortunately, I witnessed that shooting. As a student, no one should have to witness that kind of horrible incident. Since the shooting took place, my school has been more unsafe with threats concerning students in my school and the lack of urgent attention and many violent fights have taken place since. Speaker, I think if you can sit down and talk face to face with not only a principal or a TDSB director, but a student who witnessed this violence daily, you would have a better understanding on this issue of violence. As a leader in my community, many students have asked me to step up and fix this problem, but I need the assistance in doing so of this government. Students are crying out for help, and we must attend to this problem immediately. There it is, in the words of our students, Speaker. The message to the minister is clear. Lives are hanging in the balance. Speaker, the TDSB has asked to meet with the minister regarding this issue, and I urge him to do so immediately, because lives are hanging in the balance of our youngest learners. Thank you. The next member's statement, the member from Mississauga Lakeshore. Thank you, Speaker. Earlier this month, I was proud to host a very special event at Lettroport in Mississauga to recognize and honor alumni from the Canadian National Soccer Team, including Dwayne de Rosario, a forward for the Mississauga Metro Stars, and the Canadian National Team All-Star Leading Scorer with 22 goals and 81 games from 1998 to 2015, and Kari Sirwiknik from Mississauga, who was the first woman named to the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame. Their leadership of these players helped build the game of soccer across Canada. The recent success of our national team, from the Women's Gold Medal at the 2020 Olympics to the men's team finishing first in CONCATH, is because of the foundation these players built. Although the results of Qatar isn't what we were hoping for, I want to take a moment to thank a special guest and a good friends, including Dr. Nick Bontis, President of the Canadian Soccer Association, and Bill Manny, President of FC, and Bill Yerushi, former captain of the Canadian National Team, who served as our MC that night. Lastly, I want to thank our outreach director, Joanna Myle, who worked for months to organize this event, the first of its kind, and together with our friend, Laki Razzle, who looked forward to celebrate together at the next Soccer Alumni event. And I welcome the soccer world to Ontario as we host FIFA's Men World Cup match for the first time in 2026. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements, the member for Thunder Bay Atticokin. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, this past Saturday, I had the honor to participate in the opening of the Adult Teen Challenge Community Office in Thunder Bay. Speaker, the Adult Teen Challenge provides a year-long program for those dealing with addictions. I was fortunate enough to be able to speak with some of the students at the women's home where the office is being run out of about the program. The individuals were more than happy to share their journey with me. I spoke with women that graduated three years ago and are now mentoring others, and spoke with others that were a mere two weeks into the program. Regardless of the length of time these students spent in the program, the message was the same. Adult and Teen Challenge saved their lives. They spoke of the family atmosphere of the facility along with a sense of belonging that was instrumental to their recovery. I was able to speak with several men present that are part of the men's program across town. As successful as the program has been for many struggling with addictions, the leaders of the program, many recovering from addictions themselves, realized that there was more that they could do. They set their sights on those members of the community that were not able to commit a full year of their lives to the live-in program, but who were still looking to change their lives. After many discussions, the vision of a community office was realized and we cut the ribbon on Saturday to officially recognize the new services in Thunder Bay. The community office is the first point of contact for anyone dealing with addiction and the space provides pastoral counseling along with family and outpatient, small groups, support programs, and mentoring. It facilitates action in the fight against addiction by supporting and referring people to life-changing help and creates a foundation for graduates to succeed when returning to the community. I want to thank Adult Teen Challenge for a part they are planning to bring hope and change the lives of those dealing with addictions. You truly are changing and saving lives. I look forward to continuing to work with this group and others in Thunder Bay as we address this crisis. I want to remind those in need that you are never alone and please seek help when you need it. Thank you, Speaker. Once again, that concludes our 90-second member statements for this morning. And it's a subtle reminder that we should try to bring our statements in and try to respect that standing order, the greatest extent possible. Thank you. Introduction of visitors.