 This is now time for Member's Statements. I recognize the Member for Eglinton, Lawrence. The evening of December 18th remarked the start of Hanukkah for members of the Jewish community within my writing of Eglinton, Lawrence and across our province, also known as the Festival of Lights Hag Ha-Orim in Hebrew. This holiday commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple. Hanukkah candles are a symbol for the enduring spirit of the Jewish people standing defiantly against persecution and discrimination. And I am proud that our government continues to stand with them in defense of freedom and against the scourge of anti-Semitism. To those celebrating, let me say, Hag Hanukkah Semeach. Later this month, Sunday, December 25th, we'll mark the Christmas on the Christian calendar. On this holiday, Christians gather to share meals, exchange gifts and celebrate the birth of Jesus. To those celebrating Christmas, let me wish you a joyous and blessed Christmas season. Last Saturday, I joined the Chair of the Fairbank Village BIA, Enzo Taroni, his organization in lots of community members, young and old, at the annual Festival of Lights on Eglinton, which I faithfully attend. I had the pleasure of meeting many neighbours at the events, dancing with them, to a great live band and participating in a tree lighting ceremony. However you celebrate this holiday season, I extend my best wishes to you, to the constituents of Eglinton-Lawrence, of course, and to all Ontarians for a joyous holiday season and a happy and prosperous New Year. Thank you. For statements, I recognize the member for London West. Thank you very much, Speaker. This festive season, I want to recognize the many London volunteers and donors who are helping bring joy to those who are struggling. First a huge thank you to the Hyde Park and District Lions Club and the Hyde Park BIA. This year, the annual Santa Claus Parade raised 25% more money than in 2021 and 20% more food. Donations that will help stock the Northwest London Resource Centre's emergency food cupboard. With the rising cost of groceries and rent, more London West families than ever are relying on the food bank, especially those who are single parents, newcomers or those living with disability or unemployment. Next many thanks to Wartley Pride for organizing a free Christmas dinner for 102 S LGBTQ youth, about 75% of whom are homeless. With no family to celebrate Christmas with, the Wartley Pride dinner reminds these youth that they are loved and that their community is there for them. Finally, a big shout out to Lifespin for their annual Christmas sponsorship program which puts a Christmas dinner on the table and gifts under the tree for children from low income families. Last weekend London firefighters, police and paramedics held an open house to help collect toys for the program which has the highest number of families and children registered since the program began in 1994. Speaker Christmas is such a difficult time for those struggling with hardship and poverty. These special organizations, volunteers and donors are making the holidays just a little brighter for those in need. Thank you, Speaker. Member Statements. Member Statements. I recognize the Member for Ottawa-Vanier. Thank you Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker in Ottawa-Vanier, every year we get together for a landmark event called the Snowflake Breakfast. Snowflake Breakfast for Partage-Vanier, a food bank of the Vanier Community Service Centre that provides for those in need. A food bank that has seen the demand for help, Skyrocket, unfortunately. But this year, we raised $53,000. In total, 350 people came out to the Snowflake Breakfast and 515 people received delivered breakfast boxes. Thank you to the Saint-Polyne Charon, Charthuel Residences, the Vanier Musée au Parc and the Vanier BIA for their dedication to this important cause in support of Partage-Vanier Food Bank. And thank you to our community police officers who were also there to lend a hand. It was wonderful to take part in this community activity alongside with Mayor Mark Sutcliff, MP Mona Fortier, Councillors Rossam King, and Stephanie Plant, and also former Councillor Mathieu Fleury. I really enjoyed serving coffee with the help of the young volunteers from the Collège Catholique Samuel Jeunet, and everyone enjoyed a delightful time listening and singing along with the incredible choir of the Sainte d'Excellence artistique de l'Ontario de l'École secondaire publique de la Salle. It was for me a great way to get into the holiday spirit, and I want to take this opportunity to wish to all of you, MPPs and your staff, as well as to all the staff here at the Legislative Assembly and the people of Ottawa-Vanier, a perfect and very happy holiday season. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Member Statements. Member Statements. I recognize the Member for Mississauga-Malton. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, December 7th marks the 100th birthday of His Holiness, Parmukh Swami Maharaj, our spiritual leader and Guru of BAPS, Swami Narayan Sanstha, a worldwide organization dedicated to promoting harmony. Born on December 7th, 1921, Parmukh Swami Maharaj followed a spiritual path from an early age, seeking purity, possessing and seeking the humility and selfless desire to help all. Swamiji lent his years to millions around the world, shared their sorrows and taught them how to overcome personal battles. Under his leadership, BAPS has more than 1,100 mandirs, including 150 centres in North America offering a welcoming and spiritual space for devotees. His belief was, you cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself, with over 55,000 volunteers globally. And here at home, BAPS has engaged in the art of giving, helped over 700,000 individuals from addiction and substance abuse, recycled 7 million aluminium cans, planted 10 million trees, provided free medical service to 2.5 million tribunal communities. Here in Toronto, provided 4,400 hours of service, vaccinated over 21,000 people in 24 days during COVID, and including many, many residents of Mrs. Saga Malton. It is a pleasure to celebrate his Holiness's birthday with his word, Bihjana Balama, Aapdu Baluche. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Member Statements. The Member for St. Catharines. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today to commemorate a hero in my community. Jerry Soxton passed suddenly away last week in his 18th year of service with St. Catharines Fire Department. Sadly, Jerry succumbed to injuries he received in the line of duty. Jerry was a husband, a father, a neighbour, a first responder, and he was also my dear friend. As I would tell anyone that asked, Jerry was a true Maritonian. He must have coached soccer and played street hockey with half the kids in Maritone. He had an incredible worth ethic. Everyone that met him instantly loved him. As Jerry was devoted to his community, he loved his family the most. He was a loving husband of 29 years to Lorraine and a proud father of four. Special thank you to the St. Catharines Fire Department, the Professional Fire Association, IAFF Local 485. Thank you to all the firefighters that came across Ontario to celebrate Jerry's life last week. I will always remember Jerry as the best part of my community. That person who always encouraged others to do the things that they found difficult. I will miss him as I know everyone he touched feels the same way. Thank you, Jerry. You were a phenomenal firefighter. We honour you and we will forever show our gratitude for our time we spent with you. Thank you. Member statements? The Member for Oakville. Thank you and good morning, Speaker. As we approached the end of the year and the holiday season, I wanted to highlight some of the great initiatives that our government has taken since being re-elected with a larger majority back in June. We passed Bill 7, More Beds Better Care Act to protect vulnerable and elderly people in our community. Bill 7 frees up hospital beds so that people waiting for surgeries can get them sooner. It eases pressure on crowded emergency departments by admitting patients sooner. We passed Bill 23, More Homes Build Faster Act in order to support new home buyers, the younger generation and new immigrants to Canada. Bill 23 will lead to the province towards our goal of building 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years and towards resolving our housing supply crisis. We passed Bill 26, Strengthening Post-Secondary Institutions and Students Act. Bill 26 will protect students and strengthen supports for post-secondary students reporting sexual violence and harassment. Our government also passed Bill 36, the fall economic statement. Bill 36 will increase ODSP payments by 5%. Increase a monthly earnings exemption of ODSP recipients from $200 to $1,000. Double the guaranteed annual income supplements for low income seniors and extended credit, extended relief at the pumps by cutting the gas tax by 5.7 cents a litre. I want to thank the people of Oakville for re-electing me with an even larger plurality of the vote in 2018. It's the greatest honour of my life and I want to wish all the people of Oakville, all the members of the Assembly and all the legislative staff a very merry Christmas and happy holidays. Member Statements, the Member for Toronto. Thank you Speaker. Good morning. Growing concerns from parents are being shared with me about the underfunding of our public schools. Church Street, Nelson Mandela, Lord Dufferin Public Schools, taken students from across the Church Wellesley Village, Bay Clover Hill, Regent Park, Moss Park and other communities in the downtown east of Toronto. Students like Inez, Merchida, Shafani are telling me about how schools need more supervisors, education workers, special needs assistants, guidance counsellors and social workers in schools to provide the additional support for their students. Speaker, the response to violence in schools is not more police officers. Instead, the Premier should invest in social determinants of health which are exactly the same, exactly the same as the social determinants of safety. Housing, education, food insecurity, early childhood development. This government needs to invest in high quality public-funded education. This government needs to invest in meeting their own standards by reducing class sizes. This government needs to invest in funding existing schools so that they are well maintained. This government needs to invest in helping students living in poverty and to lift them out of poverty. This government needs to do all of that and more. But they need to do this by keeping our children, our teachers, their families safe, by investing in education and not in bringing more police officers back to schools. Thank you. Member, statements? The Member for Glengarry, Prescott Russell. Thank you, Speaker. Monday was the international day for volunteers. We had the opportunity to recognize several of them in all constituencies in the province during a virtual ceremony last week. Thanks to many of those volunteers, we were able to take part in several activities such as Christmas parades, lighting up Christmas trees, distribution of snow suits, of gifts for underprivileged families. So I would like to thank these volunteers for their unbelievable work. On a different note, yesterday, several members of MPP's offices members were here from all across the province. It was a good opportunity for us and them to meet as co-workers and to get to know each other. Thank you to the Premier for taking the time to meet these people and to thank them for their work. To those who work representing MPP's and who are on the front line to serve Ontario residents, I would like to thank them for the incredible work they are doing day after day. Finally, I would like to wish a very happy holiday to the whole team and legislative assembly employees for my co-workers and to all Ontario residents. A very happy holiday. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements, the member for Peterborough, Co-Ortha. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Christmas is the season where we can pause and reflect on all the good from the past year that will provide us with hope for the coming year. As I pause and reflect, I'd like to share some things that I hope will be found in the stockings of some of my friends. For Jay Marie Jones, the now retired mayor of my home community and longest-serving warden of Peterborough County, a gift card from the classic car mechanic. So Ruby will run smoothly enough this summer that he and Anne can enjoy some long drives throughout God's country. For Mayor Calant, Caroline Amiot, a very simple request, photo radar. For Mayor Jim Martin, a very large excavator to dig a big hole, big enough for 128 beds on Smith Drive. For Mayor Senes, a roundtable filled with friends who enjoy the southern part of Lakefield. For Mayor Terry Lam's head, a seasoned void of LDD moths so all of us can enjoy hikes throughout some of Ontario's most beautiful foliage. For Mayor Heather Watson, the long-awaited high-speed broadband to be completed on time, eliminating the last dial-up in our township. For Mayor Leal, 11 paddles to be shared with his council so they can move the canoe smoothly through the Atanabe River even when they hit the rapids. And finally, for Chief Keith Knot, a return to good health so that all of Peterborough County can enjoy the wisdom and experience that he has brought to Curve Lake for so long. Here, here. From my family to yours, however you celebrate, Merry Christmas. Thank you members. Statements to the member for Burlington. Thank you, Speaker. It's an honour to rise in the House today to speak to my motion, tabled earlier today that would require Ontario schools to include mental health literacy in the curriculum as a requirement for graduation. Since 2019, I've been advocating to have mental health education included in the public school curriculum, working closely alongside Minister Leche. I'm incredibly grateful for his assistance in making this happen. This is a topic that is close to my heart, and we have an opportunity to do right by our children and future generations. Mental health issues start early, and young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness or substance use disorders than any other age group. COVID-19 has impacted all students with many facing new vulnerabilities. The introduction of mandatory mental health education delivered directly and intentionally to Ontario students complements our government's unprecedented investments in student mental health supports. Developing literacy is what schools do best, and mental health literacy can be taught just like any other subject, including math, English or physical health education. Mental health education empowers students with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to navigate their mental health before getting to crisis, reducing health care costs, the strain on our health care systems and saving lives. Thank you.