 Therefore, it's time for Member Statements to the member from Wellington Halton House. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise in this House today to urge the Minister of Transportation to respond appropriately to the expressed will of this House. On September 28th, the Interior Legislature unanimously passed our resolution calling upon the Minister to partner with the town of Halton Hills to develop a long-term transportation strategy for the town, including a review of the need for a Highway 7 act and bypass, taking into account the need for improved safety, efficiency and economic development opportunities. During the debate on our resolution, I was very encouraged by the remarks of the Minister of Transportation's parliamentary assistant, the Member for Kitchener's Centre. She said, and I quote from Hansard, I can assure the Member and every other Member of this House that the Ministry is going to continue to actively participate in this study. We're going to need to see if there's anything else we can do at the provincial level to improve both safety and the efficiency of this stretch of Highway 7, end quote. I've recently heard from the town of Halton Hills telling me that they are still experiencing difficulties with the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry continues to raise challenges for the proposed new business development at the 340 Main Street North Acton property and we are concerned that this may call into question the whole project. The Minister needs to intervene. We are offering to partner with the Minister and we need him to be a funding partner. I have followed up with the Minister of Transportation who I acknowledge has responded to some of my requests on behalf of our writing and since the passage of our resolution I have written to him and spoken to him several times about our proposed partnership. Today I urge him to respect the expressed will of this House and partner with us. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Further member statements? You can tell me that if they don't stand and statements are over. The member from the Tobacco Center. Thank you very much Speaker. This week is Holodomor Awareness Week Speaker and I stand to pay tribute to the victims of the Holodomor. This week we pay tribute to the anniversary of the famine genocide of 1932-33 known as the Holodomor. This is when Joseph Stalin closed Ukraine's borders and confiscated all grain to destroy a Ukrainian population that was opposed to his rule. A population that sought the same freedom, the same independence that the people of Ukraine are fighting for at this very moment, this very day. Seventeen people per minute, one thousand per hour and twenty five thousand per day were dying of famine at the height of the Holodomor. The world was silent and millions died as a result. My grandmother was a survivor of the Holodomor and she lost three of her brothers to the Soviet regime and she once told me that she hoped that the victims of the Holodomor would not only be remembered but honoured. Honoured she sent meant not just remembering them or commemorating them but taking the steps to make sure that a crime like this one never happens again. That is why I am so proud Speaker to stand here today on behalf of our government and on behalf of the Ukrainian-Canadian community who worked so hard and have succeeded in ensuring that the Holodomor is now in the Ontario curriculum so that every young person can learn about the Holodomor and this government funded or helped to fund the Holodomor Mobile Class which travels the province teaching children about the Holodomor. Today Speaker I hope we take this opportunity to remember and commemorate the victims but also renew our efforts to ensure that a crime like this one never happens again. Let us do as my grandmother would have asked if she were here today. Let us remember the victims. Let us commemorate the victims. Let us honour them. Thank you Speaker. Thank you. Member Samus, the member from Whitby Oshawa. Thank you Speaker and I rise to speak about the love shouldn't hurt campaign. Sadly in Ontario a woman is killed every six days by her partner and in Durham region one in three people will experience abuse in their lifetime. Speaker I recently had the honour to participate in the Violence Prevention Coordinating Council of Durham's launch of the love shouldn't hurt campaign at the YWCA's Adelaide House in Oshawa. The Violence Prevention Coordinating Council of Durham represents over 30 organisations who work collaboratively speaker to create a safe community for families and individuals who have been impacted by violence and abuse in any form including domestic violence, sexual assault and child or elder abuse. This year alone Speaker Durham communities have mourned the loss of three women whose lives were violently taken by their partners which changed the lives of their children and families forever. Through the love shouldn't hurt campaign together we'll educate business, organisations and individual speaker about eliminating violence against women, how men in particular can be part of the solution, healthy versus unhealthy relationships and the impact on families and communities. Together speaker we're saving lives, changing lives. Love shouldn't hurt speaker. Thank you. Member statements from the member from Nickel Belt. Thank you Speaker. Tomorrow I will for the third time join 12 dedicated, compassionate and good hearted women working for the Sudbury counselling services. These women have been on the picket line for six long weeks in freezing rain, wind, snow, sleet and below zero temperature. These striking women offer psychotherapy and counselling services to the people of Sudbury and Nickel Belt but also clients further away like Manitoulin Island or Sturgeon Falls. Many of their services especially the Francophone services are not available anywhere else in our region. This dispute is not about wages Speaker. These workers have had a collective agreement in place for over 30 years. They are loyal staff member with no history of problem with their collective agreement. But for the last six weeks the people of Sudbury are without the counselling and the program that they need when going through some very difficult circumstances such as sexual assault, domestic violence or mental illness. Some of the counselling is court mandated which means that right now some of their clients are heading back to jail because the counsellors are on strike. These women are professional mediators and counsellors. Their profession is all about finding common ground. So I can't understand how come they are still on strike. I urge the Minister of Community and Social Services, the Attorney General, the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Labor to help bring an end to this way too long and way too cold labor dispute. Thank you. Further member statements? The member from Ottawa. Thank you Speaker. Speaker, I was pleased earlier today to join you and many of my colleagues and members of the Lebanese community to raise the Lebanese flag in recognition of Lebanese Independence Day which is November 22, 1943. So this is the 74th anniversary. So also on Monday I was able to attend Lebanon Day at Ottawa Welcomes a World which is a celebration that we have for many different countries across the world in Ottawa and it was a wonderful celebration, great food and there was an opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural history that is Lebanon, that Lebanon has I should say. It was also an opportunity for the community to thank Ambassador Sammy Haddad, his wife Nadia, his children Joseph, Peter, Jad and Michael for their contributions during their posting in Ottawa. I also would like to personally thank Ambassador Haddad for his hospitality, his genuine graciousness and openness in all the dealings that I've had with him. Speaker, last year I introduced Bill 60 in act of proclaiming November as Lebanese Heritage Month to recognize the vibrant Lebanese community in Ottawa, Ontario and Canada and the contributions in science, education, medicine, law, politics, business and sports to our great country. I was encouraged by the words of my colleagues and the unanimous support that the bill received in the Legislature and Speaker, I look forward to continuing to work with all my colleagues to get Bill 60 passed and proclaim November as Lebanese Heritage Month here in Ontario. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, as I've mentioned many times in the Legislature, my writing has been hard hit by layoffs and plant closures but Oxford is still a home to many great manufacturers, businesses, farms, restaurants and retailers, something I have promoted as part of my shop local by local campaign. While visiting local businesses it's been great to see the variety of products and services available so close to home and the passion those business owners have for their work and their communities. As people begin their Christmas shopping I encourage them, everyone, to give their community a gift by shopping local. Shopping local in Oxford is encouraged by many local organizations including the BIAs and the Chamber of Commerce as well as Tourism Oxford who produce an Oxford fresh map highlighting local agri-food industries and tourist destinations. But the province also has a role to play in keeping local business thriving which is why I have been visiting local business around my writing to hear their concerns and to better understand the challenges they faced as a result of increasing cost of doing business in Ontario like the high cost of hydro. In my writing a number of municipalities have passed resolutions supporting my shop local by local campaign and encouraging the provincial government to support small local businesses and make it easier for businesses to operate in Ontario. With the holiday season approaching I encourage everyone to look locally for gifts, produce, decorations or activities. When you support our local economy we're helping to keep our businesses and jobs in our community. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Further member statements? The member from Toronto Danforth. Speaker thank you. Speaker the Lakeshore East Rail corridor cuts diagonally through my writing from the southwest corner up to Cockswell and Danforth and there has been a process ongoing of assessment for expansion of that rail line very necessary transit improvements in the GTA and just recently November 20th the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change gave notice to proceed to Metrolinx saying that they were satisfied with the documents that have been brought forward. Speaker there's great support in my writing for expansion of transit but there is also great concern that it be done well and that the people the thousands of them who live along that rail line have their interests protected in terms of noise vibration the visual impact people on Ivy Avenue Wardell Degrassi McGee people in old Riverdale have all expressed their concerns directly to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and as far as I can tell none of their concerns are reflected in the document put out by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. That speaker is very disturbing. People engaged in this process on a good faith basis. The credibility of the Ministry the credibility of Metrolinx is tied to whether or not they respond to legitimate concerns of this population. I expect to have talks with both those bodies but speaker ignoring the public when they raise substantial and reasonable concerns reflects very badly on this government. Thank you. Member from Beaches East York well thank you speaker we have a very busy couple of weeks coming up in Beaches East York in addition to dozens of bazaars from churches and Christmas sales we have a number of very much larger events that make our community a truly special corner of the province this Saturday we'll be lighting up East Lynn Park it's near Danforth Woodbine Avenue with the help of Danforth East Community Association this is an amazing group that just recently celebrated their 10th anniversary Deca runs a pioneering pop-up show program they operate a standout farmers market and they do incredible work with many refugee families that have come to Toronto congratulations on their anniversary and on Sunday we'll be marching I'll be marching in the Community Center 55 annual Santa Claus Parade which helps generate funds for the hamper program Center 55 throughout December they will have hundreds of volunteers donating sorting packing and delivering over 900 Christmas hampers to families in need and individuals in Beaches East York these packages include a full Christmas dinner as well as gifts for families with the turkey trimmings toys personal care products hand knit mittens and much more including food and food for their pets next weekend in Beaches York we will help light up the beach in the Q park in two events one run by the Declute Union Realty Company which sees trees lit up the length the length of our beaches boardwalk in support of Michael Garen Hospital and one by the beaches Lions that brings a warm holiday glow to Q park as you can tell speaker we are spoiled for Harald a spirit beaches East York and I encourage all members to come down and enjoy our local festivities thank you thank you for the members same as the members from Farnill thank you very much Mr. speaker and as a dog owner I'm very excited to talk about the Wolf of Palooza organization it's a volunteer not-for-profit organization that promotes and engages the dog community in the city of Vaughan and supports and creates awareness for animal shelters rescues and other pet related causes now last Friday November 17th they had a big fur ball and unfortunately I cannot attend I was called to Montreal for a family emergency but my friend Steven Leche was there and he was walking a dog Milo it was a French bulldog in the fashion show and the fashion show is the paw paw ish Kutcher fashion show and they had a dinner a silent auction a video presentation DJ and dancing and lots of fun I want to give a shout out to the organizer and founder of the organization Karina Pauletti who is an animal control officer a vet assistant a pet groomer and her assistance Mikaela Doria the event coordinator and Melissa Kuzaris who's also an event coordinator as well as a registered vet technician and of course there's lots of happy tales to take tail but this is a tail TAL and June 10th 2018 will be the third annual Wolf of Palooza event so come to that with your dogs I'm looking forward to seeing lots of registered pets there Mr. Speaker so so I hope that everybody will do their best to support this initiative and looking forward to seeing you all at the event thank you to all the members for their statements it's there for now time for reports by committees