 It is now time for member statements. I recognize the member for Brantford-Brant. Thank you, Speaker, and good morning, everyone. I am pleased to rise today to speak about the grand reopening of the Native Horizons Treatment Center that will be taking place tomorrow in Brantford-Brant, where I will be joined by the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. In December of 2018, I was deeply saddened to learn that Native Horizons, located on the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, had burned to the ground in a devastating fire. Over the last few years, Native Horizons has undergone a transformation of its own and has been rebuilt bigger and better than before. The new facility boasts rebuilt portions of the building, including the addition of multipurpose and spiritual rooms, and the construction of spaces for trauma-informed programming and culturally-based activities. Some staff at Native Horizons have compared the journey of the facility to that of a phoenix rising from the ashes. I think, Speaker, that that is a perfect analogy, as in many ways, Native Horizons' rebuild symbolizes the change that it has on its clients by empowering countless indigenous individuals to reclaim control of their lives and rise to overcome mental health and addictions obstacles. Native Horizons' story is one of resilience and hope, and I am proud of the work that they have done to rebuild and the work that they continue to do in the community. Thank you, Speaker. Members, go for Ottawa Center. Well, thank you very much, Speaker. We enjoy great privileges in being elected official, Speaker, and one of them is when the community reaches out to us and touches us personally. And I want to thank the students from Hopewell Public School and their teacher, Ms. Vorbe, who are hopefully watching this right now. Hello, everybody. I want to thank you for touching my heart about an issue I was unaware of before your leadership, Speaker, and that is the health of Ontario's boreal caribou. Speaker, these students at Hopewell Public School did a module last semester where they talked about the fact that of the 51 populations of boreal caribou in Canada, 37 of those populations are deemed not self-sustaining. And what it means for our pristine and beautiful North, it means that the species of the boreal caribou and iconic species for Ontario are literally poised potentially for extinction. And I note that ministers of the environment in this current government previous have made this a priority. And I note that the federal government has said that Ontario needs to have a strategy that they deem to be acceptable by this month, April 2024. So I want to thank the students from Hopewell Public School who wrote me personal notes and who helped collaborate with me in a letter to Minister Andrea Kange that I will be hand delivering this morning. Because that is what citizenship actually is, Speaker. Citizenship is when you use your voice to speak out to people in our profession, to lend a message, to care about someone you've never met. Bless you students at Hopewell Public School. Thank you for your leadership. Let's work together to protect the boreal caribou. Under statements, I recognize the member for Whitby. Thank you, Speaker. I'm pleased to share with my colleagues news about additional funding that strengthens the safety and security of hardworking families in Whitby and other parts of the region of Durham. Speaker, our government with the leadership of Premier Ford and the solicitor general has provided $900,000 over three years to support the hardworking officers of the Durham Regional Police Service in their efforts to combat and prevent auto thefts. Excellent news. This funding is part of our government's groundbreaking preventing auto thefts grant program focused on prevention, detection, analysis, and enforcement. Speaker, a total investment of $18 million over three years being allocated to 21 police projects to collectively tackle the rising issue of auto theft. This funding equips our police services, like the Durham Regional Police Service, with the tools necessary to enhance prevention, improve investigations, and gather evidence to put criminals where they belong in jail. Speaker, since 2018, approximately $15 million has been provided by our government to the Durham Regional Police Service. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Hamilton Mountain. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to celebrate National Volunteer Week to 2020. A week to pause, reflect, and give thanks to the many individuals who give tirelessly every day in our communities. As we honor this year's theme of Every Moment Matters, it is important to truly recognize every volunteer who adds value to those words. A volunteer is defined by many adjectives and actions, often including words like dedicated, consistent, loving, and welcoming. They bring hope, joy, and strength, and support to all of those they engage with. In Hamilton Mountain, volunteers support school nutrition programs, classroom activities, food banks, literacy groups, community gardens, co-ops, long-term care facilities, hospitals, hospices, cancer assistance programs, community sports, neighborhood associations, events, festivals, and so many other amazing activities. Volunteers are from neighborhoods, organizations, and groups spanning many diverse interests. They're working together to support one another, sharing common visions, goals, and inspiring future generations to continue this important and much-needed work. To all volunteers, I sincerely say thank you. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your commitment to helping others. Thank you for making a difference in people's lives. Thank you for continuing to show up and lend a hand, a smile, and a moment that matters. Many sayings and expressions have been shared over the years about volunteers and volunteerism. And to quote Elizabeth Andrew, volunteers do not necessarily have time, they have heart. Happy National Volunteer Week. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Kitchener, South Africa. I wanted to use this slot to express my personal gratitude to a few people that will be known to many on this side of the house. When I was a Crown Attorney, I had, I think, a very direct impact on many people's lives in a positive fashion. And in coming to office, I made the decision to leave the Crown in the hopes that, as a politician, I would be able to make an impact, a greater impact, than I could as a Crown. As we all know, government is a large and unwieldy beast and challenging to navigate and subject to many whims. And it can be very challenging to feel as an individual that you are progressing. I've had several projects recently, all crime prevention related for the most part that have, you know, budged forward somewhat. And, well, more than somewhat that I've achieved some significant success on. But while I was the sort of originator behind it, I never would have been able to get them where they are without the unbelievable help and support of several key staff members in various ministries. And I want to name them at this point. So from the Ministry of Education, we have Justin Saunders and Ken and Benjamin's, who have been incredibly patient with me. From MTCS, we have Mora Barone, from MCCSS, we have Kimia Zimani, from Solgen, Crete Atkinson, and from the Premier's Office, Sean Beckett. Thank you all so much. I would not be doing what I'm doing without you. And I'm incredibly grateful and will be forever. Thank you. Awesome. Thank you very much. Member statements, the member for Toronto, Dan Ford. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, as you and other members of the House are well aware, this government wants people to pay more to Enbridge. They want to increase their gas bills. In December, the Ontario Energy Board, the body that regulates utilities in this province, decided that consumers needed to be protected, that they should not be subsidizing Enbridge's expansion, that in fact, those customers needed to be protected today and for decades to come. Unfortunately, the government has decided that instead of protecting consumers, they will be protecting Enbridge. This morning in committee, we debated amendments to Bill 165. Every amendment meant to protect consumers, to protect them from higher prices, was defeated by the government. The government has determined to ensure that at the price of consumers, Enbridge's investors will be protected down the line. Speaker, this is not a defensible position on the part of the government. Not one that will be appreciated by consumers when they get their gas bills in the next few months and one that over the decades to come will mean much higher bills than people otherwise would have been paid. The government needs to reverse course, they need to reject this bill that they brought forward. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Chatham Kent Leamington. Good morning, Speaker. On Sunday, April 14th, the Leamington Roman Club hosted over 20 health service businesses, support organizations to connect more than 500 international agriculture workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Caribbean who work in Leamington and surrounding areas. Hosted by staff and volunteers from the migrant workers community program, the annual health and information fair brings barrier free, culturally aligned resources in several languages to provide information and assist workers to book health exams and included onsite blood pressure testing, blood glucose screening, mental health supports, dental checks, bicycle, road, and farm safety info, income tax, insurance information, health card services, and direct contacts with local police, fire, and EMS personnel to raise awareness and build trust. The atmosphere was festive with the smells of fresh food in the air and the sounds of live Latino music on stage. I appreciate the many people who travel great distances to support their families while supporting all the good things grown in Ontario. They're our colleagues, our friends, and an important part of our community. I was most proud of my friend and neighbor, the member from Essex, who very boldly addressed the entire crowd in Spanish. Has new parliamentary assistant to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He made a great impact, and together, it was a successful event. Have a great day. Member Stavins, the member for Don Valley East. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to express a disappointment in my constituents in Don Valley East about this government's unacceptable lack of progress on public transit. Mr. Speaker, the still under construction Eglinton Cross Town will serve my riding from six stations. My constituents see this construction and feel all of its problems and delays. This government has shared no details about the progress and its estimated completion date. My constituents deserve answers about the status of the line, the problems it faces, what's left to be done, and when the government expects it to be open. And they want to know why half of all Metrolinx employees are on the sunshine list, despite the complete lack of accountability and progress. Also in my riding, Mr. Speaker, are two stations on the Ontario line. Metrolinx has promised consultation about the transit-oriented communities being built around them. However, they've been less than forthcoming about what sort of community benefits will be made available, how businesses will be protected, and they have yet to see any real evidence of employment opportunities apart from job fairs, advertising entry-level and junior positions. It's important to have housing, especially near the Eglinton Cross Town and the Ontario line. But under the chaotic and unpredictable housing environment created by this government, my constituents are seeing rampant demo evictions, unacceptable above guideline rent increases, and appalling wait times for the landlord and tenant board. And we need to make sure that all the infrastructure that makes communities feel like home, schools, parks, libraries, and more are an integral part of that development. The government must take action and provide the people of Don Valley East progress and information about the progress of both the Eglinton Cross Town and the Ontario line. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Nappean. Thank you very much, Speaker. It is National Volunteer Week and the motto, of course, is every moment matters. And if you ask my guest here today, Fiona Fisher, the executive director, Manel Alhalibi from the Finance and Laura Burke, the senior director of strategy and program for camp quality, they will probably say yes, every moment matters. But for those of us who volunteered for camp quality, a pediatric, free pediatric oncology camp, we would say that every moment that was given to us by the children and the other volunteers at camp quality mattered more than anything we could ever dream of. For me, in particular, a year and a half ago, I found myself numb dealing with a new diagnosis of bipolar disorder and trying to find a path forward for myself in what would be my expected new life. And going to camp quality was one of the things that allowed me to really see what true happiness could be. Children who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis, some who may not have had much time left to live, reminded each of us at that camp that life is worth living, that life is each and every single day those children got up and they live life with a massive smile on their face. Children, seven years old, are being teachers to those of us much older. And Speaker, I know my time has run out, but every moment does matter. And when we talk about camp quality and the work the Fiona and her team does, it brings dignity, it brings a smile to the face, not just of those children and not just of their families, but those of us they've chosen to spend some time volunteering for them. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Brampton North. Thank you, Speaker. It's my pleasure to rise in the house today to highlight very exciting news for Brampton just in time for the 2024-25 Ontario Hockey League season. I'm proud to announce that Brampton will be getting our own OHL team when the steelheads come to town. Here, here. That's right after more than a decade since the battalion left, OHL hockey is coming back to Brampton. And Mr. Speaker, this is great news not just for my constituents, but for hockey fans across Brampton. And yes, Mr. Speaker, Brampton is a hockey town. Okay. And Brampton is proud to have developed some of the best talent the game has seen, including Cassie Campbell, Sean Monaghan, Rick Nashti, Tyler Sagan, just to name a few. More recently, our city was proud to host Hockey Night of Brampton last August where Brampton's passionate hockey fan base came together to raise over a million dollars for our second hospital. Mr. Speaker, this move represents why Brampton is the place to be. With our vibrant and diverse population and our passion for developing the next generation of sports talent, Brampton is quickly becoming the breeding ground for sports excellence nationwide. And Mr. Speaker, not only will this move give Brampton youth the chance to play for their hometown, but give our city front row seats to watch them grow into the next generation of hockey stars. I can't wait to don a Brampton Steelheads jersey to cheer on our boys this fall. Thank you very much. That concludes our members' statements for this morning.