 Now time for Member Statements. Member Statements, I recognize the member for Leeds Grandville, Thousand Islands, Rideau Lake. Today I rise to recognize staff with several agencies in my riding who recently joined forces to provide a mobile identification clinic for vulnerable and unhoused people in Leeds and Grandville. The clinic was hosted on Valentine's Day at the Lanark, Leeds and Grandville Addictions and Mental Health Drop-In Centre. The results were remarkable. In just two hours over 30 people were connected with OHIP cards, birth certificates, Ontario ID cards and various federal benefits. I applaud those who showed real initiative by spearheading this effort, Amber Gilmore and Donna Stratton of Rideau Community Health Services and Amanda Brielle and staff of the East Region Service Ontario. They were supported by representatives from Service Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency. Creating this one-stop shop in familiar and comfortable location removed all the barriers to securing identification. It was truly an all-hands-on-deck effort with the Cooperative Care Centre, community paramedics and other agencies providing support for people in need. Speaker, it was so successful. They're planning another clinic soon and of course my office remains committed to supporting this effort. I'm so proud of these caring and hard working individuals. Their collaboration and innovation has made a life-changing difference for many at-risk people. Thank you so much, Speaker. Further Member Statements, I recognize the Member for Scarborough Southwest. Speaker, today we're amidst the most severe housing and homelessness crisis in recent memory. Every day the Premier reiterates his commitment to providing shelter for the people of Ontario. Yet year after year tenants and landlords alike are left waiting for justice. The backlog at Ontario's landlord and tenant board has ballooned to over 53,000 cases. This backlog is not merely a statistic but a testament to a system spiraling out of control, as highlighted in the report by Tribunals Watch Ontario. Tenants facing maintenance dispute endure extremely long waits for over 14 months for resolution while landlords struggling with rent non-payment evictions cases are left hanging for more than a year. This is unacceptable, Speaker. The report highlights that the root of this issue lies in the politicization of the LTB by the Ontario Government, by this Conservative Government favouring political appointments over experienced professionals. Regional centres shuttered under this government have only exacerbated the delays. Every day my office hears about the profound consequences of this, with individuals bearing significant personal costs, lost housing, poor living conditions for tenants and significant financial hardships, particularly impacting small landlords. Speaker, our Ontario NDP colleagues and I are calling on this government to implement much needed reforms on the LTB suggested by the Ombudsman. It's time to ensure that all Ontarians receive the justice and relief they so desperately need. Thank you very much, Speaker. Thank you very much, Member Statements, the Member for Newmarket, Aurora. Thank you. Last week was non-profit appreciation week. In honour of this occasion, I kicked off the week by cooking my signature casserole for the community meal at In from the Cool. This local non-profit provides emergency shelter, meals and supportive counselling services to the most vulnerable in our community. It was great to engage with some of the clients, staff and volunteers. The week continued with a pop-in visit with four great local non-profits, Blue Door Construct, Newmarket Food Pantry, Women's Centre of York Region and Abuse Hurts, where I had the humble honour to heartily thank their leaders, staff and volunteers for all their work. On Valentine's Day, I hosted more than 40 of our esteemed Newmarket, Aurora non-profit organisations at an appreciation event, recognising them as the backbone of our community. What day would be better than Valentine's Day to extend my deepest gratitude and admiration to these incredible people who generously contribute their time, energy, expertise and passion to our community. In 2023, the government allocated $5.7 billion to non-profit institutions. I would like to thank the MPP for Richmond Hill for her leadership in tabling Bill 9 to recognise the third week in February each year as non-profit sector appreciation week. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next, we have the member for University, Rosedale. Thank you, Speaker. Today I'm here to talk about childcare. Parents across our riding, across our city, rely on childcare. I think of Liz McLaughlin. She works as a nurse at Princess Margaret Hospital and I met her when her childcare centre, Carmelite, announced they were closing, forcing her and 175 families to look for new child care options in a city that has very few available. A typical wait list is the kind of wait list that exists at St Albans childcare, where there's over 100 people waiting for a spot at St Albans. Then I asked St Albans, why don't you just expand to meet the need that is clearly available? They said we're struggling to even survive. Last year, St Albans operated at a deficit because a federal provincial arrangement doesn't allow them to raise childcare fees, however they're not provided with enough money to cover costs. They've lost more staff in the past year than they've lost in the previous 25 because they cannot recruit or keep workers because wages are too low and housing costs are too expensive in our city so people are moving and leaving. It is a huge problem that as the need for childcare rises, our childcare system is not able to meet the need or even in some cases they're struggling to survive. I worry that the provincial federal childcare program is at risk and I urge this government to look for real solutions to keep childcare a reality in Ontario. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements, the Member for Kitchener, Conestoga. It's a pleasure to rise today and it's very nice to see everyone back at Queen's Park. Last week I was thrilled to have Ontario's Minister of Transportation in town to announce progress on Highway 7. While he was in Kitchener, the minister confirmed his full commitment to increasing service frequency on the go line. Transforming the Kitchener line into a two-way all-day rapid transit line is a massive undertaking. Metrolinx is completing upgrades to the Kitchener go line since taking ownership of the track between Georgetown and your riding, Mr Speaker, and Kitchener in 2018. Core track conditions and several crossings have been improved, leading to shorter travel time. Safety signal improvements have made our roads safer and increased trains speeds through Guelph. We replaced the Wilson Street bridge so work on a second track between Wellington Street and Silver Creek Parkway could begin. Looking forward, Metrolinx will be clearing areas to build a new set of dedicated rail tracks along a portion of the line. The minister mentioned that as negotiations with CN continue, our government continues to take steps to increase service. Speaker, this would include a morning train or this could include a morning train from Toronto to Kitchener on weekdays or increasing weekend go train service between Kitchener and Toronto. We are the only party that will invest in transit in Waterloo Region. Let's get going, Speaker. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Michigawak, James Bay. Yes, Mr. President. It is with a heavy heart that I want to express my condolences to the family, chief, and community following the tragic loss of lives in Wynnus First Nation, sadly again, linked to fire preparedness. It saddens me even more deeply that a year ago we were mourning Wynnus in a similar circumstance. The loss of lives in such a preventable tragedy is a stark reminder of the urgent need for action and investment in essential infrastructure in Indigenous communities across our province. Together in this House, as representatives of all Ontarians, we have a duty to address these pressing issues and work towards meaningful solution that prioritizes the safety, well-being, and dignity of all individuals, regardless of the background or location. I support every request by Wynnus First Nation and First Nations community in remote areas to receive proper fire equipment and infrastructure. I urge every one of us to work to bring increased funding and resource for those essential infrastructure projects. Let us now wait for another tragedy to bring the help that we are being asked to deliver. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. The Member for Mississauga Mall. Good morning, Mr. Speaker. Last weekend, in my riding of Markham Thornhill, I had the pleasure of hosting a special event to celebrate the Lunar New Year alongside my residents and the Asian community. Thank you to my colleague, Minister Michael Pazza, Minister Stephen Leche, MPP Lonco, MPP Laura Sumit, who are attending this wonderful event. Our celebration showcase, traditional cultural dances, food, and artwork from diverse range of people. This year at the Ragon, hold a profound significance. It means to have the power to turn your life around for the betterment of your community. Speaker, Markham Thornhill is the most vibrant and ethnically diverse riding in the province. And these celebrations resonate deeply with my diverse constituents, offering a moment of reflection, gratitude, and hope for the year ahead. I would like to thank the Chinese and Asian communities for sharing your ancient cultures with all of us, as well as your contribution to economy, society, and politics. You are all nation builders. To all, I say, Sinyankho, Konke Pachoi, Happy New Year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you so much. Thank you to the member for Markham Thornhill. Member Statements, the member for Don Valley West. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today to share my constituents' concerns regarding broken promises to the people of Thorncliffe Park. One of the first issues I raised as MPP for Don Valley West involved the location of the Ontario Line Maintenance and Storage Facility. There was no consultation in advance, causing deep strife amongst the community, local businesses, and organizations. To add insult to injury, the government promised a community benefits agreement to deliver economic benefits for local residents, many of whom are new immigrants with skills that Ontario needs. So far, this government has not gotten that done. Another broken promise by this Premier. Now we face a repeat of this debacle for Thorncliffe Park residents. The government did not consult in advance about their decision to build a transit-oriented community there. They simply announced the plan and then had the gall to have Infrastructure Ontario say, Community input is a key component of IO's TOC program. This government has already released 800 pages of planning documents related to this project and spent who knows how much money without any consultations being done. My constituents are once again being sidelined by this government. I am asking that the Minister of Infrastructure sign a community benefits agreement now. Without that, future consultations will be nothing more than a PR exercise. Thank you. Thank you. Members' statements. The Member for Mississauga Centre. Thank you so much, Speaker. Good morning. It is great to be back at Queen's Park with my wonderful colleagues. I was delighted to spend time connecting with my constituents in Mississauga Centre, as many of you did, I'm sure, in your writings, going door to door to deliver calendars and red Lunar New Year envelopes, hosting my new year's levy with beautiful multi-ethnic performances, as well as participating in tours and announcements. Meeting with small businesses was also very important to me. Speaker, small family-owned businesses are the backbone of our economy. And what's one such business in Mississauga Centre I would like to highlight is Palma Pasta. Premier Ford, myself and my Mississauga colleagues had a great time visiting Palma Pasta and seeing their operation up close. I want to congratulate Anthony Petrucci, his wife Carmela and their son Noah, for running this wonderful and very tasty operation. Palma Pasta has been in operation since 1985, when Marcillo and Palma Petrucci opened their very first location. And I am proud that our government continuously supports small business owners like Palma Pasta, who received a manufacturing grant to modernize and improve operations. I want to thank Anthony, Carmela, Noah, Silomena, and Laurie Petrucci, and the entire team at Palma Pasta for having us, allowing us to taste their amazing food and for being a vibrant hub of Italian cuisine and culture in our city. Anthony and the whole team at Palma Pasta represent the very best of the entrepreneurial spirit that helps drive our thriving province forward. Grazie e buon appetito. Member Statements, the member for Eglinton Lawrence. It's great to be back in the legislature and to see friends and colleagues again. Unfortunately, there were some events during the legislative break that left me very concerned. While many across the province were celebrating Christmas Eve on December 24th, this holy day marked the beginning of a particularly challenging period for many people in my area. At least seven times over the following two weeks, demonstrators obstructed a highway overpass, causing backups on the busiest part of the 401, and causing blocked access at the 401 and Avenue Road overpass. Protesters wave flags and verbally harass constituents with abhorrent anti-Semitic remarks. They shamefully targeted the large Jewish population in the area, but impacted everyone. Thankfully, the police arrested those who continued to protest after warnings on January 9th. More recently, protesters assembled at Mount Sinai Hospital, which was founded by members of the Jewish community, chanting Intifada and harassing and intimidating health care providers, patients and visitors alike. Thanks to our democratic institutions and traditions, residents of our province enjoy many rights and freedoms, but our rights and freedoms are understood to be subject to the rights and freedoms of others. No one has the right to do whatever they want, wherever they want, no matter what the consequences are for others. That is not freedom. Living together in a society requires fundamentally that we obey the laws, listen to police officers who are trying to maintain order, and respect others who live in our society. Our rights and freedoms, our peace and prosperity, and our democracy depend on it. Thank you very much. It concludes our member's statements for this morning.