 Seeing the time on the clock, it is now the time for member statements. I recognize the member from Hamilton Mountain. Thank you, Speaker. Today I want to talk about the Conservatives' government's misguided plans to privatize employment services. It was recently announced that the Conservatives have started hiring private companies to provide employment services for those receiving ODSP and OW. In my community of Hamilton, a private American company will provide these important services. Under the new private model, the company only gets paid when a job placement is made. That means that these companies have an incentive to connect ODSP and OW recipients to any job and fast. We'll see more people in inappropriate jobs and more people who aren't ready for jobs moved into them anyway. When a community-based, non-profit or municipality provides these employment services, they work with the individuals to meet their needs, and they have the local knowledge to best serve their community. Now instead, in Hamilton, we'll have an American company trying to get paid. This experiment in privatizing social assistance is just the beginning, and it's doomed to fail. It already did in the UK and in Australia. It must be stopped before it damages the lives of Ontarians. Our social services should not be a cash cow for American companies. Thank you. Member statements, and I will remind all members please to come in quietly so that we can enjoy member statements. I recognize member from Willowdale. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I rise today to remember and pay tribute to a great Willowdale community leader and a friend who passed away suddenly at the age of 45. Albert Kim was an incredible human being, a caring father, a proud member of the Korean Canadian community, a relentless friend, and an unapologetic champion for Willowdale. Albert loved politics and was a passionate member of the Liberal Party. And while we didn't always agree, in fact, we almost never agreed, he approached politics with humor and humanity. He put the people around him above everything else, often volunteering for candidates of all political stripes, myself included, simply because he wanted to help, because he wanted to be heard. He was always kind. Albert ran for Toronto City Council in 2018, was a long-serving member of the Willowdale Rotary Club and the Korean Canadian Cultural Association, a Salvation Army volunteer, and a naval reservist. He led a life of service and dedicated his time to bettering our community, our province, and our country. He was an inspiration to me and to many in Willowdale. Albert, Willowdale will not be the same without your voice and the incredible energy you brought wherever you went. You will be sorely missed, my friend. Thank you. Your statements, I recognize a member from Tamiskamane Cochran. My statement is for the Minister of Transportation regarding a call to Michelle in Tamiskamane Shores. It's on Highway 11 and has over 400 students plus a daycare. And the speed limit in front of the call to Michelle is 80 kilometres an hour. This is the school. They have signed thousands of signatures on petitions. I've spoken to the Minister several times, spoken to their ministry several times, and warned them. In January, there was an accident there. A transport pushed the car off the road that was entering a call to Michelle. Luckily, by the grace of God, no one was killed. We've warned and warned. But what is most galling? It's in front of a call to Michelle, it's 80 kilometres. But the town just north, Engelhardt, Highway 11, 70 kilometres. The town just south of a call to Michelle, Latsford, 60 kilometres. Go a bit farther south, it's 50 kilometres. But what's most galling to me, Speaker, when I drive from Northern Ontario and I come down Avenue Road, the school's there. 40 kilometres with flashing lights. They care about the schools here and about the children here. It's time to lower that speed limit and put in a turning lane. But please lower that speed limit now. What they did do is put a big, bright yellow line, brighter than the license plates, but that doesn't stop anybody. Thank you. Remember statements? I recognize a member from Etobicoke Lakeshore. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today to bring attention to the House, to an important charitable organization in Etobicoke Lakeshore. Today I'm joined by Derek Reed, who's in the gallery today, from kids with incarcerated parents. KIP Canada is dedicated to empowering and supporting children whose parents are incarcerated. KIP Canada not only provides mentorship for these children that includes fun and educational excursions, they also help children across the GTA visit their parents who are incarcerated in both federal and provincial detention centres, providing them with free transportation, along with healthy snacks, healthy conversations, and entertainment for their journey. Recently I was thrilled to announce that Ontario government through the Ontario Trillium Foundation has granted KIP Canada funding for a new bus. This bus will allow families across the GTA to stay connected under very trying circumstances. I would like to congratulate Derek, his daughter Jessica, and the team at KIP Canada on the amazing work they do. I would encourage all of you to check out the work that KIP Canada does in supporting children who face adversity. Derek and team, thank you so very much for looking after our vulnerable youth. Member Statements, the member for Brampton North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Delays, delays, delays. Correctional officers have been calling for changes at the Aging Thunder Bay Jail. Many members had big smiles on their face when this government announced it would be building a new jail in Thunder Bay. The ability to do anything inside the jail is so limited because it is 100 years old. It was built back in the 1920s for capacity of 60 people at the time. We're now at 150 to 160 inmates at all times. However, infrastructure Ontario's latest market update reveals an indefinite delay to the Thunder Bay Correctional Complex, meaning that the safety of Thunder Bay families, correctional workers, and inmates is being kicked down the road again. The request for proposals for the Thunder Bay Correctional Complex was originally slated to be issued by spring of 2019. In an update from Infrastructure Ontario, the date was changed to be determined. My colleague, local MPP, from Thunder Bay out of Cochrane, stated, the previous Liberal government neglected this problem for years, and now the four governments doing the same. It's not safe for our community, for correctional staff, and for inmates to have the government keep ignoring issues of dangerously outdated correctional facilities. The project in question would address longstanding safety security problems by combining the Thunder Bay Jail at the Thunder Bay Correctional Center into a single complex and qualified update. It is time now to put the shovels in the ground. Thank you. Member Statements, the member for Ottawa South. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And last week, in my writing of Ottawa South, Hockey for Youth hosted a first skate event. And Hockey for Youth is an incredible nonprofit organization that provides youth who are new to Canada with an opportunity to play hockey. The Ontario Trim Foundation recently awarded Hockey for Youth a $27,500 grant to help purchase hockey equipment and launch new programs in the Ottawa area. 53 girls new to Canada between the ages of 14 and 18 from Gloucester and Ridgemont High Schools will be invited to learn to play hockey at no costs. Through the 10-week program, they will be provided with free ice time where they learn the fundamentals of the game and how to skate. The program will help players with their English literacy, as I obviously need some help right now, learn new life skills and develop more self-esteem and understand the importance of physical activity. The goal is to remove social and economic barriers so that more youth can be included in sport. Thank you to Hockey for Youth, the Ontario Trim Foundation, the City of Ottawa, Gloucester and Ridgemont High Schools for making this life-changing initiative possible. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you, Member Statements, the Member for Oakville. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It's a pleasure to be speaking here back in the legislature. In the spirit of Black History Month, it is important that we take time to learn about the contributions of Black Canadians in our communities and society at large. To that, I would like to bring attention to my colleagues in the chamber today, some unique history in Oakville and how our community commemorates this important month. We should all be familiar with Canada's role in the Underground Railroad that provided so many enslaved African-Americans a chance at freedom. What some of my colleagues may not be aware of is that Oakville was in fact a terminus for the Underground Railroad, which saw hundreds of American slaves brought safely into Canada for freedom. At that time, Oakville was a very small town, and many of the individuals moved to more populous towns throughout Ontario. From this time, there was one individual story that speaks to the kind of heroism that I think we should remember. That is a gentleman by the name of James Wesley Hill, an escaped slave who crossed the border in a packing box in the late 1840s and settled on a farm in Oakville and went on to help an estimated 800 African-Americans brought to Oakville and generously gave them work on his farm. James Wesley Hill earned the respected title of conductor by those he aided and a house he's built still remains to this day in Oakville. But Mr. Speaker, it's not just the kind of history that makes me proud to be from Oakville, especially during times like Black History Month, but it's how this history is preserved in our community. Organizations like Sheridan College, the Oakville Museum, and the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton bring this history to us every day. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Toronto, St. Paul's. Good morning, Speaker. I want to start today by acknowledging the life of Evangeline La Rosa, who was tragically cut short by a cement truck at Erskine and Young just a few months ago. And this speaks to the importance of responsible and safe development. It's hardly a new discovery that Midtown, Toronto is suffering from irresponsible development. In fact, today we're joined by over a dozen residents of St. Paul's who have been fighting for more responsible development in our community for years. Out of their advocacy came a plan known as Midtown in Focus. That laid down some simple ground rules of how to get it right, lowering the high density limits and mandating that there be enough services in Midtown to serve our communities, schools, infrastructure, community space, parks. It wasn't about nimbyism. It was about responsible development. They invited the minister to tour the neighbourhood with them to discuss the plan. He didn't do that. He toured without them secretly and brought the MPP from Eglinton Lawrence on the tour, who isn't even their MPP. I am. Following this tour, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing ripped the original plans to shreds. It is totally disrespectful of the residents of St. Paul's. Today, sir, we have a very simple request for this government. Reverse your changes to official planning amendment 405, listen to community, get it right, and not just your developer pals. And Mr. Speaker, I've got on my desk letters, dozens of letters signed by St. Paul's, letters that were delivered to Minister Clark and there's been no response. Thank you. Member Statements, the Member for Durham. I informed this House that on February 13th, I was able to provide an important update to my constituents about the GO train to Bowmanville. This project has been the topic of discussion for decades in our community. Speaker Metrolinx has officially finished its updated initial business case and I'm pleased that the recommended option would include all day service instead of the four train peak only service announced by the Liberal government. Based on the updated initial business case, Metrolinx staff have recommended proceeding with option two. The recommended alignment services all major population centers along the extension, keeps Oshawa GO station open and utilizes existing rail infrastructure to cross Highway 401 to bring down the project costs. Let me finish by saying that today the Board of Directors at Metrolinx will be reviewing the updated initial business case report. If approved by the Board, Metrolinx will continue to work with our government to advance the recommended route option to the next stage of the planning process, developing the preliminary design business case. I look forward to working with Metrolinx and our government to get this vital project funded and built. Thank you, Speaker. I've asked the House to come to order. There are a number of conversations taking place in the House that makes it hard for the Speaker to hear the Member's statements. Member Statements, the Member for Haldeman Norfolk. This year, Speaker Haldeman Norfolk will receive close to $5.2 million for community infrastructure. The County of Haldeman will receive over $2.6 million and the County of Norfolk will receive over $2.5 million. This investment comes from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, also known to our municipal partners as OSIF. OSIF is a $200 million fund that supports rural, small and northern communities across Ontario with populations under 100,000. I'd like to thank Laurie Scott, our Minister of Infrastructure and our Premier Doug Ford who made this announcement earlier this year committing funding for the hardworking people in Haldeman Norfolk. This investment of over $5.2 million is greatly appreciated in Haldeman Norfolk. This investment for community infrastructure goes directly to our municipal partners and they can spend it where they need it most. That means both the County of Norfolk and the County of Haldeman at infrastructure funding over $5.2 million this year alone to fix our local roads, to repair our community bridges or to address the needs of water and wastewater projects. I look forward to the shovel-ready projects that both Norfolk and Haldeman will spend on the almost $5.2 million this year on our community infrastructure and I really look forward to attending the events with our municipal partners that show how our hard-earned tax dollars are being put to work, fixing, repairing and reviving. Thank you. Thank you very much. It's now time for the introduction of visitors and I'll remind the members that five minutes are allocated understanding order 34 for this purpose.