 It's now time for Member Statements and Member from Perth-Wellington. Thank you Speaker. Last week we learned that hydro bills are set to increase yet again. Next year electricity bills will increase by a reported average of $137 a year. And that doesn't take into account the two planned time of use adjustments that will hike hydro rates this year. It's an increase that many individuals, families, seniors and businesses cannot afford. Electricity costs in Ontario are now amongst the highest in North America. Over the last four years it's reported that off-peak electricity prices have increased over 50%. In 2013 the government's own estimates showed that they planned to hike electricity costs 42% by 2018. My constituents are fed up. Many times I've spoken up for them in this legislature. Many times we propose sensible solutions to make hydro more affordable. Rather than change course, the government seems intent to continue making my consensuous pay for liberal mistakes. Instead of looking out for the people, the Liberals are looking out for special interests including multinational wind companies. Skyrocketing hydro costs must be reined in. Livelyhoods depend on it. Thank you Speaker. Thank you Member Statements. Member from Kitchener, Waterloo. Thank you very much. In 2010 the Auditor General reported that Ontario's family responsibility office was broken. The report revealed $1.6 billion in arrears and 1,377 cases per fro worker compared to other provinces 400 cases per worker. Fewer than one quarter of cases received attention annually. The Ministry of Community and Social Services promised that by the end of 2012 systems would be in place to ensure adequate case management. Yet five months ago, CBC reported 79% of fro's open cases are in arrears for a total of $2.1 billion. Investment in a poor computer system and high case loads leave calls unreturned. This past November the Minister was on TVOs, the agenda, reiterating the same old promises to cut through backlog but failed to provide any details. While calls from my constituents facing problems with fro are increasing, the government's remains unable to fix fro. One constituent, Dawn Marie, hasn't received payment on her file since 2006, despite repeatedly providing fro with the payers employment information. As of this month she has owed $50,000. In December the payer moved to Newfoundland. They resolved the issue very quickly, something that this province hasn't been able to do for nine years. Families who do not receive payment are forced to rely on Ontario Works to survive. Social assistance is already stretched. It is time for this government to fix fro and stop ignoring the most vulnerable and at-risk citizens in the province of Ontario. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Member Stevens, the Member from Halton. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker I rise today on behalf of myself and the Member from Oakfield. In memory of a dear friend, a beloved community leader and a remarkable man who passed suddenly away this past weekend. Max Kahn was a devoted family man, a loving son to his father Mahmood and his mother and a dedicated family member to his brother and sisters. He was also a devoted father to his son and partner to his beloved LC. But Max will always be remembered by the residents in Oakville and Halton as a highly respected and courageous city councillor and trial lawyer. He worked tirelessly for the people in his community. He was a volunteer, an organizer and a champion for fairness, justice and democracy. I had the pleasure of getting to know Max well over the last few years. He helped me with both of my campaigns. He was a man who exuded confidence, strength and integrity. He was a dynamo. When he knocked on doors he didn't walk, he ran. He loved people, loved meeting them and finding out about their challenges and trying to help them. His tireless spirit was matched only by his passion to create a better society and improve the lives of the people of Oakville and Halton. He lent his voice, his time and his energy to countless organizations throughout his community. Max was the kind of guy who was always there to lend a helping hand. He was someone who would drop by his mum and dad's home for a visit but before he left would shovel their sidewalk and his neighbour's sidewalks too. I can honestly say for all of us who knew Max that we are incredibly fortunate to have had him in our lives. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Khan family. Thank you. Member Samus and I'm from Elgin, NL, 6-1. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, today I'd like to honour a constituent of mine, Mr. Ken Monteith. Ken was born on June 26, 1938 in St. Thomas, Ontario and grew up on the family farm on Fingle Line where he still resides today. Ken graduated from the Ontario Agricultural College in 1957 and has had various offices throughout our riding. In 1978 to 1980 he was Councilor and Deputy Reaver Southhold Township. In 1980 he became the Reaver Southhold Township. Ken has also served as the warden of Elgin County during his time in municipal politics. In 1988 he decided to run for the Federal Progressive Conservatives and was elected as the MP for what was then our riding was known as Elgin Norfolk for the 34th Parliament of Canada. This past Saturday, Ken was inducted into the Elgin Agricultural Hall of Fame. The Elgin Federation of Agriculture's Agriculture Awards Night was held at the Caso Station. Not only is Ken agriculturally accomplished locally but provincially and federally as well. He has served as the Chair of the Progressive Conservatives Agricultural Caucus and sat on the Agricultural Standing Committee from 1988 to 1993. Ken is an active community member sitting on the Agra Food Foundation at Ridgetown College helping with the international plowing match and is currently the Chair of the Capital Campaign of the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital which is close to raising the $13 million needed for our addition at the hospital. He is actively fundraising for the Elgin St. Thomas United Way, the Caso Station in St. Thomas and Family and Children Services throughout St. Thomas and Elgin. Ken on behalf of the people of Elgin Middlesex London, thank you and congratulations on this tremendous accomplishment. I stand today to speak for Opsu Local 294, the RNs and RPNs who work in four clinics run by a for-profit care partners in my writing and in the writings of my fellow MPPs in Hamilton, Niagara, Haldeman and Brant region. This agency runs a private for-profit clinic under contract to the CCAC for key health services to patients, dialysis, wound, pediatric, diabetic and oncology care. Without these services, 1,600 patients in the region would be in long-term care or in hospital. The employees are not getting the respect they deserve and it's impeding their ability to serve the patients with the best quality care. These nurses are paid by visit, piece work rather than by hour. No paid vacation and no compensation for overtime. I spoke with Tristan Castro and RPN for care partners and VP of the local who said he and his colleagues are very concerned that frontline workers are being paid significantly less than not-for-profit agencies such as VON and the Victoria Order of Nurses. How is it, Speaker, that the CEO of the CCAC had 50,000 in raises in the past four years, but this agency has not had any increased fund for providers for five years? Does profit become before quality of care? It's unfortunate that care partner staff are left with no option but to strike April 10th if a fair agreement is not reached. As a labour critic and a labour activist and a former RN, I stand in support of these nurses and their right to be treated with respect, the right to a fair wage and a fair contract. Thank you. On Friday I had the pleasure of touring and make an announcement at the United Way of Greater Central County. Director of Finance and Operations, John Morrison and Board Treasurer, Catherine Campbell, have advised me that they expect to reach this year's milestone goal of $2 million when officially closing the books today. Since incorporating in 1959 this United Way, which serves my constituents of Barrie and the other residents across Simcoe, Muskoka and the town of Blue Mountains, they have raised more than 35 million. How amazing. Through multi-sector partnerships and donor dollar reinvestment, United Way Greater Simcoe County expands the capacity of local charities to respond to some of the most challenging social issues facing our growing regions, including poverty and affordable housing, diversity and inclusion, mental health and opportunities for use. Starting April 1st, United Way Greater Simcoe County is committed to funding 25 programs delivered by 21 local agents, including county-wide housing resource centres, in-school mentorship programs for children across Simcoe, Muskoka and regional seniors' programs to foster independence. By initiating successful social enterprise initiatives, including a call centre, assisting low-income households with utility arrears and referrals to other community resources, they are a leader in non-profit best practices for revenue diversity. Congratulations to the dedicated volunteers and employees of the United Way Greater Simcoe County. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in the house today to recognize two exceptional hockey teams for my riding of Peri-Sal, Muskoka. I would first like to congratulate the 2014-2015 All-Ontario champions in the Midget Single-B division. The broker-linked Peri-Sal Shamrocks completed the feat against the airflames in five games, clinching the series-winning game on home ice in Peri-Sal this past weekend. It was Peri-Sal's first Midget Championship since 1996. Congratulations. I would also like to congratulate the 2014-2015 All-Ontario Champion Progressive Waste Management, South Muskoka Bears. For the second consecutive year, they took home the title of Major Midget Double-B champs in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association. The Bears also clinched their title on home ice this past weekend in Bracebridge for the 4-2 victory over St. Mary's. Anybody who has played or coached knows just how difficult it is to repeat as champions. I would like to recognize this group for accomplishing this impressive feat. I was able to drop the puck at the opening game of the finals in Gravenhurst and watched one of the shamrock games in Peri-Sal and Musksaid made for a very exciting hockey. Finally, I would like to recognize the parents, volunteers and coaching staff who made this season possible for both teams. It is through their efforts and contributions that helped to make the 2014-2015 season such a success. Thank you. Thank you. Members, statements from Ottawa Ordering Up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the pleasure to speak today in the house to speak of the launching of the Dream of Champlain. Following the press conference in France, the event was launched on March 9th. I encourage all the members of this assembly to stay tuned to have the pleasure of seeing this adaptation in six episodes. It's an adaptation of the book written by the Champlain specialist, David Hackett Fisher, who is a winner of a Pulitzer Prize. Doc Udrama is a project which commemorates the 400th anniversary of the French presence in Ontario. More than 400 people were present to celebrate this launch, including the Minister of Francophone Affairs, the Language Commissioner of Canada and the Commissioner for French Services in Ontario, several ambassadors of la Francophonie and so on. This is a very innovative and dynamic series which captures your attention from the beginning. This man, Champlain, was a writer and ethnologist at Botanist and an explorer. It's an exceptionally captivating series. I invite you, therefore, to watch the subsequent episodes which will be on TV every Monday at 9pm and as well to participate in the events surrounding this 400th anniversary. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. As a great fan of TV Ontario like I am, you may be familiar with two constituents from my great riding of beaches east York, Alex and Terry Mifflin, more famously known as the Water Brothers. The Water Brothers explore the world uncovering the most important water stories of our time. Alex and Tyler have earned accolades from eco-experts worldwide, including David Suzuki, for bringing to light the many water issues that we face around the world including here with Lake Ontario. Born and raised in the beach, the Water Brothers grew up steps from Lake Ontario and growing up, they recall being told not to swim in the lake because it was too polluted and this memory has carried with them and carried their passion to this day. The Brothers pitched a documentary and started brainstorming for ideas involving environmental issues facing the world and they came to realize so much what they had to think about involved stories that water was the most common element. Tyler is quoted as saying, we didn't get into this because we wanted to be on TV, we really wanted to raise awareness and educate others about water issues. Outside of the show, the Water Brothers find other ways to educate and raise awareness that includes engaging schools and students and they've even scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise funds to combat the global water and sanitation crisis we face. They've been to over 30 countries in almost every continent uncovering fascinating stories and they came to realize that everywhere they went people had a spiritual connection to water and a profound respect for it. They once said that the biggest issues they face in Canada were a myth of abundance. Even though we are blessed to have an incredible abundance of water we remain one of the largest users of water. So I encourage you all, my colleagues and Mr. Speaker, to tune into TVO and get educated by these two constituents from beaches east York that are bringing awareness to a very important element in our society. Thank you. I thank all members for their statements.