 Members' statements. The Member for Nickel Belt. Thank you, Speaker. Two years of pandemic have ravaged our healthcare system. Nurses and PSWs are leaving their profession, and those left behind are feeling the strain of working short on every single shift. Nurses are calling me because they care about their patient, but they know the risk to their patient and to themselves of working short staff all the time. A nurse husband called me last week. He says that every time his wife comes home, she cries out of exhaustion and despair because they were working short on her unit yet again. Even patients are calling me from their hospital bed, witnessing nurses running from one patient to the next. They tell me that they feel sorry for those nurses, that there are four nurses, they're working short four nurses on that particular unit. Four years ago, the Ford government promised that they would fix healthcare. Everyone agreed that our healthcare system needed 20,000 new nurses, that years of zero budget increases by the Liberal had made things worse. So what did the government do? Well, first, they cut millions of dollars from public health. Then they froze every single front-line healthcare worker's salary with Bill 124. This government has failed Ontario's patient, nurses, healthcare workers and society at large. Our healthcare is too important to be ignored. Shame on them for their failures. Come June 22nd, the NDP will fix our public healthcare system. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Member Statements, the Member for Ottawa, West Nippean. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today for my final Member Statement of this 42nd Parliament. Serving in this Assembly has been the greatest honour of my young life. When I first decided to run for office, I did so because I wanted to try to make a difference for my community and for families like mine. I have worked hard every single day to do just that. In my community, I am proud to have delivered an expansion to the Queensway Carlton Hospital, a new 240-bed long-term care home, a completely renovated and expanded Carlington Community Health Centre, a new building for CHEO to help serve kids with special needs and much more. Speaker, as you know, I got involved in politics in order to advocate for individuals with special needs, like my brother. I made a pledge on election night to be a champion for them. From CHEO's new building to doubling the budget and reforming the Ontario Autism Program, to supporting local organisations like Children at Risk and helping to steer our developmental services agencies through the challenging pandemic times I have worked tirelessly to live up to that pledge. Speaker, I hope to be returning here in the next Parliament. I look forward to working hard to continue to make progress on all of these important issues and many, many more. To my constituents, my staff and team, and most of all to my family who are here with me today, thank you so much for being on this journey with me so far. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. The Member for York South-West. Thank you, Speaker. I rise this morning to speak of the fire that destroyed hundreds of businesses in the centre of Hargesa in Somaliland. This massive open-air market was the economic centre of the city of Hargesa. It was a hub of activity with hundreds of small businesses. This tragic and devastating fire occurred on the first day of the month of Ramadan. I have been meeting with Somali-Ontarian communities across the greater Toronto area about this disaster and how we all can assist in the recovery efforts. Somaliland has a high rate of unemployment and the market was a lifeline. For many poor families who depended on it to make a living and was a source of income for women in particular. The fire happened just a few hours after the month of Ramadan began. When food business traditionally booms, many dozens were injured and now the market is gone. But we need to do more and I am urging the federal and provincial governments to step up and support the efforts for humanitarian assistance for those impacted by this disaster. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the Member for Carlton. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, on Saturday I had the pleasure to visit two local teams from my area of Carlton in the Ottawa area who recently won opportunities to represent the province of Ontario next month at the Eastern Canadian Ringgit Championships being held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The teams are part of the West Ottawa Ringgit Association and their members are comprised of players from Stitzfield, Canada, Richmond and Carp. The Ottawa Wilds U14-18 placed second at the provincial championships in Waterloo two weeks ago. And this past weekend, their U16A team captured gold to become Team Ontario. They reached out to me looking for items to bring and share to show their Ontario pride such as flags, pins and other things. And that's why I was pleased, Mr Speaker, to go see them personally, congratulate them, give them a whole bunch of Ontario paraphernalia and also give them all scrolls of appreciation and congratulations on behalf of the Government of Ontario. So the two Ottawa Ringgit teams who are going to Halifax to represent the province of Ontario, good luck. I wish you all the best and we're all cheering you on. You've already made Ontario proud. Thank you. Member statements? The Member for Kiwetanon. May go ahead, Speaker. Last week I toured Mohawk Institute in Brunford with Nisnabaski Nation, Deputy Grand Chief Achenebiskam and survivors of the Institute. The Mohawk Institute was run by the Anglican Church and the Government of Canada from 1828 to 1970, making it the longest Indian residential school in the country. Children from over 21st Nations across Ontario were taken from their families and forced to attend. Speaker, these weren't schools, but they were like prisons for children. Right now we know of three First Nations in the writing of Kiwetanon that had children who attended and we are learning of more each day. One thing that we talked with the survivors last week was the importance of creating an Indigenous-led archive of records from governments, churches and other institutions that were involved in the operations of the Indian residential schools across Ontario. Kimberly Murray of the Survival Secretariat said, No one can analyse and assess the records more quickly and accurately than the community themselves. The community lived through this attack on them. They do not need nor have they asked for the government to review records on their behalf. The time has come for institutions to turn over all the records of the communities now. No more hiding behind colonial laws. Speaker, Ontario must turn over all the records now. Miigwech. Member Statements, the Member for Gwell. Thank you Speaker. I rise today to give my last Member Statement in the 42nd Parliament and I'll have to say I've learned a lot in the last four years. I'm grateful for the way our community has worked together to secure funding for youth wellness hubs, permanent supportive housing and more non-profit long-term care beds. And I also want to take a moment to thank my colleagues from all sides of the House for being willing to work together even when we disagree. It was an honour to have my name on the first bill co-sponsored by all four parties in this legislature declaring the month of August Emancipation Month. I want to thank the Member for Whitby for co-sponsoring Reserve Parking for Electric Vehicle Charging Act with me, which turned out to be the first bill, green bill in Ontario history and we did it at a time even when I was pretty critical of the government's record on climate and the environment. I also want to thank the people in Gwell who helped me write my first private Member's bill, the Periscope Marine Conservation Act to protect water in our community. And while the bill has not become law yet, I do want to thank everybody in our community who came together and worked with the minister to finally close the doline quarry, which is the biggest and direct threat to our community's drinking water and we've been fighting it for decades. Speaker, it shows what you can get done, what you can accomplish if you're willing to work with others. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Member's statements? Hastings, Lennox and Addington. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning all my colleagues. To some Easter, it's a time for chocolate bunnies, Easter eggs, hunts for treats with succeeded children. You know, we all remember the computer cottontail hopping down the bunny trail and of course the scrumptious dinners that we all enjoy with friends and family. To people of Christian faith, it is remembering Jesus' sacrifice and giving thanks for what he brought to this world. Sadly, a world that in many respects is troubling with tension and violence in the Ukraine and elsewhere is not only deeply disappointing but truly, truly heartbreaking. To most, though, it's looking forward to the fresh start of spring, particularly after the long Canadian winter that we've just experienced. It regrets, of course, if you're a skier or a stomach-bitter, but let's reflect upon and be thankful for the opportunity to enjoy our faith, our family, and our friends at this most meaningful time of the year. You know, we can all share the Easter story regardless. The message, of course, which is one of love, forgiveness and reconciliation. So, all my colleagues in here and all certainly the staff, the ladies at assembly here may all have a very, very happy Easter with your loved ones and may it be blessed with peace, happiness and harmony through your life. Member for Toronto Centre. Thank you, Speaker. It's an honour to rise to give my last statement in this House. Last week I announced that I will not be seeking re-election to represent the wonderful people of Toronto Centre and I'd like to use my brief time today to thank a few folks. First and foremost, I want to recognize my good friend, Kristen Wong-Tam, for stepping up to carry the torch for the NDP in the upcoming election. I cannot wait to see you take your seat in this Chamber. To the people of Toronto Centre, thank you for trusting me with the greatest privilege I will ever know. Fighting for our community's past four years has been an absolute honour. To all my staff over the years, Nadine, Emma, Ben, Sasha, Allison, Vanshika, Jasmine, Sam, Lanane, Ibnah, thank you for being the heart of our team. And to all the Central Party staff that have supported us over the years as well. To my riding association, our volunteers, our members and donors, thank you for being a part of our progressive movement for change in Toronto Centre. To Andrea and our entire caucus, I can't imagine ever fighting the good fight with anyone else. To my race team, to Dina, Quinton, Mike, Fisk, Jesus, Barry, Daniel, Justin, Tashko, Fast Bill, Slow Bill, Tina and everyone at WASCA, including Matt, Eric, Jing, Tom, Clint, Paige and all the old guys too. To my therapist and Taylor Swift for getting me through the pandemic. To my chosen family, I love you endlessly. To Kevin for being the best friend a girl could ever ask for. Also happy birthday. And to Trevor for loving me always. For having the most by-wife energy possible. And for standing beside me well. I chased a dream that four years later still feels surreal. It's been a slice, an orange one at that, and I don't regret it for a single second. Thank you. Member statements? Member for Niagara West. Thank you very much, Speaker. The cost of living is a key concern for many residents in Niagara West. I'm thankful that as part of a PC government under the leadership of our Premier Doug Ford, we continue to hear the concerns of the people and put money back into the pockets of hard-working families. This PC government is cutting gas taxes by 5.7 cents per liter and fuel taxes by 5.3 cents per liter for six months to provide relief for businesses and families. This PC government under the leadership of Premier Ford is cutting costs for millions of Ontario vehicle owners by refunding license plate sticker renewal fees paid in eliminating license plate renewal fees and plate stickers saving $120 a year in Southern Ontario for passenger and life commercial vehicles. This PC government introduced the low-income workers tax credit providing up to $850 per year in income tax relief to low-income workers and can be reused to reduce or eliminate personal income taxes. This government introduced the Ontario Child Care Tax Credit providing flexibility for parents to choose the childcare options that work best for them. The seniors home safety tax credit helps seniors homes make seniors homes safer and more accessible so that they can stay in their homes longer providing up to $2,500 back and up to $10,000 in eligible expenses. The Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit helps workers get training for career shifts or to retrain to sharpen skills. And there's the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit, Ontario Seniors Public Transit Tax Credit, Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, and Northern Ontario Energy Tax Credit. Through these efforts and more, our government is putting money back into the pockets of hard-working families on Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. This concludes our Member's Statements for this morning.