 It is time for members to take the number statement, the number for Barry Innisvah. Thank you, Speaker. On behalf of the residents of Barry Innisvah, I would like to extend our warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Neroos. May this new year bring you and your loved ones happiness, health and prosperity. As we welcome the spring season and the start of the Persian New Year, I want to take a moment to remember all those who lost their lives fighting for freedom in Iran. I stand in solidarity with those who continue to fight for the basic human rights for all Iranians. As the Persian community celebrates Neroos around the world, they continue to remember Masha Amini. Speaker, they continue to remember Masha Amini. As life and the New Year go on, so does the struggle of the Iranian people to bring freedom and justice to Iran. I look forward to gathering with the Barry Persian Association as we gather at the Barry, not only with the Barry Persian Association, but also gather at the Bradford Well School in Barry Library this weekend with their Minister of Transportation to celebrate Neroos and, of course, Persian Heritage Month. I also want to thank our Associate Minister for Housing, who is one of the first elected Conservative Persian MPPs in this legislature, and, of course, the member from Carleton, also the first Persian elected member of this legislature and everything they stand for to bring freedom to this province. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements. The member for Oshawa. Thank you, Speaker. Folks around the world are seeing that hate is not only on the rise, but getting closer to home. There are hate groups and people who are spreading hate and fear that are targeting our neighbors and friends in the trans community and the 2SLGBTQIA plus communities. Just last week, there was an awful demonstration of intolerance and hate that was planned in Oshawa, but thankfully, the church where they were scheduled chose not to host it. Instead, folks from across our community came out in force and allyship with the 2SLGBTQIA plus and trans communities and gathered at Brew Wizards Board Game Cafe for a brilliant and bright evening of love and art and community. We came together to show love and support for our trans family, friends and neighbors. They created a space of love and support and raised donations for PFLAG Durham, while giving people a way to stand up against the ugly hate that is crawling across our province. Last night at the DDSB board meeting, groups who have been attacking the 2SLGBTQIA plus and in particular, the trans community for months now descended on our Durham community. These hate groups set up their ugly protests, but were met with a loud rally of support and love for students and community members who have the right to live authentically and free from harassment and harm. There was an awesome show of unity, pride, flag, symbols and strength at the board office that sent a clear message that there is no room for hate and transphobia in our community or anywhere. We are here and we support each other. I am proud to stand in solidarity with the trans and the 2SLGBTQIA plus communities and with allies and friends who won't back down or go away. Discrimination and hate will not be tolerated in our community. Thank you. Member Statements, the member for Mississauga Centre. Thank you very much. Good morning. Later today I will have the honour of welcoming the Minister of Health of the Republic of Poland to our wonderful city of Mississauga alongside my colleagues, the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and his parliamentary assistant, the member for Mississauga Erin Mills. We have the distinct honour of hosting Minister Dr Adam Nijelski, accompanied by Witold Jelski, Poland's Ambassador to Canada, at our State of the Art Trillium Health Partners Credit Valley Hospital. With our government making historic investments into healthcare infrastructure, operations and human resources, it is important we continue to build our system by working with and sharing best practices with other jurisdictions. We will continue to collaborate and build bilateral relations with the common goal of enhancing the level of healthcare received by our constituents. And we are actively doing this, Mr Speaker, as our government released the Your Health Plan last month, which focuses on providing people with a better healthcare experience by connecting them to more convenient care closer to home, while shortening wait times for key services across the province and growing the healthcare workforce. As a registered nurse and a proud Polish Canadian, I am very excited to be welcoming Minister Nijelski to Mississauga. And it brings me great pride to be a part of a government that understands the challenges in our healthcare system and is taking bold and innovative steps to address them. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you. Member's statements? The member for Kiwetnaw. Miigwet Speaker, I'm in the Gujarabaya. The 35th annual Northern Bands Hockey Tournament was held in Dryden last week with 47 men's teams participating. The tournament has been played since 2019 due to the pandemic. During the tournament, I noticed that many teams acknowledged their players who have passed on since the last tournament was held with moments of silence. The Northern Bands Hockey Tournament is an event that all of us across the North enjoy. And many people look forward to participating every year. I got to see players. You know, we competed in the tournament years back, which I enjoyed. But also, I got to see the new and upcoming players as well. A big thank you to the coordinators, coaches, managers, players, and the fans in the stands who make this tournament happen. And thank you to the town of Dryden for hosting all the visitors. All the teams played well when represented their home first nations with pride and respect. And at this time, I'd like to say congratulations to the championship teams. Seaside champions, King Fisher Lake Ice Lords. B-side champions, Team Web Equate. And finally, the A-side champions, Michigan Lake Mavericks. We'll see you next year. Miigwetch. Good. Member statements? The member for Durham. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to recognize an outstanding company within my riding of Durham. St. Mary's Cement has called Bowmanville home for more than 50 years and has been a vital job creator in the province of Ontario for more than 110 years. St. Mary's Cement now part of Votarentum Cementos has manufactured cement for more than 110 years in Ontario, originally located in St. Mary's, home to the honourable member for Perth Wellington. St. Mary's Cement is a worldwide provider of cement, concrete, and aggregates, and these products are used in a wide range of construction and infrastructure improvement projects. Most recently, I'm proud to announce that St. Mary's implemented its leading edge alternative low carbon fuel ALCF program at the Bowmanville plant, and this eliminates coals from fuels which are non-hazardous and come from industrial and post-consumer sources. Much of this fuel is wood waste material that has been diverted from landfill. St. Mary's Cement is responsible for over 54,000 direct and indirect jobs across Ontario and generates over $25 billion in economic activity supporting small and medium-sized businesses throughout Ontario's supply chain. Welcome in particular today to St. Mary's executives, Risha Watkins, David Hanrity, and John Fahey. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Member statements. The member for Niagara Falls. An affordability crisis in Niagara. Seniors and families are struggling. In Fort Erie, there is a 13-year wait list to get a one-bedroom affordable housing unit if you're a senior. 13 years. Seniors are cutting peels in half or skipping dose. They can't afford their medication and groceries. I get calls every week from seniors concerned with the cost of home-eating. Under this government, Enbridge rates have doubled in the last two years. Grocery prices have skyrocketed. Last year's food prices rose the fastest pace in 40 years. Law laws owned by the Western family earned more than $500 million in the fourth quarter profits. They earned $1 million a day last year in profit. That's price gouging. One in five children live in poverty in the province of Ontario. Conservatives have done nothing to combat corporate greed. This crisis is putting enormous pressure on our frontline social services in Niagara. Non-profits in my community have seen drastic increases in the need for housing supports. Demand for food banks have never been higher. We need investment in affordable housing and public, not-for-profit healthcare. I propose solutions to this crisis, but the Conservatives say no. It has become unaffordable to live in Doug Ford's Ontario. But I'll keep fighting for affordable housing, protect our families, our seniors, and fight grocery price gouging by the Western family. Thank you very much. I remind the members once again that we refer to other members by their ministerial title or by their writing title, not by their personal name. Member Statements, the member from Markham Unionville. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaker, I would like to share with members my recent engagement with students from Markham Unionville. Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of having Bianca Caracoglia from Markham Unionville to serve as a page. Bianca was selected among hundreds of applications to reserve in the House and learn about our Parliament and legislative process. I would like to extend my gratitude to Bianca who demonstrated her responsibility, commitment, and leadership during her service. Just last week, I also had a meeting with JC, a grade seven student in Markham Unionville who is interested in becoming a page. We talked about the work of a page and how she can prepare herself for the application. During the March break, I also hosted two tours of our legislature building, over 60 residents in Markham Unionville visited us. Many of the participants were students who are interested in the work of the legislature. I was delighted to see students engaging in the tour and asking different questions from the operation of the Parliament, the architecture of the legislature building, and how I became an MPP. I was children of the future. I encouraged by the passion and enthusiasm of the children in the community and public affairs. And I'm confident in the future of Ontario. Thanks to them. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements, the member for Guelph. Good morning, Speaker. We are at a climate crossroads. Do we choose the highway to hell or a livable future? Yesterday's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report is so terrifying that collectively it seems like we're bearing it under all the other challenges we face. So Speaker, I say to my colleagues in this house, to the people of Ontario and people all across the world, everything is literally at stake. The IPCC report is clear. Any new fossil fuel developments are utterly incompatible with the net zero emissions required for a safe and livable future. We simply can't waste money on things that are gonna make the crisis worse. Super sprawl highways in the green belt, ramping up expensive fossil gas plants. We're in a crisis now and we need to act now. We must protect the nature and the farmland that protects us and feeds us. We have affordable solutions such as low-cost renewable energy, building retrofits and heat pumps. And so Speaker, in the interest of non-partisanship, I say to everyone in this house, we all face the catastrophic risk. Let's all work together to solve those risks before it is too late. Member's statements. The member for Halliburton, Forth of Lakes Brock. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's that wonderful sweet time of year when we begin to harvest the liquid gold provided by Mother Nature and we turn it into our beloved maple syrup. Maple syrup is always being a part of Canada's culture, fabric, and this is especially true in my riding of Halliburton, Forth of Lakes Brock, where maple syrup season is in full swing. I recently had the pleasure of joining Robert and Jill Staples and their family on their farm in Cabin for the first tapping of the season. Their syrup and maple trees, maple tarts were delicious and it's no wonder as Staples Maple syrup has been tapping tree since 1973 and won so many awards. As a matter of fact, they are the four time world champions at the Royal Winter Fair and currently tap over 3,600 trees. I was happy to see the next generation ready to participate and to continue the family tradition. On April 1st, Sunderland in Brock Township will host their annual maple syrup festival which offers a weekend of family friendly events and activities from historical bus tour of Harlane Farms, a visit to their sugar shack and a draft horse display and much more. With Ontario being the third largest sugar bush in the country, I would like to thank the hardworking men and women in the industry and it's timely today as we welcome the Ontario Federation of Agriculture to Queens Park. So this season I recommend everyone participate in your communities. And thank you very much. Thank you. The next member statement, the member for Carlton. Speaker, it's Persian Heritage Month in Ontario and yesterday, Monday, March 20th, 2023 was Noruz which means new day. Noruz is based on the Iranian solar hydri calendar and the spring equinox and is celebrated by millions of people around the world. Noruz has its origins in the Iranian religion of Zoroastrianism and is rooted in the traditions of the Iranian people. Noruz has been celebrated by diverse communities for over 3,000 years. Presently, Noruz is largely a secular holiday celebrated by Iranians around the world regardless of ethnicity, language or religion because Noruz is part of our cultural heritage. Noruz is supposed to be a time of joy. Friends and family get together to celebrate the end of winter and the beginning of spring. We eat traditional food including a fish and rice dish called sabzi polo bomahi. We give gifts or 80s as we call them to children. Noruz is supposed to be a time of rebirth, renewal and hope. Unfortunately, this year, Noruz is a bit more solemn and somber but Iranians are still celebrating. For 44 years, the terrorist and illegitimate Islamic regime in Iran has held the people of Iran hostage and has tried to erase our culture, heritage and history. And that is exactly why Iranians, even though they have heavy hearts, are celebrating. We're celebrating for Mahsa Amini, for Hadith Najafi, for Qiyan Pir Falaq, for Mufsin Shaqari, for Nika Shaq Arani, for Majid Reza Rahinabad, for Khudani, for our endangered people. Thank you very much. That concludes our member's statements for this morning. I beg to inform the House that pursuant to Standing Order 9G, the clerk has received written notice from the government house leader indicating that a temporary change in the weekly meeting schedule of the House is required. And therefore the afternoon routine on Wednesday, March the 22nd, 2023, shall commence at 1 p.m. Beg to inform the House that the following document has been tabled, report entitled Ontario's Labor Market in 2022 from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario.