 No further introductions. It is therefore time for question period, the leader of Her Majesty's Royal Office. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. I've said many times around the province, the part of the people's guarantee I'm most excited about is our commitment on mental health. It is the dirty little secret in Ontario's health care system. And no matter what spin or rhetoric we hear from the Liberal government, we're not doing enough. So I wanted to give the Premier a chance today to respond, whether the Liberal government will match the $1.9 billion in additional new funding for mental health that our party has put forward to make sure we close the gap on mental health services in the province of Ontario. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, I certainly agree with the leader of the opposition that there is much more that needs to be done on mental health, Mr. Speaker. Mental health care in this province is an area where we're catching up. Over the last decade to 20 years, Mr. Speaker, there has been increased awareness of mental health concerns. And that has meant rightly that there are more people who are presenting with mental health issues and that those need to be dealt with. But Mr. Speaker, the remedy that the opposition party is putting forward is inadequate. That's the reality, Mr. Speaker. Over the last 10 years, we've invested $10 billion. What they're proposing is go forward $1.9 billion over 10 years. Mr. Speaker, that is not enough. We are going to commit to more than that, Mr. Speaker, because there is more that is needed. Thank you. Told me what you want. We're in warnings. Thank you. No, don't look at me. Look at yourselves. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, again to the Premier. Maybe the Liberal Research Bureau took a day off. Maybe the government's own public accounts have an air in it. But I think we all know the reality, and that's that they haven't invested in mental health. Because the stories we hear, the horrifying stories we hear across the province wouldn't be happening if we had a government that made this a priority. You know, the CEO of the Children's Mental Health Ontario, Kimberly Maram, told me that children are waiting as long as 18 months for mental health care. 18 months. And the Premier says she's done all this investment. It doesn't show on the government's public accounts. It doesn't show in the care and treatment that's available in the province of Ontario. And I want to ask the Premier, is waiting 18 months adequate for a young person who has the courage to come forward and say they need help? Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to meet with any member of the PCs, including the leader, to go through and detail their erroneous calculation. Mr. Speaker, we know that this party has a history of getting the math wrong, and they've done it yet. The member from Dufferin Callaghan is warned. I'm serious. Finish. Mr. Speaker, we know that that party has a history of getting the math wrong, and they've got it wrong again. In fact, if you look at their commitment for the next 10 years of an additional $1.9 billion, that is in stark contrast to our very real and delivered investment of new funding using exactly the same methodology of more than $10 billion over the last decade. Mr. Speaker, they need to correct the record. Thank you. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, again to the Premier. Clearly the Premier and the Minister of Health haven't actually looked at their own public accounts where it shows the allocations on mental health. Now, the reality is it's easy to attack the opposition and say you disagree with these assertions. But Mr. Speaker, you know, I'm quoting a stat from Kimberley Muran- I'm getting a troll over here if you just stop. Mr. Speaker, I'm quoting a stat from Kimberley Muran, the CEO of the Children's Mental Health of Ontario. You're disagreeing with her assessment. The Globe and Mail just this week wrote an article that is shocking, horrifying, that if in cases of a young person who's tried to take their own life, they don't get to see a psychiatrist in six months. Six months. That's a Globe and Mail article. And so I know it's convenient to pass this question off to a minister I want to know from the Premier. Do you think waiting 18 months is adequate? Do you think waiting six months for a psychiatrist is adequate? Do you accept these wait times for mental health care in the province of Ontario? Minister. Mr. Speaker, that's absolutely not acceptable. That's why this government has made the largest mental health investment in Canada's history. Not what they're proposing. What they're proposing falls far short, Mr. Speaker. And I'm happy to share the math with them. And now I understand why the Globe and Mail characterised their proposal as fiscally risky, economically dubious. The math doesn't add up and I'm beginning to feel sorry for that party as eventually over time. And I'm happy to assist them with this. They will realise that their calculations are so bad and they are so far off the mark that it represents roughly one-fifth of the new investment that we've made in mental health over the last decade, Mr. Speaker. This results in a dramatic flattening of the curve of the increased investments that this province has made. Mental health is critically important, much more important than they're giving it. Thank you. Minister of Children and Youth Services is warned. New question, the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. We all know that Gore-Away was among the companies that gained the system for over $260 million of ineligible expenses. And Gore-Away Executive Rob Kulbuk has been at the centre of this latest scandal. Rob Kulbuk's December 1st Resonational Letter states he is resigning as the co-chair of the Market Renewal Working Group, not as a member. And according to the IASO website, he remains a member. Mr. Speaker, why is an executive from Gore-Away allowed to remain on the board given the scandal of inappropriate expenses? The same people who gained the system should not be the ones rewriting the rules. So directly to the Premier, will this be addressed and addressed immediately? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we've said over the last week, since the auditor brought forward her report, any abuses of the system, Mr. Speaker, are completely unacceptable. And that's why we're pleased that the system operator has investigated those market participants and where significant wrongdoing was present. Present, Mr. Speaker, compensation has been recovered and returned to the ratepayers. There's $168 million of the $200 million in ineligible costs. As also mentioned by the leader of the opposition, Mr. Speaker, there have been resignations from the Market Renewal Committee, Mr. Speaker. The two chairs have moved off of that committee, Mr. Speaker. And moving forward, looking at Gore-Away, Gore-Away also made changes after they found that they weren't complying with the system, Mr. Speaker. They were fined a record $10 million, Mr. Speaker, and $100 million of that money was recouped by the ISO. We're making sure that we have a system that is going to be rebuilt. The member from Leeds-Grenville is warned. They have made significant changes, Mr. Speaker, and the ISO is constantly monitoring. Answer. Thank you. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, again to the Premier, my question about why that individual is still a member was not answered, but I'll try a different angle. One of the companies in the Auditor General was a government-run OPG, one of the companies amid the scandal. Yesterday, the minister told us that OPG repaid all of their ineligible expenses by 2015. And we know the former CEO was given a half a million dollar bonus the following year. Why was he given this half a million dollar bonus? Was it to keep quiet on the scandal? By the way, Mr. Speaker, it wasn't that the government found this. They got caught. That's how it came out. They didn't find it. They got exposed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The innuendo that's coming from the opposition continues to just fester, Mr. Speaker. And it just shows that they really don't understand how this system is working, Mr. Speaker. OPG actually stepped forward when they recognized, Mr. Speaker, that they were claiming ineligible expenses. They worked with the ISO. That's why there was no fine imposed by the ISO on OPG at the time, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that they actually recoup those costs, making sure that they can understand the rules moving forward. And as OPG said, Mr. Speaker, the audit did determine that there were differences in understanding what constituted eligible costs under the program, Mr. Speaker. In respect of some of what were thought to be eligible costs, OPG repaid certain claimed amounts after discussions concluded on what constituted eligible costs. That's what both OPG and the ISO had come to a conclusion with Mr. Speaker way back in 2015. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, again to the Premier, the Minister of Energy says we don't know how it's working. I know exactly how it's working. This government has allowed executive, power executives, to expense raccoon traps and scuba gear. Yes. It's ridiculous. It's disgusting, Mr. Speaker. And while nearly tens of millions of dollars has, tens of millions of dollars has... Member from Essex is warned. Carry on. Mr. Speaker, there's still tens of millions of dollars in inappropriate expenses that have yet to be repaid. And so my question to the Premier, hopefully the Premier will actually answer this time, Mr. Speaker, is can we get a guarantee that the tens of millions of dollars in inappropriate expenses that have not been retrieved by the taxpayers, that the taxpayers will get those funds back by December 31st, yes or no to the Premier? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the important thing to understand, and I think we can all agree, Mr. Speaker, is that any abuse of the system is completely unacceptable, and that's why, Mr. Speaker, we're pleased to see the ISO Act on the recommendations not only from the Auditor General, Mr. Speaker, but from the market surveillance programs and committees that are done both by the OEB and by the ISO, Mr. Speaker. They've made sure that they've brought forward new practices and new principles to make sure things like this, abuses like this, Mr. Speaker, don't happen again. Because we, on this side of the House, want to ensure that we continue to bring forward programs that help ratepayers lower their bills, Mr. Speaker. And that's what we have done as a government. We've brought forward the Fair Hydro Plan, which brought forward a 25% reduction, helping all families right across the province and many, many other programs. But when it comes to these two programs, Mr. Speaker, the ISO has put in place new changes that are making sure things like this will not happen again, Mr. Speaker. A question to the Leader of the Third Party. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Ontario's hospitals have been underfunded for decades. Ontario families have been coming forward with heartbreaking stories of suffering in overcrowded hospitals for months now, while the Liberal government has called any criticism fear-mongering. But the Ontario Hospital Association says that that criticism is called for. The OHA says hospitals are on the brink of a crisis. Will the Premier, for once, listen to the experts and take the actions that the OHA is calling for? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am taking, and we are taking this issue very, very seriously, Mr. Speaker. And I do take what the OHA says very seriously. I think it's extremely important that we listen to people on the front line who know what is happening in the hospitals and that we combine that with our own capacity and our own knowledge and that we come up with solutions, Mr. Speaker, which is exactly why we are expanding the number of beds in the system. It's exactly why we put a 3% increase for hospitals in our budget, Mr. Speaker. It's why we have put an infusion of cash into the system, Mr. Speaker, understanding that there are needs. I believe in that same report, Mr. Speaker, that the Association calls for increased home care funding, Mr. Speaker, increased long-term care funding, all of which we are doing. So we take that very seriously. We are in the process of expanding, particularly at this time of year, Mr. Speaker, expanding capacity in the hospital system, and we will continue to work with stakeholders. Supplementary. Speaker, the fact is that this Premier and her Health Minister have arrogantly ignored the experts repeatedly when it comes to hospital care. They shorted the system 300 million in the last budget, Speaker. She refuses to listen to patients and their families. She refuses to listen to doctors and frontline healthcare workers. And she refuses to listen to the Ontario Hospital Association, which has been ringing alarm bells about the overcrowding and hallway medicine since the last budget, Speaker. Will this Premier now finally admit that she was wrong to freeze hospital budgets for a decade and actually invest in the quality care that Ontario families deserve? Health and long-term care. Minister of Health, long-term care. Well, Mr. Speaker, the leader of the third party knows that our health care and our hospital budget has continued to increase year over year. We invested this year between the budget and the fall economic statement and additional $600 million into the hospital system, 1.3 billion over the next three years to decrease wait times, Mr. Speaker. And I applaud the hard work and the advocacy of all of our hospital officials frontline workers and leaders, including the OHA. And I'm gratified that they're coming forward tomorrow to present as part of the pre-budget consultations. Their input and our close relationship is critically important to getting this right. And get it right, we will. And we make decisions like the additional 1,200 beds that are equivalent of six community hospitals that we've infused into the system. That's almost 10% of new beds into the province. We make decisions like that in concert and consultation with the OHA to make sure we are making the right steps. Thank you. Final supplementary. Well, Speaker, it's hard to believe they can get it right when they've gotten it wrong. For over a budget submission says that, quote, an increase of 4.55% in hospital funding will ensure that hospitals have the resources needed to avoid a significant capacity crisis in Ontario's health care system, end quote. A significant capacity crisis. This is what the Liberals have delivered to Ontarians. We know that there are already thousands of patients lining the hallways of our hospitals across our province. And the OHA is saying that without this investment, it will only get worse. Will the Premier stop ignoring this crisis, start listening to the experts and make the investments necessary to end hallway medicine in the province of Ontario? Appreciate it, please. Appreciate it, please. Thank you. Minister. We are listening and we are taking this seriously. What we won't do, though, is take lessons from a party, and the leader of the third party represents the party that committed in the last campaign to eliminate $600 million out of health care and out of education. When they were in power in the 1990s, they closed 24% of all acute care beds. They closed 13% of mental health beds. In total, 9,600 beds were closed under them. But, Mr. Speaker, here's what the OHA has to say in their pre-budget submission. Ontario hospitals appreciate the Ontario government's leadership and continued investment in hospitals, including an increase in the 2017 Ontario budget and the winter plan to assist hospitals and the home and community care sectors in addressing high-patient volumes. These investments will improve the health system's ability to manage the significant influx of patients expected during the season over the next number of months, Mr. Speaker. This is the kind of cooperation that we endorse, we support, and we enable us to make the right investments to build a strong system. New question for the leader of the third party. Thank you, Speaker. Can you see it, please? Thank you. Leader. Thank you, Speaker. My next question is also for the Premier. The Premier's chronic underfunding of our hospitals on top of years of conservative cuts has created an overcrowding and hallway medicine crisis in Ontario. Today, the NDP released new information showing the extent of the damage that this Liberal government has caused in my hometown of Hamilton. Between June 1st and October 1st, 2017, medical beds at St. Joseph's Health Care in Hamilton were operating over 105% capacity every single day, Speaker. Temporary beds will not solve this crisis. When will the Premier finally do something to help people in Hamilton who are lying in stretchers, suffering, because of her budget freezes? Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Minister of Health, Long-Term Care. Well, Mr. Speaker, we are making the necessary investments to ensure that our hospitals are able to address what are often complex and multifactorial challenges when it comes to capacity. And in some parts of the province, like Peel, for example, or Mississauga and Halton, it's because there is a significant growth of the population. And in Hamilton, Mr. Speaker, we're making the correct investments to and I wish I had the figures in front of me, Mr. Speaker, in terms of the additional beds that we've added to Hamilton Health Sciences, to St. Joseph's as well, to the entire community, to Dzervinsky on the mountain, Mr. Speaker, so that they are able to provide the care that is required and the highest quality of care that they provide on an ongoing basis, Mr. Speaker. That is an addition to the $500 million of funds that we've infused into the hospital system this year alone, on top of $500 million last year. We'll continue to invest in our hospitals, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary. Speaker, this new information shows that on any given day, the St. Joseph's emergency room, in the St. Joseph's emergency room, there are between five and 31 people waiting for an inpatient bed. They wait in unconventional spaces without a call button to even push if they need a nurse and without a proper access to washroom facilities. When will this premier get serious and make sure that people of this province actually have reliable quality healthcare when and where they need it? Thank you, Minister. Well, Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago, we added 24 additional inpatient beds to St. Joseph's in Hamilton. We added 30 additional beds to Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton, Mr. Speaker. And in addition, three neonatal intensive care unit beds, three additional basinets to care for those most vulnerable, tiny individuals. Mr. Speaker, we are making the correct investments. We know as well when we look from third-party information that we receive that our wait times in hospitals in emergency rooms continue to go down despite an increased population. We're seeing that objective third-party data. And in fact, as I referenced last week, the report from the Fraser Institute, which says that Ontario has the best wait times in the country, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the final supplementary. On August 10th, 2017, St. Joseph's Hospital reached the alarmingly high occupancy rate of 139 percent. 139 percent. In fact, the OHA says that this is not uncommon in our hospitals across Ontario. In fact, it says that half of Ontario's hospitals were operating above 100 percent capacity this summer. These numbers represent real people in my community and all across Ontario who have been forced to get medical care from a hospital that is severely underfunded and overcrowded. Temporary beds, many of which are not in place yet, are simply not enough to begin fixing the decades of damage done by Conservative and Liberal cuts and the OHA agrees, Speaker. Why is this premier? Why is she letting the people of Ontario go down? Why is she letting them continue to suffer in overcrowded hospitals? Thank you, Minister. Well, Mr. Speaker, many people believe that the best illustration of a party's actions are to look at their actions in the past, Mr. Speaker, and look at their record. It's there for all to see. And from 1990 to 1995, there were awful years for Ontario's healthcare system because they closed 24 a quarter of all of the acute care beds in this province. And I am even embarrassed to say as well for them that they closed 13 percent of the mental health beds in the province and collectively coming close to a PC record when they were in power, when the PCs closed 10,000 hospital beds, the NDP in five short years were responsible for closing 9,600 beds. We have added beds to the healthcare system. We have done that over the past years. We continue to do that this year. We will continue to make those important investments going forward. Thank you. New question to the member from Bruce Gray. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. The Auditor General's 2017 report states that the backlog of complaints and critical incidents from care homes requiring inspection keeps increasing. This year the backlog jumped to 3,370 from 2800 last year. Minister, despite promises to fix the critical incidents, backlog, we are not seeing the improvement. Sadly, the backlog is actually increased by 80%. I want to know is the fact that you are not acting on critical inspections a sign that our senior safety and security is not a priority for your government. Good question. Mr. Speaker, it absolutely is a priority for this government. Apparently it is not a priority for that party because just yesterday they voted against our legislation that will be creating enhanced oversight and accountability and inspection and fines. All of those measures which are critically important to ensure that our loved ones and Ontarians who call long-term care their home who are residents of long-term care that they receive the highest quality care and the best supports. They voted just 24 hours ago against a whole set of measures that will fortunately, because it passed despite their opposition that it will dramatically enhance the inspection powers and the punitive measures that we can place on those most egregious homes that do need to improve the care that is being provided. Mr. Speaker, they did no inspections at all of long-term care homes. In fact, 100% of our homes. Thank you. Do you see it, please? Do you see it, please? Thank you. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, back to the Minister of Health. Must be an election in looming in the near future because for 14 years you've done nothing for that sector. Delays in complaint inspections and critical incident inspections can place seniors in long-term care homes at risk. I think it's completely unacceptable that you are not meeting your promise goals in light of the high-profile cases of abuse and the public inquiry into murders in long-term care homes. Families with loved ones in care have a right to expect that the safety and care of their patients will be your utmost priority. They want to see increased scrutiny. They want to see you making a difference, Minister. Will the Minister address the lingering questions around the safety, security and well-being of seniors by appearing before the public inquiry in the long-term care? Thank you, Minister. Mr. Speaker, the justice I am again gratified she met and heard from the families and loved ones of the victims of this horrible tragedy just yesterday and will be making her decision over the coming month or so in terms of their participation in this inquiry. But, Mr. Speaker, I have to get back to their bad math. So we've budgeted for 5,000 beds over the next four years, $380 million. They're proposing to create three times as many long-term care beds, but they've only budgeted $77 million. Three times as many beds one-fifth the amount that it's going to cost. So it costs about $60,000 per long-term care bed per year to operate that bad, Mr. Speaker. They've budgeted a measly $5,000. The member from Elgin Middlesex London is warned and I'm not happy with what he said. You have a wrap-up sentence? Mr. Speaker, again, the math of their proposals is so bad and I'm going to be happy to reveal it to them and I'm happy to explain it to them because they need to understand the lack of their commitment. Thank you. New question? The member from London West. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, throughout five long weeks of the college strike, this Liberal government assured students that they would not lose their semester. Yesterday we learned that more than 25,000 full-time college students, about one in ten have not only lost their semester, they have lost their dreams of a college education after being forced to drop out to get their tuition refunded. We know that more students will likely drop out after attempting to complete the condensed semester. As I have stated before, sections four and five of the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act allow the government to intervene in college affairs when it is in the public interest. Speaker, why did this government refuse to act? To prevent the lives of more than 25,000 full-time students from being completely derailed. Can you say it please? Can you say it please? Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know that no one in this legislature is happy that there are students who have made the choice to leave college. I say to the 90% of students who are back in the classroom, I know that they are working hard and I hope that it goes well for them. I also say to the students who felt that they needed to withdraw and have received support by getting their tuition refunded, which I think we can agree is the fair thing to do. I say to those students, Mr. Speaker, I hope they will work with their college and I hope that they will find a way back into the system and certainly it would be my expectation, our expectation that colleges will be reaching out to those students and helping them to see the path back. Mr. Speaker, to the 90% of students who are back in college, I wish them well and to the rest I hope that they will find their way back in January, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary. Again to the Premier, the regular retention rate for a college term is 98%. In other words, just two out of 100 students choose not to complete their semester. After delaying the release of the tuition refund numbers, full-time college students won't be completing their term. What we don't know is the number of part-time students who have opted to drop out, raising questions about how much worse the part-time numbers might be. Speaker, Ontarians deserve to know the total number of students who have been forced to put their lives on hold or give up their dreams because of this government's inaction. Will the Premier tell the people of Ontario how many part-time students received a tuition refund and what the plan is to get both full-time and part-time students back on track? Thank you. Advanced Education Skills Development. For Advanced Education Skills Development. Well, Speaker, I just have to say every step of the way in getting students back into the classroom was blocked by that party. Those of us who were in this house debating back-to-work legislation, Speaker, remember the House Leader, the NDP House Leader every chance we had to get students back. Remember what he said? No. Finish, please. So, Speaker, whether it was not supporting free tuition for one-third of our students, Speaker. Member from the Tobacco North is warned. Or whether it was getting back students back to work after the strike, back to school after the strike, all heard from that party was no. Any questions? Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-term Care and considers this government's extraordinary commitment and developments in mental health. Speaker, as a physician himself, I know that the Minister of Health has a deep guiding understanding of what mental health is all about. We in medical school, one of the first things we're ever taught in Latin is mens sana in corpore sana, a sound mind in a sound body. And I know from my many, many corridor consultations with the Minister and the fact that we sit at the same table, by the way, at caucus, that he has personally treated patients with anxiety, depression, panic attack, post-traumatic stress disorder and so many other disorders. And I know that he has the background, history, stamina, partnerships, and the dedicated workforce to deliver on the type of health care that Premier Nguyen, herself, a daughter of physician, demands for the people of Ontario. So my question is that... Can the Minister of Health and Long-term Care please inform this House about the important investments our government is making in mental health across the province? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that the Minister of Health and Mental Health are two sides of the same coin. There can't be one without the other, Mr. Speaker. And I want to start off by saying how proud I am and how far we have come as a province, all parties in this legislature have pushed past the stigma and we all agree that together we need to do more. And it's important to take a moment to appreciate how all Ontarians will benefit from that. Now the Conservatives have come to the table offering an average of $191 million over 10 years, Mr. Speaker, but they forgot that before you announce an increase you have to replace the base from the previous year, Mr. Speaker. I know as a province we can do better. We can work together to truly build the system, reduce wait times and offer more services. Mr. Speaker, while the party opposite has come forward with $1.9 billion over 10 years, this team has put $10 billion more into the system since 2008 and a Liberal government will put $1.9 billion forward in investments in mental health over the next 10 years. Thank you, Speaker. And once again, I thank the Minister of Health for not only the answer today, but for his, as I said, abiding commitment to mental health along with physical and emotional health. Speaker, as you will know, he's a physician who has dealt with these issues on a one-to-one basis as a public health physician on a system-wide as a public health physician, as recognized internationally for his efforts in Africa with War Child for 10 years and he's been recognized, as you know, and now running the entire show in the province of Ontario. As Gail Zucker, CEO of Addictions in Mental Health Ontario, was quoted in the Goldman Mail today, excellent mental health care is available from health professionals other than psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists, mental healers, a magician, experiences of extreme mental health. Also in Ontario and publicly funded community mental health and addiction agencies. Speaker, we are a long way from hula hoods. Minister, can you just tell us again what it is our government doing to further under your stewardship build up the mental health system of the province of Ontario? Mr. Speaker, we're working with experts and stakeholders and and truly needed. And a key role of mine as Minister of Health in working with the Premier and this caucus is to put those necessary resources forward. Those resources like cognitive behavioural therapy, which will provide more than 100,000 Ontarians living with conditions such as anxiety and depression, with more access to community-based structured psychotherapy services. Or our youth wellness hubs, Mr Speaker, where young people aged 12 to 25 can find walk-in, one-stop access to mental health and addiction services, and other health social and employment supports. Or creating more supportive housing, where this year up to 1,150 additional supportive housing units will be added on top of the 1,000 new units added over the last three years to help reduce homelessness and improve supports, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. New question? The member from Hella-Burden-Burden-Burden-Burden-Burden-Burden-Burden-Burden-Burden. My question is to the Attorney General. Victim service organisations across the province are absolutely overwhelmed with requests for their services. Many are struggling to keep up with the sheer numbers, all while dealing with more complex cases, including victims of human sex trafficking. Halburden-Cortha Victim Services in my writing received just $18,000 to hire someone under the Victim Quick Response Program last year. That was barely enough to hire even half a person. They made the most of it and helped dozens of trafficking victims. Unfortunately, this paltry amount was only one-time funding. They won't be able to continue their important work next year without a clear commitment from this government. So my question to the minister is, will he assure Hella-Burden-Cortha Victim Services that they will have the funding they need to help human sex trafficking victims in the new year? Good question. Thank you very much, Speaker. This is an important question, and I want to be very clear that the Ontario government is very much committed to helping victims of crime when they need it the most. Speaker, since 2003, our government has invested over a billion dollars on vital services to support those who have been harmed by crime. And as part of our government strategy to end human trafficking, we will invest $1.93 million over four years to expand the benefits available under the Victim Quick Response Program to better serve victims of human trafficking. Speaker, we are also investing $6.65 million over four years to enhance the Victim Crisis Assistance Ontario Program so that our community-based service delivery partners can provide better support and case coordination for victims of human trafficking. Speaker, further, as part of government sexual violence and harassment plan, in 2015 we increased funding to service all centres by $1.75 million per year. Speaker, there is definitely more to do, and I remain very much committed to supporting victim services across the province. Thank you. Supplementary? Well, I'm glad to hear that the minister is committed, but you seem happy to throw small amounts of pots of money at the problem hoping that it will go away. It just shows that you're not taking the concerns of victim services organizations seriously. What I hear is that they are exasperated. They have not heard anything from the government in response to their call for a review of the current funding formula. Several of my colleagues on this side of the House have raised these concerns over the past several months from all across our ridings, Hope 24-7 for example, but this government is not listening. There is still no action. Mr. Speaker, will this government finally commit to a review of its Victim Service funding formula in consultation with providers to ensure that it meets the needs of victims in a sustainable way? This government has done more to support victim services than any other previous government. The work this government and this premier has done in terms of putting an end to human trafficking, in terms of combating sexual violence and harassment, there is no example of any government in the history of Ontario, the amount of investments and policy work that has been done by this government. And, Speaker, I'm very proud of being part of a government that take these issues seriously because it goes to building an inclusive economy. Speaker, what worries us the most is the $12 billion cuts that they have outlined, the conservatives have outlined in their platform that is going to gut exactly these kinds of programs. It's okay for the member opposite to stand up and ask for more investment whereby her own platform is going to cut all victim services and all these important funding for her community and communities across the province. New question, the member from Essex. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Corrections and Community Safety. The Auditor General's report made it alarmingly clear that this Liberal government is not prepared to manage a major emergency in this province. The AG highlighted that emergency management plans haven't been updated since 2008 and that provincial nuclear emergency preparedness planning hasn't been updated since 2009. In communities like mine in Amesburg, who are within the fallout radius of the Fermi-2 nuclear plant in Michigan, are left vulnerable with no support for a potential disaster from this government. We're joined here today in the gallery by Fire Chief Bruce Montone and Deputy Chief Leeds home from the town of Amesburg. They're here on behalf of our community to listen to your answer to this important question. And the question is the same one that this town has been asking since 2015. When will the Liberal government provide the same level of support to the town of Amesburg as it does for other designated municipal areas that receive assistance in our area? Thank you very much for the member for his question and I want to say welcome to our Legislature to our Chief here today. You know Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General agreed that Ontario can respond and will respond to any emergency. And her findings were actually very consistent with those of our earlier independent review. Our response could be more efficient and this is exactly why we launch our new Emergency Management Action Plan and that includes the release of an updated Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan in the coming weeks. We're also going to expand our emergency management capacity through agreements with our neighbouring provinces and state to share supports and resources and also supporting our municipality by making it easier to access critical supplies and resource and by improving information and resource sharing. Thank you, the supplementary. With all due respect none of that answer addresses the issue that the town of Amesburg is in. The province has been aware since November 2015 that in the event of a nuclear accident at the Fermi-2 facility the town of Amesburg does not have the equipment, the personnel, the expertise or the capacity to appropriately respond to such an event. Despite clear letters to this minister and submissions to the Provincial Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Plan highlighting the danger to our community, the minister has effectively ignored all of our concerns. Will the minister tell this house when the people in Amesburg and the entire region of Essex County can expect the same resources and assistance so they can plan to be as safe as other designated communities in Ontario? Well I'm very happy to respond again to the question. You know Mr. Speaker our nuclear power has been the backbone of Ontario's energy supply for 40 years in Ontario. Providing a clean energy that help us to get rid of dirty coal and meet our GHG reduction goals. You know when you look at what we are providing for a municipality such as Amesburg of man which is our agency will help from both our government and our partner in support with the municipality will help actually strain its nuclear emergency management program. What we do Mr. Speaker is help work together enhancing the planning, the training, public education, emergency exercise to ensure that the community that has the continued ability to respond to emergency and nuclear. We've also took note of the letter that was sent during the public consultation. Thank you. And our expert panel has. Thank you. New question to member from Davenport. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question this morning is for the Attorney General. My constituents in Davenport are accessing more services and getting more things done on just their smartphones than ever before. They are shopping online, resolving their disputes, banking and setting up mortgages all on their tablets. They expect that level of convenience in all aspects of their life. In the ever evolving world around us, the justice system has just not kept pace. Mountains of paper, endless filing and mandatory in-person attendance for things that just do not need to be in person all make for a system that is sorely out of date. That is why I was so pleased to see the Attorney General last week announce new measures to bring the justice system into the 21st century. These new measures which the Attorney General has called putting justice within reach are incredibly important. Can the Attorney General please explain how this plan will actually put justice within reach for my constituents? Thank you Attorney General. Thank you very much. I want to thank a member from Davenport for asking a very timely question. In order to maintain access justice, Ontario's justice system must continue to adapt and evolve to continue meeting the needs of the people it serves every day. That is why the Ministry of the Attorney General is committed to making the justice system simpler, faster and more affordable for all Ontarians. We are developing and delivering user-centered consumer-focused digital services that are faster, that are easier to navigate and low or no cost to the people who use it. Speaker in the next year, new online 24-7 paperless options will be available for getting more important tasks completed more easily and conveniently. One example speaker of this plan will be that Ontarians can use new digital tools for potential jurors, for example, to complete questionnaires online and receive summons by email. Speaker by introducing modern technology and developing data systems that allow information to be shared with the click of a button. Thank you. Ontario is using ways and innovation. Thank you. Supplementary. I would like to thank the Attorney General for his response. It is very exciting that my constituents can't expect to modernize justice sector. However, Mr. Speaker, we have heard many promises to modernize our justice system before. While the news is exciting, I do point to how far behind the justice system has fallen behind in terms of modernization. And I wonder what will the Attorney General be doing this time to ensure that this actually happens this time? This is a necessary change and we have a long road ahead, but this is a step in the right direction. However, the system in place, the systems in place have been around for so long. What makes the Attorney General think that he will be able to change a system that has been operating the same way for such a long period of time? A system that is inherently known for sticking to tradition. Can the Attorney General please give clarity to this chamber on why this modernization will actually happen this time? We have to modernize our justice system and it is something that I have identified as a priority for our government or for our ministry. And, Speaker, we are taking steps that are practical and prudent in making sure that we are bringing digital options for users of our justice system across the province, whether it starts from e-filing in our small claims court or for civil matters or, Speaker, in spring very soon we will have joint divorces that could be filed online as well. These are just some practical examples of things that we are already doing. Speaker, that is why also we have outlined all our priorities in a digital justice action plan so that Ontarians have a roadmap available to them with timelines so they can keep us accountable. Speaker, what worries me is when I see the Opposition Conservatives platform, where there is no talk about how we will modernize our system, Speaker, we need to be mindful of that. Thank you. New question, the member from Dr. Callaghan. My question is to the Minister of Transportation. 12 years ago the GTA West corridor was identified in the growth plan for the greater Golden Horseshoe. Since then the Minister has consistently dragged his feet on the environmental assessment of the GTA West. Two years ago the Minister took the unprecedented move of suspending the environmental assessment. My freedom information request shows that the Ministry of Transportation has spent over $14 million studying the highway corridor with nothing to show for it. This week will mark the second anniversary since the Minister suspended the environmental assessment. Why the delay, Minister? Thank you, Minister of Transportation. Thank you very much, Speaker. I think the member from Dufferin Callaghan for her question, she may not be aware of this a number of days ago on the Ministry's website we posted that there will be an update regarding this particular project that will be taking place within 60 days of that notice going up on the website, Speaker. I'm extremely proud to be part of a government that has literally invested billions of dollars in highways in every corner of the province, Speaker, just the other day. I joined with members from the government caucus in Brampton where we announced and officially opened up lanes for the widened Highway 410 in that neighborhood, Speaker. A few days later, I was standing alongside in the brisk weather. The member from Etobicoke Center and the Minister of Housing and was the Minister responsible for poverty reduction as we opened lanes on Highway 427, Speaker, in northern Etobicoke and, Speaker, on that same day out in Durham in the Clarenton area, Speaker, standing alongside the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister, the member from Durham, we announced that starting in January, Highway 407, East Phase 2A will be open to vehicular traffic and I look forward to providing more. Thank you. Supplementary. The only thing the Minister has done on the GTA West Corridor has continued to kick the can down the road. You announced it two years ago, you announced it a year ago and now you're saying in other 60 days, what's the delay? The reality is that the land along the proposed route of the GTA West has been frozen for years. Peel in York Region and municipalities around the GTAJ have been calling for the Minister to finish the environmental assessment. Residents and municipalities have no faith that this Minister will finally make a decision on the future of the project. After all, the Minister has committed in the past to provide, quote, updates only to find another reason to delay. After $14 million spent, will the Minister commit today to restarting the environmental assessment of the GTA West Corridor? Thank you, Minister. As I mentioned a second ago, our government's record when it relates to highway construction is unprecedented. We are literally again investing in highways in the GTAJ and in every corner of the province of Ontario. Speaker, what I will not accept and what I will not contend with gracefully in this Chamber Speaker is a member of Ontario's Conservative Party. Let's not forget, this would be the party that first told and then sold Highway 407 to a Spanish Consortium Speaker. I will not take lectures from a member from Patrick Brown in the Ontario Conservatives Caucus when it comes to highways that are needed here in this province, Speaker. We know, Speaker, we know all about their people's guarantee and we know one thing, Speaker. What's guaranteed in their plan should they ever come to power, Speaker, will be less infrastructure investments, will be less public transit, will be fewer highways where they're needed, Speaker, will be less money for cycling infrastructure. I consider it a test, so I'm going to pass. The member from Bruce Gray Owensown is warned. Times up. New question, the member from Kitchener Waterloo. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. My office is working with Patricia and Don Dayton. Patricia and Don have been married for 64 years, but they are currently forced to live apart because they have differing health needs. Patricia is in the dementia unit at University Gates, a long-term care facility, while Don is living at the West Hill retirement home. Every morning, Don takes a cab to visit Patricia at her long-term care facility so that they can have breakfast together. It breaks his heart to leave her each day. Our seniors should not have to go to such great lengths to be together, especially at a time when they need each other the most. Currently, Don and Patricia are on a very long reunification waitlist to the Waterloo, Wellington, Lynn. Speaker, what will this government do to reunite Don and Patricia as soon as permanently possible? Thank you, Mr Speaker. I believe I understand the question correctly, that one individual is currently in a retirement home and the other is in a long-term care home. I'm not sure if the first individual has been assessed and is eligible for long-term care or not. Perhaps the member could address the question. We are in fact making important changes, quite frankly, called them dramatic changes. One of the member's colleagues I have to acknowledge, the member from Niagara, was instrumental in encouraging us and helping us look to this issue of reunification of loved ones, of couples, elderly couples, Mr Speaker. We're making changes that will and I need to be careful. I'm not sure if the regulation is proposed changes that will make it much easier for our long-term care homes and for those individuals to be reunited, but perhaps the member if she doesn't mind, could just indicate whether the individual in retirement is eligible for long-term care. Thank you. I will tell the minister that there is a letter in his office with the details but, Speaker, we need a dramatic change in long-term care almost a decade ago, otherwise we would not be in this position right now today. Retirement should not be marked by stress and uncertainty. Dawn and Patricia's story is just one of the many stories of seniors in my community who are forced to live separately. The waiting time for Dawn and Patricia to be reunited is currently estimated at more than 1,000 days. These numbers are truly heartbreaking. Couples like Dawn and Patricia who have been together for 64 years shouldn't have to wait three years to accommodate. The dating's experiences exemplify a broken and fragile long-term care system that is struggling to accommodate our aging population. Will the minister please tell Dawn and Patricia and every single family affected by the shortcomings of the long-term care system why is it acceptable that they wait years to be reunited with their loved ones? Thank you. Well, Mr. Speaker, that's exactly precisely why we're making these changes because the first individual is eligible for long-term care, because obviously if he is not, that would make it more challenging. But Mr. Speaker, we are and I'm going to say proposed, because again I'm not sure if the reg, if the reg or if it was in the legislation yesterday, but Mr. Speaker, we're actually creating a separate category specifically to enable us in our long-term care homes and our lins and families to reunite those sorts of individuals who are both eligible for long-term care homes appropriately and we should encourage this and facilitate this who want to live together and live those remaining years together as a couple. So Mr. Speaker, we're precisely addressing and again I have to give credit to my collaboration with a member from Niagara because we looked at this and how together we might actually evolve a system where improvements are required and I believe we've got a fix, we've got a solution which is asking for. Question to member from Ottawa. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is for the minister responsible for young children. I know firsthand how important access to day care is. I had four children that were attending day care at different parts of my life so I know that affordability and suitability to needs is very important to all inclusive families. Now in my, the writing that I have the privilege of representing Ottawa venue, there are many new families that are arriving and are very anxious to know what are the day care options that are available to them. The anxiety raised to cost and to the suitability of the options that are available to the variety of their needs. So I want to ask whether the minister can help us say what the government is doing to meet this very important need in our different communities. Minister responsible for early years and childcare. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the hardworking member from Ottawa venue for this very important question. She has been a strong advocate on this issue. Speaker we know families across this province are facing challenges when it comes to finding childcare. That's why our government is working tirelessly to help Ontario provide accessible quality childcare options. In fact this week we announced that more than 8,400 children will benefit from the opening of 493 new childcare rooms in close to 200 schools across the province. It's amazing news. Local schools are being renovated and retrofitted for these spaces. This investment is part of our five year commitment to help 100,000 more children access to the community. We have also announced that 200 million in the 2017 budget which created 24,000 spaces. 16,000 of those are subsidized. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the members. For our commitment to this essential aspect of life for Ontario families. It is very important for the future of Ontario to have good spaces that are needed. Indeed, I think we know that there's a lot of work that needs to be done and that families want to know as well how the system will operate. There's some governance issues. People want to know where are the spaces going to be allocated. I know in my writing particularly the question is asked regularly. Where will the places be allocated throughout the province? Will the future of day care look like in Ontario? And I wish the minister to comment on how this 100,000 spaces will be allocated. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to answer the members' important question and absolutely people need to know where the spaces are going. We are investing $1.6 billion in new capital funding which includes more than 1,000 new spaces in schools, public spaces and communities across the province. As I mentioned we're building over 8,400 new spaces in 188 schools in Ontario. This includes 45 projects in French language schools, 81 projects in Catholic schools, 50 childcare projects in rural and northern school boards creating 1,800 new childcare spaces in that country. We're also investing in close to 200 schools and helping us to fulfill our commitments. It's a historic investment, one that will benefit all of Ontario and you will hear more about where these spaces are going in the coming weeks. We're helping families with access to quality childcare and we're building. Mr. Speaker, when I was commending the member for Nygra Falls, he said the member from Nygra Falls should have said the member from Nygra Falls. All members have a right to correct their record and that's true, the member from Thorn Hill on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, on this Sunday the subway station is opening. My riding of Thorn Hill is where it's going to be opening. My constituents are very excited. The constituents are very excited. Mr. Speaker, it's their taxpayers' money. I've asked to be invited to the grand opening. Please don't be petty in part. Member from Trinidad Spadina on a point of order. Thank you, Speaker. I would like to welcome a very active member of the Filipino community, Ms. Melinda Malapas. She's here with us in the corner. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. During question period, I noticed that my able assistant from my Woodstock constituency is here sitting in the audience. Welcome. Pursuant to standing order 38A, the member from Bruce Gray Owen Sound is given the notice of his satisfaction with his answer given to him during question period by the committee today at 6 p.m. We have a deferred vote on the motion of third reading of bill 166 and act to have a deferred vote on the motion of third reading of bill 166 and act to amend and repeal various acts and to enact three new acts with respect to the construction of new homes and ticket sales and events. Calling the members, this will be a five minute bill. All members, please take your seats. Would you have the floor to Representatives, this will be a five minute bill. And this item will act with respect to the construction of new homes and tickets sales for bent holidays in favor, please rise by the clerk. Mr. Nack may ride passed wife is behind Mr. shutdown is after Mr. Flynn Mr. Teeble Mr. Coddard Mr. Dixie Mr. Dixie this is man gas Mr. Cry Mr. Crack Mr. Crag Miss Domino's Domino's Mr. McGarry Mr. McGarry Mr. Morro Mr. Morro Ms. Jazzy Mr. Zimmer mr. Zimmer mr. Zimmer Ms. McMan Mr. McMan Ms. Knight New Harris Mr. Miltchie Mr. Milchie Ms. Wong Mr. Frazier Mr. Frazier Mr. Anderson Mr. Anderson Mr. Baker Mr. Baker Mr. Dung Mr. Dung Ms. Hogan Ms. Hogan Ms. Kowal Ms. Kowalla Mrs. Martins Mr. Martin Mr. Pot Mr. Pot Ms. Renaldo this is all although the police rice wanted to get recognized by the park Mr. McDonnell Mr. Harnock Mr. Harnock Mr. Hardim Mr. Hardim Mr. McLeod Mr. McLeod Mr. Jones Mr. Brown Mr. Brown Mr. Clark Mr. Clark Mr. Pardelli Mr. Yacobusky Mr. Miller Perry Senator Mascoker Mr. McDonnell Mr. McDonnell Mr. McDonnell Mr. McDonnell Mr. Scott Mr. Tomson Mr. Thompson Mr. Barrett The ayes being 50, the nays being 43. I declare the motion carried. Third reading of the bill. Toisain lectured. Deproger de loi. Be it resolved that the bill you now pass and be entitled as in the motion. There are no further deferred votes. This house stands recessed until 3 p.m. this afternoon.