 It's now time for member statements, and I recognize the member for Nicol Belt. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the province declared a state of emergency, there have been more and more press conferences by various members of cabinet in order to inform the people on everything related to COVID-19, the number of cases, the number of deaths, how to protect oneself, what businesses will be open, child care services. But all of these resources are in English. Given the seriousness of this situation, frankly, it is embarrassing that the government believes that it's fulfilled its responsibilities towards francophones. Press conferences on TFO cannot be considered as a reasonable and fair solution. We don't need another study. It was already done by the previous commissioner, Mr. François Boileau, following the H1N1 crisis. I know that press conferences now have simultaneous interpretation, which is well done. However, it is not available for seniors who are not familiar with the use of technology. And I can confirm to you that many people in Nicol Belt, as well as in the north and in rural areas, don't have access to high-speed internet. So therefore, we're left in the dark. Ask teachers at the school in Foliet how the internet is. And they'll tell you that it's an exercise in frustration. Government communications must be done proactively and fairly and be offered in both English and French. Member statements. The Member for Eglinton, Lawrence. Thank you, Speaker. The last few months have been truly unprecedented. With the emergence of COVID-19 as a serious public health threat, the way we live our lives has changed significantly in such a short period of time. I'm thinking about parents who are spending their days multitasking, working from home and educating their children. I'm thinking about seniors, some of whom have gone months without having their loved ones able to visit them in person. I'm thinking about our local business owners who have significantly adjusted or closed their operations. In these challenging times, I'm also thinking about those who have gone above and beyond to meet the needs of our community, to our local supermarkets like Lady York Foods and everyone working at them to keep the shelves stocked, to establish dedicated hours for seniors, to facilitate curbside pickup for those who need it most. Thank you. To community organisations like the Neighbourhood Canada, organising emergency food drives for the most vulnerable, thank you. To local businesses like Canada Goose that reconfigured their production lines to produce gowns, or Pala Area at the Beauty Lounge Salon who donated masks and gloves to our frontline workers, thank you. To all of the nurses, personal support workers, and other staff on the front lines at Baycrest, Villa Colombo, Terrace Gardens, Forest Hill on the Avenue, and all our retirement homes and long-term care homes, thank you. You embody the Ontario spirit. You are the reason we will defeat this virus. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements. Member for Trinity Spadina. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I was told I had a few minutes to speak in here this morning, I reached out to the Tynetown community and I asked them what they wanted me to talk about, and the first thing they came up with was seniors. They're desperately concerned about the seniors in their community and seniors across this province. And last week, two organisations, the Toronto Community and Culture Centre, and the Support Toronto-Canadian-Chinese Alliance, donated 5,000 disposable masks that we are now distributing to seniors across the writing. So I want to give them a shout out for their generosity. And it's that kind of support for seniors that we, as a government, need to echo and reflect in our communities. The other thing that they were concerned about were our businesses. Before Chinatown is one of the marquee tourist destinations in this city and in this province, and it dates back to 1870, and before the pandemic even started, property tax assessments were hitting main street businesses in Chinatown and across the city really hard. And now with the pandemic upon us, the commercial rent relief that's been offered by the provincial and the federal government is just not cutting it. It's not providing enough support. Not enough landlords are picking it up. And if we don't step up, if we, as you know, the government side there, we really need to work together to support the mainstream businesses in Chinatown because they need rent relief. They need commercial rent relief if Chinatown is going to survive the pandemic. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements. The Member for Thornhill. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I just want to talk a little bit about the fact that I got a letter from Mayor Scarpitti, Frank Scarpitti is the mayor of Markham, and he reminded me about patio season is starting. I think we're all excited to see that. And we all know that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has already modified some of the rules about alcohol. They've reduced the, by 33%, the minimum price, and they're allowing alcohol and takeout services. Our restaurants and hospitality sector is part of the hardest hit by this pandemic of COVID-19. And what I would like all the members of this legislature to think about and to work together and let me know what they think in expanding patio service. So it's part of it is municipal bylaws. We all understand that. But perhaps we can work with the Auditor General. He's been very supportive. To expand the services that patios can offer. Perhaps the hours they can offer it. Perhaps the locations. Perhaps they could take up a bit more space if there's maybe even park space or parking lots that we can amend the rules. So I know that and I think everybody here would agree that people feel a lot more comfortable social distancing outside and that hopefully this global pandemic has toughened us up a little bit that even if it's a bit chilly on the patio that will walk over and will dress appropriately. So you know whether it's for restaurants in Thornhill York Region or all across Ontario I'm appealing to everybody to try to support their local restaurants and hospitality sector. Encourage them to provide the services that you feel comfortable using. Thank you very much. Members statements. The member for Toronto Danforth. Thank you Speaker. Small businesses of my riding from the Danforth to Queen Street. And you and everyone are well aware that sales across Ontario have dropped dramatically. And although many landlords are working with business tenants many are not. Small businesses give life to our main streets and provide thousands of jobs. Their survival is critical and yet as many have said to me they are being treated as if they are expendable. They've repeatedly asked for a moratorium on commercial evictions and they have been turned down. They've asked for direct rent relief that does not add to their debt burden and they have been turned down. They've even asked that they be allowed to apply directly for the federal provincial rent support program and have not been heard. The Premier talks about how angry he is at greedy landlords but won't provide the things that small businesses are asking for. He needs to step up now, provide a commercial eviction moratorium like New Brunswick like Nova Scotia. He needs to provide direct financial support. He needs to get a program going now. Because if he doesn't we're at risk of a wave of business closures on main streets in this province that will be unprecedented and we will all pay the price. Thank you Speaker. Thank you Member Statements and Member for Don Valley East. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I want to bring attention to an organization in my community called the Flemington Park Ministry. As you know Flemington Park is a very diverse community. It's a community where I grew up and food security is an issue to some people. Speaker every single week the organization delivers 114 food hampers to shut in seniors and 80 prepared meals and they work with the local community health center and the ministry is also preparing 75 bins of fresh produce to local families with plans to accommodate another 200 families if necessary. Their goal is to help families better understand where their food comes from and provide the best possible produce locally. They help local gardeners with virtual workshops to ensure that they get safe great food and utilize the 72 community garden plots which helps to activate food alleviate food insecurity. Speaker in their most recent project the common table urban farm which I had the pleasure of seeing for myself last year over 5,000 kilograms of locally grown produce went to over 1200 families and their plan is to expand that that reach in many many ways. We need organizations especially because of COVID-19 locally to help people learn more about food and to provide good quality produce. So thank you so much to all the volunteers and to the organization. Thank you Mr. Speaker. The member for Etobicoke Lakeshore. Mississauga Lakeshore. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker. It's an honor to be back in the house today. Like many of you I've spent most of my last two months working with local business to fight COVID-19 and to help those in need at most. Dave Fergen of Sure Good Foods donated over 77,000 pounds of chicken to food banks across the province. Vince Molinaro gave us 1500 pizzas, meaty meats, fair good and solstice are many local businesses that are helping. Neutral farms, Rouge River farms have given produce and Pina and Laura, my good friends from Sobies Canada gave us a skit of canned food plus $10,000 worth of gift cards. Our local convention halls are cooking it all up for families in need. At the Oasis Convention Center, Danny has produced thousands of meals for frontline workers at Mount Sinai. My friend Vishal from PsyDam Foods donated and helped us deliver it all. With Stephanie from Mexican Flowers, Magaleta from Remax, Susie from Ups, sorry UPS, and Amira from CMFG and so many more. I set up a website asking for help for our seniors socially connecting. VIG computer delivered tablets for our long-term care homes. Lakeview Community Partners gave us $100,000 for Trillium Health Partners. Brightwater gave $15,000 to Compass Food Bank. Bird Sports has raised $22,000 more. Speaker, I could not be more honored to represent a community so rich, blessed with so many people helping their neighbors when we are in need. So thank you to everyone in Mississauga Lakeshore. I say thank you again to the member from Mississauga Lakeshore. Member Statements, the member for Timiskaming Cochrane. Thank you. COVID-19 has turned the world upside down for Ontario farmers. Some of their products, some of their markets have disappeared and others. Prices have plunged. This is going to impact them and possibly our food security. The federal government has introduced some programming. I think we can all agree that it's not enough. But Ontario has a program called the Ontario Risk Management Program that was created to buffer farmers against market crisis. And when that program was created, the Ontario government agreed to pay 40% of the cost. Subsequently, the government, the Liberal government of the day, capped that fund so it no longer pays 40%. In the last election, although it seems eons ago, both the Conservatives and the NDP agreed that that cap should be lifted. Once again, we're asking for that cap to be lifted and we're not alone. The Ontario pork producers are asking for that cap to be farmers of Ontario, Ontario sheep farmers, Ontario veal, and the grain farmers of Ontario. I think farmers across the province have a universal question. This is the government that they thought was going to defend agriculture. And yet agriculture has never, as the rest of the economy, but agriculture has never been in more trouble in Ontario right now. You have a program that works, risk management works. What are you waiting for? Member Statements, Member for Richmond Hill. Welcome, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this unprecedented time, families and businesses are uncertain about our future may bring. I host an economic recovery consultation. I heard directly from local businesses in Markham, Univille on how the pandemic has impacted their business. And through it all, I heard their positive and optimism that we, as a province, will overcome this pandemic together and come out stronger. In the writing of Markham, Univille, I'm hearing from families, businesses and organizations who are coming up with innovative ways to support our community and frontline health care heroes. Take, for example, Amigo Macau Club, a local nonprofit organization who held a fundraising campaign and donated proceeds to two long-term care homes in Markham, Univille. Earlier last month, local businesses, Triple Ridge Funeral Home, donated and personally delivered much-need PPE to four long-term care centers, free senior homes and participation house. I was also pleased to be invited by the Markham Arts Council to their Virtual Arts and Cultural Heritage Celebration 2020. The events celebrate the diverse and wealth of artistic talents in the city of Markham. I was also happy to be part of the celebration, where arts plays as a form of healing and support for all of us during this time. Mr. Speaker, I have only mentioned some of many examples of how our community is demonstrating true Ontario spirit. I'm proud to represent my writing of Markham, Univille. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'd say thank you to the member from Markham, Univille. Member statements. Member statements. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize a self-organized group of local manufacturers, makers, engineers, producers and volunteers who have come together to rapidly innovate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm talking about the Northumberland Producers Alliance. This community-driven donation-based initiative was mobilized in March, Mr. Speaker, during the unprecedented times we find ourselves in and in the face of an invisible enemy. Mr. Speaker, this group of volunteers came together to help. They worked around the clock to develop a remarkable supply chain and produce face shields for those who needed them most. For our healthcare professionals, our first responders, our grocery stores, our non-for-profits, our essential services, Mr. Speaker, for those who got up every morning to head to work, the Northumberland Producers Alliance was there to provide them with the PPEs they needed to stay safe. Many of the volunteers and partners were already working together through the community platforms established by Venture 13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. They reached an astounding level of production, producing an average of 280 units per day, representing a 263% increase, Mr. Speaker, in volume production since April 10th. Total face shield production over 7,000, Mr. Speaker, to everyone involved in this initiative. On behalf of our community, thank you. Mr. Speaker, I'm honored to represent the great writing of Northumberland Peterborough South and the remarkable group of community initiatives, community members who've come together to stand by our essential workers, to come together in response to COVID-19. Thank you.