 It is now time for Member's Statements. I recognize the Member for Mississauga Centre. Thank you Madam Speaker, good morning. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer in men and women in Ontario. In Canada, 30,000 people are diagnosed each year, making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer type. November also marks Raid on Gas Action Month, yet there is little known about this invisible and odorless radioactive gas that is naturally released from rocks, soil and water. It can get into homes through cracks and holes over time, and breathing in this gas can cause lung cancer. For those who do not smoke, Raid on Gas is the leading cause of lung cancer, responsible for over 3,000 deaths in Canada each year. Madam Speaker, home testing kits for Raid on are inexpensive and can be purchased at your local retailer. Madam Speaker, our government has already made stride in cancer prevention such as our initiative to start screening earlier for breast cancer. And I am thankful for survivors and advocates for their dedication to this cause, including those from the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network, Right to Survive, Lung Cancer Canada and others for their continued advocacy on this imperative and deadly issue in Ontario. Thank you Madam Speaker. Thank you. Member Statements. Member from Waterloo. Well good morning Speaker. We are very excited on this side of the House that the government has signaled they may support a motion by our caucus and the amazing member from St. Catherine's to provide full coverage for birth control under OHIP. This could be a game changer for so many women in Ontario who can't afford or have easy access to contraception. Our leader has said there is no doubt that lowering the barriers to accessing contraception can have a huge impact on people's ability to have control over their family plans and their bodies. It's long overdue and it's just common sense. I would add that it certainly is worth fighting for and truly encouraging that the government is considering supporting. After all, as MPP Stevens has said, this isn't just about health, it's a matter of gender equality. Advocates have said that ensuring women don't have to pay hundreds of dollars a year on birth control will offer more protection for victims of sexual violence, provide women with autonomy over reproductive health and act as yet another step towards gender equality. Many people don't know that in abusive relationships, violence often escalates during pregnancy, which says Christa McNeil, the ED of Victim Services in Durham. The cost of unwanted pregnancies in Canada is in excess of $320 million. By contrast, no-cost contraception represents a fraction of that cost and the lives of women are worth this investment. Let's hope that we can work together to expand contraception health care for women in the province of Ontario, so let's get it done. Member Statements. The Member for Brantford, Brad. Good morning, Speaker. I am pleased to rise to speak about the Nova Vita Women's Shelter. Speaker, domestic violence is a horrific form of intimate partner violence that affects roughly 100,000 Canadians each year. Domestic violence has devastating effects on a victim's physical health and mental well-being. Often the effects of domestic violence can seriously disrupt a victim's social and economic well-being as well. That is why the Nova Vita Women's Shelter has dedicated itself to fighting to end interpersonal violence and abuse by supporting individuals and families who have experienced domestic violence. Nova Vita was founded in the Brantford Brant community in 1982 and it has flourished into a beacon of hope for everyone affected by domestic violence. In 2003, Speaker, Nova Vita renovated their emergency shelter, which has opened 24-7 and provides a safe place for women and children experiencing abuse or homelessness to eat, sleep, and meet with Nova Vita workers for support. Nova Vita continues to engage in evaluative research of its many programs and services in partnership with a variety of educational institutions to ensure that those who rely on their services for support are receiving the highest quality care. Speaker, I am proud to represent a community that takes care of its own. On behalf of Brantford Brant, I want to extend my thanks to Nova Vita for protecting the most vulnerable in our community. Nova Vita, keep up the great work. Thank you, Speaker. In 2022, Chad Balange was a victim of a tragic accident while driving between campus casing in Valrita on a short work delivery. His vehicle was in the head-on collision with a commercial truck after the truck crossed two solid yellow lines to pass another commercial vehicle going up a hill. He survived by with extreme pain, bruising on vital organs including heart and lungs, a severe concussion and memory loss from the accident. He had a broken jaw, broken neck, broken ribs. He now lives with anxiety and PTSD. Currently, there is a gray zone for drivers when it comes to this dangerous maneuver. Police officers cannot find someone for passing on a two-solid line. They can only give a $85 fine when it is considered unsafe passing. This leaves little room for prevention, and most times it takes an accident to have any consequences from this careless driving. Speaker, Chad Law is a common-sense law. Ontarians wrote to me in complete shock that this was not already illegal, like in all the other provinces in Canada. As an MPP from Northern Ontario, I know all MPPs representing communities from all parties can testify to how dangerous Highway 11 and 17 can be. Speaker, winter is at our door, highways in the north will become more dangerous. I hope we can all work together and not wait for another accident to make passing double lines finally illegal. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. Member Statements. The Member for Mississauga, Aaron Mills. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Friday, I joined my colleagues at Peel Region Police Headquarters in Mississauga where the Premier announced that preventing U-2 theft grant. An $18 million investment over three years to help police services combat U-2 theft and protect communities, including $900,000 for Peel Region. We know that U-2 theft are an increasingly serious problem in Mississauga and across the province. That's why our government is taking immediate and decisive action to increase safety and security and prevent crime. Earlier this year, the Solicitor General announced a $51 million investment over three years to fight criminal organizations and put these criminals behind bars. But though our government is working hard to fight crime, we must be clear, comprehensive reform from the federal government are needed to take criminals off the street and keep them in jail. That's why this legislature called our federal counterparts to implement a bail reform. The non-stop game of catch and release and the dangerous opposition rhetoric of defunding the police only serve to banish the hard-working, low-abiding residents of Ontario. We will always continue to support the law enforcement officers, such as Peel Regional Police, that are working hard to keep our communities safe. This we made earlier this year will provide free tuition at the Ontario Police College and allow up to 550 recruits, Bercow Horde, such as the 51 police who we graduated to Peel this year. This government is providing police with their resources and training they need to be successful. We are firmly committed to fighting crime. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Member statements? Member for St. Catharines. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. As we welcome the festival season, it is crucial to address a growing concern in our communities. While the holiday traditionally sees an increase in food bank usage, this year presents an unprecedented challenge. Minister, today's Feed Ontario reports highlights a distressed reality, a significant rise in food bank use across Ontario, an increase of over 38% from last year. This is double the increase Ontario saw during the 2008 recession. In Niagara, organisations like Community Care, Salvation Army and the local churches run our food banks. They are an incredible force of good, yet they face immense strain due to systemic issues beyond the holiday spike. The root cause, chronic income insecurity, precarious employment and a dire shortage of affordable housing all demand our immediate attention. This crisis calls for more than seasonal generosity. It requires concrete action from the Government of Ontario. We should be leading by example, showing compassion at this time of the year, providing emergency assistance for food banks that are ringing the alarm bells in order to get there. It will require a bridge and the province holds the purse strings. Minister, it is time to seriously look at emergency assistance for food banks. As we move towards a new year, let us embrace the vision of hope and resilience. Thank you very much. Member statements? Okay. Okay. I'll go on with that. No, it's actually in order. It's supposed to be winter to come see. And then I'll recognize you. Thank you, Speaker. In a tribute to my predecessor, Percy Hatfield, a heartwarming story of community generosity shall be revealed. This weekend over 600 good fellows stood at street corners aplenty, exchanging winter star newspapers for nickels, tunis and bills of 20. In the frigid cold at Takamsee and Forsglade, I joined the 600 volunteers who encouraged that trade. For 110 years strong, this tradition has endured the gift of monthly food boxes and hampers to the needy is assured. But in true Windsor Essex Forum, we know that this target will be exceeded, the target being 3,300 such hampers known to be needed. And as this holiday campaign ends, our good fellows keep helping the masses with shoes, boots, breakfasts and bag lunches for students in classes. And their food bank on Tuesdays and Fridays helping many families eat, prices keep on climbing and they struggle to make ends meet. To the good fellows serving us across Windsor and Essex County, a sincere thank you for filling families' dinner tables with a generous bounty. Thank you very much. Member Statements. The Member for Algoma, Manitoulou. Thank you, Speaker. I want to take this opportunity today to speak about Killarney, a wonderful municipality in my writing. Killarney pretty much has everything, Speaker. Beautiful views of Lake Huron and the La Clash Mountains. A welcoming community near some of Ontario's most pristine wilderness and the best fishing chips in Ontario. But there is one thing they currently do not have, and that's a long-term care facility close to home. Speaker, that hasn't stopped the people of Killarney. They have come together with the care partners, stakeholders and community members to develop an innovative pilot project for a long-term care home that would meet the needs of the people in Killarney. They are proposing a small home model that would allow seniors to age in place they call home. It will have 14 private rooms, a central living space with an open kitchen, a dining and living area, and a fireplace and access to the outdoors on this 2.7-acre campus. Speaker, this is a project to be excited about. However, Killarney needs the support of this government and the minister of long-term care to make it a reality. An invitation has been extended to the minister to come and visit Killarney to learn exactly what makes this town their unique project. And the invitation is extended to you as well, Speaker. I want to extend the invitation to him again this morning. Come and visit Killarney, minister, see what they have to offer and let's do the impossible in Ontario and provide Killarney with a long-term care home. Thank you. Member statements? The member for Chatham Kent Leamington. Thank you. Good morning, Speaker. As a young man growing up in Leamington, Ontario, the southernmost community in Canada, my geography had a profound impact on me. In particular, our friends, allies and closest trading partners from the beautiful state of Michigan. My airwaves were filled with the music of Motown. Our local news are from Detroit, and the skyline I adored growing up was the Shimmering Renaissance Center, standing on the shores of the Detroit River. This unique geography also influenced the sports teams I cheered for. My grandfather Joseph was born in a small community near Flint, Michigan, where my great grandfather played baseball for a development team for Detroit Tigers while working in a local automotive plant. This history made for enjoyable and interesting traditions, not to mention two beautiful Thanksgiving dinners and University of Michigan football. I was inspired by a young man, by a young coach called Bo Schambackler, whose leadership, commitment and grit guided my life. I believed in the team. I was guided by a mantra that those who stay will be champions. No person is more important than the team. No coach is more important than the team. The team, the team, the team. So if you take this mantra with your daily life, just take into consideration what effects that might have on the outcomes. Yesterday, in front of 116,000 fans, the University of Michigan Wolverines defeated their rivals from Ohio State, a score of 30-24. Congratulations to the University of Michigan and to the fans worldwide for believing in the team. Hail to the victors. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the Member for Oakville. Thank you, Speaker, for Memorial Day, which honours the memory of millions of parish during one of the most tragic events of the 20th century. On the 4th Saturday of November, across Canada and around the world, we remember the holodomor of 1932-33, the catastrophic famine orchestrated by the Soviet regime, which resulted in the death of countless Ukrainians. The term holodomor directly translates to death by hunger, a somber reminder of the deliberate and brutal campaign of starvation inflicted on the Ukrainian people. The policies of Joseph Stalin's Communist government not only deprived individuals of nourishment, but also stripped away the very essence of their freedom and dignity leading to the deaths of millions of individuals under excruciating conditions. This day of remembrance takes on even deeper significance in the current context. The resolve of the Ukrainian people as seen throughout history is once again being tested by the ongoing conflict in their homeland. In Oakville, we stand united with Ukraine. Our local institutions, such as St. Joseph's Ukrainian Catholic Church and St. Vladimir Cultural Centre, have been at the forefront of providing unwavering support by those affected by the crisis. On the 90th anniversary of this tragedy, let us remember those who have suffered under Stalin's regime. Let us also keep in our thoughts the 43 million citizens of the Ukraine. We remember we stand together and we look forward to a future of peace and justice for Ukraine. Thank you very much. That concludes our member's statements this morning. The introduction of visitors.