 being none and it's now time for oral questions. The Leader of Her Majesty is very welcome. Thank you, Speaker. My question to the Premier. Premier, at 11.30 today just after question period, Jim Wilson, the PC House Leader, a member of Simcoe Gray, will be tabling a motion of confidence, a want of confidence motion in the Assembly. The motion will reflect the sadness, the anger and frustration of Ontario taxpayers that the Liberal Party is putting their own interests ahead of the interests of taxpayers that you chose to spend probably over a billion dollars to cancel gas plants in Oakville, Mississauga, instead of addressing the real concerns around jobs and spending within our means. Premier, given the seriousness of this issue and the motion coming for the House today, will you agree to have this motion debated here in the Legislative Assembly in Ontario? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And it is absolutely within the purview of the party opposite to work to hold the government to account, Mr. Speaker, and in a minority parliament, it is absolutely within his control to suggest that there be a non-confidence motion at any point. But, Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we have a very large confidence issue that will come before this House very shortly. And within this week, Mr. Speaker, we're going to be presenting a budget. I really believe that the fact that we're introducing the budget on Thursday gives this parliament an opportunity to vote on and express the confidence or non-confidence in the government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. I mean, this is helpful, and the Premier acknowledges the rights of the opposition and brings this forward. And I assure you, we take this with the utmost seriousness. And we believe we need to do the right thing. Order. The Ontarians. But I worry, Premier, that the NDP has already indicated that they're willing to prop up your government. If you make enough, put them around increasing taxes and spending. I think this matter is serious enough in itself. It crosses the line towards a government that appears to be corrupted to make these types of decisions. You are around the cabinet table, a senior McGinty minister that had a hand in these decisions. I think that the people of Ontario want to see the gas plants scandal put before a vote of the Assembly. Do they have confidence that a government that has made this decision if they stay in office will simply do so again? Premier, we do the right thing and allow this motion to stand for debate and a vote of the legislature. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've done exactly what I said I would do on the issue of the relocation of gas plants. I was committed to being open and transparent, Mr. Speaker. That process is unfolding in committee. The reality is, Mr. Speaker, that the confidence vote, the confidence issue that will be before this House, the budget is extremely important to the people of Ontario. And I think, Mr. Speaker, that the people of Ontario, not to put thoughts in their minds, but I would expect that the leader of the opposition would read the budget, Mr. Speaker, before he decided not to vote for it. He said that they are going to look at the budget before they make the relocation. There is no guarantee, Mr. Speaker, and I completely respect the position that the third party has taken. But, Mr. Speaker, I think it is questionable that the leader of the opposition has said that he's not even going to look at the budget before he rejected out of hand, Mr. Speaker. Can I have something to mention? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier knows that we've had a number of meetings where I put ideas on the table to get our economy going again, to restore hope to those who have lost hope in the province, and also to bring forward a budget that actually reduced the spending, not increased the spending. I think the decision has you indicated in your interviews this weekend that you and I don't see eye to eye on how to approach the big issues. I respect your opinion. We just simply disagree on the approach. But here's what this comes to. This is what I worry about. If the Liberal government, in your words, made intentional decisions to cancel first the Oakville plant no matter what the cost, then a year or so later you decided to cancel the Mississauga gas plant no matter what the cost, if you got away with the Mississauga, why should taxpayers not believe that you're going to try it again? That's why you did this vote. You won't try to pull this stunt again. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to go back to the discussions that the Leader of the Opposition and I have had, and they have been very collegial, and it's been a pleasure to be able to sit down with him. And in fact, Mr. Speaker, if he were to read the budget before he decided not to vote for it, I believe that he would see the issues that have been raised by him and by a member of his caucus, a member for Halden & Norfolk, for example, called on us to implement the writer-prospects report, Mr. Speaker, to look at the untangling of the social assistance program and to look at the recommendations that Manir Sheikh and Francis Lankin put forward. And Mr. Speaker, I think if the Leader of the Opposition took the chance to look at our budget, he might see that we are moving in that direction, Mr. Speaker, and see that on Thursday. So, Mr. Speaker, I believe that there will be common ground in our budget, both that the Leader of the Opposition and his party and the NDP could find if they chose to read the budget before they rejected it, Mr. Speaker. Your question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back to the Premier on the topic of the confidence motion around the cancellation of the gas plants in this province. On the topic of the budget vote, there used to be a day Speaker when there was modesty about budget. She'd wait to see what was in the budget, the direction. These Liberals have been very clear the direction they were going to go. You've basically had a new spending announcement every day, making another spending announcement later today. You've already signaled you're going to increase taxes in the province. You call them revenue tools, but you're increasing taxes. And, Speaker, more or the same you're not going to get us out of this mess. You can go the opposite direction. Hold the law and reduce spending and lower taxes. Let me ask you this. We know the kind of games that Dalton McGinty played. He parodied the legislature for four months. You supported that decision. Please don't tell me that you'll engage in Dalton McGinty games by trying to block this very important motion of confidence. Please tell us, Premier, you're not going to stand on the way and block what Ontario is going to do and have the vote on this. We've started that process again today, and I'd like to stop it, which is when somebody is putting the question, I'm hearing people from that side of the bench say stuff while the person is putting the question, which is not helpful. And in this case, when the answers are coming, I'm hearing heckling from the answer. I can't hear either one as clearly as I'd like to. So please respect each other on both fronts and then also tone the heckling down. Premier. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So there is a process underway. There's a process underway in the Justice Committee, Mr. Speaker, where a full range of questions are being asked about the issue that the leader of the opposition is raising, the issue around the relocation of the gas plants. I wrote to the auditor general. I asked that he examine the cost of the Oakville relocation, Mr. Speaker. I am appearing before the committee tomorrow. I don't know if the leader of the opposition has agreed to do that. He's been asked, but he would also appear before the committee, Mr. Speaker. So that process is in place and because the committee has a broadened mandate, they're able to ask questions on a full range of all the issues surrounding the relocation of the gas plants. There is a confidence issue coming before this House that will affect everyone in this province, Mr. Speaker, because the budget is wide ranging. All of the issues in the budget will affect the people of Ontario. I believe that is the confidence issue that should be considered by this House, Mr. Speaker, fully, with everyone having read the depth of the document. Well, thank you, Speaker. I mean, the premier has been clear. Her budget will increase spending. You make a new announcement every day. You've indicated you're going to bring in new revenue tools, which you've used the term euphemistically, does refer to new taxes. I just don't think that more of the same that got us into this mess is going to get us out of this mess. The government is going to give us the time to invest in these jobs and lead in Canada. Your plan is not going to do so. What I worry about, Speaker, is that the Liberal government seems to be in the mode to give whatever spending promises the NDP demands. That's going to dig our hole deeper. And any government's focus strictly on survival is not going to be the kind of government that we need to actually take us on a new and different path. The bottom line scandal across the line as it goes so far that the confidence in this government has been badly shaken and we did a new team to lead this process of Ontario. I really believe I've spoken to the confidence issue. I think that the budget is the confidence issue that the House needs to approach to consider. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, on the issue of the vision for the province, you know when the leader of the opposition talks about his vision for the province and the province prospering, I believe that we share that, but I also believe that we need a fairer society as well, Mr. Speaker, and I also believe that this can respond. I think not waiting another 40 years to build transit in the province is a good idea, Mr. Speaker. I believe that investing in youth and making sure that youth have access to employment, I believe youth having the opportunities to find employment. I think that's an investment in the future, Mr. Speaker. That's going to make Ontario more proud. So those are the investments that we're going to make, Mr. Speaker. In the context of fiscal responsibility. I haven't heard those. Thank you. The members of Renfrew and Newt St. Kevin, please come to order. Supplementary. Thank you, thank you, Speaker. The Premier speaks passionately about the fair society, but I asked the Premier when you have 600,000 of our friends, our neighbours, our relatives, folks watching legislative assembly at home today, who have no job to go to Monday morning. They'll have no job to go to next Monday as well. They're losing hope in the province of Ontario. What is exactly- Mr. Better, do you come to order? About your decision to spend a billion dollars to save liberal seats, to try to buy the last election campaign, to bail out the Liberal Party ahead of those 600,000 folks who know we can do a lot better in this province, who know we can restore hope. There is nothing fair about your decision to put the Liberal Party interest ahead of the interest of hardworking Ontario's families. Premier, you know when you're hurt, the right thing to do. The wrong thing is to dodge this vote. The wrong thing is for the Liberals to use their position to block this motion. Let's do right by Ontarians. Do what they want us to do. Call the vote on the gas plant scandal. Let people stand up and decide where they stand. We know where we stand. Do you see it, please? Do you see it, please? Thank you. Premier. Mr. Speaker, and I have- you know, I am committed to bringing forward a budget that is even-handed, Mr. Speaker. That is going to be fiscally responsible. That is going to make sure that we put in place supports to make Ontario a fairer society. But, Mr. Speaker, I think what is right at this moment is that all parties in this legislature work together. We did not- we had a provincial election, Mr. Speaker, not that long ago. I believe that the people of Ontario expect us to work together and to avoid an unnecessary election, Mr. Speaker. I believe that working together is exactly what the people of Ontario have asked us to do. And if all parties in this house, Mr. Speaker, read the budget and look at what's there. I believe they will find much to support, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Good question. Selina of the Third Party. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions to the Premier. It's clear that people want to see some real positive change in the upcoming budget. They're worried about their parents and their grandparents who are waiting for home care, kids who are well into their 20s who are still living at home and looking for work, and being stuck with the highest auto insurance rates in the entire country. They're tired of seeing these priorities pushed aside to make way for more corporate tax loopholes, Speaker, and hospital CEO salaries that continue to spike up. Is the Premier prepared to offer real action in this budget or are we just going to get more of the same conversation? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, the conversations came first and the conversations are very important in order to understand not just what the opposition parties were concerned about and were looking for, but what people across the province were looking for, Mr. Speaker, which is why the Minister of Finance talked to hundreds of thousands of people in person on the phone, Mr. Speaker, and that we held roundtables around the province talking to businesses, making sure we understand what their concerns were. And their concerns, Mr. Speaker, more often than not were about the mismatch between the skills that many of our youth have got and the jobs that are actually available, so we need to find a way to close that gap. But, Mr. Speaker, to the question of the leader of the third party, we intend to take real action, Mr. Speaker. We have laid out a plan that plan will be before the House on Thursday and I look forward to everyone reading the budget and determining that they can support it, Mr. Speaker. Well, Speaker, for young people waiting to start their careers, this is not an abstract issue. Youth unemployment is over 16% in this province and young people and their parents want to see a real plan that actually rewards the companies who put youth on the path to a good job and a real career. They see, instead, a government that's ready to pour millions upon millions of dollars into tax loopholes that reward the companies that buy it when they're buying drinks for their clients and customers and box seats. And they want to know why their challenges are being ignored by the government. What does the Premier have to say to those people, Mr. Speaker? What I would say, Mr. Speaker, is that I am very concerned about a 16.5% unemployment rate for young people. It's unacceptable. I completely agree with the leader of the third party. We need to do something about that, Mr. Speaker, but we need to do something that is going to actually address the issue. We need to make sure that business and labor and government are working together because there isn't one simple solution to this, Mr. Speaker. It's about the skills mismatch. It's about opportunities for young people to have access to placements and co-ops, Mr. Speaker. It's about making sure that as our students go through secondary school that they know what the pathways are when they get to the end of high school and that we have the right pathways in place, not just in our urban centres but in all of our centres, Mr. Speaker, in the rural communities in the north because it's not just young people in urban centres who need that access. So that's the kind of approach that we are going to take to make sure that there is a real approach and real action for young people. When I talk to young people, they tell me that they have the skills, they have the desire, they have the ambition. They can't get their foot in the door to an employer. That's their problem. Here's what they see. They see that they're struggling to find work and they're struggling to start their careers. For 10 years, their government has offered tax breaks and opened new loopholes to Ontario's largest corporations while promising that somehow it was going to create jobs. Well, guess what? It didn't. They're tired of vague promises and they're tired of vague conversations that may get them something 20 years from now when they're 40 years old. They want to see real change and they want to see it now. Will the Premier take action with the plan that rewards companies when they hire young people and give them some experience on the job not when they're expensing a dinner for their clients? There's two points to deal with here. One, the member talks about input tax credits. They're not a loophole. It's not a tax break. It's not a giveaway and it's not new. It's a value added system that we brought in place to inspire more investment and more growth. And, Mr. Speaker, as a result of implementing these tax reforms, we have created more jobs. We've created investment and over 400,000 new jobs have come to the province. The other aspect of the question was our youth unemployment. We are taking action right now, Mr. Speaker. We have been trying to find ways to marry up our youth with our employers. That's why we're implementing in this budget initiatives around that very fact. And I appreciate the question and we are addressing loopholes which are in fact companies that don't pay their fair share and we're dealing with that with the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, opening up a new tax opportunity for companies, whether it's a tax loophole or a new opportunity, is still giving away $1.3 billion to the corporations that have come out of this province. My next questions to the Premier Speaker, people are really tired of feeling that they're actually falling further and further behind. And that's the crux of the problem that we have in this province. They're weary of government promises that don't lead to results for them, Speaker. They're told that CEO salary hikes in hospitals and corporate tax loopholes and breaks to the insurance industry, we're going to somehow create jobs and prove healthcare and make life more affordable for them. But they see that it just has not delivered. Instead they see a government that's spending millions and millions of dollars on cancelled gas plants and more tax loopholes while their priorities get little more than lip service, Speaker. So we have to admit that we need to move beyond the promises and beyond the vague commitments of eventually getting something done and lastly delivering for the people of this province. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, just on the issue of our recovery, Mr. Speaker, and how we've been doing in the province. So we have regained more than 100% of the jobs that were lost in the depths of the economic downturn, Mr. Speaker. So what we have been doing is working. We are seeing success and on the broader issues of what the people of Ontario have been able to see over the last few years in terms of achievement. Mr. Speaker, we've moved from last to first in terms of wait times in our healthcare, Mr. Speaker. We have improved the education system to the point, Mr. Speaker, where our students are achieving at the very highest ranks internationally. So the investments that have been made over the last nine years, Mr. Speaker, have produced results. And in terms of changing the way we address issues around young people being prepared to get into the workforce, I agree. There's more that needs to be done, Mr. Speaker. We need to address that issue and that's one of the things that you will see addressed in the budget point we delivered on Thursday. Thank you. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, new Democrats crossed the province when the government shut this place down for their own personal needs. We actually crossed the province and spent that time talking to people and families about how they actually contribute to our province. And they told us what they want to see in this upcoming budget is a very balanced approach. They also told us that they're very tired of a government firing nurses asking families to pay more while handing away millions and millions and millions of dollars cancelling private power deals, creating brand new loopholes for Ontario's largest corporations and watching hospital CEO salaries continue to spike. The premier can send people a signal today that she's offering more than just conversation and vague promises. Will she commit to cancelling the tax loopholes and capping CEO salaries in hospitals? Finance. So Mr. Speaker, let's be clear. These aren't tax loopholes. They're not giveaways. They're not tax breaks. They are restricted tax inputs that exist now that expire in 2015 on the 2018 as part of the value out of tax system. They involve vehicles. They involve telecommunications and some of them involve meals and entertainment. We get that. We're dealing with the federal government because it also involves them and in order for us to proceed effectively we need their cooperation. But what's happening now as a result of those initiatives and those tax reforms is created at greater incentive of investment of those businesses in Ontario and as a result it's created jobs. And those jobs is what we need to have right now and this budget will speak about how we can create even more jobs and how can we create a more balanced approach in achieving it. It's not taking extreme measures it's taking the proper measures that the people of Ontario expect us to take. Thank you. Give us final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, the finance minister continues to play up or to defend an HST scheme that didn't create the 600,000 jobs that they promised and now is about to hand corporations another $1.3 billion to send it wherever they want not necessarily to create jobs. People have heard a lot of talk from this government and they know that it's time for action. Over 10 years of Liberal government has gone by and the government has failed the people of this province. They continue to fall further and further behind while the well-connected few have gotten all of the breaks. What they want, a five-day home care guarantee, not CEO salary hikes, youth jobs plan, an actual youth jobs plan not more corporate tax loopholes, affordable auto insurance, not higher industry profits and payouts. They want to see a government that puts the needs of the people looking for work and for better healthcare ahead of the needs of their party's election chances in Oakville and Mississauga. Is the Premier ready to do that or are we going to see more of the same old status quo? Thank you, Minister of Finance. So Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question and I understand the concerns because we share them. We all want to see more prosperity in the province of Ontario. That's why Ontario now produces more jobs and the rest of Canada combined. In fact, the very issues that the member talks about in regards to the restricted tax credits, these are the very things that Quebec and Atlantic provinces are dealing with as well and they too have phrased them out as a result of the federal system. So we're working towards the same goal as are the third party and I would assume as is the opposition. The official opposition recognizes that what we're doing is going to have a great benefit to the province of Ontario. They too should be supporting this budget, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. New question. The member from Nipissie. Thank you, Speaker. This morning my question is for the Premier. After a week we've had men and women come to the Justice Committee. They put their hand on the Bible. They swear an oath to tell the whole truth, Speaker. Then they give a sworn testimony that is, Speaker, completely different to what we hear from this Liberal government. The Premier says the total cost of cancelling Oakville is $40 million. Yet under oath we hear sworn testimony that there are buckets of costs more than that, Speaker. The Liberal gas plant scandal is the last straw for Ontarians. They've lost their confidence in these Liberals. Premier, will you bring our want of confidence motion forward in this legislature? Let's talk a little bit about the Justice Committee and the hearings that are taking place tomorrow. Mr. Speaker, last week we got to witness the dramatics, the arrogance of the member from Leeds-Grenville when he stood up and asked the Premier the following question. Next Tuesday you've been invited to appear before the Justice Committee. Will you confirm to the House today that you will order and instruct your staff to not play calendar or scheduling games? Mr. Speaker, the Premier will be there tomorrow. My question is, Mr. Speaker, my question is, why did the Leader of the Opposition refuse to appear tomorrow? Mr. Speaker, and of course you know that our stop the clock. Order please. Please. Third time, please. The member from Simcoe Gray come to order. The member from Leeds-Grenville come to order. That's better. Thank you. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, as everybody in this legislature knows, our Leader will indeed be at the gas plant. Liberal scandal hearings shortly. Premier, no matter what the Liberal staffers hold back from the Justice Committee, believe it or not, Speaker, we've been now getting to the truth. The Auditor General's report on the Mississauga Cancellation showed us the true story and the depths of this scandal. It was much higher than any of the former... The member from Kitchener Conestoga will withdraw. than any of the former energy ministers or the current energy minister admitted to. Even higher, Speaker, than the Ontario Power Authority admitted to. Now Premier, the same thing is happening with the Oakville Cancellation. You know exactly how high this cancellation is going to cost. You chaired that cabinet meeting that started this process. Will you now call our want of confidence motion to the floor of this legislature? Will you do that? Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, we don't know the Leader of the Opposition will be before the committee. The arrogance, Mr. Speaker, the opposition to stand up and say to the Premier, are you going to play calendar or scheduling games and then turn around and have the Leader of the Opposition play calendar and scheduling games? And you know what else, Mr. Speaker? We've also heard that Jeff Yanishek, the PC candidate in Mississauga South is refusing to appear before the committee. Jeff Yanishek, he's the one who said in the last campaign, unlike the Dalton McGinty Liberals, the only way to guarantee this power plant does not get built is to elect a Tim Houdak Ontario PC government. Tim Houdak government will cancel this plant. He also paid for thousands of robo calls saying that the only way to cancel the plant was to vote for the progressive conservatives. Will the Honourable Member encourage his colleague to appear before the committee and encourage the Leader of the Opposition to appear before the committee? Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, when the Premier was asked about her involvement in the now infamous Project Vapor Minute and how much she thought it would cost to cancel the Oakville Gas Plant when she signed that document the Premier directed every question to her House Leader. When the Premier comes to justice tomorrow, will she tell Ontarians how much she thought it would cost to cancel the Oakville Gas Plant or is she going to continue to play games and hide behind procedure? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I will be at the committee tomorrow. I will answer the questions that the committee asked me, Mr. Speaker, and as I said when I came into this office, it has been my objective from the moment I got into this job to open the process to allow for all of the questions and to get the answers that the members of the Opposition and the Third Party were looking for, Mr. Speaker. That's why I said I would come to the committee. That's why I asked the Auditor General to look at the Oakville situation, Mr. Speaker. That's why we suggested that we open the process, and in the first instance, the Opposition didn't want to open the process, Mr. Speaker. They voted against that, but we have a more open process now. The questions are being asked. I will be there tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to the interaction with the members. Thank you. Speaker, tomorrow, Colin Anderson, the CEO of the Ontario Power Authority will be giving their latest estimate of the cost for cancelling the Oakville Power Plant. Judging from testimony we've heard so far, something tells me that it's going to be more than $40 million. Has the Premier been kept in the loop about the latest cost of the Oakville Gas Plant cancellation? Premier? Mr. Speaker, as I said, I will be at the committee tomorrow. I will answer all of the questions that are asked of me. I will make a statement at the committee tomorrow, Mr. Speaker. I really believe that that is where we should have this conversation. Is that the committee? That's why I asked that they at the committee be broadened, Mr. Speaker. That's why I asked that the Auditor General look at the Oakville situation, Mr. Speaker, and so that's why I am appearing tomorrow so that we can have this conversation in the context of the Justice Committee, Mr. Speaker. Very cute. New question. Thank you, Speaker. My question through you is to the Minister of Rural Affairs. I understand that recently our government announced that our graduation rates have increased for the eighth straight year. And now 115,000 more students have graduated due to the investments we've made in education. Complete writings population of young people with a future. This is fantastic news that shows our student success strategy is working. But, Mr. Speaker, many of my constituents want to know what is being done in rural areas to support their schools? This is an important question because in order to have a world-class education system, all of our students, no matter where they live, must have access to a great education. Mr. Speaker, through you, the Minister of Rural Affairs, could the minister please inform this house about the investments our government is working to support rural schools? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member for Orleads for his great question, but I can't assure him it'll be a short series against the Montreal Canadians. But, Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to making sure that every student has success to a world-class education no matter where they live. We also know that our rural schools face unique challenges. That's why we've increased funding to our rural boards by more than 30% since 2003. This year, rural boards will receive over $3 billion. We also know that our schools and rural areas face higher costs for materials and resources. That's why we're providing over $50 million to help with the purchase of materials so that our students have the resources they need to succeed. Mr. Speaker, these are only some of the investments we're making to ensure that our schools, no matter where they may be, provide the best education to all our rural students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Minister, for your response. I'm glad to hear that the new Ontario government takes unique needs of rural education seriously. The investments we have made towards rural schools and school boards will ensure our young students have the opportunities they need to learn in enriching and fulfilling environments. Now more than ever, it is vital that our children get the education they need to compete for high-skilled jobs in a global economy. Through you to the Minister of Rural Affairs, could the minister please update the House and what this government is doing to provide students with training and skills to succeed in the 21st century job market? Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education. Yes, thank you very much, Speaker, and thank you to the member from Ottawa or Linsborough's question. Our government is committed to providing our students with the skills they need so they can be successful in their future. And one program that allows students this opportunity is the Specialist High Skills Major Program. The Specialist High Skills Major Program allows our students to learn essential skills in subject areas including agriculture, technology and aviation and a whole host of other options. For this school year, over 30,000 students are enrolled in over 1,500 Specialist High Skills Major Programs in over 670 schools across Ontario. We've also created dual credit programs that allow students to work on secondary and college credits at the same things. These are the skills that students will help them transition to the workplace. Thank you very much, Speaker. To the Premier, for months now we've been asking you members of your new cabinet and countless liberal minions at committee to simply come clean on your gas plant scandals in Mississauga and Oakville. It's clear that your only interest is the preservation of the Liberal Party. There's a want of confidence motion ready to be debated. The only thing missing is your willingness to accept your responsibility. The time has come for this legislature to decide. Premier, you've continuously talked about an open process that you want to be completely a part of and completely open with all of the facts. Well, I ask you, will you do the right thing today? Accept your responsibility and agree. Bring that motion forward. Mr. Speaker, you know, again I expected to hear from the Honourable Member some sort of apology for the fact that the Leader of the Opposition is refusing to appear in front of committee tomorrow. And I think Mr. Speaker, it's important to know why we are calling him. It's not simply a case of wanting to have him before the committee. It's to ask him some very specific questions. For example, this brochure that was given to every House in the riding and where was it? The Etobicoke Centre Riding Association says the only party that will stop the Sherway power plant is the Ontario PC party on October 6th vote Ontario PC. Mr. Speaker, it has to do with the YouTube video that the Leader of the Opposition starred in where he went out and said that if he was elected that the local gas plant would be done, done, done. Mr. Speaker, we want to know about the policy analysis that was done, the costing that was done, and we're looking forward to it. Premier, it seems you people want to turn this into more of a charade. The Leader of the Opposition, Tim Huwag, has made it very clear he will appear before the committee April 7th or 14th, and he wrote the chair to indicate that. Premier, the Auditor General indicated in his report that he did not agree at all with your version... Stop the call, please. Come to order, please. Remember? With your version of the Mississauga gas plant cancellation costs, credible witnesses have also said that your numbers are vastly wrong on the Oakville cancellation relocation. This scandal has reached the breaking point. If you believe you've handled it well, then let's put it to a vote. Agree to debate this one-of-confidence motion and let the Assembly decide. Premier, I have to ask you, are you afraid of the outcome or is it true if you've actually lost confidence in yourself? Mr. Speaker, again, I expected at the minimum an apology from the opposition the way they stood up and challenged the Premier not to quote-unquote play calendar and then the Leader of the Opposition does the same thing. What about Jeff Yannisic and the fact that we are informed that he is refusing to appear in front of the committee? Again, Jeff Yannisic, let me remind people, he was the one who had a candidate robo-call in Mississauga South. I'll read it for you. I know it's a favourite. This is Jeff Yannisic, your Mississauga South Ontario PC candidate. I'm calling about the McGinty-Sousa power plant that the Liberal government decided to build in your backyard. I'm against this power plant and as your MPP, I will fight to stop the power plant from being built. Unlike the Liberals, our team has been out knocking on doors every single evening for several months talking about the power plant and making sure that we defeat the Liberals and put an end to their bad decisions. Mr. Speaker, why will he not? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. On April 15th, head of fiscal, Phillip Powell, indicated that he did not have the tools to reduce the auto insurance rates by 15%. In fact, he admitted in committees that he had no way of passing on the $2 billion in savings that the insurance companies are pocketing onto drivers in Ontario. That's why it comes as no surprise that over the past 30 months, our insurance premiums have increased by 5% despite the $2 billion of annual savings that insurance companies are enjoying. This Thursday will the government table legislation that gives FISCO the legal mandate to actually enact a 15% reduction in auto insurance rates? Mr. Finance? I appreciate the question. We've had this discussion many times. We recognize that the premiums in Ontario are much too high. We also recognize that the cost of claims in Ontario are much too high as well, 10 times higher than in other provinces. So we have to deal with both of those issues. And we will. We will because we want to ensure that the best interests of the public are met. And we did that in 2004. We've committed to doing it again and we gladly will work with the opposition members on both sides for that matter to try to get that done. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. FISCO has released its first quarter 2013 report and it comes as no surprise there are no savings, no reductions in premiums for the 9 million drivers in Ontario. This government has a choice coming before it can either continue to allow the insurance industry to pocket billions in dollars of savings due to our benefits having been slashed in 2010 or this government can enact legislation that provides FISCO with the legal mandate to actually reduce insurance rates by 15%. This Thursday, Mr. Speaker, which will it be? Mr. Finance? Mr. Speaker, we have long been discussing how important it is for us to bring forward a budget that speaks to the needs of the people. It is going to be Ontario's budget. It's going to talk a lot not just about auto insurance but a lot of things that matter to those people of Ontario. And it would be a disservice for anyone to dismiss that budget without reading it, Mr. Speaker. That's a disservice to all Ontarians. I would hope that the official opposition will read the budget and give it the responsibility that they have to ensure that the needs of the people of Ontario are met and ensure that we deal with the matters that the member opposite has just asked. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question to the Minister of Agriculture and Food. Minister, many small businesses in my riding are very concerned that they're being stopped from promoting the term local food. There seems to be a definition that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is using which limits these local food supporters from using that for you know, I've got some of the best local food grocers in Canada in my riding. I got Prusa Terries, I got Brunos, I got Zitos, I got Lady York. They want to promote local potatoes, local pork, local beef. But because of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, they're being stopped by these bureaucratic rules. What is being done to get rid of these bureaucratic barriers for our local food people? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the member from Eglinton Lawrence for this important question. And it's very true, Mr. Speaker, that the CFIA's definition of local food is different than the one that we're proposing in our local food bill, Mr. Speaker. Our view is that the scope of the definition is too narrow and it actually could work against support for local food in writings like Eglinton Lawrence, but also among farmers across the province, Mr. Speaker, all Ontario farmers. The definition that's proposed in our local food bill is purposely broad. It defines local food as having been produced or harvested in Ontario. It includes food and beverages made in Ontario if they include ingredients that are produced or harvested in the province. The goal then is to ensure that producers and processors are supported and hindered by a definition that's too narrowly constrained, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you, Minister, because a lot of my local greengrocers and restaurants say they want to bring in potatoes from Melankton. They want to bring in tomatoes from Leamington. They want that ability to promote these wonderful, beautiful, natural Ontario products. I hope we can get that message across to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that we're all playing and supporting local food together because when local food is eaten, everybody wins. The farmers win, the local restaurants win, the local greengrocers win, and all Ontarians win with wonderful local Ontario food. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I love the passion for the members of Eglinton Lawrence. Correct, Mr. Speaker, that this is a big problem for our local businesses. Let's bring it down. I think you caught yourself. Thank you. The CFIA definition actually hinders what we're trying to do, Mr. Speaker, in the Local Food Act. We've reached out to the Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Ritz. I'm pleased that the CFIA intends to review their definition, Mr. Speaker, and work towards being more inclusive of the local food movement. I'm very pleased that Minister Ritz has indicated that he's moving to modernize the regulation so that it makes sense and, most importantly, that it supports local food and Ontario farmers. But, Mr. Speaker, the Federal Minister has to act on this. It is in his purview. I'm glad that he's indicated that he's willing to take some action, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Premier. Premier, in a recent Toronto Star interview, you were unable to answer a simple question about the current unemployment rate in Ontario. When you were asked, you guessed, and I quote, about 7%, and then you added a hesitant Did I Pass? Earlier this month, you said that the death of Ontario's manufacturing sector was a myth. Clearly solving the jobs crisis in Ontario is not a priority for you or your Liberal government. Premier, let me help. Ontario currently has nearly 600,000 unemployed men and women and an unemployment rate of 7.7%. Even worse, Ontario's unemployment rate has been above the national average for 75 straight months. Premier, can you explain how this house can have confidence in your leadership when you don't even know how many men and women are seeking work in Ontario today? I completely understand the question from the member opposite, and he would want to take me to task. The reality is, Mr. Speaker, there's a range of unemployment rates across the province. First of all, you're right. 7.7% average across the province, unacceptable, which is why we are putting measures in place in our budget to address that, Mr. Speaker. Job creation is extreme, which is at a rate of 16.5%. But Mr. Speaker, the other reality from March 2012 until now, the unemployment rate in Ottawa, for example, is 6.3%, which is down 0.4%, Mr. Speaker. The unemployment rate in Toronto, Mr. Speaker, is 8.3%, which is down from March 2012, Mr. Speaker. There are other parts of the province where the unemployment rate has gone up. So 7.7%, Mr. Speaker, is unacceptable, which is why we will be addressing those concerns when we bring the budget forward on Thursday. Well, Premier, the numbers don't lie. Your government has utterly failed Ontario workers. You've let them down and you've lost the confidence of the men and women in our communities right across this province. Ontario has now lost over 300,000 manufacturing jobs. Premier, in my writing, Tender Tutsis, who employed over 1,000 people at its peak, just announced it will be closing. Premier, for these constituents, being unemployed is no myth. Premier, the Auditor General's scathing report detailed the costs associated with cancelling the Mississauga power plant and showed that the liberal's political ploy will cost Ontario taxpayers over $275 million. Premier, do you think it's right for the 600,000 men and women who are currently out of work to be forced to pay for your political treachery? 600,000 people who are out of work, if that is the number that the member is putting forward, Mr. Speaker. I want to say to them that it is unacceptable that they don't have access to work, Mr. Speaker. It is acceptable that the party opposite, Mr. Speaker, would not work with us, Mr. Speaker, to address that issue. The fact is that our budget will bring forward measures, Mr. Speaker, that will continue to build on the fundamentals and the conditions that are necessary to bring business to the province, Mr. Speaker. We have put programs in place. For example, the second career program, Mr. Speaker, that was designed specifically to deal with the transition of people coming out of the manufacturing sector and to help them get into a new career, Mr. Speaker, and it has been wildly successful. Thousands of members of this society have had the opportunity to retrain because of that program. That's the kind of solution that people without a job are looking for, Mr. Speaker. That's what we're going to be fighting for. Thank you. The question, the member from Toronto Danforth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question to the Minister of Education. According to people for education, streaming of high school students in Ontario is alive and well. Students at low income schools are six times more likely to be placed in applied math classes compared to high income schools. Students in applied math are half as likely to meet provincial math and literacy standards and are less likely to graduate. Does the Minister accept the continued streaming of students in Ontario and the barriers to success it presents? Thank you very much. And I think what's important is that we have options for all students that are appropriate for the individual students. One of the things that we have found extraordinarily successful is the specialist high skills majors courses. And I must say that some of the kids in specialist high skills major are in academics, some are in applied, some are in a combination of both. But what that does is allow students who have an interest in more practical courses to actually get credit for that interest on their high school diploma. And what we're seeing with the introduction of courses like specialist high skills majors is in fact that the overall graduation in Ontario high schools is going up. And I think that's what we need to keep our eye on is how many kids are graduating. Minister, streaming has been discredited. It limits the opportunities of disadvantaged children. Yet it continues. And from your response it's clear why. Wealthy children are more likely to take academic courses. Low income, immigrant, Aboriginal children are more likely to take applied courses. Will the minister investigate why low income children are over represented in applied courses? Why applied students are less likely to succeed so that all students have a fair chance for success. Thank you. And I think we really need to look at what's happening with the graduation rate in Ontario high schools. When we came in 2003 the high school graduation rate was sitting at 68% of kids. We're now at 83% of our student options for Ontario students. I absolutely believe that students have the right to choose whether they want to focus on academic or focus on more practical skills. And we have a responsibility to provide choice to our students. When I do say order I don't have to be specific to one individual or if I have to that means that you're not listening at all. So when I say order you don't just keep rate on going. When I say order you actually have to kind of think that you've heard the speaker and you bring it down. New question. A member from Vaughan. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Consumer Services. Speaker there are many areas of my riding of Vaughan that are experiencing a great deal of residential development and I am excited to see my riding flourish economically and socially. Speaker I certainly welcome all the new residents who are moving to my community after all it is one of Ontario's greatest communities. Having said that speaker I do want to clarify one thing with respect to who exactly is protecting these home buyers. After all speaker the purchase of a home is the single biggest investment of their lives. Through you to the Minister how is the government ensuring there is protection for purchasers of new homes. Thank you. Thank you Speaker and I want to thank the member for asking this very important question because he's absolutely right home purchases are usually the most important investment decision people make and that comes with some stress and lots of questions. I want to assure the member and Ontarians we have the Ontario Home Warranty Plan Act to protect home buyer speaker. It's administered by Tarrion an independent authority with legislative mandate to oversee the act and provide services to provide protection for new home owners. In fact speaker I was just with them last week for their fantastic customer service awards. Tarrion provides better communication, helps resolve conflicts, educates builders and buyers on quality standards and finally Tarrion administers a guaranteed fund which acts as a backstop to ensure consumer protection is maintained when a builder is unable or unwilling to pay the warranty. This is all required by act and all the fees speaker are paid for by the builders. Thank you. Thank you very much speaker and I thank the minister for her answer and for all of her fine work and I must say that I'm extremely happy to hear that there is an established program mandated by legislation to provide warrant protection for new home buyers across Ontario and it is particularly reassuring to note that there is a guarantee fund that will support a new home buyer in case of an issue with their new home. With all of these new home developments spanning across the province and in my community of Vaughan as I mentioned I am definitely pleased to hear that there's a dedicated organization looking out for those, for the well-being of all those new home buyers. Speaker I'm wondering if the minister could please explain to the house today how Tarion will be working to ensure that they stay ahead of the curve with respect to the most effective consumer protection available for new home buyers. Thank you speaker and you know we can always do more to help consumers in Ontario and Tarion is also looking at new ways to improve their services and offer consumer confidence that they deserve when they're buying a new home. In fact I'd like to highlight that just last year the annual survey from Tarion where home owners were asked about their level of satisfaction and their impressions of the organization over 80% speaker of new home buyers were satisfied with their interactions and had a favourable impression. Tarion continues to be dedicated to holding builders more accountable and increasing consumer protection and that light in 2012 Tarion actually made changes to their major structural defect warranty program in the three to seven year category placing more onus on builders and protecting new home owners. This highlights Tarion's commitment to enhancing protections for consumers and holding builders more accountable using financial incentives to encourage them to implement better building practices and repairities. Thank you. Any other question? Thank you speaker my question is to the Premier. Premier given your curious funding announcement for small rural and northern communities in Friday riding the 140,000 person city of Barry which is neither small rural nor northern and may not even qualify for the funding that you announced I have to ask did you and your finance minister get lost on the campaign trail or how does the Liberal Party exactly define where northern Ontario begins. Thank you speaker well I'm pretty sure that the rural and northern communities of Ontario and even the rural communities in Simcoe County Mr. Speaker think that it's a good idea that we have a discussion so for the last three and a bit years Mr. Speaker I have heard consistently that municipalities across the province want to be sure that they will have some predictability and some reliability. Stop. The government side makes it difficult for me to ask them to come quiet when the Premier is answering the question and you're provoking so I'm going to ask the members again to stop provoking and the comments that people when I'm in the mid sentence doesn't help either. Please please finish your answer. Mr. Speaker the exuberance on this side of the house has to do with the reality that every single one of my members the members of the government have heard delegations from people from small municipalities Mr. Speaker from rural municipalities from northern municipalities asking for some predictability in terms of infrastructure spending for municipal infrastructure Mr. Speaker that's why we're exuberant. We think that having a predictable find is a stuff but the member from Prince Edward Hastings will withdraw withdraw. No the member has to show a little bit understanding of what we're trying to get at. Thank you. Supplement from Kerry Selma. Thank you Premier while you were in Barry making your northern Ontario announcement Tim Hudak and I were actually in the north unveiling our plan for the north. Apart from a single token cabinet meeting there's been little to speak of for the north since you've been Premier in no movement or progress on the ring of fire. Less than a month ago you voted against a PC plan that would have provided dependable funding while extending the gas tax to these small communities. Premier at a time when the province is facing a $10 billion deficit and we're witnessing cuts to programs in the north like shutting down provincial parks. Closing important visitor information centers. Ending the junior ranger program that's been in place for 68 years. My question is simple. Premier can you explain how you magically came up with a hundred million dollars. We were up there with eight nine members of cabinet meeting with northern mayors. Not only that Mr. Speaker we have set a priority for the ring of fire. We have put in place Mr. Speaker a new rural roads and bridges program. Thanks to Mr. Leal. I want to thank him for doing that and Mr. Speaker to the member for Barry we like Barry. We announced to get a go transit which we invited you to be part of in a non positive way. With York Simcoe we announced new highways which we invited you to be in a non-partisan way Mr. Speaker. Over and over again Mr. Speaker we try to work with the opposition. A race to the top as you put it and we don't get any cooperation to get cheap public health back Mr. Speaker. We have right now $2.4 billion in highways. $600 million in northern highways. We saved the experimental lakes Mr. Speaker. We are investing it. Your question? The member from Hamilton, Northern. Thanks to the Premier. Speaker over the last number of days my office has been inundated by emails from employees of the Hamilton Children's Aid Society. These employees are terrified about what a $4 million cut to their services will mean to the vulnerable children in our community. These workers are warning you that the children they serve are going to pay the price. Will the Premier explain how she can be assured that a $4 million cut will not mean the services or the well-being of these children? Thank you and thank you for the question with respect to the Hamilton CAS. First let me say that the frontline workers and the work that's done at the CAS is really at the backbone of our child protection system. To the specific decisions that CAS is making with respect to their staffing however we have come up with a new funding formula for the CAS and overall CAS is across the province in Hamilton, in Windsor and across communities across the province and it will bring stability to this sector. The overall provincial funding envelope is staying the same speaker. We have not cut funding in this sector. The new formula is looking at socioeconomic factors in addition to service volume and it will better reflect the underlying need for child welfare services in each community. This year alone the Hamilton CAS is losing 4% of their budget. Staff who are already working over time and are struggling to meet the growing need in our community are trying to understand how they're going to do more with less. Workers have told me that these cuts will make their jobs impossible that they are terrified of what this will mean for the already vulnerable children and families they serve. Is the premier going to address these concerns or is she just going to ignore this crisis regardless of its impact? Thank you and thank you for that as well. What I can be clear about is that our ministry is working very closely with the Hamilton CAS and with CAS is across the community to ensure that our priority of keeping children safe and keeping our community safe is our number one priority and we will ensure that all CASs do that. We will continue to work with them to ensure the sustainability of that system. Speaker the changes that we have made have been all encompassing with respect to the funding for CASs across the province to ensure that and protecting children and youth in our community remain the number one priority and we will continue to work with our communities, with our ministry to ensure that that priority is maintained. Thank you. A point of order of the minister of rural affairs. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I'd just like to introduce some people with us today. Jim Getz is the president of the Canadian Beverage Association and other members represented include Neil Antibus from PepsiCo Breverges, John Chalender from Nestle Waters Wade Delfino from Canada Dry Mots, Jenny Kuzma from PepsiCo Breverges, Erica Moses from Coca-Cola Canada right from Colt Beverges. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. There are no deferred votes this house stands reassess until 1pm this afternoon.