 Therefore, it is time for members' statements. The member from Whitby, Oshawa. Thank you, Speaker. I'm pleased to rise in the legislature today and to tell you with certainty that Durham Region needs infrastructure help. And Durham Region is replete with a lot of frustrated drivers. On the 401, rush hour gridlock starts early in the morning of a bone bill and continues past Pickering. And during the same time period, traffic along the east-west corridor, Taunton Road and North Central Park, my riding is often impossible. And incredible high house prices in Toronto are further driving the population movement east and now 42 percent of Durham's population. Speaker commutes outside the region for work. Initiative aimed at increasing local jobs and improving public transit are laudable, but time has done an ally of residents in Durham Region, Speaker. This government seems to fulfill the traffic problems and an Ajax Pickering. They do not. Durham is lagging behind other areas of GTA, particularly Whitby, Oshawa. It continues to wait, but patience waning. The Region needs help now and the time for action is now. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Further member's statements? The member from Hamilton Mountain. Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. It is always a pleasure to rise in this house in recognition of people or events that happen in my beautiful city and in my riding of Hamilton Mountain. One of the greatest things about living in Ontario and Canada is the growing diversity of our cultures and traditions. On October 30th, Hindus around the world will be celebrating Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights. Diwali stands out as a celebration of great joy. It has meaning to all of us who seek a better world, regardless of our cultural background. Diwali spiritually signifies victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend a Diwali celebration in my community at Hamilton City Hall. It was a wonderful event with colourful displays of different regional traditions, talented children dancing, and family and friends coming together. The event was organised by the Hindu Samaj Women's Outreach Group. This is a very active group in Hamilton and does wonderful work to share their culture with a lot of joy. I would like to extend my thanks to them for planning the event and showcasing the wonderful traditions that their families will be sharing. I really appreciate their invitation to participate on behalf of new Democrats. Happy Diwali. Thank you. Further Member Statements? The Member from Durham. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today to tell you all about Upper Fest, which is an event I attended this past weekend in my lovely riding of Durham. Every year, I have such a great time meeting constituents and eating Apple Bay streets. As many of you know, I represent a riding that is abundant in agriculture and farming. Every year, our local farmers supply pounds of goods to be sold at this festival. I am so pleased that my constituents have the opportunity every year to come to Upper Fest and buy locally produced apples and other baked goods. Upper Fest is one of the great events that take place annually in historic downtown Bowmanville. And it's a great example of how hundreds of constituents from Durham and its surrounding areas can come together and feel a sense of community. I would say my favorite thing about this event is being able to meet all of my new families who have just moved to the area, who are experiencing this festival for the very first time. They are always so impressed. Thank you to all the volunteers who have worked tirelessly on this event from start to finish. My staff and I are pleased to participate in this festival every year and to see the good work our community is doing on behalf of its citizens. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Further member statements from Mrs. Nipissing. Thank you, Speaker. I'm proud to rise today to recognize Small Business Week on behalf of the Ontario PC Caucus and our leader, Patrick Brown. We all know the numbers as well from our own experiences that Ontario's small and medium-sized businesses are vital to our economy and to our communities. This week we're recognizing the hard work that entrepreneurs and business owners do every day all year long. They and their families often make great sacrifices to build their businesses, to support their community and to create jobs. They are the lifeblood of our economy and the beacon of possibility. These tremendous contributions are made in the face of great challenges, so we appreciate the dedication, the guts, the ingenuity and the straight-up hard work that these business owners and employers put in every single day. We celebrate you this week and we want to take this occasion to let you know that your concerns are being heard. The Ontario PC Caucus will continue to fight to create the conditions which allow you to grow and prosper. Your success moves our whole province forward. Speaker to all of the small businesses, we say congratulations and we're with you on Small Business Week. Thank you. Thank you. Further member statements from Parkdale High Park. Thank you, Speaker. As I read this, the destruction of Larungar by the Chinese government in Tibet is continuing. Larungar is the largest Buddhist community in the world. It provides home to over 10,000 people and serves as a key place for the understanding and preservation of Tibetan culture, language and community. The destruction of Larungar comes from the perpetuation of oppressive policies and acts and brings hardship to innocent and peaceful people. It also places Tibetan culture at risk as the community around Larungar is broken and dispersed. The monks of Larungar preach values of tolerance, compassion and understanding from which all people in the world can benefit. This is an international issue that deserves international solidarity and action. The actions of the Chinese authorities have been condemned by human rights groups worldwide. We ask that this relentless interference and destruction come to an end and that the Tibetan people be allowed to choose their own path in how best to practice their own religion. And I want to thank the students for Free Tibet, the Tibetan Canadian Association and of course all who support human rights everywhere for signing our petition. Thank you. Thank you. Further member statements? The member from Mississauga Streetsville. Thank you very much, Speaker. Once this warm and lingering summer weather is replaced by the cold breath of Ontario autumn winds, we will all close the windows and breathe the same indoor air. That means it's time for every Ontarian to take the flu shot. The influenza virus can be lethal. The flu shot protects you. You can get a head cold, but that's not the seasonal flu with its weeks-long aches and pains, sneezing and coughing and feeling like death warmed over. When the H1N1 virus scared people several years ago, they lined up to get the flu shot. Deaths and hospitalizations fell sharply from flu-related causes during the H1N1 scare, proof that the flu shot works. Once the H1N1 scare abated, too many people shrugged off the need to be vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Flu-related deaths and hospitalizations shot right back to their historical levels. The flu shot is absolutely free and available from your doctor or at many pharmacies and clinics. The flu vaccine is made from eggs and it's made right here in Canada. It's safe and it sure beats having the flu. You need the flu shot every year. However you get it, take the annual flu shot. It matters. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you for the member savings, the member from Huronverse. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I've got a statement that I know you're going to like today. And it's because I'm taking a moment to recognize Christopher Pennington, a brave and compassionate 11-year-old from Brussels, Ontario. And Christopher isn't your ordinary 11-year-old. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with HSP and it's an autoimmune disorder which can cause chronic or kidney disease. And again, it's HSP, an autoimmune disorder which can cause chronic kidney disease. But he does not let that slow him down at all. Christopher is an accomplished baseball and hockey player, but he's also a champion in his community for other reasons. Christopher is the honorary chair of the Kidney Walk in Godridge this past fall. And I was there to witness this inspiring young man in action and was blown away by the manner in which his passion, motivation and determination inspired his community and the entire riding. And it was this determination that garnered big results. Before the walk even began, the Kidney Foundation of Canada announced that his event raised $11,200. And half of that was raised by Christopher's friends, no one under Christopher's handle as Christopher's crew. And I also want to recognize Christopher's parents, Kathy and Mark. They unconditionally are supporting every step of the way Christopher takes in ensuring people are aware of kidney disease and are trying to end in order to make a difference. Kathy was recognized as a remarkable citizen in the United States of America. And I'm very proud of her and Bruce just this past January. And clearly Christopher is proving to be remarkable in his own right. Thanks for all you do, Christopher. Thank you. Further member statements? The member from London Fanshawe. Speaker, today I'm proud to rise and speak on behalf of my constituents in London Fanshawe, as well as people across Ontario to address this important issue that has reached a crisis status in our province, the privatization of hydro costs. While this issue is deeply affecting individuals, families and businesses, I am most concerned about how it is also affecting seniors throughout the province. My office organized a round table with seniors and what they told me was appalling and shameful. They told me how they are struggling to pay for basic needs on fixed incomes. They told me how they are forced to choose between hydro and food or prescription drugs every month. One singer noted that she didn't qualify for a Trillium fund and couldn't afford for her hearing aids, let alone her hydro bill. This is an issue that affects everyone in Ontario, but for our most vulnerable communities, this issue is reaching a critical tipping point. 83% of Ontarians oppose your privatization scheme and 165 community councils and municipalities have passed motions opposing this course of action. This government is absolutely lacking a mandate from Ontarians, yet they are digging us all in deeper. New Democrats will continue to oppose the sell-off of public assets. We don't do it for votes. We do it because it's the right thing to do for this province, for seniors and families and for our future. It's time for the government to stop the sale of hydro one and start putting the needs of the people above the needs of the Liberal Party. Thank you. For your member students, the member of the model of self. Thank you, speakers. My pleasure to rise today to recognize Children's Vision Awareness Month. We see the world through our eyes. In fact, 80% of learning is visual. Good vision is a key determinant in a child's learning and development. It enables them to achieve their full potential. Speaker, we know that routine eye examinations are fully covered for Ontarians under the age of 20. Despite this, approximately 86% of children do not get their vision tested before the age of six, and one out of six children require a vision correction. There are a number of initiatives like the ICI Learn Program, the government's partnership with the optometrist to raise awareness with families, as well, while ophthalmologists and researchers are actively engaged in a number of studies and initiatives regarding effective and affordable vision screening for children. Earlier this morning, I had the opportunity to meet with members of the Ontario Association of Optometrists where we had a chance to talk about this very issue, and I want to thank them for taking the time to meet with me here at Queen's Park. As legislators, grandparents, doctors, and educators, this is an issue that should be of concern to all of us. So, Mr. Speaker, we all have a role to play, and I would like to suggest to all members that we take this opportunity to remind our neighbours of the importance of having their children's vision tested. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Thank all members for their statements.