 It's now time for Member's Statements, the Member for Muskegawak James Bay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in this House to express the feelings of distress of many seniors in my riding. They're facing a crisis. Conservatives announced 15,000 new beds for long-term care, but the reality is that there have been not a single bed in the service center in the northwest. Muskegawak Bay James Bay is a far-flung region in which there's an aging population, and the waiting list continues to increase. There's over 1,000 people waiting on the wait list, and our centers are full. There are 78 beds. There's hundreds of seniors that are waiting on the wait list, and in Hearst, they can wait up to three years in order to have access to a bed because we've seen the wait list double under the Liberal government. The Conservatives have nothing concrete to offer to us. They're working on short-term projects. There are 20 beds that are available, but we're still waiting for an answer from the minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Member Statements, the Member for Carleton. Merci, Monsieur le Président. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To congratulate Chief Peter Slowly, who was sworn in as Chief of the Ottawa Police Service on October 28, 2019, I was pleased to see that the Ottawa Police's draft budget for 2020 prioritizes a return to community policing, as well as a commitment to member wellness. Supporting Ottawa's police officers was also discussed at length by everyone attending this year's Ottawa Police Service Gala. I'd like to thank Deputy Chief Uday Jaswal for inviting me to join him at his table this year. I'd like to take this opportunity to also thank all police officers and professionals in law and order that are working very hard and doing great work in our communities. They're working every day to ensure the safety and the prosperity of our great province. Our Deputy Chiefs, the Ottawa Police Association, and the rest of the hard-working men and women of the Ottawa Police Service, and in fact, all first responders across Ottawa, including Fire Chief Kim Ayotte, Paramedic Chief Miles Cassidy, Ottawa Professional Firefighters Association President John Sobey, and the Professional Paramedic Association of Ottawa to promote not only the safety of our communities, but also the health and well-being of our first responders. I'm very grateful for everything that police officers do, and I'm looking forward to working with them. Member Statements, the Member for Waterloo. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Ms. Abigail Lobsinger has been fighting neuroblastoma and aggressive childhood cancer for most of her seven years of life. I call her Ms. Abigail because she has been fighting cancer with grace, strength, and courage. Her parents, Leanne and Kevin, her sisters Faith, Ashley and Sam, are all on this journey with this brave little girl and have been so strong. It's been tough on everyone, especially Waterloo's toughest cookie. On Sunday, her folks put out a call for love, prayers, and good vibes and positive thoughts as Abigail enters the next phase of treatment. When families face a cancer diagnosis, it doesn't take long to realise that friends, family, neighbourhood, and even their city can make a world of difference. Abigail has had excellent care at sick kids, and this week she's at McMaster's Children's Hospital, and I want to thank the exceptional doctors, nurses, and support staff who are in this fight with Ms. Abigail. Abigail has a favourite band, the Foo Fighters. Her favourite song is Learn to Fly out of courtesy to Abigail because I like her, I'm not going to sing it, but I do want to leave you with these lyrics. Fly along with me, I can't quite make it alone, try to make this life my own, looking to the sky to save me, looking for a sign of life, looking for something to help me get things right. Abigail, we are all flying with you and your family, you are the ultimate Foo Fighter. Go Abigail! Thank you very much. Member statements, the member for Haldeman Norfolk. Yes, thank you Speaker, and I rise today to celebrate and remember Dave Dillon, a member of our large political family. Late last week we learned of Dave's passing. He would have celebrated his 55th birthday next Tuesday, and if we counted Dave's life in relation to campaigns and conventions and association meetings and events, and certainly friends, it would indeed be a full life and one resembling that of a man twice his age. Born to the late Maggie and Mike Dillon, Dave grew up in Wortley Village in London when friends came to visit his parents. Dave was caught on a number of occasions sneaking from his room to sit on the staircase so he could eavesdrop on political conversations. Politics was indeed in Dave's blood. He was a dedicated assistant to former London South MPP Bob Wood for many years. Aside from this, Dave worked on countless campaigns at all levels. Recently, the federal election as a regional organizer for Andrew Scheer, and when he was not out knocking on doors or attending meetings, he enjoyed readings in a good Western. Friends young and young heart will miss this quirky fellow as quick, wet, known through as many emails and phone calls, and he had a way of making people smile and laugh. There's a hope that Dave's friends, they didn't say goodbye, and he's departed our great Earth knowing he was loved and valued far beyond the political arena. Dave leaves behind his daughter, Morgan. Thank you, Speaker. Members statements? Members for Oshawa. Thank you, Speaker. Todd Burgess was a tow truck operator. He lived in Oshawa but worked across Durham region on our roadways. We knew him in our office, and it was Todd's job to help people out and get folks moving. On November 7th, he was helping a car out of a ditch and tragically was killed doing his job at the side of the road, helping a neighbour in need. His recent funeral was attended by many members of the community, and hundreds of tow trucks drove in convoy to pay respects to one of their own. And sadly, Speaker, tow truck operators are all at risk. Tow truck operators have started an online petition calling for the use of blue emergency lights. In a very short time, the petition has garnered over 25,000 signatures. Blue lights are more visible. The government needs to look at improving protections for tow truck operators who are in a high-risk occupation. Our roadways are their workplaces. And as critic for highways and transportation, I know that safety is paramount, and if we can make people safer as they do their jobs, then why wouldn't we? This government should also take another look at the Vulnerable Road Users Act put forward by the member from University Rosedale and recognize that any worker who is working on the road should be considered vulnerable. Speaker recently, I called CAA and got a tow from Queens Park back to Oshawa, spending quality time in traffic, riding shotgun, talking about some of what trucks see every day on the roads. We talked about safety. We talked about drivers on the roads who won't put down their phones. And while we can't solve the problem of distracted driving today in this legislature, we can start the conversation about visibility and protections for tow truck operators and workers on our roads. Todd's death was a tragedy, and tow truck operators deserve to be safe while they do their jobs. Thank you. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member from Milton. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank two of my amazing constituents, Bridgette and Sean Sonier. Originally from the East Coast, called Campbellville, their home, and work hard to support many great causes and community organizations in my great riding of Milton. They have been the proud owners of Mohawk Inn and Conference Center, which has served as hub in the local Campbellville community. It has hosted many United Way events, including Destination Campbellville Community Association meetings and many other gatherings, Mr. Speaker. In the 2013 ice storm, Sean and Bridgette opened their doors and provided food and shelter to anyone who needed it. They were recognized as entrepreneurs of the year in 2014 and were also tapped to be the honorary mayors of Campbellville in 2017. They are truly community leaders and business leaders, Mr. Speaker. This past week, they announced that Mohawk Inn and Conference Center is going to transform into a much larger and modern hotel and event center. No doubt this new space will allow them to continue their tireless community work. I would like to thank Sean and Bridgette for their leadership in the community and congratulate them on this new chapter for the Mohawk Inn. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Number four, Hamilton Mountain. Thank you, Speaker. This week is Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, a week set aside to promote a safe, inclusive, and positive learning environment in our schools. Youth experience bullying every day in our schools and on our playgrounds. Research shows that one in three young people report being bullied at school, and it's happening online, too. One in five teens say they've experienced cyberbullying. Along with the physical scars, students who are bullied can develop deep psychological and emotional scars. In my home city of Hamilton, we recently saw the horrific, worst-case scenario of bullying. A 14-year-old named Devin Selby died at the hands of his bullies. I cannot even imagine the anguish that his mother feels, and I offer her my deepest condolences. No mother should have to experience this, and no young person should be tormented at school. The reality is that all of this trauma is preventable. We simply need to do better to support Ontario students. We must provide them in-school resources that they need, such as counselling and safe reporting mechanisms. We need to support our teachers and education workers as well. Cutting resources in our schools will only make bullying worse. A safe and positive learning environment is essential for students to succeed. Government can help by providing schools the resources they need to tackle bullying. Thank you. Member Statements? The Member for Glen Gary Prescott Russell. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This summer, I was honored to be elected Global Chair of the International Network of Young Parliamentarians of the APF, the Assembly Parlementaire de la Francophonie. Mr. President, the network ensures a better representation of the successes from other parliamentary systems and to share the challenges that we all face. Since I've been nominated, I've participated in a number of meetings where I had the opportunity to represent the network, but also to represent Ontario and share our successes. I went to Washington to participate in the World Bank Conference and the IMF Conference in Paraguay. I shared all of the success of our concrete measures for youth that provides youth with all the tools necessary in order to improve health indicators, education indicators, and to improve belonging within community. I call on all, and I mentioned how governments at all levels have contributed many efforts to ensure that youth are better supported. I call on all parliamentarians to continue to be a model for other parliamentary systems throughout the world. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Member Statements, the Member for Burlington. I'm pleased to rise in the legislature today to let you know about an online exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary this year, the Ministry of Labor, Training and Skills Development. The exhibit is posted on the Archives of Ontario's website. I would like all Ontario residents to know about the exhibit. I believe it will be a great interest to educators, students, and the general public, as well as employer and labour groups and everyone in this workplace. The exhibit is a remarkable telling of our ministry's history, how it began as a small government department focusing on workplaces, standards, and safety, and grew to become an essential organization for Ontario workplaces. It contains stories of key figures, ministers, deputies, and labour relations people, as well as ministry staff. Our ministry didn't just adapt to this to its environment. It helped shape it by laying the groundwork for safer, fairer, and more harmonious workplaces. I want to thank the ministry staff who were involved in putting together the history. The exhibit gives us knowledge we never had before. I'll help you all take a look at it and enjoy it. Thank you so much, Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on the 100th anniversary. Thanks so much. Member Statements, still one more? Okay. Member for Scarborough Agent Court. Mr. Speaker, today I stand here to speak about my recent trip to Armenia and Artsakh. In October, I, along with three other elected officials from Ontario and Quebec, had been invited by the Armenian National Committee of Canada to attend cooperation for justice and peace conference in the region. The conference, which was attended by parliamentarians from 30 countries, was a great forum for dialogue and an opportunity to learn about Artsakh. During our visit, we also had meetings with the President of Artsakh and the Speaker of the Artsakh Parliament. The conference showcased the commitment of the Artsakh people for democracy and human rights that I know they share with Canadians. I am very much looking forward to continue the cooperation and the conversation that began at the conference in October to ensure that the peace and democracy are the whole mark of politics in the region for generations to come. Mr. Speaker, during the Canadian delegation visit to Armenia, we had a productive discussion with members of the Armenia-Canada Parliamentary Friendship Group. We examined Ontario's and Canada's bilateral relations with Armenia and the possibility of cooperation between our two countries. Armenian officials expressed interest in growing the already strong economic and social ties between Ontario, Canada, and Armenia. I believe this cooperation spirit of the official Armenians speaks strongly to the government's agenda of ensuring our Ontario is open for business. Thank you. And thank you very much. That concludes our time available for member statements this afternoon. Reports by committees.