 Okay, it is now time for oral questions. I recognize the Leader of the Opposition. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My first question is to the Premier. A few short weeks ago, the Premier decided that the top priority of his new government was not hospital wait times, the state of our schools, or the 80,000 jobs that were lost in the province last month. His top priority was throwing a municipal election into chaos, an issue he didn't mention even once during the election campaign. Now Toronto has been forced into an election that many doubt can be conducted freely or fairly, and may yet to be found to violate the Charter. Can the Premier tell us what the plan is if the original ruling around Bill 5 is upheld on appeal? Premier. Through you, Mr. Speaker, we had a great day yesterday on all fronts. We had a great day with Bill 5. We had a great day down in Washington with Minister Wilson, making sure that we're protecting jobs in Ontario. We're protecting the steel and aluminum sector. We're protecting the agriculture sector, and we're protecting the automotive sector. My friends were there to put money back into the taxpayer's pocket, not back into the government's pocket. I can read off some of our accomplishments over just a short period of time, of a few months. We announced the end of cap and trade. Saved 7,500 jobs in Pickering. That would have been shut down by the leader of the opposition. We committed to building a memorial for the most important people around our veterans of the Afghanistan War. Looks like most of the money is going into lawyers' pockets here in Ontario, Speaker. The fact is that all of the Premier's actions from his late night lockdown of the Chamber to his plan to trample charter rights were done to achieve one thing and one thing only, forcing a single municipality to have elections that many doubt will be free or fair and may still be proven to violate the Charter of Rights. Does the Premier really consider that a success? Right here. Through you, Mr. Speaker, we can see the leader of the opposition still trying to protect her downtown NDP friends, but we're focused on important things that matter to everyone in Ontario. We ended up reforming OHIP to support the people in greatest need. We ended up getting rid, as we promised the CEO of Hydro One and the Board of Directors, to lower Hydro rates by 12%, again putting money back into people's pockets. We cancelled wasteful energy contracts that was implemented by the Liberal government. Launched an independent financial commission of inquiry that you will hear from the Finance Minister how the Liberals destroyed this province financially. Launched a line item by line item audit of government spending. I can't wait until you hear the line item by line item audit to see who's been wasting the taxpayers' money. Attended Council, the Federation meeting in New Brunswick. On Monday of this week, I asked and reminded the House that we were going to be cracking down on imputing a motive. I'm going to ask the Premier to withdraw. Start the clock. Supplementary. This Premier never campaigned on doing this, Speaker. From what we can see, he didn't even tell his Minister of Municipal Affairs about his plan before the drafted bill was dropped on his desk. This Premier loves to get his way, but he's not very good at proving that he deserves it. From Ottawa to Niagara, municipalities across Ontario are looking on and wondering whether they're going to get the short end of the stick the next time the Premier wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. What protection can the Premier offer to those municipalities? Mr. Speaker, you're right. I don't sleep because I'm up protecting the taxpayers all day. I've accomplished more for this province than any government in recent memory. When they were struggling, Mr. Speaker, when the students up at York were struggling, we ended the York University Strike Government Act to make things run more efficient. Committed to fixing social assistance by increasing rates by 1.5 percent. Launched a constitutional challenge against the federal carbon tax, the worst single tax. We returned a bucket of beer to the people of Ontario. Thank you very much, Speaker. My next question is also for the Premier. The Premier stated he, quote, won't be shy about over overriding the charter in the future. So can the Premier tell us which charter rights he plans to override next? Premier? Through you, Mr. Speaker, we have such a long list of accomplishments. Just amazing. When people in the north were struggling with the fires, we made sure we committed an additional $100 million to fight forest fires across his province. We invested $25 million to combat gangs and guns, which is a serious problem in some large cities. We announced the cannabis retail model. We announced Hydro-1 Board of Directors proclaim the Hydro-1 Accountability Act, reduce natural gas prices by up to $80 per year per family, expanding natural gas. And that was a great, great announcement the other day for the playing match when we went up there for the farmers that were actually putting money back into the farmers' pockets. Thank you. Stop the clock. Start the clock. Supplementary. Well, Speaker, we recall that the Premier attacked the judge who ruled against him, but the fact is judges uphold the law of the land. And that includes the Charter of Rights and the Human Rights Code. The Premier made it clear that he thinks that the law of the land shouldn't apply to him when he wants to get his way. That leaves Ontario and Ontarians wondering what's next. Can the Premier tell us whether he's ready to use the notwithstanding clause to override, for example, collective bargaining rights or to keep updated sex health education out of our schools? Or is there a line that this Premier won't cross? Premier. I'll tell you more. We brought accountability to Toronto City Council while it was a number of two-tier municipalities. We reduced the costs associated with licensed renewals as the Liberals want to continue jacking it up. We froze it. We're giving relief for families. We're giving relief for businesses by lowering taxes. We're giving relief to families earning up to $80,000. We're reducing their taxes by 20%. Through you, Mr. Speaker, this is about respecting the taxpayers. It's about putting money back into their pocket. It's making sure we have an accountable, transparent government that we haven't seen down here in 15 years. We will bring integrity back to the taxpayers of this great province and we will be the engine of Canada once again. This is the government of backwards. In the few months that he's been on the job, the Premier's managed to find himself in court almost on a weekly basis. People are taking this government on because they worry that the Premier just does not respect their rights. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms was created to provide basic legal protection to all Canadians from arrogant governments who think a majority government gives them a license to do whatever they want. The Premier said he won't be shy about trampling with those rights over and over again. So my simple question is, what rights will the Premier override next? Through you, Mr. Speaker, I find it pretty rich that the leader of the opposition is talking backroom deals. When the NDP propped it up, this liberal government, 97% of the Mr. Speaker, how many backroom deals they had with the liberal government to destroy this province, to make us the most indebted region anywhere in the world, the largest subnational debt in the world. Well, I can tell the people of Ontario we're going to turn that around. We're going to start reducing the debt, putting money back in their pockets. We're going to create jobs. The leader of the opposition, if it was up to the leader, the people of Pickering, there'd be 7,500 people unemployed right now in Pickering with no solution. We are going to, again, lower the hydro rates, lower taxes, stimulate the economy like this province has never seen before, because we're going to create an environment to create good paying jobs. Thank you. Opposition? Thank you, Speaker. My next question is to the Attorney General, but I have to say 80,000 job losses is not a stimulated economy for our province, Speaker. In their ruling on Bill 5, the appellate court felt compelled to note that their decision was not informed by the government's lawyers' arguments that Bill 31 and the charter override would not proceed if they granted a stay. The Attorney General will know that attempts to politically persuade the courts are exactly the sort of thing that our province's top lawyer is supposed to guard against, Speaker. So can the Attorney General confirm that this direction did not come from her or her senior officials in her office? The Attorney General. Leader of the Opposition, through you to the Leader of the Opposition, we provided that evidence in response to the city clerk's evidence regarding uncertainty about the upcoming election on October 22nd, because we, as we've been saying all along, we want to provide certainty to the voters of Toronto regarding their their confirmation in direct response to her concerns about uncertainty. And as she knows, as the Leader of the Opposition knows, because I'm sure she read the decision, the court said that it had no bearing on their decision. I can say, Mr. Speaker, that now the voters in Toronto have the certainty that they've needed and regarding their election and we hope we'll be able to proceed on October 22nd. Thank you. The PDU report suggested that the political direction to government lawyers came directly from the Premier's office, which looks like a transparent attempt to politically manipulate the courts and the office of the Attorney General. It's one thing to disrespect the Minister of Municipal Affairs and usurp his role, but the Attorney General has a legal responsibility. So can the Attorney General promise that political interference with Crown lawyers arguing on behalf of Ontario will not happen again? Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate the opposition to the decision that the Ontario Court of Appeal for more efficient government and that's what we have delivered. And so I direct her to the decision for further questions, not to media reports. Next question. Member for Brampton South. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. The United States is Ontario's largest economy in the world. It's the largest economy in the world. It depends on free and fair trade between our two economies. Jobs in my own constituency and across this great province depend on getting naffed or right and making our industry more competitive. Automobiles are a great and important example of how connected our economies really are. The parts on an average car cross the Canada, borders seven times before being installed on the production line. Can the Minister please inform the legislator about what our government is doing to stand up for Ontario workers? Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my honourable colleague from Brampton South who is joining all PC caucus members in standing up for Ontario workers and making sure that Ontario is open for business. Mr. Speaker, the House will know that I first traveled to Washington to testify at the U.S. Department of Commerce's public hearing on section 232 which was the U.S. threat to put tariffs on autos and auto parts. We successfully today to argue that. I stress the importance of the Ontario-U.S. trade relationship and this marked the first time in history that a sub-national government was invited by its governors, legislators and stakeholders and what we're hearing Mr. Speaker is that a napped deal must get done. Yesterday Premier Ford and I traveled to Washington to meet face to face with members of the Canadian negotiating team, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Canadian and American ambassadors. We were formally briefed on the latest development. Thank you. Supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The U.S. and Ontario really do share a unique economic relationship grounded and free and fair trade integrated supply chains and complementary markets. Everyone we speak to emphasizes how important it is that we reach a deal and end this ongoing uncertainty. NAFTA has served all three parties well for 24 years. The people expect and deserve a government that will stand up for their economic interests and the prosperity of our province. Can the minister please inform the legislator what message he delivered to our federal counterparts in Washington? Thank you. Thank you. A government knows that in order to create and protect jobs in Ontario, we have to make sure that we have a business and this is dependent upon a fair and open trade agreement with our largest partners in the United States. Mr. Speaker, the message yesterday was to the federal government and our negotiators that the premier and this government stand shoulder to shoulder with the federal government. It's Team Canada when it comes to NAFTA. We stress the importance of the agricultural sector in Ontario for those of the sectors that we emphasised that affects just about every job in the province of Ontario. The premier did an excellent job. I was so proud of him. He talked to the negotiators directly and this is the man and this is the premier that really really cares about your job of putting food on the table for families and he showed that in the U.S. and I think they were extremely impressed and the message got through. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education. Mr. Speaker, today and tomorrow students across our province are staging walkouts to protest the chaos brought on by this government's rollback of sex education and the cancellation of the Indigenous curriculum writing sessions. While students are forced to fight for a curriculum that prepares them for today's world, their parents and educators are left in the dark about the promised consultations. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of Education tell the House how long Ontario's youth will be forced to learn from a 20 year old health curriculum while the government delays its work on the curriculum consultations. Minister of Education. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker and you know I am very much looking forward to the rolling out of this consultation across the province. It's going to be comprehensive. It's something that parents have never seen for most. We as a government are standing up for parents and respecting their right to exercise their voice and I'm very much looking forward to hearing from students and every person who wants to have to exercise their voice and sharing how we should be shaping our curriculum going forward because the fact of the matter is it's the PC government of Ontario that actually is going to get it right. We care about the path of success our students are walking forward to the information and the consultation responses that we're going to foster. We are going to be embarking on a unique situation whereby we'll be utilizing telephone calls, online responses in terms of a survey that will be released at the end of this month and we will be entertaining written submissions as well. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker while this government has dragged their heels on this so called consultation for months, months students in 2018 will be learning from a health curriculum written in 1998 and they know it's true. When will the minister turn off the time machine and ensure Ontario students have the information they need to feel safe, empowered and ready for the challenges of today. Students are telling that today and tomorrow they've had enough minister. Mr. Speaker they want answers they want to see what this consultation involves and they want you to roll back this decision and move Ontario forward in sex ed curriculum not backward. Minister We are moving Ontario forward because we're actually listening to parents, to students and you know what I actually absolutely respect anyone who wants to stand up for their voice heard. I say sincerely, speaker to them please contribute participate in our consultation it's going to be very unique because we're going to be focusing on improving their math scores we're going to be focusing on mental health supports we're going to be focusing on how we can best prepare our students for the realities of today. Most importantly we're standing up with our administrators and encouraging students to respect the code of conduct which I hope the member opposite is encouraging students to do as well. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Next question the member for Etobicoke Lakeshore. Mr. Speaker thank you. My question is for the Minister of Transportation the minister and our premier Ford have said that our government for the people will be known as the government that brought transit to Ontario. Mr. Speaker I have heard that at every door we need more transit and constituents in my riding of Etobicoke Lakeshore commute to and from work every day using the GO train so I was pleased to join the minister this morning along with my colleague from Durham at an announcement to increase service along both lines of Lakeshore east and west lines an increase in service will give my constituents a more convenient commute allowing them the opportunity to spend more time with their number one priority their families. Would the minister please inform the House on how today's announcement will increase the service and benefit communers Thank you Minister of Transportation Well thank you Speaker and I want to thank the member for Etobicoke Lakeshore and also the member from Durham for joining us this morning. Yeah that was an exciting announcement and it builds upon the commitment that the Premier Ford made in the campaign and we have lived up to that we are going to increase transit opportunities and ridership in this province and expand the GO network and expand transit throughout the GTHA Today we announced that effective September 24th next Monday an additional 220 trains per week will service the GO Lakeshore line that is going to be a such a benefit to the people who ride transit in this province and in the GTHA it's hard not to get excited about it I'm sure the people on the other side are as excited as I am about this Thank you That's a minute Yes I know Supplementary Minister for that exciting answer I know the people of Etobicoke Lakeshore will be extremely thrilled to hear this news it's something we can't paint on it's something that we promised something that we're delivering on This is an exciting time for all transit users in Ontario and I am certainly looking forward because I know this is just a start and I'm certainly looking for future announcements that this government will take place in the near future The people of Ontario finally has a government that listens and I applaud the continued efforts of our Premier Ford and our Minister of Transportation to bring efficient transit Oh Can the Minister also speak to how the service increase fits with the rest of our plan that government has for the people of Ontario Thank you very much and I thank the member again for a question I'm watching the clock 220 trains per week 27 trains per day on the Lakeshore East go line 17 trains per day on the Lakeshore West It's 400 108,000 additional seats per week available on the Go Lakeshore corridors The trains that this makes to people's lives, everyone can understand that People want to be able to move more efficiently and effectively through the GTA We have said time and time again the Premier said better transit is an absolutely vital economic development tool and we're going to use it to make Ontario better We are committed to building transit and this is just the first step Thank you very much Next question the member for Thunder Bay out of Coken My question is to the Minister of Health and long-term care hallway medicine at Thunder Bay Regional Hospital has reached a crisis Recently I brought a friend to the emergency room and saw overwhelmed hospital staff doing their best with stretchers lined up the halls One of the reasons for overcrowding at the hospital is the lack of a regional mental health crisis center Over 6300 people visited the emergency room in 2017 with mental health and substance abuse issues When will this much needed mental health services be funded Mr. Health and long-term care Well I thank the member very much for the question and there are two issues here that we are immediately addressing that we spoke about during the election campaign One is to end hallway medicine and we are working on that with the creation of more long-term care beds to end the number of alternate level of care people that end up staying in the hospital because there's nowhere else for them to go We're working on that directly right now We are creating 15,000 spaces within five years The other issue is to deal with mental health and addiction issues which are also using hospital resources in the emergency department We need to end that There are some short-term solutions that we are going to be putting forward for this year that deal with some of the more urgent issues We are looking at the overall picture We know that we don't have a comprehensive system right now but we have committed a large amount of money as you know $3.8 billion over 10 years in order to be able to deal with that Supplementary The government can help hallway medicine by making important investments in emergency and mental health treatment We need this at Thunder Bay Regional Hospital and in our community desperately But so far this government seems more interested in making cuts than making investments The government has put all new investments on hold and are under review We can't wait any longer We need a mental health crisis services in Thunder Bay and for Thunder Bay Regional Hospital When will the minister provide the necessary funding and get this minister We are doing a line by line review of all programs and services of Ontario because we know that after 15 years of liberal government we have spending as out of control So we need to make sure that whatever investments we do make are going to be a benefit to the people of Ontario And we do know with mental health and addictions we know that despite the some efforts that have been made it's been a scattered approach to enhance the holistic view of what people need and that covers things like mental health and addictions treatment but also housing, employment social and recreational opportunities The list goes on and on We have about 12 ministries on this side of the house that are working on that because it's not just one simple solution it's going to require the work of everyone to put that system together and that is we have a lot of money that we're going to put into that $3.8 billion is a lot of money and we're going to make Thank you Member for Scarborough, Guildwood Thank you Speaker My question is to the Premier The Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario reports that the provinces credit ratings remain strong but warns that your government's planned actions could damage Ontario's financial standing Member for Scarborough, Guildwood has the right to ask a question From the chair, I have to be able to hear I would ask the government benches to come to order and let her put her question Start the clock I'll give the member more time The FAO further states that under the previous Liberal governments there has been constrained spending on programs For the last number you promised things to Ontarians but how can you pay for those without cuts You promised to build more subways in Scarborough while at the same time you're going to reduce revenues and during the campaign you said no one will be laid off Premier Will you come clean and tell the people of Ontario what programs you plan to cut Premier That's so shameful I got to give it to the Finance Minister You can refer a question but we don't need to hear a political statement during the referral Minister of Finance Well, thank you Thank you very much, Speaker and thank you very much, Premier This almost feels like we're going to have to tell the Lobb question that was coming to me on this later to move on to something else You've already done it for us Speaker what the FAO actually noted was the history of waste management and scandals from the previous government the waste mismanagement and scandal of the previous government that was propped up by the MP of the significant deterioration in Ontario's credit rating since Thank you Supplementary Thank you, Speaker Actually Page 4 of the FAO reports states that there has been restrained growth in program spending over the last number of years It's right there Read it So my question again to the Premier This our liberal record has propelled Ontario unemployment rate in 20 years the highest foreign direct investment record over the last five years in North America leading the growth amongst the G7 Will the Premier listen to the FAO report and continue the liberal record of balanced investments investing in critical education healthcare and infrastructure that has led Ontario to have a driving economy Will the Premier continue this balance of investment and growth in Ontario's economy Minister of Finance Well, Speaker Quite frankly I'm still shocked at the question We've been clear from the start that only this government is committed to enhancing financial accountability and transparency The FAO's report was a scathing indictment on the past liberal government again propped up by the MP who supported them and they're both It was a smoldering indictment of your activities your scandals your abuse your mismanagement of the budget Speaker to my finance critic I have been a finance critic for five years I've written five books on the liberal government this year I will ask the page to take focus on finance 5 over to the finance critic and she can see the scandals in her own government Question the member for Barry Ennisfield As an outdoor enthusiast I was pleased to read of the recent announcement by the Minister of Transportation and so my question is to the Minister of Transportation on his recent announcement to increase the access to safety training and licensing for snowmobilers This was a direct response to long standing requests from the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs for many Ontarians Our government is committed to making life easier for the people of Ontario and I thank the Minister for highlighting the fact that online learning will allow for better access to safety training and for those who live in rural and remote communities With more trails and more riders we must continue to make sure that our riders are safe and up to date on the latest safety measures Could the Minister please inform the House about how these changes will make it easier for Ontarians to safely enjoy our great outdoors during the winter months Minister of Transportation Thank you Speaker and I'd like to thank the member for Barry Ennisfield for her question and her advocacy as well We all want people to get out and enjoy the great outdoors in Ontario and snowmobiling is one of those great sports and we have been pleased to partner with the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs in bringing forth an online safety training course for people to have more access to that safety training and get out onto those trails and enjoy them This is something that the OFSC has been asking for for some time and the previous Liberal government seemed to refuse to want to cooperate with them The OFSC is a great organization across this province and we were more than happy to join with them in bringing forth these kind of changes I would like to point out Speaker that any time we make regulatory changes in the Ministry of Transportation that safety is always top of mind and it is no different in this case So we have listened to the people this will make access to that training more access to the training particularly for those who travel long Thank you Supplementary Through you Mr. Speaker Thank you to the Minister of Transportation for giving access to safety training and for listening to Ontarians Snowmobiling is a popular winter pastime for many of my constituents and people all around Ontario Ensuring that our young riders who are the future of snowmobiling in Ontario have access to online safety training will be to their benefit and to all trail users Believe it that all members of this House are important to have up-to-date training and safety for a young generation so more Ontarians can get outside and we can attract more tourism in our province This is a very positive development Mr. Speaker So can the Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport update the House on how our government for the people is working with our partners to promote tourism and advancing the priorities of snowmobilers in Ontario Here, here Mr. Transportation Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport Mr. Tourism Culture Thanks for sharing Thank you to my colleague from very Innisfil Not only is snowmobiling a fun and great recreation it's also an enormous economic benefit to our communities Each winter an estimated 200,000 snowmobilers hit the trails and inject $1.7 billion into Ontario's economy Our government for the people is proud to partner with the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs Dozens of clubs over 7,000 volunteers maintain 32,000 km of snowmobile trails connecting communities throughout Ontario These trails are not only used by Ontarians but are a very popular destination for our out-of-province visitors I'm happy to share a quote from the Executive Director of the Ontario Federation of Snowmobiler Clubs on the Government of Ontario's response On behalf of snowmobilers across the province of Ontario the OFFC welcomes this announcement and applauds the Government of Ontario for their support in our sector Thank you Thank you Speaker My question is to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Ontario is facing an unprecedented public health crisis Between January and March of this year opioids have claimed over a thousand Canadian lives Ontario has refused to declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency which would quickly send resources and funding to where they are desperately needed and has called into question the future of Ontario's overdose prevention sites More and more lives are in jeopardy with every minute the Minister delays action Will the Minister finally take action declare the opioid crisis a public health emergency? Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Minister of Health and Long-Term Care I thank the member very much for the question and it is an issue that we take very seriously we are losing far too many people to opioid use and misuse because it's often being mixed with other things like fentanyl other problems that are people aren't consuming what they think that they're consuming so we are taking it seriously the Premier is taking it seriously that's why he asked me to conduct an evidence-based review to determine whether we should continue to supervise consumption sites and overdose prevention sites I have taken that seriously I've met with four tables of people including people who are in favour of people who have some concerns about it law enforcement officers community representatives people with lived experience I've visited several supervised consumption sites myself I've gone on a walkabout with the Toronto business improvement area I have taken it seriously the Premier because as you know September 30th is a deadline when the federal exemption expires thank you supplementary back to the minister as part of the budget 2018 the federal government has allocated $150 million in emergency funding for provinces and territories to combat the opioid crisis that is devastating families across the country it was recently confirmed that British Columbia will receive $70 million to fight the opioid crisis and save lives New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec have all taken the federal government up on their funding offer Minister, why is Ontario leaving money on the table when so many Ontarians lives are at stake? the federal government up on the money that is available it was because of the election being at the time that it was that several other provinces have moved ahead of us but we are working on finalizing that agreement so that we can have access to those monies that is important but of course our own monies are going to be put into this system as well in various ways we are looking at comprehensive, complete mental health and addiction system the issue with respect to opioids is one aspect of it but any solution that is arrived at we're going to have to figure out how that's going to slot into the overall picture so we need to take both short term action as well as longer term action we are working directly on that right now it is a priority for my ministry and I am preparing to make recommendations to the Premier for his decision about whether to continue or not before September 30th so this is time limited it is something that we are dealing with straight away and we will be making a recommendation thank you very much next question the member for Perth Wellington thank you Mr. Speaker my question is for the minister of the environment yesterday the minister of the environment revealed to this legislature that refineries had reduced their prices on gas by 4.6 cents a liter this was in response to the government's cancellation of the expensive and ineffective cap and trade program of the previous Liberal government this reduction has resulted in direct savings on the cost of fuel providing some much needed relief for the people of Ontario relief speaker which our government promised we would deliver the people of Ontario can't afford a carbon tax times are tight and the Premier promised relief is on the way will the minister of the environment explain to this house how our changes are reducing the cost of fuel and making life more affordable for families of Ontario Mr. the environment conservation and parks Perth Wellington for his question and for his advocacy for his constituents Mr. Speaker it is great to see gas prices starting to come down it is great to see relief for families and there is a straight line between this and the mandate on which we were elected to fight carbon taxes at the provincial and at the federal level this started with the introduction of bill 4 which is currently before the legislature and that is part of our commitment which will reduce gasoline by 10 cents a litre with the entire commitment is fulfilled both bill 4 and the following commitments Mr. Speaker we have also announced our next steps in terms of challenging the federal government with their regressive job killing carbon tax supplementary thank you Mr. Speaker and I want to thank the minister for standing up the people of this province Mr. the environment I can't express how important this commitment was to me and to my constituents when I knocked on doors of my riding of Perth Wellington the issue of affordability was number one parents would tell me how they struggle to fill their tanks up in order to bring their kids to hockey how they would fill up for five dollars at a time just hoping for prices to come down just a little bit that's because every little bit helps Mr. Speaker yesterday I received messages of support expressing their thanks not only for the savings but more than that it was from people who said they continued to be impressed by a government that delivers on what they promised how refreshing after 15 years of broken promises will the minister of the environment tell his house how he plans to continue to deliver on these commitments minister Mr. Speaker the member is so right this is about families every bit helps and the NDP $260 a year that's real money Mr. Speaker and that's the money that the cap and trade cancellation act will help deliver to families families that need that support this isn't about not being focused on the environment we will have an approach to the environment that respects our need to reduce greenhouse gases but will respect the taxpayers and as the member references the needs of families for those dollars in their pockets next question what known Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker Carlina was a 13 year old girl from Berskin Lake a remote flying community in my riding Carlina took her own life early yesterday morning now the chief in the community they are concerned that there will like Carlinus. This concern is well-founded. And in 2015, a 10-year-old girl took her life. This is also in Berskin Lake. What is the premier prepared to do to ensure these pandemics of our young Indigenous people, Kelly themselves, stops once and for all? Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Thank you very much for the question. It is something that we take very seriously on this side of the house as well. I know that in many Indigenous communities there are no adequate supports for young people for physical or mental health, and mental health is health. And that is something that we're going to seriously address as we are filing and completing our system of mental health and addictions. We know that there are far too many young people that are committing suicide that should have a chance at life. They need a lot of supports. It's not just health counseling. It's so much more than that. It's education. It's housing. It's communications with others. There's lots of work that we need to do, but I look forward to working with you to visiting your communities and to understanding from people directly what supports that they need, and then we will do our best to make sure that we can provide those supports. Speaker, back to the premier. Two years ago, the suicide rate for children under the age of 15 in First Nations, I represent, was 50 times higher than the national average. But what has changed since these children took their own lives? This is a health crisis. This is a mental health crisis. This is an intergenerational trauma crisis. This is a housing crisis. Carlina, the girl who took her own life yesterday morning, lived in a rundown home, house without electricity. What is the premier prepared to do today? Long-term, to ensure the community of Berskin Lake and other remote communities in Ontario to have the resources they need to prevent more deaths of our young people. Response? Minister? To the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. Thank you very much for your emotional question. I remember sitting in opposition myself asking questions about suicide prevention. Yesterday I met with the independent child advocate regarding the specific issue and last week with the coroner regarding the same issue. This government is committed to working with you and our First Nations in order to put the proper supports in place so that these tragedies don't continue. I know when someone loses their life by suicide, they make that decision. It rocks an entire community. And I can understand just standing here with you how emotional this is. I'd like to speak with you after question period so that we can make sure that we have a plan in place that fully supports you and helps your community get through this. Thank you very much. Member for Oakville. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister of Transportation for that great news today on the GO train line. I know it was a commuter. That's fantastic news for commuters all across the GTA. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of the Environment. Ontario recognizes the importance of a clean environment and preserving that for generations to come. And we recognize the very real challenges that climate change presents to that. Ontario has done more than our part in Confederation to make significant progress towards reducing emissions. Speaker, these results have also come at a great cost to the people of Ontario. We have some of the highest energy bills in North America and these costs have left people fuming at the pumps when they can't afford to fill their tanks. I have heard from constituents who say they want to do their part, but they simply can't afford to pay anymore. Can the Minister of the Environment advise this legislature on how we plan to balance affordability with long-term progress? Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Mr. Speaker, the member is right. This is about balance. He's also right that Ontario has made significant progress and is a leader in Confederation. While Canada's emissions declined by just 1.5% since 2000, Ontario's emissions dropped by more than 20% and compared with an average decrease of 4.7% across the OECD. On a per capita basis, as I mentioned to the legislature yesterday, Ontario has reduced its carbon footprint by 34% since 1990. So yes, Mr. Speaker, Ontario will do more, but the people of Ontario have paid a great deal for the contributions that they've made. That's one of the reasons that we eliminated the previous government's cap and trade carbon tax. That's one of the reasons now we're seeing the 4.6% reduction that refiners have now made and that is why that gas price reduction is now working its way through to families. As the member rightly said, this is about balance. It is about balancing the needs of families with the legitimate and important priorities we have around the environment. Clemente. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the minister for his answer and still to the minister of the environment. Speaker, I'm glad to hear the minister recognizes the importance of a balanced approach. For too long, the people of Ontario have been saddled with the cost of unfair and regressive carbon taxes. Our government made a promise to make life more affordable for Ontarians. Our government is a clear mandate to get rid of the cap and trade carbon tax. We promised that help was finally on the way. It is such a relief after months of gas prices upwards of $1.35 and $1.40 to finally see them come down to more reasonable levels. Speaker, my constituents think they should keep more money in their pockets. Can the minister advise this House as to what he is doing to make life more affordable for the people of Ontario? Minister. Mr. Speaker, through you to the member, our work in terms of repealing cap and trade is part of our broader agenda, whether it's reducing hydro rates or the other initiatives that were taking under the leadership of our Premier to make life more affordable for Ontario families. Every cent that was spent on cap and trade, an ineffective approach to reducing greenhouse gases, every cent that was spent was money taken out of Ontarians' pockets. We'll be putting $260 back in Ontarians' pockets. That's money for families. That's money for not for luxury, Mr. Speaker, but for the basic necessities that they need. We will be coming forward with a made in Ontario approach that balances the needs of the economy, the important priorities of reducing greenhouse gas, cleaner air, cleaner water, but also the pocketbooks of Ontarians. Mr. Speaker, our priority is a plan that works for Ontarians, that works for the environment at the same time. Thank you very much. Next question, the member for Kitchener Centre. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Yesterday, this government issued a memo indicating that there were some drastic changes to the ministerial priorities. Among the ministries and offices being scrapped by the Premier was the anti-racism directorate. This was shocking since the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services answering a previous question said, and I quote, we will continue to work as a ministry and through the directorate to ensure that racism is not something that continues in the province, end quote. Can the Premier tell us how dismantling the anti-racism directorate will allow it to continue its work of combating systemic racism? Premier, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Community Safety and Correctional Services. Mr. Speaker, and thank you for that question. As I mentioned in the past, there is no place in Ontario for racism and our province is an all-inclusive province. We will continue our work on a whole-of-government basis with respect to ensuring that there is no racism. So we will continue our work and I'm not sure where that notice came from for you, but we will continue our work in that area. Supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm just a little bit concerned because oftentimes when I ask questions, it begins with a discussion about corrections, which is part of why this is an issue. In addition to the anti-racism directorate, we're now finding out that we're scrapping the Ministry of International Trade in the midst of a trade crisis, the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science is being collapsed despite the future of our economy being founded on research, innovation and science, and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Office has gone at time when the government cancelled the basic income pilot project and cut planned social assistance to the races. Premier, why is ensuring a good trading environment building up our economy, ending racism and reducing poverty not a priority for this government? Thank you. I'll speak to this. As far as this government is concerned, we are committed to ensuring that we look after the needs of the people in the province. The anti-racism directorate continues under the mandate of this ministry, and the work that I do particularly in this ministry deals with policing, so enforcement, it deals with corrections, and we're looking together with the other ministries at an integrated approach to dealing with a lot of the issues that have been plaguing this province for at least 15 years without any kind of solution. We are going to work together between the different ministries and ensure that we look after the issues that have been discussed, education, youth, community, suicide, indigenous people. We are working on an integrated basis between the different ministries to provide the service and what the... Thank you. The member for Mississauga Street School. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. One of the core commitments of our government is to create and protect good jobs here in Ontario. However, the previous Liberal government pursued policies that made life harder and less affordable for Ontario families and businesses. Our government is committed to sending a message to the world that Ontario is open for business. Could the Minister house up his recent efforts to strengthen competitiveness and protect jobs for businesses and workers in Ontario and Canada? Minister of Finance. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the member from Mississauga Streetsville for the question. Last week, the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Yes! trade and I wrote to the federal government. We asked them to take bold action in their fall economic statement to support businesses in Ontario and across Canada. We would like to explore discussions with the federal government on several initiatives, including 100% in-year accelerated capital cost appreciation. We look forward to working with the federal government alongside our provincial and territorial partners to strengthen Ontario's competitiveness in the global economy. Our government is committed to ensuring Ontario reclaims its place as the economic engine of Canada. Supplementary. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for standing up for our jobs and our future prosperity. It is reassuring to hear that our government stands firm on our commitment to lowering taxes to support employers so that they can invest, grow, and create jobs in Ontario. The time for bold action is now. Recent US tax reform and policy decisions provide the US with a competitive advantage over Ontario and Canada. Additionally, uncertainty around trade issues continue to pose a challenge. Last week, the CEO of CIBC said that it is vital for us to create a better environment for businesses and growth. Could the Minister further explain the importance of strengthening Ontario's competitiveness and ensuring the world knows that Ontario is open for business? Minister of Finance. Minister of Economic Development. Minister of Economic Development. Thank you and thank you to the member. The member is absolutely correct that the time for bold action is now. The risks of inaction are simply too great to stand by idly, and we hear it all the time. My parliamentary assistant, Parsa, is holding red tape roundtables. Another parliamentary assistant, Skelly is holding roundtables on NAFTA, are the trade ministry you might want to know over there. And the differential between tax rates in the United States on a number of fronts, President Trump has dramatically lowered and unleveled the playing field. And I know that our fantastic Minister of Finance is perfectly aware of that, and he's working really hard to live up to the Premier's commitment to lower taxes for middle-class families, to lower taxes for corporations, to create good jobs in the province of Ontario. Ontario is open for business. That concludes the time we have available for question period. Two members have informed me that they'd like to do a point of order. I'll first recognize the member for Kiwet-Nung. Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I seek unanimous consent for a moment of silence to honour the life of Carlina Kamenwaderman, the young girl from Berskin Lake who tragically died by suicide yesterday morning. Thank you. Is there unanimous consent? Yes, yes. Great. The member for Peter Burrow-Quartha, on a point of order. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've been informed this morning that former member Peter Adams, who served in the 34th legislature, has entered the final stages of palliative care. I would request that all members offer their support and prayers for the Adams family. Thank you. Thank you. There are being no deferred votes. This House stands in recess until 1 p.m. this afternoon.