 Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. I'm very pleased to rise today to recognize the myalgic and cephalomelitus association of Ontario, also known as MEAO, for short, on their annual community engagement day at Queen's Park. In October 2013, a business case proposal for the Interior Center of Excellence in Environmental Health was presented to the Ministry of Health in long-term care, with the objective of ensuring that effective and appropriate care is given to individuals who suffer from chronic, complex, environmentally linked illnesses. To date, there has been no answer from the Ministry on the approval of the business case proposal. Our caucus health critic and Whitby MBP, Christine Elliott, recently met with members of the Interim Steering Committee of the Interior Center of Excellence in Environmental Health to discuss the issues facing the hundreds of thousands of patients who are now and have been for many years without care. Sufficient time has now passed to deliberate the business case and we are calling on the Ministry of Health and long-term care to act. Time is of the essence. Today there are approximately 570,000 people in Ontario living with chronic, complex, environmentally linked illnesses such as myelodgic and cephalomelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivities. Individuals living with these conditions have overwhelming fatigue and a host of other debilitating symptoms that can get worse after mental or physical activity but does not improve with rest. I'd like to thank the Association for their excellent advocacy work for insurance living with myelodgic and cephalomelitis and associated illnesses. We look forward to receiving the Health Minister's update with regard to his approval of this proposal. Thank you Speaker. Thank you. Member statements and member from Sudbury. Thank you Speaker. It is a great pleasure that I congratulate the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association on their 50th anniversary of serving Greater Sudbury North Eastern Ontario. As a former city councillor I was fortunate to really get to know and become friends with the wonderful members, staff and volunteers of this organization. I'm sincerely impressed with their commitment to our community, a community that celebrates with them the beauty of multiculturalism. Our part of the world is a better place because of the work this organization does to welcome newcomers and help them transition into our community. The SMFAA champions cultural sharing and the passing on of our traditions to our youth. This group also organizes the annual candidate festivities at the Sudbury community arena which is a proud showcase of our city's many heritages. The association administers a newcomer and settlement program that includes services such as facilitating employment, ESL and FSL classes, community referrals and relevant legislation discussions. The association also has a multicultural youth council made up of members ages 10 to 25. This group participates in ethnic dance, fundraising and interacts with other community organizations. The assist in organizing events such as International Day Against Racial Discrimination, Human Rights Day, Canada Charter Rights and Freedoms Day, and Prevention of Violence Against Immigrant Women Awareness. Lastly, the SMFAA is involved in cross-cultural education. They visit schools, hold international cooking classes and organize days around the themes of celebrating multiculturalism and anti-racism. Again, congratulations to the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association on their 50th anniversary. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased today to speak about the seventh annual Sikh Remembrance Day ceremony being held in Kitchener this upcoming Sunday at the Mount Hope Cemetery. This historic Sikh Remembrance Day ceremony takes place every year at a location of unique military significance in Canada. The grave site of Private Bukum Singh, the only military grave in Canada of a Sikh soldier from the World Wars. Private Singh was born in India in 1907 and in the age of 14 he moved to Canada. He joined the Canadian forces and was wounded twice on the battlefields of France. In fact, Canadian soldier Private Bukum Singh was one of only nine soldiers allowed to serve with the Canadian forces in the First World War. Speaker Bukum Singh's war medal and grave were only discovered by the Sikh museum.com after having been forgotten for nearly a century. His war medal is the only known surviving military medal of a Sikh Canadian soldier from World War I. With discovery of this war medal and military grave, the Sikh community has reclaimed a forgotten son and Canada has reclaimed the story of a hero. Speaker, let us play tribute to Private Bukum Singh and all of those brave Canadian men and women who made sacrifices to protect our freedom. I especially want to recognize the service of our Sikh community for advancing the principles and values which make Canada the great country that it is today. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much Speaker. It's my pleasure today to to share my support for the Ontario Legislature internship program. For almost 40 years now the program has been providing recent graduates with the opportunity to work with members of the provincial parliament gaining a practical experience with the daily workings of Ontario legislatures. I can say from my own experience working with interns the program provides a variety of learning opportunities. Everything from helping members write statements, questions or research relevant issues to participating in comparative study trips to other legislatures. I've had the honour of working with three interns who have all excelled in their own personal way and today I would like to welcome my fourth intern, Christy May. Originally from East Gwillimbury, Ontario, Christy completed her Bachelor of Environmental Studies at the University of Waterloo and Masters at the University of Guelph. She shared with me her excitement to work with my office and I on environment and climate change critical portfolio issues as well as local issues facing my riding. I look forward to showing Christy how much year in Bruce matters and to close I'd like to share with the Speaker and everyone else in the house that I'm proudly wearing green today because it's show your 4-H colour day and I would like to invite everybody to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair where youth from across the province and Canada will travel to the city where the country meets city and bring their animals and show how proud they are to be raised on farms. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Speaker. I'm pleased to rise today in recognition of the Myalgic and Cephalomyelitis Association of Ontario Community Engagement Day. Today's Community Engagement Day for the Myalgic and Cephalomyelitis Association of Ontario, MEAO, is the acronym. In October 2013 a business case proposal for the Ontario Centre of Excellence in Environmental Health was presented to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. To date there has been no answer on the approval of this business case. In the NDP we have a strong commitment to keeping people healthy, supporting health promotion and disease prevention, and ensuring a sustainable health care system. From the business case proposal from the OCEEH we learned that over 568,000 people in Ontario have been diagnosed with this chronic complex and environmentally linked illnesses. That's 5% of the Ontario population. We also learned that people suffering from these conditions experience systemic barriers to getting the health care they need because diagnosis and treatment of these serious conditions are not currently available in Ontario's health care system. Now we're hearing from the MEAO that over $150 million is spent annually to serve people suffering from environmentally linked illnesses, but it's done in a fragmented way that does not achieve the desired health outcomes. We believe this has to change. It's time to support the proposed Ontario Centre for Excellence in Environmental Health and ensure that people suffering from environmentally linked conditions receive the effective and appropriate care they need to move forward in their lives. I want to commend those that are here today, that are here on behalf of those affected and afflicted by MEA. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. In 2007 I was driving past the century-old Red Brick building in Cambridge that had been the home of the Galt knife company and I noted construction workers were working renovating the building's large multi-pane heritage windows. This was the beginning of a wonderful adaptive reuse of a heritage building and transformed into the Grand River Brewing Company. Imagine the delight of my very good friends who learned that a craft brewer was setting up shop two minutes from their home. I do believe they were their first customers. Indeed, as Grand River Brewer began distributing their craft beers to local restaurants, pubs and community events, the residents of Cambridge were delighted to have this unique brewery right in the heart of our beautiful city. Not only do we have a preserved heritage building, but Cambridge has a thriving and expanding business that has created local jobs. Speaker, it is clear that CEO Bob Hanenberg's dream has become a rousing success. Many of the fine craft beers crafted by Grand River Brewing have won several Ontario and Canadian brewing awards including my personal favorite, the Ploughman's Ale. Grand River Brewing offers brewery tours, hospitality room for tasty and tastings and local events and I would welcome and encourage all members in this house to visit my writing of Cambridge to stop in for a very enjoyable point. Thank you. Members, say this to members from Chatham 10th Ethics. Thank you, Speaker. Fragmites, the common European weed, has been referred to by ecologists as Canada's worst invasive plant. Invasive fragmites releases toxins from the roots into the soil and impede the growth of local plants and these toxins can even kill other plants. They foresell local vegetation resulting in decreased plant biodiversity. These tall densely growing weeds can reach up to five meters in height, can cause damage to natural habitats that they grow in and also cut off food supplies for native wildlife including several species at risk. Speaker, fragmites can grow so thick that even deer can get caught up them and eventually die. In my writing of Chatham 10th Ethics and in many other areas of the province they contribute to flooding as they spread throughout ditches, road sides and on our highways and they're so thick that they can even prohibit natural water flow. Now I've seen this firsthand most recently while working with farmers in the Leamington area during the Essex County Flowing Match. The seat just how far wide spread fragmites are all what needs to do is to travel Highway 401 between Windsor and London to see this invasive plant growing in medians and ditches. In some cases on county roads fragmites actually impairs visibility to oncoming traffic an accident waiting to happen. Thus far Ontario has taken a piecemeal approach to combating fragmites and it's recognized as an invasive plant but not a noxious weed. The Ontario fragmites working group has established four recommendations to help control and manage fragmites. These recommendations include emergency use permits for herbicides, approval of aerial treatment application, establishing a province-wide control program and lastly establishing an invasive species act. I encourage the government to address this growing nuisance head on for it spreads out of control. Thank you Speaker. Member statements? The Member from the Thumbelina 20 West. Well thank you Speaker. Mr Speaker earlier today I had an opportunity to meet with volunteers representing of a myeloma Canada including Leslie Weatherby who lives in my writing in the Thumbelina 20 West. Leslie along with other volunteers came to Queen's Park today to help us understand more about this disease and the kind of treatment support the patients in their family needs. Myeloma Canada provides educational resources and emotional support to patients, family and caregivers. Increases in awareness of this disease and its effect on lives of patients and families. Promotes clinical research and access to new drug trials in Canada and facilitates access to new therapies treatment option in health care resources. Myeloma is the second most prevalent form of blood cancer in Canada. Nearly 1,000 Ontarians are diagnosed with myeloma every year while there's no cure early diagnosis and the right treatment the right time will save lives and save health system money in the long run. I commend myeloma Canada for the work they do every day for patients and volunteers living with the disease. I also urge my colleague the minister of health and long-term care to continue the champion for a national race rare disease strategy that will make new treatments more affordable. Thank you Speaker. Thank you. Member Statings. The member from Ajax Pickering. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to once again sponsor the myelgic and cephalomilitis association of Ontario. MEAO of course is the acronym and we are here today for community engagement day at Queen's Park and that would just be down the hall on the west end of this floor. I have sponsored this association many times over in the last several years for their extremely worthy cause. MEAO supports hundreds of thousands of patients in Ontario who have complex chronic environmentally linked illnesses. As pointed out in numerous times over the years these patients experience systemic barriers to getting the health care they need because of diagnosis and treatment of these very serious conditions are currently unavailable in Ontario. One year ago MEAO together with the Association of Ontario Health Centers submitted a business case proposal for the Ontario Center of Excellence in Environmental Health and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. But today approval has not yet been given the business case approval. I request and I'm sure others do that with the assistance of our good minister of health Dr. Hoskins that to health and long-term care that we approve the business case proposal for the Ontario Center of Excellence and assist hundreds of thousands of people. Members are welcome immediately after this of course down the hall at rooms 228 230 we welcome to see you all and I will sit down so I can go down there and speak shortly. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Thank all members for their comments.