 And it's therefore time for members statements to member from Alvin Little-Fest London. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, the start of November marks the beginning of Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes Awareness Month is an opportunity to learn more about the risk factors for this disease and the impact it has on patients and their families. There are many supports and resources available to families to help manage and prevent the disease. Diabetes affects more than 10 million people across Canada and if left undiagnosed or untreated, diabetes can lead to many life-threatening complications. In Ontario alone an estimated 30.1% of the population has either diabetes or pre-diabetes. If untreated, diabetes can cause serious health effects such as heart attacks, nerve damage, strokes, kidney failure, blindness and infections that can lead to amputations. Speaker, the onset of diabetes and its complications can be prevented or delayed by following a healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding the use of tobacco. The Canadian Diabetes Association has been leading the charge in this important fight against diabetes. Through education and outreach they have built awareness and informed Canadians of the risk of this disease. And as a former certified diabetes educator I relied on the CDA numerous times to help improve my patient care. Speaker, the PC Caucus and our Leader Patrick Brown would like to thank all the dedicated healthcare professionals that work day in and day out to help diagnose, treat and prevent chronic diseases like diabetes. Thank you very much. Thank you. Further member of statements? The member from Windsor to come see. Speaker, they shall have grown out old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not worry them or the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them. Those are the four lines and the four stands of the poem for the fallen written by Robert Lawrence Binion back in 1914. These four lines are repeated at Legion meetings and memorial services. They are perhaps not as famous as those written in 1915 by Major John McCrae in his poem In Flanders Fields. His three stands of poem ends with take up our quarrel with the foe to you from failing hands we throw the torch be yours to hold it high if ye break faith with us who die we shall not sleep though poppies grow in Flanders Fields. Here on Saturday morning I will be laying a provincial reef at the senate taff in Tecumseh in the afternoon I will do the same in East Windsor at the senate taff in Riverside. I hope to be out a couple of times next week with my poppy box. I joined branch 255 of the Royal Canadian Legion 30 years ago to honor my father and his buddies, the men and women who served their country in times of military conflict to all of our veterans and military peacekeepers I say thank you for your service indeed. We will remember. Thank you. I will remember Samus, the member from Brampton, Springdale. Thank you Mr. Speaker. This Saturday my family and I, along with six across Ontario and Canada and the world will celebrate Gurnanik Devji's group, also known as Gurnanik Prakashotsev, and with these celebrations it's the celebration of the first Sikh Guru's birthday, Gurnanik Devji. This is one of the most sacred celebrations in the Sikh religion. The festivities in the Sikh religion revolve around the anniversaries of the ten Sikh Gurus. These Gurus were responsible for shaping the beliefs of Sikhs. Their birthdays, known as Gurbur, are occasions for celebration and prayer among members of the Sikh faith. Gurnanik Devji, the founder of Sikhism, was born on November the 4th, 1469 in Dhulwandi in Pakistan, which is now known as Nankanah Sahib. Two days before the birthday of Gurnanik Devji, the first of the ten Sikh Gurus, in a Kanpat or a 48-hour non-stop reading of the holy book of the Sikhs, Siddhi Guru Granth Sahib Ji, is carried out in the Gurudwaras across the world. Gurbur begins early with the singing of the Asadi Vahar, mourning hymns and hymns from the Sikh scriptures. Afterwards, Lungar or special community lunch is prepared at the Gurudwaras, and the Lungar, along with Gurbashad, is offered to men and women of all communities. In the evening, the Gurudwaras are eliminated and people visit them in large numbers. Gurnanik Devji preached on the principle of equality, something coming directly from one of his quotes is, before becoming a Muslim, a Sikh, or a Christian, let's become a human first. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the member's statement. The member from Rinpoche, Nipisi, and Pembroke. Thank you, Speaker. Ontarians can be proud of the work that our community living associations do in inspiring possibilities with people who have intellectual disabilities. I have seen firsthand the results of the hard work of so many dedicated people. Recently, Community Living Upper Ottawa Valley was recognized for their work by being given the International Award of Excellence by the Council on Quality and Leadership. The award was given to them for their work in building an inclusive community. They are helping to create more inclusive residential settings, moving away from segregated programming and engaging the community on how to include individuals with intellectual disabilities in workplaces, organizations, and volunteer initiatives in the broader community. It should also be noted that Community Living Upper Ottawa Valley was the first Canadian organization to ever receive this award. In conversation with Executive Director Chris Grayson, it was clear to me that they are not only thrilled to be receiving this award, but are very proud of the cutting edge person-centered approach that they have at Community Living Upper Ottawa Valley. As President and CEO of the Council of Quality and Leadership, Mary Kay Rezolo said, they completely deserve this International Award of Excellence for their innovative work that they are doing and the success that they're having with the people they support. I have every confidence that Community Living Upper Ottawa Valley will continue to be relentless in doing the right things for the right reasons for the people they support. I personally have interacted with their clients and not only do I congratulate Community Living Upper Ottawa Valley for the work they have done and will continue to do, but also unequivocally state that this recognition was thoroughly deserved. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Further member of status? The member from London West. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today as MPP for London West to recognize the amazing determination and advocacy of my constituent, Jessica Ashton, who is with us in the legislature today and has been fighting for services for her son, Ashton. By the time Ashton was a year and a half, it was clear to Jessica and her husband, Scott, that their son was different. Ashton was referred to a developmental pediatrician, and they waited anxiously for more than a year to get an appointment. Finally, this June, they got a diagnosis. Ashton has severe autism. After registering for services, Jessica was devastated to learn that there were almost 1,000 children ahead of her son on the wait list. It will be at least three years from the time Jessica first suspected autism to Ashton's receiving service, and this is for a child with severe needs. Jessica drafted a petition, and in just two months was able to collect almost 6,500 signatures from people in the London area. As Jessica's petition states, early intervention is absolutely critical for children with autism. Each day these children wait for services a day they will never get back. I am proud to stand with Jessica and all the Londoners who signed her petition to advocate on behalf of Ashton. For every 68 children in Ontario, one will be diagnosed with autism. I call on this government to ensure that these kids get the timely access to the diagnostic and therapeutic services they so urgently need. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Those are the members of the Students, the members of the Tobacco Center. Thanks very much, Speaker. Speaker, over the past number of years, I've had the privilege of getting to know and working with our Somali community in Tobacco. We have worked together on issues such as education after school programming, and to help ensure young people can find jobs and achieve their potential. I have attended the annual Somali soccer tournament, and this past July 1st, I celebrated Somalia's Independence Day in Tobacco with many members of the community, and I still remember the cohesion and the solidarity that the community showed on that particular day. I've also been proud to support the Somali community in their work to build a strong and democratic Somalia. I was proud to celebrate the elections for the Galmudug Interim Administration and the recent successful election and peaceful transition of power to the new Prime Minister of Somalia. Premier Nguyen recently announced humanitarian aid to the victims of a famine that's taking place in Somalia, something we can all be very proud of and something that a number of us on this side were advocates for. Two weeks ago, Speaker, tragedy struck Somalia. After a horrendous car bombing attack in Mogadishu where hundreds were killed and hundreds more were injured, two weeks ago in the legislature, we held a moment of silence to commemorate the victims. The Somali Canadian community in Tobacco immediately showed its solidarity and resilience. They organized a fundraiser to support the victims of this bomb. I rise in the legislature today to share with members of our Somali Canadian community that we mourn with them, that I stand with them in this difficult time, and that I look forward to working with them, Speaker, in the weeks and months to come to build a stronger community in Tobacco and to build a stronger Somalia. Somalia, Anulato. Thank you for the member's statements. The member from Kitchener Conestoga. Thank you, Speaker. As we look toward a week of remembrance, I ask all to take a few moments to remember those who battled 100 years ago this week for the fight for Passchendaele. Only months after the birth of a nation at Vimy Speaker, our 100,000 strong Canadian Corps took on the entrenched Germans just east of Ypres, and again succeeded where Allied forces had repeatedly failed. Despite months of a British offensive in Flanders, Passchendaele Ridge remained in German hands when the Canadians were ordered to deliver victory in October 1917. Speaker, initially Canadian commander Sir Arthur Currie of Strathruy feared the battle couldn't be won without a terrible expenditure of lives. He, of course, was right. Initially, the Canadians were met with a shell-shocked scene of rotting bodies, dead soldiers, and horses. Over two weeks, Currie's troops removed the dead and built roads and tram lines while under a barrage of German gunfire. On October 26th, they were ready for the first assault. All four divisions of the Canadian Corps took turns in four separate attacks with gains of only a few hundred meters each day amidst heavy losses. As Private John Sudbury wrote, quote, the enemy and ourselves were in a self-same muck, degradation, and whore to such a point nobody cared anymore about anything. With their third attack on the ridge November 6th, the Canadians succeeded in capturing Passchendaele and its ruins. A fourth assault days later finished the job. By that time, more than 4,000 Canadians were killed and another 12,000 wounded. As we pause to remember the sacrifice and heroism of our men and women in service, I ask that we also reflect on the bravery of our Canadian troops who fought valiantly at Passchendaele 100 years ago this week. Thank you, sir. Thank you. For your members' statements, the member from Mrs. Saga Streetsville. Well, thank you very much, speaker. Now that our long Canada 150 summers transition to the chilly sting of Ontario autumn winds, we're closing the windows and all breathing the same 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 week after week. When the H1N1 virus scared people several years ago, they lined up to get the flu shot. Deaths and hospitalizations from flu-related causes fell sharply during the H1N1 scare, proof that the flu shot works. Once the H1N1 scare was over, too many people who should know better stopped getting vaccinated each and every year against the seasonal flu. Flu-related deaths and hospitalizations have shot right back up to their historical levels. The flu shot is absolutely free and available from your doctor or at many pharmacies and flu shot clinics. The flu vaccine is made from eggs and it's made in Canada. It's safe and it sure beats having the flu. You need the flu shot every year. However, and wherever you get it, take the annual flu shot. It matters. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Thank you. Further member of statements? The member for Whitby Oshawa. Thank you, Speaker. I want to thank the city of Oshawa for donating a plot of land to Trent University Durham campus in my writing. The land will expand, Speaker, the campus and the programs offered at the university. Speaker, Trent University's Durham campus generates $47 million in annual economic activity for the region and plans for the expansion will provide students with new academic and residential buildings. Also, Speaker, Trent University Durham welcomes an average of 1,000 new students each year and is expecting increases ongoing in enrollment. The expanded availability speaker and academic programming and living spaces will allow students more choice in deciding which program suits them best. Coupled with new experiential learning opportunities, students will gain access to a post-secondary education that will put them on a path to success. This land donation from the city of Oshawa, Speaker, will keep Durham region on the path to creating a thriving, knowledge-based economy building off the success of students for years to come. Speaker, I'd like to commend Mayor John Henry and the members of the Council for the city of Oshawa for their leadership and ongoing commitment to academic success for students in the region of Durham. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. I thank all members for their statements and.