 The member from Essex, it's now time for a member's statement. The member from Frontenac, Constance. Thank you, Speaker. World COPD Day. In 2021, this government introduced for the first time and passed an Act to proclaim the day, November 16th, COPD Awareness Day. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a serious and progressive disease that causes lung damage and blocks the airways. It is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada and a leading cause of illness. The Ministry of Health has taken significant action on COPD, care and prevention, aligned with health quality of Ontario's advice, including increasing access to smoking cessation programs for patients in both the hospital and primary care settings, including patients with COPD, increasing access to influenza and pneumonia vaccines among COPD patients, investing in early detection and treatment to slow the progression of this extremely serious lung disease. One of our most promising investments has been in the best care and primary care program, recognized by clinicians and patients as a highly effective, made in Ontario team-based, patient-centered care model. Best care has successfully reduced emergency room visits by 63% and hospitalizations up to 60% among COPD patients. This program has improved mental health among chronic disease patients who are receiving whole-of-person care for the first time. As demonstrated in peer-reviewed studies, best care and primary care has saved our health system millions of dollars in cost, alleviated pressures on capacity, and significantly improved the quality of care and life for Ontario's living with COPD. On this World COPD Day, I want to recognize the work of healthcare professionals from physicians to nurses to respiratory therapists who support people living with COPD every day and encourage Ontarians to remember that your lungs are for life. We'll go with the member from London North Centre. Speaker, last night London inaugurated our new City Council. I want to take this time to thank all of them for stepping up to serve the City of London and wish them all well in leading our great city to meet its potential. As deeply concerning, Speaker, the Councillors are being sworn in on the same week this government is going out of their way to strip them of their powers with Bill 23. This new legislation takes power away from cities right when they need it the most. It costs municipalities hundreds of thousands in lost revenue and gives the Minister sweeping powers they've never had over bylaws and local planning. It's also a direct attack on conservation authorities. Ontario is losing almost 320 acres of prime farmland per day, but this government wants to make the incredibly rich, even richer. This bill hurts the environment, renters and weakens democracy. It jeopardizes affordable housing stock and it's a gravy train giveaway to politically connected developers. I worry that this government's party with the public purse is completely out of control. Speaker, our City Councillors were elected by the people of London to lead our community. This government was not. Ontario cannot go backwards on the environment, democracy and protections for people who need it the most. I hope that this government will listen and learn what municipalities require and collaborate rather than dictate. Thank you. The member from Aurora New Market. Madam Speaker, I would like to inform the Chamber today of a tremendous community organization in my writing of New Market Aurora called In From The Cold, whose mission is to meet the needs of people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. They provide emergency shelter in harsh winter conditions and offer a drop-by program, which is open seven days a week where community members are served meals, have access to shower and laundry facilities, as well as to computers and the internet. I am very pleased to announce that this year, our government has supported In From The Cold with two resilient communities grants. These total, a total of $277,400 through the Ontario Trillium Foundation. These grants help In From The Cold with staffing costs, including the hiring of a systems navigator. The grant also helped with the costs associated with building a new website to improve its digital presence, as well as to implement a health and wellness strategy and organizational risk management plan. When turning the facility, I had the privilege to meet their systems navigator and volunteers while witnessing firsthand the many vital services they provide. I would like to thank Anne Watson, the executive director, and all the volunteers at In From The Cold for the great work they do in our community. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The member from Kewetsuno again. Amigwe Sb. Amigwe Sb. Good morning. Winter is almost upon us. This morning, I'd like to raise awareness of the impact of house fires and risks in First Nations. In 2019, in Kichindamaeksep, Ninoak, also known as KAI, a mother and four children passed away from a house fire. Unfortunately, I have stood in this house here and asked for moments of silence, multiple times for people in Kiewetnung who have died in house fires. At that time, KAI had had a non-operational fire truck and then a complete fire hall due to lack of funding. Despite First Nations having a 10 times higher mortality rate compared to non-First Nations communities in Ontario, First Nations children ages zero to nine have the highest fire-related mortality rate, which is 86 times, speaker, 86 times greater than non-First Nations children in Ontario. House fires and hazards are at an increased risk in all First Nations where access to fire departments and emergency medivacs require additional time for support. Or they may not even have access to this. Who do not have access year-round roads? And it's a challenge for First Nations, 24 First Nations in Kiewetnung. These concerns are directly linked to safety, well-being in lives of children. As the seasons change, I ask the members to consider the experiences of families in the North as they try to stay warm while living in these conditions. Miigwe, speaker. Member statements, the member for Carlton. Hey, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about one of Manitick's most charming and whimsical shops, the Gingerbread Man. Many from the historic village of Manitick and those that have traveled from far and wide to see the one-of-a-kind shop will remember the gingerbread aroma that filled the shop as soon as you stepped foot through the door. The incredibly detailed gingerbread showpieces, the multitude of gingerbread cookies for every occasion, the famous Buttertarts, the delicious Cawartha ice cream and so much more. Richard Palferman started the Gingerbread Man in 1998 in Toronto and eventually in 2001, he moved his home and business to Manitick. The shop has grown with the village of Manitick and had the pleasure of watching neighborhood families grow and have their gingerbread houses become part of Christmas traditions. The shop is also where Richard met his wife, Kairi. Kairi helped the business grow with her fantastic shortbread, banana bread and intricate decorating skills. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, on November 4th, Richard and Kairi were devastated by a massive fire that took away their home and business. The 150-year-old building, which is one of the first houses ever built in Manitick, will have to be torn down. The weeks before Christmas are the most busiest time of year for them. The loss of business means loss of revenue to pay their bills and support the community and the loss of their home means that they're left a hole in their hearts. Mr. Speaker, this is a huge loss for the village of Manitick. I send out my condolences to Richard and Kairi. And if anyone wishes to support them, please check out their website online. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Any more statements? The member for Janiskaming Parker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again make this house aware of a situation in my riding. The importation, storage and spreading of raw human sewage imported from Quebec stored on a former dairy farm lagoon. The neighbors raised concern when this was approved by the current minister of environment. I contacted the minister, especially because it was a former dairy lagoon and there was a well situated in the area. The ministry replied that it was a green site, no former, there was no former infrastructure and there was no well. There is a well, it was former infrastructure. When I made this again aware to the minister, no reply. A few weeks ago, I wrote the minister a letter saying, well, since the ministry didn't even identify there was a well, how can the neighbors be assured that you've identified any of the other infrastructure around the former dairy site? I got a nice letter back on Friday saying everything is fine. On Saturday, hopefully by coincidence, the lagoon was pumped. On Saturday night, after dark, excavators went in and excavated at night till 4.30 in the morning. I called the MOE, no report, but the local MOE inspector did send an email to one of the neighbors that this was MOE sanctioned and they were digging out the former foundations of the barn that didn't exist. We want all the documentation. We no longer have faith in the ministry. We need all the documentation. Thank you, Speaker. Member Statements, the member for Kitchener Conestoga. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And normally when we get up and do Member Statements, we talk a little bit about something that's happening in our riding. But gosh darn it, Speaker, I am so excited. I just can't hide it. The World Cup is coming on November 20th on Sunday. And Speaker, I am a huge football or soccer fan. And believe it or not, for everybody here in the house, I actually have two children. One of them's middle name is Chelsea after Chelsea Football Club. And one of them's middle name is Robin, R-O-B-B-E-N after the Dutch footballer, Adrien Robin. So I'm a huge fan. I'm very excited. Really looking forward to seeing for the first time since 1986, Canada playing in the World Cup. Now I will say, Speaker, I'm a little partial to the German team. And we normally fly the German flag outside our house actually during the World Cup. But this year it's going to be a little bit different. We'll make sure that the Canadian flag is on top. But I encourage everybody if you have an opportunity, it's a little bit different with it being Qatar this session, I guess you could say. And the games are going to be on different times. It's going to be a little weird. But they start on the 20th. If you have an opportunity, please tune in. Support Canada. I know we have some athletes that are here from Team Ontario today as well. And so welcome to the Ontario legislature. And maybe one day they'll have an opportunity to play in the World Cup as well. Thank you. Member Stavins, the member for Guelph. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today to pay tribute to the thousands of acres of protected land that will be lost to the government's plan to pave over the Greenbelt. And to give voice to the millions of people in this province who love the Greenbelt, they want the Premier to keep his promise. Over and over again, inside and outside this house, the Premier explicitly promised to protect the Greenbelt from development. It's because there's a reason these lands are protected. It's the land that protects us from expensive floods. Cleans our drinking water. It's home to so many places that people love to spend time with their family. Home to the farmland that feeds us and supports our economy. And all this is under threat. So a handful of land speculators can turn millions into billions. And the rest of us will pay the price and longer commutes, higher flood costs, increased property taxes, and reduced food security. Speaker, there's 88,000 acres of land already approved for development within existing urban boundaries where we can build affordable homes and communities people want to live. We simply cannot afford to continue to lose 319 acres of farmland each and every day. So on behalf of my constituents and millions of Ontarians, we say, Premier, keep your promise. Keep your hands off the Greenbelt. Thank you. Member's statements. Member for Essex. Mr. Speaker, all of us remember that under Liberal government, 300,000 jobs fled the province of Ontario. But, Mr. Speaker, I have good news. Because those jobs are coming back. They're coming back to my riding of Essex, and they're coming back to the town of Kingsville. And I had the pleasure of going to Kingsville with the Minister of Economic Development and Trade. And he brought a provincial investment of $1 million to the town of Kingsville. And that $1 million is going to be matched by $11.5 million by business investors for a total of $12.5 million of manufacturing investment in the town of Kingsville. Now, that's a town of 21,000 people. So $12.5 million is a big deal. It's going to create 29 jobs, good jobs, skilled jobs, jobs you can start a family with, jobs you can build a house with. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Minister of Economic Development and Trade. And I want to thank the leadership of the Premier. I want to congratulate Idlecore Industries of Kingsville and MC3 Manufacturing of Kingsville for creating good, long-lasting jobs for the people of the county of Essex. Thank you. Thank you. Member statements. The member for Windsor to come see. Hey, hey, hey. Thank you, Speaker. I'd like to recognize a tremendous and well-loved institution in my riding Windsor to come see, the Greater Windsor Concert Band. This past weekend, the band celebrated their silver jubilee and true to form, they celebrated in style with a free community concert at the Serbian Center of Windsor. Led by their enigmatic director, Rick Moore, the band brings back to our community the magic of wind band and concert band music into our community. From their humble beginnings in 1997, comprised of Rick and 12 musicians that he was able to recruit and host it at St. Thomas of Villanova High School, the band delivered their first of many Christmas shows that year and have kept an incredible holiday spirit alive in our community ever since. The COVID-19 pandemic didn't keep the band down. Their YouTube and TikTok channels are going strong, delivering incredible music when it was needed the most to keep our spirits lifted. And for those among us who just can't get enough of all I want for Christmas is you, rest assured that the Greater Windsor Concert Band has an incredible rendition of this beloved holiday classic. Thank you to President Diane Hernandez, Vice President Lori Coulter, Secretary Annette LaRose, Treasurer Matthew Grayson, and Directors Karen Barnes, Amanda Hansen, Angela Manser and Laura Zartlinga for sharing your love of music with all of us in Windsor to come. Thank you very much. That concludes our member statements for this morning.