 It is time for oral questions. I recognize the leader of His Majesty's Loyalist Proposition. Good morning, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Every day we find out new details about who and how this government's insiders were involved in the Green Belt grab. Public accounts reveal that this government paid the Premier's former Principal Secretary Amin Masoudi nearly a quarter of a million dollars to do the same job via his private company Atlas Strategies. So my question to the Premier is why did the Premier hire his good friend to provide the same services but at an exorbitant pay increase? I'm the government house leader and Minister of Missile Affairs and Housing. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As you know, in the Premier highlighted a couple of weeks ago, Mr. Masoudi is no longer employed by PC Caucus Services. Supplementary question. Speaker, back to the Premier. We all remember Mr. Masoudi for his participation in the infamous Las Vegas Boys trip with Green Belt land speculator Shakira Matula. Last week, journalists asked the Premier's office about Mr. Masoudi's lucrative contract and a spokesperson for the Premier said that the contract has ended and he has no formal role. When exactly did the contract with Mr. Masoudi's firm Atlas Strategies end? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, the Premier highlighted a couple of weeks ago and I could follows up that contract had ended and Mr. Masoudi is no longer working for PC Caucus Services. The final supplementary. Thank you back to the Premier. The people of this province deserve to know the exact date this contract ended because Mr. Masoudi's firm was registered to lobby the government on November 3, 2022. If there was an overlap, it means that a company actively lobbying the government was also writing the Premier's speeches and drafting his communication strategy at the same time. At the very least, a close friend of the Premier got a pretty sweet gig. $230,000 for just three months of work. So back to the Premier. Which is it? Mr. Mr. Ferris and House. Surprising that the member opposite is wrong, Mr. Speaker. But again, as the Premier said, that contract was terminated a couple of weeks ago as highlighted by the Premier. Mr. Masoudi himself, I'm told, has never been registered to lobby the government. If she has a complaint, I would suggest that she take that up with the Integrity Commissioner. And I'm sure that he will investigate that further. But as I said, he's no longer employed by PC Caucus Research Services. The next question. Once again, the Leader of the Opposition. Thank you, Speaker. Sometimes it's what they won't say. Speaker, back to the Premier. Government lawyers have now confirmed that the Premier routinely uses his personal devices to conduct government business. The Premier was warned by the Information and Privacy Commissioner that government business must be conducted on government devices and platforms. It's about basic transparency. This is not new. Why has the Premier refused to follow the Commissioner's guidance? The Honourable Member will know that this Premier has been very open with respect to how people can contact him. As I said last week, he in fact gave his phone number out in the House publicly for everybody to call. Now, I know I've been with him and it's a number of our caucus members have been with him. When he's answering calls from constituents with respect to programs or services for people in his riding, he's not going to stop doing that because that's the type of person he is. The slogan for the people isn't just a slogan for us. It is at the core of what we do. Everything that we do since 2018 has been about advancing the people of the province of Ontario, unleashing the economy. And now we're going to tackle the housing affordability crisis that they helped create with the Liberals. It's about doing what's right for the people of the province of Ontario. This Premier is not going to stop doing that. This caucus won't stop doing that. The only people getting in the way is the opposition and their partners in the Liberal Party. Please take their seats. Start the clock. Supplementary. Speaker, if he's so open, why won't he release his records? It's really important to remember that the Commissioner's guidance came after staff in this Premier's office were caught using personal email accounts to arrange for the Premier's souped up custom van. Speaker, the people of Ontario are not going to be played for fools. Did the Premier intentionally continue to use personal devices in order to avoid freedom of information requests? This is a party that can't even get a standing ovation right. And they expect the people of the province of Ontario to ever put confidence in them to govern. Give me a break, Mr. Speaker. I'll tell you what happened in the last election. We went to the people of the province of Ontario. We said that we're going to continue to unleash the power of the economy of Ontario. You know why? Because it's not only good for the people of Ontario. It's good for all of Canada when Ontario succeeds. And that's why people from out want to see what we're doing. And it is good for all of Canada, Mr. Speaker. So I tell the member opposite, take a look behind you. There are so many fewer NDP members in that caucus. You know why? Because the people of the province of Ontario put their faith in a progressive Conservative government to continue to build the economy, to tackle the housing affordability crisis, and to continue a future better. Speaker, global news has requested the Premier's personal phone logs after an FOI request found no evidence the Premier had used his government phone during a one-week period in November. Remember, this was when the government was planning for the green belt grab and various urban boundary expansions were being announced. The Auditor General and the Integrity Commissioner found that favoured land speculators received preferential treatment as a result of these decisions. So to the Premier, will his personal phone logs reveal conversations with the very land speculators who benefited from preferential treatment by this government? What can you do about a Leader of the Opposition who doesn't understand that we have a Premier who actually takes calls from Ontarians? Imagine this, Mr. Speaker. He got up in the house and gave his personal phone number out in the house on the record for everybody to call. That's what he did. And that's probably why this caucus has grown. That's probably why we want a larger majority than we had in 2018. But you know what the real reason is? Because we continue to focus on the priorities of the people of the province of Ontario, Mr. Speaker. We said in 2018, colleagues, remember when we said that a carbon tax would hurt the province of Ontario's economy? What did they say? No, we said federal policies of high taxes were cheap and the carbon tax would hurt the Ontario economy. They said no and they doubled down to support the federal Liberals. You know what we're going to do? We're going to fight it every step of the way. We're going to continue to cut taxes, continue to cut red tape because we don't accept high interest rates that are what happens when you do all of the things that they want us to do. It takes too many people out of the economy and we won't. Good morning, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, the details just don't add up on the former ministers trip to Vegas with a green belt speculator. The member for Mississauga East Cokesville, Mr. Massoudi and Mr. Tuzdel all suspiciously and consistently told the integrity commissioner that their trip was in 2019 when it actually occurred months later. The former minister said he only saw the developer in the lobby. Now it's reported that they got spa services at the same time. Would the Premier agree as a generally accepted practice that members of the Ontario legislature shall present only honest and true information to the integrity commissioner? Obviously, Mr. Speaker. That is up to that member to ensure that he does that with the integrity commissioner. I'm certain that he will do just that, but that is a member that is no longer serving in this caucus. It is a member who has taken responsibility and resigned from cabinet because the Premier expects only the highest standards from his cabinet and caucus. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we are focused on what matters to the people of the province of Ontario and that is growing the economy. Look, there is no doubt that we made a public policy decision that was not supported by the people of the province of Ontario. We suggested we would open up the green belt to expedite housing. We accept that responsibility, Mr. Speaker, but what we will not accept is the oppositions continue obstruction on building new homes for the people of the province of Ontario. You know what? People want out of their parents' basement. They want to have a home for themselves so that they can build a bigger, better opportunities and futures for their families. We'll remain focused on that. We'll get the job done, Mr. Speaker. Speaker, on this side of the house, we will always vote for integrity. Doing the right thing is always the right thing to do. When we're elected to this legislature, we all take an oath. We pledge that we will all perform our duties honestly. Key members of the Premier's staff and a former cabinet minister all mistakenly misremembered the date of a luxurious trip to Vegas consistently. Can't recall exactly how they paid for the trip and don't mention the good luck massage. What's worse, their story was only corrected when the media reported evidence to the contrary. How can we trust this Premier to hold members accountable for violating the Members Integrity Act when he himself won't follow the recommendations of officers of the legislature? Just the opposite, Mr. Speaker. Not only did we accept the 15 recommendations of the Auditor General, we are going even further by ensuring that the boundaries of the Greenbelt are codified in law, something that has never happened before, Mr. Speaker. Look, he talks about integrity in government. Look, we are building a bigger, better, stronger province of Ontario. But I wonder, when he says about the oath that they signed, I wonder if the former member from Brampton would feel the same way. You remember Kevin Yard, right? You remember Kevin Yard. I wonder what the former member from York Southwestern might think about your integrity pledge over there, Mr. Speaker. I tell you what we're going to do. We're going to continue to focus on what matters for the people of the province of Ontario. And that's building a bigger, better, stronger economy that brings everybody into that prosperity, Mr. Speaker, because we know what? We want kids out of their basements. We want them in a home of their own. We want them to help build a better Ontario for future generations. If that's not what our job is, then what else is it to do here, Mr. Speaker? The next question, a member from Mississauga, Erin Mills. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the minister of economic development, job creation, and trade. The previous Liberal government with support from the NDP watched it on as life science companies in Ontario backed up their operations and went to innovate in other jurisdictions. Thankfully, our government took immediate action to fix this, and our province life science sector is now recognized as a global leader. However, in views of ongoing and emerging needs for life-saving medications and interventions, it is crucial that our government continue to prioritize investments in this critical sector. Speaker, can the minister please explain what our government is doing to support life science systems? Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade. Speaker, Ontario is the largest life sciences jurisdiction in Canada. It's home to 19,000 firms and 70,000 workers. In just three years, we have attracted $3 billion in new investments in the life sciences sector. That is why our government launched a new life sciences strategy. This is the very first strategy in over a decade, and that will help us grow the number of jobs in the life sciences sector to 85,000 by 2030. It includes $15 million in a life sciences innovation fund, which will help entrepreneurs take their innovative ideas to market. And it includes a life sciences council that we're working with right now to find opportunities to increase our company's competitiveness and encourage the adoption of Ontario-made innovations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the minister for his response. It is great to hear that we have been able to attract over $3 billion in life science investments in the past few years. Every year, we have over 65,000 students graduating from STEM programs at our globally recognized universities and colleges, who is one of the most after work space workforce in the world. It is no surprise that global life science companies are investing and expanding in Ontario. Speaker, can the minister please elaborate on some of the investments our government has been able to secure in the life science sector? Just think about this for a minute. Ontario is home to critical medical breakthroughs, including the discovery of insulin, developing the very first cardiac pacemaker, and detecting the cystic fibrosis gene. That's what we've done here in Ontario, and that's why life sciences ecosystem is so noticed around the world. We've attracted game changing investments like Moderna's multi-million dollar partnership with Novakol pharma to expand vaccine manufacturing right here in Ontario. This is in addition to the $500 million investment from AstraZeneca earlier this year, which is creating 500 highly skilled jobs and boosting the capacity to develop innovative medicines. Speaker, these investments are a vote of confidence in Ontario's thriving sector. Thank you very much. The next question is for Ottawa Central. Thank you, Speaker, my questions to the Premier. Six years ago, the Scottish people found out Phil Verster, then CEO of Scott Rail, was receiving a salary of $430,000, a $28,000 rent supplement, a $16,000 car allowance, and full private health care for himself and his family. Mr. Verster got these perks, Speaker, besides months of delays, malfunctions, and fare hikes in Scotland's rail system. He resigned in disgrace in 2017, but the Liberals then hired him to run Metrolix in 2017, and he has failed to deliver transit on budget and on time ever since. But, Speaker, the government just renewed Mr. Verster's contract. Reports are suggesting he could earn up to a million dollars a year with God knows how many perks. My question to the Premier, why are you rewarding failure? Mr. Speaker, our government is investing $70.5 billion in the next 10 years in the largest transit expansion in the history of Canada. Mr. Speaker, we have multi-billion dollar projects like Go Rail expansion program, four priority subway program. Mr. Speaker, since 2018, the scope of Metrolix has significantly expanded. Either we are focusing on building Ontario Line or shoveling the ground for Scarborough subway. After 30 years of inaction from the former Liberal government supported by NDP, we are getting shoveled in the ground. Mr. Speaker, under the leadership of Premier Ford, we are investing across Canada, so we are investing the largest investment across Ontario. Mr. Speaker, we are making life more affordable. Thank you. We start the call. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. To be clear, the government, back to the Premier, is rewarding an executive that failed the country of Scotland and that is failing the province of Ontario. We remember how these Conservative Speaker in 2017 and 2018 railed against Mayo Schmidt, the $6 million man who helped the Liberal government sell off Hydro One, but now they are the conductor, sadly, of Phil Verster's gravy train at Metrolix. Commuters are suffering. Transit workers are suffering. Hundreds of small businesses have had to close because of Mr. Verster's failure, but his army of 59 vice presidents at Metrolix and 19 C-suite executives continues to rake in perks and massive paychecks. So, Speaker, a simple question to the government, to the Premier. Will he stand up for transit riders, transit workers, demand accountability at Metrolix, and fire Phil Verster today? Mr. Speaker, our government will not take lessons from the member opposite who just want to see Ontarians stuck in gridlock forever. Mr. Speaker, NDP claims to want more public transit, but in record, they have voted against every single measure our government has put forward to make that happen. Mr. Speaker, where there is subway, stop or subway, Ontario line, even right now, Mr. Speaker, our government is making life more affordable for transit riders from Durong region, York region, Minnesota. We are making, we are discounting the double fare. So, moving forward for city of Toronto for TTC riders, Mr. Speaker, no more two fares or three fares. We are making one fare that will save 1600. They don't come to order. House leader will come to order. Member for Kitchener, Conestoga will come to order. Start the clock. Next question, the member for Peterborough Court. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure how I can follow up that answer. My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and the Minister of Northern Development. The previous Liberal government, propped up by the NDP, drove jobs out of Ontario and failed to unlock our province's full economic potential. In contrast to the failed leadership of the previous Liberal government, we must recognize and respect that Indigenous businesses are valuable in supporting critical supply chains across many sectors. Our government must appreciate the unique perspectives and contributions in the business sector, which are essential in building a stronger Ontario. While our government has implemented positive measures to ensure that all Ontarians have the opportunity to participate in our growing economy, more needs to be done to support Indigenous communities. Speaker, can the Minister please explain how our government is increasing economic prosperity for Indigenous people across Ontario? Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. This is about engaging First Nations leadership and First Nations business leaders in their own forms, Mr. Speaker. Talking about opportunities in legacy infrastructure projects, major energy corridor projects, Mr. Speaker, not less than a couple of weeks ago we talked with a number of chiefs about some exciting hydro electricity projects that won't just supply their communities, Mr. Speaker, but will also host anchor tenants in the resource sector. In southwestern Ontario, we've established table-specific projects, specific opportunities where First Nations business leaders, Mr. Speaker, and business leaders have an opportunity to get in the same room and talk about real opportunities and take action. We are a participant at those tables, Mr. Speaker, and we're seeing real progress being made with Ontario's First Nations economic development businesses. Thank you. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. And from the Minister's response, it's evident that the Indigenous Economic Development Fund is leading the positive outcomes for Indigenous communities and is helping to advance economic prosperity for Ontario as a whole. However, businesses are only one part of what makes up a vibrant economy. Prosperity is also amplified through relationships and investments that expand cultural and recreational opportunities that not only benefit communities in the north, but also include people all across Ontario. Our government must continue to partner with Indigenous communities on initiatives that will lead to long-term economic growth. Speaker, can the Minister please explain how our government is supporting Indigenous communities in ways that will strengthen their economic prosperity? That's right. Indigenous Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Mr. Speaker, increasingly we're seeing First Nations communities consolidating their resources when it comes to business activities, partnering with other First Nations communities, and tapping into business expertise. Take, for example, the Ontario First Nations Economic Development Agency. Now, this ministry supports them wholeheartedly. We promote economic development officers in communities throughout Ontario. We provide business capacity. We support recruitment and retention of qualified business people to support First Nations communities and or their businesses in their efforts. And we work with them very closely, Mr. Speaker, on improving First Nations procurement, not just in the private sector, Mr. Speaker, but also in the public sector. These are all examples, Mr. Speaker, of communities that are moving forward on key business projects that support their community in the surrounding area for a greater, more fulsome sense of prosperity, Mr. Speaker, that includes First Nations people, their communities, Mr. Speaker, and their businesses. Thank you. Thank you. The next question. The Member for Niagara Centre. Thank you, Speaker. Through you to the Premier. The Premier has constantly claimed that there is no government spending on the Greenbelt scandal. Yet just two days after the Auditor General released a damning report about the Greenbelt grab, this government started flooding the airways with an ad campaign attempting to salvage their image. So, first this government takes Greenbelt lands to enrich their friends, next they take tax dollars to try to change the channel. Will the Premier tell us how much this vanity project is costing the people of Ontario? Mr. and Ms. Morefairs and House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, what we're doing is highlighting for the people of the province of Ontario that this government is focused on their priorities. Now, housing is a priority not just for progressive conservative voters, but it's a priority for all Ontarians. Regardless of what side of the house you come on, you should be focused on that. Now, Mr. Speaker, we know that the NDP and the Liberals have voted against every single measure that we have put on the table to help unleash the housing sector in the province of Ontario. In fact, it has literally taken us 15 years or five years to undo the damage that was done by the Liberals supported by the NDP, and it's going to take us still even more because we're going to be bringing even more bills forward to help ensure that we can get homes built in communities across Ontario who are calling us and saying they want to participate. Now, I don't know why the NDP are against, I do know why the NDP are against building homes because it's the same thing, right? They want people to be dependent on governments. We want people to be able to flourish on their own with the support of the government when they need it. That's the difference between us and them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, we know the public knows, and this government knows that the Greenbelt Brab was never about housing. Instead of building affordable and sustainable housing, this government is spending taxpayers' dollars on a PR campaign to distract from their scandal. The people of Ontario deserve clear, decisive answers on how public dollars are being used. Will this government tell Ontarians how much this ad campaign is costing them? Good question. Good question. Mr. Secretary of Affairs and Housing, and so forth. Those will be tabled in the House and the opposition has the opportunity to review those estimates. In fact, it's our government that has given the opportunity to review the estimates of every single ministry that never happened before. But you know who voted against that transparency? They did, Mr. Speaker. The NDP and the Liberals voted against that transparency. But here comes down to one thing, Mr. Speaker, over and over and over and over again, tax, spend, doom and gloom. And what we're going to focus on is building Ontario stronger than it was before. We're going to be working with those businesses that want to invest in here, the people around this country who are looking at Ontario and saying we need you to continue to prosper because it's not only good for the people of the province of Ontario, it is good for all of Canada when Ontario prospers. We will not be deterred in our mission to build more homes, to get kids out of their parents' basements so they can have all the same benefits that we have had. Only the NDP want to keep them in the basements, and of course the Liberals will help them do it. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions for the Premier. Last year, the former Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing overrode Ottawa's urban boundary expansion and added an additional 654 hectares for development after City Council had already evaluated and added other lands. The former minister added lands that were so unsuitable for development because of their agricultural designation they weren't even evaluated by experts. This includes a 37 hectare parcel on Waters Road in Orleans that was designated agricultural resource and is an active farm. After the City confirmed this designation, the farm was purchased by a group that has donated significantly to the Conservative Party and stood to make millions from the development. After holding up the City's official plan for two years and after receiving tens of thousands of dollars in donations from the landowners, the former minister added these lands to Ottawa's urban boundary. Mr. Speaker, can the Premier share with us the process used to evaluate the suitability of these lands for inclusion in the boundary? Who was involved in that determination and what influence, if any, did political contributions and personal relationships have on their decision? The member knows full well that in addition to the urban boundary in itself does not mean that that parcel of land would be developed upon the City remains in control of when or if that additional space is developed, Mr. Speaker. I was just in Ottawa actually last Thursday speaking with Mayor Sutcliffe and he is everybody as excited as we are to help build more homes in his community because he understands how important it is. Now the one thing he did say to me is that federal government policies are hurting his city. There's not a return to work in a lot of instances so it's really hurting the people of downtown Ottawa, Mr. Speaker. So we're going to do our part to ensure that Ottawa prospers, that Ottawa grows. We have incredible members, the member for Napien and the member for Carlton who are helping every single day. Despite the fact that the member opposite does nothing to help us, we're building long-term care homes. We're building transportation. We're making incredible investments in Ottawa to help the city grow, Mr. Speaker. I hope he'll get on board and help us do the same. My supplementary is also for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, the Mayor is so convinced of the government's process that he voted unanimously with City Council to ask the Minister to review that process from last year. Following the purchase of these ag lands, but before their designation by the Minister, it appears that the directors of the corporation collectively donated tens of thousands of dollars to the Conservative Party. Since that redesignation, Mr. Speaker, the former Minister unilaterally added these lands without the city having undertaken any scientific or consultative review of the quality of the lands for farming or their suitability for urbanization. The company who purchased the lands is referenced in the integrity commissioner's report about Minister Clark's behaviour as having lands on the infamous USB key, lands on the USB key, donations to the Conservative Party, connections to Conservative insiders. It's sounding awfully familiar, Mr. Speaker. Maybe there's a Mr. X in Ottawa as well. Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, was the delay in approving Ottawa's official plan designed? Member, we'll take a seat. Mr. and Mr. Ferris and House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I just said, look, the City of Ottawa remains in control of when or if those lands will be developed or serviced for that matter. But here again is another question from the opposition, from the Liberals, who for 15 years put obstacle after obstacle after obstacle in the way and led us into a housing crisis, Mr. Speaker. But I know why they're having such trouble, right? Because this Minister of Finance cut taxes for purpose-built rentals. You remember when he did that? And what did we say? We said to the federal government, you have to come on board. You have to help us by matching that with a GST cut. But we know Liberals hate to cut taxes, but they finally had to admit, thanks to one person in the Liberal Government, Minister Frazier, they finally had to admit that cutting taxes means improving an economy. Now, they did it only once. Only once, and that's because of the leadership of this Minister of Finance, Mr. Speaker. We're going to work with Alberta and every other province to cut taxes for all Canadians to unleash the economy so that everybody can participate in the Canadian dream that they took away. The next question, the member for Burlington. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. No jurisdiction wants to fall behind in implementing technological advancements that can make it more convenient and efficient for people and businesses to interact with government services. However, with new emerging technological advancements, the protection of personal information is rightfully a key concern for many individuals. Ontarians reassurance that our government is protecting the safety and security of their personal information in an ever-evolving digital world. Speaker, can the Minister please explain how our government is approaching the integration of digital solutions that will help to improve the delivery of public services? That's it. The Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the member for Burlington, the excellent member for Burlington, for her question. The falling behind that the member described is a very real concern for governments around the world. That is why our Ontario government is taking decisive action by making strategic investments to ensure that we remain a leader when it comes to technological security. Recently, Ontario had the privilege of hosting members and deputy ministers from federal, provincial and territorial governments across Canada for the third-ever symposium for digital trust and cyber security. That symposium was held in beautiful Niagara on the lake. This symposium focused on increasing people's confidence and participation in our ever-evolving digital world. Because only by working as one united team can we further succeed in our work to build innovative digital solutions and highlight new possibilities to streamline and improve the delivery of public services for all the people, for businesses, organizations and institutions that call Ontario home. Thank you, Speaker. While it's important that Ontario is working with the rest of Canada to understand changes in the technology sector, people are rightfully concerned about protecting themselves and their personal information. We regularly hear from individuals and families throughout Ontario who have brought forward concerns about the potential impacts advanced technologies could have on their day-to-day lives. It's reasonable to say that confidence in the security of the digital world is critical to our province's success in the digital economy. Ontarians are looking to our government for answers, and they expect our government to protect them and their personal information. Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is ensuring that Ontario is protected from any potential or perceived digital threats? Absolutely. Mr. Public and Business Service Committee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and another thoughtful question from the great member for Burlington. Cybersecurity is the top priority for the Premier and our Ontario government. We know that cyber security, the landscape is changing exponentially, with cyber attacks growing in frequency and sophistication while the public sector remains a top target. Now Ontarians can rest assured, Mr. Speaker, that our government is working hard to develop the next iteration of the cyber security strategy by leveraging the recent OPS Cybersecurity Maturity Assessment and the BPS Expert Panel Report. Now, this is October, and it's a great month for Blue Jay's baseball, and today is the first day of the playoffs. But it's also Cyber Security Awareness Month, and it's an important time for Ontarians not just to watch our Blue Jay's, but to learn about how they can continue to keep themselves safe online, while also learning about the work our government does to protect them and their personal information, so I encourage all members and viewers watching at home to stay tuned to the coming weeks. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education. TVO workers have entered their seventh week on strike, fighting for fair wage increases after a decade of watching inflation erode their salaries. Now they're being asked to accept another three years of below inflation increases while TVO management have set aside 17 million dollars for mysterious and unspecified quote-unquote long-term investments. A small fraction of that 17 million could end this strike tomorrow. My question is back to the Minister. Will the Minister direct TVO management to make a fair bargain with CMG workers? Thank you. Speaker, I'm disappointed of course to see that the two parties have not been able to resolve the negotiations to date. Our goal is and has always been to negotiate collective agreements that are fair and equitable to Ontario's dedicated public servants, but at the same time support the long-term fiscal sustainability for the people of Ontario. There's no question that labour negotiations require some give and take, Mr. Speaker, and it's a lot of hard work, but we are the goal for both sides remains the same, a fair and equitable agreement. So Mr. Speaker, we encourage the two parties to continue working to find a resolution that supports the goal of protecting the sustainability and high quality of Ontario's public services while respecting the taxpayers who pay for them. Thank you, Speaker. So my question is back to the Minister of Education. And a reminder for everyone here, the Minister of Points TVO's board, the Minister of Points TVO CEO and TVO actually delivers on this government's priorities like more remote learning. So the Minister can't wash their hands of responsibility here. These are education workers, Speaker, their journalists, their producers, and they're buckling under the affordability crisis, whether it's rent, whether it's food. So I will ask again, will the Minister, will the Government of Ontario direct TVO to make a fair deal with its workers or agree to binding arbitration to end this strike promptly? Again to the Minister of Education. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I do thank the member for the question. I want to reaffirm the message shared by the President of the Treasury Board that we want all parties to come together to put children first. And as we just did last week with OSSTF, a large union in the province of Ontario, where we were able to sign a deal, a pathway that avert to strike and keep kids in school. And so we want that spirit to, we want the spirit of unity to come together around the negotiating table, where all parties come together and sign a deal that ensures the continuity of services. We value the work of TVO employees, be it mathified, digital learning, the high quality online courses, which of course members opposite of systematically opposed. The bottom line is, Speaker, we value their contributions, fundings at $50 million for TVO specifically, and we reaffirm and urge all the parties to come together to sign a deal that allows the continuity of these critical services in Ontario. The next question, the member for Peterborough Corth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Someone was asleep. My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. The time-honored activities of hunting and fishing have been enjoyed and cherished by Ontarians over many generations. However, considerations regarding conservation of fish and wildlife across our province are equally important. That's why it's vital that our government has robust programs in place to manage fish and wildlife species, to help sustain their populations and to protect their habitat and ecosystems. Speaker, can the Minister please explain how our government is protecting and supporting wildlife and their environments while also ensuring that Ontarians are able to participate in hunting and fishing? Sir, natural resources and forestry. Well, thank you very much, Speaker, and thank you to the member for the question. It's an important one. And you know, we understand the importance of protecting and supporting wildlife in Ontario. In fact, Speaker, 100% of the dollars spent on licensing by hunters and anglers go back into those support programs. And that includes research and monitoring for black bear, moose, caribou populations. That includes stocking over 1,100 lakes with 8 million fish. So anglers can be ready for that next great catch, Mr. Speaker. That includes over 720,000 rabies vaccines that are distributed to the wildlife population to help evade rabies. And it also includes over 115,000 opportunities for our great conservation officers to work with members of the public every single year on education. Mr. Speaker, we are committed to wildlife in this province and we are committed to ensuring outdoor enthusiasts can stay on the lookout for that next great catch. Supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm a little disappointed that there are 8 million fish because I can't even catch a cold. This is important news for hunters and anglers as the fall season gets underway in Ontario. Speaker, we welcome the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters to the legislature today. They are headquartered in my riding. This organization brings a long history and reputation of advocacy for conserving Ontario's fish and wildlife resources while also enhancing hunting and fishing opportunities. OFAH proudly represents over 100,000 members, subscribers, supporters with 725 member clubs across our province. Speaker, can the minister please elaborate on how our government continues to work in partnership with OFAH to improve hunting and fishing in Ontario as well as conserving fish and wildlife resources? Thank you again, Speaker. And thank you to the member again for the question. You know, we have an absolutely fantastic relationship with OFAH and I'd encourage anybody if they haven't had the opportunity to go to Peterborough and go to their visitor's centre and just see what a fantastic experience that is. But, Mr. Speaker, we continue to do great work with this organization. The family fishing events that occur in Ontario four times a year, OFAH gives us great help with that and I was pleased to attend one in Brecken where they were helping us with the invasive species side of that conversation around bait fish and we continue to do great work with them on other invasive species projects. The community hatchery program that exists in many communities to support stalking efforts like I was talking about earlier and the great work that those community programs do, OFAH assists us with that. Mr. Speaker, we are going to continue to work hand in hand with this great organization. I'm looking forward to speaking with them later today and I want to thank them for making Ontario a world-class destination for outdoor enthusiasts, anglers and hunters. The next question, the member for Waterloo. Thank you very much, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, the Ontario Seniors Dental Care program has been a failure since it was created in 2019. The official poverty line for a single person in Ontario is estimated to be about $27,000 and yet the Ontario Seniors Dental Care program income cut off for a single senior is $22,200, much closer to what experts call the deep income poverty threshold. Weightless continue to grow across this province, Speaker, and seniors in Kitchener Waterloo want to know why this program for low income seniors does not even meet the basic, the basic expectation of serving seniors who are living in poverty. Thank you, Speaker. Ontario, of course, is leading the country as one of the few provinces to provide seniors access to high-quality dental care. In 2021, we actually reduced the qualifying income by over 10% making it easier for more seniors to access this program. In 2023, we had the highest total number of renewed clients with over 81,000 from 69,000 the year before and we have some innovative public health units that are actually providing dental care directly to patients so that they don't have to travel. We're making the changes and we're leading that innovation to ensure that people have access in their community where they need it. Thank you. Supplementary question. Thank you. I've got some numbers that counter that narrative, Speaker. We have established already that the income eligibility criteria for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care program is a disgrace. Currently, there are 1,281 seniors waiting for services just in the region of Waterloo. The average wait time to access services is two years. That's 24 months of seniors experiencing pain. That's nothing to be proud of. In Kitchener Waterloo, my office continues to hear from seniors who are eligible and have been, after receiving the one-time inflation payment from the federal government, they are now deemed ineligible after waiting for a whole year. In some cases, they're ineligible by 30 cents, my Speaker. The flawed design is causing immense stress, immense stress for seniors in the province of Ontario. Speaker, is the government content, which sounds like they are, with a flawed dental program that leaves Ontario seniors stranded on a wait list or bumped off never receiving the care that seniors deserve in this province? I'm not going to pound on the desk, but I will add some additional context. So, in last year's fall economic statement, our government invested $17 million over two years to extend dental service. Opposite should be sharing with her constituents that, in fact, she opposed and voted for that extension. We're doing the work. We're funding these programs that we know are so important, and the NDP continue to vote against those investments. Next question, Member for Brantford Grant. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Associate Minister of Housing. For nearly two decades under the previous Liberal government, propped up by the NDP, housing construction suffered in our province. Because of the indifference and inaction demonstrated under their watch, building homes in Ontario was not a priority. Creating the crisis that continues to pose challenges for many of the individuals and families in my riding of Brantford Grant. The seriousness of this housing crisis is not just felt in southwest Ontario. Communities across our province are facing similar challenges. And while our government has made major progress by passing new housing legislation, the people of Ontario are looking to our government to produce even more results and continue to show bold and decisive leadership. Speaker, can the Associate Minister please explain what actions our government is taking to increase housing construction in the province of Ontario? Associate Minister of Housing. And I thank the member from Brantford Brantford's question. And yes, Speaker, the member is spot on. We have a housing crisis in this province like we've never seen, and we have to fix it. But this results account, Speaker, and this government has delivered. Four housing supply action plans. We've delivered $700 million this year, up 200 million year over year for the homelessness prevention plan, $1.2 billion for the Building Faster Fund to support our municipalities. And we've cut red tape to get shovels in the ground faster. So this results account, results account. More homes built, more rental starts in the last two years, in over 30 years, Speaker. We also know that there's more to do. But while the opposition, while the opposition raises doubts, we're busy raising rules over the people of this province. There's more to do, Speaker. And more will be. Thank you. And the supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. Individuals and families across Ontario should be able to find a home that fits their needs. From the Associate Minister's response, it is clear that our government is making progress in boosting housing starts. However, there needs to be a significant increase in the overall housing supply across Ontario, especially rental housing. More needs to be done to boost rental housing starts and to reduce barriers in their construction so that more Ontarians have more choice and access to affordable housing. Speaker, can the Associate Minister please explain what measures our government is implementing to increase rental housing supply throughout Ontario? Thank you. Associate Minister. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you again to the member from Brantford Brant. Creating the environment for success is what leadership is about, and that is what this premier and this government has done. In fact, 15,000 purpose-built rentals, up 7.5% year over year. This is success. And I would also add that we need to, humbly submitted, pass the Affordable Homes of Good Jobs Act legislation before this legislature. It's going to lower costs. It's going to cut red tape. It's going to work with our municipal partner, municipal partners. It's bold. It's innovative. And it's result-oriented and premier and speaker. We have a mandate to act, and I would conclude we have a duty to succeed. We will get the job done. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the premier. The Northern Ontario Skilled Trades College is a success. 55% of graduates choose a family medicine and many of learners stay in Northern Ontario today. More than 400,000 residents of the North who need acute and critical care have the services of these graduates to count on. We knew it would be more expensive to build an independent medical school. $4 million more. Paris, San Moscow and other areas wrote to the premier to support the MNO request to provide a permanent increase in base funding. When will the government earmark the funding of $4 million yearly that it needs to stay open? That the NDP ironically voted against and now try to take credit for, right? So one of the great things that we've been doing since we got to government, again, after 15 years of destructive liberal government where they refused to build long-term care, they didn't add to our medical schools, Mr. Speaker. The member for Ottawa South is all up in arms about it, but we had crumbling hospitals. We have 1,000 ICU beds for the entire province, one of the lowest amounts in part of the Western world. But you know what we did? We're building new medical schools, one for the North. The NDP and Liberals voted against it. And for Ottawa South come North. The NDP and Liberals voted against it. We're building one in Brampton, NDP and Liberals against it. $50 billion to expand our hospitals. They voted against it. $14 billion for long-term care. Member for Ottawa South come to order. Supplementary? Member for Sudbury. Thank you very much, Speaker. Let me tell you about Tim, Speaker. Tim is an insulin-dependent diabetic with long-term disabilities. When his family doctor passed away, Tim was left without a family practitioner. He contacted the Health Connect North, or Health Connect Ontario to Noelville. He visited numerous family practices and nurse practitioner clinics, had no success. Tim eventually had to go to the waiting room of the emergency room for hours just to get his prescriptions filled. And Tim's not alone, Speaker. One out of eight Northern residents don't have access to a family doctor. This is why NOSM needs this money, Speaker. So to help people like Tim, will the Premier commit today to a permanent $4 million increase in the base funding for the Northern Ontario School of Medicine? Okay, so the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, including every other medical school in the province of Ontario, has 20 additional residency positions under this government. We have 20. Now, to sit and hear the NDP talk about the investments, the need to happen, where were you when we were doing, as of right, in the province of Ontario, legislatively saying if you have a license and can practice in any part of Canada, you can come to Ontario and immediately start working while you're licensed. They were saying, no, not appropriate. Where were the NDP when we were writing the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and say, please, you must, I direct you to make sure individuals who are rating on those lists to get assessed and ultimately licensed, to practice and then... The Member for Thornhill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Infrastructure. After years of neglect by the previous Liberal government, the housing crisis is affecting thousands of individuals and families across our province. Many Ontarians are facing challenges in finding housing that suits their needs. The lack of transit infrastructure is also creating barriers to accessing convenient transit services. That is why our government must implement solutions to address these important concerns in order to unlock our province's full economic potential. There are many economic, social and environmental benefits that can be achieved by increasing the housing supply and bringing housing closer to transit stations, like the Young North Subway extension. Questions. Speaker, can the Minister please explain how our government is addressing Ontario's housing and transit needs in order to build a stronger Ontario? Member for Brampton West. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the hardworking member from Thornhill for that great question. Mr. Speaker, yes, our government is currently making an unprecedented investment in housing. Mr. Speaker, as we see before our eyes, the population within our province is growing at an outstanding rate, and these people need somewhere to live and ways to get around. Mr. Speaker, our government is aware of these challenges, and if left unchecked, will lead to more issues in the future. That is why we introduce the Transportation for the Future Act that aims to help build more growth transit stations, which in turn will help to generate more housing and mixed use communities around transit infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, this will result in a more convenient commute across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, while also helping us to meet the goal of getting 1.5 million homes built by 2021. Mr. Speaker, it is one of the ways we're building up Ontario for families in the year ahead. Supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Parliamentary Assistant for his response. While the opposition parties continue to say no, our government knows and understands that housing and transportation are amongst the most important issues facing our communities. Communities that are built around transit infrastructure create an environment that will bring about more options for housing as well as opportunities for businesses and community services. It is vital that our government continues to pursue all options that will support solutions for housing and job creation. Speaker, can the Parliamentary Assistant please explain further what actions our government is taking to help improve the lives of Ontarians for generations to come? Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the member from Thornhill once again. Mr. Speaker, our proposed legislation would create a station contribution fee as a new tool to allow municipalities to stimulate the construction of new go transit stations. Mr. Speaker, this will bring a return of investment that will include accelerated transit expansion as well as vibrant mixed use communities that will contain much needed housing. This legislation also seeks to give permission to municipalities to recover costs from funding new go transit stations. Mr. Speaker, the station contribution fee would be collected until the full station cost are recovered. This will result in a reduction in other development costs. Mr. Speaker, building these transit-oriented communities will lead to more housing, local businesses, investment opportunities, reduced travel times and will create better connections between regions. Mr. Speaker, and to add to that that our subway transit-oriented community programs which has already led to 30 new sites creating 48,000 new housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Next question. The member for Tunis can talk. Thank you, Speaker. My questions to the Premier. Believe it or not, they are calling for snow in Northern Ontario this week. And we all know what happens when we get snow in Northern Ontario. Highway 11, Highway 17, once again become even more dangerous than they are now. They're closed a lot now in the summertime. But the first snow we can almost guarantee. So my question to the government is what progress is the government actually making with driving schools to ensure that every driver that's trained and licensed in Ontario is actually equipped to face the conditions that they will face when they go over Tebow Hill. Thank you. The Associate Minister of Transportation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our priority to ensure we have a safe and efficient highway network across our province, particularly in Northern Ontario, where the winter months pose significant challenges for drivers. Previously in my role as a parliamentary assistant to transportation, Mr. Speaker, I have done four-day driving tour throughout Ontario, starting from Thunder Bay all the way to North Bay to see the work that's been going on, Mr. Speaker. I want to highlight one thing. Ontario, Mr. Speaker, has nation-leading standards in places when it comes to winter maintenance and we intend to keep it that way. And also, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to Northern Ontario under the leadership of Premier Doug Ford, we are bringing the Northlander back. That concludes our question period for this morning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.