 Thank you seeing the clock is 1015 it is now time for member statement the member from Waterloo will be able to resume her debate at a later time I recognize the member from Kingston and the Islands for a member statement thank you speaker and I wish today to draw attention to the combined tragedy of the housing and opioid crises that are is unfolding in Kingston right now each made more acute by the pandemic we have few lines of defense against the outcomes of these epidemics but one of them that is particularly important is the integrated care hub this hub although stretch for resources provides essential support for our most vulnerable it is those speaker provincially funded and we are awaiting the announcement from the province of funding that will allow it to continue its essential work and it is essential work speaker it serves those who have the most complex needs and its services alleviate our already threadbare emergency services in Kingston I would like to share parts of a letter from a harm reduction worker who works at the ICH they say from March to December 2020 the rate of opioid related deaths in KFL and a average 20 per 100,000 exceeding the provincial average of 17 these figures are with the ICH open and operating 23 hours a day seven days a week for almost two years without the ICH we can expect overdose deaths to explode and overtake the rates reported by every other public health unit in Ontario the ICH was never intended to be a permanent solution but it is underfunded and precarious and we need it supported speaker we need the promise to step up support the most vulnerable and provide permanent funding for the integrated care hub thank you thank you member statements I recognize a member from Mississauga and Bolton thank you mr. Speaker mr. Speaker every year 35,000 Canadian experienced cardiac arrest in the public spaces and their homes unfortunately some do not survive it is important to note if they had access to an automated external defibrillator AED or CPR their survival rate would have been doubled in 2002 Mikey Salem a family man cherished by many was in joint golf in beautiful Muscoca when his heart skipped a beat far away from help Mikey passed away to ensure similar people affected by certain cardiac arrest have a second chance at life Heathwood and healthy launch the Mikey network organization since 2003 the Mikey network has installed 2700 AEDs in high-risk location including schools police station and good trends in Ontario and has provided CPR training to over 1300 people by using AEDs or Mikey's survival rate are increased by up to 50% and as a result 47 lives have been saved to date I want to say thank you to the management of Malton Merchant for informing me about the organization and for your hard work to arrange an AED for the safety and well-being of our community and I also like to extend my sincere gratitude and thanks to Huron Morty Henkel and the entire Mikey network team for your determination compassion and contributions your organization exemplifies the true Ontario spirit and thank you for saving lives to learn more to my colleagues you can visit at www.mikeynetwork.com because when hearts stop beating Mikey's save life thank you mr. Speaker thank you member statements the member for Niagara Falls Speaker I rise today with a question for the people of Niagara and all Ontario is like more affordable today than it was four years ago four years ago we heard newly elected Conservative government make lots of promises regarding affordability what happened four years ago the government said they're going to lower hydro rates by 12% they've actually gone up five this government promised to cut gas prices by 10 cents a liter in Niagara Falls this weekend it was over a dollar 50 a liter that's a 30 to 50 cent increase per liter over four years buying a home in Ontario in Niagara is out of reach for most people the medium price for a home in Niagara has increased by 33% in four years what costs $381,000 is now $717,000 the rental market has skyrocket the average cost of a one bedroom in Niagara Falls is 1400 a month a 17% increase in one year and this government cut rent control measures child care in Toronto is upwards $2,000 a month yet this government won't sign the deal for $10 a day child care while inflation rose 6% this month alone the Conservatives refused to repeal bill 124 with caps the wages of nurses and other workers that 1% but you know who the Conservatives made sure we're taking care of multinational corporations billionaires who made record profits during the pandemic companies like Walmart Amazon law laws for profit long-term care operators for taking care of well 4,000 seniors died from COVID in their facility in 100 days today we can change this there's a provincial election we can elect a government that will make decisions that make life more affordable for all of us not just the Conservative government's wealthy friends thank you thank you member statements the member for Scarborough agent court thank you mr. Speaker on November 30th 2021 I joined Ms. Lee Soda a agent court a agent court community service Association outside for short executive director and the staff to make a 369,600 dollar funding announcement to Scarborough agent court students for the after-school program to support safe and supervised activities for students during the school year in priority neighborhoods across our community the program help kids stay active and engaged improve academic performance and encourage leadership skills through activities such as sports recreation and physical activities personal wellness anti-bullying nutrition education and internet safety students in 10 Scarborough agent court the school will benefit from this timely funding this funding announcement for a Scarborough agent court the schools are part of our government investment of 13 million five hundred thousand dollars to Ontario after school program to support 110 organizations that provide activities for children living in high priority neighborhoods across the province AXA is the world recipient of this funding which helps 45 families in each school to fulfill their potentials and live a healthy life AXA has been a pioneer in serving our community especially during these challenging times their staff have been at the forefront of reaching out to our most needy families residents and seniors we are fortunate to have such a dedicated organization and team to make our community a better place to live work and raise family thank you very much thank you very much speaker speaker today I want to talk about Jim Hobbs Jim was a steelworker a hard rock miner mining helped Jim provide for his family helping to ensure that his four kids could finish post-secondary unfortunately for Jim like 25,000 Ontario mine workers he was forced to breathe finely ground aluminum dust known as McIntyre powder it wasn't optional this was a condition of Jim's employment it was breathe it or get fired before each ship they'd seal the doors the dry they'd seal the doors of the change room closed they turn up the ventilation and they pump a gray mist of fine aluminum into the air and encourage the miners breathe deep boys this will coat your lungs this will protect you from harm McIntyre powder is an improved medical treatment as early as 1946 international medical and scientific communities warned of potential harm to miners health despite those warnings was forced on Ontario miners until 1990 it was used with the full knowledge and sanctioning of the government of Ontario it was supported by the Ontario Department of Health and the workers compensation board the only Ontario study completed on these miners found statistically significant cognitive decline in McIntyre powder exposed miners in 2001 Jim was diagnosed Parkinson he died May 24th 2017 but Jim wasn't the only miner forced to walk into a cloud of aluminum dust Jim wasn't the only miner told to breathe deeply Jim was one of 25,000 Ontario mine workers forced to breathe the moon dust and no one has ever officially acknowledged or apologize for walking miners in rooms and forcing to inhale metal or lose their jobs the remaining miners are elderly their health compromised many are dying many like Jim are already deceased but all of them speaker deserve an apology for what happened to them thank you thank you member statements the member for York Center speaker first to the charter a few months after we immigrated to Canada on a wall hanging by the elevator in a North York Central Library I loved it from day one which is why I'm blessed to guess lecture on it and defended in this house Canada's Charter is magnificent because it doesn't just ashrine our rights subject to reasonable limits the Charter is all Canadian because it protects Canada's pluralism Canada's diversity Canada's freedom of choice that's why I and many Canadians condemned the blatant assault on our Charter by Justin Trudeau's declaration of emergency one way disagree with the protesters opinion but the Charter says they have the right to assemble the legitimate fractions may be dealt with by municipal traffic or criminal laws Canadians are frightened that they may be doxed or financially ruined Canada is the talk of the world our country is not recognizable the declaration of the emergency is not rooted in fact since the situation is resolved it's not supported in law since there's no dangers to life and safety since it can be resolved by the province and may be dealt with by other laws of Canada this is about Justin Trudeau's ego and politics because the science does not support him on the mandates and no one even talks about the virus anymore this is all a distraction a distraction from the failure of lockdowns passports and mandates a distraction from the mental health pandemic a distraction from the last two years at the expense of our democracy it must be condemned and it must be opposed thank you member statements the member for Brantford Grant thank you speaker I am absolutely thrilled to announce that recently in my writing of Brantford branch minister Colander and I were able to announce our government is adding 59 new and 69 upgraded long-term care beds to modernize and expand Hardy Terrace in Mount Pleasant and adding 83 new and 45 upgraded long-term care beds to a new building for Telfer Place in Paris this is part of the government 6.4 billion dollar commitment to build more than 30,000 net new long-term care beds by 2028 and 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds across the province the project at Hardy Terrace in Mount Pleasant adds new and upgraded long-term care beds through a renovation to the existing home the home will have a total of 160 long-term care beds after the renovation is complete Hardy Terrace will continue to offer specialized services be a part of a campus of care and has proposed to provide cultural services to the sick community the project to Telfer Place in Paris involves a brand new building for the existing home Telfer Place will have a total of 128 long-term care beds once the new building is complete the home has proposed to continue current volunteer-based partnerships and collaborations with social emotional spiritual and physical service groups to continue to supporting resident needs construction of both homes is expected to start by spring 2024 there are now 266 new and 318 long-term care beds in development under construction are completed in Brampton brand for brand for brand speaker this is welcome news for my residents thank you member for Brampton North thank you mr. Speaker it's an honor to rise here on behalf of the great people of Brampton North as a matter of fact the great people of all of Ontario as we continue to celebrate Black History Month now I was honored to be a guest speaker at one of the events in Brampton the 21st annual Black History Concert and I want to thank the United Achievers Club and the Congress of Black Women Brampton chapter in particular I want to thank Marjorie Taylor who organized the event well we missed the opportunity mr. Speaker to be together in person because of COVID but we still had a great time enjoying and learning all about the great achievements of black people not just in Brampton but right across Ontario and Canada our province as we all know is home to a many many vibrant black people in Ontario and many communities that are vibrant in Ontario and Ontario could not be the province it is today without the strong dynamic black leadership at provincial and the municipal levels to our black communities across the province I want you to know that the Black Caucus and the official opposition we see you we hear you and we'll continue to fight for justices for you from education to health care to justice we will be looking at every aspect of political life through the black lens now this year's theme for Black History Month is February and forever what does that mean and means that we're going to celebrate black history not just today not tomorrow but every single day of the year and of course mr. Speaker I have to talk quickly about the elephant in the room we still have anti-black racism will continue to fight anti-black racism in all its forms and I join and I ask everyone to join me regardless of what color we are thank you member statements the member for Whitby thank you Speaker there's more good news for region of Durham residents last Friday our government announced that it's restoring fairness and cutting costs for drivers and businesses in Durham by permanently removing the tolls on highways 412 and 418 effective April the 5th 2022 we've heard the people of Durham loud and clear and we agree that the tolls imposed on highways 412 and 418 by the previous government are wrong and unfair and that's why we're removing the tolls on these highways so that people and businesses have more travel options and hard earned money in their pockets speaker the previous government unfairly targeted drivers and businesses in Durham region by imposing the tolls on highways 412 and 418 leaving them underutilized while local streets became increasingly gridlocked when the previous government imposed these unjust road tolls they place a financial burden on drivers and families in Durham region including my riding of Whitby by delivering on our commitment to remove these tolls our government is fighting gridlock while supporting once again hardworking families in the region of Durham thank you very much that concludes our member statements for this morning and i beg to inform the house the following document has been tabled a report entitled Ontario's labour market in 2021 from the financial accountability office of Ontario i will now ask our legislative pages to assemble it is my honor and pleasure to introduce this group of legislative pages from the riding of Bruce Gray one sound Leah Elder riding of Barry Innisfil penia guinean from the riding of Kitchener Conestoga Maverick Harris from the riding of Hamilton Mountain Daunte Hillen heading of Scarborough Southwest Tanisha Hossain New York Center Elia Karen Sagiv from the riding of Etobicoke Lakeshore Julia Markson riding of Waterloo Zane McKinnon from the riding of Dufferin Caledon Morgan Schultz from the riding of Essex Benjamin Selmy from the riding of Willowdale Owen Shen and from the riding of Etobicoke Center Kristen Tawija and from the riding of Richmond Hill Lucia Way thank you very much and before I invite oral questions I'm also pleased to inform the house that Paige Julia Markson from the riding of Etobicoke Lakeshore is today's page captain and we have with us today in the house her parents her mother Alicia Markson and her father Joseph Markson welcome to the legislative assembly of Ontario we are delighted to have you here thank you very much