 It makes little sense to begin another debate on this topic, so we're going to move along with your mission into member statements. And the first member statement today goes to the member from Waterloo. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm fortunate to represent a region that stems from that barn raiser tradition of coming together to support each other, a mindset that has created an innovation ecosystem second to none. For instance, last week, the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, the Cambridge Chamber in partnership with Communitech, helped facilitate the distribution of 15,000 rapid COVID-19 tests to 300 businesses. Yesterday, they reached 25,000 COVID test kits to 450 small businesses. They stepped up and acted. Rapid COVID tests are a game changer that we need to get out there just like vaccines. Ian McClay and Greg DuRochet also are in the process of supporting other chambers across Ontario to do the same, like Timmins and Gananakwe. In addition to rapid tests, the Chamber is also distributing 1.5 million made in Ontario masks, which were generously donated by Cambridge Company Eclipse. This is PPE that is going to make a huge difference to businesses across this province. We all know that that cost is huge to them. Chambers understand that investing in safety and medically-grade masks is just good business. Ecclesically-grade masks are three to five times more effective than cloth masks. I'm wearing an eclipse mask right here in the chamber today. Speaker, we have to up the ante on masking in our workplaces, and we need to get procurement right. We need to get Ontario-made masks into businesses, into hospitals, and this is something that we should all agree on on a go-forward basis. Thank you. Thank you. The next member's statement is offered to the member from Ajax. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to share an update celebrated by Lorraine Sundstrom-Man, the CEO of Grandview Kids, a children's treatment centre in Durham Region. Grandview Kids expressed its sincere gratitude in response to the recent announcement by the Government of Ontario, the Minister of Children and Community Services, who are investing $240 million into programs and services for children and youth with disabilities. Since 1953, Grandview has proudly provided high-quality family-centred therapy services for children and youth with physical, communication and developmental needs in Durham Region. After 11 years, the sector is receiving the funds it needs to meet the ever-growing demand for its services. This life-changing money will enhance the lives of thousands of children and youth with disabilities and their caregivers throughout the province, including in Durham Region. It will help unlock and unleash the potential for even more children and youth with disabilities to undoubtedly contribute to a more prosperous Ontario. Today, Mr. Speaker, I'm also proud that with the support of our community and at all levels of government, a new 130,000 square foot facility will be located in Ajax to service 10,000 children and families every single year. In addition to $31 million of capital committed by this government, the federal government committed $17.5 million of dollars, and the town of Ajax generously donated to the land that will house this important new facility. This state-of-the-art facility, targeted for completion in 2024, will support the seamless and coordinated provision of family-centred care, and will be open, welcoming, inclusive, community-based, pediatric services, including supporting integration, rehabilitation, medical and clinical services, as well as education and research. The new larger facility will enable Grandview Kids to expand and enhance existing services and induce new ones. It is important to recognize, Mr. Speaker, that this journey began in 2008 through ongoing advocacy and impressive collaboration and partnership across Durham Region, municipal, provincial and federal governments, and countless individuals, including Durham Area MPPs. We are close to realizing this long-awaited vision. The future is bright for Grandview, Kids and for Durham Region. Thank you. Thank you. A reminder to all members at the time allotted for member statements is 90 seconds. On the next member statement, the member from St. Catharines. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today in this House to speak on behalf of the families in St. Catharines and to tell their story. This story conveys the cost of the cycle of lockdowns, the cost of not making the investments to make schools safe in the first place. I have two residents, Steve and Bailey, that have two beautiful young girls, one in kindergarten and the other in daycare. Mom and dad have already used their vacation guessing about lockdowns. Dad guessed he would be off of March break, but that was cancelled. He was wrong. Mom guessed about spring break. However, that now has been extended. She was wrong, but she was right. Mom guessed about spring break. The last shutdown in January, mom and dad could continue work because the girl's grandmother helped with childcare. That's not true this time. This means Bailey will have to take time off work. The family will now have their income cut in half. The mother and family will have to sacrifice. This story is not unique. Every family has had to make exceptions. I just want to make it clear. What the cost of the cycle of lockdowns is, is when we do not have the required childcare spots available to support families. There are solutions. Every member of this house, we need to make hiring ECEs a priority. We need to pay them fairly so we can retain those workers. And we need to make childcare universal and affordable. Thank you. Any member for Chatham Kent Leemington? Thank you very much, Speaker. You know, I often have referred to COVID-19 as World War III, a worldwide battle that we are all fighting together. But today I want to take a look all the way back to 1917, specifically World War I. The Battle of Vimy Ridge, which actually had just had its 104th anniversary this past Friday, taking place in the north of France, it was part of the wider Battle of Arras. Now the battle lasted three days, starting on Easter Monday, April 9th, 1917, taking place. Now many link to the success of Vimy Ridge to symbolize the birth of Canadian national pride and awareness. It was a huge military victory for Canada, but sadly it came at a price. Out of the 40,000 Canadians who were involved in the attack, 3,589 were killed in action, and additional 7,000 were wounded. The sacrifices were not wasted clearing and capturing the summit of Hill 145, a strategic point for the German Army and now under Canadian control. The first time were all four divisions of the Canadian Corps attacked as a composite formation. I want to take this moment to mention a few Canadian heroes from around the Chatham area and who fought at Vimy Ridge. Private S. Brown of the 102nd Battalion killed in action, Private A. S. Gome of the 21st Battalion killed in action, Private J. R. Henry of the 18th Battalion killed in action, Private R. R. Morris of the 20th Battalion died of wounds, Private K. L. Parker of the 2nd Battalion killed in action, and Sergeant W. Gray of the 21st Battalion killed in action. Speaker to these brave soldiers who paid the ultimate price so that we can live in peace. May they rest in peace lest we forget. Thank you. Member statements? The member for Hamilton Mountain. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Last week we hosted an online roundtable discussion to hear from people with disabilities and their loved ones in my community about the challenges of accessing the COVID-19 vaccine. I heard a lot of confusion, concern, and worry. I heard from a mom who has an adult son with developmental disabilities, how they have kept family deaths and the loss of a family pet a secret, not to add to the loneliness and confusion of why they are still locked down. I heard that the vaccine booking website is not accessible. Screen reader applications used by people who are visually impaired can't read the site. And vaccine appointment calls are difficult for the deaf and hard of hearing. One person in my meeting shared that he kept receiving phone calls about scheduling his vaccine appointment, but he is deaf so he could not book the appointment in that fashion. These accessibility barriers are just unacceptable. I also heard that the coordination between the Linn's and family doctors wasn't working and that many family doctors have no idea about the process. Overall, the level of confusion and consistency and poor information from the province has left people in my community unsure if they qualify for a vaccine. And if they do qualify, they're unsure of how to access it. We have already called on this government to prioritize people with disabilities. Today, I'm calling on the government to make sure that people with disabilities are accommodated and barriers to getting the vaccine are removed. Thank you to my participants, Anthony Frazina, Asnith Mallett, and our ASL English interpreter, Adele Rutliff, for participating in our town hall. Thank you. Member statements? The member for Ottawa, Seth. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As Muslim families in Ottawa South and across Ontario begin their observance of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest greetings to each and everyone. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to focus on the five pillars of Islam. Faith, prayer, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage is a time for fasting and sacrifice. A time for prayer, reflection, and spiritual growth. A time for charity. And it's a time to strengthen ties with family and community. Once again, this year is going to be hard to get together as we always have. This pandemic won't last forever, but we have to do what we have to do to keep each other safe and healthy. So I hope next year to be able to attend in person the many iftars that there are in Ottawa South, for now it's important for us to connect again virtually with family and friends. To our Muslim friends and neighbors, thank you for giving your children the gift of faith. It will sustain them. And I wish for you and your families a blessed month of Ramadan, Ramadan Mubarak. Thank you very much. Member statements? The member for Perth, Wellington. Thank you, Speaker. Small communities depend on our firefighters. They depend on people like my friend, North Perth Chief Ed Smith. Ed served our community for 44 years. He began at age 21 when he joined the Alma Logan Fire Department, later to become part of the North Perth Fire Department. He became its first full-time chief in 2001. Just this morning, the municipality of North Perth announced Ed's upcoming retirement. As chief, he oversaw construction of the new listeral and mucked-in fire stations. He developed a highly trained department. He established a training committee and training standards. His commitment to fire to prevention and safety is legendary, not just in North Perth, but across Ontario. His work led to my private member's bill, the Ray and Walter Act, named after the North Perth firefighters who perished in the line of duty. I worried about that fire 10 years ago. It was because of a steady leadership that the department and the community got through those dark days. We're grateful. In 2015, Chief Smith was nominated by his peers for the Elf Stone Award for leadership, honesty, and respect. Leadership, honesty, and respect. There are no more fitting words to describe Chief Smith. Thank you, Ed, for your 44 years of service. We wish you the very best. Member statements. The member for Sudbury. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, today I only have 90 seconds to describe the carnage of the CCA process at Laurentian University. 90 seconds might not be enough time to tell you about the workers who lost their jobs. Workers who told me they were fired on a Zoom call with 16 other people on the line. Workers who told me they were six months pregnant and the breadwinner and their family. 90 seconds might not be enough time to tell you about the nearly 70 French and English programs that were cut, programs like civil engineering, je n'ai pas de mécanique, je n'ai pas de ménière. Entrepreneurship étudie de l'environment. Science, economics, mathematics, midwifery, sage family. The only French and English midwifery program in Ontario was cut speaker. 90 seconds might not be enough time to tell you what the students were affected. International students would give everything to come here. Indigenous students who said they were betrayed again. Northern students said, I don't want to lose my education because of this. Nossum students worried that they, shuttering nearly 30 Francophone programs will affect the future of French-speaking doctors in the North. 90 seconds might not be enough time to remind you that Conserters promise to do everything in their power to support students' allurention. But 90 seconds is long enough to remember that the Conserters chose to do nothing. 90 seconds is long enough to remember that Conserters aren't defending Francophone and Indigenous program speaker. 90 seconds is long enough to remember that the Conserters are responsible for every single one of these job losses. And 90 seconds is long enough to remember that Conserters can stop this now and are simply refusing to get off the sidelines. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past Friday, I had an opportunity to host a town hall meeting with dozens of businesses in Milton. And I want to thank Scott and his team at the Milton Chamber of Commerce for organizing this discussion, Mr. Speaker. During these unprecedented times, I feel it is extremely important to be there, to be able to listen, to answer any questions the constituents and small business owners have in our writings. Speaker, one small business owner in my writing made the following statement, and I wanted to share it with everyone in the house. Mr. Speaker, Troy from Troy's diner, which is a landmark in Milton, and I quote Mr. Speaker, as I woke up and drove into work this morning, I started to reflect on the last year of ups and downs, open and closing of the restaurant. I don't want to dwell on the negativity and the financial impact this has had on small business owners, but I rather focus on the positive. How family, friends, employees, and customers have been there for us, supporting our businesses, offering words of encouragement, just being there for us. I will not allow this pandemic to bring me down. Everything is possible. Nothing is impossible. Stay strong, and we will get through this, and I quote Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I echo Troy's comments. We need to stay strong because we will get through this. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all of my constituents, including small business owners, farmers, families, and students, Mr. Speaker, in my writing for doing their part during these very difficult times. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Member statements, the member for Northumberland, Peterborough South. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, across Ontario, April we celebrate Be a Donor Month in support of organ and tissue donation awareness. I encourage all Ontarians to show their support by registering their consent for organ and tissue donation. The province-wide registration rate for organ donors is at 35%, and in my writing, Mr. Speaker, it's at 50% thanks to champions like Sarah Marshall. But I know as a province, we can do more. One organ donor has the potential to save eight lives and enhance 75 more through the gift of tissue. Since 2003, over 20,000 Ontarians have received life-saving transplant. Almost 1,600 Ontarians are currently waiting for a life-saving organ, including 26 in the writing I represent in Northumberland, Peterborough South. Every three days, someone dies a preventable death waiting for a transplant. Any Ontarians, any Ontarian resident 16 or older with a valid Ontario health card is eligible to register. I close my remarks today, Mr. Speaker, to honour Cassidy Willett, who tragically lost her life in a car accident. A resident of my writing, a daughter to Christine Milligan. Nobody should have to bury their child. Cassidy, you're gone, but not forgotten. You live on through the lives of those you've touched and selflessly given through the gift of organ donation. Mr. Speaker, in Cassidy's honour, we should ensure that nobody can strip their loved ones of their ability to consent, and we should ensure that organ donation is in this province. We all are opted in, and we don't have to opt out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. That concludes our member statements for this morning.