 Therefore, it's now time for Question Period, the leader of Her Majesty's Royal Office. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Premier. For over a year, a dark cloud of disgrace has hovered above the Premier's office, as she staunchly defended Pat Sabara during the Sudbury by-election bribery scandal. It got worse when the Premier defended the Minister of Energy when he was named in the charges laid by the OPP. And then shockingly, yesterday in a Sudbury courthouse, a federal crown prosecutor alleged the Minister of Energy sought certain benefits, offers jobs or employment, as part of his condition to run as an MPP. The prosecutor stated that Tebow was not charged because it is only illegal to offer a bribe, not seek or accept one. Mr. Speaker, this is startling news and it raises serious ethical questions and the public rightfully is questioning whether they can trust the Minister. Mr. Speaker, my question is, there is no doubt that the public is concerned about the Minister of Energy. Will the Premier or will the government do the right thing and force him to resign? Deputy Premier. Well, thank you, Speaker, and I'll just remind the leader of the opposition once again that we have been very open with the public, with this legislature, about the allegations related to the Sudbury by-election. Now that charges have been laid, Speaker, we believe, they should believe, that the right place to deal with these charges is in the court and that's where we will leave it. Speaker, the legislature is no place to deal with this issue. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, it's almost laughable when the Deputy Premier says open. We'll only hear about stuff when the government members get charged. We'll only hear about it when we're hearing about ethical questions. Mr. Speaker, my question is... Stop the book. Not a good start. I'll put it on the record that we'll move to warnings if I have to and I'll do so quickly if needed. Please finish your question. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to read a quote from the Premier's speech at the Liberal AGM. She said, people look at me and many of them think she's not who we thought she was. She's become a typical politician. She'll do anything to win. And the Premier added, frankly, I think sometimes we have given them reason to think that. This is one of those examples where you've given people reason to doubt that this is simply the bad side of politics. So my question is, if you want to be different, if this government isn't simply another politician, another bad example that causes the public to lose their confidence, why won't they do the right thing and ask the Minister of Energy to resign? There's this ethical cloud that everyone in the province can see, except this little guy. Thank you. Can you see it, please? Thank you. Deputy Premier. Well, Speaker, if we want to talk about ethical clouds, maybe you could respond to this ethical cloud, Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition's Chief of Staff was recently caught holding secret negotiations with former Scarborough Rouge River candidate, Queenie Yu. On the sex ed curriculum, the very same day as the deadline for withdrawing a candidate from the race. Speaker, there are many questions, many ethical questions surrounding that. While I would like the opposition to come to order, it's not helpful that the government side of the benches are making as much noise. As it continues while I'm speaking. Finish your answer, please. So, Speaker, when asked if the party was trying to convince you to withdraw from the race, the PC Leader declines comment. Now, I think it's time he comments, Speaker. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, once again, we have a serious question for the Deputy Premier. And all we get is grasping straws and diversion techniques. We have a serious case right here. The OPP have laid charges. I don't want political gains. I don't want diversions. I want this government to actually answer a question for once in their lives. So I'm going to go back. The Minister of the Crown is alleged to have sought a bribe from the Premier's Deputy Chief of Staff. Though the matter of Mr. Sabara is before the court, the matter is of public confidence and is rightfully debated in the legislature. The minister has been named in the charges laid by the OPP. He has tarnished his office and shaken the public's confidence in his ability. Mr. Speaker, stepping down is not an admission of guilt by the Minister of Energy. It's really the honourable thing to do. My question once again to the Deputy Premier. And please answer the question, will you ask the Minister of Energy to resign? And if not, are you saying that nothing wrong was done by Pat Sabara or Glen Tebow? Yes or no? Thank you. Deputy Premier. Well, Speaker, I have another question. And I know it's supposed to be a question for me, but I do want to... A few of you are pushing me to warnings. Finish, please. Speaker, a remarkable coincidence happened on one day in 2000. A member from Dufferin, Caledon, come to order. If it happens again, we'll go to warnings. Carry on. Speaker, on that day, the PC member for Halibut and Kawartha Lakes Brock resigned her seat and the very same day accepted her position. Nipissing Pembroke, come to order. Member from Renfrew, Nipissing Pembroke, second time. The Minister of Municipal Affairs, come to order. We've now chosen to go to warnings. I will issue warnings. Finish, please. The Sudbury Star said Scott trades jobs. Seat for head office jobs. Finish, please. Member examiner said in exchange for giving up her seat, Scott is taking... Member from Simcoe Gray is warned. And we'll continue. Finish, please. In exchange for giving up her seat, Scott is taking on the enormous response. We're going to get this. The member from Prince Edward Hastings is warned. Carry on. And the Toronto Star said progressive conservative Lori Scott will resign and take on the job of getting the opposition ready for the next election. The member from Leeds-Grenville. Thank you, Speaker. I know I can't ask my question to the Minister of Energy, so I'm going to ask it to the Attorney General. But I encourage the Attorney General and Government House Leader to use standing order 37E. It allows him to refer the question to another minister and I encourage him to pass it to the Minister of Energy. A federal Crown Prosecutor has accused the Minister of Energy of Seeking an alleged bribe. Guilty or innocent, charged or not charged. An accusation of this magnitude shatters any moral or ethical authority this Minister has to govern. It also calls into question whether the public can trust this Minister. He cannot and he must not remain as a Minister until the case concludes. So, Speaker, again, I'm going to ask the Attorney General. I implore him to use 37E and refer it to the Minister of Energy. Since a Crown Federal Prosecutor has accused the Minister of Energy of Seeking an alleged bribe, will the Minister of Energy resign until the case against Patricia Sorbera has been concluded? Thank you. Well, thank you very much, Speaker. I remind the member opposite again and I think he knows this very well that this matter is before the courts and it's not appropriate for this matter to be discussed here in the Legislature. Speaker, I want to be very clear and contrary to what the Leader of the Opposition said, no member of this House has been charged in this matter. Let's be absolutely clear, Speaker, on this. The Minister of Energy continues to do his job honorably as the Minister of Energy. He continues to serve the people of Sudbury honorably, Speaker. There are no charges against him nor are there any charges against any member of this House. There are two charges laid against individuals who do not serve in this House, Speaker. That matter is before the courts and it's only appropriate that it be dealt with in the Court. Thank you. Suclementary. Again, back to the Attorney General. For once, I actually agree with this Government. I do believe that guilt or innocence is a matter for the courts. And the Opposition would not ask that this case be tried here in the Legislative Assembly. But this isn't about the outcome of the bribery charges. These questions aren't about the matter before the courts. They are about the trust in this Minister of the Crown. This is about the moral and ethical implications of a Minister that's being named in a bribery charge by the Interior Provincial Police. Speaker, how can the public trust this Minister of Energy to do his job when his ethics have been questioned by a federal prosecutor? How can he do that? Why doesn't he do the honorable thing and resign? He should resign. Thank you. Attorney General. The Deputy Premier, Speaker. Deputy Premier. Thank you, Speaker. And as we look in history, we're seeing some more examples, I think, where the Leader of the Opposition maybe wishes he could revisit some decisions. I'm looking to July 22nd, 2015, when Brown, the Leader of the Opposition, thanked Garfield Dunlop for 35 years of public service at the municipal and provincial level and said the former PC education critic would now be the Chief Education Advisor to the parties, which provides some education to the Leader of the Opposition on throwing stones in glass houses, Speaker. Okay. Thank you. Final supplementary. I'm going to again try to go back to the Attorney General. There are numerous Ministers who have stepped down when they've been named in an investigation. My predecessor, Senator Runciman, the member for Sympco Gray, the former Liberal Finance Minister, Greg Cerbera, they all left office until the ethical questions that surrounded them had been cleared. I just can't, Speaker, I can't for the life of me, understand why this Minister of Energy has not already tendered his resignation. I can't understand it. It's beyond me. You know, again, Speaker, we're talking about doing the honorable thing. We are asking what Ontarians expect that he would have all been done. The people who had elected him in that by-election in Sudbury, they all think the same way. They can't understand why you haven't already tendered your resignation and stepped aside. So, Senator, I'm going to give them another chance. Attorney General, refer the matter under 37E to the Minister of Energy. Will the Minister of Energy do the right thing? Will he resign? Hearing is some attack on this, on that side to this way, but they are very uncomfortable with hearing allegations that maybe they behaved in a questionable way. So, whether it's Queen E.U., whether it's Garfield Dunlop, whether it's the member from Victoria Lakes Co-Ortha, Halliburton Co-Ortha, Lakesbrock, whether it's the leader of the opposition himself, Speaker, we have clearly documented examples where I suggest... The member from Leeds, Grenville, is warned. Finish, please. Speaker, it is beyond me to understand how they can be calling on us to do what they call the Honourable Thing when it is very, very clear that the transgressions on that party are far more serious, Speaker. Thank you. New question? The member from Birmingham, Malton. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Deputy Speaker or to the Deputy Leader. The criminal code of Canada states very clearly that it is an offence if, quote, a Member of Parliament or of the Legislature of a province directly or indirectly, corruptly accepts, obtains, agrees to accept or attempts to obtain for themselves or another person any money, viable consideration, office, place or employment in respect of anything done or admitted to be done or admitted by them in their official capacity, end quote. After standing before an Ontario judge, a federal prosecutor said, quote, Mr. Thibault sought certain benefits, offer or job or employment as a part of his conditions to run as an MPP. Now, without getting into, end quote, to get it, without getting into any details of this allegation, without getting into any details, does this raise any concerns for the government? Thank you. Well, Speaker, as has been said many, many times, that is an issue that is before the court and that is where it belongs. But I do think, you will recall, in 2013, the MPP party decided to install Adam Giambroni as their candidate in Scarborough Guildwood, Speaker. Now, Giambroni, who was parachuted into the riding and the party hierarchy allegedly stacked the nomination meeting according to the Toronto Star. With the apparent backing of MPP leader Andrea Horvath and the party brass, Giambroni decided that he would like the nomination even though Riding Association insiders confess he was not known to them. The president of the MPP Scarborough Guildwood Riding Association said Thursday he is determined to get answers for why the party appears to have orchestrated Adam Giambroni's nomination. And a 92-year-old volunteer, Joy Taylor, said she would quit the party. Thank you. The current member for Sudbury was a federal MP until he was given the Provincial Liberal nomination. Now, federal prosecutor says very clearly that, quote, Mr. Tebow sought certain benefits, offers or job or employment as a part of his conditions to run as an MPP, end quote. Now, my question is, what benefits, if any, was Mr. the Minister of Energy offered? Deputy Prime Minister. Well, Speaker, I guess, I think we'd all be interested in knowing, Speaker, what, when the member from Bramley Gore-Malton was considering a run at the federal MPP leadership, Speaker, that was widely known, widely reported, he ended up on the front bench, Speaker, he ended up as deputy leader. I'm just curious, Speaker, whether that was just a coincidence or was there some reason that he ended up on the front bench as deputy leader, Speaker, and has so far, at least, not appeared to be running for the federal leadership. Thank you. Final supplementary. The government denies that the Minister of Energy has anything to do or is in any way connected to the bribery scandal. But the OPP believe that the campaign director for the Liberal Party offered a bribe to the Minister of Energy. And now the federal prosecutor says that the Minister sought, quote, certain benefits, offers or jobs or employment as a condition of running. My question is simple. When did the government learn that the current member for Sudbury had asked for any benefits? Well, thank you, Speaker. And, you know, there is a matter before the courts that's where it belongs. But I can tell you that the Minister of Energy is a fabulous member of this legislature. And he is bringing down the cost of energy for people across this province by 8% come January 1st. And the most rural customer, Speaker, will see a 20% decline. This is a member who exemplifies public service. We are delighted that he is serving the people of Ontario. And we're very proud of that. We think he's a terrific person. And we need to let what happened in the court happen in the court, Speaker. Thank you. You see it, please. I'm asking when you be seated to be seated when I ask you the first time. New question to the member for Bramley Gormole. My question again is to the Deputy Premier. The government insists that nothing illegal happened, that the Minister of Energy is not charged, that there is no Elections Act defense yet charged, laid. But the people of Ontario deserve better. They deserve a higher bar than that. Politicians should meet a higher bar than not doing something illegal. Does the Acting Premier believe that it's appropriate for the Minister of Energy to continue to sit in cabinet when a federal prosecutor believes that he was offered a benefit as a condition for him to run and to win in that seat? Well, of course, we believe he should be here and he's doing a terrific job. But I do want to go back to 2013 Scarborough-Gilwood by-election, Speaker. The nomination was such a schmozzle, the NDP nomination that 92-year-old volunteer Joy Taylor said she's not only quit the right executive, but she quit the party. She was so disgusted, Speaker. She went on to say they know they were deceitful, but they're doing everything in their power to deny it, Speaker. Well, I think that that's just not acceptable in any party, Speaker. And I think the holier-than-now approach that the NDP is taking, Speaker, they need to explain what happened to Scarborough-Gilwood, what happened when the member from Bramley-Gore-Malton decided to give up his federal ambitions for the deputy leadership of the Ontario NDP, Speaker. Supplementary. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. When Greg Sabera, the former finance minister's name simply appeared in the RCMP warrant, simply a name and a warrant, he decided to do the honourable thing and step aside until his name was cleared, until that was doubled. The minister of energy is at the centre of the scandal. He's at the centre, he's the subject matter of an alleged bribe. It's absolutely appropriate for him to do the honourable thing. And in fact, we have a federal prosecutor that states that he accepted or potentially accepted a benefit for him to run. Now, will the government do the right thing in this circumstance? Take a page of their own former member for Mr. Sabera and actually do the honourable thing and resign until this matters that way. Thank you. You know, Speaker, the minister of energy, as I said earlier, is doing an outstanding job. He's doing an outstanding job as minister. He's doing an outstanding job as a member for Sudbury Speaker. He is a very strong representative of that area. We are proud to call him a liberal. We're proud to have him in our caucus, Speaker. He's doing important work on the energy file, a very, very complex file. He has mastered the file and he is moving forward to reduce the cost to Ontarians, Speaker. We have done an important job cleaning up the mess that we inherited in the electricity system and we're now turning our attention to make sure that electricity is affordable, Speaker. Thank you. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, the Premier was elected on a promise of a fresh start after the bad ethics of the Dalton McGinty years, the Premier promise that things would be different, that Ontarians could expect to find a government that was open, transparent with integrity and ethics. Instead, the people see a government that is only interested in its own self-interest, protecting its own cabinet ministers and its own insiders. Over the weekend, the Premier made it clear the reason that she was so unpopular was that she wasn't willing to do the people thought they voted for. And that's true. But here's an opportunity to do the right thing. Here's an opportunity, Mr. Speaker, for the government to restore a little bit of faith, to take a step towards restoring faith and doing the right thing and show some leadership. In this circumstance the right thing is for the Minister of Energy to resign from his cabinet position until the energy is dealt with. Will this government show some leadership, restore faith in government and do the right thing? Mr. Speaker, I think that the member for Bramley Gore Malton should actually show some leadership himself and tell us what happened. How is it that he put his federal leadership aspirations on hold? And how is it that he became Deputy Leader of the NDP Speaker? I think if he's calling for transparency he should look in the mirror to see what's going on. I think he's calling for transparency he should look in the mirror and actually share with us the story of how that happened. Thank you. New question, the Leader of the Opposition. Thank you. My question is for the Deputy Premier. I've spoken in the House before about a Simcoe County firefighter, Bill Wilkins. He served the province and the city of Berry. Bill tragically lost his life responding to a call. I vividly remember attending the funeral of Bill Wilkins in 2002 and how it shook our community and frankly left his family without help. Mr. Speaker, my first day in the House as an MPP, I asked this question about the need to have a hero's fund. I believe we as a province can do more. I believe we can help those families like the Wilkins family. Mr. Speaker, will the Liberal Government support a hero's fund to provide survivors benefits for families of first responders who have fallen in the service of our province? When I asked this question, the government said they would consider it. It would be looked at and the option of things we can do to support our first responders. A year and a half later, I'm asking again will they support this? It's the right thing to do for our first responders. Thank you. Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. I want to recognize obviously the hard work of our first responders and our firefighters who are here at Queens Park today for all of the service that they provide for Ontarians. They are certainly true heroes in our communities. This issue is obviously very important to us and we do provide some resources in this regard to support individuals and recognize the work that they do. This week, in fact, here at Queens Park on Thursday, we'll have the Bravery Awards recognizing those first responders for outstanding service. You know, Speaker, this is an important issue and I recognize the Leader of the Opposition has requested that we move in this direction. It's something that we're considering. I think it's an important initiative and I think we can do more to recognize those brave men and women who defend and support our communities each and every day. So I look forward to working with the member opposite to help move this type of initiative forward. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and again to the Deputy Premier. On March 17, 2010 my community was devastated by the loss of two firefighters in a tragic building collapse. Firefighters Ken Ray and Ray Walder lost their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice when a building they ran into collapsed on them. Mr. Speaker, the least Ontario can do is support the families of men who have suffered lives while saving others. Speaker, when will this government commit to a heroes fund expanding survivor benefits for the families of fallen first responders? Thank you. Minister? Thank you, Speaker, and again to the member opposite. You know, this is an important issue. We recognize the very, very vital work of our first responders. I know that we've increased funding for a wellness unit through, for example, the OPP. There's about $4.4 million in that particular program. We also offer programs such as the Cosmic Joe McDonald Public Safety Officer Survivors Scholarship Fund which provides scholarships, responses, and children. Public Safety Officers killed in the line of duty. And Ontario is the leader in this country providing supports and services for our police firefighters and other first responders. So I'm committed to working with the individual opposite to develop and enhance and continue to build on the programs that we offer to support our first responders and their families. Thank you. Thank you very much, my speakers, to the acting Premier. This morning the Premier's privatization expert recommended that the government to find, quote, financing structures to fund our digital health system. And the health minister keeps saying that his priority is to leverage health assets and maximize their value. But we've heard all this before, Mr. Speaker. The Premier promised not to sell Hydro-1 and she did. She turned around and started selling off our public hydro to private investors. It's no wonder Ontarians cannot trust this government. Will the acting Premier tell Ontarians alternative financing structures the government has in mind for our private health records? And will she do it before the Premier makes another huge mistake that once again hurts the people of this province? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Minister of Health Long-Term Care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I was pleased to join Mr. Clark for his press conference to deliver recommendations based on the work that I asked him to do. I made it explicit that there would be no sale of e-health or digital health assets in this province that there would be no sale of individuals' personal health information. That was his terms of reference. He's reiterated that in his report as well. He makes no recommendation pointing towards privatization or sale of any elements of e-health. And that was the statement that I made at the press conference as well. So if the NDP insists on creating this mythological approach of theirs, that's their business to do. I've made a category clear here in the legislature as the Premier has countless times and probably up to 20 times where I've insisted that that's not on the table, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Again, to the Acting Premier. The people of Ontario are clear, Speaker. Care should drive healthcare decision, not profit. People, not private profit should always come first in our healthcare system. Government is putting private first, private profit first. A year ago, the Premier privatization star said Ontario hospitals should be linked more closely to the private sector. And now the same advisor is calling for alternative financing structure to fund digital healthcare. Don't get me wrong, Speaker. We all know that digital healthcare will bring us benefit. Ontario owns the health info way right now, and it's important to those info way. People don't want the privatizations of I-DRA-1 to be repeated in our healthcare system. People want to keep the digital health asset in public hands where our healthcare system belongs. When will this government send up for patient and reject any attempt to increase profit in our healthcare system? Thank you. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I couldn't have been clear or more categorical in this morning's press conference when I indicated that there would be no sale of digital health assets. There would be no sale of private health information, Mr. Speaker. But maybe the third party has got caught up with what's been happening south of the border with the Trump election, Mr. Speaker. They've created their own post-truth approach here in Ontario where they're making it up as they go along. There is no intention, they can continue to promulgate this myth, but the reality is, and I've stated it a few times, and this is consistent with the recommendation and the assertion of Mr. Clark this morning, and in his report there will be no sale. Thank you. Any questions? Member from Kingston and the islands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education. Ensuring students receive the best possible education across Ontario is incredibly important. Ensuring that the dollars that we invest in our education system helps support students in the best possible way is a fundamental principle driving everything that we do in this government. Minister, we all know how committed our government is to helping our children become lifelong learners. Ontario has a lot to be proud of in terms of student achievement thanks in large part to our great educators and staff. Everyone knows that the party opposite ran on a plan to make cuts in education to fire teachers and education so we've had a devastating impact on our world-recognized education system. Speaker, through you to the Minister, can you tell us more about the benefits of our government increasing investments in education all throughout Ontario? Thank you, Minister of Education. Thank you, Speaker, and I want to thank the member from Kingston and the islands for that question. I know what a strong advocate she is for her community and for young people in her community. Our Ontario welcomes about 100 delegations from the world's leading jurisdictions who are visiting to study Ontario as a model for delivering the better outcomes for our children and students. They look at our places of learning as well as what we do for our youngest learners in childcare all the way up. We help adults gain their formal education as well. Our educators, our teachers, students who are at it. Through their hard work, Ontario's high school graduation rate increased to 85.5% the highest level in our province's history. So when the world notices what our children in our schools already know that Ontario schools are the best places to learn, if we listen to the plan for education, we wouldn't have to... Thank you, supplementary. Thank you, Minister. We are at the highest level in the province's history with more students than ever graduating with the skills and knowledge that they need to reach their very full potential. We are extremely proud to see the results and influence of the investments of this government in our education system. It is important that we continue to support school boards in supporting the success of every single student in Ontario. Today more students get more funding and are seeing great returns on our investment in our children's achievement rate. The PC Party has questionable track record when it comes to education. When they were in government, they closed schools, increased class sizes and in the last election they ran on firing 100,000 workers including... The member from Prince Edward Hastings is warned. The member from Bruce Gray owned sound is warned. I checked my record. The member from Prince Edward Hastings has already been warned. He is therefore named. Anyone else? And that wasn't appropriate either. If I knew who it was, they'd be warned. Finish, please. Given this history, can the minister please inform the House about our government's long track record of increasing investments in rural... The member from Stormont, Dundas, South Plain, Gary is warned. And the member from Lanark, Fratnick, and Addington is warned. Thank you. Minister. Education is a right and a high quality, well-rounded education is the rightful experience of Ontario's children that they benefit from every single day. And that's why we've worked so hard to make Ontario's education system one of the best in the world. But, the member's question was specifically about rural school boards. Let's look at Prince Edward Hastings. Funding for Prince Edward Hastings has increased by approximately $310 million an increase of 84% since 2003. Her pupil funding has increased by $5100 since 2003 an increase of $6100. We've also built three new schools in this riding of Prince Edward Hastings. Harmony Public School, Stirling Public School, Tweed Public School even though the member from that area ran on firing teachers in his own community. On this side of the House Speaker we will continue to build Ontario's education system up especially in rural Ontario. You say it please. The member from Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke. Speaker, I have a question for the Attorney General. Stop the clock please. Yes. I'm looking into that now. Attorney General. Thank you. Member from Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke. Speaker to the Attorney General Yesterday Crown Prosecutor Vern Brewer stated and I quote Our allegation is that Mr. Tebow sought certain benefits offers, jobs or employment as part of his condition to run as an MPP close quote. The prosecutor then stated that the reason that the Minister of Energy wasn't charged was because the section makes an offense to offer an alleged bribe not necessarily to receive one. My question to the Attorney General is simple. Are we really at a point where not appearing before a judge to face charges by a minister themselves is the bare standard that the Minister must meet in order to remain in this central cabinet? Attorney General. Deputy Premier Speaker. Thank you Speaker and this matter is before the courts has been said many many times it might be interesting to review some cases that have come here and I think we do need some answers Speaker and I want to talk about kind of this mysterious secret negotiations held between the Leader of the Opposition's Chief of Staff and candidate Queenie Lu and the recent Scarborough Rouge River by-election Speaker. You see and was Queenie Lu had questions, Queenie Yu had questions around the Leader's position on the sex ed curriculum and I understand why she had questions because I think we all have questions because you had so many positions on it but there was a PC's top aide sent an email the very same day that was the deadline to withdraw from the race speaker. Back to the AG it used to be they punted questions to the AG now they're punting them away from them if the Premier was going to kill ministerial accountability perhaps you could have at least shown up here for the funeral. Under this Liberal Government you can be investigated by the OPP and remain in the Premier's office you can be investigated by the OPP and still remain in cabinet you can have a Crown Prosecutor say that the only reason the Minister of Energy wasn't charged is because requesting an alleged bribe isn't an offence only offering one is. Speaker is there no ethical barrier this Liberal Government won't cross or is this just what it looks like when you care more about the fortunes of the Liberal Party and staying in power than you care about the people and the interests of the people of Ontario. Thank you. Thank you. Deputy Premier. Speaker I think the member from Haliburton-Cawartha Lakes Brock is someone who is respected by every person in this legislature. She's somebody that we can work with she has our respect speaker but something very very interesting happened back in 2009 when the new leader needed a writing to run in speaker and the member after some period of time as I recall the member from Haliburton-Cawartha Lakes Brock resigned her seat so the new leader could run and accepted a paid position with the party the very same day speaker. Stop the clock. I am I have been listening very carefully to what are within the scope of the expectation that I have for section 23 H. You're getting close. Be very careful. Carry on. So speaker I just have questions about this remarkable coincidence and if the leader of the opposition is claiming that that was just a coincidence speaker then I guess I have to accept him at his face and I will tell you but it is passing strange the very same day the seat was resigned Thank you very much Mr. Speaker my question is the minister of children and youth services before I begin the question I also want to welcome members of QP local 4914 here today my colleague from Hamilton mountain raised this issue yesterday in a number of times the workers at the Peel Regional Children Aid Society and QP local 4914 have been on the picket line now for three months and Mr. Speaker it's not about wages they're striking because for issues of safety, fairness and above all quality of care these workers do what they do because they care deeply about the children and families they work for that's why the workers are asking for a hard cap on the total number of active cases that they work at on one time that's why that's what they feel is adequate and necessary to adequately protect children at risk workload caps exist in other jurisdictions and other children aid societies but they don't exist in this particular one doesn't the minister think workers and children in Peel deserve the same quality of care as other jurisdictions Thank you Mr. Speaker as a former minister of children youth services I got to know kids in care of the CAS and I learned through that experience that of all the people in the community there is no greater responsibility no greater responsibility is to the kids who have been taken under the care of the province speaker for whatever reason they could not be cared for by their own parents our responsibility those kids trumps everything else we do having said that speaker labor negotiations are a matter between the employer and the union we are hopeful that the employer and the union will do all they can to achieve a successful resolution to this problem but as I said speaker these kids are our kids we are responsible for kids in care of the CAS we have to do everything we can to make sure they get the care you supplementary thank you Mr. Speaker kids and families in Peel want to see this strike end as soon as possible they want to see this resolved and I understand there's only four outstanding issues that can be sent to binding arbitration negotiations have stalled and currently the Peel CES management won't agree to go to arbitration the children and families in Peel who rely on this CES can't wait for another month for this matter to be resolved so Mr. Speaker my question is to the government will the government intervene and get the parties to arbitration thank you thank you speaker and thank you to the member for this very very important question speaker this what we're seeing in the Peel CES is completely out of character for the usual experience of labor relations in the province of Ontario between 98 and 99% of agreements are reached at without a resort to a lockout or a strike that obviously isn't happening at the Peel CES speaker what we do at the Minister of Labor we try to bring the parties back to the table speaker in Ontario we have some of the best mediators some of the best arbitrators in the country speaker we've bought them to burn this regard what we're trying to do speaker is with this highly skilled mediation team is working with QP working with the employer speaker there's nothing this government wants more there's nothing the Minister of Labor wants more than to see an agreement reached at the table speaker I will tell you on a daily basis to keep track of this agreement we take very very seriously thank you Mr. Speaker to the Minister of Education parents from across Ontario came to Queen's Park yesterday to highlight the importance of rural schools in our province I was impressed by the passion that they had for their children's education and I was happy to hear that the Minister of Education took the time to meet with them parents in my own community never pass up the opportunity to speak to me about Ontario's publicly funded education system as they see it as an essential vehicle for their child's ability to grow develop and succeed and I agree Mr. Speaker through you to the Minister can you speak to some of the work underway in our government to boost student achievement rates and help children achieve excellence thank you Minister of Education thank you so much Mr. Speaker and I want to thank the member for her commitment to student excellence and for being such a fierce advocate on behalf of her community Mr. Speaker I know that even before becoming Ontario's Minister of Education parents I meet in my community were so committed to their child's growth and development they speak to me about what I call the continuum of learning our government has taken major steps to improve student outcomes I'd like to highlight that despite declining enrollment in the province our government has increased funding to our school boards by 59% since 2003 and with more students graduating today than at any other time in Ontario's history this is proof that our government's plan to help students achieve excellence is working and Mr. Speaker the PC party wanted to fire and freeze out our teachers I'm going to remind the Minister I stand with the supplementary thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the Minister for your update certainly it is clear that Ontario's record investments in education are making a difference in student achievement I know a lot of young parents who are putting their children into our publicly funded systems and they're interested in the quality of the buildings in which their children are learning we all know that you have made major investments we also know that the PC party has a terrible track record when it comes to education when they were in government they closed schools increased class sizes and in the last election the current leader of the opposition MPP Brown my MP at the time stop the clock I'm listening carefully for a government question and it should be there get to that point he patted Tim Hudak on the back as he announced that they would fire 100,000 start the clock if the member does not follow my instructions I'll pass carry on can the Minister inform this House about our government's long track record of increasing investments in rural school boards including the building of new schools wonderful member from very again for the question Mr. Speaker we've worked so hard to make Ontario's education system one of the best in the world but you're the question asked was specifically about rural school boards let's look at Lampton Kent Middlesex funding for Lampton Kent Middlesex schools was increased by approximately 552.9 million dollars an increase of 65 percent since 2003 per pupil funding has also increased by $4,500 in so three an increase of 62 percent our government has also built six new schools in this rural community our Lady of Lords Catholic School St. Nicholas Catholic School St. Andre Basset Catholic School Wilber Forest Public School Mary Wright Public School and West Nisour Public School even though the member from that area enthusiastically ran on a plant of fire teachers in his own community we will continue to build Ontario's education system I'm going to indicate to the government I'm a little bit disappointed and I am concerned that you're a scribing motive to any member other than your own writing and it needs to stop the decorum does not get helped new question the member from Nipissing Good morning Speaker my question is for the Attorney General yesterday we learned from a crown lawyer that the energy minister sought an alleged bribe to run in a by-election in the court of public opinion it's clear this government and minister only do what's best for the liberal party the people of Ontario deserve better they deserve a government that puts the interests of the people first they deserve an energy minister who clearly who is clearly focused on the hydro crisis that's impacting families and businesses across the province Mr. Speaker will the energy minister do the right thing and resign Attorney General the minister of energy is absolutely doing the right thing he is working at very as hard as he possibly can to make sure that we have clean reliable energy in this province Speaker now we do as I was saying earlier I still haven't had any explanation for these secret negotiations between a candidate in Scarborough Rouge River and the office of the leader of the opposition you see this secret negotiation appears to be about whether or not a candidate might withdraw from the election because she was getting support from people the conservatives wanted to get Speaker this all has to do with the flip-flop flip-flop flip-flop flip on sex education there are lots of questions around the negotiations these secret negotiations between a candidate and the leader supplementary I want to go back to the Attorney General in the north in the north Speaker we work hard and play by the rules that's the example we expect in our elected officials however it's clear the energy minister forgot his northern roots from back room deals to a record 5 OPP investigations this liberal government has repeatedly shown that it's ethically challenged now the minister of energy is distracted by legal problems as opposed to working to address the hydro crisis his government created he's failing Ontario families and businesses and he's failing the people of Sudbury and the people of the north Mr. Speaker do the right thing on behalf of his constituents and resign thank you Deputy Premier my constituents are looking forward to January 1st when they're going to see an 8% reduction in the hydro thanks to the minister of energy and in the north Speaker in the most remote parts of this province they'll see a 20% decrease speaker that's the kind of hard work that people in the north are grateful for and that's being led by our minister of energy Speaker now I do want to go back to this kind of puzzling coincidence as you know a new leader was elected by the PC party Speaker he needed a seat and he looked around and he found one Speaker he found one that was already held by the Conservative Party that was held by Garfield Dunlott Speaker a strange coincidence the very day that Garfield Dunlott resigned to seek to make way for the now leader of the opposition Speaker he got a job he got a job with the party new question a member from Windsor to come see thank you Speaker my question is to the acting Premier good morning for years we in the NDP have been calling on the Liberal Government to develop an automotive strategy for Ontario we've lost far too many manufacturing jobs in this province Unifor has settled a new contract with the American based auto industry Ottawa isn't doing anything to protect auto jobs President elect Trump is threatening to tear up existing trade contracts Speaker what is the wind government doing to protect and grow Ontario's automotive industry we need an automotive strategy and we need it now Thank you Minister Vecchina we do have an automotive strategy in the province of Ontario and it's working pretty darn well we've seen in the last three weeks alone 1.5 to 1.7 billion dollars of commitment in investments all over the province including Windsor Oshawa St. Catharines Woodstock among others I'm trying to think of some of the others Mr. Speaker we're seeing a real renaissance of investment in the province of Ontario and it's coming because we do have a very effective automotive strategy not only Mr. Speaker in supporting the jobs in today's automotive sector the assembly jobs but also promoting our ability to operate in that sector and be leaders in that sector we have a long and healthy past in the auto sector and we have a long and prosperous future Mr. Speaker primarily because we do have a very effective automotive strategy Thank you Mr. Speaker the premier's appointed so-called auto czar has been absolutely silent and there is no automotive strategy in the province of Ontario let's be frank we need a plan to the workers in those plants to fend for themselves against market conditions to make themselves productive despite no action on the part of this government Speaker crossing your fingers and hoping for the best is not an automotive strategy we need a plan we deserve a plan that addresses the skyrocketing prices of hydro makes us the most productive we need leadership from the provincial government when is this government going to get to the table devise an automotive policy that protects workers in the province of Ontario Thank you Minister Can you see it please Minister Mr. Speaker when it comes to auto and manufacturing this province has put forward $1.7 billion of investment that's leveraged $16 billion from sector manufacturers in this province 70,000 manufacturing jobs have been created by that policy Mr. Speaker so how can you stand there and say that we have no policy Mr. Speaker the fact of the matter is the plants in Windsor those injured plants were considered to be dead and gone because this government has an effective policy because we work closely with the uniform because we work in partnership with the government and on a heckle I just heard sure would you like to go Mr. Speaker the NDP should be complimenting this government on the great work we've done in partnership with Unifor to save and ensure that we have a great speech for tens of thousands of auto workers Thank you I'm happy to rise today on National Housing Day and my question is for the Minister of Housing and Poverty Reduction as I said it gives me great pleasure to address the legislature and mark National Housing Day National Housing Day is an opportunity for us to recognize the importance of people having a place to call home clean, safe and affordable housing can improve a person's health and the prospects for good education and employment Mr. Speaker this need for affordable housing is something that I often hear from my constituents in my riding of Davenport but at the same time Mr. Speaker it is time to reflect on the work to be done Mr. Speaker would the Minister please inform the House today on National Housing Day tell the House how the government is helping to promote affordable housing across the province of Ontario Thank you Minister of Housing Well thank you Speaker and thank you to the member from Davenport for that good question you know Speaker we've made some real progress in working to improve the lives of vulnerable people across this great province since 2003 for example Ontario has committed more than five billion dollars five billion dollars to affordable housing we're also supporting the creation of over 20,000 affordable housing units and making more than 275,000 repairs and improvements to social and affordable housing units our government Mr. Speaker is also helping to reduce homelessness through the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative as we work towards our goal to end chronic homelessness by 2025 Speaker I'm proud that we're increasing investments in Chippie across the province by 45 million dollars over the next three years we are working to strengthen Ontario Speaker by promoting a housing market that serves the full range of housing needs protects tenants and encourages private sector Supplementary Thank you Minister and I want to congratulate you for all the great work that you're doing on this particular file I know that my constituents in Davenport will be very pleased to know and to hear about all of the investments that you refer to and all the commitments that our province is making in terms of addressing the affordable housing issue we have here in the province Today the federal government is releasing a summary of community and stakeholder consultations on housing issues as part of the national housing strategy Mr. Speaker it has been over three decades since the last major national housing strategy discussion took place I'm glad to see the new federal government is working with both the provinces and territories to change this I know Ontario welcomes our new federal partner and the opportunity to engage in this strategy as we have long called for Can the minister share with this house how this vision will be made a reality with the proper funding Minister Again I'd like to thank the member for that question I believe that all levels of government have a shared responsibility for housing across this country we agree that all Canadians deserve housing that is suitable and affordable it's why when I went to the first national housing strategy round table in Victoria in June I was delighted to see a federal government minister responsible for housing there it was the first time in eight years eight years that there had been a federal minister there Mr. Speaker because the while Ontario and while Ontario welcomes a strengthened partnership with the federal government and the recent investments from the last federal budget what our communities really need is a long term funding part at the table Mr. Speaker Ontario needs a national housing strategy that includes stable supply of flexible funding that can only be achieved when we have a vision through a successful national housing strategy I big to inform the house that I have today laid upon the table of 2016 annual greenhouse gas report from the environmental commissioner of Ontario there are no deferred votes this out stands recessed until 3pm this afternoon