 On that note, we need to move to Member's Statement. So we'll move to Member's Statement, please. Order. Order. Order. Thank you. Can we move now to Member's Statement? Member for Toronto Centre. Thank you, Speaker. This weekend I was invited to address the 48th Highlanders of Canada, a Toronto-based infantry regiment that proudly parades out of the Moss Park Armory riding of Toronto Centre. We gathered to commemorate the service of Brigadier John Polans, Gervan and his wife, nursing sister Jean Elizabeth Sword. Nursing sisters were trained civilian nurses who enlisted with the Canadian Army, making them the first women in the modern world to hold military commissions as officers. Jean Sword followed in that great tradition where she was awarded multiple medals for her brave service. Her husband, John Gervan, commanded the 48th Highlanders and fought in two world wars, rising to the rank of Brigadier and is the most decorated individual in the regiment's history. Brigadier Gervan's service medals were auctioned on the open market last year, a development that could have resulted in those medals being split amongst multiple and different bidders. The regimental communities responded with great conviction and 51 donors came forward and successfully bid and repatriated those medals to the regiment and the perpetual care of the 48th Highlanders Museum, where they will now be on permanent display. I hope you will join me, Speaker, in applauding the faithful service of the 48th Highlanders of Canada. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next Member, Stateman, the Member for Tender Bay, Atacoco. Good morning, Speaker, and thank you. It is a pleasure for me to join Ministers Thompson, Dunlop, and Beth and Falby, and colleagues MPP Harris and MPP Flack this past Thursday and an incredible announcement for the University of Guelph and Lakehead University. The investment of over $15 million to address veterinary shortages in rural and northern communities will greatly benefit the farmers and large animals' owners in my writing. This support will greatly assist the Northwestern Veterinary and Hospital in Tender Bay, Northwestern Ontario's largest vet hospital, reducing backlog and expanding services. Not only will this investment help provide needed care for my constituents' animals, but it will also assist in the recruitment of new and support of graduating veterinary students. The new collaborative Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program with the University of Guelph and Lakehead University's allowed 20 additional veterinary students to enroll per year, totaling 80 new seats by 2028. The goal of the new DDM program focuses on bringing in northern, rural and indigenous students. The vet incentive program being launched means that program participants will be provided annual grants totaling up to $50,000 if the participant practices on large animals in underservice in northern communities. The growing demand of vet human resources needs to be met and our government is doing that. I look forward to the upcoming announcement in Tender Bay at Lakehead University. Thank you. Next member is Stakeley. Next member is for Emerson-Wesson County. And Castro Dundas. Thank you. I'm saddened today to rise and discuss a member of my family, Captain Craig Bowman and his battle with cancer. His cousin is a firefighter who has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, like many firefighters unfortunately do. Craig and his family are being denied coverage by WSIB because he does not meet the 25-year-old threshold for presumptive coverage. Craig has been a firefighter for 22 and a half years. Prior to his recent diagnosis of esophageal cancer, which is metastasized to his liver, Captain Craig was a very fit 46-year-old man. His prognosis is very poor. He has been denied WSIB on a presumptive case despite five letters from doctors. The lengthy process of an appeal could take many precious months and this family needs help now. In 1997, another hero, Bob Shaw, inhaled dangerous chemicals during the plasmid fire. That would result in esophageal cancer that would take his life. Bob's battle came to the attention of his local MPP, Andrea Horvath. Part of Sandifference was put aside and the Bob Shaw was created that makes WSIB coverage for certain cancers presumptive. Today, we have another local hero, Captain Craig Bowman. He's not getting presumed coverage because he has only been a firefighter for 22 and a half years, not 25. Once again, we as legislators need to come together for families such as my cousin Captain Craig. We can do better for front-line heroes who should be spending time with their families and not spending time fighting arbitrary rulings of the WSIB. Thank you. Next member's statement. The member for Mark and Fernberg. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Recently, I had the great pleasure to visit the Thornville Seniors Club in my riding. I met with the President, Norm Colstein. The club was officially launched in June 2004. Since then, it's been a hub for the seniors from all communities and offer them the safe space to enjoy. Seniors together organize and operate many sports, cultural and other activities for take-ups. The club takes pride in achieving historic proportion in Thornville history. The club speaks for Thornville Seniors, bringing people together, building bridges, brightening the day for many seniors. The club members say that TSC offer them special place that they themselves could control and manage. A place which seniors call their own. TSC has various drop-in program including water-colored classes, yoga program, year-round travel programs, and in-person bridge program at the Thornville Community Center. Madam Speaker, our government offers resources program and services to Ontario seniors that can help them stay safe, healthy and active. Our government not only helps seniors but also their caregivers and organizations that support them by promoting wellness, social connection, notification. This program can help reduce social isolation, help them seniors stay active, independent and engage. Madam Speaker, I, this Thornville Seniors, a club all the best. Thank you very much. Next Member, the Member for Barrie Innisfil. Thank you Speaker, and I am very humbled to always serve the residents of Barrie Innisfil. And I'm always proud to see the incredible volunteers we have across our region. And this past weekend I was able to celebrate some of those volunteers at the town of Innisfil where we pay tribute and thanks to Jennifer Richardson who helps with Connect Innisfil. And many individuals like Helen Kindley who helps with Cope Service Dogs and Cal who helps with countless initiatives like Pitchin for Innisfil which is an annual cleanup event we have. The Rotary Club, Friends of the Library and Christmas for Kids. We also were able to thank David Cockburn and Serge Sing who help with Crime Stoppers. We're able to thank Brian Jones for the Guilford United Church and his colleague Reverend Linder Butler and so many more. And Speaker and Barrie were also very proud to have Barrie Families Unite that operates on 200 volunteers per week regularly. It's volunteers like Lori Clark, Linda Waite and Linda Scallons who are always there constantly helping the organization. We also have the Red Cross who counts on volunteers like Brian Miller who's helping with many of their programs throughout Simcoe County through the Connect Volunteer program. So if you're listening today and you're looking to volunteer we have so many organizations across the region whether it's the YMCA whether it's Christmas for Kids, Habitat for Humanity and so many more encourage everyone to continue to volunteer and for those who have thank you so much. Thank you. Next Member Statement. The Member for Don Valley West. Thank you Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the youth in my writing of Don Valley West and especially those in Thorncliff Park who tell me about the challenges they have in finding employment. Many of these kids and their families are immigrants then newcomers to Canada and as such already face other barriers. According to first works, one in five Ontarians aged 24 to 29 are being classified as neat, not in employment, education or training. Investing more in student support such as youth job connection helps train our youth to get their first job, sets them up for future success and grows our economy. The Youth Job Connect program allows employment service providers to reach out to students at risk of leaving school without a job or training lined up, funds incentives for companies to hire young people and allows youth to take part in pre-employment training. In fact, first work who was at Queen's Park just last week requested in their 2023 pre-budget submission that quote the government maintain or reintegrate youth specific programming like Youth Job Connection to ensure the province's young people are not left behind in Ontario's economic success. For the youth in Thorncliffe Park and across Ontario who find it difficult to navigate the workforce and get the experience they need to succeed, funding such programs would give them the jump start they need to thrive in Ontario where their families have chosen to call home. I'm asking the government on behalf of youth in Don Valley West and across the province to please reconsider cutting the Youth Job Connection program so we can give you... Thank you. Next Member Statement, the Member for Adura. Thank you, Speaker. I would like to share with this House the accomplishments of some remarkable young ladies from my riding of Durham who were just recently recognized by the girl guides of Canada for their exemplary service. Ten members of the Eighth Bowmanville Pathfinders were presented with a Canada Court Award which is the highest award of a Pathfinder and the highest award a Pathfinder can earn. Girl guides between the ages of 12 and 14 who are enrolled in Pathfinders and complete the program requirements specializing in the areas of community service, volunteerism, leadership, camping skills and personal development are eligible for this prestigious award. The recipients of the 2023 Canada Court Awards from the Eighth Bowmanville Pathfinders are... Alison Baker, Charlotte Welch, Chelsea Smith, Chloe Stone, Claire Kurzweil, Evelyn Hosking, Julia Roth, Mel Ball, Ruth Bretthof and Riley Hunter. Speaker, on behalf of all members of this House I would like to congratulate these young ladies, their families, their guide leader, Julia Smith on their remarkable accomplishments and we wish them all the best and every success in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's still more government statements. Member Statements. I recognize the member for Mississauga Senate. Good morning, Speaker Bonjour. Last week I had the pleasure of joining my colleagues in the region of Peel to announce a 38% increase to the tune of $42.3 million into the region's homelessness prevention program a part of our government's $202 million additional investment into homelessness prevention and indigenous housing. The additional funding for the region of Peel represents 20% of the overall additional investment and we are so grateful to the Ministry of Housing for recognizing the need in the region of Peel as well as the incredible work the region is doing in settling newcomers and helping those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Speaker, this is truly a welcome investment that will make a tangible difference in people's lives. Speaker, I can't tell you how many times I had the sad duty when caring for people experiencing homelessness in the emergency room of having to discharge them into the street. Frantically calling all available shelters and being told that they are all full. These were some of the most heartbreaking moments in my nursing career and that is why this investment will empower the region of Peel to support shelters like Embrave, Amargad House, R Place Peel and many others to continue doing incredible work and housing our most vulnerable women fleeing domestic violence, youth at risk, those experiencing mental health challenges and many others. Speaker, I'm proud to be part of a government which is taking the housing crisis seriously and helping our most vulnerable. Thank you, merci. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the Member for Hamilton Mountain. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It gives me a really great pleasure to welcome the Ontario Disability Coalition to the front lawn today. They are here once again to rally the government to increase ODSP rates as we know people living with disabilities in this province are living far below the poverty line. Rents have increased, cost of living has increased. The monthly allowance for people who are disabled in this province has not increased near enough. A mere 5% increase to people who were already living below the poverty line continues to leave people in legislative poverty, which is not the province that we should be working hard to ensure that people have a healthy life and that they are able to live comfortably in the province of Ontario. So once again, they are here to encourage the government to increase the ODSP rates to double those rates to allow people the ability to live comfortably in homes. Once someone is evicted from a home in this province the chances of them being able to find rent within their monthly allowance is very slim. So I'm happy to have the opportunity to speak with them today. I hope the government members will also come out to the front line and speak to members who are living in legislative poverty in the province of Ontario. Thank you very much. Member Statements. The Member for Marcom Union. Thank you Speaker. I'm glad to speak on two important engagement events I had with constituents in Marcom Unionville this past weekend. First, I had the pressure of having Minister Lakshmi to join MPP Day Siwei and I at Roundtable on Bill 98 the Better Schools and Students Outcomes Act. We spoke with key stakeholders in our writing about the bill. They include students and parents of public schools and Chinese media. What I heard from stakeholders in Marcom Unionville was very clear. They believe their education system should support students to succeed in life and work. It should also prepare young people for jobs for tomorrow and the evolving economy. These are exactly what the bill seeks to achieve if not more. And I treasure this opportunity to hear from stakeholders in person their views. After the Roundtable I host an open house of my community office in Marcom Unionville. More than 50 families and 70 individuals came. It was a wonderful afternoon where my team and I were able to meet families and friends in the community. We talked about issues that they care about from education, healthcare, housing to economy. I'm blessed to have a tight need community in my writing. I'm humbled and honoured to serve my constituents and stakeholders. I will continue to make Ontario a better place. Thank you very much. I believe that concludes our member statements for this morning.