 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the leader of the official opposition A speaker before I begin I think it's important just to thank the Environmental Commissioner Diane Sacks Erwin Elman the child advocate and François Boulot the French language commissioner for all of the work that they've done over My first question is to the Premier Yesterday the mayors of 28 of Ontario's largest cities issued a statement denouncing what they call a stealth campaign of cuts Affecting everything from public health to policing to flood management to child care The Ford government has spent the last month denying that these cuts are even happening Is the Premier saying that these 28 mayors are wrong and he's right Referred to the solicitor general thank you speaker You know While the member opposite and the leader of the NDP can choose to keep repeating Things that frankly we do not subscribe to in our party and in our government We are going to continue to actively work and engage our municipal partners as you know Me we meet with ministers of the crown meet with Amoe at least once a month often more than that To talk about the changes that we are making to initiate conversations that ensure that what people want to protect And what matters most to Ontario residents is looked after by all levels of government Whether that happens at the federal provincial or municipal we all have a responsibility to ensure that the dollars that are spent Collected when we collect taxpayers dollars end up being the most efficient and ensuring the safety health and safety of our residents That's what we do when we work with our municipal partners, and that's what we will continue to do Seems to me the government has a pretty twisted idea of what partnership means speak the Premier can have his ministers deny his Reckless cuts, but no one believes them anymore especially when 28 mayors representing 67% of the province's population say that these cuts will have a devastating impact They've asked the Premier at the very least to delay the cuts so that they can actually plan Instead of reeling as the Ford government Lurches from one stealth cut to the next is the Premier willing to consider that request Minister of municipal affairs and housing speaker Minister Thanks speaker through you to the leader of the opposition. I I spoke to Mayor Kam Guthrie from Guelph This morning. He's the chair of the large urban mayors committee or Lumco We had a very good chat, and I'm sure it's it's a conversation We are going to continue as the solicitor general outlined in the first part of the question We have a framework of consultation with the association of municipalities of Ontario Lumco has a seat at that table, and it's a confidential process So while I'm not going to betray the confidentiality of some of our discussions some of the Discussions we've had with with ministers and AMO and their affiliates. We've had a very good Conversation the member is right the solicitor general is right We do meet on a monthly basis. There are other meetings that take place if there was an emerging an important item and Suffice it to say I had a very good conversation with Mayor Guthrie. Look forward to continuing to engage long. Thank you Final supplementary Well, I'm sure what the minister called the chat the other person in the conversation is calling something completely different But nonetheless the premier's cuts are hitting municipalities And these are services that families across our province rely on speaker only the Ford government Could cut flood management and the midst of unprecedented flooding Cut immunization programs just as health experts are warning of a measles Outbreak or cut public health while they claim to be tackling hallway medicine and then have the brass The brass to claim that they weren't doing it 28 mayors have joined the course the loud chorus of doctors nurses scientists and tens of thousands of average citizens who say these cuts are dangerous and Absolutely indefensible. Why is the premier so certain that all of these people are wrong and he alone is right Thanks, thanks again speaker We're going to continue to have Conversations with Ontario's large urban mayors We're going to continue to engage the Association of municipalities mature unlike the previous government that expanded that Consultation to every couple of months we meet with them every month Give them the door Quite frankly pretty rich from the leader of the opposition who has supported the liberal government They were spending 40 million dollars a day more than they were taking in we were saddled with a tremendous Deficit that I have to say you know our our budget that Minister Fidelli has tabled What's protecting the things that matter most to Ontarians is a responsible plan We're going to continue to engage our municipal partners. We're going to listen to them The opposition seems to think she knows the conversation between mayor Guthrie and I this morning I find that very very strange Next question again the leader of the official opposition Questions also for the premier But what I got to say is pretty which is that this government and these ministers don't remember when they were in opposition Trying to support municipalities to overcome the downloading of the last under mr. Harris. It's it's quite rich speaker Anyways, the question is to the premier Insisting that the I Stop the clock Member for King Vaughan will come to order member for Sault Ste. Marie will come door restart the clock Leave to the opposition by Paul yesterday The premier wrote to the mayor of Toronto insisting that the Ford government budget cuts to public health won't impact the programs Public health provides the chief medical officer of health the Ontario Medical Association doctors nurses school boards and of course the mayor himself Disagree speaker does anyone who doesn't work for the premier support his view Through you mr. Speaker and we actually made our response public to the mayor of Toronto I find it ironic I spent four years down there and the president mayor hasn't found a single penny of Efficiency's and over a 13 billion dollar budget. They have a fleet of cars down there 10 million dollars And they're still getting paid for their cars They're getting millions of dollars to actually go out and water dead trees They tell me there is an efficiency to be found and by the way, it's point Zero to four of a percent. They can't find that mr. Speaker in a budget We have serious problems at the city of Toronto. All they know how to do at the city of Toronto It's tax people spend their money not not drive efficiencies They don't care about the taxpayers money at the city of Toronto. We do care about the response taxpayers money We're still splitting the expense 50-50. That's pretty good if you ask me Restart the clock supplementary Well, I think what's pretty ironic speaker is the premier obviously wants to be there over in the city of Toronto But some reason he's here We cannot have it both ways when you cut funding to public health The member for Markham Stovell will come to order the member for Mississauga East Cooksville can come door I can hear what you're saying. You don't have to yell across the floor If we took a poll of our visitors, I'm not sure how many would be impressed by the behavior From some members. Let's think about that Start the clock again. I apologize to the leader the opposite You can't have it both ways speaker when you cut funding to vital public health services You can't pretend that those services won't suffer and they're vital services that keep us healthy and out of hospitals Whether it's immunization or school breakfast programs. That's the fact It keeps us healthy and out of our hospitals is the premier seriously Arguing that he can hit public health with retroactive budget cuts, but that public health won't suffer Through through you mr. Speaker what the leader of the opposition doesn't say is over the past 10 years Toronto Public Health has run Accumulative surplus of 52 million dollars. That's 52 million dollars with a surplus nearly 12 million dollars in 2011 Where's the money? Where's that money? Mr. Speaker? Let's talk about the 20 billion dollars our government has taken and given to the City of Toronto by uploading the backlog repairs for the TTC 27 billion dollar investment we're putting into transit. It's all right to talk about again point zero two four percent Less than one third of a percent response that they can't find efficiencies While through you mr. Speaker they need to wake up smell the coffee and start driving efficiencies for the taxpayers of this city Restart the clock final supplementary well speaker the last time the Conservatives drive deficiencies We ended up with Walker 10 and that's certainly not something that we want to have again in the province of Ontario That's something the Premier needs to think about he needs to think about If this continues I will start warning members if I have to warn them the next time they will be named We're going to have order here Minister of Infrastructure will come to order Restart the clock again. I apologize for the leader of the opposition Thank You speaker in neighbor neighborhoods and communities across, Ontario public health units are providing vital Services that keep us all healthy I've said it once and I'm going to keep saying it because it's the truth programs like breakfast programs school Immunization dental clinics where in my own community over 50% of kids in in grade two had cavities in their mouth that were untreated long-term care centers Doctors nurses mayors from across Ontario of every political stripes peaker have told the premier that these could these cuts put all of these Services in all of these communities at risk at what point will the premier realize that all of the bluster and denials Won't change the fact that his reckless Cuts will do serious serious damage and that it's actually time to reverse direction and stop the cuts from happening Solicitor general to the solicitor general Thank You speaker finds and continue to repeat rhetoric that frankly has no valid validity While we protect what matters most I want to talk about some of the investments that our Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Have already made as a government a commitment of an an additional 15,000 long-term care beds Half of which we have already announced and we're not even a year in come seniors for free dental care Hospital operational funding for hospital infrastructure, you know speaker I could go on and on but I'm focusing and our government is focusing on what matters most and we will stop the inappropriate spending like for example watering dead tree stumps The leader of the opposition Premier earlier today the Earlier today the Ford government announced their intention to start Stop the clock The member for Sault Ste. Marie is warned. I don't know if there's a confidence vote later on today Or not I apologize again to the leader of the opposition start the clock Speaker earlier today the Ford government announced their intention to start a hostile takeover of Toronto's transit system The province is supposedly still at the negotiating table with the city Apologize again stop the clock member for King Vaughan is warned We start the clock Leader the opposition province is supposedly still at the negotiating table with the city of Toronto on this matter The Premier hasn't even come close to answering serious Questions about this scheme and Toronto Council has been clear It's a scheme that will not work for the people of Toronto Does the Premier have any intention of actually working with the city in good faith? Or is this yet another example of a Premier stubbornly imposing his will and refusing to acknowledge the serious consequences? Through you mr. Speaker boy talk about rich talk about ironic We've had a stagnant transit system here for the last three decades. You look at the map of the DDC It's not moving through the great work of our Minister of Transportation An incredible incredible plan no matter if it's the Ontario line starting at Ontario place going up to the Ontario Science Center If it's extending the Eglinton line out west all the way out to the airport to serve the people in Etobicoke Or it's to the great people of Scarborough that have been waiting for transit for decades in decades We're gonna make sure we have a three-stop subway stop right there And another great announcement to the people up in Richmond Hill We're gonna run the young line all the way up to Richmond Hill We're putting the largest largest investment in Ontario's history in the country's history in North America at 27 billion dollar investment Speaker I guess the Premier doesn't remember the last time the Conservatives were in office when they buried the Eglington subway tunnel that was being built to expand subways in the province But it's clear that the Premier is plowing ahead with a hostile takeover of the DTC Without the permission of the people who built paid for and use the subway Just like he's ignoring the doctors who provide public health or teachers in a classroom after decades and decades of transit delay Some of which was caused by the Premier during his time at City Hall The people of Toronto want their leaders to work together to get transit built Instead the Premier's changing plans and attempting to impose his will yet again Why won't the Premier realize that this actually will lead to further delays, less transit and more gridlock? Stop the clock again. The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry is warned. The member for Niagara West is warned You start the clock Premier to reply the great Minister of Transportation It's unfortunate the member the leader of the opposition the NDP are mischaracterizing this entire announcement that we will be introducing legislation tomorrow We are stepping forward with ensuring that Minister to withdraw So mr. Speaker what we are doing is we have been working with the City of Toronto since last November we Campaign on a promise to upload the subway We campaign on a promise to build new subways for the City of Toronto the old system was not working mr. Speaker they are unable to expand this current subway network and we are going to do that mr. Speaker we've been working with Mayor Tory and his staff since November working towards the terms of reference We've been meeting with them weekly as we progress towards the upload which is going to benefit not only the people of Toronto But the entire province as a whole mr. Speaker I got asked the leader of the opposition a serious question She gets upset when she claims we're downloading services We're actually uploading 20 billion dollars worth of network into our province. Is she for uploading or not? Next question start the clock member for Richmond Hill My question is for the Premier This week the Premier traveled to New York City with the Minister of Finance They were in the big Apple to speak to investors to Wall Street Promote our 2019 budget and let our largest trading partner know Ontario is open for business And open for jobs slacked it We have been cutting red tape through measures and making Ontario open for business act and restoring Ontario's Competitiveness act we are providing corporate income tax relief through the job creation investment incentive and We are fixing the Liberals hydro mass Could the Premier explain to the house how important it is to bring our open for business magic to international investors For myself and my all-star Minister of Finance went to New York And I'll tell you that was one of the most rewarding trips not only for us But the people of Ontario when we talked to the largest investment firms in the entire world The entire world that stopped investing in Ontario stopped investing in Canada Because the tragedy they see they saw what took place over the last 15 15 years When we told them that we were cutting the red tape by 25% Saving businesses over 400 million dollars cutting regulations making sure we reduce hydro rates Making sure that we put a job creation Investment incentive of four billion dollars. They were excited. We talked to numerous fortune 500 companies And they look for coming creating jobs creating investment in Ontario Supplementary thank you speaker and thank you to the Premier for his response Business finally have a government and a Premier who understand business They have confidence in the government again Ontario has created 123,000 jobs since we took office nine months ago It is because we are creating an environment where job creators can thrive and because after 15 years of liberal waste Scandal and mismanagement. We are getting our fiscal house in order again Our 2019 budget protects what matters most to Ontario families while providing a clear path to balance Could a premier outline for the house how our budget was received by investors and businesses in New York? For you mr. Speaker, I want to thank our all-star member of Parliament to provincial Parliament from Richmond Hill Doing a great job I didn't say that I mean I got so excited about this trip to New York I took off on that so my apologies When we went to New York and again, we we met with private companies fortune 500 companies We met with investors a few times and there was one investment company the largest in the world told us They had never seen a prosperous country in a prosperous province Ontario Dismantle the energy file ever in their entire lives. They said the investments just dried up No one was interested in investing in Ontario or Canada anymore. The exact words is they systematically Destroyed your energy file. They said even if we want even if we plan to destroy it We couldn't destroy it as well as the NDP and the Liberals have done it over the last 15 years That's staggering when investment dries up, but we told them Ontario is open for business Thank You speaker my question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing The recent budget cut vital funding for municipalities and municipally cost-shared programs a plan increase in gas tax funding For municipal transit was cancelled costing more than 100 municipalities over 360 million dollars per year in planned funding Public health funding is being cut by 200 million dollars per year the community infrastructure fund which funds projects in small rural and northern municipalities was retroactively cut by 100 million dollars per year. Why is this premier making life harder for families and businesses that count on these municipal programs? Questions to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Thanks Vickering through you to the honourable member. I'm surprised that We haven't heard from him or his party when we made a historic investment In the last fiscal year. We provided 405 municipalities out of Ontario's 444 municipalities with over 200 million dollars on a one-time basis to work on municipal modernization You know that was that was a great announcement one that has been celebrated across this province You know again speaker we we work quite closely with our municipal partners. We chose not to we We value the relationship that we we have with them and we're going to continue to sit down with them and talk about how We can assist and work with them We know that there is a tremendous appetite out there for municipal officials to make their municipalities more effective and more And ensure that those critical services that they provide their constituents are done in the most efficient and effective way as possible We value our relationship. We're going to continue to work with them speak Well speaker for almost half of Ontario's municipal governments a 1% property tax increase Raises only $50,000 per year, but the Premier has cancelled hundreds of millions of dollars of annual funding for Municipally cost-shared programs meaning either huge cuts or huge property tax increases We are seeing cuts to flood protection Interlibrary loans and housing programs the last conservative government canceled funding for municipal Social housing and transit and social housing and transit have been in a state of crisis ever since Why is the Premier repeating this shameful history with cuts to public health and other vital municipal programs? Here we are yet another day in question period and the NDP continued to defend the Record of the former liberal government. I don't understand every day They are advocating on behalf of the former liberal government. Mr. Speaker on March 12th on behalf of Premier Ford and our government I announced a $30 billion Investment in infrastructure plan of four municipalities right across the province We're going to invest a $30 billion in roads and bridges transit right across the province Green infrastructure like water and wastewater systems Mr. Speaker as well as building community centers or recreation and culture centers right across this province I would think that the NDP would support that type of investment in their own communities right across this province The next question is the member for Northumberland Thank You mr. Speaker my question is to the Minister of Finance We know that when the people of Ontario elected our government they did so wanting greater Convenience and greater choice in their everyday lives That's why our government promised during last year's election campaign to bring beer and wine into corner stores big box stores and even Grocery stores and when I went for my morning coffee at Clark's variety I heard from countless farmers folks in rural Ontario said why can't we pick up a beer on our way home? Yesterday a study from the Retail Council of Canada reaffirmed that our commitment will have a positive economic impact In fact, it'll contribute over three point five billion dollars to Ontario's economy Speaker could the minister share how details of bringing more convenience and more choice for Ontario's consumers We'll provide opportunities for job creators and consumers alike Questions to the Minister of Finance Thank you speaker and to the member for Northumberland Peterborough south for the question by expanding choice and Convenience for Ontario consumers. We're expanding opportunities for small businesses right across the province Local store owners brewers consumers all stand to benefit from an expanded market Yesterday the independent Retail Council of Canada said that if Ontario were to increase the number of retail stores Selling alcohol to meet just the national average. We would see 9,000 new jobs created in Ontario and three and a half billion dollars added to our GDP the Retail Council The Retail Council says quote greater choice for alcohol and increased convenience is both a strong win for Ontario consumers as well for Ontario's economy Speaker we agree and look forward to filling yet another Promise made to the people of Ontario Thank you for that response minister I know members opposition aren't interested in those sorts of Economic impacts to our province and those jobs, but it's encouraging to hear the words of yesterday from the independent Nonpartisan Retail Council of Canada It's abundantly clear that our government is open for business and open for jobs And it's going to continue putting people first in everything we do as evident by the Retail Council of Canada's comments But we also must ensure that the chamber changes we inevitably introduce are socially responsible and that the health and safety of our communities are Maintained minister. Can you tell the house how our approach to modernizing alcohol sales embraces this immense economic opportunity? While also ensuring it's done in a responsible manner minister Well, thank you a speaker and again Thank you to the member for the question speaker not only does Ontario stand to benefit from the job creation opportunities that exist But expanded choice and convenience would directly benefit consumers our proposed changes would allow Responsible adult consumers to make the choices that are best for them at the same time We want to ensure that any proposed improvements will uphold the safety and health of all of our citizens and all of our communities We have appointed Ken Hughes as special advisor His experience as chair of Alberta health services will inform our government's Absolutely responsible approach speaker. We continue to engage with a wide variety of groups Responds and we look forward to working them on the great opportunities that lie ahead. Thank you speaker Mr. Speaker My question is for the Minister of Education just last night We learned of yet another cut hitting Ontario's child care system Buried within the government's 2019 child care allocations is a 50 million dollar cut to child care operators Through the retroactive elimination of fee stabilization funding now, mr. Speaker Stabilization was put in place in order to ensure that as our frontline child care workers saw their wages rightly increase Operators would not be forced to either increase fees for parents or lay workers off Simply put mr. Speaker the funding helped keep kids in reliable care kept parents from seeing a hike in their fees and Helped Ontario workers keep their jobs. Why is the minister taking this away? Well, thank you very much for the opportunity to stand and speak in the host today's speaker to Dispel yet another NDP myth that they're trying to perpetuate the manner in which this party is trying to fear monger is just Staggering and this is another example because quite frankly all I have to say is bill 148 that Feast stabilization was put in place to correct a mistake That the former liberal government made and you back them up yet again Do you know Decision after this and asked the minister to make her comments through the floor or through the chair rather not across the floor Again, the minister to conclude a response. Okay. Thank you. Thank you speaker. And you know the decisions made daycare across Ontario Absolutely, affordable unaffordable the previous government raised Ontario's minimum wage by 20% and that was absolutely Unmanageable for Ontario's child care sector. So what are we doing? We're fixing the mistake that the NDP backed up that the Liberal Party made and the fact of the matter is we're investing $2 billion Mr. Speaker, I don't know why this government is in such a rush to get it So very wrong the abrupt end to this stabilization funding means that child care facilities are being hit with massive Changes to their funding formulas with absolutely no warning from this government Clearly this government has no idea how this change will impact Ontario families because once again They haven't consulted with the key stakeholders before they pull the funding to make matters worse Mr. Speaker 44 out of 47 child care delivery and oversight boards had their general allocation funding cut this year leaving parents again To pick up the tab Since forming government the Conservatives have made child care less safe for children more expensive for parents and created Absolute chaos for child care providers and educators why? The answer to why is very simple We were elected as a government to fix the mess the Liberal government made over the last 15 years We're getting it right once and for all for Ontario daycare. We're investing over two billion dollars We're continuing with the wage enhancement grant We're continuing with on home child care enhancement grant and we're also continuing with the qualification upgrades for early childhood Educators speaker like never before we're standing up and getting it right and standing with parents We're going to be leaving ultimately more money in their pockets because over and above everything else We're doing we introduced care a tax credit that ultimately Ultimately will see relief from the cost of child care because it's going to be a tax credit that will enable parents Flexibility accessibility and affordability when it comes to Fox next question the member for Scarborough Guildwood. Thank you speaker My question is to the premier Speaker through you to the premier yesterday the large urban mayor's caucus raised concerns over the Ford government's downloading by stealth agenda This plan will place significant financial pressure on municipalities that are already struggling to cope with the cuts to library Services and public health under its downloading by stealth agenda This government will require municipalities to cost-share child care funding at a rate of 80 to 20 From its previous 100% funding. Why is this government unilaterally shifting these costs when we own when we know We only have one taxpayer. Why is this government using child care costs? I Government side will come to order Once again, I need to be able to hear the member who actually has the floor has the right to place a question is not breaking the rules By loud interjections Start the clock. I apologize to the member for Scarborough Guildwood. Please conclude your question Why is this government using child care cost-sharing to offload their responsibilities onto municipalities leaving them out? to dry Questions to the premier through you mr. Speaker. I can't believe what I just heard There's a there's one taxpayer. This is a government that dismantled this province for decades This is a this is a government that put our debt the largest sub-sovereign debt in the world of 347 billion dollars when I was in New York. They couldn't believe it This is a government that put our our children our families the workers in this province in debt a deficit of 15 billion dollars We have to be this fiscally responsible mr. Speaker I just can't believe the government for 15 years of scandal mismanagement of money from the taxpayers actually has the nerve to get up there and say there's one taxpayers They've never seen a dollar that they don't love spending. It's about tax tax tax Restart the clock supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker again back to the premier this morning We learned that the forward government is cutting 50 million dollars in funding that was meant to support child care centers in increasing costs of labor the removal of this funding will destabilize the system and force child care centers either cut staff or To raise fees for parents Stop the clock again The member for Kitchener Conestoga is warned the member for Carlton is warned six members have been warned Start the clock Again, I apologize member for Scarborough Gilgamesh the center in Peele that is already raising fees by $72 because of this devastating cuts Families simply can't afford hundreds more dollars for child care costs mr. Speaker Why is this premier forcing increased fees on child care centers at the same time? Downloading its responsibilities to municipalities It's like you're giving with one hand and taking from the next and it is wrong and it's hurting families and Also destabilizing a system that they rely on Premier to reply through you mr. Speaker. They were taking from both hands Through you mr. Speaker Through you mr. Speaker the reason they're raising at $72 because the previous government raised the minimum wage from 11 and change up to $14 I spoke to child care Folks and they can't afford to hire people because of the minimum wage what we're doing We're putting a care tax credit a care tax credit, which is a child care expense deduction We're investing two billion dollars Families You're gonna get a tax credit 3,750 from seven up to 16 years of age and anyone with a severe disability are going to get a tax credit of $8,250 we're helping A hundred thousand families out there 300,000 families they will have a choice where they get their child care Member for Orléans is one. It's not helpful We're trying to have decorum in this house For the remainder of question period It's the speaker's obligation to try to maintain that. I need your help start the clock The next question is the member for Markham Thornhill Mr. Speaker my question to the Minister of Transportation Recently the Premier and the Minister of Transportation unveiled a bold vision for transit right here in the GTA It is an 28 5 billion on transit vision to expand the provinces Subway network by 50% Mr. Speaker, this is a historical announcement And this is by far the most money ever invested to get several in the ground and get the new subway built Our transit vision include expanding the transit option for Scarborough resident who have been ignored for far too long Moving forward with the desperately needed Ontario line Extending the TTC subway into the York region Markham and Richmond Hill and extending the Eglinton West LRT People have waited long enough for integrated regional transit system Mr. Speaker can the Minister of Transportation update the latest lecture on the upload. Thank you Much speaker and thanks to the member from Mark Markham Thornhill. It's a Great opportunity to work with you and he's been a strong advocate Stay guys honored to be invited to speak at this morning at the Toronto Board of Trades Annual breakfast and I really thank them for the invite. I announced that tomorrow in this legislature I will be introducing the Getting Ontario moving act and if passed it will give us the legislative tools to upload ownership of Future subway expansion projects to the province so that we can get them built and build them faster Mr. Speaker that is our government's plan to get people moving and get the economy going mr. Speaker in the past Other governments have made promises to expand transit in the GTHA But red tape and politics prevented that from happening time and again people have been disappointed when nothing gets built Mr. Speaker during the campaign Our party promised to upload responsibility for subway infrastructure to build subways faster get Ontario's moving and mr. Speaker We're just doing that. I look forward to more answers in my supplemental supplementary Thank You mr. Speaker. Thank you minister for the transportation for the very informative and exciting update Our government for the people is moving full-stream. I had to call truth to our commitment to get the people across Ontario movie As a minister has stated our subway transit vision will include the Ontario line Which will provide real relief line from conjunction online one It will be twice as long and move twice as many people as the original relief line project And we will get done it about the same course The young north subway extension will connect the subway to one of the region's largest employment center We will build a long way that three stops hardware subway extension And we will add the Eglinton cross-town west extension through a tobiko Can the minister of transportation share more detail about the isolation being table tomorrow? minister transportation Stated before the province is in the best position to build transit We'll be able to prioritize transportation projects and make decisions based on what is best for the people of Ontario Not just Toronto. Mr. Speaker. We have a greater capacity to finance projects and move them along much much quicker quicker We have resources and the decision-making abilities and we can issue issue Mysterial zoning orders and we can compel utilities to prioritize our projects mr. Speaker We will utilize the city's previous planning That they have done and we're going to use it to working with the city with the federal government in order to build and develop and Incorrect a truly regional transit system. We're going to be connecting neighborhoods that never been connected before mr. Speaker We're going to be working towards fair integration of mr. Speaker This is great news for the province of Ontario as we work forward to implementing our $28.5 billion investment in transit in the city of Toronto. Thank you Next question the member for Tomiskaming doctrine. Thank you speaker my questions to the acting premier This week the premier and the finance minister took their partisan new service on a trip to New York City But media report that the premier's office has refused to disclose the cost of the trip Will the premier tell us how much the public will be paying for his trip to New York. It's a very simple question Well, thank you very much for the question. I can tell you it was a great honor to join the premier in New York This past week. It's interesting speaker that since we have Come out of the budget blackout period. We have raised 4.6 billion dollars From the markets in half of that speaker was in US dollars There is unbelievable confidence for the first time in the province of Ontario They loved our open for business open for jobs message They love the fact that we've cut red tape that we have a job creation investment fund that we've cut the WSI B fees of 1.45 billion that we scrapped the cap and trade that we have put that we have cut the hydro bills We are open for business and open for jobs and they spoke loud and clear with their checkbooks speaker Well, the premier was gone We've seen the government announced they don't have funds to maintain student breakfast or teachers in the classroom Or even flood management on terror to steal scrambles to deal with record-floating at the very least The premier of this province owes the people At the very least order The people of this province deserve to know how much this trip cost Obviously the premier's office does not have unbelievable confidence in its own numbers It's a simple question deserves a simple answer the trip cost Stop The member for Northumberland Peterborough South is more restart the clock Mr. Finaster play much, you know, we took a fabulous message to the investors and the business prospects in New York They love the fact that we are transforming government. They love the fact that we are modernizing government They love the fact that we are digitizing government In fact, we told them the story about exactly how if they went to their DMV to get their license renewed now in Ontario You can now go online to renew your license You can now go online to renew your vehicle registration. You can now go online So we showed them what we mean by digitizing our government We told them that we had a plan to save four cents on every dollar spent and in fact our plan to date has resulted in almost eight cents on every dollar spent in savings and Speaker they were thrilled to hear that not only are we doing this without increasing taxes. We're returning $26 billion in relief to Ontario's families. They found that the situation is better today than it was 10 months ago Start the clock next question the member for Carlton Thank You mr. Speaker Before I begin I just wanted to welcome to the legislature of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs and in particular Fire Chief Pascal Manier from Carlton place fire chief Ken Stevenson from Berks Falls and district and fire chief Brian Wilson from Clarence Rockland who I look forward to meeting with later today I also want to give a quick shout out to fire chief Kemiott from Ottawa who couldn't be here today Mr. Speaker my question today is for the Solicitor General Protecting citizens is at the core of our government's work for the people and the enforcement of modern and robust fire safety rules Protects the lives of citizens as well as our hard-working fire fighters and mr. Speaker We know that fire regulations are a key part of ensuring the safety of our communities These regulations aren't always on top of mind for everyday citizens But they have a big impact on fire services ability to do their job. Could the solicitor general Please let us know how improving these regulations are making firefighters and citizens safer Opposition come to order solicitor general Thank you, and thank you for the member from Carlton for your important question But also for serving on the caucus advisory team for solicitor general, you know Like to welcome and thank the fire chiefs for joining us today at Queens Park It's an important Advocacy that you need to do to educate us as MPP's so thank you You know your officers the brave men and women on the front lines keep our family safe and as a government we're committed to ensuring firefighters and Regulations support firefighters across Ontario whether you live in canora or Cambridge, Ottawa or Oxford I can assure you that the regulations that we put in place are going to be appropriate for the communities that you serve And we will continue to do that as you know There are some new regulations coming forward in the early summer That will make an impact for the services as well as the communities that we serve I want to assure you that we will continue to make sure that those regulations are Appropriate for the size and the service of the community that you serve. Thank you Supplementary question And through you I would like to thank the solicitor general for her response It's such a truly an honor to serve on the caucus advisory committee and to work with our first responders in all of all across the province Mr. Speaker firefighters have always stood up for the safety of communities and now that they have a government that Respects and supports them as they carry out very difficult and very dangerous jobs each and every day We ask these brave men and women to potentially put themselves in harm's way to keep our loved ones and our community safe And in return we see it as only fair to support them in their important duties and through you, mr. Speaker could the solicitor general please tell us more about how our government is providing better support to firefighters across Ottawa and Ontario and improving fire safety. Thank you Solicitor general Thank you, so as you know our government values the important work that firefighters do is they place themselves and in harm's way And I want to want to also Give a shout out to the volunteer firefighters because they also play a vital safety amended the fire protection and prevention act this past fall to ensure that full-time firefighters can volunteer their services if they Choose in their home community and I would be remiss not to highlight speaker your work for many years in opposition On this issue and of course my friend and colleague the Minister of Labor to bring forward this amendment It makes a real difference in our smaller communities. So thank you These amendments protect firefighters and municipalities from any pressure to dismiss professional firefighters from what is commonly referred to as double Hiding this will also ensure that professional firefighters cannot face Association penalties for double-hiding and to allow municipalities to include them in their service model our government is restoring respect for first responder and Including firefighters and I want to thank them for their service Next question the member for Hamilton Mountain Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education Yesterday Hamilton one-word district school board announced that 99 teachers will be laid off That's enough to staff two full high schools I've heard from a math teacher who lives in Flambrough, Glamour who is on maternity leave And has received her notice stating she no longer has a job to return to Why does the minister and the member from Flambrough, Glamour think it's okay to gut schools in Hamilton? Quite frankly we don't what we're doing is restoring trust Transparency and accountability to provinces finances and we expect our education partners to work with us in that regard as well You know we the GSN notifications just went out on Friday And we're going to be working with school boards to make sure that the efficiencies that are found within their administration Are not impacting our classrooms. We want to work and establish President in terms of making sure that our dollars Ontario tax dollars are going into sustaining and building and growing a learning environment That is effective for both the student and the teacher because our number one priority is student achievement And we can't lose sight of that That's why we're working with our labor unions and working with our education partners and invited them to come forward through to May 31st With ideas suggestions offsets. Thank you Thank you speakers the questions to the minister of education as well speaker in the greater subredgian 51 high school teachers at the rainbow district school board receiver Duncey notices on Friday While in past years, there's a chance of these educators will be reassigned as government's cuts to education Make the threat of job losses very real These teachers are not resigning speaker, and they're not retiring They can be out of his job as a direct result of the conservatives cuts to the education system What does the minister have to say to the hard-working educators in Sudbury worried that they could lose their jobs? Well the first thing I have to say to all teachers is in Ontario is please don't get caught up in the fear-mongering We're hearing from Huge mess to fix in Ontario and every sector has to do their part But I can tell you our number one priority is that classroom is the learning environment in the classroom That is absolutely focused on student achievement. We're standing with teachers. We're standing with students so that teachers students and ultimately parents have absolute confidence in what is going on and and Happening in our classroom in terms of addressing Getting back to the basics making sure that our students have the job skills and the life skills They need to ensure a job of today and for tomorrow as well And when it comes to making sure that we get things right, you know I heard the the member opposite say that teachers receive notification of redundancies on Friday That board only received their GSN on Friday. There's too much Thank you Next question the member for Barry in the Thank You mr. Speaker my question is for the Attorney General I joined my colleagues in the house today to solemnly mark and observe Yam Hashana Holocaust Remembrance Day This day is about the tragic loss of more than six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust and honors those who survive this Unmarkable tragedy sadly the threat of hatred is not isolated in our history books In fact the Canadian Centre of Jewish Statistics cited an alarming sharp increase in hate crimes in 2017 With incidents targeting religion up to 80% Antisemitism was a factor in one in five incidents and we saw an increase in 400 hate crimes reported to the police over the previous year Could the Attorney General please tell this house how our government is standing up against hate The Attorney General Thank You mr. Speaker I want to thank the member from Barry in a spill for her important question on Ontario's 20th anniversary of young Hashawa Holocaust Remembrance Day This is a day we come together as Ontarians to make sure that we never forget and that we are vigilant against the rise of hate in our Communities we have zero tolerance for hate of any form here in Ontario And it's why I'm working with my colleagues and my ministry to create a new working group of regional hate crime Crown specialists this new group will ensure a consistent approach is taken to combating hate crimes This group will work to create closer Relationships with police officers investigating these heinous crimes It will also work closely with community partners to develop specialized training for our lawyers to ensure that they are sensitive to the Unique elements of hate crimes and the deep impacts that they have in our communities I want to thank the Attorney General for letting us know about the important work that is underway to uproot the seeds of hate from our communities Where everyone deserves to live free of hate and have been to intimidation from violence From this terrible period in her history has emerged a glimmer of light with remarkable stories of hate Faith hope resilience and determination We know many survivors have emigrated to Canada and settled in Ontario And we are fortunate to count them among our neighbors and our community leaders Could the journey Attorney General reflect on the importance of working with and honoring the stories of the victims of the Holocaust and our commitment to never forget? We can never stand back and see ground to the rise of hate a Part of the responsibility we share is to carry in our hearts the stories of heartbreak and terror that many of our neighbors and their Families experienced in this dark chapter of history. I recently had the privilege to meet Max Eisen Report a remarkable constituent in my writing of York Simcoe who shared his story of survival in his book by chance alone In it he wrote and I quote I found myself in the men's line with my father and my uncle my grandfather my grandmother My mother still holding baby Judith my two younger siblings and my aunt all marched away in the other group Everything happened swiftly and we had no time to think I didn't have the opportunity to talk to my mother Nor did our eyes meet and I wasn't able to say goodbye to her and quote The horrors that Max Eisen and so many other faced Challenge us to keep fighting against the rise of hatred in Ontario. We can't let them down and we won't Restart the call next question the member for Hamilton East Stony Creek Speaker my question is to the Solicitor General It's been nearly 10 months since 62 recommendations were made to prevent overdose deaths in Hamilton Wentworth Detention Center The inquest was sparked after a wave of inmates overdosed in this correctional facility a problem Which has sadly continued since the recommendations were released this week an inmate Overdosed less than 24 hours after families and friends had placed 15 crosses outside of the facility to represent the inmates who have died since 2012 the Solicitor General has until May to respond to these recommendations What day this month can the people of Hamilton expect the minister's response? Thank you, you know the member opposite raises frankly a very tragic Issue that is happening within our corrections institutions and frankly within our society when people choose to Use and abuse drugs It has an impact. It has an impact on our streets. It has an impact in our in our hospitals It has an impact in our institutions what I am doing is not waiting for recommendations I'm not waiting to react. We've already made some quantitative changes that are seeing improvements But it takes time as the member opposite knows full well. These are not issues that started 10 months ago These are issues that have been ongoing. We have been giving our corrections officers and staff additional tools But we need help we need help from Individuals to stop Illicit drugs into our jails. We we need to make sure that everybody understands This is a societal problem, and we will work collectively with my partners in the acute supplementary Thank You mr. Speaker my question to also to the Solicitor General There's a crisis in corrections under the Liberals and now there's one under the Conservatives in March a constituent from my riding Angela case Set this list their general a letter She told her about how her 20 year old 22 year old son died of fentanyl overdose in the Niagara Detention Center She explained that the detention center was built to house a hundred twenty-five inmates But currently has two hundred and fifty Angela explained where the government's protocols and regulations come up short in Preventing the death of her son But the Solicitor General didn't even have the courtesy to respond shame When will the Solicitor General respond to Angela and Tell her how the government has created a system where people overdose on fentanyl Insider jails You know I can't imagine as a mother hearing such a tragic Death happening in our institutions, but I also Want the members to understand and appreciate that every time that we assess an individual who comes into our prisons Every time we take that 24 to 48 hours to make sure that people are not suffering from an overdose It is a challenge and it is a challenge that we are dealing with head-on Frankly, that is why last week we made an announcement of a new investment of a new jail in Thunder Bay We understand that you can't have institutions. We have no choice We must take the people who need to serve in our institutions. There is no waiting on in an Ontario jail We are working on it. These are issues that have to have Festered quite frankly for many many years and we've already started to make investments and changes and take Going to advise the house again that the following members were warned this morning during question period member for Sue St Marie the member for King Vaughan the member for Niagara West the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry The member for Kitchener Conestoga the member for Carlton the member for Northumberland Peterborough South and the member for Orley Remind the members that those members that if they've been warned the warning carries over into the afternoon sitting And if you have been warned and the speaker has to call you to order again You may be named and have to leave the chamber for the remainder of the day Pursuant to standing order 38a the member for Tomiskaming Cochran has given notice of his dissatisfaction with the answer to his question Given by the acting Premier Concerning the cost of the trip to New York City. This matter will be debated today at 6 p.m We have a deferred vote on the motion that this house approves in general the budgetary policy of the government Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell. We'd ask the members to please take their seats On April the 11th 2019 mr. Fidelli moved Seconded by mr. Ford that this house approves in general the budgetary policy of the government All those in favor of the motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized Is Mr. Clark mr. Yacobosky Mr. Hardiman mr. Tobolo mr. Barrett mr. Pettipies mr. Pettipies mrs. Marto mr. McDonnell mr. Bailey mr. Bailey mr. McNaughton mr. McNaughton Fullerton mr. Scott mr. Jones mr. Jones mr. Scarborough Jones mr. Rickford mr. Rickford mr. Phillips mr. Miller Perry Salma Stoker mr. Lecce mr. Lecce mr. Cove mr. Cove mr. Downey mr. Downey mr. Gill mr. Gill mr. Cough mr. Cough mr. Cullander mr. Cullander mr. Cervan mr. Parsons mr. Parsons mr. Skelly mr. Skelly mr. Mark mr. Mark mr. Trantiflopoulos mr. Sikarya mr. Sikarya mr. Osterhoff mr. Osterhoff mr. Park mr. McKenna mr. McKenna mr. Nicklaus mr. Kucendova mr. Romano mr. Carr hallus mr. Papa mr. Cherwellers mr. Miss Carholly mr. Steve Mr. Chow Willidale mr. Crocker mr. Crawford mr. Crocker mr. Cannae mr. Poccini mr. Poccini mr. Cram mr. Cram mr. Watt mr. Watt mr. Nons mr. Rashi mr. Sandu mr. Sandu mr. Smith peterborough corp mr. Bauer mr. Cassetta mr. Con startling mr. Canapagani mr. Babeлов mr. Baker mr. Pay mr. Pay mr. to the motion will please rise one at a time and be counted by the clerk. The ayes are 68, the nays are 40. The ayes being 68 and the nays being 40, I declare the motion carried. Call resolved with the House approves in general the budgetary policy of the government. We have a deferred vote on government notice of motion number 36 relating to allocation of time on bill 100, an act to implement budget measures and to enact, amend and repeal various statutes. Call in the members. This is a five-minute bell. On April 30th, 2019, Ms. Scott Mood, government notice of motion number 36 relating to the allocation of time on bill 100. All those in favor of the motion will please rise one at a time and be counted by the clerk. Ms. Fullerton, Ms. Scott, Ms. Jones, Mr. Chose, Mr. Rickford, Mr. Phyllis, Mr. Miller, Perry, Sam, Mr. Lachey, Mr. Coe, Mr. Down, Mr. Gill, Mr. Coe, Mr. Kalandra, Mr. Serma, Mr. Parsons, Ms. Skelly, Mrs. Martin, Mr. Santa Fulopoli, Mr. Ostehoff, Ms. McCann, Ms. McHenry, Mr. Nichols, Ms. Cusendopa, Mr. Moran, Mr. Romano, Mr. Harris, Mr. Gamar, Mrs. Carr-Hullier, Mrs. Feet, Mr. Cho Willidale, Mr. Crocker, Ms. Cangin, Mr. Puccini, Mr. Crank, Mr. Prank, Mrs. Y, Mr. Arnaud, Mr. Rashi, Mr. Sandin, Mr. Smith-Peterborough-Cortha, Mr. Bauer, Mr. Cazetto, Mr. Dunlop, Mr. Canapatti, Mr. Vebekin, Mr. Babbekin, Mr. Babber, Mr. Payne, Mr. Tanagasa, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Sabao, Mr. Sabao. Opposed to the motion, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the clerk. Mr. Bisson, Madam Gillan, Mr. Tapp, Mr. Tapp, Ms. Singh Brampton-Center, Mr. Vanto, Ms. Horvath, Ms. Pfeife, Ms. Sapper, Ms. Shaw, Ms. Shaw, Mr. Mamakwa, Mr. Yar, Ms. Carpoche, Mr. Monta, Ms. Lindo, Ms. Stiles, Ms. West, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Gates, Ms. Gretzky, Ms. French, Mr. Miller, Hamiltonie Stoney Creek, Mr. Singh Brampton-East, Ms. Andrews, Mr. Hatfield, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Birch, Mr. Burns McGowan, Mr. Arthur, Ms. Bell, Mr. Glover, Ms. Morrison, Mr. Ray Kosevich, Mr. Hart, Ms. Monty Pharrell, Mr. Hassan, Mr. Frasier, Ms. Madame Lalotte, Ms. Hunter, Mr. Schreiner, Mr. Schreiner, Madame de Rossi. The ayes are 68, the nays are 40. The ayes being 68, the nays being 40. I declare the motion carried. This House stands in recess until 3 p.m.