 to members' statements. I recognize the member from St. Catharine's. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise to react to recent government announcement about Ontario Electricity Support Program, OESP, that bring warmth to some, yet it leaves a chilling gap in our fight for energy affordability. Last year I called for urgent action against soaring gas bills, expanding this program to include other energy sources, a call that remains unanswered. Our government prefers corporations over people. Last week the government announced they would reverse the OESP's decision, their own regulatory board decision that would lower heating costs for families across Ontario. Instead, this government would subsidize Enbridge the same corporation that doubled heating bills for their customers in 2022. When criticized, this conservative government's response was very predictable, pointing fingers at the federal policy that they cannot influence. Finger wagging at provincial solutions that put affordability before rich corporations. Sitting on their hands will family shiver. This isn't just about electricity, it is about gas, about warmth that every Ontario home deserves but many cannot afford. Today I stand before you, urging an extension of the OESP to include gas bill relief. This is not a political issue, it is a matter of addressing affordability. Whether you use electricity or gas to heat your home, no one in the prosperous province should have to choose between heating their home and essential of life. Thank you. Member Statement. Member for Canada, Mrs. Sava Erin Mills. Thank you, Madame Speaker. I was happy to announce last month with my Peel colleagues that the Ontario government's reviving Peel regional police was over 3 million and Peel joined Fire Communication Center with 1.8 million for the transition to the next generation 911. Madam Speaker, next generation 911 is a new system that will allow 911 dispatchers to receive text messages, data and GBS coordinates from the public. This will allow for a better and faster emergency responses when people need it most. And the last months, we heard the big news. On February 21, at 3.30 a.m., Peel Regional Police became the first large communication centre in Canada to successfully finish the transition to new Generation 911. Speaker, this is a huge milestone for emergency services here in Canada. With this new technology, we will finally be brought into the 21st century. I am very excited for this new technology and want to thank everyone who played the role in making this happen. And a special thanks to the heroes of Peel Police working every day to keep us safe. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you. Next Member's Statement. The Member from Glengarry Prescott Russell. Thank you very much as the representative of Glengarry Prescott Russell. I want to underline that we are beginning the month of March, which is for Francophonie. We need to celebrate the French language everywhere in the world, and its diversity. There are five continents involved. The celebrations that take place on the 20th of March will be good for even more dialogue. So there are almost 700,000 Francophones in Ontario, from one end of the country to the other. This is French expression, be it your own language or a language you have learned. And this is immigration also allows us to learn French even if this is not our mother tongue. So we are going to be presenting these people who represent Francophonie. And so on the 20th we will be able to celebrate together all of these countries and people who ensure that Francophonie will continue. So thank you for entrusting me with this mission, and I would like to wish you a happy month of March, consecrated to Francophonie. Thank you Speaker. Speaker, as you would be well aware, last year 2023 was the hottest year on record, and the expectation is that this year will be even hotter. We are really starting to push the limits on what is happening globally in terms of heating. We are setting ourselves up for dramatic changes in the world around us that we will not want to have to encounter. We're all well aware of the smokehouse fire in Texas and the fact that the smoke from that conflagration is visible here in Canada. The consequences of global heating, drought, wildfires, flooding are visible around the world. Speaker, to even stabilize the global climate, to even stabilize it, not to pull back on the damage that's happened, but to even stabilize it, we need to reduce our missions in Ontario by 50% by 2030. As people are well aware, this government has set an irresponsible target of 30%. It will not do what is needed to be done. It will not show the leadership that as an advanced industrial society, Ontario should be setting. Speaker, we need this government to change course. It needs to set a target of 50% reduction of emissions by 2030. It needs to put in place the investments, the policies, the programs to actually deliver on that. Failure to do that will cause damage that all of us will regret for the rest of our lives. Thank you. Thank you. Next member's statement. The member from Bruce, from Simcoe Gray. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, and it's a pleasure to rise this morning to talk about a topic that's close to my heart and very closely connected to my riding of Simcoe Gray. Currently, the 2024 Canada Special Olympics National Winter Games are taking place in Calgary, Alberta. And recently, the town of Blue Mountains celebrated the 25th anniversary of hosting the sixth Special Olympics World Winter Games in 1997, only the second time it was held outside the U.S., when 2,000 athletes representing 73 countries descended on the town of Blue Mountains to celebrate their sports. The town of Blue Mountains established a strong relationship with the Special Olympics movement and has been home to the Alpine Ski Program since that time. Speaker, eight of the 12 members of the Ontario Alpine Ski Team are from the riding of Simcoe Gray, and I want to recognize each of them. Robin Shooter, Aaron Wright, Matthew Fields, Eddie Bunkowski, Kevin LaChance, Jamie Hall, Julian Hudson, Angela Blaney, all from the riding of Simcoe Gray, and they are joined by their teammates Cameron Oliver, Carter Simpson, Ryan Soarley, and Ben So. And I've recently learned that they are coming home with at least three medals after spectacular performances, and I want to congratulate all of them. They've done a great job representing Ontario, and their motto, Madam Speaker, is let me win, but if I cannot, let me be brave in the attempt. And they have certainly been brave, and they've represented us well, and many of them will go on next year to turn to represent Canada. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next member's statement. The member from Hamilton Mountain. Thank you, Speaker. Yesterday I spoke with individuals who are currently living in tents outside of Hamilton City Hall in solidarity for the almost 2,000 unhoused citizens across our city. They're calling for solutions to the lack of housing options, both temporary and permanent, including wraparound services to support their health and safety. Many of our homeless are facing other multiple challenges and crises at the same time, some in the form of addictions like opioids or other street drugs. This polycrisis is amplified by now another provincial decision in healthcare, the distribution of naloxalone kits. On February 9th, an executive order was issued without notice or consultation, changing our local community agencies' access to these life-saving kits. In Hamilton, overdoses don't always happen within walking distance to a pharmacy, within their operating hours or within sight of someone carrying a life-saving Narcan. It is often organisations and outreach groups who are on the streets, in our shelter systems or part of our health teams, who are handing out these kits 24-7. We need to support those who are doing this important work and call to action when decisions are made that cause harm rather than good. This is an epidemic. We need solutions, not barriers. All levels of government need to ensure there is immediate access to life-saving tools, affordable housing and wraparound supports that will save lives. Member statements? Member for Oakville North, Burlington. Speaker, I rise today to recognise the National Association of Women in the Law, which celebrated its 50th anniversary at an event I had the honour of attending in Ottawa last week. The founders of Null were not only visionaries, but also dear friends from the University of Ottawa Law School. Since 1974, Null has been at the forefront of feminist advocacy and law reform in Canada. Through the tireless efforts of founders, Diane Ansell, Shirley Greenberg, Lynn Kay, Maria Lynn Harness de Souza, Peggy Mason and Maureen McTear and many others who followed in their footsteps, Null spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives that have reshaped our legal landscape and advanced the cause of gender equality. Null was the catalyst for change, challenging entrenched societal norms regarding sexual violence, advocating for key amendments to the Criminal Code and the Divorce Act and a new Family Law Reform Act. Its contributions to Sections 15 and 28 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was pivotal in ensuring equality and justice for all Canadians. Women across Canada owe a debt of gratitude to Null for the groundbreaking work they have advanced over the last 50 years forever changing our nation's legal framework. As we look forward, I would like to recognise its achievements and I remain steadfast in our shared goal to end violence against women and children through legal, social and legislative reform. Thank you very much. Member Statements. Member Statements. The Member for Perth Wellington. Thank you Speaker. It is my pleasure to rise in this place today to talk about a small high school sports team with a ton of grit and determination. The Metro District High School Seniors Boys basketball team recently secured the WASA Single A Championship. The Blue Devils beat the Rainian Champions Woodstock Collegiate Institute 62-52 in the semifinals. In the finals against London Christian, the Blue Devils came out strong, but London trailed by just one after the first eight minutes. Alan Chen led the surge in the second quarter, scoring nine of his 15 points. Jared Volsbier, Charlie Geiger and Kale Murray all contributed to the offensive comeback and Blake Redford finished with 27 points for the Blue Devils. Coach Moses utilized all the players in the final. In the end, the Blue Devils beat London Christian School 86-52 in the WASA finals and punched their ticket to the Offset Championships. The boys take the court at Offset today in Welland. Speaker, it was 40 years ago when MDHS Senior Boys basketball team last won the Offset Single A Championship and the boys have high hopes for this year's tournament. The secret to their success, according to Coach Moses, is effort and attitude. To Sam, Jack, Luke, Charlie, Ryan, Will, Jared, Blake, Lincoln, Alan, Kale, Tayden, Brock, Talbot, Elijah, best of luck in Offset, and know the entire community stands behind you. Go Blue Devils! Member Statements, the Member for Cambridge. I would like to rise today in grateful acknowledgement and support of Oak Bridge Academy. Oak Bridge Academy, or OBA, is an independent not-profit school for neurodiverse children in my writing of Cambridge. It is a place where high-needs kids on the artistic spectrum go and learn to live and thrive. And this is important because really there's not that many places in Ontario for these children to go. As an independent school and registered charity, Oak Bridge Academy relies exclusively on small donations and tuition fees to fund its world-class programs. Even so, people, educators from England, are coming over to Cambridge to see how they handle their situations with the students in our country. However, this may soon change. Tomorrow, Oak Bridge Academy will compete in a Waterloo Region competition to determine which non-for-profit organization makes the strongest case for support through social ventures, partners, perfect pitch competition. School representatives who would be in the gallery today if they weren't in dress rehearsal right now would take the stage with other non-for-profit executive leaders to showcase the incredible work being done in our community to support those in needs. Or so, they would speak to the innovative, cost-effective and inspiring programs that make the difference for so many of my people that live in Cambridge. I'd like to thank Oak Bridge Academy for serving not only as an educational path for the last resort of families, living with autism, but also a provider for first-class, neurodiverse programming. I'm so proud to represent you in the house today. Good luck tomorrow, Oak Bridge Academy. Yay! Members' statements? Point of order? The member... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...