 It is now time for a question period. I recognize the leader of the official opposition. My questions to the acting Premier. Yesterday at committee members heard from some of the thousands of Ontarians worried about the Ford government's plans to create a mega health bureaucracy and open the door to privatization. In his testimony, Michael Scherer, the President and CEO of Cancer Care Ontario said that agency was not even consulted on the government's legislation and that they first heard of the government's plans through the media. The government praised the work of Cancer Care Ontario. Why the heck were they not consulted, Speaker? Deputy Premier or Acting Premier, sorry. Thank you, Government House Leader. Refer to the Government House Leader. Thanks, Speaker, and thanks to the member opposite for the question. Obviously that individual that the member opposite has referred to had the opportunity to appear at committee yesterday and we've had a couple of days of committee hearings at the social policy committee on the healthcare bill, bill 74, which was brought forward. I just want to add a little context here because what the House Leader of the Official Opposition and what the Leader of the Official Opposition have asked for this morning is for us to have 70,000 different people appear before committee. I just want to put that into perspective, Mr. Peeper. Order. 70,000 people before committee. That's what they're looking at, Mr. Speaker. That would take us well over a year to hear in person from all of those different people. Many of them, many of them friends of the NDP that have filed these submissions in our inbox, Mr. Speaker. What we are doing is allowing anybody who wants to provide a written submission on the healthcare bill, we encourage them to do so and the health ministry will consider all of them. Well, Speaker, there the government goes making stuff up again. 7,000 at least documents have been received by committee and they are not going to be able to be reviewed and time for clause by clause. That's the way this government is shutting down the people of Ontario. For weeks the government has insisted that organizations like Cancer Care Ontario, for example, could be shut down itself without any disruption of services. In fact, the minister claimed yesterday that the new mega agency would learn lessons from Cancer Care Ontario. Yet the organization was very clear yesterday. They first heard of the government's plan when they read about it in the news. How can the government claim that they're going to learn lessons from Cancer Care Ontario, Speaker, when they can't even be bothered to consult with them on their plans in the first place? Speaker, I know that the member opposite knows what happened on June 7th last year. After a lengthy campaign where the people of Ontario had the opportunity to choose for a plan that was focused on ending hallway healthcare in our hospitals, the Ontario PC Party and our Premier Doug Ford to lead the way in clearing those backlogs to ensure that the patient care that people were receiving in Ontario was focused on the patient. They don't want more log jams here at the legislature, Mr. Speaker. They want action. They want to ensure that we are getting rid of hallway healthcare in Ontario. Our Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, has done an outstanding job in putting together Bill 74, which is going to achieve exactly that. If the member opposite wants to stand in her place and defend the local health integration networks, the LINZ, she can do that, Mr. Speaker, but we're focused on ending hallway healthcare in Ontario. Absolutely to the opposition to do the final supplementary. I remind all members, it's our convention to refer to each other by our ministry names if applicable or our writing names, not our personal names. Start the clock, final supplementary. Well, Speaker, what they didn't know is they were electing a government that thinks it's all right to take away their voice and participation in their own democracy. That's what they didn't know. Every turn this government has tried to shut people out. Hundreds of people were denied a chance to appear at the committee. We know that. Almost 1,600 people, 1,594 people denied a spot at committee. The minister insists they can make written submissions the other day, but thousands of people who took the minister at her word are now learning that the government won't even give the committee time to read through those submissions before ramming through their changes. Will this government stop plowing ahead with their mega-bureaucracy health privatisation bill and take the time to see and hear the literally thousands of Ontarians who have serious concerns with their healthcare schemes? Government House Leader, reply. Speaker, our government for the people committed during the election campaign that we would end hallway healthcare in Ontario and we're fully committed to following through on that promise. There were 1,500 requests to appear at committee. 1,500 requests to appear at committee. Do you know how long that would take us to get through that process of hearing from them directly? It would take us 50 weeks. It would take us a full year of inaction on this front. If the NDP want to continue to support the status quo or the liberal policies of the past, they're entitled to do that. But we're not going to do that on this side of the House, Mr Speaker. We're acting to end hallway healthcare in Ontario. Of the 7,000 that were written to us, the vast majority of these written submissions came from an NDP union-led right-in campaign. These are their friends trying to block our transformative change in the healthcare sector that is going to ensure that we end hallway healthcare and have a patient-centred approach to delivering hallway healthcare in Ontario. Stop the clock. Start the clock. Next question, the lead to the opposition. Speaker, thank you. My next question is to the Minister of Education. But I would have to say that, you know, people think that good government means you listen to folks and you have a democracy. I don't think that's what we have in this government. And it's very, very disappointing to many, many, many Ontarians. Thousands of students will be walking out of classes in public schools across Ontario. They're taking this dramatic step for one simple reason. They feel their education and their future is at risk. Can the Minister explain to students and to young people across Ontario why the Ford government thinks education cuts that will mean larger classrooms, massive teacher layoffs, elimination of arts and music programs and elimination of tech and trade programs make students more resilient? The Minister of Education. Thank you very much, Speaker. And what I would like to reply back to the leader of the opposition is that she is wrong, wrong, wrong. And wrong again with all the fear-mongering and all the assertions that she and her supporters are trying to make the students embrace. And you know what I think is really shameful is the fact that we should be celebrating the fact that we had 72,000 students, parents, teachers, concerned citizens participate in the largest consultation in the education history of Ontario. And the fact that it's the proper forum to have their voices heard. We are continuing the consultation right now through to May 31st. And I encourage all teachers, all students and all papers, parents, excuse me, and school boards to make sure that they embrace the opportunities to have their voices properly heard in the current consultation that we have going through to May 31st. Thank you. Well, Speaker, it is the minister who is wrong, wrong, wrong. It's not just students sounding the alarm bell. School boards are echoing their concerns. In Hastings in Prince Edward County, the board wrote the minister to say that we are particularly alarmed by changes to class sizes in elementary schools. The chair of the Toronto District School Board wrote to express her deep concern about the magnitude of permanent teacher reductions. They're pretty clear. These changes will not make kids more resilient. These changes will damage their education and shortchange their future. Why is the minister not listening? Well, Speaker, what I can say is the drama clause is that the leader of the opposition has enrolled in our maybe-payment. Maybe. Not for students. We're listening to parents. And we're standing up with teachers as well. With regards to tomorrow, Speaker, with regards to tomorrow, I want to be very serious here. We need to make sure that school boards, as well as teachers, understand the responsibility they have to parents to make sure whatever happens tomorrow, they keep their students safe. Classrooms should be a place for learning. Exactly. Not for pushing ideologies and nonsense and fear-mongering. But again, I would like to invite all students and parents and teachers to engage with me in the proper manners. We have a consultation open right now. Till May 31st, I welcome your input. Start the clock. Final supplementary. Well, Speaker, apparently the minister hasn't bothered to read the letter, so I'm going to send them over by Miran Page. So she can actually look at what the real facts are in terms of the damage that her changes to education are going to do. Students are also standing with their children as they stand up for their education. One school advisory council put it well in a letter to the minister, and I quote, your government ran on the platform for the people. However, by targeting public education to balance the budget, you have shown us that young people are not included in the people for whom your government claims to be working. The four government claims they're making students resilient. Really, they are leaving our kids behind. Again, another conservative government making changes to education that leave our kids behind. They did damage last time they were in government. They're doing the same damage again. Will this minister listen to the thousands of young people protesting tomorrow and stop her plans for the cuts in the classroom? We're just over 10 minutes into question period. That means we've got 50 minutes to go. I could barely hear the leader of the opposition's question. I have to be able to hear the leader of the opposition's question. I would ask members on both sides of the house to come to order and allow us to be able to hear each other as we debate these important issues. Start the clock. The minister to reply. Thank you, Speaker. And to the people watching, I want to remind everybody watching and in the house, it's the party opposite. The opposition party, 97% of the time, propped up a liberal administration that absolutely put the education system in Ontario into chaos. That party across the hall from me failed our students. And so what are we targeting? We're targeting the messages that we heard from parents loud and clear. We're targeting getting back to the basics. We're targeting fundamentals. We're looking at math. We're looking at science. We're looking at technology. We're embracing technology for good. And guess what, Speaker? Employers and parents and students and teachers are embracing that because we're investing in job skills. We're investing in life skills. We're investing not only in our students, but our teachers as well. And later today, I'll never be so proud when we see Bill 48 safe and supportive. Next question, member for Kitchener Center. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the minister of education. Speaker, the upper grand district school board has issued layoff notices to 54 elementary school teachers due to a loss of funding and programming. This is what the Ford government's attack on education in Ontario has done. There will be fewer adults in our schools and students will no longer have access to the educational programs that they once enjoyed. The Ford government's education that works for you scheme is a farce. Since it's not working for the students and it's not working for the teachers, who was this plan really designed to work for? Minister of Education. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm really glad to have another opportunity to stand in this house and actually remind everybody in this house that what we're hearing coming from school boards right now is normal routine, annual practice. And if the member opposite actually spoke to any of their caucus members that used to be school board trustees, you would know full well that this is a normal standard practice to issue notices in terms of the number of local factors that are happening specifically to school board to school board. And I might remind everybody that, you know, some of the first we heard of this was back on March 6th when Thames Valley District actually reported in the newspaper that they said, you know, we don't anticipate any actual job losses at the end of the day after we issue surpluses because of retirements, resignations, excuse me, and redeployments. This is normal annual standard practice. Thank you. Supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaker, school board officials for the Guelph region have said that the board is being made to operate with less provincial funding. The minister's new education plan is dragging Ontario in the wrong direction. The four government's cuts translates to thousands of fewer teachers, bigger class sizes, less help for kids, particularly marginalized and underserved students. I'm talking about black students, indigenous students, queer students, students living with autism, and many other students that live on the margins. Ontario has the opportunity to have a world-class public education system, but to do that we need to give our children more opportunities, not less. Speaker, when will this government stop cutting the budget on the backs of children and teachers? Minister? Minister to reply? Thank you, Speaker. Right back to the member opposite. I would like to say, when is your party going to stop fear-mongering once and for all? Clearly, clearly, Speaker, that is all that they're trying to foster on their side of the House. And quite frankly, I think it's shameful. Because again, if the member opposite actually was tuned into the media coverage of what was happening with the upper grand, I've seen one of the leadership from the local organization saying that this is normal, ordinary routine on an annual basis, and when all the chips fall after the surplus notices are given and all the resignations, redeployments and retirements fall into place, they're hopeful that everybody will have a job. Again, to the people watching, don't let this opposition party fear-monger and cause you to stay away from the facts. The reality is, the reality is they're doing nothing but fear-mongering, and what we're hearing in the news today is routine, annual... ...the member for Haldeman Norfolk. Question to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Speaker, as we all know this past Monday, April 1st, the job-killing recession causing federal carbon taxes come into effect. Farmers, in my writing, have told me time and time again that this carbon tax is going to raise the cost of everything from field to fork. So from farmers, processors, retailers, consumers, this federal carbon tax is going to make it more expensive to grow the food we all enjoy and more expensive for consumers to buy that same food. Can the Minister explain to this House what this government is doing to oppose the federal carbon tax, the Trudeau carbon tax, and offer a real plan to fight climate change? Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and to the member from Haldeman Norfolk. I recently had the opportunity to host the Premier and the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks in my writing to discuss the impacts of the federal carbon tax with the leaders of our agriculture community. I've heard time and time again from our farmers and leaders in the agribusiness that the federal carbon tax will stifle innovation and growth. It will cause a significant increase in costs from heating fuels to transportation costs from gasoline to diesel fuel. Our government brought forward our Made in Ontario plan that is focused on striking the right balance between a healthy economy and a healthy environment. Our plan will reduce waste and litter, give municipalities a say in the location of landfills, and ensure we do our part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This government has a plan to protect our environment and support our farmers without imposing a tax of any kind. Supplementary. You know, this newly imposed federal carbon tax not only affects farmers, it will also affect seniors in the province of Ontario. Living on a fixed income seniors need to make every dollar count and the carbon tax threatens the day-to-day budget they try to stick to. Speaker, the Financial Accountability Office has confirmed the federal carbon tax will cost the average Ontario household $648 a year in addition by 2022. Our seniors have worked hard for decades. They deserve to enjoy a healthy and a comfortable lifestyle. Our government is concerned that pressures caused by the federal carbon tax will have a negative impact on that quality of life that our seniors enjoy. My question, and perhaps the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility could explain to this House how the carbon tax will affect our seniors. Minister of Agriculture, Mayor LaFairse. Would you like to refer to the Minister of Seniors and Accessibility? I'd like to thank the member for raising great question. Many seniors live on the fixed income. For them, every dollar counts. It's not really fair to burden our seniors with unnecessary tax. Now, seniors have spent more for heating their homes, groceries and gas due to the federal carbon tax. This will have a negative impact on the quality of life of our seniors. And that's why I'm standing up to fight for our seniors. We can restart the clock. Next question, the member for Brampton East. My question is to the Minister of Education. In an open letter to the Minister, the Peel District School Board expressed serious concerns about the government's education changes because there will be more students in every classroom and fewer teachers in every school. Students in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon will have fewer options, including courses that expose students to the skilled trades, to technology and to recovery courses to help the most vulnerable students complete high school. Why is this Minister denying students in Brampton and the Peel Region the opportunity to learn new skills and graduate from high school? Minister of Education. Thank you, Speaker. And you know, I stand in the House today and when it comes to making sure that we make sure our students have the life skills and the job skills that parents, employers and students themselves are asking for, we're getting it right, Speaker. We've landed in a really good place. We've gotten wonderful response with regards to the financial literacy package that we're going to be focusing on. We're getting it right with the math curriculum that we'll be rolling out and phasing in over the next number of years. We're getting it right when it comes to health and physical education. Speaker, everything I announced in my plan, the vision that we have to make sure our students finally are back on a pathway, education works for you and how education is going to work for students and also for teachers. And you know, I might remind everybody in the House today that we first took immediate steps last summer by introducing Bill 48 and I bring it up again because this is a piece of legislation that makes sense for every single one of us. Thank you. Supplementary. Back to the Minister. Brampton is one of the youngest and fastest growing cities and our schools are already chronically overcrowded. Our youth deserve to have quality education and smaller class sizes but the premier scheme to increase class sizes and cut 500 teaching jobs from the appeal region alone will take things from bad to worse. Will the Minister admit today that larger classes, fewer teachers and less opportunity for our students is not how you help kids become more resilient? Minister. Well, everybody in this House today that what doesn't help students is the fear-mongering we're hearing from every single member of the opposition party. It's absolutely disgusting because the fact of the matter is appeal region just like every other school board district in this province matters and they're going to be working with us to get it right and people are finally, they're finally having hope because the fact of the matter is through our consultation we've listened again, health and physical education curriculum we've listened and we've got that right as well and again we've listened to employers and we're going to be talking about job skills and life skills and when we talk about STEM well that's going to be the focus of our fundamentals that our students are looking forward to address the jobs of today and tomorrow we're going to make sure they have a balanced curriculum so that they can enjoy school they have programming and curriculum that matters to them but most of all they'll be employable Thank you the member for Barry Innisville Thank you Mr. Speaker my question is for the great minister who keeps building up success the minister of infrastructure congestion on our roads has real cost and our economy people stuck in gridlock are trying to get to work on time trying to get to soccer practice or home to their families it's frustrating and it's stressful and it costs the average person $273 per week there is also economic costs if it takes longer to deliver goods and services it slows down businesses our government however Mr. Speaker for the people wants to grow success wants to grow the economy and we want to send a clear message that we are open for business we are committed to making the future easier for hardworking families in Ontario can the minister please tell us about the $1.62 billion transformational investment for commuters like those in Barry Innisville and aside the GTA the minister of infrastructure thank you very much Mr. Speaker and thank you to the great member for Barry Innisville for that question this morning Mr. Speaker I was pleased on March 26 to join the minister of transportation and our Peter Burrell and area MPP's Dave Smith and David Piccini to announce how our government is investing in smart infrastructure to create jobs and grow Ontario's economy Mr. Speaker we announced the opening of the public transit stream of the investing in Canada infrastructure program this intake will unlock up to $1.62 billion in federal and provincial funding for public transit projects outside of the GTA and Mr. Speaker I have great news to share yesterday we began accepting proposals the 85 eligible municipalities now have 8 weeks to submit their projects this investment will enhance and increase local transit options and Mr. Speaker this investment will create and sustain good jobs across Ontario and this is again our commitment to ensure that interiors open for jobs you supplementary thank you Mr. Speaker thank you to the minister of infrastructure for that great response and getting healthy competition amongst our municipalities I'm so pleased to see our government for the people investing in transportation networks to get people moving here in Ontario it's important that we are supporting municipalities by providing predictable and secure funding that addresses local needs and the vital infrastructure that we must maintain to keep people moving and allowing them to get from point A to B as efficiently and quickly as possible I know my community of very Innisfil was very pleased to hear the funding announcement our government for the people is delivering on our promises to get people moving faster through new infrastructure funding that will keep and make our province open for business and open for jobs can the minister of transportation to the minister of transportation the minister of transportation thanks very much thanks for the member for Berry Innisfil and the minister the great minister of infrastructure Molly McNaughton for that question you know a speaker I come from the great right of Elgin Middlesex London and I truly understand the needs of transportation and infrastructure throughout rural ridings of this province particularly in my own the people of Ontario those in my neck of the woods in Northern Ontario depend on our roads, highways and bridges to take them to work, take them home to see their friends, take them to participate in everyday life and I was pleased to join the minister of infrastructure to announce the opening of the public transit stream of the investing in Canada infrastructure program municipalities can easily apply for the ICIP funding streams using the grants Ontario website a one stop window source for the entire process and we're committed our government for the people is committed to get the people of this province moving and I can surely know that my municipalities and the Miss Pallies throughout this province are in desperate need of support and our government is going to deliver that next question the member for Essex thank you very much speaker my question is to the acting Premier Speaker yesterday the four government admitted that their plan to slap their open for business campaign slogan on Ontario license plates is purely political the Premier admitted that his goal is to have the taxpayers of Ontario foot the bill so that he can proat himself and his party on private license plates speaker my question is pretty simple will the acting Premier or the Premier be declaring the cost of thousands of new license plates as a campaign expense with elections Ontario government and consumer services questions been referred to the minister of government consumer services the House will come to order thank you very much for the question and to the member from across the floor I can tell you that there has been a lot of discussion about what we should be doing after following 15 years of disastrous liberal mismanagement for our province I can tell you that we are looking at a new slogan but despite speculation passenger license plates will not feature the slogan open for business or for the people and despite the NDP fear mongering in almost every topic in this house there is no truth to that whatsoever so people either misinformed or were not able to respond to the the search for a new license plate for the people of Ontario I can tell you that we are excited about what we are doing for the people of Ontario and we will be announcing with great excitement in the coming weeks what we will be doing on behalf of the people of Ontario we are very excited we are very I'll forgive the minister for being confused about the Premier's policy on this, but people outside of this building have a different perspective. If the Premier is interested in better suggestions that people across Ontario have been putting their ideas forward, Speaker, there's Ontario, race to the bottom, Ontario, yours to recover, Speaker, my personal favorite, Ontario, clap or else, Speaker, with thousands of people are also calling on this government to abandon the wasteful exercise in self-promotion. Why is this Premier so determined to use every license plate in Ontario to promote himself and his cheesy campaign slogans? The opposition side will come to order. The member for Essex will come to order. The minister of natural resources and forestry will come to order. We start the clock and I can hear the ministers reply now. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. What I can tell you is if it was the NDP in power, it would be probably closed for business would be the slogan. Maybe we'll come back to mind riding and we'll say, without a shout of a doubt, we will continue to do the things that the people of Ontario want. We want to turn this province around and we want to make sure people are proud to be Ontario's. We will not be sending 350,000 manufacturing jobs out of our province like the Liberals did. We will not be closing down businesses in all of our small rural and our large urban cities like happened under that government and we will not be supporting a continuation of how the Liberals mismanaged this whole province, Mr Speaker. We will definitely bring things in that are going to make people proud to be Ontario's. We want people to step up and see that we have a government and a Premier who is here and he is focused on turning lives to ending hallway health care, making sure we have better opportunities for our kids in the future and an education system that we're all proud of here in Ontario. Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Youth Services and Community Services. The Ontario Autism Program, children, parents, frontline workers, organizations have been in the state of complete chaos. Mr Speaker, I really hope that the Minister will do her always the same tired political spin with her answer. I really don't want to hear today again about the fact that they'll reduce the waitlist or they'll eliminate the income test or that they'll doubling the investment in the Diagnostic Hub or that they're listening to parents by actually providing OT and speech therapy or that existing program of the children who are receiving the proper service were extended by six months. Minister, what I want to know and I think everyone in Ontario wants to know is actually what are you actually doing? No more political spin. No one actually knows what you're doing. So Mr Speaker, my question is simple. What is the Minister actually doing to help day to day lives of parents with children with autism? Before I ask the Minister to reply, I'm going to remind the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry once again that he has to come to order. Member for Kitchener Conestoga has to come to order. Minister of Children and Community and Social Services. I want to thank the Honourable Member for her question and I think it was a really important question to ask. So here's what we're doing. We rented Treasury Board. We were able to get $102 million to keep the current program moving. We invested $321 million in February and we're investing an additional $300 million to double the funding to support all children with autism in the province of Ontario. We have invested into Diagnostic Hubs by doubling those and those waitlists will start to be cleared this month. There's 2,400 children that are on that list. Only 3,000 children are waiting for service from their Ontario government. That's why we're going to a childhood budget and we're going to be offering those children a lot of choice in what types of services that they get. We've also said that we're going to bring forward a massive consultation process as of May 1st and we would encourage Members Office to be part of this process with us. We're going to be ensuring that there's parents involved, clinicians involved, and many other people. And we're also going to extend an invitation to Members Office to host roundtables and we hope that they take us up on that offer. Thank you. Supplementary. I want to say thank you to the minister for having missed some of the old political spend talking points that she said for a very long time now. And I actually, Mr. Speaker, I want to say I'm taking the honourable member too hard because I have actually 2 consultations in Orleans on May 6th and May 16th in Orleans to discuss the consultation. I think parents still have questions and that's today what I'm asking the minister. You know, they're wondering why we haven't started with actually the consultation. Member of this House probably are all wondering why the consultation did not start first before doing this wonderful approach of chaos to those parents. And I'm going to ask, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all the parents here, why? And I'm going to ask, hopefully I'll get an answer. So my questions, and I hope you answer, Minister, when families who have been thrown off the wait list will be starting funds, receiving the funds? I'm going to ask the minister, how family? Thank you. Minister to reply. Thank you very much, Speaker. I'm proud that this government started consultations as early as June last year when we were first elected and when I was first appointed. We had over a dozen roundtables led by my parliamentary assistant, Amy Fee, but let me be perfectly clear with the additional $300 million we were able to secure thanks to the flexibility of Premier Ford. We are going out for needs-based assessments tool and we are going to be consulting. As of May 1st, there will be an online survey at Ontario.ca forward slash autism. I hope all Ontario parents take part in that. The second thing that we're going to do is have telephone town halls right across the province in the month of May. The third thing that we're going to do is ensure that every single MPP who wants to have a roundtable has an ability to provide support to their constituents and then fill that information into my ministry. And fifth, and this is what I'm very proud of, and this is what everyone's talking about, the fact that this ministry, that and the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education for the first time ever are doing wraparound supports and we are going to leverage all resources for children with autism. Start the clock. The next question, the member for Mississauga, Erin Mills. Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Government and Consumer Services. Minister, many members of this chamber have heard concerns about the long and bureaucratic processes required to access government services. Whether it is a paper-based processes for businesses and citizens or delay with birth registration, we all know the frustration delays can cause our constituents. Mr. Speaker, the issue arrays again and again that the problem lies without dated processes causing long waits and delays. I know this is an issue the Minister is well aware of and one, he understood, understands and needs to be fixed. Ontarians can do everything else online from buying groceries and gifts to paying their hydro bills and mortgages. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister share with the Assembly our commitment improving quality of service delivering to Ontarians? Good question. The Minister of Government and Consumer Services. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Honourable Member for Mississauga, Erin Mills. Mr. Subway, for the great job he does for his constituents. And I want to assure him, his constituents and everyone listening, that we take this issue very seriously. Ontarians are used to banking online at any hour of the day. We're used to shopping online and having purchases delivered right to our doors. The people of Ontario have choice and flexibility in nearly everything but government services. For 15 years, the previous Liberal government refused to change out-of-date, overly bureaucratic processes that reduce the quality of service provided to the people of Ontario. The fact is, there are currently dozens of provincial laws governing multiple ministries, forcing them to rely on outdated and inefficient processing methods like fax machines and snail mail. I firmly believe we can and we must do better. Mr. Speaker, I can say to the Member, our government is committed to delivering a plan for simpler, faster, better services for the people of Ontario and we will implement that at every opportunity. Supplementary? Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to hear that the minister and government continue to correct the mistakes of the past 15 years of Liberal rule and is bringing Ontario into the 21st century. One issue I have here, the recent one from my constituents, is a delay in receiving birth registrations to their newborns. As I'm sure the minister is aware, without having a birth register registered, there are a number of federal and provincial programs that the new parents cannot sign up for, delaying the process of getting their and their infant life in order. The private sector long ago reacted to the customer's demand and made shopping, banking and practically everything we do easier to do and accessible online. Mr. Speaker, to the minister, what processes he is putting in place to correct our dated Liberal practices in order to solve those delays? Thank you, Mr. Minister. Thank you, Speaker, and again to the honourable member, thank you for the question. It is no secret that service interior is currently experiencing longer than normal processing times. Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago I visited the office of the registrar general in Thunder Bay. The staff there as well as across interior are hardworking and dedicating to serving the people of interior, but sadly in many cases they are working without dated processes. Right now, if parents make a mistake, even a minor typo on a birth registration form for their newborn baby, manual intervention is needed to fix the problem, delaying the processing time. We need to rethink these outdated rules and processes. We need to engage in digital solutions to make life easier and more convenient for the people of interior and to modernize our government. Above all, we need to put the people back at the centre of everything government does. This, Mr. Speaker, is something that I'm committed to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. The next question, member for Toronto Danforth. Thank you, Speaker, Speaker, to the Acting Premier. Global news is reporting on the abusive practices of WISE metering, a company that meters individual apartments. Brock University students were billed double for the power they were using in their unit. Yesterday, we found out that in Oshawa, WISE was charging tenants for power from a submeter when WISE had not installed any such meter for that unit. The individual apartment metering business is the Wild West, but Bill 66 eliminated the protection that tenants need from predatory private energy metering companies. Why did the government decide to not protect tenants from these predatory companies? Questions to the Acting Premier. Minister of Natural Resources. Minister of Natural Resources and Forces. Thank you very much, Speaker, and I want to thank the member for the question. Speaker, in the dying days of the previous government, the wind liberals made a misguided commitment that would have raised electricity bills for low-income tenants. Rate-regulating unit-submetering companies would have increased hydro bills for low-income tenants. This is unacceptable to our government. Consumers are protected from price gouging through competition. We know this because unit-submetering companies often offer metering services at lower costs than use local utility. There are several measures in place that protect low-income customers. Unit-submetering companies must still be licensed under the OEB and must comply with consumer services rules as set out by the OEB. We know that these protections are working because out of 326,000 submetre customers, only 95 complaints were made to the OEB in 2018. Thank you. Supplementary, the member for Oshawa. Thank you, and again to the Acting Premier, my constituents in Oshawa deserve protection from predatory energy metering companies, like Wyze Meters. The global news story made it clear students were charged at least double their actual consumption of electricity by a company that had not even installed meters. Students, families, and the programs meant to help people need protection from predatory companies. This government stripped them of that protection, specifically on purpose, in Bill 66. Why did this government knowingly open the door to corporate greed and cancel laws that are supposed to protect people from predatory billing? To the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Questions referred to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Thanks, Speaker. We're ecstatic about the passage of Bill 66. Yesterday, the Restoring Ontario's Competitiveness Act, which reduces red tape across a number of different industries, which is going to make Ontario open for business. I can tell you that when we introduced Bill 66 on the last day of the legislature before Christmas, the opposition members had all kinds of opportunity to opine on the contents of Bill 66. They had the opportunity to protest some things. They had the opportunity to start petitions. When the bill actually went to committee, Mr. Speaker, our members were there, and we actually put forward a couple of very friendly amendments to change the bill to make it work better for the people of Ontario. Do you know what the members of the NDP did when it went to committee, Mr. Speaker? Absolutely nothing. Zero. They stand here today on their feet, and they complain about it after the fact. Mr. Speaker, they had no amendments. If we had an NDP license plate in Ontario, it would simply say, Ontario. No darn plan. Question for the member for Flamborou Glanda. My question is for the Minister of Education. Mr. Speaker, like many Ontarians, I was really pleased when the Minister introduced Bill 48 to ensure that our classrooms are once again safe and supportive communities. Our schools are the place where our children grow and learn. In my riding of Flamborou Glanda, and for students right across Ontario, the passage of this legislation means an education that works for all students. Can the Minister of Education tell us what our government is doing to ensure that all students in Ontario are receiving a meaningful education? Minister of Education. I thank you so much to the member from Flamborou Glanda. You do a great job representing your country. Absolutely. And I thank you for working with you as well. And, Mr. Speaker, I'm also pleased to be able to stand up and speak to the safe and supportive classrooms that we're going to succeed through the passage of this act later this morning. It's our responsibility to stand up for students and begin to make sure that they have a safe environment in which to learn. With this legislation, we are creating an atmosphere that allows our students to feel safe to learn and to grow. Our government will not tolerate the abuse of our students and children. This legislation makes it very clear, Speaker, that any educator found guilty of any sexual abuse will lose their license. Mr. Speaker, this is an area that we can't tolerate. This is an area that does not allow for second chances. Thank you very much. Supplementary? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And back to the Minister of Education. And, Minister, I am so pleased to hear you mention how we are going to be ensuring that our classrooms are once again safe and supportive environments. And it's refreshing to hear we finally have a government that puts students first. I know that we are supporting our students in the classroom. But can the minister tell me more about what the government will do to help our teachers provide our students with a quality education? Minister. Thank you very much for that. And it's a pleasure to stand up and talk about the fact that in order to make sure we support our students, we also need to be supporting our teachers' speaker. And this government of Ontario, the PC government of Ontario, is doing just that. In Bill 48, we propose that we're going to be supporting teachers by helping them be better prepared to teach the fundamentals of math. By making math content knowledge tests a requirement for certification with the Ontario College of Teachers, we're going to ensure that all of our new teachers are entering the classroom with a strong foundation in math. And we're going to be supporting our teachers already in the classroom as well. It's important that there's confidence in the classroom. And that is what our plan for education in Ontario is going to do, Speaker. This is going to give parents the confidence that our government and our educators are working together to ensure Ontario continues to have one of the best education systems in the world. Thank you very much. Question, the member for Hamilton Mountain. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Children and Community Services. For weeks now, I've been hearing from anxious parents about special services at home funding. SSAH helps families support their children with physical and developmental disabilities. Usually, families get their funding notice in March last week. But this year, staff are saying that funding has been frozen until the budget is released on April 11th. That's next week. The Ministry won't share any more information other than that. Families have lost services and are afraid that cuts are coming. Parents are not able to plan and feel that they're being targeted. Will the Minister tell us why the government is leaving families and their vulnerable children in the dark? Good question. Questions to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. Question, special services at home is a very important program throughout our ministry. I can assure the member opposite that we have a budget process. The budget will be announced on the 11th of April as the member opposite knows, as Ontarians know because the Finance Minister publicly indicated that. But let me assure the member with respect to special services at home, I have not sought, nor will I be, reducing special services at home and it will be irresponsible for the member opposite to continue to fearmonger. Supplementary. Thank you for these questions, Minister. So it's not about me fearmongering. You need to do your job and educate the people of this province. Order. And has a cruel track record on supporting vulnerable children. First, they abolished the child advocate. Then they introduced a bad autism program which she has still yet to acknowledge was bad or apologized for. And now parents are afraid of what they'll do to special services at home. Parents have received no information except that funding is frozen until the budget is released. Parents need to plan for their child's care and their own finances. Is the government cutting this program? And if not, will the minister please provide parents the information they need to be able to plan their lives? Today. Ladies, please take their seats. Minister. Speaker, I answered that question when she first asked it. I am not reducing funding for special services at home program, period. I was very clear with that after the first question. Families currently receiving support through the program will be notified of their 2019-2020 funding allocations after the finance minister tables his first budget. He was very clear about that. Our government for the people is committed to providing support to families living with developmental and or physical disabilities. The special services program at home helps families care for child living with developmental disabilities or physical disabilities by helping children learn new skills and abilities and purchasing services that help the families. But if we want to talk a little bit about the autism program, here's an email that I just received. Premier Ford, I'm ready to commend you for authorizing the increased funding and the enhanced support for the Ontario Autism Program. I would also like to commend Minister McLeod for her leadership and her... Member for Hamilton Mountain has to come to order. The member for Waterloo has to come to order. Next question. Next question, the member for Hastings, Lennox and Addings. Well, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly might question today to the minister of transportation. Our minister is who is finally getting Ontario moving once again. I'm pleased to see the minister of finance make an exciting announcement last week in his community. Our government for the people is committed to getting the people of Ontario moving and ensuring all of Ontario is open for business and open for jobs. Our roads, our bridges, our transit networks they're vital to the quality of life in this province and to all the local economies. And we're committed to making it easier for families to get from point A to point B whether it's on the daily commute, getting to medical treatments, getting home to spend some time with family, friends and loved ones. Mr. Speaker, and our minister of transportation shared with this legislature the exciting news that was delivered to the community at North Bay last week. Minister of transportation. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the member from Hastings, Lennox and Addington. He's one of the best caucus chairs we've had. As a government. As a government. Mr. Speaker, last week the minister of finance announced a great announcement in North Bay. Our government for the people announced that we're partnering with the Nipissing First Nation to replace the Dashani Creek Bridge on Highway 17B. The estimated $12 million project will include one kilometer of paving, replacement of the bridge and removal of the abandoned CN railway bridge. We will get this job done through a limited partnership between Nipissing First Nation and Miller Paving Company who created a company that the First Nation will be the majority owner. It's great news, Mr. Speaker. Through this partnership, Ontario Bill will provide jobs, skills and economic development for Nipissing First Nation while building infrastructure that benefits everyone in the community, Mr. Speaker. I'm very pleased to have this partnership. I'm so thankful to the minister of finance who will announce it. And again, thank you caucus chair for being a great champion. Supplementary. Well, thank you, minister. And I'm certainly pleased to hear that you and our government for the people that's partnering with the Nipissing First Nation to replace the Dashani Creek Bridge on Highway 17B. This partnership is just the latest example of strong, strong cooperation between our government and Nipissing First Nation. And this announcement is a very, very important example of how we can and do work together to realize the opportunities that are presented to us and exist. It's also yet another example though too that our government is committing to getting the people of Ontario moving and to improve and to provide a better transportation network across Ontario, but specifically in this case, in the northern region. So I know, Mr. Speaker, can the minister of finance directly engage, share with this legislature more details in this partnership and why it was so important for his community in North Bay? Minister. Minister of Finance. Questions referred to the minister of finance. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the member from Hastings, right up to Addington for the question. This project is the latest step in our government's work to support Nipissing First Nation. Last fall, we announced $1 million for their business center. Recently, we announced a three-year renewal of the MOU with them to help the recovery of the walleye population in Lake Nipissing. And now our government is investing $12 million to replace the Dashaney Creek Bridge and invaluable economic link in my writing. But here's what Chief Scott McCloud had to say, quote, this marks a significant change in the way of doing business and a real step forward towards reconciliation. This means real opportunities for our people, not just platitudes and promises. Resports. We will continue working together to ensure that we make meaningful change in our Northern communities. Question, the member from Meshkega-Walk James Bay. Merci, Monsieur le Président. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Transportation. Keep on wondering why this government simply doesn't care about their well-being. There is a stark divide between the North and the South in our beautiful province, and this government does not seem to care. We need to bring Northern Ontario up to par with the South for basic things like intercity transportation. The Northlander, the train that used to connect Cochrane to Toronto, could do exactly that, Mr. Speaker. Their train is a reliable, safe, accessible, and environmentally conscious way to travel that could help bring prosperity to Northeastern Ontario. Minister, when will the government do right by Northern Ontario and restore the Northlander? Minister of Transportation. Thank you very much, Speaker, and thanks very much for that question. And I do have to say that our government is caring for all the people of the province. We look after the people in the Southern, in the Eastern, Northeastern, Northwestern, and in the GTHA. And what we're doing is building a regional transportation system down here. But at the same time, we're looking at how we can build and develop infrastructure and transportation to spur economic growth and give people more time with their families, get from point A to point B. Minister of Finance just had a great announcement in North Bay. And I can tell you, working with the Minister of Northern Development and Mines and the Minister of Finance, we're looking at how we can fix the transportation systems up in the North. Unfortunately, the previous government, supported by the NDP, got rid of the Northlander for the people of Northern Ontario. And we are gonna work forward to seeing how we can order transportation opportunities for the people of the North as well as Southern Ontario. Order, supplementary. Let me make one thing clear, Mr. Speaker. It was the Liberal who led us down first by shutting down the Northlander back in 2012. Not as conservative government is on track to do the same. It seems that both Liberals and Conservatives have been trying to erase 100 years of train history in our beloved region. Liberal story, same old story. Our people deserve so much better. The government has made announcement concerning transportation in Southern Ontario. It is now time to so focus on Northern Ontario's region and we can certainly do so if the Northlander is restored. Is the Minister's intention to give up on seniors, students, medical patients, immigrants and families that could benefit from the restoration of passenger route in Northern Ontario? Order. Minister of Transportation, reply. Minister of Finance. Mr. Finance. Well, thank you very much, Speaker. I gotta tell you, I am absolutely shocked that you would even go down that path. That shutdown of the Northlander only happened because the NDP supported the Liberals on that. That's the only reason why. But let me give you, but let me tell you a little bit more, Speaker. Let me tell you a little bit more, Speaker. When in power, the Ontario NDP reduced bus service from Timmins to Shablo and Wawa. They docked the new ferry in Torbramore. They cut Norontair service from 21 to six communities and they sold off Star Transfer, the trucking firm of O-N-T-Z. That's a heck of a legacy of glass. Order. Government side, order. The clock is ticking and it's taking your time. Member for Stormont Dundas, South Dundas. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Has winter fades away and the temperatures slowly start to increase and when I draw everyone's attention to a sticky situation, the annual maple syrup season has arrived. Across the province, more than 3,000 farmers will participate in this annual ritual of tapping trees. Farmers from my riding are looking forward to gathering sap, tapping trees and boiling to make delicious maple syrup and creating some delicious maple products. Year after year, these farmers dedicate hours of care and dedication to preparing this tasty Canadian treat. And as a child, I always remember it was a highlight as an end to a long, cold winter. But the benefits of maple syrup go far beyond the kitchen table. And could the Minister please tell the House about this positive impact on the economy of Ontario? Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member from Stormwood, Dundas, South Glengary for his sweet question. Without sugarcoating it, maple syrup production in our province has a long and storied history with traditions proudly passed on from generation from one generation to another. Farmers spend months preparing for harvest. This season dedication is clearly seen in the fact it takes 40 to 45 liters of maple sap to make just one liter of maple syrup. This weekend's annual maple syrup weekend provides an excellent opportunity for Ontarians across the province to learn more about maple syrup first making, first-hand. Hosted by the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association, this maple syrup farmers across the province will welcome their neighbors onto their farms. Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association encourages everyone to develop a relationship with the producer. Check out their local farm and buy local. I highly recommend your personal favorite producer, mine being Jakeman's Maple Products located in the Great Riding of Oxford. Each year I have the pleasure of enjoying their maple syrup at the... Thank you very much. Thank you. Recognize the Minister of Education on a point of order. Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure just ahead of the vote that we're about to participate in to introduce the best ministerial team this province has. My team from EDU is here. Thank you so much for all the work you do day in and day out. Okay, point of order, the member for Ottawa South. Thank you, Speaker. I think you will find that we have unanimous consent for the member from Thunder Bay Superior North to take my spot on estimates and for me to take his spot on the Social Policy Committee. The member for Ottawa South is seeking unanimous consent that the member for Thunder Bay Superior North replace the member for Ottawa South on the Standing Committee on Estimates and the member for Ottawa South replace the member for Thunder Bay Superior North on the Standing Committee on Social Policy. I hope I got it right this time. Agreed? Agreed. Agreed. On a motion for closure, on the motion for third reading, a Bill 48 enact to amend various acts in relation to education and childcare. Calling the members is a five-minute bell. The doors are closed. Would ask members to please take their seats. Are we ready to vote? On March 6th, 2019, Mr. Clark moved third reading of Bill 48, an act to amend various acts in relation to education and childcare. Mr. Sarkaria has moved that the question now be put. All those in favor of Mr. Sarkaria's motion will please rise one at a time and be recognized by the clerk. Mr. Sarkaria. Mr. Sarkaria. Mr. Walker. Mr. Walker. Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith. Ms. Thompson. Ms. Thompson. Mr. Bethan Fowler. Mr. Bethan Fowler. Mr. Fidelli. Mr. Fidelli. Ms. Elliott. Ms. Elliott. Mr. Euras. Ms. Euras. Mr. Jacobusky. Mr. Hardiman. Mr. Hardiman. Mr. Tobolay. Mr. Tobolay. Mr. Barrett. Mr. Snowesi. Mr. Marth waited for Mrs. Tионaj, Mr. McNamie. Mr. Stanley 1989. Mr. Macdonald. Mr. Macdonald. Mr. Bailey. Mr. Bailene. Mr. McNaut. Mr. Faden Child. Mr. Scott. Mr. T decreasing. Mr. Scott. Ms. Jones. Mr. Mr. Bauer, Mr. Payne, Mr. Tanagasa, Mr. Sabao, all those opposed to Mr. Sarkaria's motion will please rise one at a time. Mr. Bisson, Mr. Bisson, Madam Jelena, Mr. Tappas, Ms. Horvath, Mr. Natascha, Ms. Fife, Ms. Sattler, Ms. Shaw, Mr. Mamakwaf, Mr. Yard, Ms. Carpoche, Ms. Yamanta, Ms. Lindo, Ms. Armstrong, Mr. West, sorry, Mr. Kernahan, Mr. West, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Gates, Ms. Fife, Ms. Gretzky, Ms. French, Mr. Miller, Hamilton, East Stony Creek, Mr. Singh Brampton East, Ms. Andrew, Mr. Hatfield, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Birch, Ms. Burns McGow, Mr. Bourguin, Ms. Bell, Mr. Glover, Ms. Morrison, Mr. Rikosevic, Mr. Harden, Ms. Montee-Farrell, Mr. Hassan, Mr. Fraser, Ms. Wynne, Mr. Gravel, Mr. Schreiner, Mr. Schreiner, the ayes are 62, the nays are 39. The ayes being 62, the nays being 39. I declare the motion carried. Mr. Clark has moved third reading of Bill 48, an act to amend various acts in relation to education and childcare. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion. Before I recess the House, I want to remind all members that it's totally inappropriate to take photographs while we're in the chamber during proceedings at any time. If we have to take a hard line on this or it'll be chaotic in here, we're not going to permit it and your phone may be confiscated and you may not get it back very quickly. This House stands in recess until 3 p.m.