 It is time for Member Statement, and as a result of that, I will look to the Member from London Fanshawe for her Member Statement. I tickled in my throat, so I speak. This government's choice not to invest in and prioritize child care is forcing my constituents into a tough spot. A mom in my writing contacted my office because she was struggling. Between helping her kids with their school during the day and going to work at night, she was being stretched thin. The lack of child care spots in London has left her literally sleepless. She's not alone. I've heard from multiple essential and frontline workers in my community who can't find spots, particularly in the east of London. Families, especially moms, are left to decide if they should quit their jobs or pay exorbitant fees for child care. For months now, I've been raising the alarm on the child care crisis in London. Every pandemic waiting lists were ballooning. Those wait lists have only continued to grow. After forced closures and a reduction in staff, child care centers simply don't have the space or staff to accommodate the demand for child care spots in London. In addition to keeping the centers safe by social distancing and keeping their numbers lower, they also have to help kids complete their school requirements as well. All the while, the government refuses to prioritize child care workers for vaccines. The folks at the London Child Care Network told me, and I quote, I can personally speak to how frustrated I am for the child care profession. Why is it up to child care centers to provide the backup plan? I feel that child care has been so resilient throughout the pandemic and the pressure for our limited resources keeps piling onto the licensed operators and ECEs in child care in Ontario. End quote. Speaker, once again, child care in London is at a breaking point. This government needs to immediately address the ballooning wait lists. Without it, economic recovery for women and for all will not be possible. Thank you. Member statements. Member for Whitby. Good morning, Speaker. As part of its commitment to Durham Vision Zero and road safety, the regional municipality of Durham is currently recruiting high school students from across Durham region to become Vision Zero youth network ambassadors. Here the Vision Zero youth network is a free program that enables selected ambassadors to work with the teams learned to drive team, police services and other partners to close the knowledge gap for young drivers, cyclists and pedestrians making Durham roads, including those in Whitby, safer. Speaker, this program also provides many benefits for student participants such as a $500 scholarship, hands-on experience and access to mentoring while earning 40 hours of community service. Speaker, students today can apply to become an ambassador by visiting teamslearns-to-drive.com and encourage all those watching this morning to do exactly that. Thank you, Speaker. Member statements. Member for Kitchener Center. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the people of Kitchener Center who are sending me their reasons to invest in mental health care now, I want to say thank you because everything is not okay. On May 10th, I spoke with Helen Fishburne, the CEO for CMHA Waterloo Wellington. They host here 247, which is a crisis line for folks experiencing mental health issues. As of May 10th, 3,639 people had been stabilized but were now languishing on wait lists waiting for help. I asked Helen who was on that list. She said in the first wave it was seniors who were isolated and lonely. Second wave were youth, post-secondary students who saw their visions of adulthood disappearing before their eyes. And now in the third wave, parents who become professional jugglers but are at a breaking point. Helen said in my 20 years, I have never seen it like this. What are they asking for? A comprehensive mental health and addictions framework for Ontario. We have to do better because while people are on these wait lists, the risks of waiting are great. They can fall back into crisis. They can experience different types of coping mechanisms and the impact of turning to drugs and alcohol to address the anxiety. The layers get deeper for people who are racialized, for people who are homeless, and for those that are waiting for culturally responsive care that just doesn't exist. So today, everything is not okay. Thank you. Thank you. The next member's statement, the member for Perry Sound, Muskoka. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In an effort to help stop the spread of COVID-19, all four Muskoka chambers of commerce are making rapid antigen testing kits available to small, medium-sized businesses. I want to thank the managers of the Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville Lake of Bays, and Muskoka Lakes chambers for taking the lead on this initiative. Starting with the Aurelia chamber, the Muskoka chambers ensured they were among the first to sign up to offer this program to local businesses. Businesses with 150 employees or less can arrange to get tests for their employees by visiting www.rapintestmuskoca.com. The program is designed to help detect asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 in workplaces, helping to keep workers, their families, and the customers safe. Businesses can receive a two-week supply with enough kits to test their employees twice a week. If someone tests positive, that individual will be required to leave work arranged for a PCR test at a COVID-19 assessment site and self-isolate at least until the results of the PCR test is received. This program is the result of a partnership with the Ontario government, the federal government, and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. I want to thank the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Vic Fidelli, for his part in developing this program, and again, I want to recognize the work that the four Muskoka chambers of commerce have put in to make this program available in our area. Thank you. Next, we have the member for Kiwetanon. Good morning, I rise to speak about a very important matter that is before the courts, which are treaties. There's a case that involves a clause in the Robinson-Huron Treaty signed in 1850 that allows for an increase for annuity payable to treaty holders. Should revenues from resource development generated in the treaty territory allow the crown to increase the annuity. Speaker, the annuity was increased once in 1875 to $4 per person and has not been raised since. This issue has been raised by these treaty chiefs many times since 1875, with no resolutions from Ontario or Canada. Chief Dean Sayers of Batchewana said of this matter, and I quote, as people, this colonial court process is not our preferred resolution to a disagreement about treaty implementation. In the absence of a negotiation table, we have to use the court system to enforce the crown's obligations. Based on this evidence presented, the federal and the provincial government in Ontario residents can now understand that the treaty is a sacred agreement that has to be interpreted in a way that serves both parties, end quote. Speaker, treaty relationships do not have to be fought in court. The Robinson-Huron Treaty and Schnabeg want to move forward with a treaty renewal, and Ontario needs to quit being an obstacle in this process. Ontario, honour the treaties. Miigwech. Member Statements. The Member for Ottawa-Vanier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today, we will be debating my first private members bill to build a more inclusive and equitable province through the education system. While we're on this topic, I wanted to take a moment this morning to speak to the importance of quality education in this province. Schools take up a lot of our children growing space, and it is crucial to ensure our children feel safe, seen and heard. Schools need to be spaces where they can explore their opinions and develop compassion. While my PMB focuses on the importance of using this space to promote diversity and inclusion, we don't have to stop there. With ever-evolving content in educators able to teach it, schools can provide an incredible foundation for change and progress. Support and training for education workers is just as important as having quality teaching content. All of our children and communities are at an advantage when our teachers, school and school boards, are supported. And it's no secret that our education workers are feeling abandoned and that they've been voicing their concerns for a long time now. With the effect of the pandemic on our entire education system, with the ongoing shortage of French teachers and with the systemic barriers that remain for racialized students, it is clear that our education system needs repairing. So every child in this province deserves a high quality education, free of discrimination, and I look forward to discussing this further during today's bill 287 debate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Member statements. The Member for Berry, Innisfil. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. To this legislature, that music is in the air in Berry and Innisfil. You may know that CBC Music Searchlight Contest, the hunt for Canada's next great undiscovered talent, is on right now. And we have Berry's only cat, Shabot, for her song that she wrote called Coffee by the Sea, which residents can vote for. And as well, Innisfil residents can also support Dawn Mucci, who is very known for her Canada's top mayor awards. She wrote a theme song for those awards called Elevate, where her group Vibration. So if you're browsing the internet, you can support those two local artists we've got. And it really shows you what happens when the community comes together with music. But Speaker, there's more. As you know, Berry Music Live is an online group that's been playing music throughout the pandemic. They've raised over $100,000 for local charity groups. And most recently, they were part of the 705 fundraiser. The 705 is a recovery hub in Berry that helps those who are experiencing addiction and alcoholism. And it's generously operated by volunteers. I want to name some of those volunteers today. There are volunteers such as Christine Gordon, Todd Palmer, Jordan Mathias, Samara Whitman, Mark Roguisk, and Brett Mason. And of course, the Berry counselor, Natalie Harris, has also been donating her time to help with this particular clinic. Speaker, I'm so proud to represent this community. Please vote and donate to the 705 efforts. Thank you. Remember for Humber River Black Creek. Thank you, Speaker. Right now, a grandmother is calling for help, but nobody is coming. She is in a for-profit long-term care facility, and the few staff working there are spread so thin. Residents there just have to wait. Wait in soiled undergarments. Wait when they are hungry. Wait when they are thirsty. Sometimes lying there with bed sores that look like shrapnel wounds. We can fix this. New Democrats have joined advocates in sounding the alarm for years. We have told countless stories here in this chamber of those whose lives were lost and those who are hanging on and still calling for help. So Speaker, where is the sense of urgency to fix this system? Our loved ones need help now. The NDP have called for inquiries. We've tabled bills to increase the hours of direct care. Bills to take profits out of long-term care. Bills to let loved ones see their mothers and grandmothers who are alone there right now. The list goes on and on, but there's just no urgency. This government, just like the one before, will agree in this House and let status quo prevail. A status quo where our loved ones are dying of dehydration. A status quo where the military releases alarming and horrifying reports of inhumane conditions. These are our parents. Our grandparents. They raised us. Gave us everything. And in their time of need, they are made to live alone and without dignity. And during this pandemic, 4,000 of them have died alone in long-term care. Enough is enough. Liberals and conservatives have received huge sums of money taken from long-term care profit operators for years to keep this broken system going. It's time to pull the plug on for-profit long-term care. It's time to have the resolve to do the right thing. Our loved ones are not commodities. They are counting on us right now to fix long-term care in Ontario. We know what needs to be done. Let's do it now. Thank you. Member Statements. The Member for Stormont, Dundas, South Glengaria. Thank you, Chief. I rise today to congratulate the efforts of individual, individuals, businesses and organizations to celebrate heroes, young and old, in my riding in Stormont, Dundas, and South Glengaria. Angeline Bordeaux-Pouillette and Julia Lisio, a partner to start a GoFundMe campaign to highlight the efforts of local youth to take part of the National Superhero Day held in April the 28th. Children and the families were required to wear orange, and Angeline and Julia, who were hoping to give every child a commemorative bracelet. They believe our kids deserve a hero badge, and so do I. Meanwhile, the local Dairy Queen owner, Nolan Quinn, encourages residents to take part in the We Stand Behind Our Healthcare Front Worker's mural. It is being developed in the solarium seating area of the Dairy Queen. Now vacant due to the pandemic. Nolan was enlisted in local artist, Robbie Leverrier, to complete the mural, recognizing the healthcare heroes in the Cornwall Community Hospital. Community members are encouraged to offer ideas for their visual attributes to the chance of winning the prize. So I wish all involved in promoting the giving of residents of Cornwall and surrounding communities as they keep our heads high in support of each other during these challenging times. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Next member's statement, the member for Kitchener, Conestoga. Thank you very much, and good morning, Mr. Speaker. More and more families are choosing to plant their roots in Southwest Kitchener. In fact, this part of my writing is the fastest-growing community in Waterloo Region, which is also one of the fastest-growing communities in all of Canada. And as you can imagine, Speaker, the demand on local recreational amenities has swelled considerably. A few years back, I met with Kitchener Mayor Barry Vruvanovic and Councillor Kelly Galloway-Sealock to discuss plans for a new community park that would include one of the city's largest playgrounds, turf fields, and an aquatic center that would serve local residents of all ages. As a father of young children, I think a couple of them are actually watching right now, so a hello to Maverick and Ryder. I know just how important having a place for them to play close to home is for their well-being, and I was more than happy to add my support to this project. And in September, Mr. Speaker, I was proud to help cut the ribbon for the official grand opening of Phase 1 of the RBJ Schlegel Park. But that was only the beginning, Speaker. Yesterday, I was honored to join the Minister of Infrastructure and her federal counterpart to announce that $24 million in funding for the RBJ Schlegel Park Aquatic Center was approved, and that was nominated for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure program by our government, Mr. Speaker. This new aquatic center will include a new 25-meter pool in multi-use community rooms where families can stay active together. It has taken an entire community of hard-working people to get this project done, and I'm so happy to see it coming to fruition in Kitchwood County. Thank you very much. That concludes our member statements for this morning.