 It is now time for all questions. I recognize the member for Kiwetnaw. Speaker, the people of the Skandiga have not given Ontario consent to build a mining road on its traditional and treaty land. Chief Wayne Munias said nothing will go through their territory without the free, prior informed consent of the people. He said a couple days ago, you're not going to cross the river system without our free, prior informed consent. You're going to have to kill us. Those are his words. Good afternoon. What is the government doing to uphold the law, follow its Treaty 9 obligation, and obtain consent of all First Nations impacted by the Northern Road link? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We're proud of our efforts to build consensus around a number of resource projects across Northern Ontario. Take, for example, the Cotay Gold project where metagamy and flying post-First Nations play a substantial role in the development of that area, including very much, Mr. Speaker, the mine itself. In Greenstone, we see an extraordinary opportunity with the Kennel Gammasus Development Corporation comprised of four Indigenous communities that have come to us and asked to play a vital role in the development of Greenstone in the surrounding area and the mining project. Similarly, Mr. Speaker, the Corridor to Prosperity is an opportunity for all Indigenous communities in that area to unleash new health, social and economic benefits, bring in better forms of energy, stronger broadband, better critical infrastructure. This is a massive Northern development opportunity. We'll build consensus with those communities, Mr. Speaker, and we'll look forward to an opportunity to build a critical mineral mine, the world-class of a world-class scale. Supplementary question. You know, when the Scandaga had a water crisis and they had to evacuate for 60 days, this minister never made a call to the leadership. Speaker, this government is fast-tracking mine approval processes by removing environmental safeguards, like requiring completed mine closure plans on Bill 71. My question to the Premier, how will taking away requirements to approve mining closure plans protect Indigenous and treaty rights in the Ring of Fire? Mr. Speaker, we're very excited about the opportunity of a world-class Northern development opportunity that brings a corridor to prosperity for a group of isolated communities, Mr. Speaker, who want better infrastructure, who want better economic opportunities for their families, Mr. Speaker, and for those communities. As somebody who has lived in a couple of those communities and worked closely with the leadership of some of those communities over the years, Mr. Speaker, there is growing consensus that we can do these projects, Mr. Speaker, that we can strike a fair balance, that we can build consensus and meet the demands of one of the single biggest environmental policy ever advanced by a sub-sovereign government, Mr. Speaker. And that is to bring critical minerals from that region and other parts of Northern Ontario into a fully integrated supply chain for electric vehicles and battery capacity, Mr. Speaker. I've heard it from Indigenous communities. I've heard it from Indigenous businesses, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Mines has been working very hard to ensure that we do this the right way, and we're going to get it done. Thank you very much. The final supplementary. Back to the premier. When this government says that they have the support of First Nations in the region for the Ring of Fire project, it misleads investors, it misleads others. Speaker, what exact... He's been asked to withdraw his unparliamentary comment. Speaker, this is a textbook play right out of the colonial playbook where governments divide and conquer First Nations. We live every day. How will you ensure all First Nations are on board? Please take your seats. Response to the Minister of Mines. Question and thank you for the question from the member opposite. This is a bill about building mines. It's about bringing prosperity to Northern Ontario. It's a bill about securing supply chain for critical minerals so that in fact the critical minerals that are produced in Northern Ontario will be matched with the mining might in Southern Ontario. These minerals right now are being secured in Russia and China and Congo, and we need those minerals secured in Ontario, out of Northern Ontario. There is no compromise with the indigenous duty. There is no compromise with Ontario's environmental standards. This is a world-class bill that will benefit every single citizen in Ontario. The member for Waterloo. Thank you very much, my question to the Premier. Speaker, yesterday the Financial Accountability Office made it abundantly clear this government has not allocated sufficient funds to support healthcare programs to get Ontarians the care that they need. We are already seeing the worst emergency room wait times in over a decade. Without additional investment, Ontarians can expect those wait times to get even longer. We had 145 unplanned emergency room closures just last year. This Premier promised to end hallway medicine. There are people in this province who would be happy to get into a hallway just to access medicine. To the Premier, will the government commit to covering this $21.3 billion shortfall in healthcare? Your plan is designed to fail. You can course correct. The Minister of Health. Thank you very much for the question. The members opposite and the opposition are trying to so fear, I think, and fear-mongering really about things like this. This government's record speaks for itself. We have invested an additional $14 billion in our healthcare system since 2018. That is almost a 30% increase since 2018 in our healthcare funding. We have added more beds in four years than the previous Liberal government supported by the opposition did in 14. We have launched the largest healthcare recruitment initiative in Ontario's history and will continue to make necessary improvements to make sure that Ontarians get the care that they expect and deserve. This province currently has 107,000 long-waiters waiting for surgery in pain. There are 12,000 children waiting for surgery. It is unacceptable. It is unethical for the Parliamentary Assistant to say that you are doing everything that you can. The financial accountability officer who is independent, nonpartisan and who is following the money, projects that Ontario will have less hospital capacity, less long-term care capacity, and basically the status quo on home care capacity in 2028 than it did in 2018. This is an important report that the government should be paying attention to, so my question is to the Premier. Will the upcoming budget fully fund your own healthcare plans? Put the money in your own plan. Thank you, Speaker. Our government knows that wait times for surgeries and diagnostic tests have been increasing year after year, and we've said we're not okay with the status quo. We know more work needs to be done, and we're doing it. That is why we announced our innovative plan for expansion of community diagnostic and surgical clinics, which the Opposition is opposing at every step. In fact, the Opposition, the member from Nickelbelt, has been asking that we use hospital ORs more if they have availability, and the hospital OR in Ottawa Centre is being used through a joint partnership. But every weekend, the member from Ottawa Centre, who's a member of the Opposition, is out there harassing patients who are trying to get hospital surgery. Heard the unparliamentary remark that's been made by the member for Ottawa Centre. He must withdraw. Order. Member for Eglinton Lawrence has the floor. Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, the surgeries are happening, they're OHIP-covered surgeries happening in an Ottawa hospital, and on the weekends, the member from Ottawa Centre is out there protesting, harassing the patients who are trying to go get their surgery at the hospital, which is OHIP-covered, which I thought. Final supplementary. Speaker, the real crisis is within our health care workforce, which this government continues to disrespect with Bill 124, appealing the decision which found this legislation to be unconstitutional and a violation of charter rights. The workers that are in the health care system right now, they are overworked, they are underpaid, and the government can talk about their so-called recruitment strategy, but you can't recruit people into a broken system, you should be focusing on retaining those workers. Now the Financial Accountability Officer expects the province will need 33,000 more nurses and PSWs to keep up with the needs of our growing and aging population. So back to the Premier. How does this government expect to recruit thousands more nurses and PSWs when last year wages for Ontario nurses were among the lowest in the country? We are seeing record number of students coming into the health human resources field. Under the leadership of this Premier and this Minister of Health, our government has launched the largest health care recruiting and training initiative in this province's history, and the results are there. I can tell you in the enrollment in universities alone in this past fall, it's September 2022, over 109,000 students are entering into the nursing field. That's nursing alone. Registered practical nurses, more PSWs, creating pathways for these students to upskill from a PSW to a registered RPN to a registered nurse. The opportunities are there and students are seeing that. Our new Learn and Stay program alone, the day we announced it, saw over 14,000 students check the website because students are interested in getting into the nursing field and there's opportunities there to ensure that we have more health human resources in the underserved and northern areas. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Amanda, a mother from Niagara region, shared with me her heartbreaking experience trying to get an autism assessment for her child. She reached out to her MPP's office, the member from Niagara West, asking when her child would be able to get an assessment only to be given OAP talking points by his staff. Amanda responded, OAP services do absolutely no good without a written diagnosis and the wait list for a diagnosis in Ontario under his government is years long. We don't have years to waste waiting for an appointment. We can't afford to pay thousands out of pocket, end of quote. The MPP personally responded with the same talking points. I want to make it crystal clear to the MPP, children cannot access the OAP without an assessment and a diagnosis. So why does the Premier and his government believe it's okay to ignore mothers looking for answers? I welcome the opportunity to give the member opposite the facts. We have doubled the funding to $600 million. Shortly after reform government in 2018, there were 31,500 people registered with the Ontario autism program, of whom only 8,500 were receiving support. That means barely a quarter of people enrolled in the program were receiving any support and that support was limited to one type of therapy. The other three quarters, that's 23,000 children, had no prospect of ever receiving support from the Liberal government. Today, recognizing that there are different needs to be met, over 40,000 children and youth with autism have received support through multiple streams in the program. That's almost five times more than at any point since reform government. We're seeing a growing trend. The members don't understand the difference between the OAP and getting an actual diagnosis. Amanda contacted her MPP for info on the assessment backlog and instead was left feeling disrespected and unheard. All this MPP could do was spew OAP talking points and suggest she look at different provinces in the country. She asked him several times to answer her question what this government is doing to tackle the waitlist for assessments and he couldn't do that. How can families in this government believe, how can families believe this government when their own MPPs are unwilling to listen and have no suggestion other than maybe leaving the province? So my question is clear, how can families access the OAP in a timely manner when it is taking years for them to get an assessment? To be very clear, what the members across is saying is that because she doesn't agree with the policies of this government that the right thing to do is to attack the people who work in the constituency office of one of the hardest working members of provincial parliament. Now I've seen a lot of things in this place that have diminished the role of all of us but I have never seen another member attack the constituency office of a member of provincial parliament because they don't agree with the policy. Now you can disagree with the policy, Mr. Speaker. Fine. Disagree with the policy. Take it to the floor of the house like she has done, Mr. Speaker, but don't attack the people who work in constituency offices. I will remind the member opposite that it was this member for Niagara Falls, for Niagara, who brought in new hospitals to this community after years of failure by that side of the house. It was that member of provincial parliament who brought new long-term care. It was that member of parliament who brought in a new watches and program. It was that member of parliament who brought in thousands of new nurses. The house will come to order. Order. Start the clock. The next question. The member for Essex. Speaker, my question is for the minister of economic development, job creation and trade. Ontario's world-class manufacturing sector employs over 660,000 workers and is the lifeline of our province's regional economies, including in my writing of Essex. When the previous Liberal government announced that Ontario's economy would shift away from goods producing to service producing sectors, they were unprepared for the exodus of jobs that would ensue. They were a government without a plan. The 300,000 manufacturing jobs that they sent running from Ontario came to no one as a surprise, but it left communities, including communities in southwestern Ontario, economically damaged. Speaker, will the minister please explain how our government is once again supporting the manufacturing sector and bringing back jobs to southwestern Ontario? Thank you. Mr. of economic development, job creation and trade. By reducing taxes, lowering the cost of electricity and cutting red tape, we have seen manufacturers look to Ontario to expand again. Every morning, Premier Ford gets what we call his one a day vitamin. It's the name of a company, where they're locating, how many millions they're investing, how many people are hiring and whether we have any skin in the game or not. Sante Manufacturing in Aylmer invested $7.5 million to accelerate their expansion, diversify their product line and hire 15 people. Arva Springs in Middlesex is investing $5 million to build a new state-of-the-art poultry processing facility to help enter international markets. MC3, $6.8 million. Idlecore, $5.1 million. 30 new jobs. Since our election, businesses and industry have created $600,000 new jobs. Proof positive, Speaker, that Ontario is open for business. Thank you. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the minister for his answer. Ontario's booming manufacturing sector, including the important manufacturing sector in my riding of Essex, made this province number one in the world and best to invest, live and grow. This government has been successful in showing the world that Ontario is open for business, but just as any business changes, so does the world economy. And Ontario needs to keep up as we strive to remain competitive. Speaker, will the minister please explain how our government continues to ensure that Ontario is a premier destination for manufacturers, both for our entrepreneurs and for the world's investors? The Liberals backed by the NDP had turned their backs on business, sent them fleeing Ontario. We lost 300,000 employees over their reign. This government, we dug deep, we asked them, what do you need to return to Ontario? They told us reduce taxes, less red tape, and to fix the Liberals hydro mess. And we delivered. We did exactly what they asked, reduced the cost of business, Speaker, by $7 billion every year, and those businesses are now back here. The exodus is over. These companies have hired 600,000 men and women in the last four and a half years. Companies have recently announced millions in reshoring investments as well, adding thousands more new jobs, all because they know that Ontario is now the best place in the world to invest and succeed, Speaker. Thank you. The next question, the member for Parkdale High Park. Thank you, Speaker. In my riding of Parkdale High Park and across Toronto, more and more residents now live in condos. Condo residents experience numerous issues with property management, with the developer, and with poorly run boards. When they reach out to my office, they are shocked to learn there's no effective regulator, no government agency, and no tribunal that they can turn to who can hear disputes and resolve them in a quick and affordable manner. The auditor general has called for reform in the condo sector. So has an all party committee of this house. My question to the Premier is, why did the Conservatives vote down an NDP motion to set up a condo authority tribunal? The associate minister. No, sir. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. And thank you to the member opposite for the question. Speaker, as we have said numerous times, our government takes matter of consumer protection in the condo sector very seriously and will never stop taking necessary action to protect Ontarians across the province. In fact, Speaker, this government has already twice expanded the cat's jurisdiction and will continue to take a measured and intelligent approach to increasing the tribunal's power. And, Speaker, we are not stopping our efforts to improve protection for all Ontarians and ensure they have a safe and secure place they call home. Speaker, my ministry welcomes the auditor general's feedback on Ontario's condo sector and has already begun consulting on ways to actively improve and expand the condo authority tribunal and its powers. Thank you. Thank the minister. Supplementary question. Member for Toronto St. Paul's. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Many of the residents in our community of Toronto St. Paul's live in condos they rent or own. Condo living as we all know in this house is not cheap. And as more and more people move into them, they're encountering problems like broken elevators, yep, unfinished amenities and mismanaged condo fees. People deserve an accountable condo authority tribunal that can protect them and do so quickly. But this government voted against the Ontario NDP official opposition's motion to do just that. So my question is to the Premier. What is your plan to protect residents in condos? Thank you very much, Speaker. And thank you to the member opposite for the question. As I said, Speaker, this government has already twice expanded the condominium authority tribunals jurisdiction and will continue and we will continue to take a measured and intelligent approach to increasing the tribunals powers. Speaker, it is this government that is making condo boards fairer and more transparent and improving the lives of the hundreds of thousands of Ontarians who call a condo home. Speaker, we will continue to work with the condo sector to implement the changes suggested by the auditor general and ensure that condo owners across the province are provided with the treatment they expect and deserve. Thank you. The next question is for the Minister of Education. As Ontario's population continues to grow, it is essential that our education system continues to equip our students for the jobs of the future that will help build Ontario. For 15 years, the previous Liberal government stood idly by as the need for skilled trades workers ballooned and Ontario's curriculum grew obsolete to address the issue. As a result, Ontario has seen a troublesome decline in apprenticeship certification and trades diplomas earned. At the same time, young people in the province of Ontario need to find good paying and dignified jobs to succeed. Speaker, will the Minister please explain what measures our government has implemented to close the skills gap between our students and the jobs that we need to fill in Ontario? Minister of Education. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member from Flamborough, Glenbrook for this important question because we believe that we need to ensure every student in this province has a pathway to a good paying job. That is the mission we are on. It was why we reformed and modernized Ontario's curriculum in math, in science, in computer sciences, in technical education, in careers. We have overhauled the curriculum to finally align it with labour market needs to give these young people a competitive advantage when they graduate. Mr. Speaker, we have also expanded the dual credit program which allows students in high school to take a college course or a course that helps them complete their apprenticeship training. It is a two-for-one deal and under our government we have seen over 137% increase in students enjoying and benefiting from the dual credit expansion. Mr. Speaker, we have also expanded this specialist high-skills major program. 40% increase for students in it. And the reason for this is because we want young people to graduate with the life and job skills that are necessary to get them jobs of the future. Mr. Speaker, the member for Flamborough, Glenbrook. Turn back to the minister. By 2026, one in five in-demand jobs will be in the skilled trades. In my own riding of Flamborough, Glenbrook, Adventec produces engineered products for the automotive industry that are critical for production of in-demand vehicles. The president of Adventec, Jim Campbell, tells me that he needs more workers to serve consumers in our community. I've been told that his company is consistently short at least eight workers. Specifically, Jim needs machinists and other technical skilled trades workers that will help his business grow. Speaker, I know that this is a problem faced by many businesses right across Ontario. Can the minister please elaborate on how our government is connecting young people with the jobs of Ontario in the future? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think the member is absolutely correct. We have to do a better job of connecting young people to the jobs available. We have hundreds of thousands of jobs, 300,000 today unfilled, and this government has a plan working across the ministry to ensure young people have the connection points to employment. Because we know a job means a life of dignity. It means owning a home. It means having purpose in this province, and we want everyone to aspire to be bold in this economy. It's why, Speaker, yesterday I joined the premier of Ontario to announce that we are finally going to connect and allow students after grade 10 to enter directly into the skilled trades, allowing them an immediate accelerated pathway to apprenticeship training. This is going to help solve the skills labour gap that exists in this country, and I'm excited and I'm proud that we're working with our partners in labour in the private sector, in school boards. All of us yesterday stood together with a mission to help these young people succeed. Thank you. The next question to member for Ottawa Centre. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the premier. The Rideau Canal Skateway is closed this year for the first time since it opened in 1971. It's a major loss to our city and millions lost to local tourism. Experts are pointing the finger, Speaker, at climate change, but frankly we should be pointing the finger at Ontario's inaction on climate change. Speaker, we're living in a climate emergency. When will this government act like we are living in a climate emergency? This is for the environment, conservation and parks. Thank you, Speaker. I appreciate the question from the member opposite. Look, Speaker, when it comes to acting to build a more sustainable environment, this government is acting. We've sent a record investment in public transit, taking millions of cars off the road. That member voted against it. When it comes to climate change impact assessment, first of its kind, that member voted against it. Speaker, when it comes to countless commitments, working on getting housing built for our next generation, he voted against it. What is his solution? His solution is to punish low-income middle-class families with a carbon tax that is so punitive that we would drive jobs out and impoverish an entire generation of Ontarians. When it comes to acting, Speaker, we're working with industry like Algoma and DeFasco, the largest industrial decarbonisation in Ontario's history. We're going to continue doing that, ensuring green jobs for generations to come. Thank you, Speaker. The minister has clearly recently visited the fiction book fair. I'm going to actually cite a research document to which he's accountable. In 2021, the Auditor General said Ontario was on track to meet, wait for it, Speaker, 20% of its climate emissions by 2030. That's not even half of a past, Speaker. And we hear the minister crowing about action. But while Ontario continues to not act, eastern Ontario maple syrup producers are sounding the alarm. They're sounding the alarm on earlier springs on the expensive nature of boiling sap with the lack of support from this government on modern equipment. They are still suffering from the windstorm that hit our province in May 2022, with zero help from this government or that minister. So, Speaker, we know that this minister and the government will act immediately for big polluters. They'll repeat their talking points. But what will they do to support small businesses who have been hurt and are trying to grapple with our climate emergency? If he talks about crowing with industry and job creators, yes, I sit down with them. I sit down with the union leaders as well to ensure we can create a next generation for youth. It involves jobs, like when my grandfather came to this country and worked in the steel sector. He'd be proud to know that this government is now decarbonizing, working with industries, expanding jobs. If that member spent a little less time crowing and harassing people outside health clinics and actually sitting down with job creators, with research institutions, he would know when it comes to GHG reductions, Navias, an independent world leader, validated this province's plan to reach our climate goals by 2030. We're going to continue working with industry, investing record amounts in public transit, which he voted against, record amounts in housing that he votes against, record amounts to ensure that we can build a more sustainable future, taking meaningful action, working with industry. I just wish he would join us and bring meaningful solutions instead of harassing. The Speaker is in no position to determine the veracity of statements that might be made during question period or during debate. But I would encourage members not to engage in personal attacks which inflame the passions of the House. Start the clock. The next question. Member for Don Dolly West. Thank you, Speaker. Yesterday the FAO provided their analysis on the government's health sector spending plan, and the numbers are clear and scathing. Their five-year plan is $21.3 billion short. The FAO said, quote, the province has not allocated sufficient funds to support existing health sector programs and announced commitments, end quote. The Conservative government promised five years ago to end hallway medicine. Under this government, a record number of people are waiting in the halls, 1,300 people per day. Under this government, there have been 145 emergency room closures, and wait times for admission have passed 20 hours on average. Talking about investments does not equal providing care. My question, Speaker, is for the Minister of Finance. Will the ministers spend the money the government said they would, or will their word once again come up short? Thank you. Member for Eglinton Lawrence. Thank you very much, Speaker. You know, we've added more hospital beds in four years than the former Liberal government did in 14 years. Emergency Department wait times are coming down, and we've started to shorten wait times for key surgeries. The highest hospital capacity, actually a Premier Speaker, was under the former Liberal government, not during COVID even. It was 98% under that government with 1,087 patients waiting in hallways. But we're addressing all those things. Nearly 100,000 people have been connected to convenient care at a pharmacy in their community for common ailments. And we know we need to do more, which is why we have asked the federal government to take their fair share of funding, give it to the provinces for health care, because we know we need to address more of these concerns. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. Well, that was an excellent segue. I've been here less than a year, while this government is nearing five years in power. I'm here to fight for the future and a better Ontario for all. Trading barbs in this chamber will not address our health care crisis, but properly funding it will. While the government boasts about record investments, Ontarians see record ER closures, record numbers of nurses leaving the profession, and a record shortage of family doctors. The government has shortchanged our health care funding by $21.3 billion. And while the federal Liberal government has pledged to cover half of that, this Conservative government appears to have no plan to pay their share. Mr Speaker, my question to the Minister of Finance, will he commit to putting the necessary money in the budget to address this shortfall, or will he leave the people of Ontario short? Thank you, Mr Speaker. As the member opposite knows, this government has increased health care funding by $14 billion since 2018. Last year alone in our budget, the 2022-2023 budget, we increased base funding for health care by $5.6 billion. That's a lot of money. I would like to add here that it represents a hospital bed increase that we've been talking about. It represents a 13.8% increase in hospital beds over an eight-year period compared to a 2.5% increase in hospital beds over the 14-year period that that government was in power. We knew we had an aging demographic that was coming, and that former Liberal government did absolutely nothing to prepare for what was coming. This government is addressing those concerns. Next question, the member for Thunder Bay Atacocan. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Mines. In my writing of Thunder Bay Atacocan, mining represents a vital and vibrant part of our economy and our future. I am proud of the fact that there are approximately 850 Thunder Bay residents working at mines and hundreds more employed by service and supply companies that support this critical industry. I had the opportunity this past week to meet with many in the industry at the PDAC Conference, and it is great to see such a large representation from Thunder Bay and region present. Our government must realize the potential for continued growth in this sector in order to strengthen the supply chain for electric vehicle production and technologies of the future. Securing this supply chain will benefit not only my writing of Thunder Bay Atacocan, its effects will support people all over the north and our entire province. Speaker, can the minister please describe the current status and outlook for mining industry in Ontario? Thank you. Minister of Mines. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the question and for the question from my colleague. Mr. Speaker, this week I attended the PDAC conference in Toronto. It's the world's largest mining conference. It attracts investors. It attracts mining companies. It attracts manufacturing sector. It attracts service companies, including 100% owned indigenous companies like Black Diamond Drilling from Wagishing Resources, Wagishing First Nations. They're all there. We had an incredible presence from Team Ontario all around touring all around that conference. The conference is a buzz with what's happening with what this government is doing to ensure that it's creating conditions for innovative solutions for challenges that the industry is currently having. Ontario under this premier is getting it done so that the mining industry can do what they do best. Build the critical minerals mines in the future to secure the supply chain for the EV revolution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the minister for the response. It is good news that our government's presence is recognized and well-received by mining industry leaders. In the past, the importance of the North was all but ignored with failure to invest in Northern Ontario's mineral exploration and development sector. Our government recognizes the importance of the North and must continue being proactive and forward-looking, knowing that the future is optimistic for the mining industry. Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is implementing strategic initiatives to strengthen the mining sector? Thank you. Thank you for your minds. Mr. Speaker, thanks again for the question and for the question from the colleague. Mr. Speaker, our government under the Premier Ford's leadership has a very clear vision for this province. We are the first government to focus on connecting supply chains in the North and South. So, Ontarians across the province can share in economic benefits. Unlike previous governments, Mr. Speaker, we are leveraging Ontario's strengths in the mining and manufacturing sectors to build an integrated supply chain for EVs. That's why our government launched our critical mineral strategy, and we will continue to execute on this plan. I have the privilege of announcing the next round of recipients of the critical minerals innovation fund at PDCA this week. This fund leverages the expertise and innovation. We have an Ontario's critical mineral supply sector by funding research and development projects to secure the supply chain for critical minerals. The projects range from mining and mineral processing to the recovery and recycling of critical minerals. Mr. Speaker, there are too many successful projects leveraging this fund to talk about in this short time, but what I can say is Ontario is taking action by making strategic investments. Thank you very much. The next question is for the members of Stadina. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the year leading up to the last election, this Conservative government passed legislation that used the notwithstanding clause to strip Ontarians of the right of free speech. It suppressed the right of environmentalists, education and healthcare workers, and others to pay for advertising critical of the government. Now the Ontario Court of Appeal just ruled the Conservatives' legislation trampled on Ontarians' right to vote in the last election. Will this government apologize to the people of Ontario for robbing us of our democratic right to a fair election? The Attorney General. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the member opposite knows, I can't speak directly to the cases still in front of the courts. We will appeal the matter. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that we are disappointed with the results, and we look forward to the dissent being given proper care at the Supreme Court. This government has robbed the people of Toronto, Niagara, York and Peel of the right to majority vote democracy. The Conservative government is politicizing the appointment of judges, allowing it to appoint conservative friendly judges. Three times this government has used the notwithstanding clause to strip Ontarians of their legal rights and fundamental freedoms under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court of Appeal has just ruled the Conservatives violated Ontarians' right to vote in the last election. Is your appeal of that decision an indication that you intend to not respect the democratic rights of Ontarians in the next provincial election? Mr. Speaker, look, I think the Attorney General answered that, but this is fascinating, right? So now the NDP are suggesting that it was that particular piece of legislation, and that's what caused them to be shrunken to such a small level in this House. That somehow the people of the province of Ontario weren't thinking about housing. They weren't thinking about transportation. They weren't thinking about pocket bullet issues. That little piece of legislation has so much chaos, and that's why the NDP were shrunk to such a small level in this House. Mr. Speaker, I can confirm for the NDP that the people of the province of Ontario relegated the Liberals to just seven or eight seats again, reduced the size of the official opposition, increased the size of the Conservative government to this side of the House, to that side of the House, because they liked what we are doing, bringing prosperity, hope and optimism back to the province of Ontario, Mr. Speaker. But you can continue to read that tale that somehow that's what it was. We'll continue to work hard for the people of Ontario, and I suspect the people of Ontario will continue to show their support for this government. The next question, the member for Elgin Middlesex London. Well, thank you, Speaker. The tourism industry is vital to our economy. I think everyone knows that. It supports almost 400,000 jobs across this great province. Tourism activity is rebounding, yet when I speak to tourism operators and employees in my community, they express concern about the future. Operators wonder what the future may hold for the upcoming tourism season, as well as job seekers, particularly students already trying to plan for summer jobs, wonder whether tourism is a good option to explore. Speaker, can the Minister please provide information on the status and outlook for this upcoming tourism sector? Mr. Tourism, culture and sport. Speaker, I'd like to thank the member from Elgin Middlesex London for his question and for the conversation we have around the importance and the impact that tourism has not only in your community, but really all of our communities. Not only is the tourism sector rebounding, it's becoming even stronger than ever. Attractions, sporting events, festivals are up again and running, hotels, restaurants are full, and doing great business. There are examples of this across the province. Fallsview Cancino just opened a new concert theatre last week with the headliner of Billy Joel. I believe a few members here were at the concert and I heard it was fantastic. Niagara Parks Commission expects a very busy 2023 and they're going to be hiring 350 new people. The Toronto Auto Show. It was huge success and I know our Minister of Economic Development has been a big leader in that. Speaker, a lot of great things are happening in tourism and we can't keep looking in the rear vision mirror. The tourism industry is not doing that. They're looking forward. A bunch of smart people. Thank you. The supplementary. Well thank you Speaker and it's encouraging to hear the Mr. talk about such good news. The ongoing strength and prosperity of our tourism industry is obviously very important as he said to everyone in this house. Many people in my riding again rely on tourism for their jobs and have appreciated the various support grants that the ministry has provided and saw them through tough times of lower attendance at their venues and activities. Tourism is vital to our province's overall economic prosperity and is helpful in enhancing the overall quality of life and well-being of Ontarians. As a government, we must continue to provide investments and support where needed as I know we have done. Speaker, can the minister again please explain how this government is supporting and collaborating with the tourism industry? It is a great question and I thank the member for asking it. Mr. Speaker, I regularly meet with tourism operators by going to their locations and learning more about their business, the struggles that they've had, but more importantly what they're doing to take themselves to the next level and that's exactly what they're doing. They're growing faster and stronger than ever. We've helped them through initiatives in sport hosting like the 2023 Ontario Winter Games and Renfrew which was a huge economic boost to that community. And while we're talking about London, the Tim Horton's Briar 10-day stint is well underway in London and it will have a massive impact on that economy. Make sure you buy a couple of tickets. Thunder Bay Hotel occupancy is up from 2019 and the Minister of Education's announcement about helping people coming through high school and finding a better job and an opportunity for themselves. A lot of them will land in the tourism industry. There are great opportunities and great careers in tourism and I'm glad there's going to be a mesh going on between high school. Thank you. Next question, member for Hamilton West and Chancellor Bender. Thank you, Speaker. In the middle of a mental health crisis Hamilton is losing two critical mental health agencies due to chronic underfunding by these Conservatives. Canadian Mental Health Association will now be required to take on these services but this is an agency that is also struggling to keep up. We put forward a very important motion to offer emergency stabilisation funding for CMHA and the Conservatives. Wait for it. Voted. No. Why are you adding to the crisis by denying funding for these vital services? Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. I want to thank the member opposite for the question. Obviously mental health is a huge priority for this government and that's why when we were first elected we ran on a promise to invest $3.8 billion over 10 years into mental health and addictions and we've been doing that every year. We have annualised funding, increase in funding of $525 million going out to various community groups and we want to make sure that we have the care that people need which is culturally sensitive and appropriate care and so we're very proud of the investments we've made. $525 million additional in annualised funding which is a significant investment into that sector and we'll continue to work to do more. My questions for the Minister of Mental Health. You know when people and especially young people can't get the help they need they turn to our emergency departments but we know that these Conservatives have underspent our healthcare by almost $6 billion and emergency workers as we know are struggling. The tragic story of Gordon Lewis and the not criminally responsible verdict for his son has to be the most unimaginable consequence of your underfunding. The Lewis family shared that Johnny went to 10 emergency rooms seeking help in the 36 hours before Gordon was killed. So in light of these tragedies why are you closing your wallets and closing your hearts to people who are suffering? Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you for the question. You know Mr. Speaker from when this government was first elected it made a point of making substantial unprecedented investments in mental health and addictions. It worked with all of the stakeholders and continues to work with children youth mental health CMHA and all the other agencies to build a continuum of care. This is the government that created the roadmap to wellness. This is the government that created a ministry to work specifically on mental health and addictions and create the networks necessary to provide the supports for individuals. We've identified where those gaps exist and with a $525 million investment on an annualized basis we're building the system filling the gaps and ensuring that everyone in this province gets the support, the care, the help they need when and where they need it. Next question the member for Cambridge. Thank you Mr. Speaker my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Ontario is known for its rich and abundant natural resources. Our province is truly blessed with more than a quarter million lakes shoreline access to four great lakes and more than 490,000 kilometres of rivers and streams offering residents and guests exceptional fishing opportunities which I personally enjoy. We appreciate our neighbours and many of our other tourists who want to share in these resources. People traveling to Ontario to participate in hunting fishing are required to follow a different set of regulations than residents. Questions have arisen about the potential strain and impact of outdoor recreation tourism on wildlife and environment. Speaker can the minister please explain how our government is responding to the growth in Ontario's natural resources tourism? Good question. Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the member from Cambridge for the question. We are so blessed in Ontario with those beautiful lakes rivers, streams, forests, full of abundant and diverse wildlife and we work hard every single day to sustainably manage that resource for future generations. Mr. Speaker one of the things we do through hunting and fishing regulations and licenses is make sure we reinvest that money back into these programs such as stocking 8 million fish in over 1200 water bodies every year. In addition we invest millions of dollars two million dollars per year to support ongoing research management and mitigation of invasive species across the province and these investments are important to the sustainability of the natural resources tourism sector. You know anglers spend more than 1.6 billion dollars a year so thank you to the member from Cambridge for being part of that and creating jobs in northern. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the minister for that response. It's good to know that recreation fishing and hunting sectors are continuing to grow sustainably a little. With the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry's family fishing days more Ontario families and friends can enjoy fishing anywhere in the province without having to purchase a license or carry an outdoor scarred. Free fishing periods make it affordable and easy for people to enjoy a fun activity while experiencing this beautiful province. The people of my riding of Cambridge are interested in learning more about the opportunities for outdoor recreation. Speaker can the minister please explain how Ontarians can access information about recreation opportunities in communities across the province. Mr. Natural Resources and Forestry. Well thank you Mr. Speaker and thanks again to the member for the question. The free fishing weekend we just had on family day by the way was a great success had an opportunity to be out in the great community of Brecken meeting with families that were out on the lake trying fishing for the first time. It was amazing. You know the Toronto Sportsman show was coming up Mr. Speaker it's an excellent opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to gather and share their passion for hunting fishing camping boating in the great outdoors and it's happening from March 16th to 19th in the Mississauga Malton area so shout out to the member for hosting such a great event in his area. Lots of vendors there including the Great Ontario Sam and Derby Destination Ontario, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Great Lakes Fishery Commission and so I encourage everyone that's there to stop by our Ministry of Natural Resources booth and meet some of the incredible people doing incredible work like our conservation officer see a cooking demo you can even drop your spot Mr. Speaker and angled for live fish right there so it's an excellent opportunity to showcase what's happening in Ontario and I encourage members and all thank you very much the next question the member for under Bayes. Speaker over a year ago I learned that nursing students were quitting the profession immediately after their hospital placements because of the relentlessly exhausting workload they both experienced and witnessed during their placements well fortunately there are still a few new nurses entering the profession but this week I was told about entire hospital units that are being staffed entirely by new nursing graduates because there are no senior nurses left to supervise or mentor them surely this is a health and safety risk for both patients and for the new nurses and the mass exodus of experienced nurses is surely a direct consequence of this government's continued attacks on public health care workers so what I would like to know it's not fear mongering it's a direct report from nurses thank you very much what is this government doing to attract experienced nurses back to our public health care system mr colleges and universities well thank you mr speaker and thank you to the member for that question building on the 14 000 nursing registrations in the province last year alone our government is investing in a range of initiatives to track train and retrain even more nurses as I mentioned earlier this year alone in universities this doesn't even include colleges over 109 000 registrations in september of 2022 we are seeing an increase year over year of students entering into the nursing profession look at the investments that are being made in long-term care alone 60 000 new and upgraded beds the beds that the the pa to health mentioned earlier in hospitals the investments that are being made into the healthcare system are encouraging new and current nurses in the system they want to be in nursing we expanded the new learn and stay program to include nurses paramedics and lab technicians this is an exciting field that students are wanting to get into the health human resources and this is the government is making the investments to ensure that they're successful it would be great if young nursing graduates actually stayed beyond their first two years but that's not what we're seeing imagine the pressure on new nurses carrying the full responsibility for their patients without the guidance of experienced nurses at one hospital 66 nursing graduates were just hired who did a significant amount of their clinical training online you heard that correctly new nursing graduates with next to no hands-on experience again this calls patient safety into question and how long do you think new nurses will stay in the profession when what few mentors they have had leave leave the profession out of compassion fatigue and exhaustion again this situation is a direct result of the government's strategy to undermine public health care will the government stop wasting public dollars on its appeal of the constitutional bill 124 revive the late career initiative and create a strategy to attract experienced nurses back into our hospitals minister colleges and universities well thank you mr. speaker and i think instead of the fear mongering that the member is bringing to the floor we just celebrate the opportunities that we're seeing record number of students entering into the nursing profession as i mentioned building on the 14,000 nursing registrants in the province last year alone we've they're currently over 5,000 internationally educated nurses residing in Ontario whose applications are at various stages into the workforce sooner as a result of the changes that this government is making we are breaking down registration barriers so that more health care professionals trained in Ontario and other provinces or internationally can practice here in Ontario we have a real opportunity here and we are seeing more and more nursing students entering into the profession the work that our universities are doing our standalone uh bachelor of science in nursing program now offered at colleges here in Ontario we're seeing it across the province record number of students who are able to work in our rural and our underserved areas and stay close to home in the hospitals and long-term care centers that need those nurses next question Mark thank you mr speaker my question is for the minister of seniors and accessibility across our province seniors desaterly fit active and socially connected to life it is important that our government priority to support for our seniors to remain healthy socialize and take part in community life the support demonstrated by this minister for investment that helps seniors is commendable and appreciated communities across the province I know that many communities are appreciate of the funding provided by our government from the seniors community grant this fund will certainly benefit seniors in their communities through the programs and educational activities speaker can the minister please describe the importance of investment made by our government to support seniors in our communities thank you mr seniors and accessibility thank you to the hardworking member from markham for me for asking such an important question that's at the backbone of this province and the member is doing great job for seniors to get the support they need Mr. Speaker thanks to the leadership of premier we have a create programs and services to break down barriers of social isolation and fighting against ageism since 2018 our government has invested almost 22 million dollars into over 1200 senior community grants project across Ontario to fight social isolation seniors have invested their energy to help build this province and we stand with them thank you speaker thank you minister for that wonderful answer Ontario seniors are the province fastest growing demographic by the end of this year there will be a three million ontarian over the age 65 with the investment made through the support of this minister our government is taking reelection to further empower seniors in their own communities our government must continue to prioritize providing seniors with the high quality support that contribute their physical mental and social well-being mr speaker can the minister please elaborate on the benefits of this grant for our seniors in communities across the province thank you mr seniors and accessibility thank you again for another important question mr speaker seniors the backbone of this province and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect they are the ones that helped to build the best province ontario that is why we have invested into programs that keep seniors active healthy and socially connected since 2018 our government has invested 59 million dollars in 300 senior active living center across ontario to promote healthy active socially connected living for seniors programs like this a key to the fight against ageism thank you concludes our question period for this morning