 It is now time for a question period, the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Just look at the parents here today at Queen's Park. These are parents with remarkable young children who just happened to have autism. Intensive behavioral intervention, IBI, has been a proven treatment for many of these children. The impact and progress made by these children using IBI programs is amazing and undeniable. Mr. Speaker, why is the government turning their back on these children and these parents? Well, Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to welcome the parents here and the children who are here. This is obviously an extremely important issue for all of us and we have for a number of years as a government and as individuals within this government worked with the organizations of parents working with children with autism to make the changes as new science is discovered, Mr. Speaker, as new programs are developed to make sure that we provide the resources to children that they need. What is unacceptable to us, Mr. Speaker, is that children would languish on a waiting list and not get service. And that is what is happening now, Mr. Speaker, and so it is incredibly important that we put the investments in place to help children get the services that they need and I'll have more to say in the supplementary, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. What is unacceptable is these cuts to families with autism. I want to read you a quote from Lisa Minier that was in the Canadian Press article written by Alison Jones. Ms. Minier is a Brampton mum who has a nearly five-year-old daughter that has been on the IBI wait list for almost three years. She said that the government funding will only pay for a few weeks of therapy. She said, I quote, I'm disappointed that the government would do that to our children and that there is therapy out there that can help our children and now the government is just taking that away from them. End quote. Mr. Speaker, the Premier can't let these children and parents down. It's not the Ontario way, it's not acceptable. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier do the right thing? Will she reinstate proper funding for the IBI treatment? Thank you. Do you see the face? Do you see the face? Thank you. Premier. I think all of us know that with the prevalence of autism increasing, which is in and of itself a huge challenge and I know that there's work going on in our laboratories here in Ontario to look at the genetics, Mr. Speaker, to find answers to why this is happening and what the best treatment should be. So what has happened is that the wait times have increased, Mr. Speaker, and so the status quo is unacceptable. So the leader of the opposition actually makes my point because he talks about families whose children have been on that wait list for three years. That's unacceptable, Mr. Speaker, because that window for the treatment closes. The efficacy of that intensive treatment is demonstrated to be in the early years, Mr. Speaker. So that's why our budget makes a historic $333 million investment. We're putting in place a new autism program, Mr. Speaker. It will give 16,000 more children access to services, Mr. Speaker, and it will provide a continuum of intensive services, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. That was up to Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. This government's approach is to remove people outright from the wait list. That's not solving wait lists. There wouldn't be thousands and thousands of families irate about this if it wasn't affecting the services that they desperately needed for the children. The changes to the IBI have been called destructive. Families have been left in the dark. Just listen to what Joseph Daley of the Grinsby Lincoln News said. I quote, the policy changes of the Ontario government are condemning my child to a life of ongoing illness on top of the challenges he will face as an autistic individual. End quote, thousands and thousands of families are telling the Premier her changes are dead wrong. Does the Premier agree with the fundamental principle that autism doesn't end at age five? Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely. And what this program recognizes is exactly that, that there needs to be a continuum of service, Mr. Speaker. So, we cut the wait times in half, 16,000 more children get service. The families... A member from Duffer and Calendon, come to order, please. ...who have been languishing on the wait list and who we are letting down at this moment, Mr. Speaker, because the status quo is letting them down. They will transition off the wait list, $8,000 initially, and then, Mr. Speaker, they will be eligible for the new autism program, Mr. Speaker, that will have intensive ABA and will recognize that there's a continuum of intensive service that is necessary. That's what the new program will provide, a continuity of service, Mr. Speaker. And that is, that is what the best science is telling us is necessary, Mr. Speaker. New question, later the opposition. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Since I can't get an answer on autism, let's try something else. The meeting that occurred yesterday on the Liberal Donation Scandal, I was very disappointed with. It was a Liberal PR stunt. And I can tell you, despite the meeting in the sham, we will not back down. We will not be bullied into dropping our request for a public inquiry. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Premier claimed that political donations have never bought a policy in her government. This comes despite numerous examples that are causing the public to question this government's integrity. So let's try it another way. Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, has the Premier ever given out a government grant in exchange for future political donations, yes or no? Again, I'm going to take the time to stop the clock please. I'm going to take the time to remind members that impugning motive takes different kind of characteristics and it's getting closer and I'm going to remind the member to guard his questions. Premier. Well, Mr. Speaker, the answer to the question is no. That's not how decisions are made in our government. There are very clear protocols and processes. Look, Mr. Speaker, I'm committed to changing political donations in Ontario. There's a broad consensus on the actions that need to be taken to update Ontario's rules. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I had a meeting with the leader of the Green Party this morning. He brought in a set of proposals, Mr. Speaker, that were very reflective of the proposals that I had brought to the leaders yesterday. I think that there is a broad consensus. These changes, this consensus is the basis of what I've brought forward to leaders of the opposition. And it's interesting to me, you know, Mr. Speaker, I noted that in preparation for this, what I deemed to be an important meeting with the leaders of the opposition, I did some work at home getting ready for the meeting. And somehow, somehow that's an unacceptable thing, Mr. Speaker. Well, you know, I don't know how the leaders of the opposition parties work, but it was an important meeting. I brought some proposals forward, looking at all of them. Wrap up, please. Some preparatory work, Mr. Speaker, to bring forward some proposals based on what I saw as the consensus in all of the discussion and in other jurisdictions in the hope that we would have a substantive discussion about those issues. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, back to the Premier. And I recognize the Premier wants me to drop my request for a public inquiry. But I will continue to raise examples in the legislature around October for exactly why we need a public inquiry. So let's start with another one today. In October of 2013, the Liberals quietly gave Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment $500,000. That's a $2.25 billion company that the Liberals gave public money to the world's second wealthiest sporting organization. They didn't announce this grant, they just quietly handed the money over. And surprise, surprise, MLCE turned around and donated nearly $30,000 despite never donating to any political party before. Mr. Speaker, did the Premier, a member of her staff, an MPP? I'm going to ask the Deputy House Leader to refrain and to withdraw. Thank you. But it is a testimony to what I've been trying to ask you to guard your questions and comments. This place is not the place to impugn motive. The place is... Mr. Speaker, did the Premier... A member from Renfrew Care to challenge the chair, then don't say anything. Carry on. Mr. Speaker, did the Premier or a member of her staff pressure MLCE in any way to donate to the Liberal Party in exchange for that $500,000? Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, and I would ask the Leader of the Third Party, I know he is going to continue to ask for a public inquiry and I've been very clear, Mr. Speaker, that this whole discussion is born of a need to modernize the rules, to update the fundraising rules, Mr. Speaker, and that's what we're going to do. So I brought forward a set of proposals yesterday. I've proposed reform of third-party advertising rules, a ban on corporate union donations, reduction of maximum allowable donations to a figure that's in the range of what's permitted federally for each party, constraints on loans and loan guarantees to parties and candidates, including leadership candidates, reform of by-election donation rules, overall reduction in spending limits by central parties in election periods, and then the introduction of limits between... And finally, the introduction of leadership and nomination campaign spending limits. Mr. Speaker, I came to the meeting with those seven reforms. I wanted to have a conversation about their perceptions of those, Mr. Speaker. I still hope that we will get some substantive feedback from the leaders. Mr. Speaker, again to the Premier, the donations to the Liberal Party included the maximum in the Sudbury by-election using the loophole they now suddenly want to close. Mr. Speaker, the Premier would never propose a solution to a problem that did not exist. Nearly $30,000 in donations starting immediately after receiving a government grant sure seems like a problem to me. Mr. Speaker, how many examples do I need to raise day after day in the legislature of these shady dealings, of these shady fundraising techniques before the Premier supports our call for a public inquiry into her party's political fundraising? Mr. Speaker, will the Premier give us one justification, one reason why she doesn't want this public inquiry? Why hide from it if you have nothing that you're trying to cover up? Please. Leader Wood from the Draw. Let's draw. Premier. Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear that and as far back as last June I said that we needed to move on the changes for funding donations. Member from Essex, come on. I've brought forward a proposal, Mr. Speaker, and on top of the substantial changes I've said that we need to have a process that will allow public input from across the province. I've suggested and I suggested to the leaders yesterday and to the leader of the Green Party today that we bring a draft legislation forward this spring, Mr. Speaker, that we send that draft legislation to committee after first reading rather than after second reading, Mr. Speaker. That allows the whole summer, Mr. Speaker, for consultation around the province and then another round of consultation after second reading. And actually the leader of the Green Party this morning said that it might be a good idea for the House leaders to talk about how to maximize the input in those committee hearings, Mr. Speaker, because sometimes my experience on committee was that the discussion was truncated. I think it would be a good discussion for the House leaders to have how we could maximize the input from the public as part of those committee hearings. New question, the leader of the Green Party. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. This morning my children and youth services critic MPP for Hamilton Mountain was joined by Dr. James Porter, Kristen Ellison and Heather Bourdon. They came to Queen's Park along with hundreds of other parents to sound the alarm about this Premier's decision to take away essential therapy from kids with autism over the age of five. They told heartbreaking stories, Speaker, of waiting for years only to learn that their children will now never receive access to those services. We heard about the negative long-term impacts of this government's decision to create a lost generation of kids with autism, Speaker, with autism spectrum disorder. All children with ASD deserve better from a Premier who once claimed, quote, every Ontarian with autism deserves our support and has mine, end quote. My question is a simple one, Speaker. Can the Premier look up to all of these families in the gallery and tell them why she doesn't think their kids are worth the investment? Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, I know that the Minister of Children and Youth Services is going to want to comment on this, Mr. Speaker, but I can look into the eyes of every one of the parents here and say that I don't want your children languishing on a wait list indefinitely. I want your children to get intensive service. I want your children to have access to the services that are going to help them. That's why we're making these changes, because I, unlike... Mr. Speaker, please, a reminder on all sides that the reminder on all sides that the debate is, start the call. A reminder on all sides that the debate is through the Chair. And there's a reason for that. You know what it is, and stay to it, please. Supplementary. Well, I'm sure they would respond, Speaker, that what they don't want is for the Premier to kick their kids off the waiting list. Members need to imagine what they would do if this decision was impacting their children, knowing that there is intervention available that could help your child communicate to the outside world, hearing after years of waiting that your child will finally access the service and having the rug pulled out from under you, Speaker, with the stroke of this Premier's pen, your child will never receive access to those services. What would you do? Would you fight for your child? You absolutely would. Liberal members have a duty to fight for all children with autism spectrum disorder. They need to tell the Premier and the Minister to stand up for kids. So, again, I ask this Premier, tell the parents today that are here why their kids don't deserve this life-changing therapy. Here's why we're putting $333 million in to create a new Ontario autism program. $330 million more, Mr. Speaker, because children are languishing on waiting lists, Mr. Speaker, because children need intensive therapy, Mr. Speaker, because there is a continuum of therapy that is needed, because we need to make sure that children come off a waiting list, get immediate support, which is what the $8,000 is, Mr. Speaker, and then have access to a new intensive program that will allow them to get the service that they need. That, Mr. Speaker, is a far better situation than a situation where a child is sitting on a waiting list not getting the therapy and the window for when that intensive therapy would be successful is closing. I am not willing, as the Premier, to allow that window to close on thousands of children. They need that therapy. That's why we're putting this program in place. Thank you. Please say the please. Please say the please. Thank you. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, Liberals have promised changes to services in autism spectrum disorder for 14 years since I was the critic of children-reviewed services and this was that they would put services in schools to help these kids and the services are not... The members will come to order. Please finish. So, Speaker, it is not surprising then that the families in this room and elsewhere across this province do not trust this Liberal government for one minute that their kids are going to see the services that they need. The bottom line is clearing the list, to put a headline that you don't have a list anymore is not the right way to treat children with autism in this province. This Premier needs to step up to the plate and promise these kids that are currently on the list that they will be grandfathered into any new system and get the autism services, the IVI therapy, that they need to be able to communicate with the outside world speaker. Will she step up and... Thank you. Premier. Mr. Children-Reviewed Services. You're welcome, Mr. Prime Minister. Excuse me. Excuse me. Now, Minister. Thank you. I'm glad that the opportunity to answer your questions in front of the parents who are here today. And, Speaker, I know that change is difficult for families. I know that firsthand. And I know that... I stopped the clock, please. I'm going to ask and advise our guests that while we watch them here, it is any displays are not allowed from the public gallery and I'd appreciate it if you resisted doing so. Minister. Thank you, Speaker. And I know that this change affects a number of families across the province, in addition to the families and the children that are here today. And, Speaker, we are changing the program because we are following the best scientific evidence. And in addition to $330 million new speaker, we are creating 16,000 new spaces for children to get those critical interventions when they need it the most. And that's why we are working very hard, Speaker, to reach out to parents. We are holding webinars. We started one last night. We had over 500 parents participating and we have four more webinars. Thank you. Thank you. New question, the leader of the third party. Thank you, Speaker. My next question is also for the Premier. The Premier said yesterday that her plan to change political fundraising was, quote, nonpartisan and that she wanted to work with the other parties. But then she told the media that she actually wrote this plan by herself at her dining room table on the weekend. And to add to that, she wants any consultation to happen... Come to order. Start the clock. Please finish. Thank you, Speaker. And to add to that, she wants any consultation to happen on a committee with a liberal majority where the Liberal Party can outvote anything that the Premier doesn't like when it comes to amendments. Does this Premier, honest to believe, that that's a process that the people of Ontario will respect and have confidence in? Minister of Agriculture. Thank you. So, Mr. Speaker, as I said to the leader of the opposition, I did prepare for the meeting with the leaders. I prepared a set of proposals, Mr. Speaker, looking at the regimes and other jurisdictions, looking at the commentary that had been made in the public. And I brought those proposals to my meeting with the leaders. I would expect that anyone going into an important meeting would prepare for that meeting, Mr. Speaker. And I was quite prepared to hear substantial, substantive proposals coming from the other side, Mr. Speaker, coming from the opposition leaders. There were a number of questions that I put on the table, Mr. Speaker. And I made it clear to the leaders of the opposition parties, as I did to the leader of the Green Party this morning, that the committee process that we are proposing, we would bring draft legislation forward this spring. We would send that legislation with agreement of the House to the committee be after first reading as opposed to second reading. So there would be two rounds of consultation around the province, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, at any given time, this premier has dozens of expert advisory panels on the go. There were panels whose job it was to study the reports made by other panels, Mr. Speaker. But when it comes to ensuring that people can trust the basic fairness of our democracy, this premier is refusing to establish a fast-moving, nonpartisan and transparent panel. Can the premier explain why, Mr. Speaker? When it comes to an issue of such important, as such important as how election campaigns are funded, why she's refusing the input of a nonpartisan expert panel that includes political parties, civil society, and NGOs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, a couple of things on this. First of all, Mr. Speaker, I believe that there is a fair degree of consensus on where we need to go. And, you know, as I said, when I met with the leader of the Green Party this morning, the suggestions that he brought forward were very much in sync with the proposal that I had brought to the leaders of the opposition parties, Mr. Speaker. Now, I don't know where the leaders of the opposition party stands substantially on some of these things because they weren't willing to engage with me in a substantial discussion. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the process of a standing committee having two rounds of consultation around the province, we've committed to inviting the chief electoral officer as the first government delegate, Mr. Speaker. I said to the leader of the Green Party this morning, we would ask him to come as the second delegate to the committee once the draft legislation got to that process, Mr. Speaker. I believe that there is ample opportunity between now and the fall, Mr. Speaker, and into the fall for everyone who wants to weigh in on this to do so and for us to make sure we get the best piece of legislation possible. Thank you. Final supplementary. Speaker, the Premier insists that there's a broad public consensus for a plan that she wrote by herself at her table over the weekend. Can she tell Ontarians, perhaps, Speaker, what public meetings on campaign financing? Stop, Clarkson. Leader. Can she tell Ontarians what public meetings on campaign financing she's attended? How many Ontarians has she consulted with? Which NGOs, which academics, and which civil society groups made submissions to her in the development of her at-home table document that she provided, Speaker? Thank you. Mr. Speaker, here's what I'm not willing to do. I'm not willing to delay this process by layering on process and the creation of new committees, Mr. Speaker. Legitimate process, Mr. Speaker. In fact, it's the definition of the democratic process that this legislative assembly draft legislation that we do that in consultation with people around the province, Mr. Speaker, that we do that, and then we send that draft legislation to consultation. What the leader of the third party is proposing is that another process be put in place after which legislation would be drafted, after which there would be consultation, Mr. Speaker. So in order to get changes in place by the beginning of January 2017, that would be impossible, Mr. Speaker. That is what the leader of the third party is proposing. We're not willing to do that. I think there's been a lot of discussion. There needs to be more, but it needs to be on a substantial set of proposals. I'd like to get moving on that, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, please. Mr. Speaker, please. Thank you. New question. Remember from Dr. McAllen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Children and New Services. Last week, I shared stories from families that are devastated because of your decision to stop providing IBI therapy to children over five years old. Some of those families have joined us here today and are looking to you for answers. One family shared their story about their son, Jean-Paul. On October 2015, one month prior to turning five, Jean-Paul finally began IBI therapy after waiting for nearly three years. Prior to receiving IBI therapy, he wasn't able to say a word. And now, after a couple of months, he's using sentences. Now, the Minister will be stripping away this IBI support for Jean-Paul and other children just because they're five. Jean-Paul's experience clearly shows that IBI is working. Will the Minister do the right thing, reverse her decision, and allow children over the age of five to access to IBI therapy? Thank you. Thank you. Minister of Children and New Services. Thank you, Speaker. And I want to thank my credit from the opposition party for this very important question and, again, acknowledge the families that are here today. And these parents speak are here today and others across the province. And on our webinar last night with hundreds of parents have heard me say that the clinical experts have advised us that intensive intervention is most effective for children under five. And that means that children over five, Speaker, are not in the right developmental window for this service. To help families with children over the age of five who are currently waiting for services, we are providing them with a one-time funding of $8,000. Speaker, that will take children off the waiting list today and into immediate service. And parents can buy the service immediately and the children will not have to wait. And once that money is spent, Speaker, families can access or improve publicly funded autism services. And it will continue to provide more service for a longer duration tailored to the children's needs. Thank you. Webinars where you try to justify your decision is not what these parents are looking for. They want the therapy for their kids. I want to quote from another letter I received from a parent. He wrote, it's unfortunate. Autism isn't given the same priority as cancer. Both do not have a cure. Both cost money to treat and manage. And both can be devastating for the families. Whenever you're going to talk about limited funding for autism treatment, try replacing the word autism with cancer and read it for yourself. How's it sound? What would the reaction be if you read that statement in public and quote, I agree, we would never push aside a cancer patient based on age. And yet, this is exactly what the minister is doing with children with ASD. Will the minister reverse her decision and provide real support to the thousands of interior children waiting for IBI therapy today? Thank you. Is that a case? Thank you. Minister? Speaker, again, I thank the member for the question. It's very important. Speaker, I know it's like to have a child, especially needs. Speaker, when I was asked as a parliamentary assistant to the then minister of children use services to write the special needs report, it was my honor and privilege to talk to families of special needs with all kinds of disabilities to help them get the information they need, to help them navigate a complicated system, a far too complicated system, to help them figure out what the best evidence is, to help them determine when a diagnosis is appropriate, to help them get the services they need. And this is the most important piece of work I've ever done, Speaker. And Speaker, now as the interior minister of children use services, my job is to advocate and support and protect children. My job is to follow the evidence and provide the best possible. New question, member from Hamilton Mountain. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, we have hundreds of parents here today who told us that they are mourning the death of their children's potential due to this government's decision. It's unacceptable that kids who waited because of this government's misplaced priorities are now being forced to pay the price again. This government is failing kids and families with ASD. This government is pulling the rug out from families who were about to receive that very important therapy. They deserve better, Speaker. This shouldn't be about money. This should be about kids and their well-being. Will the Premier do the right thing and ensure that kids who were on the wait list will be grandfathered into the program? Thank you. Thank you. Premier. Speaker, this is a gut-wrenching issue. You know, I think it's obvious that there is huge emotional investment by every one of the families here and the thousands of families across the province. I've been the Minister of Education. I worked with the then Minister of Children Youth Services, Mr. Speaker. We made changes in the program, in the autism program, Mr. Speaker. The demographics have changed. There are more children who are born with autism, Mr. Speaker, who are born on the spectrum, Mr. Speaker. We have to continue to change the program so that it meets the needs of the kids who are in our society, Mr. Speaker. We need to make sure that children don't languish on a wait list. And what really worries me about what the opposition parties are proposing, Mr. Speaker, is that... Premier. It is unacceptable to me, Mr. Speaker, that we would allow a situation to continue that allows children to languish on a wait list and get no service. That is unacceptable. We're not going to let that continue, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Supplementary. That's a mistake, and that's unacceptable. We had experts here today who were told about their failures. These families traveled from all over the province to make their voices heard. Will the Premier listen to them today? Will she look at families today and tell them that she will do the right thing and grandfather children over the age of five? There is that we need to get this right. We need 16,000 more kids to get service, and we need every child, every child with autism to get the services that they need. There is a continuum of intensity that is needed, Mr. Speaker. And so what we're doing is we're providing money immediately so that parents can buy those services, but that's not the end of it. The continuum is that they then will be able to get into the new program, Mr. Speaker, that will provide a range of intense programming, and that's what the ABA service is, Mr. Speaker. I want every child in this province to have the right services, Mr. Speaker. I don't want them languishing on wait lists. I don't want them to miss that opportunity, that window of opportunity, where services will be most successful. That's why we're making these changes. That's why we're making this very important investment. As I explained before, there can be no outbursts at all, and I'm going to ask the member of the person to leave, please, and if anyone else continues, I'll have sections of galleries removed. Please, no demonstrations. New questions, a member from Ottawa South. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Children and Youth Services, and as we've discussed this morning, there are many families that are here with us in the legislature, and while many of these families, Mr. Speaker, and families in my riding of Ottawa South, initially welcome the government's announcement to provide $333 million in new funding for autism services. Many of these parents feel betrayed and confused about how this funding will be used and what impact these changes will have for their children. I know, and we've heard this morning, that they're particularly concerned about children over the age of five, and about what will happen to their children, some of whom have been waiting on a waiting list for many, many years. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please inform this House about whether we will be discontinuing services for children with autism over the age of five? Thank you. Minister of Children and Youth Services. Mr. Speaker, I thank the members from Ottawa South for the important question, and there has been confusion about the improvements that we're making to autism services in Ontario, and I want to be crystal clear, Mr. Speaker, the government is absolutely not discontinuing services for children with autism over the age of five. We're focusing on the scientific evidence, we're focusing on what the experts tell us is the best outcome for all children with autism spectrum. What we are doing, Mr. Speaker, is getting children actually addressed to the age problem. Excuse me. The member from Leeds Grandville is warned. Carry on. Thank you. What we are doing, Speaker, is providing those families with the funding, the one-time funding of $8,000, and, Speaker, when that money is spent, they'll enter into an improved autism program that's based on the latest science, and the new program will provide services to children over the age of five that are intensive and that are available for a longer period of time and, most importantly, tailored to the individual child's needs. Thank you. Supplementary. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I'm encouraged to hear that we will be continuing to support children over the age of five and that these children will receive services immediately, and I would like to assure the leader of the third party that members on this side of the House, as well as all side of this House, advocate for families with autism, and I want to make sure that that's clear to her. Don't try to take ownership of that. Don't ask of getting the information that people need. Can the minister please explain to us, lay out to us, the program that will continue to support children, older children with autism, coming forward in Ontario, the new Ontario Autism Program. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Thank you, minister. And again, thank you to the member for the important question. There's a few points I want to make, Speaker. First, a new program will be simpler to access. We know it hasn't been the easiest system to navigate. There won't be two different stream speakers. Over time, there'll be one stream. And when a child enters the program, Speaker, a clinician will assess the particular developmental needs. Each child's program will be tailored to meet those needs. Member from Hamilton Mountain, come to order. Of their age. And while the new program... Right after I asked her, she continues, the member from Hamilton Mountain, second time. Carry on. And Speaker, while the new program won't be called IBI any longer, children of any age who need those more intensive interventions will receive the level of intensity they need, delivered better than it was, Speaker, under the old program. It also means 16,000 more children who have access to services. And within two years, the wait times for services, Speaker, will be cut in half. And I hope we'll get it down to six months by 2021. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Thank you, Justin. Member from Hamilton Mountain, second. To the Premier. Premier, the ongoing state of emergency in Attawapiskat is more than alarming. When listening to first-hand accounts of the challenges of life on reserve and the mental health struggles the community is facing, you would hardly believe that such conditions could exist in Ontario. Speaker, would the Premier explain what is being done to assist the community of Attawapiskat at this time of crisis? Yes, sir, of Aboriginal affairs. Sir, of Aboriginal affairs. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, this is a very tragic situation. What has happened, what the situation is as of today, on yesterday there was an emergency response team from Ontario that have arrived in Attawapiskat about two o'clock in the afternoon. It consists of a team of mental health experts, youth specialists, and other mental health workers. They're doing an immediate assessment of the situation. In addition to that, the James, the Mashkokuwik Tribal Council has a health response team that also has responded to Attawapiskat, which of course is on the James Bay. In addition to that, on Sunday, the federal government has sent in a couple of experts to deal with this crisis. On Wednesday, the Minister of Ontario, Minister of Health, and the Minister of Children and Youth Services, is going to Attawapiskat where they will receive an assessment from the experts that are there today. From there, we will proceed to a long term. Thank you, supplementary. Again, through you, Speaker, to the Premier, I commend the government for sending resources immediately. It's the right thing to do. But this is the fifth state of emergency that the community of Attawapiskat has declared in the past 10 years. Systemic issues with inadequate housing, flood control, access to clean drinking water, subpar education resources have plagued the community. Sadly, these issues stretch far beyond one isolated First Nation reserve on the James Bay coast. Speaker, will the Premier explain how we can break this cycle of crisis? Ensure that the current efforts have a lasting impact and provide hope for young people growing up in Attawapiskat and other remote First Nation communities. Thank you. Minister of Health? Minister of Health, long-term care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I am together with the Minister of Children and Youth Services going to Attawapiskat tomorrow morning. We're going to be joined on that trip with the national chief, Perry Belgard, sorry, represents our Assembly of First Nations as well. Regional Chief Isidore Day was the health representative for AFN in this province, Mr. Speaker. And I have to say, I and all of us on the government side, I think all of us in the legislature were absolutely devastated when we heard of the news of the 11 attempts of suicide, suicide attempts that occurred on Saturday alone, 10 out of those 11 young people. I have to say that we're working extremely well and close not only with First Nations but with the federal government and it's being welcomed, I think, by all parties that change in the relationship. And I know that in 2012, Patrick Brown's government closed the national Aboriginal Health Organization. New question. The member from Bramley, Gordon Moulton. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. This weekend, the Premier sat at home and wrote a plan that's going to impact the democracy of over 14 million Ontarians. Now, this change is presumably going to take some lengthy legislation to actually enact. The Premier has promised to enact this legislation or to bring forward this legislation by May. That's only three weeks away. So my question is, Mr. Speaker, how much of the work had already begun on this legislation before the Premier actually sat down with the leaders of the NDP and the PC? Thank you, Premier. Well, Mr. Speaker, as I've explained, I was preparing for an important meeting with the leaders of the opposition parties and I was looking at the rules in other jurisdictions. I was looking at the issues that had been raised in the public discussion, Mr. Speaker. And I was preparing to bring forward some proposals and to ask some questions of the leaders of the opposition, Mr. Speaker. Actually, I would have expected that the leaders of the opposition parties would have been doing the same thing, Mr. Speaker, but they would have actually been preparing for a meeting and preparing for a substantial conversation. In any case, Mr. Speaker, the legislation has not yet been drafted. It is in process. We propose that we bring legislation forward in the spring. I hope that I will hear from the leaders of the opposition, as I have heard from the leader of the Green Party on what their substantial input might be, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, supplementary. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. We already know that during the budget process that the Liberals had already drafted the budget before the pre-budget consultation had already been completed. We know that the Premier clearly does not agree with the principle of consulting first and writing legislation afterwards. Now, with this issue, it seems that we have the same result again. We have, the Premier has already indicated that some of the process has already begun on this legislation drafting. So this is done before the Premier is consulted with anyone else, before consulting with nonpartisan experts, before consulting with party leaders of other political parties, before consulting with civil society, and before consulting with Ontarians in general, Mr. Speaker. So my question is this, how much of the process has already been completed which you just mentioned? How much of the legislation has already been completed? Deputy Premier. Deputy Premier. Speaker, we're certainly hearing a critique on the process, but let's talk about the substance. Speaker, the Premier has put forward a number of proposals and I think we need to actually talk about the substance. So do they believe that we need to reform third-party advertising rules and have maximum spending limits on third-party advertising? Yes or no? Speaker, do the opposition parties agree that we should ban union donations and ban corporate donations? Yes or no? Do the opposition parties believe that we need to reduce the maximum amount for donations? Yes or no? Speaker, do they believe that we need to have constraints on loans and loan guarantees? Yes or no? Do they believe, Speaker, that we need to reform the bilateral donation rules? Yes or no? Speaker, we have a substantive proposal. We want the input from the opposition. Thank you. We'd like to know what... Thank you. We're testing the members of the Grenada Springer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Energy. Mr. Speaker, this government has been dedicated to making decisions that benefit Ontario and Ontarians now and in the future. When you look at the proposals in the 2016 budget introduced last week, this mandate is very clear. The government is continuing to be a leader by taking action on climate change and investing in electricity system and in electricity system that is clean and reliable. Constituents in Brampton Springdale that I represent have questions about the makeup of our energy system. They're often surprised and very pleased to learn that 90% of energy generated in Ontario is greenhouse gas emission free. This impressive statistic is our reality in Ontario due to serious commitment and leadership from this government. Minister, can you please share the details of how investing in clean electricity infrastructure will benefit our province? Question. Thank you. Minister of Energy. Mr. Speaker, I thank the member from Brampton Springdale for the question. Our government is continuing to enhance the electricity sector to improve rate payer and customer experience. We were the first jurisdiction in North America to eliminate cold-fired electricity and since 2003 have invested more than $34 billion in clean energy and more reliable transmission. We're moving forward with major nuclear refurbishment at Darlington and Bruce Power with an affordable average price into the grid of about 7.7 cents per kilowatt hour, all 100% emissions free. Refurbishment and estimated to create nearly $10 billion in annual economic activity and create 60,000 jobs over the period and continued operations at Pickering will avoid 8 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save electricity consumers over $600 million annually. There's a lot more, Mr. Speaker, and I'll speak to that in a supplementary. Thank you. Supplementary. Thank you to the minister for explaining the significant value that these investments in clean energy have had and will have. Ontario's participation in the low carbon economy is key to remaining part of the leader pack of jurisdictions that excel at modernization and innovation. And while these efforts to move further towards a low carbon economy through the cap and trade initiative must be a priority, which change brings questions about how people and business will adapt. As this government has clarified many times, electricity rates will not increase due to cap and trade. And since Ontario has designed an electricity system, there's almost entirely GHG free. But beyond this, the government has also introduced several initiatives to mitigate the cost that consumers have to pay for clean, reliable electricity. Minister, can you please share with the House how your ministry is working on managing the costs of electricity for consumers? Thank you. Minister. Speaker, we have introduced a number of measures to help ratepayers manage their electricity costs. We removed the debt retirement charge off all residential bills with commercial and industrial users coming off in April 2018. We introduced the Ontario Energy Support Program for low and middle income households, saving qualifying families $430 annually when combined with the debt retirement charge. For small businesses, we've introduced a five point energy savings plan providing the tools for small and medium businesses to conserve and save on their energy costs. We expanded the Industrial Conservation Initiative, encouraging more of Ontario's largest energy users to reduce their electricity use during peak periods. Since July 2015, more than 280 additional companies have been added and are saving 25% on their electricity bills through this expanded conservation program. Speaker, our work to support ratepayers is working and we're determined to continue. Thank you, Mr. President. Member from Lansing, Kent Middle Fox. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Premier. Late last week, the National Post exposed a secret report on the nearly $5 billion a year Ontario spends on business subsidies. This report concluded, and I quote, Ontario's business support programs favor the largest and oldest companies, the companies least likely to be in need of support, unquote. Speaker, the auditor general has already confirmed that companies are handpicked by the Liberal government to receive grants, and the government doesn't even track the results of the nearly $5 billion spent per year. Speaker, I've been calling on the Minister of Economic Development since January to make public all past grants, and I'm still waiting. So my question this morning is simple. Will the Premier make public all grants handed out to private companies under the Liberal government, and if not, what is she hiding? That's not about unemployment and infrastructure. Mr. Economic Employment and Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, we're happy to share publicly all of the investments that we've made with businesses across this province. In all, Mr. Speaker, we've invested $2.8 billion. That's leveraged $29 billion in private sector investment here in Ontario rather than somewhere else in the world. That's 160,000 Ontarians whose jobs have either been created or supported as a result of these investments. The question I think Ontarians need to ask is where does the member's leader stand on this? Does he stand with his critic, who we know is a philosophically challenged critic on these issues, or does he stand where he used to stand when he was an MP in Ottawa? Where I have pictures with the leader of the opposition, which I won't show, Mr. Speaker, and Barry at an IBM investor, just like all the other investments we've made, Mr. Speaker, while he's praising the investments we've made, where does the leader stand? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I'm glad that the government has finally acknowledged and agreed that they will present the list. We just want to know when this list will be exposed and where we can find it, Mr. Speaker. Of the $5 billion per year in business support programs, we know that the largest and most successful companies across Ontario receive the lion's share of this funding. We also know that the Ministry of Economic Development has no idea whether the money being spent is actually creating jobs or helping our economy. What's more, much of that money was spent with no public application process, and instead the Minister of Economic Development and the Premier handpicked companies that would receive the payouts behind closed doors by invitation only. Mr. Speaker, there's a shockingly high number of Liberal Party donors who have also received corporate welfare. Will the Premier clear the air and tell us which companies were invited to apply for this money and why, or did she simply use a list of Liberal Party donors, or will it take a public inquiry? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think Ontarians are getting very curious about where the Leader of the Opposition stands on the $2.8 billion that we've invested to accrue $29 billion in private sector investment and create or support 160,000 jobs. Mr. Speaker, I'm gonna send over a great picture of the Leader of the Opposition, holding a ribbon we were cutting and burying for one of those investments. This is what he had to say that day. The advanced knowledge coming from the collaborative research and innovation platform funded by our government to the federal government. The member from Stormont Dundas, Gary can move chairs, but I'm still gonna catch it. Let me finish the quote, Mr. Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition goes on to say, this will be a strategic asset for Canada to advance homegrown innovation on the world stage. We're building up our innovation, we're building up companies, we're creating jobs, and we'll do so with or without the support. Thank you. Can you question the member from the Interlake? Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education. Speaker, as we know, Budget 2016 again squandered the Liberal government's chance to be a leader on childcare. Worst of all, its new childcare regulations put our youngest children with much older children and fewer staff. Apparently, this government believes that a 12-month-old child is a toddler. The Premier and her government are failing families in Ontario. Parents, particularly women, are being forced to halt re-entering the workforce because they can't find a childcare space. Speaker, can the Minister explain why, in 2016, the government does not have a childcare policy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister of Education. Well, in fact, we have a very extensive childcare policy. We have consulted broadly with the sector. We have gotten rid of the Old Day Nurseries Act, dramatically out of date, introduced new Child Care and Early Years Act, which not only clarifies the regulations around licensed childcare, but puts into place a whole host of new laws and regulations making childcare in the unregulated home care sector much safer for parents. We have done more policy work on developing childcare and early years policies than any other government in the last 30 years. Thank you. Supplementary? Thank you, Speaker. Childcare providers, professionals in the sector, and parents have all said they do not support the regulation changes. And I need to point out that in the 2016 budget, there is no money for childcare. My question is back to the Minister. So much for a Premier and a Minister who promised to make childcare a priority. How long does it take to make a priority reality? Parents in Ontario are paying the highest childcare costs in the country. Lists for subsidized care just keep getting longer. Hopefully they don't just start kicking people off like they have with autism. Our most vulnerable families are struggling to ensure their children have access to quality, affordable childcare. We know that the federal government isn't guaranteeing that provinces will get the funding that they promised. Can the minister confirm that Ontario will get the money for childcare? They're friends in the federal government promised, yes or no. Thank you. You're the minister? Yes, and what I can speak to is our government's record on funding childcare. Since 2003 for our government has doubled childcare funding to more than $1 billion annually. In 2016, this year, the ministry is providing over $1.05 billion to 47 municipalities and that's an increase in funding of over 16 million since last year so the money continues to go up. In addition to that, Speaker, we are investing $269 million over three years to subsidize the wages of our workers in the childcare sector. We started last year with a dollar an hour subsidy. This year goes to a $2 an hour in the licensed home care sector. It goes from a $10 a day subsidy to a $20 a day subsidy. Good question, the minister from Burlington. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the minister responsible for women's issues, a dedicated and committed public servant with whom we are all proud to serve, Mr. Speaker. As the minister is aware, I was proud to serve on the legislature's select committee on sexual violence and harassment. Our government has taken concrete action, including introducing legislation to improve supports for survivors and to address sexual violence and harassment on campuses across Ontario. I'm proud to say that I have a group here from my riding today who are participating in the Equal Voice Girls Government Program. The Rolling Metals Elementary School, Grade Eight Girls Leadership Group is here, Speaker, along with their passionate and dedicated teachers, Tonya Farrow and Sandra Lumsden. I visited the school recently and learned that while they're here, they've chosen to speak to Ontario's sexual violence and harassment action plan. Their presentation will focus on the need for enhanced information in the curriculum on issues like consent and who you will help add, seen by over 85 million people. Speaker, through you, can the minister please inform the House about some of the ways the women's director supports survivors of sexual violence and harassment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. I want to thank the member from Burlington for an important question. I also want to thank her for her work on Select Committee for sexual violence and harassment. And I also want to say thanks and hello to all the students who are here for girls' government members from all parties today have brought in girls' and grade six students for girls' government students, that's fantastic. Our sexual violence and harassment action plan speaker and the related social media campaign has reached more than 84 million people, Speaker. And I'm so pleased that we were able to pass Bill 132, the support of all parties and more recently we launched the Walking Together Ontario's long-term strategy to end violence against indigenous women. That's a $100 million investment speaker to implement that strategy. And thanks to our neighbors, friends, and panel, public education campaign, more than 34,000 front-line professionals and service providers have received training to help detect domestic violence and support victims. Thank you, Speaker. Cemetery. Thank you, Speaker. I'd like to thank the minister for her answer and for her leadership on these important issues. Ontario is leading the way when it comes to addressing sexual violence and harassment against women. But I know, Speaker, that the minister's portfolio also includes priorities beyond the important violence against women and work that she does. The minister responsible for women's issues has repeatedly taken leadership on many issues that affect young women in Ontario. And I know that the young women across this province appreciate her dedication. Would the minister please inform the House, including these young women from my riding here today, about the programs that she oversees in the Ontario Women's Directorate that are focused on providing them with the tools and opportunities they need to achieve a brighter future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. Indeed, our government has taken steps to increase women's economic participation numberways in our society. Ontario is the first Canadian jurisdiction speaker to introduce the comply or explain amendments, which came into effect in December of 2014. And because of these regulations, companies listed on the TSX are now required to report publicly on their approach to increasing the number of women on their boards. The Women's Directorate has a great microlending program speaker helping low-income women build and grow their own business. I've been up north and seen some of those programs in action, they're fantastic. And it's providing more than 1,400 low-income women with the skills they need to start up and run a successful business. And we also have the Employment Training for Abuse at Heart Risk Women, which provides women with specialized supports. More than 2,000, sorry, more than 3,000 women, Speaker, participated in this program. So we're very committed to improving it. Thank you. There have been no before votes this House stands recess until 3 p.m. this afternoon.