 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the leader of His Majesty's loyal opposition. Good morning, Speaker. This question is for the Premier. As this House well knows, this government is under criminal investigation by the RCMP for their decisions in the Greenbelt scandal. We now know that a special prosecutor has been appointed and interviews have started. The Integrity Commissioner's report found the former Minister of Municipal Affairs violated the Integrity Act for his conduct and the Integrity Commissioner recommended reprimand. The report stated that the Minister knowingly, quote, chose to stick his head in the sand when this government started its chaotic and reckless process. Is the Premier concerned about what might be revealed about his former Minister's involvement in the Greenbelt scandal? The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Listen, Speaker, the government made, as I've said on a number of occasions, we made a policy decision that was not ultimately supported by the people of the province of Ontario. And that is why we have a bill in front of this House that would return those Greenbelt lands back to the Greenbelt and added protections to those very same lands. But members opposite should be under no illusion, Mr. Speaker. Today we're hosting our first ever Ontario Housing Forum ostensibly because we want to double down and make sure that we build 1.5 million homes for the people of the province of Ontario. We want to get kids out of their parents' basement and into their homes. We've done heavy lifting before in this province. The wartime effort was needed after the Second World War. And we're in the exact same position today. We have to build thousands of homes, millions of homes, frankly, for the people of the province of Ontario. We'll remove the roadblocks. Response? We'll remove everything that is standing in the way. And we will get the job done. That's something to mention, question. Thank you, Speaker. And I just want to say it's not just about the former Minister of Housing. The Conservatives' former Minister of Public and Business service delivery was forced to resign when it was revealed that he lied under oath to the integrity commissioner about a trip he and two of the premiers. That's an unparliamentary comment. You have to withdraw. Thank you. When he spoke to the integrity commissioner about a trip he and two of the Premier's former senior staffers took with a green belt developer, the integrity commissioners confirmed that they're waiting on the RCMP to conclude their investigation before looking into the NDP's complaint about that fateful boys' trip to Vegas. Speaker, is the Premier concerned about what cabinet documents and interviews might reveal about another former Minister's involvement in the green belt scandal? Minister Ms. Holt-Harrison-Hausen. No, Mr. Speaker. At the same time, we've said that we will assist the RCMP as they undertake a review. But at the same time, again, let there be no confusion around what our goal is. Our goal is to build 1.5 million homes across the province of Ontario and to ensure that as many Ontarians as possible can get into their very first home. And we're seeing the results of that. You know, Mr. Speaker, Minister Clark, when he was here, he brought in four housing supply action plans which see us right now have the highest starts in Ontario history when it comes to purpose-built rentals. We have the highest starts with new shovels in the ground that we've had in over 15 years, Mr. Speaker, because this government has been focused on building homes for the people of province of Ontario. We're putting billions of dollars of investments in the ground, whether it's transit, whether it's highways, trains, or subways. And across that system, Mr. Speaker, we're going to build even more homes. The opposition is opposed to that. But let me be very clear. We are going to double down, remove the obstacles, and build 1.5 million homes for the people of the province. They've wasted years while they put together this green belt grab for their wealthy friends. And they've lost three ministers, countless staff, and they're lurching from crisis to crisis. That's the truth. And while the Premier puts up the government house leader to tap dance around this issue, around everybody in this house, we all know that all the roads lead to this Premier. You've got land speculators handing conservative staff brown envelopes with their green belt removal requests. You've got the very next day, the Premier meeting with the major players in the scandal, a meeting that he conveniently doesn't recall. And then the day after that, those removals ended up at the ministry for government policy changes. Speaker, back to the Premier. Our members of his caucus worried about what will be revealed in their interviews with the RCMP and are they concerned their Premier may be implicated. Dan, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The other one who should be concerned is the leader of the opposition. Because she's right. All roads lead back to this government, right? Because we're the only government that actually invests in roads. We're the only government that actually puts money to build highways, we improve our infrastructure, billions of dollars to build subways. You know why we have to spend billions of dollars to build subways? Because when they had the opportunity in coalition with the Liberals, they couldn't decide on what they wanted to build. When I was a federal member, I announced the shepherd subway five different times. You know who stopped it? They and they, Mr. Speaker. And you know why we need to build more roads? Because we've got $28 billion worth of investments in our automotive sector, Mr. Speaker. And all of those roads lead back to this government that is making historic investments. 700,000 people have the dignity of a job that didn't when the socialists were in power with the Liberals, Mr. Speaker. And we will not turn our back on those on tears. We will get the job done. Member for Hamilton Mountain will come to order. Leader of the opposition, next question. All the RCMP criminal investigations lead back to this government, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week, city news revealed that the government transition binder for the new minister of children, community and social services refers to the new federal Canadian disability benefit as a way to, quote, mitigate costs for the province. People are living through seriously tough times, Mr. Speaker. And this government is looking to cut funds to the programs that the most vulnerable people in our communities rely on. So to the Premier, will you pledge now to not make any cuts to ODSP? I, the Governor's Leader. Coming from the Leader of the Opposition, whose party voted against the increase in ODSP that this government brought in. Now, we didn't just increase ODSP, right? We didn't just increase ODSP. We were the first government to tie it to inflation. Not a radical concept, but it is a radical concept for the radical NDP, Mr. Speaker. More money for those who need it the most, Mr. Speaker. That is what we've been about since day one. In fact, when we introduced the lift tax credit so that the absolute lowest income earning on Terrence didn't have to pay taxes at all, the NDP voted against it. So let's go straight. Increased ODSP, they voted against it. Removing the lowest income earners from the tax rolls altogether, they voted against it. Transit fare is unified across the GTA so that people have to pay only one fare, saving them 1,600 bucks. They voted against it, Mr. Speaker. Tax cuts, they voted against it. All they care about is making people responsible for government. Mr. Speaker. Member for Brantford Grant will come to order. Member for Waterloo will come to order. Supplementary question. Speaker, revisionist history over there. Speaker, ODSP, ODSP maxes out at just $1,300 a month. Just $1,300 to cover housing, utilities, and food in the middle of a housing and affordability crisis. Food bank use is at an all-time high for working people. It's up 40% from last year. The federal benefit was always supposed to be a top-up to the provincial program to help people make ends meet. Yet the conservatives, they want to use it as an excuse to make more cuts. So to the Premier, why is your government taking away vulnerable people's safety net at a time when things are more expensive than ever before? Governor House, you know the opposition knows full well that we're doing no such thing. In fact, we are making record investments, Mr. Speaker, because what we know is this, that we know that when we give people the tools to succeed, they will pick up those tools and they'll do just that. That is why 700,000 people have the dignity of a job today that didn't when the Liberals and the NDP were in office, Mr. Speaker. We've increased ODSP rates. The leader of the opposition voted against that increase. We tied it to inflation. The leader of the opposition voted against that. If the leader of the opposition wants to have a role, any role whatsoever, what she can do is pick up the phone, call the coalition partners in Ottawa, the NDP, who hold the balance of power and make sure that they provide Ontario with the exact same resources that they provide every other province. The Minister of Community and Children Services is standing up every single day for all Ontarians. I wish the NDP and their federal partners would do the same. Member for Hamilton Mountain and Condor, final supplementary. Speaker, the minister should read the briefing book. This government has stashed billions in their slush fund. They have no problem blowing $650 million on a luxury spa in downtown Toronto. And yet they'll still turn their backs on people relying on ODSP and OW. The number of people, Speaker, living on ODSP and OW has increased by 17% since last year alone. That's more than 120,000 more people because this government has failed to make life any more affordable for the people of this province. We need urgent action to end legislated poverty, Speaker. To the Premier, will you commit to doubling the ODSP today? Government House Leader? You always know in the gallery it has people that are concerned about an issue, right? Because that's the only time the NDP care about an issue, right? Now listen, this is a party that voted against increasing ODSP. They literally voted against it. Now they had the balance of power. This is what I love about the NDP, whether it's here or in Ottawa. They actually held the balance of power. They could have brought any of these policies in place. They could have increased ODSP rates, did they? No, they could have tied ODSP to inflation, did they? No, instead they stuck with a stretch goal for insurance. Did insurance rates go down when they held the balance of power? No, they actually increased. No, the only party to bring insurance rates down were the Progressive Conservatives. That's it, Mr. Speaker. They support a carbon tax which hurts every single Ontarian, Mr. Speaker. They didn't support the childcare deal, which allowed hundreds of thousands of people to get back to work, Mr. Speaker. They vote against everything that puts more money back in the pockets of the people of Ontario, and we will always stick to it. Order. The next question is a member from London North Centre. Good morning, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, Feed Ontario released their 2023 hunger report on food bank use. Every MPP has a copy on their desk. Food banks in Ontario have doubled their use since the pandemic with six million visitors over the last year. Two-thirds were first-time visitors, signaling that things are getting much worse for Ontarians. Yet this government wants to keep people in poverty. During a cost of living crisis, the minister won't even back off from a cruel social assistance clawback and food banks warned us today they are on the brink of collapse. On the brink of collapse. To the Premier, will you act now to save Ontarians from legislated poverty and increase ODSP and OW? Government outstater. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, we did. We increased ODSP. We tied it to inflation and the member opposite voted against that increase, Mr. Speaker. I know the Minister of Education and the Minister of Children and Community Services provided an increase to the student nutrition program at schools. The opposition voted against that. But, Mr. Speaker, this is a party. This is a party that, until recently, fought tooth and nail to put a carbon tax on everything. Now, the opposition, they laugh at it now, right? They laugh at it because they say, oh, it's just a little tax, a little tax. But at least the MPP have finally come to understand how it is impacting everybody. The Minister of Agriculture talked about how it's impacting our farmers to the tune of millions of dollars. Our people who bring our food to our grocery stores, they pay a carbon tax. When you go to the store to buy your food, you pay a carbon tax, Mr. Speaker. The carbon tax is the most unaffordable, cost-prohibitive tax that we have ever had. So, as opposed to standing up for taxes, stand up for the very same people that you're asking a question about. Number River Black Creek. Speaker, back to the Premier. Speaker, Ontarians are struggling under out-of-control costs of living, including food prices, leading over 800,000 more Ontarians to food banks and leaving them to make tough nutritional choices, especially those on social assistance, affecting their health and ultimately our healthcare system overall. Throughout this affordability crisis, grocers continue to post record profits and are making the situation even worse. Why won't this government stand up to these gouging grocers instead of making excuses for them? Government House Leader. Hello, Mr. Speaker. Since day one, we have been fighting a federal carbon tax. Since day one, we have said that that tax would eventually cost the people of the province of Ontario and make life less affordable. We've also said higher taxes do that. We've also said out-of-control spending does that. We said that out-of-control spending would lead to inflation, which would lead to higher interest rates. And guess what? A federal liberal government supported by an NDP government and that's what you have in the province of Ontario. Out-of-control spending, high interest rates and the most unaffordable economy that we've seen in a very long time. And standing against that are progressive Conservative Premiers across this country who are cutting taxes, who are supporting the most vulnerable, Mr. Speaker, each and every day. If the member opposite wants to have a real impact, then I suggest the member opposite call the Federal Liberals Coalition Partner in Ottawa today to put in a motion of non-confidence and bring down the federal liberal government so we can have a party that actually cares about the people of the province of Ontario and Canada. Thank you. The next question, the member for Whitby. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Since we took office, Ontario has seen record levels of investment across our economy. Countless companies from across the globe who didn't have a Canadian presence before 2018 have come to Ontario to set up shop. Now, under the previous liberal government, the opposite was occurring. Their high tax agenda, endorsed by the NDP, drove businesses out of Ontario. Now they want our government to sit idly by while the federal government tries to hike the carbon tax. That's unacceptable, Speaker. We refuse to go back to the liberal days when businesses were fleeing our province and droves because of high taxes and, yes, red tape. Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government's approach to business has contributed to record levels of investment in Ontario? Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Thank you, Speaker. Well, here's the difference. While the federal government is increasing taxes through the carbon tax, we have been reducing taxes. In fact, we've lowered the cost of doing business by $8 billion a year. That has resulted, Site Selection Magazine declared Ontario as Canada's most competitive jurisdiction again this year. That's five out of six years. Ontario is our most competitive jurisdiction. The CBE declared Toronto is the leading North American jurisdiction for tech job creation. Ontario leads Canada in foreign direct investment. In fact, in the first half of the year, almost $9 billion came into Ontario from outside of North America. That's 57% of Canada's foreign direct investment. Speaker, none of this happened by raising taxes. We want our federal government to hear loud and clear that lower taxes create jobs. And the supplementary question. Well, thank you, Speaker. And back to the minister. With fierce competition from across the globe, it's great to hear that Ontario has been able to lend billions of dollars in job-creating investments. One of the reasons we've been able to secure record levels of investments is because we've kept costs low for businesses and workers. But as we do that, liberal leadership candidates and opposition members in this House are going around talking about how great the federal carbon tax is. They think you can raise taxes on businesses and people and still see job creation and growth. They had their chance to test that theory out and it failed miserably. 300,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared when the liberals were in office. Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government's approach to job creation and business development is helping to turn Ontario's economy around? Thank you, Speaker. Minister of Economic Development, job creation, and trade. A few minutes ago, you heard the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing say that 700,000 new jobs were created in Ontario in just the last five years. Let me give you a bit of a breakdown. 70,000 workers work at 1,900 life science sector firms in Ontario. 420,000 workers are at 25,000 tech firms in Ontario. Over 120,000 direct jobs and hundreds of thousands of indirect jobs are now in our auto sector all across Ontario. All of that, Speaker, is not by raising taxes, it's by lowering taxes and lowering the cost of doing business by $8 billion a year. Record job numbers have hit Ontario by keeping taxes low. Here, here. Thank you. The next question, the member for Toronto, Dan Ford. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, my question to the Premier. Throughout this past summer's heat waves, unprecedented wildfires, deadly smoke, and catastrophic flooding, your government has done virtually nothing to prepare Ontarians for the impact of the climate crisis. In fact, you have suppressed vital reports that could help Ontarians and local governments address these horrendous impacts of climate breakdown. Will the Premier commit today to release all reports of the climate change impact assessment and the report of the advisory panel on climate change? We remind the members to make their comments to the Chair, to our applied member for Renfrew, Nipissing Pembroke, in Parliament. And I want to thank the member for his question. We're very proud of our climate change record in this province. We are leading the country. 86% of the greenhouse gas reductions that have taken place in Canada, Ontario is responsible for that. We continue to make the proper changes that will not only reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but also continue to provide the jobs and the growth in the economy that Ontario needs so badly. We're able to continue to build Ontario 700,000 new jobs, at the same time, reducing our emissions. Bringing electric arc furnaces to Sault Ste. Marie and Hamilton, taking 2 million cars off the road. These are the kinds of things where we have one party that is focused on only one thing, and that is doing everything that will reduce the number of people working in Ontario, reduce the growth in our economy, while fixating only on one simple thing. We can do both here in the province of Ontario because we are committed to Ontario of the future. Thank you very much. A supplementary question. Well, that's an extraordinary response. This is the government that's driving up greenhouse gas emissions dramatically, and it is killing our green tech sector. That's the reality. I'm going back to the Premier. Last week, the province's financial accountability officer released yet another report showing how Ontario will be paying a fortune for the impacts of climate change on public infrastructure. The burden of dealing with washed-out roads, disrupted municipal water supply, and down hydro lines will be huge for Ontarians. And yet, your government won't even release the reports detailing what we need to do to protect the public. When will you release the reports so communities can take steps to protect themselves from the climate disasters you are creating? Comments to the Chair. Member for Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke can reply. Our responsible for building Ontario, and quite frankly, we are making tremendous progress. We're on target to meet our 2030 targets from the greenhouse gas emissions. But also, we're building the infrastructure that will be responsible and able to withstand the effects of climate change. That's what we're committed to in this province. But at the same time, we're ensuring that there will be on Ontario working. So I would ask the people on the other side to start to broaden their position as well, because what is hurting Ontario more than anything else is the carbon tax being inflicted on by the federal government, of which your party resupports, in fact, your favour of increasing it even more. The biggest enemy that Ontario has in fighting climate change and building is the carbon tax. Thank you. Thank you. Bruce should make the comments through the Chair. Not directly across the floor of the House. The next question, the member for Brantford Brand. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development. The carbon tax should be called the tax on everything, as it hurts every aspect of daily life for Ontarians. The pain of the carbon tax is felt hardest by the residents of Northern Ontario and Indigenous communities. These individuals feel the pressure at the gas pumps most severely, where fuel costs are already significantly higher than elsewhere. The federal Liberal government has increased the carbon tax on gasoline five times, with plans for seven more increases by 2030. These continual price hikes on fuel contribute to the overall increase of the cost of goods throughout the supply chain, particularly in the North. Speaker, can the Minister please explain the negative impact of the carbon tax on Northern Ontario and Indigenous communities? Thank you. Minister of Northern Development and Minister of Indigenous Affairs. Speaker, from coast to coast to coast, Canadians have been clear. They want this tax scrapped. Let me point out that in Hearst, gas is $1.59. Sue, look out, a buck's 62. Terrace Bay, $1.54. Go Gamma, a buck's 51. Kirkland Lake, $1.54. Blind River, $1.53. This is a premium on gasoline that costs us more to fill up our pickup trucks, more for us to support the resource industries and drive larger distances than any other place in the province. This is a premium on gasoline supported by the NDP. Now, that sounds like a new democratic premium. What we call it is a carbon tax, Mr. Speaker, and the carbon tax needs to go. Scrap the tax, Mr. Speaker. What's up, the metric question? Thank you, Speaker, and thank you, Minister, for that response. Unlike other areas in our province, the North faces greater challenges and difficulties in their quality of life because of increasing fuel-related costs. What the carbon tax does to make their lives more costly is not right or fair. Life is more unaffordable, and people feel the burden of the added costs. Clearly, the federal government doesn't understand or appreciate just how unaffordable daily living is in Northern Ontario. It is just as disappointing to see that the opposition members consistently downplay the repercussions of the carbon tax on Northern Ontario. Speaker, can the minister please elaborate on how the carbon tax is negatively impacting residents, communities, and businesses throughout the North? Thank you. Mr. Northern Development. Mr. Speaker, it's really a tax on a tax on a tax on a tax. It really never ends, and it's interesting because it isn't just a tax on the consumer for products that they buy. This hurts the costs of services and programs that are so vital to us in Northern Ontario. Just last week, I learned, Mr. Speaker, that the difference of the increased cost of the carbon tax on operations for our district services boards to operate their ambulance is one new ambulance a year, Mr. Speaker. People who are running the district school boards, Mr. Speaker, in our vast regions are now going to face with cutting back, having children in high schools play against each other when they live 150 to 170 to 250 kilometres away. No more hockey or football for those schools, Mr. Speaker, unless they want to play against themselves. This tax needs to go, and the NDP needs to stop supporting it. Government House Leader, come to order. Minister, Member for Waterloo, come to order. The next question, the Member for St. Catherine's. Thank you, Speaker. To the Minister of Health, your openness to work with me on contraception is very appreciated. Yet 250 days have passed since a public response to our motion for universal access. Rarely does the policy dramatically address gender equity while making such a significant health system savings. Consider the research. It's the $7.9 million in projected annual health saving. It's a substantial reduction in unintended pregnancies. It's a gateway to economic participation and independence for many. It is about women's health. It is about gendered equity, and it's about affordability. Minister of Health, as this comes up for debate on Wednesday, will you commit to work with me to provide universal contraception access across the province? Right. Member for Eglinton Lawrence and Parliamentary Assistant Minister for Minister of Health. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for St. Catherine's for the question. Our government is making great strides to support women's health, including the recent announcement of breast cancer screening from 40 years of age, which has been welcomed by the community. We have six publicly funded drug programs for Ontarians who need help getting the medications they need to live a healthy life, and through the Ontario Drug Benefit Programme, many commonly used birth control products are available to eligible Ontarians as part of nearly 5,000 medications which are part of this program. With 6 million Ontarians eligible to receive the Ontario Drug Benefit Programme, nearly half of all Ontarians are eligible. OHIP Plus Assistance is also available to Ontarians 25 years of age or younger that are not covered by a private insurance plan. Ontario invested through the ODB, roughly $16 million on contraception in 21, 22 fiscal year, and with almost half of people covered, we're making sure that Ontarians get the health care that they need when they need it. Thank you. A supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. I find that response profoundly disappointing to the policy discourse direct at women's health and gender equity. Six million Ontarians have access to public funding contraceptives. The vast, vast majority of those six million Ontarians are men, children, and seniors. While I recognize your numbers are provided by staff, let me be clear that only a fraction of six million you mention are women, gender diverse individuals that need the barriers removed. It is not the time to coach language. Speaker, through you, with two days until the debate, we need you to be crystal clear that you commit to universal contraception access. That means everyone who needs it can get it. Right on. Once again, the member for Eglinton Lawrence. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Our government is ensuring that Ontarians are receiving connected and convenient care where they need it, and we're reducing barriers to getting services. Our government is making it easier for Ontarians to get prescriptions they need, such as birth control. Thanks to changes that we announced recently, I think it was November 6th, we've made qualified midwives and registered nurses now able to provide convenient access to birth control prescriptions. Through the Ontario Drug Benefit Program, many commonly used birth control products are available to eligible Ontarians as part of nearly 5,000 medications covered by the program, and with six million Ontarians eligible to receive the Ontario Drug Benefit Program, nearly half of all Ontarians are eligible. We are going to continue to work to make sure that Ontarians are connected, convenient care, where and when they need it across the province. Thank you. The next question, the member for Ottawa South. Very much, Speaker, and let's just recap what's happened so far in the session. So first, the Premier got caught with his hand in the cookie chair, trying to give his rich friends an $8.3 billion payday. The Premier's principal secretary, his director of housing, his former executive assistant, and his hand-picked chief of staff for the then minister of housing were all implicated. Three cabinet ministers resigned, and the RCMP has launched a criminal investigation. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. We all know that urban boundary changes and ministerial zoning orders were all used to pay off the Premier's ultra-rich friends. So, Speaker, will the Premier please explain just what he's accomplished? Members have directly imputing motive. I'm going to ask them to withdraw. And to reply, Government House Leader, Minister of Missile Affairs and Housing. Well, Mr. Speaker, the Premier and the Progressive Conservative caucus have managed to reduce the Liberals to a rump in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the first, firstly, they went from what? A majority to seven people, Speaker. And the other things that we've accomplished? 700,000 people have a job that didn't when he was in government, because he will remember 300,000 people lost their jobs. In fact, the happiest people in the world when the Liberals were in power was the state of Michigan because all our jobs were going to the state of Michigan because we couldn't compete with them, right? So thankfully, we're going to work together with our friends in the state of Michigan so that both of us can be successful. And the only way that we can do that is to never again elect the Liberal government supported by the Socialist NDP who will drive jobs away not only from Ontario, but from our good friends in Michigan. Speaker, it's no wonder that Minister McNaughton thought his chances, his luck would be better at Woodbine than on the front benches here. So here's what the Premier's got done. Legislation to protect the Greenbelt from himself. Legislation to undo the urban boundary. Ministerial zoning orders frozen for review. Speaker, this Ford is stuck in one gear. Reverse. So here's the kicker. At a time when people are trying to pay the bills, trying to pay the rent, they're just trying to take care of their families. What does the Premier do? He creates a bank, Speaker. Speaker, a bank. Unbelievable. One that I know will mean more high-paying jobs for his friends. So Speaker, when will the Premier do something other than taking care of its wealthy, well-connected friends? Remind the members to make reference to each other by ministerial title or by writing name. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. I do have to agree that the Minister of Long-Term Care. Thank God that that member gets one question every 11 days because they're never good questions, right? You would think that the Liberals would not have learned a lesson, right? So the Liberals have been reduced to seven people in the Legislative Assembly. When they were in power, they didn't build long-term care, they didn't build hospitals, we all know that, they couldn't decide on subways. They decimated our education system, brought our colleges and universities to the ground, Mr. Speaker. And we lost thousands of jobs. We literally lost thousands of jobs because the Liberals said that the North was a wasteland that we shouldn't invest in, that the Ring of Fire was of no value, and that Ontario, the Manufacturing Hub of Canada, responsible for the success of this country, should transition to a service economy. People had to decide between heating and eating under the Liberals. And this guy gets up and asks the question on what have you done for me lately? Two majority governments, 700,000 people that dignity of a job in a booming economy. That's what we've done this week. I'm a member for Chatham Kent-Leamington. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Energy. The people of Ontario are well aware that the carbon tax is making life more difficult. Winters approaching, people across Ontario are worried about the impact the carbon tax will have on their home heating bills. Speaker, the Premier has accurately stated the carbon tax is making life more expensive for everyone. Further, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, business leaders, and economists have all echoed our Premier's statements. The carbon tax hurts hardworking Ontarians. This ridiculous tax is rising the cost of energy and impacting the cost of everything we have to purchase. Speaker, can the Minister please explain how the carbon tax is negatively impacting the people of Ontario? The Parliamentary Assistant and Member for Kitchener, so past the time. He, Speaker, and I know this is something is very close to that member's heart coming from an area with so many greenhouse growers. The carbon tax is a perfect example of ideological devotion overriding basic common sense. Unfortunately, the cost of that devotion to ideology is ultimately being borne by hardworking Ontarians. The holiday season is on us Christmas for many, and with it come a lot more financial burdens for the average Ontarian and the average family. There's travelling, there's family get-togethers, dinners, presents. The carbon tax doesn't just impact heating costs. It's insidious cost creeps into the final amount of virtually everything that we pay for. Ultimately, if the federal government genuinely cared about affordability and about Canadians and Ontarians, they start with something really simple and acts the tax. Thank you, Speaker. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the Parliamentary Assistant for her response. Lowering the cost of living is precisely what our government has fought for. That's precisely why we challenge the carbon tax all the way to the Supreme Court. However, Speaker, the worst part about the carbon tax is that it'll only make life worse and more expensive for all of us. Worse, the federal government and opposition parties want to nearly triple this tax by 2030. The carbon tax hurts our businesses, impacts our economy, and hurts workers. Speaker, to the Parliamentary Assistant, please explain the impact of future tax increases on the people of Ontario. Once again, the member for Kitchener South Hospital and the Parliamentary Assistant. Thank you, Speaker. I'm thinking back to my days in court, and one of my favourite objections was the, you know, your honour, this question has been asked and answered. I would say that, you know, some would say that's happening here. But why? Because the carbon tax is still here. So we're going to keep on asking, we're going to keep on answering until the carbon tax is gone. It's driving up heating costs, it's driving up food costs, but it's not just that. I called the effects of this tax insidious and that's what it is. And in every question and answer that we've had here about the carbon tax, we've seen examples of that over and over. You drive up the cost of gas, you drive up the cost of farmers to produce our food, you drive up the cost of truckers to ship our food. As the dominoes fall and the ripples spread, ultimately, someone has to pay that price. And unfortunately, right now it's the taxpayer. So it comes down to common sense and axing the tax. Thank you. Member for Ms. Kegelach-James-Pay. Mr. Prime Minister, to the Premier. A constituent of my riding has been living in capital scasing for the last five decades. Over 20 years ago, her family doctor left the city to close the practice, leaving her without a primary care physician. For those 20 years, every time their new clinic has opened, she applied every single time she was told that they were already full. She has now passed her retirement age, health issues are arising, and she cannot access primary care. Premier, what is your government going to do today to put an end to the shortage of family doctors in the North? Member for Eglinton North. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question. For years, health care in the North has not been performing well, and we know that more needs to be done. In the 2012 Auditor General's report on human health, health human resources, it was revealed that Northern Ontario had a shortage of 200 physicians or 40,000 hours of care under the former government supported by the opposition as well. Little was done, but this government is getting things done. That's why we issued the Your Health Plan, a plan for connected and convenient care, and thousands of copies of that plan have been distributed. Our government is expanding the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine offers a total of 108 seats, nearly doubling that capacity for their MD program. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine will increase post-graduate positions from 60 to 123 by 2028. We're making sure that the resources will be there for people in the North. Member for Thunder Bay Superior North. To the Premier, 40-plus ministerial visits to the North, and this government still has no idea of our lived realities, or they don't care. The government is now studying whether district health units in Northern Ontario should be merged. Can you imagine one health unit to cover 400,000 square kilometers? The government is limiting funding increases to 1% per year, far less than inflation, and shamefully, they are downloading another 5% of costs onto already strapped municipalities. Why is this government trying to reduce healthcare services for the people of Northern Ontario? The Member for Eglinton, Lawrence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member opposite for the question, you know, years of neglect by previous governments, supported by the new Democrats, got us into the situation that we're in today. But we're taking action to fix the mistakes of past governments. I can't believe the member opposite is complaining about the number of ministers going to the North from this government. That should be a good thing. We are paying attention to what's happening in the North, and we're already seeing results from our plan. We're nearly doubling the capacity of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, which keeps Northerners in the North while pursuing the education they need to become medical professionals. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is attracting future professionals who will experience the advantages and the beauty of living in the North while they're making plans about where to live and work. We're going to continue to work with all of our partners, including Ontario Health, Northern Hospital Corporations, Health Sector Unions, to address the challenges that are unique to Northern Ontario. And thank goodness our ministers are going there all the time so that they know what those challenges are on the ground and can let us know so we can make sure that we're addressing them. We're going to keep working for the North. The member for Thornhill. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Transportation. Since the federal government imposed the carbon tax, the people of Ontario have been paying more for everything. Speaker, the people in my community tell me that every time they go to the grocery store to buy food, they find it challenging to keep up with the rising costs. The reality is that the carbon tax is making life unaffordable for everyone. It's unfair that many individuals and families across this province continue to struggle to buy the necessities for daily living. Speaker, can the Minister please explain how the carbon tax negatively affects the hardworking people of Ontario? Let's reply to the Minister of Transportation. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The carbon tax is hurting truckers and their families. These are the same people that keep our shelves stocked. They were the same ones that were driving across this province when nobody else wanted to drive during the pandemic. I was speaking to many truckers over the past couple of weeks in the Ontario Trucking Association and they told me that there is about a 17.5 cent impact per leader on the truckers. For a long haul trucker, Mr. Speaker, that equates to about $15,000 to $20,000 a year. That's $15,000 to $20,000 that trucker could be spending to support his family, putting his kids in hockey. And at a time when we're facing a cost of living crisis, I urge the member of the Independent Liberals in his last couple of days as leader of all the Prime Minister and tell them to do the right thing and scrap the carbon tax. Supplementary. Thank you, Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for his response and his dedication and work for the people of Ontario. Speaker, the federal government has increased the carbon tax on gasoline five times so far. And they're planning another seven increases by the year 2030. Grocery prices are already unaffordable for too many people, as are the costs for other products and services. Simply put, the carbon tax is wrong and unfair and makes life harder for everyone. The carbon tax adversely affects our businesses and negatively impacts our economy and Ontario workers. Further increases to the carbon tax will only make the situation worse. Speaker, can the Minister please elaborate on how the carbon tax makes life unaffordable for all Ontarians? Minister of Transportation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Not only is the carbon tax making life more expensive for individuals and truckers and their families, but it's hurting small businesses across this province. Imagine an owner of five trucks, long haul drivers. The cost of the carbon tax per year is anywhere between $75,000 to $100,000 because of the carbon tax. This is directly relating to an increase in not just grocery costs but everything that gets delivered by these hardworking men and women in our trucking industry. It's important that the Liberals and the NDP stand up for truckers and ask the federal government to remove and scrap the carbon tax. The next question, the member for University Rosedale. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. The Alliance for Liveable Ontario came out with a new report and it shows how bad our housing affordability crisis is. It gives a snapshot of the amount of affordable homes that we need and the numbers are quite frankly astronomical. Ontario needs over 300,000 affordable one bedroom homes for low income households. Given the need for affordable rental, has the Conservatives been relentless in its approach in pushing for expensive, sprawl-style housing instead? Mr. Ms. Wilt, fairs in housing? I don't know, Speaker. I mean, we've been relentless on all forms of housing. Affordable housing, attainable housing for long-term care homes for seniors. We've been relentless on purpose built rentals. That's why we have the highest starts in the province's history, Mr. Speaker. We want all forms of affordable housing because ostensibly what we want to do is get people out of their parent's basements for one because I think that has always been the dream of the people of the province of Ontario. When you've come to this country, when you come to this province, many people dream of owning their own home and that has escaped them ostensibly because of the policies of the Liberals and the NDP to put obstacles in the way of doing so. So we are on track to build 1.5 million homes for the people of the province because we're spending billions of dollars along those corridors. We're making it easier for people to access affordable homes. We have a bill before this house which is modifying the definition of affordability which they support and I think we're well on our way. Supplementary question. Thank you. My question is back to the Premier. The Conservatives, this government has been in power for five years and it has never been more expensive to rent or buy a home in Ontario. That's your legacy. The following is clearly not working. When we look at Toronto it now costs $2,500 to rent an available one bedroom apartment in Toronto. How can anyone afford to save up for a down payment when they're spending $2,500 a month to rent a one bedroom apartment? When we're talking about barriers that is the barrier that is stopping people from having the dream of home ownership. Building homes on the green belt was never the answer to our housing affordability crisis. So why did this government waste a year doing exactly that? Minister of affairs and housing. It's very clear that the NDP are literally against every form of housing. There are advocates in the gallery so they talk about affordable housing today but when it comes to actually voting in favour of transit oriented communities they vote in favour of housing. We want to ensure the member for Waterloo is hollering about the carbon tax because earlier at question period she hollered out to me that it's free that a tax will create jobs because that's what the NDP believe right? If you tax people it's a great job for you. You know why we're in a housing crisis? Because the Liberals and the NDP and Ottawa spent so much money in such a short period of time that that has meant the highest and fastest increase in interest rates in the history of this country. So if the member opposite wants to do something about affordability call Jagmeet Singh 1613 Jagmeet, not 1800 and tell him to bring down this question. The member for Peterborough Court. Thank you Mr. Speaker. The sun is coming through the window today so it's a beautiful day in here and my question is for the minister of resources and forestry. The carbon tax increases the cost of living and does nothing to reduce emissions. Just a few weeks ago an actual liberal member in this house said that the federal carbon tax was making life more affordable for the people in Ontario. Stand up comedy is not her next career. Either they don't understand they simply don't care what the carbon tax is doing to everyday Ontarians. Businesses including those in the natural resource sector are negatively impacted because of the carbon tax. Unfortunately this will force many businesses to increase the price of raw products like gravel and lumber. Speaker can the minister please explain how the carbon tax is impacting Ontario's natural resource sector. Member for Hastings, Lennox and Addington and Parliamentary Assistant. Thank you very much speaker and thank you to the member for the question. After its two straight elections of failing to win even official party status the leaderless liberals are still doubling down on this undeniable, unsupportable carbon tax and they're still saying no. They say no to reducing the cost of living. They say no to supporting Northern Ontario businesses. They say no to building homes and key infrastructure and they say no to reducing emissions while creating jobs. Speaker even one of the leadership candidates, the member from Kingston the Islands has said no to clean green nuclear power. Under their watch they chased away 300,000 good paying manufacturing jobs, closed 600 schools and built less than 700 long-term care beds when the province needs thousands. Speaker it's clearer than ever when the Liberals and the NDP have no plan but to tax. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the Parliamentary Assistant for that response. The Federal Parliamentary Budget Officer recently said that most households will experience a net loss of income from the federal carbon tax when you account for both the direct and indirect costs. Specifically reports finds that 60 percent 60 percent of households in Alberta, Ontario Saskatchewan and Manitoba will pay more in carbon tax than they receive in rebates. Liberal MPPs and the federal Liberals are completely out of touch with how the carbon tax is negatively impacting everyone in Ontario. The carbon tax hurts Ontario businesses. It hurts our economy and when both of those are hurting that hurts Ontario workers as well. Speaker can the Parliamentary Assistant please elaborate on how the current carbon tax and future tax hikes will impact Ontario's natural resource sector. Very much Minister and the members absolutely right it's no surprise. The Liberal Party's math just doesn't check out. The federal Liberal Government's own Parliamentary Budget Officer says that Ontarians will pay $478 more per household just because of the federal carbon tax. Speaker they say that in the year 2030 the average financial loss for Ontarians will be closer to $2,000 per household. It's a shame that the members' opposites will continue to put politics ahead of affordability for Ontario's families and businesses. Our Government will reduce the price of fuel. Our Government will support innovation to create jobs and reduce emissions. Our Government is creating more jobs with bigger paychecks. Speaker our Government will deliver relief to the people of Ontario. It's our Government building this province. Thank you Speaker. Our children in our schools are facing incredible challenges. More than half of students say they are depressed about the future. Yet only one intense schools have regularly scheduled access to mental health professional. Demand for special education supports is increasing but the Government is refusing to fully fund it. The lack of mental health and special education resources are contributing to an epidemic of violence in our schools. So why has the Premier cut funding for education by $1,200 per student instead of providing the help our kids so desperately need? Minister of Education Thank you Speaker. The best way we can improve the lives of children is to keep them in class every single day without interruption and that's why this Government is proud to have delivered another deal with that last week. I will note that the members opposite have been quite silent on the progress Government is making to provide stability for all of our constituents. We should celebrate progress if it's good for kids. I will also note on mental health the member opposite mentioned an issue that is close to the heart of our Government. We increase funding by 550% when compared to the peak of spending under Premier Wynn and I will note for the trustees from Ottawa who are with us today that the new Democrats have systematically voted against that increase in every single budget. This year we increased funding to annualise it based on the good feedback of our school board trustees to make sure children can get access to the continuity of services. In the summer we did that this year. We're increasing funding by $14 million next year, 16th year after. We will be there to support children in this province speaker. The Minister can talk all he wants but his budget is talking louder than his words. You can't learn if you can't even get to school but thanks to this government's changes to the transportation funding formula students across the province are having trouble even getting to school. The problem will be even worse next year if this isn't fixed now. Costs are going up. It's hard to find and retain drivers. But the government just isn't taking these challenges seriously. Will the premier commit today to revising his broken school transportation formula and provide the necessary funding to make sure that all of our kids can get to school every day. Minister of Education. Thank you Speaker. I will note that funding this year is up by $111 million when compared to last year. But in addition to that, the member helps to speak about bus drivers. Mr. Speaker, we've actually increased bus driver wages starting to an average of 23%. We've added statutory benefits of 30%. That never existed. We're actually paying bus drivers the first time for 10 statutory holidays, four days of dry runs. All of this was recommended and endorsed by school bus Ontario. And again, the members opposite were solid because they can't put good public policy ahead of their own political interest and celebrate support for our bus drivers who work so hard every single day. Now Mr. Speaker, we increase funding. We know there's more to do. Learning losses at a historic high. And that's why we stand strong in defence of keeping kids in school. If members opposite want to be constructive as they meet trustees today, tell them that you will use your influence on labour and urge OECDA, urge AFO to get a deal with this government so all kids could have peace, stability and hope for the year ahead. Question, the member for Burlington. Thank you Speaker. My question is to the Associate Minister of Small Business. Speaker, I was shocked when I heard the Liberal Member for Burlington say in this House that the carbon tax, the federal carbon tax is making life better for the people of Ontario. Unlike the independent Liberal members, my constituents have been very clear about the negative impact this tax is having on them. The carbon tax increases their expenses and makes operating their businesses more challenging. They certainly don't need politicians advocating for increased costs to facilitate. That's why our government must be laser focused on lowering prices however we can. Speaker, can the Associate Minister please explain how the carbon tax is negatively impacting small businesses across Ontario. That's a good question. Associate Minister for Small Business. Thank you Speaker and thank you to the member for her question and her unwavering support for her at Burlington's job is heartening to hear some members suggest that the carbon tax is improving the lives of Ontarians when the reality on the ground tells a very different story. Speaker, think of Ontario's 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers most of which are small family owned businesses. It's estimated that up to $2.7 billion of carbon tax will be paid by Ontario's grains and oil seed farmers on a tax that cannot be passed on to their customers. Speaker, that's billions of dollars that could be reinvested into small towns to help grow the rural economy in Ontario. The opposition likes to claim that they're for rural Ontario businesses but so far all they've done is sat on their hands while their federal cousins steamroll over Ontario's business but this government will not rest until every vote. Thank you very much. That concludes our question period for this morning. We have a deferred vote on the motion for second reading of bill 90 an act to amend the Labour Relations Act 1995 with respect to replacement workers. Call on the members. This is a five minute bell.