 Therefore, it's time for members of statements, the member from Nipissing. Thank you, Speaker, and good afternoon. The problem of access to broadband connectivity is a key concern in my writing of Nipissing and across Northern and rural Ontario. The Council, in the municipality of Callender, is seeking provincial action on this important issue. They note in a recent resolution, which they sent to me, that availability of broadband that is on par with larger urban areas in Canada is essential for Northern Ontario to achieve economic viability and social well-being. They also note the cost of providing the required service is unaffordable without provincial and federal help. They're requesting the provincial government work with the federal government and advocate for a target broadband service. They are asking for 50 megabytes per second download and 10 megabytes per second uploaded for Northern Ontario consistent with CRTC recommendations. Speaker, proper broadband access can be a great economic equalizer for Northern Ontario, and that's why it's in our parties' policy proposals being voted on in the near future. This needs to be a priority for the provincial government. And I thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the member statements. The member from Welland. Thank you, Speaker. Physiotherapy was delisted by the Liberal government in 2013 with new criteria for who would qualify for the government-funded physio. I have an 80-year-old man in Welland who is on a two-year waitlist for Parkinson's rehab program. It would help him to maintain his mobility, otherwise his condition deteriorates. $45 a treatment privately for for-profit physio. Why the waitlist? Because this program, through the Hotel Jew Shaver Health and Rehab Center, operates solely on the basis of private donations from the Steve Ludzik Foundation to cover the operating expenses as well as staff. That means the annual budget of only $150,000 determines the number of participants. They're doing a great job. 220 people have been helped since 2013. Steve has had a successful career in the NHL and was 39 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. It quickly became his goal to start a rehab clinic to help individuals like himself deal with the symptoms. I'm asking the Minister of Health to ask the local health integration network for Niagara to work with the Steve Ludzik Foundation and the Hotel Jew Shaver CEO Jane Refrano to look at additional funding for the Parkinson's rehab program. Just doubling what the Steve Ludzik Foundation provides each year would go a long way to shortening that two-year waiting list. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Member. Statement of the Member from Barrie. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tomorrow afternoon I have the honour of hosting the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network reception here at Queen's Park for the fourth year. As a survivor myself, I would have appreciated having access to this wonderful resource when I was going through the treatments. The CCSN works to empower collaborative action by cancer patients, families and communities to remove barriers to optimal care. They promote health by providing individuals living with cancer and their caregivers with access to related counseling, information and support programs. This year they are bringing awareness to cancer-associated thrombosis. Roughly 20% of the 200,000 Canadians diagnosed with cancer this year will develop blood clots during their course of treatment and approximately 2,300 die as a result every year. Unfortunately, far too few cancer patients are aware of secondary complications such as these. I myself was not made aware of this when I was going through cancer. Many mistake symptoms of thrombosis as being normal side effects of cancer treatment and do not seek out early life-saving intervention. Bringing awareness to these little-known aspects of cancer is an example of the important work done by the Survivor Network. Please join me in congratulating the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network for all that the great work that they do, and I invite you all to come by their lunchtime reception tomorrow in room 228. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to the member students, the member from Farzell. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and I'm so pleased to rise and talk about another great family from my riding of Thornhill. We've got the Zarukov family here, Elise is the mom and the daughters Jenna and Jordan. They're here to help us participate with Lymphoma Canada, Cancerity and the Canadian Cancer Society because they're doing Lymphoma Advocacy Day today at Queen's Park and later on in the afternoon everybody's invited to their hockey themed reception here in the building. They had a fantastic, they called it a night to remember Stuart Zarukov. It's the dad who passed away from Lymphoma 10 years ago on October 22nd, 2017. They was at the Riviera Park Banquet Hall and a friend of the dad, Stuart Richard Soror, spoke about him. They had pictures on the wall projected. There was an Elvis impersonator, Brent Freeman, DJ Magic Moments in style activities, J Sticks on the drums, and Double Chocolate helped sponsor as well. And it was just wonderful to see all their friends and family all dressed up, dancing and enjoying altogether a wonderful meal, a wonderful silent auction. In fact, I purchased a Zach Hyman hockey jersey from the Maple Leafs to wear at the hockey theme reception later on today, and the Zarukovs are here today in the members' gallery and they'll be there at the reception so that everybody can come over and ask them about all their fantastic fundraising that they're doing for Lymphoma Canada. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. Tragically in Ontario today, one in three girls and one in five boys would be sexually abused before they reach adulthood. These children have lost trust in the people who are responsible for their safety. They are vulnerable and fragile. Investigations into physical and sexual abuse are intimidating and traumatising for children and youth and support services have long been fragmented and difficult to navigate. In Kitchener Waterloo, the Waterloo Region Child Witness Centre recently launched their Child and Youth Advocacy Centre. The centre provides a safe space for children who have been abused, offering them support through these traumatic investigations. With their streamlined investigative approach, the centre also offers much-needed and less traumatic alternative traditional investigations. Children are supported by specially trained professionals in a comforting and child-friendly space. They have to share their stories with fewer people and are given access to the services they need to begin the healing process. Waterloo Region's Child and Youth Advocacy Centre is a collaboration between the Child Witness Centre, Waterloo Region Police, Family and Children Services, the Crown Attorney, Luther Wood and the Sexual Assault in Domestic Violence Treatment Centre at St. Mary's Hospital. Unfortunately, the centre has not received any funding from the Government of Ontario. Instead, this vital service for vulnerable children and youth is being funded through the Child Witness Centre's Safe Hands, Strong Futures campaign with a $2 million fundraising goal. Thank you to the whole team at Waterloo Region Child Witness Centre and the Children and Youth Advocacy Centre for the difficult but necessary work that you do for children, youth and their families. This is such an important issue. We need to find it. Thank you. The Member of State is the Member from Kitchener Centre. Thank you, Speaker. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity with our Premier Kathleen Nguyen and the Mayor of Kitchener Barry Verbanovich to sit down with members of the Rohingya Muslim Community and Kitchener. There are about 40 people who are at this meeting. We gathered to hear their concerns regarding tragic events now unfolding in Myanmar. The words being used to describe the situation are genocide and ethnic cleansing. In the past couple of months, 600,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh to escape persecution. We heard disturbing firsthand accounts of how the Rohingya are facing gross violations of human rights. We heard from women, men and youth who pleaded with us to step up and take action. And Speaker, I'm pleased to tell you that we are taking action. Today, our Premier just announced that Ontario is directing $1 million to two organisations — $500,000 to the Canadian Red Cross to promote shelter, food, water, hygiene, sanitation and prevention against gender-based violence, and $500,000 to MedSens Sans Frontières for medical aid, emergency sanitation and mental health services. We're also very supportive of the federal government's commitment of $12 million in humanitarian aid, and we applaud the appointment of the Honourable Bob Ray to act a special envoy to Myanmar. Speaker, when people in crisis need help, there are no boundaries. Ontarians will heed this call and step up. Thank you for the member from Dufferin, Caledon. Thanks, Speaker. I rise today to celebrate the life of a Caledon grape, Susan Grange. Sue made her name as one of the premier breeders of show-jumping and racehorses in Canada and was known for being a hands-on and hard-working breeder and owner. In 1975, Sue and her husband, John, bought Laugh Lorne Farms in Caledon and transformed it into a world-class training centre. Their hard work has left an amazing legacy in the equestrian community, not only in Caledon but across Canada and the world. Canadian Olympic show-jumper Ian Miller has ridden many of Sue's horses, including in style, the horse with which he won a silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Many other notable riders include Caledon's own Olympian Jan Kandelie and Irishman Conor Swale. Sue's hard work has been recognised on many occasions. She has won Jump Canada's Owner of the Year award in both 2005 and 2008. The accolades and successes of the horse breeds owned by Sue is almost endless. On behalf of Dufferin, Caledon and the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, I want to offer my condolences to the Grange family. Sue leaves behind a tremendous legacy that will continue to be felt across Dufferin, Ontario, Canada, and indeed the world for years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am thrilled to rise today in celebration of the 94th anniversary of the Turkish Republic Day. On October 29, 1923, the newly recognised Turkish Parliament proclaimed the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, formally marking the end of the Ottoman Empire. On the same day, Mustafa Kamal was unanimously elected as the first President of the Republic. This week, communities from around the world are coming together from coast to coast to celebrate Turkish heritage and the many accomplishments of its people. Today I rise not just in celebration of the Turkish independence, but more importantly to recognise the contributions of Turkish Canadians. Turkey and Canada have a long-standing relationship with one another. To date, Canada welcomes a vibrant community of nearly 60,000 Turkish Canadians, thousands of whom chose our province of Ontario as their new home. Their impact runs deep and widespread, and you can see it in art shows exhibiting some talented artists, you can hear it in the sounds and rhythm of Turkish musicians, and the Turkish food is not too far behind in many restaurants around the city. From the economy, academics and across every aspect of life, Turkish Canadians will no doubt continue to enrich our vibrant multicultural fabric and history. I would like to extend my warm thanks to all of those who came to the Turkish flag raising on Monday. Happy birthday, the National Republic of Turkey. Doğum günün kutlu olsum, çoğut teşikuridir, mersimukum igüç. Thank you. Members, statements? The member from Kitchener? Yes, thank you, Speaker. They say the key to quality childcare is the childcare worker and early childhood educator. And the fact is, Speaker, while they are the key and while caring for and educating infants, toddlers and preschoolers requires knowledge and skills. As complex as teaching older children, it pays much less. We have so many great childcare providers in our region. Of course, Al Childcare, Pluto Daycare, Sunny Daycare, Creative Beginning, Sweet Pee Early Years, Tadpole Daycare, and of course YWCA Childcare, and I have to mention Linda and the great folks over at the JWGIRTH Childcare Center. They don't vote themselves to the care and education of children right across the region. I also think of Erin Flynn, who spends her days looking after and caring for my three infant children, which I can tell you from experience is very rewarding, but not an easy task. As our providers brace to meet the goals and focus of the government's pay equity direction, there are serious questions being asked about where the government's direction is on supporting providers to achieve that equity. The fact is, Speaker, childcare fees are already unaffordable for most families, often more than rent or a mortgage payment. Meanwhile, costs continue to rise for childcare operators due to the impact of regulatory changes. As they say, the government can't have their cake and eat it too. They can't demand pay equity for educators and expect lower childcare fees without coming to the table. Speaker, today I stand for the underpaid ECE and childcare providers who do amazing work despite the lack of recognition. On behalf of parents like myself across our province, we owe our thanks for you keeping our children safe and providing quality learning atmosphere. Thank you so much. I thank all members for their statements. It's therefore time for reports by committees.