 It is now time for World Questions. I recognize the leader of His Majesty's moral apathy. Thank you Speaker Speaker. As you know children in Ontario are facing a health care crisis. Public health officials are saying we should be masking indoors to protect our children. The Premier and his government are not following that advice but telling others to follow it. It seems like a classic case of do as I say not as I do. Is the Premier going to be a leader and mask up indoors or not? I should apply for the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. Thank you Speaker. You know the most important thing that we can do to protect our children, to protect our health hospital capacity is to keep up-to-date on your vaccinations. If you qualify for booster to get that booster to get that flu shot make sure you protect yourself so that you can protect others and vulnerable people in our society. Thank you Speaker and the supplementary question. Thank you Speaker. Normally leaders stand up but I will go back to the Premier. There's so much more this government needs to do to address the crisis that our children face. We need an ambitious flu and COVID-19 vaccination push. We need an advertising blitz to encourage people to mask up and get vaccinated. We need 10 paid sick days so that people can stay home when they're sick. We need government members to show personal leadership. Will the Premier step up today and lead on these critical public health initiatives? So again Speaker you know since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic through a flu season that we anticipated and prepared for and worked with our hospital partners to make sure that they had sufficient resources through investments that we've made to ensure that we have enough personal support workers that we're training and licensing additional RNs and and physicians in the province of Ontario who are trained internationally and want to practice here in Ontario. We've done the work we will continue to do that work we will work with our partners to make sure that they have the resources because at the end of the day it is our health care professionals who are putting in the hours who are making the investments who are coming up with creative and innovation solutions to make sure that our children and our most vulnerable are protected. Thank you. Final supplementary. Speaker this government has a choice to make. They will either choose to accept the recommendations of the medical officer of health and address the crisis in our children's hospitals which by the way is not being addressed or they'll ignore the recommendations from the medical officer of health. Ignoring those recommendations will mean more children are going to be put in very dangerous situations and may die because they cannot access the critical health care that they need. This is what we're talking about Mr. Speaker the risk of children dying. Will the Premier be a leader and act on the recommendations of the medical officer of health or not? Member could please take your seat. Mr. Health. With the greatest of respect I think it is very unfortunate that when we have innovation when we have CHEO who is experiencing who has been experiencing a higher prevalence rate have actually been able to reimagine and and build literally a pediatric ICU unit in an expanded way in their their hospital. We have sick kids nurses who are leaders in childhood and pediatric RSV and flu innovations. They are now offering that expertise to community age nurses in community hospital because they understand working together we will get through this flu season we will get through this higher rate of our RSV but they are doing it because they work together and they are innovating and it is very unfortunate the member officer is suggesting that nothing has been happening because in fact there have been many positive and innovations that have been made. Thank you. Official opposition will come to work. The next question the member brought over here. This government's cuts to education mean our kids aren't getting all of the supports they need and deserve in schools. There are educational assistants running back and forth in hallways with walkie talkies trying to figure out which kid needs help the most. Parents getting a phone call saying your child can't come to school today there's no EA available. The government claimed all the disruption it caused to our kids school year with bill 28 was to support our kids. So why is the premier refusing to bargain a deal that ensures every child gets the support they need with no more disruptions to the school year? Speaker our government believes children should be in the classroom and I hope the member's opposite would agree with that premise. We said we would repeal bill 28 Mr Speaker and we did that. Order. We said we would increase wages across the board. In fact Speaker we have increased wages by over $335 million over four years for the lowest paid workers. We did that too Speaker. We also said that we would offer a flat rate we did that too and the question is why are we here? We did everything we said would to the workers at QP to get a deal that keeps kids in school. We are absolutely committed to a fair deal. We're going to state the table. I urge the union to call off this needless strike. Work with the government. Let's get a deal that keeps kids in the classroom. We've got four days to get it done so I hope he puts his money where his mouth is. Custodial staff do such important work to keep kids safe but we've got schools where teachers and principals are forced to fill in for shortages because of custodians missing. Schools with libraries closed because there's no library worker. If the government is serious about making up for learning loss and giving kids a normal school year why is the Premier refusing to negotiate a deal with real investments and throwing things into chaos once again? Mr Speaker the Government of Ontario has offered an enhanced proposal to QP $335 million more dollars from that compared to the legislative option that has been repealed before this 335 million dollar increase for QP alone. We offered a flat rate which they demanded. We have not requested any concession. All we ask is kids stay in school. We think they need to be in school after the disruptions of the pandemic of recent strikes. This should not be something that is done in this province. Order so casually strikes every few weeks. Kids deserve to be in school. I urge the union to state the table. Let's get a deal that's fair for the workers and keeps kids in the classroom this province. Who already forced hundreds of thousands of kids out of school for two days this year. Speaker we know from the financial accountability office that this government isn't investing enough to support our students. They're underfunding education by 400 million this year and will be short six billion dollars over the next six years. Education workers are fighting for our kids. Will the government do the right thing and make the investments needed to ensure our schools remain good places to learn? Well Mr. Speaker it is our progressive conservative government that has increased funding and public education to the highest levels ever recorded in Ontario history. Three billion dollars more than from the former Liberals at the peak of spending under the former Liberal government. We now under our government have nearly seven thousand additional education workers hired in our schools. Almost a thousand frontline teachers working to support our kids. Mr. Speaker unlike the federal the provincial liberal former government that closed 600 schools we have now invested in over a hundred construction projects as we speak. 14 billion over the next 10 years to renew our schools. We are increasing funding increasing staffing and we insist Speaker these kids stay in the classroom. The next question is a member for Ottawa Centre. Speaker my question is for the Premier. Good morning Premier. In a recent video posted online Chloe Dion a two year old girl is laboring to breathe at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. The surgical tape that's holding the breathing tube on Chloe's face is cut in the shape of tiny hearts. Speaker experts are urging that all of us wear masks indoors to protect kids like Chloe and to ensure that kids can stay safe through this triple pandemic of countervailing factors. That's why Chloe's parents had the courage to put this video online that we could all see it. Premier why not lead by example and put on a mask for Chloe and other kids like her today. Speaker again I will reinforce how critically important it is to protect patients like Chloe and that is to make sure that you get that booster shot when you qualify that you get a flu shot if it is appropriate for you in a consultation with your health care primary health care practitioner and speaking specifically to what we have seen what we have anticipated in the fall rise with influenza and RSV we have given and we will continue to support our hospital sector and you know I must say this is not just about the the sick kids the chews of the world we are making sure that we are collaborating with our community hospitals to ensure that they are able to step up just as sick kids and other children's hospitals stepped up when we were dealing with COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic. Thank you Speaker back to the Premier Speaker Speaker the Premier and I have disagreed on policy in this place and that's fine but what I've noticed about him in the past is that he sometimes had the courage to change his mind and encourage him to do that today. In the video I'm talking about Chloe's parents Jeff and Christine are singing Chloe somewhere over the rainbow as her eyes are stuffed with tears and quite clearly she's terrified about the situation she's in. There are 250 kids right now Premier at CHEEL some of whom are going through that exact same nightmare some parents are living that exact same nightmare on Monday Speaker there were three kids that needed to be resuscitated for significant breathing blockages on Sunday there were four Premier I see you here this morning and I'm glad you're here this morning but I want you to send a message to Jeff and Christine Chloe's parents and every other kid struggling to breathe right now in the province of Ontario by police put a mask on show some leadership as a province's leader to our kids to be safe will you do that today? With the hand I'll ask the members to make the final speech to reply Minister of Health. Thank you Speaker the message I want to give to Chloe's parents and to all parents who are concerned if your child needs healthcare in the province of Ontario it is there and it will be there. We have provided that we have seen an unprecedented level of cooperation between hospitals to make sure that when sick kids when CHEEL is experiencing a challenge when they are seeing more children than they normally do there are community hospitals that are stepping up and doing the right thing and accepting those older pediatric patients to make sure that wherever you need help in the province of Ontario your government and your community hospitals will be there for you. Thank you Speaker. The next question the member for Markham Unionville. Thank you Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Technology is one of our province's most important economic drivers yet for years under the previous Liberal government our best STEM graduates were leaving the province in droves to pursue jobs in the U.S. and elsewhere. Since Ontario elect our government in 2018 the importance of a resilient technology sector has grown strong. Speaker will the minister explain how our government is ensuring that our tech talent remains here at home while showcasing that Ontario is open for business. Minister of Economic Development Job Creation and Trade. Speaker Ontario is proud to be home to Canada's largest technology sector and second largest tech cluster in all of North America. There are over 21,000 technology firms employing more than 400,000 top professionals in the sector. We are fostering the perfect environment for Ontario's 65,000 STEM graduates and that's why earlier this month we joined both L and T Technology Services and Snowflake Engineering as they announced millions in investment and hundreds of new tech jobs. LTTS a leading global engineering company from India opened their first office in this province and created 100 engineering jobs. Snowflake landed in Ontario from Montana with their Toronto headquarters and engineering hub providing 300 well-paying tech jobs. Speaker this is all proof that we have created the best conditions for businesses to invest here in Ontario. Thank you, Speaker. It's great that our government is attracting investment from around the world to create jobs for our annual 65,000 STEM graduates. Our Ontario to outperform Silicon Valley, our government must also support the Ontario made technology ecosystem. We heard that in 2021 alone Ontario attract record level of venture capital investments leading the nation with 8.4 billion in investment. Speaker will the minister explain how our government is ensuring Ontario's venture capital sector and high potential technology companies are staying ahead of the competitors to the south. Thank you. Mr. Economic Development. Speaker there was a time when companies were fleeing Ontario. 300,000 jobs left here but under this government we've lowered the cost of doing business by over seven billion dollars a year. Every year the result will look at tell us 23 billion investment in network infrastructure and broadband technology creating 9,500 new jobs over the next five years. Tata Consultancy Services and Indian Tech Firm launch their fifth global hub right here in Toronto. 5,000 new jobs and 100 internships for those 65,000 STEM grads. We've created the right climate for companies like LTTS and Snowflake to locate right here in Ontario. Speaker all because Ontario is open for business. My good speaker. Good morning. My question is to the premier. The children in Northern First Nations are the most vulnerable in Ontario because of the limited access to healthcare. Because of the lack of children's pain and fever medications, the snob asking nation leaders and their allies are planning to travel to the US to get these medications because this government cannot ensure supply. The thought of losing any of our children because we do not have the basic medications available is intolerable. How is Ontario? Working with the snob asking nation to address this issue. Minister of Health. Thank you Speaker. The member opposite raises a very important issue and in fact I met with grand chief earlier today and it was one of the conversations that we had. How do we ensure that our federal government actually steps up and stops putting barriers to ensure that we have children medication. I have spoken to Minister Duclos as recently as this past weekend. Of course it was raised by all of the health ministers at our federal provincial territorial meeting last week. I have received insurances from Minister Duclos. Frankly I wish that he had acted sooner. The barrier that we have seen that is preventing children's medication to be imported into Ontario and Canada is disturbing. I think in this case we should have had a short term solution that said if it only has English on the packaging we want it because we are short supply. The federal minister has finally acted on that and I'm pleased to see that action. Thank you Speaker. My question is to the premier. I hope that I get an answer from the premier. My constituent Stephanie told me that when she had to get Tylenol for her child she went to five stores they were all out. My constituent Ronnie told me that when his one year old was sick he went to every single nearby pharmacy and none of them had Tylenol. Speaker this shortage is straining physicians. They're bursting the ERs for children. What is the premier doing? What is this government doing to ensure that all families have access to the medicine they need including the ones that are manufactured right here in Ontario? Why is it that American pharmaceuticals can create a workaround and we don't see the same thing happening right here in Ontario? I mentioned in answer to the previous question of course health Canada is finally acting and I'm pleased to see that. However I will say you know the member opposite talks about how important it is to build up and ensure that we have sufficient supplies here in Ontario. Where was that member when we were making building up Ontario and making sure that we had supply of personal protective equipment built here in Ontario. Wasn't the member supporting those initiatives when we made a made in Ontario solution that said if you have ideas or you have initiatives we want to be part of the solution. We did that when the pandemic began and we continued to do that through the excellent work from the premier and the minister of economic development and trade. We will continue to ensure that manufacturing is a large part of what we want to see in the province of Ontario and I hope the member opposite will support that when they come forward. First of all interjections are always out of order and we refer to other members by their ministerial title or by their writing. The next question the member for Whitby. Speaker my question is for the minister of energy. Our government continues to champion the use of nuclear power and rightfully so speaker. Nuclear power represents a critical component of Ontario's energy production. In the past the minister has spoken about the untapped potential of small modular nuclear reactors in providing a safe stable reliable source of energy to meet our future electricity needs. Speaker while this all sounds very promising it has led to questions from my constituents about this new energy technology and what it can offer to our province. Speaker can the minister please tell us more about SMR nuclear technology and what our government is doing to continue to advance this energy source. Minister of energy. Thanks very much Mr. Speaker and thanks to the member opposite for the question. He does come from the Durham region which is Ontario's clean energy capital. Canada's clean energy capital is a matter of fact home to Darlington and pickering nuclear generating stations. 76,000 people working in this sector in Ontario and across the country. The Premier had the vision three years ago Mr. Speaker to sign an MOU to lead the MOU with three other provinces. Alberta Saskatchewan and New Brunswick on the deployment of small modular reactors and boy have we seen progress on this file since he had the vision to do that. But this time last year OPG decided on the technology that they were going to be building on the site at Darlington. The GEHBWRX300 a 300 megawatt small modular reactor that's going to be producing clean reliable electricity on our grid by 2028. Saskatchewan has signed on to purchase potentially four and cite them in their province to help them eliminate coal generation in Saskatchewan. We've seen TVA one of the largest utilities in the United States sign on and collaborate and just a couple of weeks ago the federal government signed on with almost a billion dollars from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Thank you. Thank you very much. Supplementary question. Back to the minister's speaker. It's great to hear that Ontario is leading the way on small modular nuclear reactor technology in Canada and speaker worldwide. But with Russia's unprovoked and illegal attack on Ukraine and growing instability in Asia as China attempts to stabilize the region many of our global partners and allies remain in search of a strong stable and reliable source of energy. Ontario's well positioned speaker as a global energy leader by providing technological access and opportunity to advance small modular nuclear reactor capacity worldwide. Speaker back to the minister what is our government doing to show global leadership and provide our european and global allies with access and understanding of this new technology. Mr. energy. Thanks very much Mr. Speaker and thanks again to the member for the question. There's a lot happening. I talked about what's happening in North America. There's a lot happening in Europe. The world really is watching what's happening as this first grid scale modular reactor is being built at Darlington. A company out of Poland has already signed an MOU with an Ontario company BWXT out of Cambridge to purchase a billion dollars worth of key components. That's good jobs that will be in our supply chain here in Ontario but there's the opportunity there's the opportunity Mr. Speaker for so much more. Just last month I was in Europe visiting with officials in Poland and the Czech Republic along with members from OPG Laurentiis Energy their international arm where they signed two SMR collaboration agreements with Czech and Polish companies. Estonia is also very interested in many other in Baltic countries and Eastern and Central Europe are interested in our technology that we're building right here in Ontario technology that's going to result in more economic activity cleaner air for the people of Ontario. Great paying jobs. Thank you Speaker. My question is to the premier. This government's bill 23 changes the definition of affordable housing from one based on income to one based on average market prices. Under this new definition speaker a family would need an income of at least $130,000 to afford a so-called affordable home in the city of Toronto. This is far beyond what most education workers teachers library workers nurses PSW's transit operators trades people are most workers in Ontario make quite frankly in a year. It's more than what many of us MPPs in this room make in a year. My question is to the premier. Will you amend this bill's definition to give working Ontarians the chance at a home they can actually afford. Thank you. Mr. Minister of housing. Well thanks. Thanks, Speaker. I think the member opposite is making the case exactly for bill 23. We've talked to our municipal partners and we realize that it takes too long to get housing in the ground. We also know that municipal fees are adding an average $116,900 to the end cost of a home in the GTA. So we know that costs are too high. We know that that fees are too high and we know that it takes too long to get shovels in the ground. So exactly what we're proposing under bill 23, you know, moves moves forward on those baseline costs. It allows development charges to be weighed for affordable housing for sustainable housing for inclusionary zoning. All of the things that New Democrats talk a good game on, but then when it comes to actually voting for it, they always vote against. You know, this is against the challenge with Ontario's New Democrats. They say one thing and then do something completely different. Thank you, Speaker. Back to the premier. In Toronto, current bylaw says that if a rental purpose building is demolished, it must be replaced with another building of all rental units. Bill 23, however, gives this government the power to change this and deplete much needed rental stock, replacing it with luxury condos no one can afford. The city bylaw is and has been vital for our community in St. Paul's, where over 60% of our folks are renters. Many of them are seniors or people on fixed income living in older buildings with rent controlled units. Without this bylaw, they risk being pushed out of their homes and into a market where one bedroom in St. Paul's is roughly 2300 bucks a month. Many of them would end up on the street. My question is back to the premier. I would love if he would actually answer his questions as the premier. What in this bill protects tenants in my community of St. Paul's? Where is the real rent control vacancy control demo or renovation protections that makes rentals affordable speaker? This is probably the most preposterous argument that New Democrats have put forward as part of Bill 23. We're actually announcing a consultation on these type of rent replacement bylaws. The member opposite knows that there is nothing in these proposed amendments that will have any impact on rental protections or requirements under the law. She knows that. The stakeholder they don't let the facts get in the argument of a good question. Member for Toronto St. Paul's come door. We're going to continue to stand up for people who there's a generation speaker that there's a generation right now in her writing that don't realize the dream of homeownership. That's exactly what Bill 23 relieves. It provides an opportunity for us to create more housing, more affordable housing, more inclusionary zoning and more sustainable housing. New Democrats speaker are against that. No, no, no. Opposition will come door. The next question member for Ottawa. So thank you very much, Speaker. My questions for the Premier. Today's Ottawa citizen. Children's health crisis seven kids resuscitated at Chio. Today's Hamilton spec. Max master Children's Hospital is running out of cribs and infusion pumps for medication. And it is only expected to get worse. We know that Children's surgeries are being canceled across the province that their emergency rooms and ICUs are more than overwhelmed. The Chief Medical Officer of Health said if surgeries were being canceled and hospitals are in crisis, he would consider mandating masks. Speaker. Anyone who reads a newspaper or watches TV knows that we're already there. So through you, Speaker, will the Premier require universal masking in our schools and public transit? Or the very least. Do himself. What he's asking others to do, which is to wear a mask whenever possible. Order. Minister of Health. Speaker, you know anyone who reads a newspaper or watches the news also knows that there is an increase internationally in RSV and influence influenza. We've seen that we've prepared for that. We've worked with our hospital partners. I'm going to again say, you know, when Children's hospitals and the staff stepped up and helped when our hospitals were being challenged with COVID-19 patients, we are now seeing those same hospitals reciprocate and assist Children's hospitals with pediatric patients that work will continue that innovation will continue. We I have spoken to all four Sick Kids Hospital CEOs. I've said whatever you need, however we can help, please let me know. We have given those investments, you know, in particular in Ottawa, transferring a ward room and making it into a pediatric ICU within weeks is an incredible innovation and shows leadership and shows people understanding where there's needs. We will find thank you. Supplementary question. Thank you, Speaker. Forty three years ago, our oldest child, Kirsten, was admitted to Chio for pneumonia. She was just a year old. There were four more admissions that winter, and it went like this. Admitted, oxygen tent, medication. She's here today because of the people at Chio. I think we all agree on that. I can tell you, there is nothing more frightening than watching your child struggle to take a breath, to struggle to breathe. There is nothing more powerless than that feeling. And right now in Ontario, there are hundreds, thousands of parents in hospitals and at home feeling exactly the same thing. And the people who are caring for them, the people at Chio are asking us to do something very simple. Wear a mask. That's all they're asking us to do. They need other help, but that's a simple thing we can all do right now. Wear a mask. So, Speaker, will the Premier do the right thing? Require masking in schools and public transit and wear a mask himself. Speaker, it's a bit rich, coming from the member opposite and the party opposite, who actually cut residency fees, who cut the ability for doctors to practice and learn in the province of Ontario to stand up and say that our government is not doing enough. We have made sure that investments are happening in our health care system as recently as four months ago to the passage of our budget that included an increase of $5 billion. We are making the investments. We are working with our health care partners. We will continue to do that work because we understand that people want to have a health care system that is healthy and ready for them when they need it, and that is happening in the province of Ontario. Next question. Remember to blue spray your one sound. Thank you, Speaker. Invasive species are a growing concern to Ontario's biodiversity. Last year, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests, you said, it's likely that there are small numbers of wild pigs scattered across southern, central and eastern Ontario. Speaker, invasive species like these put our ecosystem and agricultural sectors at serious risk. In my community, media reported that wild pigs were spotted in Grey Bruce last year, raising concerns about the damage they could inflict on crops and farmland. The cost of wild pig damage to agriculture and the environment can be extensive and costly. Speaker, my question to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, what is our government doing to stop the spread of invasive species in Ontario? Speaker, thank you very much. And thanks to the member from Bruce Grey Owensown for that important question. Mr. Speaker, preserving Ontario's tremendous biodiversity is a key responsibility for my ministry, a responsibility that includes protecting our lands and waters from invasive species. And we're making investments to protect, detect and respond to the threat of invasive species in Ontario. Our investments are aimed at offsetting the significant social, economic and ecological damage done by invasive species impacts estimated at more than $3.5 billion each year. And we made significant progress in preventing invasive wild pigs from establishing themselves in Ontario. Wild pigs are now regulated under the Invasive Species Act. And my ministry completed our wild pig strategy in 2021. We also have the valuable resources and support provided by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. And I want to thank the Minister for their work on this file as we continue to work together to tackle this important issue. By investing now to prevent and manage invasive species, we're protecting our natural resources, mitigating damage to our economy and preventing future costs. Supplementary question. Speaker, I thank the Minister for that answer. We know invasive species do not respect borders and the strategies to prevent invasive species differ significantly across jurisdictions. Invasive species cause biodiversity loss and negative impacts on forestry, tourism, recreation and agriculture. The cost and consequences of delay and inaction are immeasurable and far-reaching. We must ensure that our government's actions are both reactive and proactive when addressing this issue head-on. Speaker, what is our government doing to partner with other jurisdictions and agencies in order to protect Ontario's agriculture and the environment from invasive species? Thank you, Speaker. I want to thank the member again for that thoughtful question. Mr. Speaker, we work collaboratively with organizations and experts dedicated to protecting our province from harmful invaders. By sharing our knowledge and resources, we can strengthen our mutual efforts in the fight to safeguard Ontario from this threat. A perfect illustration of the teamwork needed to control invasive species is our efforts to manage frag mites in Ontario. Fight against frag mites, which we all know well, as involved participation from all levels of government, academia, the nature conservancy of Canada, Canadian wildlife service and more than 25 conservation organizations. We're working with the Green Shovels Collaborative to plan for broader management of frag mites in Ontario and the work undertaken by the Collaborative will help guide our control activities for this damaging species. And since invasive species don't recognize international or provincial borders, my ministry does continue to work closely with our Canadian, U.S., Federal, Provincial, Territorial and State counterparts to address these threats to our shared waters and natural environment. Next question, the member of force Podina Fort York. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Premier, a constituent in my writing has a student debt of $66,000 from her undergraduate degree. Over the past 18 months, your government has doubled the interest on her student debt from 3.5 to 7%. Instead of gouging Ontario students with these high interest rates, will your government do what the NDP government in British Columbia did and eliminate interest on student debt? Thank you for your comments through the chair and directly across the floor. The Minister of Colleges and Universities will move. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member for that question. And in fact, when this government came into power in 2018, tuition in Ontario was the highest in Canada. And what we did to help students was we decreased the tuition by 10% and froze that tuition since then. What we are doing is there to support students to make education accessible for all of us in Ontario. So we can access the world-class education that's happening here at colleges, universities and private career colleges in this province. Thank you. Supplementary question. You know, your government boasts about what you've done with tuition fees, but it's because the Liberals had already done your dirty work. They doubled the tuition fees over their 15 years in office. Ontario students continue to have the highest student debt rate in this country and the lowest per student funding in the country. One in six bankruptcies in Ontario are tied to student debt. 46% of Ontario university students have anxiety and depression because of student debt. The NDP has successfully pushed the federal government to eliminate interest on federal student debt. Instead of supporting the NDP fight to eliminate interest on student debt, your government has allowed the interest rates on student debt to double. Will your government follow the NDP's lead and eliminate interest on student debt? Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and the NDP's supported the Liberal government in doubling tuition, making it the highest in this country. It's for students by decreasing tuition and freezing tuition and, in fact, making OSAP eligibility for micro-conductions, for Indigenous institutes, to allow more and more learners to access the education opportunities in this province. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will continue to work for students. I, NFCord York, will withdraw his unparliamentary remark. Next question, the member for Chatham Kent, Leanington. Good morning, Speaker. Speaker, every day Ontario's police officers put their lives on the line. They go above and beyond to serve and protect our communities. Thank you. Frontline police officers are leaders in our communities, and our government should be determined to continue providing them with the support, resources, and tools they need to do their jobs effectively. Unfortunately, studies reveal that during a police officer's career, they'll be exposed to nearly 1,000 traumatic events ranging from fatal car crashes to homicide scenes. Speaker, could this Lister General inform the House about what our government is doing to support the brave men and women who serve our police services? Very good. Respond, Mr. Lister General. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I want to thank my friend for the question. It's an important issue. Officers can't just leave the impacts of those traumatic images behind at the end of the day. But for too long, that's what was expected of police officers, by the public, by the superiors, even by the officers themselves. The Police Association of Ontario was very excited to learn of Ontario's $45 million investment in supporting mental health of first responders in our last budget. And my ministry is also working closely with the Police Association to continue to make improvements to mental health for our officers. I can tell the frontline officers this. Your government has your back today and every day. Mr. Speaker, I'm very proud to support police officers that protect us every day. Speaker, I want to thank this Lister General for that response. I want to take this opportunity to thank the police officers for my writing of Chatham Kent-Lemington and all across this province for everything they do every day in the line of service. However, the reality is that due to the nature of their jobs, the very nature of these jobs, these officers face traumatic situations and are more likely to suffer from PTSD. Our government must ensure that these brave individuals have the resources and treatment they need to heal and return to work safely and return to their family safely. Speaker, could the Lister General please explain what our government's doing to help our officers with work-related PTSD? Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and to my friend opposite, the Ontario Police College, a place that I have been to, has been in partnership with police associations across the province, providing specialized training for frontline officers to help cope with occupational stress injuries. And I'm proud to say that our government has invested over $1 million in the run-and-meet project for first responders. We will continue to work with police associations to build awareness. And yesterday morning, I was proud to attend the PAO annual meeting, and I'd like to acknowledge Mark Baxter, its president, who's with us today. Mr. Speaker, we're working with all organizations to ensure the security of Ontarians. Every day in Ontario, we lose 320 acres of farmland, farmland that is paved over and will never again grow food, ever, ever. In 2020, the government was actually looking at things to perhaps stem this flow. They were talking about agricultural impact assessments, but now, they're even talking about paving over farmland that was formerly protected in the green belt. Speaker, we are going to need, the 9 billion people soon in the world are going to need that farmland, and so are Ontarians. You think housing is expensive? You think food is expensive now? Just wait. Just wait. Why is the Minister of Agriculture so silent on the preservation of our precious farmland? The Honourable Member for the question. The consultation that the government has engaged in is for a very important purpose. We have a crisis in housing in our province. We are proposing to remove 15 areas from the green belt and in exchange. We're going to be adding over 2,000 acres. Many of those thousands of acres will be prime agricultural land that we'll add in as part of the Periscope Marine and the urban river valleys. The government is taking a balanced approach, but again, Speaker, when you look at the fact that last year was our best year in over 30 years, we only had 100,000 starts. The proposal that we put forward to Ontarians to consider will allow, as a minimum, 50,000 homes to be built. And in addition, we will add significant opportunities for protective land that will go back into the green belt. The net gain is thousands of acres. A couple of mentioned questions. Speaker, there are already now thousands of acres that are zoned for housing development. The housing development isn't being hindered by the land specifically in the green belt, but we are going to need agricultural land. Despite the great job that farmers have done increasing productivity, I'm a farmer, I know. But you need the base land. Again, why is the minister of agriculture so silent, so silent on the need to protect one of the greatest gifts that God has ever given us, the farmland in Ontario? Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is when we met with stakeholders just last week, the Premier and our parliamentary assistants, we heard loud and clear from our agricultural stakeholders that the number one issue in Ontario right now is labour. You can grow all the crops that you want in this province, but we don't have processors with the proper labour force, then it's all for naught. So, Speaker, the fact of the matter is our number one priority is making sure that there is adequate housing in this province to satisfy the increased employment that we need to satisfy and make sure our processing facilities are operating at optimum efficiency. Again, we have a housing crisis in this province of Ontario, and our processors and our stakeholders are asking for more homes to support that labour. Thank you very much. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Long-Term Care. Has Ontarians grown older? Their health care needs often become more complex. That shows that Ontario has an ageing population. In 2011, just over 14 percent of our population was aged 65-plus, but over the last decade, the number has grown significantly and will only increase further. But our seniors are not statistics. They are individuals who deserve quality care. Those unique care needs like dementia benefit greatly, greatly benefit from specialized care while avoiding unnecessary hospitalization. Speaker, what is our government doing to ensure our seniors with complex needs receive the quality care they deserve? Thank you to the member from Scarborough Rouge Park for the question. As the member noted, some Ontarians, such as those living with dementia, have complex care needs, needs which cannot be adequately met in their current care setting. For these reasons, behavioral specialized units can provide enhanced care in the form of increased staffing, a tailored environment and focused behavioral assessment. Behavioral specialized units offer support to the growing number of Ontarians with dementia and other complex care needs. As part of our plan to support aging Ontarians, our government is investing in new behavioral support units, ensuring everyone, including those with complex care needs, receives the support they deserve. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the parliamentary assistant for his response. Sadly, the reality is that while our seniors' population grew over the last decade, the healthcare system did not. From 2009 to 2018, the Liberal government failed to plan for seniors' services and programs needed. The Liberals lack of attention on healthcare services for our seniors created a rise in hallway healthcare and a long-term care wait list that ballooned to an appalling 40,000 people. Our healthcare system is deeply interconnected and more seniors on long-term care wait list means more pressure spread across the system. Speaker, could the minister please explain how these new behavioral specialized units will address this pressure, especially for the residents in Scarborough, Roots Park? Thank you, Speaker, and thank you once again to the member for the question. Behavioral specialized units ease hospital capacity pressures in two ways. First, by ensuring alternative level of care patients receive specialized assistance in a more appropriate care setting. This has the added benefit of freeing up much needed hospital beds. Behavioral specialized units are available to members of the community with complex needs, and by providing this enhanced level of care, we can prevent unnecessary hospitalizations. To the member's question, our government is investing $3.7 million to create new behavioral specialized units at two long-term care homes in Scarborough. Behavioral specialized units, 15 units beds at Bendale Acres, and 32 beds at Extenda Care, Rouge Valley. These investments contribute to our larger plan to fix long-term care, making up for years of liberal interaction and ensuring our elders get the care they deserve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Nurse Practitioner Association is at Queen's Park today. They have a very simple ask to the government. Lift the cap on the number of Nurse Practitioner-led clinic. The 25 existing Nurse Practitioner-led clinics are all success stories. Everywhere in Ontario, they provide access to top quality interdisciplinary primary care to over 100,000 Ontarians who used to go to our overcrowded emergency room for care. Will the minister lift the cap on the number of Nurse Practitioner-led clinic so unattached patients in communities across Ontario, including in Coniston in my writing, gain access to primary care? Thank you, Speaker. It was a real pleasure for me to meet with the Nurse Practitioners yesterday and hear directly about how an innovation that frankly wasn't in existence in previous years has been such an integral part of our medicine and healthcare system. I often talk about how it is critical that we have regional health teams that work together, that coordinate that care no matter from treatment through to diagnosis through to treatment and ultimately palliative if that is necessary. It is heartening to hear the member opposite acknowledge that innovation like Nurse-led practitioner clinics are an important part of how we can assist patients in the province of Ontario. We will absolutely, as I said yesterday, continue to expand that model because we see it working very valuable. Another step that the minister can take to help the 1.3 million Ontarians who do not have a family physician is simply adding more Nurse Practitioners position to the existing clinic. It is a cost effective and immediate step that the government can take that will help patient. It will help the healthcare crisis and it will save money. It is a win, win, win. But in Capriol, the Nurse Practitioner-led clinic is the only show in town. They have thousands of people who want access to primary care. They have Nurse Practitioners that are available to fill those roles, but the Nurse Practitioner clinic in Capriol has no funding to hire them. Their request for funding continues to go unanswered. Minister, why is this affordable, effective, immediate solutions to our healthcare crisis being ignored? Why don't you fund more Nurse Practitioners in the existing clinics? Well, repeat what I said. When we have these innovative programs that are working, that are providing care in our neighbourhoods, in our communities, we obviously want to embrace that and endorse it. It is frankly why Ontario health teams are such an important model that ensures individual organisations are working together to treat the patient first and foremost. It is not about standalone operations, it is about ensuring our Ontario health teams are doing the appropriate care and coordinating that care around patients. We will continue that work because we know it is working. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Last week I had the pleasure of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair. Many I know came and enjoyed it. We were joined by the Minister of Northern Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Food and Rural Affairs. This annual fair, as I have said before in this House, has been a successful platform promoting agribusiness in Ontario for the past century. The agri-food sector provides critical support to our province's economy and food security and we must continue to foster its growth and development. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Northern Development please inform the House what actions our government is taking to build a more robust agri-food sector in Ontario, especially for Northern communities? Thank you Mr. Speaker and I want to thank the member from Elgin, Middlesex, London. His contributions to the agri-food sector are well known and we're sure better off with him and our caucus making a difference in the agri-food sector. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate him and my parliamentary assistant and the Minister of Agriculture joining me for more than $6 million worth of announcements in a variety of different places and spaces in the agri-food sector, Mr. Speaker. There's a very important reason for that. The largest growth opportunity for agri-food sector, Mr. Speaker, is actually in Northern Ontario. That's right, from the Clay Belt Thunder Bay Superior North and Rainy River, the official beginning of the prairies, Mr. Speaker. We see a tremendous opportunity to boost up our agri-food production. Premier and I were out announcing in the spring a beef barn, Mr. Speaker, dairy automation in Thunder Bay and an intermodal grain terminal facility in Cochrane, Mr. Speaker. Northern Ontario is ready to receive the opportunity to contribute to Ontario's world-class agriculture sector. Thank you Mr. Speaker. As we navigate through these times of uncertainty, rural, remote and Northern agricultural communities continue to face unique challenges. These include global economic instability, supply and chain disruptions and ongoing labour shortages, as we've talked about today. Our government must take swift action to support the growth and prosperity of this great industry of the agri-food sector in rural, remote, remote and Northern communities across this province. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Northern Development please share with us what investments our government is making to provide additional certainty for agri-food businesses, especially those in our remote and Northern communities. Mr. Northern Development. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just yesterday I spoke to the Chief at the Abitum First Nation. We're working on an exciting agricultural project in his community. This goes to food security. We're very conscious of this in Northern Ontario and that's why, Mr. Speaker, our targeted investments are in tile drainage to create more arable land, Mr. Speaker, to create high-tech automation to be as competitive as anybody in Canada when it comes to agri-food production, Mr. Speaker, and ensuring that we have the ability, Mr. Speaker, to continue to grow good food and raise livestock in our province. Why, Mr. Speaker, the newly self-anointed and self-appointed food security man from Tomiskaming Cochrane had no less than $28 million worth of agricultural investments in his riding, Mr. Speaker. And you know what he did? He voted against them every time, Mr. Speaker. Why? We're investing in inter-notary facility terminals, Mr. Speaker. We're creating new policies for Indigenous communities to grow agricultural products in their community. Next question. The member for Waterloo. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Last night, my private members billed till death was part, past second reading. While it's a very hopeful step for seniors in the province of Ontario, there is still so much more that we can do to ensure that senior couples are reunited in long-term care. For Jim and Joan, who've been separated for five years, after 65 years of marriage, yesterday was their anniversary, there is a toll on their health. For Jim, he's now seeing a heart specialist. For Joan, her mental health has declined. And there is the saying that love is patient and love is kind. But love is running out of patience and they are running out of time. And so what I want to ask the Minister of Long-Term Care today, when this government, will this government commit to Jim and Joan and thousands of other seniors across this province that you will bring my bill forward in social policy committee, that we will call delegations, and that we will ensure that reunification for seniors in Ontario is possible, that it is resourced, that it is funded, and that seniors who enter long-term care never have to go through the pain and anguish that Jim and Joan McLeod have experienced over their years. Mr. Speaker, of course the committees will make their own decisions with respect to what bills they hear, and at that time I'm sure the member wouldn't want the government dictating the work of committees. But look, for Jim and Joan, a wonderful letter from Jim explaining to me the circumstances of a situation, and that is why we did make changes well in advance to ensure that we could speed up the process of bringing families and couples together much quicker. At first blush, the members bill actually would seem to delay that process and make it more difficult to bring families together. That's certainly not, I'm sure, her intention. It's not what we want to do. Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons why we're making so many investments into long-term care across the province of Ontario, it's not only for people like Jim and his wife, it's for family who want to be close to the people that they love and communities that they help build, Mr. Speaker, and that is why we're building 60,000 new and upgraded breads in every part of this province. We're going to rural and remote communities. We're bringing long-term care into small communities that have never had long-term care before, because we've heard not only from people who live in big cities, but in small communities. We want to be close to home. We want to be with our families and friends, and we want to be in the communities that we help build for generations, and we're getting the job done for people. I think that's our question period for this morning. Pursuant to standing