 It is now time for Question Period, the leader of Her Majesty's Royal Opposition. Thank you, Speaker and gang. Congratulations to the five new members joining the assembly today. The families that have joined with us, as well as Tom and Christine and Lisa and Norm and Steve went through it. Very exciting to actually walk in here to the assembly and take your place. So congratulations to all those members and their families here today. Here's a quick question to the Premier. Almost a million people today are jobless. And instead of using the summer, bring forth any agenda around jobs, we saw the Liberals continue with the attempt to bury information around the gas plant scandal, including allegations of intimidation of the Speaker to keep documents outside of public view. I've come to a conclusion, Premier, I hope you have as well, that the only way to get answers for tax questions is a full judicial inquiry into the gas plant scandal. Would you agree? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I'm going to answer your question. I want to just say first of all, thank you to the five new members for introducing a moment of harmony into the legislature and to welcome them to this august place. I look forward to working with all of you. Absolutely. Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind the leader of the opposition that in fact the August net job numbers were up 43,000. I'm very proud of that, Mr. Speaker. So in fact, the bulk of the net new jobs in the country were here in Ontario, Mr. Speaker. I'm very proud of that. And Mr. Speaker, we are doing everything in our power to keep that trend in place, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I can't believe, Speaker, the Premier calls that a turnaround. I call that a miserable failure when a million people today have no job to go to that want to make ends meet for their families. And that's why we brought a plan for it to actually get our economy to live again, to create jobs and to hold this government to account for its waste of taxpayers' money. Not a single jobs item on the agenda here today. Here's what's troublesome. Instead of working on jobs and the economy, you continue to try to bury information around the gas plan scandal, including allegations of an attempt to intimidate the Speaker of the Assembly, an attempt by liberal staffers to put the Speaker and I quote, on notice to keep documents out of scrutiny for the public. Surely people have been fired. Surely you've taken this cause up. What can you tell us, Premier, about this attempt to intimidate the Speaker to bury gas plan files? Mr. Speaker, let me talk about what we've been doing this summer in terms of traveling the province and making investments, Mr. Speaker. So $17.6 million, Mr. Speaker. We've put in place to support business and regions across the province. That has leveraged, Mr. Speaker, over $133 million in investments. And it's helped to create nearly 2,800 jobs, Mr. Speaker. We launched our youth job strategy, Mr. Speaker. As the Leader of the Opposition well knows, $295 million. We're going to be investing, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that young people have the opportunity to have placements and to have co-op programs and to start jobs, Mr. Speaker. Part of that fund is an entrepreneurship fund, Mr. Speaker. We've launched that. We're increasing the employer health tax exemption, Mr. Speaker. And the Leader of the Opposition should know that that is going to help small business and allow them to hire more people. That's job creation strategy, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do want to offer the Leader of the Opposition a small caution. And that is there is an issue before this House under a privileged request from my investigation. So I would ask him to stay away from that particular topic while I deal with that issue before it's live in the House right now. That's what I've deferred to him. Well, Speaker, the fact that there's a point of privileged motion of this seriousness shows something has gone dramatically off the rails when it comes to liberal government. And, Premier, respectfully, you said you'd be different. You've now been Premier for almost nine months and eight months. And you've failed to act. In fact, the cover-up continues to happen. This is not a time for hand-holding. It's not a time for kicking it down the road. It is time for additional inquiry. It is time for the truth, and it is time to expose those who try to intimidate the Speaker of the Assembly. Premier, don't you agree what action will you take and when you call a full judicial inquiry? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I thought that the Leader of the Opposition was talking about a job strategy. And that was the answer I was giving, Mr. Speaker, because I think that is what people in the province are focused on. And they want to know that those 43,600 net new jobs in Ontario, Mr. Speaker, are a result of work that we've been clear, that government works to put the conditions in place so that the private sector can create those jobs, Mr. Speaker. And that's the work that we've been doing. On the issue of the relocation of the gas plants, which is the fixation, Mr. Speaker, across the aisle, what I have said and what we have done since I came into office as the Premier is we have opened up the process. We have made it clear, Mr. Speaker, that as questions are asked, they will be answered. We've provided thousands of pages of documents. We will continue to provide the answers to the questions you're asked, Mr. Speaker. Questions? Leader of the Opposition? Thank you, Speaker, back to the Premier. Premier, recall on March 6th of last year, the Ontario P.C. caucus brought forward a motion to build subways in the City of Toronto, and specifically in that motion, subways to Scarborough. We simply believe that world-class cities build underground, to build subways. And it's time to treat Scarborough residents as full-class citizens in Toronto. Speaker? Order? Leader? So, last year you voted against the subway for Scarborough. You were against subways for Scarborough. You're pro-LRT. During the election campaign, you flip-flopped. And quite frankly, your Minister of Transportation has been a runaway train when it comes to making announcements that make no sense whatsoever. Why did you say one thing during a buy election? One thing last year and something completely different after the buy election, why should we trust a word you or your transportation minister has to say? Thank you. There's an old teacher trick that was used many years ago and probably is till today, where, oh, that could be arranged, where the person starts off real tough at the beginning, and then eases off instead of waiting to get tough at the end. I just thought I would offer you that experience that I've had. That goes for everybody. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. What is clear, Mr. Speaker, is that it's this government that is committed to building transit. Since the day we came into office, Mr. Speaker, we've been investing in transit. Investment is heartening, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to working with the opposition on moving forward to build transit. I am the first to admit, Mr. Speaker, that the subway, the transit in Scarborough has been an issue of contention. I was Minister of Transportation when there was a serious debate about what modality was going to be built in Scarborough, Mr. Speaker, and that has gone back and forth. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, that we need to work with the people of Scarborough, we need to work with the City Council, Mr. Speaker, and where we have landed is a subway in Scarborough, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to thank all the members for their very warm reception this morning, and I look forward to meeting you all personally. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Madam Premier, prior to the by-election, you promised the people of Scarborough that you would put $1.8 billion for public transit in Scarborough. Unfortunately, after that, you've now made another promise that you're going to put only $1.4 billion forward, and we're going to have fewer stops. And Mr. Speaker, I would like to know why you don't think enough of the people of Scarborough and for that matter, the people of Ontario to put a full amount in and give these people the subway they deserve. Premier? Mr. Speaker, I welcome the member for Etobicoke Lakeshore to the legislature and just to clarify, Mr. Speaker, we committed $1.4 billion to the construction of this project, Mr. Speaker, and we also committed $320 million for improvements to the Kennedy Station. And I think what is critical to understand, Mr. Speaker, is that since 2003, since we came into office, we have been investing in transit really across the province, Mr. Speaker, because the GTA is obviously an important focal point, but we moved the gas tax out, Mr. Speaker. There is gas tax that's being invested in transit across this province. We have been consistent in our support for transit and consistent in our call for a revenue stream going forward, passion for transit that the opposition party will work with us as we can, Mr. Speaker, and find that revenue stream so we can continue to build transit across the GTA chain. Thank you. Supplementary? Premier, the people of Toronto deserve a better answer than that. I think your party knew full well that you would break your promise to the people of Scarborough. You say transit's a priority, keeping your faltering government alive. Faced with the risk of losing a liberal riding, you dreamt up a plan you had no intention of paying for. Premier, will you admit that this was no more than a scheme to try to save a seat in Scarborough? I say it pretty well because I was Minister of Transportation starting in 2010. We have been committed to building transit in Scarborough since that time and before, Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to building transit. It has been a contentious file. There is no doubt about that. But the fact is that we have worked with the people of Scarborough, we have worked with the City Council and there has been a lot of back and forth and the member opposite is newly from City Council and he knows how contentious that debate has been to actually ask that question with a straight face. So, Mr. Speaker, can you to honour our commitment to build transit in Scarborough? Member for Prince Edward Hastings come to order. Peterborough come to order. New question to the leader of the three departments. Mr. Speaker, I also want to begin by congratulating the five new members who took their seats this morning and share with all of their friends and relatives who are either here or watching the excitement that they have and the pride that they have in those people. Congratulations to everyone. First questions to the Premier. Over the summer, all of us had an opportunity to hear from Ontarians both on the campaign trail and off and they were worried about keeping good jobs, ensuring healthcare is there for them when they need it and keeping up with the bills in tough times. More importantly, they are tired of hearing promises of change and seeing the same old status quo. Has the Premier got the message that people need to see results? Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I absolutely concur with the leader of the third party to be doing is making investments in people, making investments in infrastructure and supporting business so that they can create jobs which, Mr. Speaker, is why I am very pleased that in August the jobs numbers were up 43,000 in... 43,600 in Ontario, Mr. Speaker. It's why I'm so pleased that we've been able to commit $17.6 million to support business and regional economies, Mr. Speaker, that we have launched the youth job strategy that I know the leader of the third party is very keen on, Mr. Speaker, that we're dealing with the employer health tax exemption, Mr. Speaker, which will allow employers to hire more people. Those are real changes, Mr. Speaker. Those are the kinds of things that are getting results already. Thank you. I'll be proud to put to the Premier that part-time service sector jobs are nothing to crow about these days in Ontario. The measures that we miss freeing will ensure that seniors are not left waiting for home care. The young people get the good jobs that they need, and that all of us have real accountability on government spending. But we have a lot of work to do if this is going to be anything other than more promises from a Liberal government desperate to hold on to power. For example, Ontario's wealthiest corporations will be getting a brand new HST loophole on meals and entertainment pretty soon. In spring, the government said that they wanted this loophole closed. Have they done anything about it, Mr. Speaker? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I think the leader of the third party knows that this is not a loophole, Mr. Speaker, and we've talked about this many times in the legislature. The Minister of Finance has written to the federal finance minister to work to rationalize this, Mr. Speaker. And I think the leader of the third party knows, Mr. Speaker, that what we are doing here on this side of the house, and in fact with the help of her party in getting the budget passed is making those investments supporting business so that those businesses can create the jobs that are needed in the province, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Final supplementary? Well, Speaker, with all due respect, what I do know is that people are tired of the same old status quo that they've seen for the past 10 years coming from the Liberal government. They are telling us very clearly that they want to see results that make their lives better this session. And we're going to be working hard to deliver those results, Speaker. For example, drivers paying the highest auto insurance rates in the country are wondering how long they're going to have to wait for their rates to actually come down. They see the government working overtime to protect insurance industry profits but moving as slow as possible when it comes to lowering the rates. Can the Premier explain why it is that the government's dragging their feet on lowering the rates while it continues to protect industry profit margins? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And the leader of the third party asked a number of questions that touched on a number of issues in her question. And I know that there are ministers who will want to speak specifically to some of those issues. But I just want to make this point. And that is that I am in Parliament function, Mr. Speaker, so that we can get results. So that we can make the changes that need to be changed. So that we can bring the legislation in that needs to be passed, Mr. Speaker. And so I look forward to working with the leader of the third party on issues like auto insurance, on which we're not dragging our feet, Mr. Speaker. But in fact we're implementing the changes that will allow those average increases to be decreases to happen, Mr. Speaker. And that we are working forward to working with the third party on making sure that those investments in home care happen, Mr. Speaker, where we look forward to working with the third party and with the opposition on the changes to, for example, the employer health tax exemption so that businesses will have more room to hire people. That's the work of the legislature. I look forward to working with the opposition members on that, Mr. Speaker. New question. My next question is also for the Premier. You know, I look forward to change and people keep hearing promises of change but over the summer they saw more and more of the same old same old from the Liberal Government. Way back in January New Democrats proposed a public inquiry to look into the gas plant scandal but the Premier insisted that a legislative committee would do a better job. This morning she actually insisted again that all the answers were going to be gotten by that committee. She insisted it would be a scope to ensure that all questions were answered back in January as well, Speaker. Can the Premier explain why then the committee chair, the Liberal MPP from Etobicoke North is blocking questions at committee? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think the leader of the third party knows that that is not what is happening and that the chair of committees take their advice from the clerks, Mr. Speaker and they act in accordance with that advice. Well, Speaker. Ontarians judge leaders by what they do, not just what they say. They see New Democrats have been delivering results that will make government more accountable and they see Liberals trying to stop Ontarians from getting answers about the gas plants. Now on August the 13th the Premier said she was surprised that MPPs weren't being allowed to ask about senior Liberal staff. Will the Premier direct or government house leader to agree to expand the mandate of the Justice Committee so that Ontarians can get answers about attempts by senior Liberals to influence the Speaker? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know the House leader is going to want to comment on this question in the next supplementary. But let me just say, Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased that we were able to get the budget passed in this legislature. I'm very pleased that the NDP were able to support the Liberal budget, Mr. Speaker. That the NDP were able to support the initiatives of this government to invest in home care, Mr. Speaker. To invest in a youth job strategy to invest in transit, Mr. Speaker. I'm very pleased that the third party was able to see that the people of this province, Santa Minority Government too, Queens Park and that they are working with us have been working with us. I do want to offer the leader of the third party the same advice that I offered the leader of the official opposition and that is too there's a live issue before this House right now in dealing with the prima facie case regarding the issue you brought up. So I'm asking that you refrain from asking questions about that particular issue. And it's just offering as a caution, please. Final supplementary. Speaker, this is about her leadership, not the leash her house leader on. On August the 13th, the Premier said the member from Renfrew come to order I'm not impressed. Please put your question. The 13th, the Premier said I was surprised that the questions were out of order. I fully expected those questions could be asked. The Premier herself has promised that all questions would be answered. Now she can keep her word and do the right thing now or she can continue to protect well connected liberal insiders. She can do the right thing, Speaker and get Ontarian's answers or will she let the same old status quo stand? Thank you. It is day one. Just noting. I just want to note, Mr. Speaker that the quote that the leader of the third party has read out a couple of times that I was surprised demonstrates, Mr. Speaker, that I don't control what goes on in committee. And so, when to the question. I don't want the information out, Mr. Speaker. We want to continue to be open. I wrote to the auditor general. I asked the auditor general to look at both situations, Mr. Speaker. There are 135,000 documents that have been provided to the committee, Mr. Speaker. The leader of the third party knows this. I really believe she knows that it is my intention, it is our, it has been our intention all along to make sure that as questions are asked they get answered and we will continue in that manner, Mr. Speaker. No question? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is also for the Premier. Premier, over the summer my colleagues and NDP colleagues were prevented at the Justice Committee from asking very important and pertinent questions about your liberal operatives, senior liberal staffers attempting to strong arm the Speaker after his decision in finding a primate case of contempt against your government in the gas plant scandal. So, Mr. Speaker, I want to know why you weren't forthcoming with that information that the meeting it took place and put the Speaker in such a terrible position. Secondly, so no transparency, you said you're going to be transparent, but you're not. Secondly, why did we have to find out by scouring through thousands and thousands of secret emails that the meeting did take place? And thirdly, what have you done to take action to make sure that your senior staff people, that liberal campaign people will be prevented in the future, and this will never have began from inserting politics and trying to influence rulings of an impartial speaker? Again, I'm very much wanting quiet so I can ask a statement. I'm very concerned about the direction when there's a live issue that is being dealt with, that will be dealt with, and I am sensitive to the questioning. So I'm trying to be as balanced as possible with this, but I'm asking all members that are asking those kinds of questions to try to divert yourself from make mention of the chair while the chair is supposed to be making a ruling. So if you can find a way to do that and everyone would be listening while I'm speaking would be helpful. So I'm leaving to make that happen. And if not, then I will rule it out of order. Premier, you can answer. Mr. Speaker, it's unfortunate that members of the opposition including the member who just asked the question are really playing some procedural games here. I mean the fact of the matter is Mr. Speaker, the Speaker of the Committee made a ruling and there are other options that we could deal with. One was a point of privilege which the Honourable member in question has given notice to this House and this House is seized with. The second is for the House leaders to sit down and talk about a reasonable way to move forward. Mr. Speaker, the House leaders have meant on this matter and without divulging what our confidential conversations, I can say that we looked at both. I as House leader would never want to be in a position of trying to horse trade in a privilege. We talked about some potential ways forward but the Honourable member has chosen to raise that point of privilege. That is his right, Mr. Speaker, but then he cannot use question period to try to berate the Government, Mr. Speaker. He's got to choose a choice procedurally and these types of games are quite frankly beneath him. Supplementary. I'm allowing it. I'm still stunned with that answer Mr. Speaker. Hi, back to the Premier. Premier, Ontarians are disgusted with what happened. It took Watergate a long time to be a big issue. This in Parliamentary circles is a huge issue. You do not do what your people attempted to do. It's not whether the Speaker was influenced or not. It's the attempt, the strong arm of the Speaker while a ruling was going on. The email exchanges between these advisers have raised a lot of eyebrows with members of this House and with the public. You want to be open, you want to be transparent. The people of Ontario want you to be open and transparent and they want the answers. You won't because the House Leader hasn't brought forward a motion that we could all agree on to expand the mandate of Justice Committee so that we could ask these process questions leading up to the Speaker's ruling. I ask you, what are you going to do to correct things? Secondly, has anyone been fired over this? Again, Mr Speaker, it really is beneath this member. He knows that with a point of privilege before this House that we could not explore any other way forward. I was not in a position to ever want a horse trade away to raise a point of privilege. I did, without breaking the confidentiality of House Leaders, I did offer a potential way forward, Mr Speaker. We know by the actions of the member that that was rejected. The fact of the matter, Mr Speaker, is the chair of the committee made a ruling based on his best advice. I understand later in the session, Mr Speaker, a technical briefing was offered by the chair and the clerk and other experts and you know what I found surprising, Mr Speaker, the opposition tried to have it in camera, in secret, Mr Speaker, this was a ruling that was based upon the legal advice that was received by the chair of the committee at the time. Mr Speaker, we will hear the point of privilege and you, sir, will deal with it. Thank you. Mr Speaker, my question is for the Premier. On Friday, people in London West receive some discouraging news with the release of the latest job numbers. Compared to a year ago, there are 5,800 fewer people in the labour market. That's people who have given up all hope of finding work and have just stopped looking. Premier, taking away people's hope that they will ever be able to earn a living is no solution to high unemployment rates. When is the government going to take real action to create jobs in London West? Minister of Economic Development Trade and Employment. Minister of Economic Development Trade and Employment. Thank you, Mr Speaker. We are working hard to create jobs right across this province. In fact, I was in the London area just last week making some announcements with the South Western Ontario Development Fund. I was in important announcements in places like Palmerston and Guelph and Elmira and I'm working closely with the leaders of London, the leadership of London and it's important to recognise that although there are provincial disparities in those jobs, there are 43,000 new jobs created and let's drill down a little bit in that and what that means because we actually saw some are asking about the quality of those jobs. We actually saw that there were 7,600 new manufacturing jobs created in August alone. There were an additional 13,300 jobs created among our youth. We have an important youth job strategy that's contributing to that and I'll speak more about that in a minute. Thank you. The reality is that London has lost 4,600 jobs compared to a year ago and people in London West are worried about being able to pay the bills. The South Western Ontario Development Fund was established to help businesses create jobs yet the only thing Londoners got from the fund recently was a by-election re-announcement of 14 jobs that were re-announced earlier. Again, my question is to the Premier. When can the people of London West expect to see the fund bring some desperately needed new jobs into the London economy? Mr. Speaker, of course I look forward to applications coming from London in the London area as we've already seen. Armo Tools is another example just out in a riding immediately adjacent but there are a number of people from London who have provided them with support grant through the South Western Ontario Development Fund. In fact, even though this fund has only existed since October and I know it's a fund that the PC Government, rather the PC opposition voted against but since October alone, actually this government has invested more than $25 million in Southwestern Ontario through this fund. That's more than 6,000 jobs that have been created and $5 million from the private sector. I've had a great time all summer traveling through Southwestern Ontario, including London, seeing the projects, the programs that they were contributing to. Manufacturing is alive and well and we're working with these companies as they expand and they extend their global reach. My question is from Scarborough Guildwood. To rise in this House on behalf of the people of Scarborough for transportation and infrastructure, to rely on public transit every day to get to work and from school. Improving transit is a top priority for my constituents. People in my riding across Scarborough are looking for more frequent and faster options when using public transit to get around and they want to know who will deliver. My colleagues and members from Scarborough, Scarborough Southwest, Scarborough East, Scarborough Rouge River and Scarborough Centre have been tireless champions for a subway in Scarborough. Premier wins, stepped up to the plate with a plan to build a subway to Scarborough and the money to back it up. However, there seems to be the risk of more delay because other levels of governments don't seem to be ready to support a Scarborough subway extension. Speaker, we need to get Scarborough moving. Will the Minister of Transport and Transportation of Scarborough's House when will a subway project get underway? Minister, transportation and infrastructure. Thank you, Minister, Mr Speaker. I would first like to join my colleagues in the House to welcoming fine, very fine Ontarians to this legislature. This is a huge privilege and congratulations to you and your families and also to the other candidates that weren't successful. So congratulations to all of you. We are building a subway, Mr Speaker. We've had a lot of talk. If we've had anything about Scarborough and Subways, we've had debates and we haven't had enough action and Premier Win has asked that I make sure this project gets built on, budget on on time. We have allocated actually, Mr Speaker, the budget is the total budget for this is actually more like 1.8 because we have 320 million in the common components in the project. We will be building, Mr Speaker, without any support from the federal provincial government, a $1.4 billion subway to the Scarborough Town Centre, Mr Speaker, on budget on time. Thank you, Mr. Mr Speaker, and through you, thank you to the Minister for that update. I'm proud that this government continues to make public transit a priority. Ontario Liberals are transit builders. The projects being funded under the big move in Scarborough will be well received by the people of Scarborough, Guildwood. The investments that this government is making will help make public transit a better choice for commuters, reduce congestion on our roads, and contribute to a better quality of life for Ontario families. When my constituents talk with me about improving transit, they want to know how it's going to be done as much as they want to know what's going to be done. However, many are unfamiliar with the big move and Metrolinx itself, the agency responsible for implementing it today. Mr Speaker, will the Minister tell this House what Metrolinx is doing to deliver on the promise of better transit for the people of Scarborough and throughout the GTHA? Thank you, Minister. Mr Speaker, I want to thank the member again and for her advocacy for her constituents. We are building $16.4 billion in the largest regional build out of transit in the history of the GTHA, 15 years ago. We are building a major new system, Mr Speaker, and 90% of that is being funded singularly by the provincial government, which is where lies the challenge. Mr Speaker, 4% of the funding comes from the federal government, a measly 4%. In the six months, Mr Speaker, that I've been the Minister, I have written letters, I have had one conversation with Minister over a couple of months ago. I have tried to get a meeting with her to talk about this for several weeks for a couple of months. We actually had, Mr Speaker, three different appointments in the last few weeks. She canceled all of them. We have no support from the federal government. We have no meetings and they clearly don't care about this at all. Mr Speaker, never mind funding. A new question, the member from Nipissing. The Liberal Gas Plant scandal hearings went on all summer long. The surprising thing here, we are almost a year after the first email documents started dribbling out and we still don't know how much the Oakville Gas Plant cancellation was. We have one fact confirmed by the documents and by sworn testimony. And, Premier, that is as you, as Cabinet Chair, signed the order that started this whole charade with Trans Canada. Now, you either knew how much this was going to cost Ontario or you blindly signed it with no regard whatsoever to what this will do to the taxpayers or the hydro bills. So, Premier, when you put that pen in your hand to start this whole thing off, were you thinking I don't know or I don't care? We talk about transparency. This is the Premier of the province who has asked the Auditor General to look into the Oakville situation and I see from media reports that she is suggesting that it will be out in the coming days. She said early fall, Mr. Speaker. It was this Premier who went forward and asked for a broadening of the committee. She even offered a select committee which the opposition rejected. It was this Premier who went in front of the committee and answered questions, hundreds of members, both in the house and in committee. But you know, Mr. Speaker, I want to talk a little bit about transparency in that particular member. It's interesting, Mr. Speaker, he was Mayor of North Bay for a number of years, actually I think 8, 9, 10 years, and the Liberal Research Bureau, Mr. Speaker, asked for emails under freedom of information from his time as Mayor and Mr. Speaker, I look forward to sharing the response in the supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to go back to the Premier. It is pitiful, Speaker, that I can guarantee you in those emails there were no gas plant scandal documents. I can also tell you I have no idea what the city did with my seven years of emails that I saved when I was in the office. Your Liberal Operatives Premier would not tell us the truth during the scandal hearings this summer. Anyone would tell us the truth and misdirection, such as we have just seen from the House Leader. Nobody would tell us how much you, Premier, spent to cancel the Oakville plant, but we know you already know that number. You already have the Auditor General's findings and you know you have been caught red-handed again. You spoke of the people's fixation with gas plants. Let me tell you, Premier, they are fixated. They don't know about the tax payer and rate payer's money did you spend to cancel the Oakville gas plant. Tell us right now. We don't know whether there were any emails about gas plants and the honourable members' emails because this is what we heard from the deputy clerk for the town of North Bay. I quote, you want to hear this. I have now confirmed with the director of information systems and the available emails and attachments for the mayor and his office staff from December 1st, 2003 to November 30th, 2010 are no longer available. So, you know Mr. Speaker, the dramatics I would ask the member to come to order. Minister of energy, come to order. Minister of the environment, come to order. Mr. Speaker, the point is that the dramatics and the history on the committee do its work. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker that they have heard from dozens and dozens of witnesses, they have looked for over 100,000 documents. No question. The member from Windsor to come see. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you to everyone for that warm welcome this morning. Speaker, my question is to the premier. In late 2012, the minister responsible for infrastructure is manufactured for the Herb Gray Parkway in Windsor did not meet code. Nevertheless, some of those girders were installed as late as January and it was only this July that the ministry ordered a stop to the installation of girders on this vital $1.4 billion project. Speaker, why did this government wait until July to stop construction when it knew months earlier about the structurally girders? Mr. Speaker, this government is pretty proud of a $1.4 billion investment that we're making in the Windsor-Essex Parkway. This is timely because the bridge crossing of this unprecedented level of infrastructure is of huge concern to this government and we know it is the foundation for future economic development in the Windsor-Essex area and soon as Mr. Speaker, we discovered I discovered that there was an issue we acted immediately. I have now ordered an inquiry the expert review panel is reviewing this entire matter we acted promptly. That is an open and transparent process they will be rising and reporting within the next 30 days Mr. Speaker and I think all of the questions being raised will be answered Mr. Speaker thank you very much. Speaker, the government has retained the group of what it calls leading experts in structural engineering to review these unsound girders. This study was to be completed in late summer. Now we learn that the deadline for submissions has been extended to the end of September meaning an interim report won't be available until sometime this winter. When will this legislature, when will the people of Windsor review critical projects? Mr. Speaker I became aware of this as you know in May. I immediately acted gathered information and went to my deputy we immediately in June ordered the to cease any construction we will not open any part of the parkway until this review is complete and we've committed to that Mr. Speaker we're managing this in a prudent and thoughtful way. The expert panel are the engineers who will make these determinations around compliance and around structural integrity this is not something for politicians when the transcripts will all be public the committee will be reporting completely publicly and all these questions will be seen in the full report Mr. Speaker I think it will demonstrate that certainly I as a minister responded quickly and promptly as we came across information Thank you Mr. Speaker Thank you Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker I'd like to echo the comments of the member from Etobicoke Lakeshore and thank everyone for their warm welcome in the house in the ledge today I understand it's not that way every day at least that's what I've been told I'd also like to say it's an honour to rise today on behalf of the residents of Ottawa South for the minister of health and long-term care as our population ages the quality and sustainability of health care is a growing concern for my constituents whether it's a trip to the emergency room or a visit to the family doctor they want to know health care services will be there for them when they need them I have made clear my commitment to ensure the people of Ottawa South get the high quality of care they deserve The minister speak about what we're doing to keep Ottawa healthy Thank you Thank you speaker and I am very sincere and my congratulations to the new member from Ottawa South and to the other new members who have been elected to this wonderful legislature congratulations to you all we are making important investments to improve the quality of care in Ottawa and accessibility to health care in the Ottawa area 10 family health teams have now been established and are providing care to 140,000 people in the Ottawa area as the member from Ottawa Orleans knows well we're committed to building a family health hub in Orleans to provide comprehensive primary care in Orleans we've cut wait times in Ottawa for example MRI wait times at the Ottawa hospital have been reduced by 82% and anyone needing a head replacement at mo 4 has had their wait cut in half the previous government wanted to shut down mo 4 hospital our government has invested $173 million in expanding and redeveloping mo 4 and just this past summer it was certified as an academic teaching hospital things are getting better Thank you Mr. President Thank you Mr. Speaker the minister for health and lung care has given me a very good answer I want to make sure that my French speaking constituent are well served the hospital is very essential for them they offer very good health services and it's a hospital that is very important for the French speakers in this constituency could the minister of health tell me more about what the government is doing for Ottawa francophones and also could she tell me what's been done to improve German 4 hospital to the minister of responsible for francophone affairs Minister responsible for francophone affairs Thank you Mr. Speaker I would also like to congratulate John Fraser for his election he's an extraordinary man he has the interest of the francophone community at heart and this government has been extraordinary with Franco- Ontarians the hospital that was supposed to close down a few years ago under the past government raised from its ashes and we have doubled the number of beds in that hospital and I will have the pleasure to announce the designation of this hospital as a teaching hospital I have done my my classes there as a nurse and I would like to thank the minister for giving me the opportunity to make this announcement Thank you Thanks very much Speaker if I may just before I speak I want to congratulate all of the new members of this assembly obviously Mr. Fraser from the same city as me and Doug Holiday to our new bench and also to the others it's great to have you here and my question is to the Premier asked and answered or tried to get answers from you on a number of occasions almost 40 direct questions from you on what the true cost of those cancelled gas plants are and I haven't been able to get that response from you but I do know you are you do have that information because the auditors report has been given to you in advance the residents of Nipi and Carlton would truly appreciate it once and for all if you would provide us in this assembly with the full details and the true costing of what those cancelled gas plants are you've had all summer to do it will you do it today Thank you very much Mr. Speaker and I know my colleagues will want to comment in the supplementary I do not have the auditors report Mr. Speaker I do not know what the auditors report is going to say Mr. Speaker and when the auditors report is available it will become public Mr. Speaker We were promised it before we came back Speaker and I want to go back to the Premier the abuse of tax dollars to what could be to the tune of one billion dollars that has been misspent is a serious matter that is why our leader is calling for a judicial inquiry so justice will be served and the severity of this matter will be studied in the full view and the full attention of the public Premier we need a full inquiry now but we also need the full set of numbers we know that you have them we know that you've had them for quite some time Mr. Speaker thank you very much Mr. Speaker well I will say to the member opposite that just repeating an untrue statement does not make it true I do not have the numbers Mr. Speaker I asked the auditor general to look at the two situations I went to committee and answered questions Mr. Speaker and I opened up the I opened up the scope scope of the committee so that those questions could be asked Mr. Speaker I repeat Mr. Speaker I do not have the auditor general's report I have not seen it I do not have those numbers and when they are available the member opposite will be able to see them stop the clock please stop the clock please I've been challenged a few times today to try to bring us to focusing on how we should be asking the questions and also what we should be doing in between that time I'm very I'm challenged by the way you responded by saying it's untrue so let's try to be as succinct as possible with this I'm I'm making I'm making an observation about what I'm hearing I haven't made a challenge to anyone other than to challenge us to race to the top instead of the bottom let's try to keep this on a high level please I'm satisfied with that and I'm just making a comment new question the member from Trinity Spadina the question is to the Premier the Premier once talked about the need to work with the City of Toronto on transit as part of the conversation that she has found of saying so why has she sent the Minister of Transportation to cause chaos and division by announcing a cut down Scarborough Subway Plan with no buy-in from City Council no buy-in from the TTC or apparently even Metrolinx the government's own transit planners Mr. Speaker I want to be very clear about this Mr. Speaker there has been if you look at the maps one way only and one route only between the Kennedy Station and Scarborough Town Centre it is the route we are proceeding with it is the route that was there today it was the route that was there three years ago it is the route it has never changed this government has never proposed an alternative route to do that what we are changing is the technology Mr. Speaker the technology is changing from an LRT to a subway there are a number of reasons and fruit come to order there are a number there are a number of members of my caucus and and do good and others who fought for 20 years to get a subway Missy Hunter ran on Mr. Speaker we are paying 100% of the cost of that not only do we have collaboration with the city and Councillor Thompson are co-chairing a committee to develop and elaborate this project which I think is an unprecedented level of cooperation between our two governments Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker the minister of the latest plan has been widely panned as half baked politically driven and perhaps even physically impossible why is the minister playing railroad tycoon and taking pod shots at supposed partners instead of working collaboratively with the city of Toronto to improve transit to Scarborough residents Mr. Speaker I could take a great deal of lessons from some of my friends at City Hall in Ottawa like Mr. Flaherty and Mr. Ford on pod shots I certainly have had a lot from them the only two points we made were not pod shots Mr. Speaker the two points we made of our colleagues and the other governments and I don't speak of the whole city but some politicians there who are champions of the country and some of the other members 4% Mr. Speaker as a Canadian as a contribution to the regional as a contribution to our economic and social capital of those countries transit needs is laughable Mr. Speaker I've been mayor of another city I would have never accepted less than a third the mayor of Kitchener doesn't accept less than a third the mayor of Ottawa doesn't accept less than a third so Mr. Speaker we again find ourselves as the only people funding our promises and delivering our promises my question Mr. Speaker is what route does the NDP want to change the route do they not like the route that's been there for four years what is their position how are they going to find this Mr. Speaker what did Mr. Gianbroni promise the people of Scarborough-Gilbreth new question my question is to the Minister of Economic Development Trade and Employment our 2013 budget is about creating jobs and helping people in their everyday lives Mr. Speaker any economist will tell you that an effective regional support program will play a significant role in supporting businesses and communities helping them grow and create good meaningful jobs with Ontario back on track after the global recession it's still important to provide economic support to rural regions across this province to ensure economic growth and prosperity through you to the Minister of Economic Development Trade and Employment could the Minister please update this House about the action our government is taking to provide regional economic development supports for businesses across Ontario and in Glen Gary Prescott Russell for example thank you Minister of Economic Development Trade and Employment thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the member from Glen Gary Prescott Russell for such an important question Mr. Speaker my colleague is correct when he says that Ontario is back on track so much so that we have recovered over 180% of the jobs that were lost during the recession more than 475,000 jobs 90% of those jobs full time 80% of those jobs in the private sector Mr. Speaker and a lot of that has to do with commitments made through our southwestern Ontario Development Fund the important eastern Ontario Development Fund which we have committed almost 90 million dollars in support for so far and these investments have not only created and retained more than 20,000 jobs they've leveraged private sector investment of nearly $1 billion Mr. Speaker and our government's commitment to promoting such regional economic development remains a priority in fact as I mentioned earlier just last week I was in Elmira in Palmerston in Guelph and more than $2 million $3 million Mr. Speaker of investments creating a better climate Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you Minister for your response it's great to hear that our government is working to support businesses across the province and leverage investments for growth such as in my own writing of Glengarry Press God Russell Bose beer is expanding and holder tractors is expanding as well while providing these supports is important rural Ontario communities face unique challenges when it comes to employment for example for the government of rural Ontario or for other rural writings across this great province I recognize the importance of helping people find good jobs in their home communities this will help keep Ontario diverse while contributing to the lives of those who may not live in major urban areas Speaker through you again to the Minister of economic development trade and employment Minister please update this House on what our government is doing to help everyday regions of Ontario find good quality jobs very much Mr. Speaker this is in fact a great opportunity to let the legislature know about our government's recent expansion of the boundaries for our regional economic development funds and how this will further help to create jobs in local communities across the province the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund will now include the County of Simco Mr. Speaker and the Eastern Ontario Development Fund will now include the City of Misscocca and I have to say I want to congratulate the local municipal and regional leaders of those two areas for working so diligently and closely with my ministry to make that possible by expanding these geographic boundaries Mr. Speaker we're helping businesses not for profit organization and municipalities in both Simco and Misscocca to apply for funding for projects that will spur innovation attract investment and create good local jobs Mr. Speaker we did in rural Ontario Mr. Speaker I understand just how important regional economic development programs are in economic development generally for rural Ontario and I'm sure my colleague feels the same for his constituents Mr. Speaker my question is for the Premier it's been two years since your government self-serving decision to cancel the Mississauga gas plan in the dying days of the 2011 election and for two years the committee has done its best to obstruct, delay and avoid coming clean with the taxpayers about how much this is going to cost them despite being under oath one liberal operative after another when called in front of the committee has put on their best sergeant Schultz impression when you appeared before the same committee you also refused to answer a question put to you 32 times the committee's summer hearings left us with a whole lot more questions not answers you're on the record as saying that you want the answers to come out and that you have heard the public's anger loud question clear will you finally let us get to the bottom of this scandal end this charade and call a judicial inquire thank you come here minister of energy thank you we certainly appreciate the question I recall in the month of April at the justice committee the CEO of the Ontario power authority was a witness and at that particular meeting he presented his best cut at the cost of Oakville we also had a number put forward by the opposition critic as his best cut for the cost there was also an independent consultant who put his number forward of the best cut at the cost of that particular project three weeks earlier the CEO of the OPA had given a different cost for that project if there was no other evidence that we need the auditor general to report and to have the patients to wait for her in that office that's where it should be that's where the answer will come one committee meeting where four people are giving four different answers they're wasting time at the committee we want to get on with the business of this legislature let the auditor general do his job thank you a lot of bluster a lot of excuses no answers the obstructionist tactics by liberal party operatives are well established they have memory lapses their testimony by other witnesses in front of the committee is false they dispute unequivocal evidence contained in the release documents you claim you want to have the question answered questions answered but your actions betray your true intentions it is clear that your liberal government has no interest in the truth your attempts to pay lip service to transparency have been exposed and nobody believes you anymore no way the only way to restore public confidence and get to the bottom of this question is to call a judicial inquiry why won't you do this what are you hiding Mr. Speaker there's a statement here and the question is who said this the cost of a public inquiry is excessive we don't believe that that's necessary MPP Leone MPP for Cambridge what's changed between then and now Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker I can only repeat that the Justice Committee has gone up and down on this issue 100 times they've got different answers we had the Premier had the leadership capacity to say let the auditor general look into it let the auditor general come back and report we did it for Mississauga we accepted the report we're doing it for Oakville we'll accept the report answer thank you thank you my question is for the Premier last week the Premier skipped around the north on a whistle stop tour but her government isn't going anywhere on issues that actually matter to northerners they've got a conversion of the Thunder Bay generating station and in fact northerners have watched as the Liberal government blew over half a billion dollars cancelling gas plants in southern Ontario and they blew 20 million cancelling the Thunder Bay gas plant conversion twice now northerners are asking themselves what's going on here they need results and they don't need photo ops and endless conversations my question is a pretty basic one which is future thank you very much Mr. Speaker my experience of being in the northwest was that people were pretty darn happy about the experimental lakes area that the provincial government has stepped up Mr. Speaker I have to say 100 million dollars a year for roads and bridges that kind of infrastructure investment that was a direct request that came from municipal leaders many of them in the northwest what I have to say is that I did spend time in the north I did travel the province this summer and the result of that travel my travel in the past and in this summer is that the needs and concerns of regions in the province Mr. Speaker make their way to our policy discussions and that results in better outcomes for the people of the province so I was happy to be there and I was happy to be there to go again On August the 14th the member from Simcoe Gray with written notice of his intention to raise a point of privilege upon resumption of the house I am now prepared to give my ruling without hearing further from the member of Simcoe Gray as standing order 21D permits me to do so the members point of privilege relates to the existence of certain emails that were recently produced to the standing committee of justice policy in connection with that committee's review of the gas plants issue generally and my September the 13th 2012 ruling specifically these emails chronicle a discussion among a number of then current and former staff of Premier McGinty's office and are offered by the member of Simcoe Gray as evidence that an attempt was made to influence or intimidate me with respect to my ruling arising from the point of privilege put forward on August the 27th 2012 by the member from Cambridge as I have said in a public statement on July 30th I cannot speak to the mindset or the motivation of the authors of these emails however I think it is critical to note that my ruling of the prima facia case of privilege had been established by the member of Cambridge was made on September the 13th 2012 fully 8 days before the emails in question here I can tell the house that I made the September the 13th ruling without any interference from any person based on the evidence and arguments put forward to me by various members of this assembly based on the August the 27th 2012 report of the estimates committee and in consultation with only my procedural advisors at the table at no time did any person seek to pressure me with respect to that ruling and it having been made it was not changeable in any event this simply was not possible as I also noted in my July 30th public statement I meet and have discussions regularly on a wide variety of issues related to my duties and responsibilities as speaker I am sure all members can appreciate the extreme reluctance I would have in divulging the topic or content of any of those discussions for many of them take place with you and your colleagues to do so would just justifiably open me up to a criticism that I cannot be trusted to keep confidences regardless of great or minor importance however given the serious nature of the matter at hand and in what I judge to be in the best interest of this institution I am prepared to say that at no time in any discussion I might have had after delivering my September the 13th ruling was I the recipient of any inappropriate overture or suggestion I have not been pressured intimidated controlled warned or threatened in any way nor was any influence exerted upon me to do so or say any particular thing or to pursue any particular course of action nothing of this nature has taken place it is because I can so clearly give this house this assurance that I must find that a prima facie case of privilege does not exist I thank the member from Simcoe Gray for providing me with the comprehensive notice of this matter the member from Renfrew Nipissing Pembroke on a point of order in the answer given to the member from Nipissing the government house leader delved into areas that I believe are inappropriate for this house to even be considering and I look at standing order 23 H I and M as my justification for raising this point of order the question at hand to the put to the answer by the government house leader is to deal with the issue of the gas plant cancellation matters that were dealt with by this legislature by this government by the Liberal Party for this house leader to go down the road of trying to make a mockery of what we do in this house by talking about F O I's to the city of North Bay to look for emails that go back to the mayor of that city council let alone the mayor and to raise those issues into this house takes us down an area that we are not responsible for this is not the job of the legislature of Ontario to be looking for emails from the city of North Bay secondly it is absolutely certain that any emails from the city of North Bay would have nothing to do with the cancellation of gas plants in Mississauga or Oakville and that is an insult to the members and an insult to the public the people of the province of Ontario to play those kinds of games and I would hope that any question of that nature in the future that is responded to in that silly, ridiculous way by the government house leader is immediately ruled out of order I thank the member for his point of order and I honestly believe that it actually would be helpful to this house if all members would refrain from about anything they've done in the past present or future I would also suggest very strongly that all members give serious consideration to speaking to the chair the speaker when responding to and asking questions that would help us remove ourselves from the noted comments from the member from Renfrew Pembroke and Nipissing and I thank him for his comments and I charge all of us with taking that path as much and often as possible there are no deferred votes this house stands recess until 1pm this afternoon