 They're seeing none, it's now time for Question Period, the leader of Remastered Peaceful Opposition. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Enhancing access to autism treatment is something very dear to me. For the last five years I've been involved with the Simkel County Association for Autism, with Aaron Nightingill, to Fundraise, and I promise the families I'd ask you this question. Madam Premier, on April 2nd the member for Ottawa Arlene stood up in this house during Question Period and the member said she was very encouraged by the strong action the government took to improve the lives of children with autism. Yet just months later we became aware that there were 16,000 children sitting on wait lists for autism treatment. Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, is she proud and encouraged by the strong action this government has taken while thousands of children languish on wait lists? Well, Mr. Speaker, I'm very proud of the work that we have done over the years to improve the service to children with autism. And Mr. Speaker, the leader of the opposition will know that I was the Minister of Education, Mr. Speaker. At the time I worked very closely with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, who is now the Deputy Premier, Mr. Speaker. And we worked with autism associations around the province. We worked with them, Mr. Speaker. We established a coordinated, multi-interdisciplinary care circle for families and for children with autism, Mr. Speaker. We put more money into IBI and ABA treatment, Mr. Speaker, which allowed thousands of education workers and schools to be trained, Mr. Speaker. So yes, I'm very proud of that work. Is there more to be done? Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, again to the Premier, I can applaud the government for additional investments. However, it is clear that funding is not enough. Order, please. 16,000 children are on wait lists. Furthermore, the government has had the audacity to claim they've expanded applied behaviour analysis based services and supports. When, in fact, we now know a thousand fewer kids received ABA funding over the past two years. Mr. Speaker, how did this government stand up on World Autism Day and claim they expanded autism treatment programs with a straight face knowing that you have not? Mr. Speaker, there was no funding for ABA. We put funding in place for ABA, Mr. Speaker, and we trained people around the property issue. That'll do. And the Speaker will also acknowledge that there are people speaking when I'm standing. I don't want to repeat it yesterday, but I will if I have to. Please finish, Premier. This is a very complex issue. It is not enough just to look at a wait list, Mr. Speaker. What we have to do is we have to make sure that children are getting IBI when it will benefit them the most, Mr. Speaker. We have to make sure that schools have the ability to take kids into their system. That's why we train so many education workers in ABA, Mr. Speaker. That's why we continue to work to make sure that children get the service that they need. There's more to be done. We acknowledge that, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, it's not complex. It's very clear. It's straightforward. A thousand less kids receive ABA funding. It's simple. The government is known for having conversations, panels, sit-downs, committees, chit-chats. But what they're not known for is taking action. The Autism Parent Resource Fund is a nice tool for parents. But what I'm looking for in the kit I can't find and what it's missing, Mr. Speaker, what it's missing is funding. Funding for 16,000 children on a wait list is turned every day. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow I'm looking forward to going to the Toronto Autism Gala. Can I tell the parents and children at that event that this government will commit to making sure that these 16,000 children on the wait list that you'll deal with, that you won't delay? Well, Mr. Speaker, if the leader of the opposition doesn't think this is a complex file, then that just demonstrates his complete lack of understanding. One more round like this and I'll go to warnings. Finish, please. You have the wrap-up. Mr. Speaker, it has been a top priority of this government to provide services for children when they need them, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that the IBI services and the ABA services are available to students, Mr. Speaker, available to children. We understand that families struggle with children with autism, Mr. Speaker. We will continue to work to make investments that will improve the lives of children and families who are dealing with autism, Mr. Speaker. We are not going to oversimplify it the way the leader... Thank you. Good question. The member from Prince Edward Hastings. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this morning is for the Minister of Energy. Time and time again, this government has repeated that the sell-off of Hydro-1 won't impact on Hydro rates. When the Minister of Energy spoke to the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, he said the government will ensure taxpayers and ratepayers are protected and that a private Hydro-1 will never have the power to set its own rates. Yet, Speaker, right after the 15% of Hydro-1 is put on the market, what do we find in our mailboxes? A notice that Hydro-1 is attempting to increase distribution charges effective on January 1st. It seems oddly coincidental that the first chance a partially private Hydro-1 has to increase rates, it's going to increase your Hydro bill. Speaker, does the government plan to do what's right and protect the ratepayers of Ontario from the fire sale of Hydro-1, which will only result in increased Hydro rates? Mr. Speaker, the fact is Hydro-1 is asking the Ontario Energy Board. It's the Ontario Energy Board that makes the decision, Mr. Speaker, so he's defeating his own point, Mr. Speaker, by saying that we're going to increase rates. What they basically sent a notice on, Mr. Speaker, is that they're making an application to do so, Mr. Speaker. There will be a process, there will be public hearings, there will be interveners, there will be consumers associations, all going before the Ontario Energy Board. And the member knows that time and time again the Ontario Energy Board has varied or reduced to give those increases. Mr. Speaker, he's just proving the point. Hydro-1 can't do it themselves. They've got to go to OEB and they have to have public hearings, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. The minister's right. The minister's right. They do have to go to the OEB and they have rarely, rarely turned down a rate increase at the OEB. This came out at the very first opportunity, Mr. Speaker. Back to the minister of energy. He stated on September 30th the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the right of the Ontario Energy Board to ensure consumers paid just and reasonable rates for electricity. When I get phone call after phone call at my constituency office telling me that my folks have to choose between heating and eating or a woman who just had a baby goes home to a dark home because Hydro has been cut off because she can't afford to pay it. That is anything but just and reasonable electricity rates. Just two weeks after the beginning of the sale of Hydro-1 the rates are going to be pushed up again with Hydro customers being hit hard. Speaker, will the government stop the sale of Hydro-1? Will they do the right thing and allow them to keep their lights on? I'm standing. Minister of Energy. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned Hydro-1 has asked the Ontario Energy Board for a rate increase. In 2010 Hydro-1 asked for a rate increase for distribution received a 9% reduction for its capital request. In 2012 Hydro-1 asked for a rate increase for transmission received a 3% reduction for its capital request Mr. Speaker. In Ontario power generation applied for a 6.2% rate increase in 2011 Mr. Speaker. Minister of Aboriginal Affairs come to order and the member from Simcoe Gray come to order. Mr. Speaker, when Ontario power generation applied for a 6.2% rate increase in 2011 the OEB denied the request and lowered the rate by 0.8%. In 2014 OPG asked for a rate increase and the answer would be only approved about half the request Mr. Speaker. So the Ontario Energy Board makes the decision. Not Hydro-1. Mr. Speaker, Hydro rates in Ontario have gone up 77% over the last five years and that's a fact that you can take to the bank minister. In an interview with the Globe and Mail this weekend Michael Penner chair of the board for Hydro-Quebec Hydro-Quebec was asked about the possibility of the privatization of that province's utility to which he answered. Don't even think about Hydro-Quebec and privatization in the same sentence. He also went on to say there's a better chance that the Egyptians would privatize the pyramids than we would privatize in Quebec. Speaker, the chair of Hydro-Quebec recognizes the absurdity of privatizing their electricity utility and the long term value that such an asset brings to its province. Why is this government pressing on with the privatization of Hydro-1 that will cause long term pain to Ontario and its rate payers? What about the sale of Hydro-1 now? Mr. Speaker, I have asked the leader the opposition and I'll ask him again in answer to this question. Mr. Speaker, why did he support privatization of Ontario Hydro and OPG during his campaign for leadership? Why was that part of the platform of the Conservative Party in the election of 2014, Mr. Speaker? They recommended selling shares to the public. They indicated in their own policy paper, Mr. Speaker, they would rely on the Ontario Energy Board to control rates, Mr. Speaker. It's their policy. Will the leader disavow himself from his own policy? Thank you. New question. The leader of the third party. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. When the Premier doesn't answer a simple question, Ontarians should ask themselves why. Is the Premier planning to sell off more revenue-generating assets? Thank you, Speaker. The leader of the third party has seen our plan. She knows what's in our plan. We ran on our plan. We are broadening the ownership of Hydro-1 in order to invest in infrastructure. That is the decision that we made. That is what we ran on, Mr. Speaker. And we are going to make those investments because we know in order to be competitive in the 21st century, we need to make those investments in infrastructure. That's what we're going to do. And to do that, Mr. Speaker, we are selling real estate. We sold the GM shares, Mr. Speaker, and we're broadening the ownership of Hydro-1. That is our plan. That's what we ran on, and that's what we're implementing, Mr. Speaker. If the Premier was done with her sell-offs of revenue-generating assets, she would have had a great answer, which she could have said, quote, I appreciate the question from the leader of the NDP, but our revenue-generating public assets are safe. They're staying in public hands and they're not being sold. But, Speaker, very obviously, she is not saying that. That speaks volumes to the people of this province. Is this Premier refusing to rule out selling more revenue-generating assets because she's expecting to do or planning to do exactly that, Speaker? Not at all, Mr. Speaker. We made a decision that investing in infrastructure roads and bridges and transit and water systems around this province was critical to the economy of the province, Mr. Speaker. That's why we made the difficult decision to broaden the ownership of Hydra-1, Mr. Speaker, because we know that using an asset that is owned by the people of Ontario and leveraging that, Mr. Speaker, to be able to invest in new infrastructure that will be owned by the people of Ontario that that's critical, Mr. Speaker, if we're going to be competitive into the 21st century. So that's what we're doing, Mr. Speaker. I know the leader of the third party doesn't think that's a good idea, but clearly she doesn't think that making the investments in infrastructure is a good idea. Well, she's wrong, Mr. Speaker. We need those investments. She has put forward no plan of how she would do that. We've got a plan and we're implementing it, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Thank you. Our revenue-generating assets, the people of Ontario's revenue-generating assets pay for things like transit. They pay for hospitals and schools, roads and bridges and nurses and education workers and police and scientists and snow plow drivers, Speaker. The independent financial accountability officer of this province has shown that the selling off of these kinds of assets means less money to invest in the services that the families of this province rely upon. Will this Premier do the right thing by the province of Ontario? Do the right thing by the people of Ontario and commit to not selling off any more of Ontario's revenue-generating assets? Thank you. We see it, please. We see it, please. Thank you. It is our responsibility as government in this province to work to make the economy as strong as it can be, Mr. Speaker, because if we do not do that, then we will not be able to generate the wealth, to generate the growth that will allow us to support very institutions that the leader of the third party is talking about, Mr. Speaker. So it is our responsibility to make those investments, whether it's in people's talent and skills and their education and their skills training, Mr. Speaker, whether it's in infrastructure, Mr. Speaker, or whether it's working with businesses to support them and create a dynamic business environment. That is our responsibility. We made a determination that investment in infrastructure was a critical part of that plan. Are they doing these investments? That's why we're broadening the ownership of Hydro-1. The leader of the third party knows full well what is in our plan. We are implementing that plan, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, you don't burn the furniture to heat the house. My question is for you to learn something new about the Hydro-1 sale, it gets worse. Yesterday the Minister of Finance confirmed that Ontario families are actually subsidizing the IPO. A $3 million check to Hydro-1 to pay for IPO costs and in fact there's going to be more coming, Speaker. Can the Premier explain why Ontario families who are so opposed to the sell-off of Hydro-1 are now subsidizing its sell-off? Mr. Speaker, that's not the case in the Minister of Finance. I know we'll want to comment in the supplementary, but let me just say we are building Ontario. The infrastructure that has been in place for decades needs to be renewed. My term as the Minister of Transportation made it clear to me, Mr. Speaker that we must make investments that quite frankly have been neglected by previous governments. So we need to make those investments in order to be able to compete. In fact, Mr. Speaker, we're catching up. We're actually behind in terms of the investments that needed to be made over the last 40 years. So, Mr. Speaker, we're making those investments and so we are building the province up so when the leader of the third party characterizes what we're doing, Mr. Speaker as somehow taking away what we are doing is we are building new. We are building infrastructure that's needed for the next generation and the generation after that, Mr. Speaker. That's what our plan is and that's what we're implementing. Mr. Speaker, we'll be agrees with the Premier, Speaker, and our small group of friends. Our Ontario families subsidizing this Premier's sell-off but it turns out the Premier is counting money that isn't even there, Speaker. The Premier put out a press release last week claiming that Hydro One's sale generated $2.2 billion that simply isn't there, Speaker. It's not cash that can be used for infrastructure and transit. It is simply an account entry, Speaker. This deal is so bad that the Premier has to count money that doesn't even exist. She started out borrowing Mike Harris's hydro privatization plan. Now she's borrowing Tim Houdack's bad math plan. Exactly how much of this sell-off Speaker is based on this kind of bad math. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, we have to talk about what these investments mean to the people of Ontario because there are real projects, Mr. Speaker that are creating real assets. Yesterday we announced our government's investment of $2.27 billion for the new Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, Mr. Speaker. I had the opportunity to visit the hospital to see this fantastic new facility that has been built. That kind of investment will benefit people every single day, Mr. Speaker. It will change people's lives. It will save people's lives. That kind of investment is exactly what we are talking about, Mr. Speaker. I also had the opportunity to visit our first fully digital hospital, the Humber River Hospital, Mr. Speaker, last month. And that, again, is the kind of investment that will change people's lives. Those are investments and projects that are happening all over the province, Mr. Speaker. They will improve people's quality of life and that's what this investment means to the people of Ontario. Final supplementary? Only will the sell-off, the sell-off of Hydro One cost us money in the long run. But to add insult to injury, Mr. Speaker, Ontario families have just paid $3 million with more still to come to actually have the privilege of mortgaging their own future, Mr. Speaker. And the money that the Premier claims that she's counting on from this sell-off, well, it's not cash. It's a number that the Premier will out of thin air, Mr. Speaker. So just how bad does this deal have to get before the Premier admits that she is wrong or is that something that this Premier does not know how to do? Admit that she is wrong because that's where I suspect people. And when is she going to admit that she's wrong and actually stop the sell-off of any more of Hydro One? Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So today, the NDP are going to make a notion and this is what they're going to say. The new cash that's being sold will raise as little as $1.4 billion over the course of the next four years. That's what they're claiming. The fact of the matter is this one transaction alone has netted to the families of Ontario $3 billion, $1 billion extra which is going to pay down debt. So we're paying down debt by a billion. We're putting in $3 billion more into infrastructure into our thing. They further say that we are now going to have foregone revenue. Absolutely, we are going to replace it with greater revenue and that's the whole point of reinvestment. Something that that party doesn't seem to understand. We'll continue to do what's right for the people of Ontario who are protecting consumers and ratepayers at the same time. This is all net monies, Mr. Speaker. They're ahead. The people of Ontario now ahead as a result of the transaction that's just done. Thank you. Good question. Thank you, Speaker. Premier, in the 2015 budget you announced that there would be a $50 million reduction in the funding to Ontario's medical laboratory companies. We have learned that Alpha Laboratories whose CEO is former Liberal Cabinet Minister and leadership candidate, Jared Kennedy has actually been exempted from this cut and will continue to receive the previous funding. Mr. Speaker, my question is short and direct. Can the Premier confirm that Alpha Laboratories has in fact been exempted from this $50 million cut? Welcome long term care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker and I appreciate the question. We have a proud tradition in this province of working closely with our community laboratories including smaller laboratories like Alpha Laboratories but also Life Labs and Dynacare and extraordinary ability to provide the services at the quality that Ontarians expect. However, Mr. Speaker, we've been working closely with those labs to see how we can find further efficiencies. We've actually asked for a panel to be set up, which they have and they've just recently concluded their report to look at how in the short and medium and long term we can provide those efficiencies we can ensure that the quality is the highest that we can support our community laboratories to do even better work that they do so I'm currently reviewing that report I have met with all stakeholders quite frequently over the course of the past year we'll continue to do so as we develop a program that Ontarians will be proud of. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker, back to the Premier. You've rewarded the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health for supporting you at your leadership convention by giving them plumb cabinet positions. Mr. Kennedy also supported you at the convention although you couldn't give him a cabinet post because he no longer sits as a member in this house. Mr. Speaker, I will ask once again to this Premier. Will she confirm that the preferential treatment given to Jared Kennedy's Alpha Labs is in fact his reward for supporting her at the Liberal Leadership Convention? Excuse me, very borderline and I'm going to let it pass but I would warn all members that you're not making those kinds of accusations directly or indirectly to any member in the house and while I have the clock stopped I'm going to remind all members that you address each other by either your title or your writing and by doing so it helps the tone of the place. Minister of Health. Well, thank you Mr. Speaker and so as I mentioned we have a laboratory services expert panel that was created created in coordination and in concert with their community labs has been looking and experts in the field and outside of the field that can provide us with the information and the recommendations that we need to strengthen our community labs and provide such a vital service to Ontarians. There are no special exceptions to how we view any of the laboratories we are looking at this purely from one vantage point working and acting in the best interests of Ontarians how we can find efficiencies so we can provide even more service to Ontarians how we can ensure that laboratories exist throughout the province providing high quality of service so we can encourage this in a way which is based on the good advice of the expert panel. Thank you. My question is to the Premier Premier today your operative in the Sudbury by-election scandal Mr. Laugheed is going to court can you please confirm in this house today if your government is paying his legal bill or is it the Liberal Party of Ontario? Thank you. Mr. Speaker I actually I actually don't know the answer to that question with the member ops that I really have no idea. Good supplementary. Wow who's in charge over there begs the question but my follow-up question then would be this you've had to sit down with lawyers in regards to the Sudbury by-election by-election scandal you've had to interview with the Ontario Provincial Police you've obviously had legal counsel can you confirm in this house today if it's a people of Ontario deputy house leader second time himself that paid your legal bills and they came to your protection in this particular scandal? The people of Ontario did not pay the legal any legal bills for me Mr. Speaker Thank you. Your question the member from Durham Thank you Mr. Speaker my question is for the Minister of Community and Social Services Minister this government and the people of this province value the idea that every member of society can and should be supported in times when they are most in need much of the population is served by the programs that your ministry operates however even with this support in my riding of Durham I hear from constituents advocates and leaders in the community about the challenges that individuals living with and without disabilities experience during difficult times Minister what improvements have been made to social assistance in Ontario to help the most vulnerable who are relying on these supports Thank you Minister Thank you very much Mr. Speaker and to the member from Durham for the question our government knows how important social assistance is to supporting those in need and that is why over the past three years we have focused our increased investment in social assistance towards lifting the lowest rates and increasing support for individuals with disabilities our 2015 budget invested in additional $100 million annually to continue these rate increases and I am pleased to report that as of November 1st the new rates are in effect this means that single adults on Ontario works the largest group accessing that program received $900 more this year than they did three years ago however our social assistance programs provide much more than a check assistance coupled with a strong employment supports and skills training initiatives helps people reconnect with the labour force and towards independence Thank you Mr. Speaker Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the Minister of Community and Social Services for all of the important work that she has done along with thousands of ministry staff that serve the most vulnerable people in our province every day as the Minister said over the past three years there has been demonstrable progress to improve the supports offered by Ontario works and the Ontario disability support program but as we all may remember it hasn't always been this way following the significant cuts made under the progressive Conservative Government in the 1990s and early 2000s the social assistance system that devastated Mr. Speaker and still now recovering Minister what has happened to the social assistance system since the Liberal Government was first elected in 2003 Thank you Mr. Speaker this is an important question in order to understand where we have come from and how much progress has been made when the PCs were in government they cut social assistance to reduce ODSP rates and downloaded the costs of social assistance to municipalities and since 2003 our government has not only increased rates by 29% for individuals receiving Ontario works and 18.3% for families receiving Ontario works and individuals receiving ODSP that has also implemented an earnings exemption to allow recipients to earn up to $200 a month without reducing social benefits we have had 11 continuous years of new investments in raising social assistance rates providing help to over 900,000 vulnerable adults and children in Ontario every day and that's why our government believes that further reforming social assistance is a key aspect of our effort to alleviate poverty Thank you Mr. Speaker to the Minister of Energy with respect to the blockade of power towers Hydro One said recently we respected the request by the community to stop work I represent that community the community did not ask militants to cease control of Hydro One land running through Caledonia the community did not ask for settling and cutting torches placed at the base of transmission towers for vehicles to drag part of a power tower down the main street of Caledonia to then blockade the town for a month for the Mohawk Warrior flag to fire over Caledonia 300 feet up on a tower for the dismantled towers to be used as lookout towers I witnessed all of this the community did not ask for pieces of towers to be thrown from the Highway 6 overpass this transmission corridor must be completed now that the Minister is selling Hydro One to the private sector will they let the private sector do it? Thank you Mr. Speaker I think the member knows the history of this particular transmission line construction was started I think around 2005 about 95% of it was completed then there was the the land dispute around Caledonia Mr. Speaker involving two first nations and the federal government there is a land claim issue Mr. Speaker that needs to be resolved by the federal government who has the responsibility for that and we have taken some steps Mr. Speaker to try to facilitate solutions by the two first nations who are disputing with each other and disputing with the federal government we had made some significant progress towards it but we have not been able to resolve the issue Mr. Speaker so it's a very sensitive issue we're being respectful of first nations Mr. Speaker in terms of waiting conditions to be resolved Thank you Thank you Mr. Speaker The press and CTV news determined that not only did the Niagara Falls New York power transmission corridor to nowhere cost 100 million dollars but also interest in the capital as dinged taxpayers another 50 million growing by 5 million dollars a year for a truly stranded asset newly built power towers that have never transmitted electricity Speaker as the minister of energy and power in his cabinet office to date 37 ministerial directives and now bill 135 disempowering IESO and the OEV if the minister can't guarantee the private sector will do it will he now use his new found authority to secure an injunction to resume construction after nine years and complete wiring of these towers through Caledonia Thank you Minister of bad virgin affairs Thank you there's a complex land negotiation claim underway in your area it's been going on for a number of years the federal government is a key priority to those negotiations the federal government has not sat down in a meaningful way since 2009 when we had the last there is a new government in Ottawa there is a new minister of Aboriginal affairs I have read her mandate letter over her mandate letter is much like my mandate letter and it stresses the need for the federal government to work with the provincial government and the first nations involved to settle these complex and ongoing land claim matters I'm expecting to meet soon with my new federal counterpart in Ottawa there is a new government there are new players on the scene we are hopeful of moving these issues forward Thank you Thank you speaker my question is to the premier yesterday the annual hunger count report on food bank usage was released and the results are shocking speaker since 2008 food bank usage in Ontario has risen more than 14% and 48.6% of food banks in Ontario are reporting an increase in use more appalling still nearly 34% of food bank users are children this government is failing families and children in need will the premier admit that her government isn't doing enough to help families and in need across this province Mr. Speaker I know that the minister of community and social services will want to comment on this but I just want to say to the member opposite that of course we are all concerned about these statistics Mr. Speaker in fact it's why our government put in place a poverty reduction strategy it's why Mr. Speaker we put in place the Ontario child benefit Mr. Speaker which has actually lifted thousands of children out of poverty Mr. Speaker we know there's more to be done Mr. Speaker we just put in place a local poverty reduction fund but Mr. Speaker there is more to be done across the country we understand that and the fact is that we have targets that I just wanted to make sure he heard me the member from Renfrew's second time carry on Mr. Speaker there are 50,000 children fewer children in poverty today Mr. Speaker because of the Ontario child benefit we know there's more to be done Mr. Speaker and we are continuing to take action Mr. Speaker there is not one fridge for parents and another for children these kids in poverty using food banks regularly because their parents have no other choice not to mention already marginalize people like those on disability income supports making up one third of food bank users because they aren't being properly supported more and more post secondary students are being forced to use food banks because they don't have enough to buy food Speaker it's 2015 food banks in Ontario should not be reporting increases in use will the Premier admit that her parents failed policies are forcing vulnerable people to pay the price Thank you very much Mr. Speaker and we do thank FoodBanks Canada for the report that they issued yesterday it does give us a good national picture of the problem of food security and hunger but we also know that we have made steady progress as the Premier has just responded and as I did in the previous question we are lifting those most vulnerable up in terms of increasing rates we are improving the system in terms of partnerships with many of our community agencies the reference I think that the Premier made to the Ontario child benefit is particularly relevant we know that we did increase that in July 2015 to $1,336 and it is indexed to inflation for the very first time so we are making steady progress on this issue Thank you Mr. Speaker Any questions from Mr. Saga Branson Thank you Mr. Speaker my question is to the Minister of Labour Mr. Speaker these days we are hearing more and more about precarious work and the nature of changing jobs in our province it is common for Ontarians to be self-employed or have part-time and temporary employment when I meet with businesses and workers in my writing they tell me that our laws should reflect the realities of the modern economy and we must ensure that we do so Mr. Speaker I know the Minister of Labour has launched the changing workplace consultations sometime ago can the Minister update this house about those consultations Mr. Speaker I would like to thank the member for the excellent question because it really gives me the opportunity to update the house this morning on the changing workplace consultation as a member mentioned since I announced the appointment of the special advisers earlier this year they have been all over this great province they have met with more than 200 groups in person they have received close to 300 written submissions they have been working through these submissions I suspect we are going to see their final report later next year but in the interim they are bringing an interim report in February submissions included solutions that came from Ontarians as to how we might address applied to precarious workers across this province I was pleased to see that so many Ontarians from so many sectors came forward we heard from employers we heard from employees we heard from trade unions and the recommendations of people how we adapt to these key changes is going to really determine how well we are able to protect workers going into the future the process is going well Thank you Mr. for that answer it sounds like the consultations were a great success it is great to know that so many Ontarians decided to attend one of the scheduled consultations took time to submit recommendations to the advisers I know that people in my riding were able to participate but I also know that some are still wondering if they are able to have their opinions heard Mr. Speaker the consultations have ended Mr. Will there be further consultations for my constituents and those across the province to participate who have not yet done so Thank you Mr. Thank you Speaker I think is one that all members can assist in this regard because as I mentioned previously the formal consultation process has ended but this does not mean the opportunity to submit written recommendations to the advisers is over all of us should go back to our riding speaker and tell people that after we share the interim report in the new year in the early part there is going to be a period of approximately 6 months where Ontarians are going to be able to submit more recommendations more solutions so I would like to encourage every member in this House from each of the parties represented in this House to go back to their ridings and to ensure that people realize that another consultation period is coming up we need everybody's help in this House Speaker to make sure that everyone is able to go home safe and sound at the end of every day to realize that future we want Speaker we need to get solutions from Ontarians to participate Thank you very much Mr Speaker my question is to the Associate Minister of Long Term Care in 2007 the Liberal government announced it was redeveloping 35,000 long term care beds that's 3,500 beds per year over 10 years by 2014 and 7 years since the original announcement the ministry having failed to implement and execute the plan the first time simply reannounced the same they are redeveloping aging long term care beds so this government and its two health ministries have had 8 years to review plan to prioritize and most importantly to deliver the promised beds it's nearing 2016 and the seniors in my riding and across in Tarot want to know where the beds are and why this government is 8 years behind schedule will the minister responsible as a minimum release the schedule of bed redevelopments to this House Thank you Associate Minister of Long Term Care Thank you Mr Speaker I would like to remember opposite for his question and his advocacy for on long term care homes and I just want a hey man you to know Mr Speaker and this House that we take the redevelopment is a priority item for us and that's why Mr Speaker I can say this that since coming to office we have already redeveloped 13,000 beds in fact Mr Speaker very recently about in early fall I attended the official opening of yet another redevelopment it was in Whitby Fairview Lodge 198 beds redeveloped part of the 13,000 that we have already redeveloped and the member opposite is right we have committed to redeveloping another 30,000 beds work on that is well underway and I look forward to making some announcements Thank you Mr Speaker Thank you Mr Speaker back to the Associate Minister of Long Term Care you've had 12 years and you're telling me this is a priority and you've only got a third of the way I've listened closely to your platitudes as the Associate Minister that you give yourself and your party I think it's clear there are nowhere near the start or worse the end of completion of construction just so this House is clear under this Government's watch the number of long term care beds has increased by a mere 3% however the wait list has exploded to 21,000 seniors and 15% of our seniors die on the wait list 8 years later the Minister is responsible for as much as put together a schedule of when and where they will redevelop their beds I asked you this in estimates Mr Speaker we believe our most free citizens deserve better through you to the Minister I ask can the Minister at least advise this House how much she budgeted for redeveloping old and for building new long term care beds Thank you Mr Speaker Mr Speaker I'd like to begin by reminding the member opposite that we've already redeveloped 13,000 beds and work is well underway for redeveloping an additional 30,000 beds I'm also going to remind the member opposite that our original budget mentioned redevelopment of 30,000 new beds and if the member opposite and his party were that interested in the redevelopment why did they vote against that budget bring down a government that delayed by months our ability to redevelop Thank you Mr Speaker Thank you Mr Speaker Thank you Mr Speaker Thank you Mr Speaker and my question is to the Premier the OPG Ontario's nuclear regulator has just applied for an unprecedented 13 year license extension for the Darlington nuclear generating station typically extensions are granted for periods shorter than five years and a 13 year extension would effectively end public scrutiny and emergency planning until the year 2028 the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has since stepped in and said that they will hold their own consultations because of public concern so will the Premier please offer her thoughts on why a federal panel appointed by Harper feels that the province is so non-transparent that they need to host consultations on their behalf Mr Manager Mr Manager Mr Speaker I know the member realizes that for a period of over 45 years we've been operating nuclear facilities in the province Mr Speaker and we're among the best measure in terms of safety worldwide Mr Speaker we also know that we're on the cusp of Darlington moving forward with refurbishment Mr Speaker that refurbishment will take us over several decades Mr Speaker in terms of additional life out of these units Ontario power generation has been working very very closely with the Nuclear Safety Association of Canada it's a federal regulatory responsibility Mr Speaker we're complying with all of the provisions Mr Speaker and we're willing to live with the decision of the federal regulator on this issue Mr Speaker Thank you Thank you Speaker Last week Durham Regional Council passed a motion calling on the provincial government to be more transparent in reviewing nuclear emergency plans the motion was originally put forward in June by former Councillor Jennifer O'Connell who has since been elected as the Liberal MP for Pickering Uxbridge Speaker will the Premier listen to the advice of Ms O'Connell and the Durham Regional Council and commit to a more transparent process for Ontario's emergency planning Mr Speaker the member would also know Mr Speaker that all of the municipalities in the Durham Region are very very supportive Mr Speaker of nuclear power remaining their support of the refurbishment of the units Mr Speaker so they continue to provide the jobs again I want to repeat Mr Speaker we've been measured as among the safest jurisdictions in the world for nuclear energy where we will be 100% compliant Mr Speaker with the federal regulatory agency on this particular issue Thank you Mr Speaker Thank you my question is for the Minister of Health and Long-term Care Ontario's response to the global refugee crisis and Speaker given my own ethnocultural background and linguistic affiliations I find asking this question particularly poignant and urgent as I said yesterday in caucus regarding their wind's commitments whether she's on the right side of politics the right side of history or just on the right side I salute her leadership Speaker Ontario has always welcomed people fleeing war, famine and persecution with their 2013 Newcomer Settlement Program we accept over 80,000 people annually I respectfully ask the Minister what is our government doing to support the Syrian refugees in Ontario Mr. Health Long-term Care Thank you Mr Speaker and the member from Etobicoke North is absolutely right this province and this country has a long tradition of welcoming refugees from all parts of the world in fact Ontario welcomes more refugees and refugee claimants than any other part of this country Mr Speaker our province has committed to receiving our share of the 25,000 Syrian refugees that are expected in this country later this year this is something that I know and believe that all Ontarians should be extremely proud of Mr Speaker we're going to play a critical role in resettlement efforts and we're already working hand in hand with our federal partners we've established a cabinet ad hoc committee on Syrian refugees chaired by Michael Chan the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and myself and we expect to hear details of the federal government's plan underway in our preparations here in the province to welcome and receive these refugees Mr Speaker Minister as you know in both your professional and parliamentary capacities healthcare is a human right not a luxury and I know that healthcare facilities all over the province have committed to providing healthcare services to the Syrian refugees who will be coming to Ontario I also know that the leader of the official opposition was part of the now thankfully past dark ages otherwise known as the Harper Government which voted to cut healthcare to some of the world's most vulnerable populations this was just one Speaker of the many many moves that made Canada unrecognizable to itself Minister how will you re-Canadianize our refugee response Mr Speaker I was proud 15 years ago I was responsible for the refugee file working in Lloyd Axel of his office when he was foreign minister and we invited and welcomed 5000 folks of our refugees over a period of just about a month and we succeeded in that and that's why I have confidence that we will succeed again and Mr Speaker I'm so proud of the outpouring of support from our local health partners right around the province hospitals, public health units community health centers their response has been outstanding we're working to help we're developing an action plan in coordination with them we're monitoring the situation in the Middle East in terms of any communicable diseases or other infections that we should be concerned about that would help alert us in terms of any immediate health needs or protections required and most importantly we're working with all our community partners out in civil society who have the expertise and the talent to work with us including on that we're working with the federal government in the coming weeks Thank you Mr Speaker my question is for the Premier Speaker for years this government has forced rural Ontario to foot the bill for liberal mistakes we paid for cancelled gas plants we paid for the Disasters Green Energy Act we paid for e-health and orange now we're paying for the new Hydro One CEO's $4 million salary does the Premier agree that it would have been better to pay for things we actually need things like rural infrastructure or will she continue on her merry wasteful way Mr Speaker I think it's commendable that the member opposite is actually advocating for rural infrastructure because that is exactly what is at the heart of our decision to broaden the ownership of Hydro One and I think that the member opposite will well because he travels around from municipality to municipality as we do on this side Mr Speaker and he knows that every municipality in this province urban, rural, suburban all are looking to the provincial government for support in building infrastructure Mr Speaker so we are very committed as the member opposite knows we are allocating $31 billion between the GTHA and the rest of the province and we are doing that by stats can data by demographics Mr Speaker because we know that there is a need for equitable distribution of that infrastructure money that means rural infrastructure is critical Mr Speaker Mr Speaker unfortunately no one believes the Premier anymore two years ago two years ago the government cancelled the connecting lake program and it was working well we fought tooth and nail to get this program back but it came at a cost instead of funding the program as it used to be the government is only putting in $15 million $15 million divided by 77 eligible municipalities doesn't go for worse yet Speaker it looks like the government is going to make communities compete for the funds that they need to make sure municipalities and Perth Wellington are at the top of the list for connecting lakes funding Thank you very much Speaker and I thank the member opposite for his somewhat sudden interest in supporting infrastructure for communities across the province of Ontario as one of my colleagues said earlier today it's more than a little bit curious and I'm sure people watching at home even from his own community are a bit perplexed year after year that party that caucus that leader stands up and objects and opposes every initiative brought forward by this Premier to invest in this provinces infrastructure Speaker I'm so proud of the fact that we've reestablished a stand alone connecting links fund applications for those 77 communities is open as of this week Speaker we look forward to continuing to work with them right across the province to make sure we keep building Ontario up Thank you very much Thank you Speaker my question is to the Premier it was only two days ago that the NDP stood here in the legislature and asked the government to stop leaving the Ontario manufacturing sector behind on that very same day power blades a manufacturing plant in my riding of Welland closed its doors leaving 136 Ontario workers without a job immediately effective immediately the government talks a good game about attracting manufacturing about creating jobs and investment but the proof is in the facts 300,000 paying manufacturing jobs have been lost under the Liberal government Premier my question is simple what does the government have to say to those 136 people workers in my riding economic development infrastructure economic development and infrastructure Mr. Speaker we're always concerned about any layoff in this province to any worker anywhere in the province Mr. Speaker and it's unfortunate this company which I believe is about 24 months old didn't get the contracts that they were hoping to get and wasn't able to make a go of it it is unfortunate for those workers but the fact of the matter is Mr. Speaker we're continuing to build in manufacturing in this economy and that's despite the fact that the opposition opposes us every step of the way members party Mr. Speaker wants to see us put taxes on our manufacturers across Ontario raise their corporate income taxes Mr. Speaker that's going to take jobs away from a sector that's been on the rebound we've seen $2.5 billion of investment in the auto sector alone in the last 12 months Mr. Speaker if we did what that party wanted us to do raise their corporate taxes those investments wouldn't be happening we're going to keep fighting for manufacturing jobs Mr. Speaker thank you Mr. Speaker power blades provided a livelihood for more than 100 people those are people who are already laid off from other manufacturing jobs in Welland now these families don't know where their next paycheck is coming from so what's the advice that the premier is receiving from Ed Clark her privatizations are lower labour costs selling off hydro one which we know will actually reduce electricity rates through the roof and make it much harder for companies to either expand or even stay open it's clear the premier shares Ed's definition of a new day in manufacturing which means leaving people behind and driving manufacturing jobs out of the province will the premier commit to standing up for the hardworking people of Welland and across this province in the provinces manufacturing sector Mr. Speaker we have committed more than any government in the history of this province when it comes to working in partnership with the manufacturing sector we've invested $1.6 billion Mr. Speaker and that's leveraged somewhere around $15 billion in private sector investment $60,000 manufacturing jobs because we've had the courage to work in support of the private sector Mr. Speaker working in partnership unlike the party opposite Mr. Speaker who every chance they get vilifies our manufacturers vilifies our companies Mr. Speaker that are providing jobs for those workers and comes forward into this legislature with their leader and their policy being to jack up taxes against those very manufacturers who are creating jobs across this province Mr. Speaker we're going to keep working in partnership with our private sector $60,000 manufacturing jobs because of those partnerships Mr. Speaker thank you Mr. Speaker thank you Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker right now the world is turning their attention the United Nations Conference of Parties in Paris alongside our global partners Ontario and Canada will work hard to face this challenge because we know climate change is not a distant threat to Ontario it is already costing the people of Ontario it has devastated communities damaged homes, businesses crops and increased insurance rates we also know that while we work to mitigate the root cause of climate change we'll also have to adapt to new environmental realities can the minister please speak to the challenge of climate change in Ontario and specifically what Ontario will do to adapt to these challenges thank you very much Mr. Speaker and thanks to my friend for his question and his interest in this in the near term Mr. Speaker one of the most immediate challenges Ontario will confront will be water and food security issues related to climate change right now as you know California is 40 year drought Mr. Speaker 5 years of severe drought anyone who looks at our food supply will know that about 90% of our tomatoes and broccoli 74% of our lettuce come from California that's one of the reasons we're working so closely with California and as my friend from the minister of agriculture points out we import $4 billion worth of food Mr. Speaker and climate change is going to impact on that so we will look for more innovative ways to produce more of our own food and quite frankly that the other issues Mr. Speaker the one that keeps me up at night is our Arctic over the next 30 years will be 7 degrees warmer Mr. Speaker and the implicated thank you supplementary well thank you minister for that response I know Ontario is in good hands and will be well represented by the minister in our premier however Mr. Speaker Canada when it comes to environment and combating climate change has slipped over the last decade it was encouraged to hear that our new prime minister has stated that Canada years of being less than enthusiastic actor on climate change files are behind us my question Mr. Speaker what have you been doing to prepare for the Paris summit and what does it mean to have a committed federal partner in Ottawa in combating climate change thank you very much Mr. Speaker one of the things that's happening is as it's been reported on the on the 23rd Prime Minister Trudeau is hosting a meeting with our premier Premier Wynn and the other premier to prepare for the for the COP 21 provinces meeting Mr. Speaker but I want to point out one thing Ontario has played a leadership role and our premier has paid an enormous leadership role we have the climate summit of the Americas Mr. Speaker which created a huge consensus among sub-national and international governments in Brazil and Mexico it actually was viewed as one of the definitive meetings out of that the Toronto statement that came out of that really creates an international coalition around deep productions we joined with Quebec to sign the Quebec declaration Mr. Speaker our premier played a pivotal role in getting every single province and territory to sign on to we're going to perish Mr. Speaker warnings are never too late point of order the premier Mr. Speaker I'd like to correct my record in the answer I gave regarding Mr. Lahi's legal expenses I'd like to clarify that the government is not paying any of his legal fees Mr. Speaker thank you Mayor from Scarborough Legion Thank you Mr. Speaker I'd like to recognize my constituents who's visiting here from Queen's Park Mr. Hutchison who's the parent of Paige Aislin Perry Thank you Mr. Speaker Thank you Mr. Speaker I would like to welcome a delegation visiting from the beautiful region of Abruzzo in central Italy and I would like to welcome Dr. Giuseppe DiPangrazio President of Regional Council of Abruzzo Guido Durbano chief administrator of the Abruzzo region and from Toronto the president of the Ontario Abruzzo Association Grande Oficiale Alberto Di Giovanni Thank you Just before we proceed I gave a couple of reminders during question period I want one more reminder There's a convention in the place that we when you exit the house and you enter the house or you cross to the floor in front of the maze you bow to the chair you're not bowing to the individual you're bowing to the chair dating back to England and I would appreciate if all members would see to that as it helps bring the temperature down all the time it focuses on the other issue is third person dialogue question to the chair answer to the chair thank you for your cooperation we have a deferred vote on the motion of closure on motion the second reading of bill 122 calling the members this will be a five minute bell All members please take your seats on the 26th in 2015 Mr. Hoskins moved second reading of bill 122 an act to amend the mental health act and the health care consent act 1996 Mr. Monroe Mr. Moreau has moved that the question be now put all those in favour of Mr. Moreau's motion please rise one at a time be recognized by the court Mr. Moreau Mr. Bradley Mr. Shirelli Mr. Sandals Mr. Dugas Mr. McCharles Mr. Quinter Mr. Cole Mr. Tukar Mr. Baradnetti Mr. Delaney Mr. Dillon Mr. Gravel Mr. Murray Mr. Moreidi Mr. Couto Mr. Flinn Mr. Hunter Mr. Sergio Mr. Del Ducco Mr. Domerla Mr. Fraser Mr. Anderson Mr. Baker Mr. Ballard Mr. Don Mrs. Mollie Mrs. Martin Mr. McGarry Mr. McMan Mr. Milchin Mr. Wilson Mr. Arna Mr. Hardimus Mr. Jones Mr. Brown Mr. Clark Mr. Fidelli Mr. Hillyard Mr. Miller Perry Sound Mascopa Mr. McNaughton Mr. Thompson Mr. Barrett Mr. Monroe Mr. Euras Mr. Harris Mr. Nickle Mr. Pettipi Mr. Bisson Mr. Singh Mr. Horvath Mr. Tavins Mr. Miller Hamilton Ms. Sattler Ms. Taylor Ms. Armstrong Ms. Forrester Ms. Campbell Mr. Montag Mr. Gaines Mr. French The Ayes are 53, the Nays are 46 The Ayes are 53, the Nays are 46 I declare the motion carried Mr. Hoskins has moved second reading of Bill 122 an act to amend the Mental Health Act and the Health Care Consent Act 1996 Is it the pleasure of the House to the motion carry? Carry Meeting of the bill, does he elect you? Opposed you to the law Shall the bill be ordered for third reading Minister of Health To general government To general government To general government There are no further deferred votes This House stands adjourned until 3pm this afternoon