 It is now time for Question Period, the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. Mr. Speaker, to the Premier. I'm going to try again today. The question is not about infrastructure. The question is not about valuation. The question is not about 2002 or previous governments or earth premiers. The question is not about leveraging assets. The question isn't about restructuring of Ontario Hydro. The question is not about the 407. My question is sincere. My question is simple. Mr. Speaker, yes or no, does the Premier think paying the Hydro One CEO four million dollars is appropriate? Yes or no? Please. Thank you. I will start right off the bat. Premier? Well, Mr. Speaker, let me just begin by commenting that the median salary for CEOs of American energy companies was over seven million dollars last year, Mr. Speaker. That's the median salary for American energy companies, Mr. Speaker. And I think the leader of the opposition knows that a large part of that compensation package for the CEO of Hydro One will be dependent on, will be at risk if the company doesn't improve, if there isn't better customer service, Mr. Speaker, if there isn't better health and safety for workers. So he knows that those factors are in place. But Mr. Speaker, the whole discussion, contrary to what the leader of the opposition says, the whole discussion about Hydro One is about investment in infrastructure. That's what it is about. That's why we are making these changes so that we can invest in the infrastructure that we need in the 21st century. Supplementary? Mr. Speaker, again to the Premier, rather than comparing to corporate America, compare to other provinces, Hydro-Quebec 400,000 compared to your $4 million payout. Regardless of the mess this government has made of the personal support worker wage increase, I can tell you a PSA can make little over $30,000 a year. And notwithstanding the cuts across the province to special education, we know educational assistance make around $35,000. And despite the fact that government has cut hundreds of nurses across Ontario, a new nurse will make over $50,000 a year. Yet knowing all this, the government still thinks it's appropriate to pay $24 million a year for just the top four paid executives at Hydro One. Mr. Speaker, knowing all this information, knowing all the cuts you've done to frontline services, how can you find this appropriate? Thank you. I'm asking everyone. This will be the last time I interrupt to ask. I will then move to warnings. Well Mr. Speaker, the question from the Leader of the Opposition and the heckling from the Leader of the Third Party would lead one to believe that they actually supported our increases to personal support worker salaries and development support workers and ECEs, Mr. Speaker. They didn't support them, Mr. Speaker. They didn't support those increases, Mr. Speaker. So it's a bit rich coming from the two of them to attack us about our support for those workers. Mr. Speaker, broadening the ownership of Hydro One is about investing in infrastructure. That in fact, Mr. Speaker, will provide opportunity for the very people that the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Third Party seem to be worried about, Mr. Speaker, making sure that we have companies in this province that can move their goods and their people around, Mr. Speaker, making sure that the quality of life for people who depend on transit, Mr. Speaker, that that quality of life is improved. That's what these investments are about. It's why we're broadening the ownership of Hydro One. Thank you. Final supplementary. Mr. Speaker, again to the Premier, single parents are working two jobs and barely stay in a float. Some of our school support staff are clearing $40,000 a year. The average truck driver makes somewhere between $25,000 and $50,000 a year. Corrections officers are making $55,000 a year in sometimes and often in very unsafe conditions. Mr. Speaker, I've asked over and over again and the government has been disingenuous and seems to just not care. I'll give them one more shot. Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, give me one reason it's appropriate, one reason why it's appropriate to pay the Hydro One CO for $1,000,000 a year. It is not even close to what other Hydro COs are making anywhere else in Canada. One reason. Remember from Renfrew is warned. Who's next, Premier? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You know, Mr. Speaker, we ran on and are implementing a plan that is based in the investment in the people of this province. We believe, Mr. Speaker, and I will tell you, having traveled to California and China, I am even more convinced that our advantage in Ontario is our people. Making sure that they have the education and the skills that they need, Mr. Speaker, for the 21st century, they are our advantage. But, Mr. Speaker, in order for those people to be at their best, we need, as a government, to make the investments that will allow them to thrive. Whether that's in our education system, our colleges and universities, funding for those institutions has been going up, Mr. Speaker, continues to go up. Whether it is the investment in infrastructure that we absolutely need in order to be able to compete, that's the plan that we have put in place. The member from Stormont is more investigating and in implementing. Mr. Speaker, it is a plan that is comprehensive. So the leader of the opposition has taken one piece. He doesn't stand for reasons unknown to us. Like the idea of improving Hydro-1, we think that it should be. Thank you. The member from Leeds Grandville is born. New question. The leader of the opposition. Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, the government can't have it both ways. The Deputy Premier routinely shouts about the 1% when we question the government's cut to physician services. But the front bench over there is the first to defend the outrageous recovery of Hydro-1's CEO. One that is almost 40 times that of a new doctor. Further to that, the financial accountability officer, report, has said the government hopes that measures to reduce physician fees will help them reach their targets. They have already cut the portion of healthcare three times in the last year. Mr. Speaker, how many more times will the government slash the minister of agriculture in the next cut? Mr. Speaker, now we're going to talk about some of the people in the problems who earn the most money that they should earn more. That's now where we're going. So the inconsistency that continues to come from the opposite side is quite remarkable. Mr. Speaker, what we're defending as a government in our plan is the right of the people of Ontario to have excellent institutions in their country, to have the investments in infrastructure, whether it's roads, bridges, transit, water systems that they need in order to be able to compete, Mr. Speaker, to have a government that is going to work with businesses to allow them to flourish and to become exporters, Mr. Speaker, to open doors around the world to allow them to expand and to compete globally. That's what we're defending, Mr. Speaker. That's the plan we're implementing. It's so inconsistent that he can't either see that or understand that we have to do all of those things. Mr. Speaker, again to the premier, you want to talk about consistency, a $4 million salary for a Hydro-1 CO is appropriate, but a family doctor making $1.40 of the salary isn't appropriate? Give me a break in Windsor. And I went to the Windsor Regional Hospital. There I met just a handful of the 800,000 on tarones without a family doctor. Like Dr. Jen Bondi, who just made it under the wire before your cuts to be joined by her family health team. Many of her fellow new physicians have described the medical profession as having an all-time morale and at an all-time low. They feel the Liberals have launched a systematic attack on doctors. Many are threatening to leave Ontario because of these cuts to the system. Mr. Speaker, how can this government justify care? Give us a justification for these cuts. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of issues I think it's important for Ontarians to know that one of them is that we have increased the physician services budget. So the monies that the government, roughly $0.10 out of every dollar this government spends in the province that goes to physician services, those hardworking frontline workers, we've increased that by 0.25% last year, this year by the same amount, next year by the same amount again. We've asked our physicians to accept that modest increase in the overall budget and it will need some challenges in terms of us having to make sure that we stay within that budget, but it is so that we can provide those increases to our PSWs across the province. So we can invest more in home and community care as we are doing $250 million so we can continue to invest more money in mental health and addictions. I believe that the majority of physicians across this province support that of a sustainable health care budget in investing in other priorities. Mr. Speaker, again to the premier, the only physician that supports the physician cuts is the Minister of Health. The Liberal government is gutting healthcare in Ontario. Governments and leadership is about making priorities. Your priorities, our $2.5 billion for the Pan Am gains. $24 million for overpaid execs at Hydro One. $3.7 million to unions without a single receipt. Why is healthcare not a priority? On my Windsor trip I learned from Dr. Darren Cargill that the Windsor hospital that he works at doesn't even have a palliative care team. We have 800,000 on tarones without a family doctor yet this government just cut 50 residency spots. When will this government make healthcare a priority? Mr. Speaker, I think the leader of the official opposition already knows that healthcare is a top priority of this government. $50 billion invested in that. We're proud of all our healthcare workers, more than a quarter of a million of them around this province. But Mr. Speaker, it's simply not true that we're changing our investments in the province. We put 70 separate savings opportunities in front of the OMA over the course of a year of negotiations. We did not receive a single piece of advice to reply from the OMA on a single one of them. We had an independent umpire Warren Winkler, retired justice Warren Winkler, come forward and implore the OMA to accept the government's fair offer at that time last fall. The OMA rejected that fair offer. And Mr. Speaker, we have repeatedly indicated to the OMA that we're going to negotiate with them to sit down and have discussions to date. The OMA has refused to continue those discussions, Mr. Speaker. We are willing to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question to the Premier. Last week, Ed Clark told a business crowd at a $1,000 plate luncheon that he wants to open our healthcare system to the private sector. When did the Premier give Ed Clark the mandate to open our healthcare system to the private sector? I'm going to give the Leader of the Third Party another example of what Ed Clark was talking about. And that is the development of skills and experience here that we have in education and health that those can be useful to the world. On our trip to China, Mr. Speaker, there was a group from a family health team here right in Toronto, Mr. Speaker. And that group was signing agreements in China with medical practitioners there and students there, Mr. Speaker, to share information, to do some training on how we have organized family health teams in some of the practices here, Mr. Speaker. That's the kind of opportunity that we need to continue to look for because, Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, knowledge and expertise has been developed here. Of course it's good frontarians but it can be good for the world, Mr. Speaker. That's what Ed Clark was talking about. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Premier about Ed Clark's new plan to link our healthcare system to the private sector. While the Premier chooses to fire nurses, close beds and is now choosing to open the door to US-style private healthcare, I'm proud to actually defend public healthcare in Ontario, Mr. Speaker. Let the Premier make it clear to Ed Clark and make it clear to the 13 million Ontarians who rely on our public healthcare system that healthcare should be about families and not sure about their health problems. Thank you, Premier. Mr. Speaker, I'm honestly not sure whether the leader of the third party actually understands what it is we're talking about because she's decided on a piece of rhetoric, Mr. Speaker, that actually bears no resemblance to what it is we're talking about. I'm going to give her two more examples, Mr. Speaker. So when we were in China, TVO, TV Ontario and CBS Consulting Inc of Markham, Ontario have entered into an agreement to provide English-language high school courses to Chinese students. That's an investment of $250,000 creating four jobs. So, Mr. Speaker, here's an example of educational expertise that has been developed here in Ontario that we can now leverage and partner with people in another country to allow them to have access to that expertise, Mr. Speaker. And I will give another example in the supplementary. We have preferred the Premier to answer my question in the final supplementary speaker. Ontario has been a leader in medical research. And everybody knows that, Speaker. And we have shared that research with the world. I am proud of that, Speaker, whether it's medication whether it's surgical techniques people around the world benefit every day from Ontario's leadership. And we've accomplished this within the framework, Speaker, of our public health care system. We should continue to share our research, Speaker. We should continue to be a centre for innovation, Speaker, when it comes to health care. But I am proud to defend public health care in Ontario and I sure hope this liberal government is prepared here should be publicly funded health care. Sick Kids Hospital and Food and, sorry, Children's Hospital of Food and University in China, Mr. Speaker, have signed a memorandum of understanding. It's a multi-year partnership to support neonatology. It will provide advisory services to support the design quality improvement and workflow of a new CHFU neonatal tower. It will provide the development of education and training programs for physicians, nurses and management to be delivered in both China and Canada. Mr. Speaker, there's an opportunity that within the framework of publicly funded health care will provide opportunity will save lives and will benefit both China and Ontario, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. New Democrats believe in publicly funded and publicly delivered health care. Next question to the Premier. Last week, the Minister of Finance told me that the liberal government will quote-quote will do everything necessary to maximize the potential of our assets. Does that include selling off even more of Ontario's revenue-generating assets? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The leader of the third party has I presume read our budget, read our platform, read our budget understands what we are doing, Mr. Speaker. She understands that Ed Park has given us advice on leveraging Hydro One, Mr. Speaker. She understands that we are committed to selling some real estate, Mr. Speaker. She understands that we were committed to selling GM shares. She understands that that money is going in to invest in across this province in roads and bridges and infrastructure across this province, Mr. Speaker. She knows full well that we have taken the advice of the assets group, Mr. Speaker, that we are broadening the ownership of Hydro One. She knows that that's the plan. She knows we're going ahead and implementing it, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, the slogan for their last week of the campaign should have been a vote for win is a vote for Houdak. Anyways, the Premier Speaker won't really allow selling more, or to more sell-offs. Her unelected banker speaker is now talking about privatizing healthcare and post-secondary education. Will the Premier stop listening to bankers, start listening to people, Speaker, and come clean about whether or not she is planning to sell off more of Ontario's revenue-generating assets? Thank you. You know, Mr. Speaker, I know that there are some points to be gained by flip comments from the leader of the third party. But, Mr. Speaker, we're in a very serious juncture in this province. Our economy is in transition. And it's in transition, Mr. Speaker, because of global forces. It's not in transition because of anything that any individual company or politician has done in Ontario. We are in transition because the nature of manufacturing is changing, Mr. Speaker. We're in transition because we need modern updated infrastructure, Mr. Speaker. We're in transition because the world of technology has changed. And it has changed all over the world. If we don't keep up, if we don't make the investments that are needed at this juncture, Mr. Speaker, we will fall behind despite the fact that we have a highly educated workforce, despite the fact that we have all behind if we make the wrong decisions. The leader of the third party is counselling the wrong decisions. Mr. Speaker, this premier knows exactly what she's doing. She could rule out selling off more of Ontario's revenue-generating assets. It would be easy to rule that out, Mr. Speaker, but she will not do that. Instead, the premier and her ministers are offering Ontarians double-speak. Why won't the premier just be clear and transparent as she so much indicated she was going to do from day one and hasn't done yet? Why will she not be transparent and open with Ontarians and tell them straight up right here in this house if she is going to be selling off more of Ontario's revenue-generating assets? Mr. Speaker, we are implementing the plan that we put forward in our budget. We are implementing that plan and in that plan we said we were going to take the advice of the assets council. We have taken that advice. We are broadening the ownership of Hydro-1. There's nothing else in the plan in terms of assets. What I would say to the leader of the third party is the openness that we have brought to this process by being clear that we are investing in infrastructure and that we needed the revenue we needed the funds in order to be able to do that that's what we brought to the people of Ontario that's the plan we are implementing and because of that plan there will be projects there are projects being built all over this province in rural and northern and southwestern and eastern and southern Ontario in order to make communities more viable to make communities more attractive to business the new question the member from Renfrew, Nipissing, Pembroke My question is to the minister of energy not only is the minister continuing policies that will make Hydro more expensive but he is now centralizing power within his office Bill 135 will effectively remove procurement and planning from the independent electricity systems operator and strip the Ontario energy board of its transmission approval authority There's your transparency These bodies are supposed to be autonomous and above political manipulation however that all changes if 135 becomes law My question speaker is this what is the ISO and the OEV done that the minister feels it is necessary to strip them of their authority which will surely result in further unmitigated disasters and scandals in our electricity system Thank you Mr. Speaker I always appreciate the bombast with which my critic provides questions and sometimes it's important to actually look at the facts for example the legislation Mr. Speaker has a process to empower the ISO to undertake competitive selection or procurement processes for electricity transmission projects when appropriate Mr. Speaker the long-term energy system planning the legislation would enshrine the long-term energy planning process that was developed in 2010 and 2013 Mr. Speaker to ensure that future long-term plans are developed consistent with the principles of cost effectiveness reliability clean energy community and Aboriginal engagement particularly Mr. Speaker in terms of transmission the independent electricity system operator would be authorized to plan for transmission selection and procurement Mr. Speaker it gives power to the ISO in planning and procurement Thank you supplementary what the industry says Speaker we've heard from expert and industry stakeholders who universally decry this undermining of the ISO and the OEB they say this is no way to manage an energy system in the 21st century Speaker the smart meter program done without the advice and expertise of the ISO turned into yet another liberal energy scandal costing rate pairs hundreds of million dollars more than was originally projected and leaving homeowners with untrusted and unreliable devices another example is the Niagara Caledonia Middleport transmission line which the OEB said was unnecessary yet the government went ahead anyway and now it sits being unused after costing the people of Ontario 100 million dollars Speaker will the minister tell us who will protect generators stakeholders and rate pairs from further liberal disasters and scandals if bill 135 becomes law Mr. Speaker I find it amazing that he would suggest even Mr. Speaker that the ISO was not involved in inaugurating the smart meters Mr. Speaker I happen to have been on the board of the ISO between 2007 and 2010 and they in fact did all the software they did all the work to create the smart meters Mr. Speaker they did all the oversight in implementing smart meters Mr. Speaker so I don't know where he gets off by saying the ISO had nothing to do with smart meters they created the software they created the program they created all the oversight for implementation Mr. Speaker so he better get his facts straight New question Thank you Speaker My question to the Premier since the Premier is selling off Hydro One Hydro One profits will be going to the private sector but the bills are still coming to the province not Hydro One 15% of Hydro One's profits will go to Bay Street but 100% of a 3 million dollar bill for IPO related expenses will go straight to the province that means Ontarians will pay the bill not Hydro One not its new private investors if this is such a great deal why are Ontario families going to be stuck paying this bill Wow So we have the broadening of ownership of Hydro One we just finished the IPO we just sourced 3 billion dollars as a result to invest in other assets and we also had an additional billion dollars in special dividends just prior to the IPO which again enables us to enhance the value of Hydro One and the benefit to the shareholders which 84% of which are Ontarians and the taxpayer and the broadening of ownership Mr. Speaker included 40% retailers from Ontario bottom line is we have a company that's now valued more is more efficient governance and executive control and the company is performing than it's ever done before and it will continue to benefit to us as shareholders of the company that we still have Mr. Speaker Speaker it didn't take long for the premier to give in to her very powerful friends they will get 15% of Hydro One's profit and they'll pay 0% of this 3 million dollar bill this bill was for the period that ended September 30th the IPO didn't close until November 5th and the premier is still planning to sell more how much more will Ontario families be paying so that Bay Street investors don't have to pay a cent Mr. Speaker the value of Hydro One and the shareholders us as owners of this company is now been determined at the high end that's net of all these other expenses that the members speaking of we have just maintained and enabled this company to provide greater value provide greater capital gains for the province that we're now able to reinvest to produce new assets and even greater returns the member opposite is making claims that is actually monies that have been awarded to ourselves we are the ones benefiting from all of this at the end not some other digital operation the fact is the net result of this IPO has enabled us to source 3 billion dollars more for other investments in the province while still retaining 86% ownership of the corporation Mr. Speaker Thank you, new question Mr. Speaker human rights are an essential staple in any democracy not only my constituents in Kingston and the islands but all of Ontario will be proud of the leadership new question oh sorry it's for the minister the attorney general sometimes I feel as though excellent leadership goes unnoticed Mr. Speaker through you to the minister could the attorney general enlighten this house on how this government has ensured human rights are preserved for every Ontario Mr. Speaker first of all I want to MPP for Kingston and the island for very important question and I also agree that the defense of human rights is an essential part of our community all Ontarians have the right to live free of discrimination inequality and tolerance the protection of human rights is a fundamental principle in this province this government has taken the most significant steps to strengthen our human rights system in 40 years to better ensure dignity and justice for all Ontarians our strengthened human rights system support these rights by better enforcing Ontario human rights code and ensuring dignity by providing timely and efficient access to justice for those who face discrimination in our community and I'd like to take the opportunity to say how incredible you know the event at the mosque in Peterborough on Saturday night so we are all behind this group and we support them deeply thank you Mr. Speaker I thank the Attorney General for that answer the work the province has done in this area is honourable and should be a model for other provinces I was able to see firsthand that profound commitment to human rights and justice when the minister visited various organizations in Kingston and the islands in the legal and social service fields if the Attorney General would elaborate on the mandate of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal as well as some of the processes it uses to uphold human rights in this province I'm sure this house would be very appreciative of the progress that has been made thank you Attorney General thank you Mr. Speaker and yes an excellent question and through education, policy, development and research and analysis the commission works to preserve the spirit of tolerance that has long characterised Ontario the Ontario government commission a report in order to maximise the potential of human rights system in the province I am proud to say that the majority of these recommendations have been implemented in developing a new human rights system we have provided quicker and more direct access to victim of discrimination we have provided legal support to out those who would otherwise have difficult accessing justice and we have focus resources to address systemic human rights issue human rights continue to be a priority for this government and this province thank you Mr. Speaker Thank you. This Thursday marks one year since the Liberal government's lack of winter preparedness and oversight allowed the QEW to be turned into a skating rink of traffic chaos for GTA motorists one year later the minister still says he has no idea what the government is doing to the mess and goes on despite the auditor's warning with the same safety compromising cut rate contracts his government introduced in 2009 as tragedies mount evidence of the contract failings multiplied to the point that we have now seen the second regional contract fail and quietly go back up for tender in the last six months the second two contracts have failed within half a year will the premier now agree with and admit that their performance based contracts have in fact place the lives of Ontario motors at risk. Good question. Minister transportation. Thanks very much Mr. Speaker I have a say in advance that my voice is a little bit weak this morning from a lingering cold I do appreciate the question from the member of the opposition he referenced the auditor general's report from a number of months ago asking whether the auditor general's report was released and of course that report contained eight recommendations speaker and I said the very day that report was released both in our press studio here in this building but also here in this house repeatedly that our government does accept all eight of the recommendations that the auditor brought forward but more importantly or at least as importantly speaker that's why prior to the auditor being asked to go in and examine this particular way we have since done a great deal of work between last winter season and the winter season that we are now and my expectation is that our contractors will perform accordingly for this winter season. While they talk about improvements there is no new equipment for this winter fines levy continue to go uncollected bear payment standards haven't changed and they stick stubbornly to their same performance based contract system that risks safety. New twitter and plow tracking apps do nothing to help the person stuck on the highway in an accident because roads weren't cleared. Sudbury represents the second failed contract in the last six months even contractors themselves realize it's not working and that's why they're dropping off the keys and walking away that's why the first failed contract in canora led to only one bidder coming forward to take the job and speaker they weren't even from Ontario they announced new RFP for Sudbury road clearing will the premier commit that they will not be repeating the performance based contract mistakes that have led to so many winter tragedies for Ontario families on Ontario roads. Thanks very much speaker and again I thank the member opposite for the supplementary question I'm not quite sure where he is getting his information from speaker with respect to the fact that he's been in the department of monitoring and monitoring from the period in time before the auditor's report right through into this upcoming winter season actually the winter season that we're now technically in speaker there are additional pieces of equipment deployed to help deal with for example truck climbing lanes in the north speaker but ramps and shoulders here in southern Ontario I find interesting in providing updated information through the 511 website speaker through the additional patrolling options that we have out there speaker bearer this is a this is a very important upcoming winter season of the season that we're now I've had to speak to all of our contractors as has the ministry we expect this season that the people of Ontario will get the service that they expected. Thanks very much. My question is for the prime minister that I'm sorry the minister has a report and makes important recommendation to improve the safety of our loved ones in long-term care homes after a 10 month delay the latest report has been quietly posted online and it reveals that this liberal government is failing senior failing their family and the staff in the long-term care homes this critical report says that there is a need to increase availability of staff for bedside care and confirms that the behaviour support teams are and I quote not a replacement for sufficient numbers of caring staff who have time to spend with residents speaker the premier cannot ignore the skating report and she cannot ignore the growing needs of our seniors in long-term care homes will the premier finally act on the urgent needs to improve support for seniors and front-line staff in our long-term care homes. Thank you Speaker I'd like to thank the member opposite for the question and her advocacy I would also like to thank the coroner's geriatric and long-term care committee for their hard work introducing this report we look forward to a careful review of the recommendations Mr. Speaker the coroner's report the committee's report essentially acknowledge what we also acknowledge which is the long-term care homes has been growing for a long time and in particular there's a growing incidence of aggressive behaviours and that is why Mr. Speaker we have launched under the leadership of PA Indiranidu Harris a province-wide dementia strategy and we look forward we look forward to the findings of that report in the meantime we continue to aggressively invest in behavioural support which is something that the long-term care homes have been doing. Thank you Mr. Speaker again to the premier every senior deserves to live in safety and dignity but this scathing report confirms that the Liberals are failing 78,000 residents of long-term long-term care homes in Ontario the coroner is urging the government to take immediate action to address the growing needs of people. The report makes 112 urgent recommendations and while the premier has no obligation to even respond to this report new democrats are speaking up today because all we all have an obligation to ensure that our seniors and long-term care staff live and work in safety. Will the premier do the right thing for Ontario seniors and commit today to publicly respond to all the recommendations and if not why not? This weekend as I said in my previous answer we are studying the report it just came out recently and we are going to be reviewing all of the recommendations in the meantime we are going to continue with our going forward with consulting on our dementia strategy. I also want to say Mr. Speaker that the report very clearly acknowledges the frontline workers in our long-term care homes. I want to thank the reports authors for acknowledging it and I want to echo that and I want to also ensure this house and reassure this house that the safety of our seniors continues to be number one priority. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is I thought I sent a message. Carry on. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport and as the member of provincial parliament for Ajax Pickling I can tell you I'm happy to be a part of the discussion around the sport promotion in aboriginal communities as some of my friends have sponsored the annual aboriginal hockey tournament just west of here a great event. The community aboriginal recreation activator commonly known as CARA program improves the quality of life and well-being of First Nation Inuit and Métis communities through sport and recreation. By supporting them their communities through local initiatives we help facilitate the creation of a community driven recreation plan. The greater understanding of local needs communities can provide solutions for regional needs for sport recreation and wellness. Mr. Speaker. My question. Please share more about the CARA program with us. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the member from Ajax Pickling for the question. The community aboriginal recreation activator program CARA helps to build and support strong and vibrant communities across Ontario and through community run programs we help facilitate local initiatives that help encourage young people to participate in sport and recreation. Initiatives like CARA allow young people throughout the communities that serves Mr. Speaker to participate in multimedia and sport recreation to connect with the great outdoors and local sport programming. And I'm happy Mr. Speaker that the CARA program is recognized as one of the most successful programs in the communities that it serves. And Mr. Speaker we've been able to double the participation level within these programs over the last year to bring us to 57,000 members of the CARA program that makes me proud to be part of this government. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you minister. It's seven years of operation the CARA program has contributed to an improvement in wellness and improved quality of life through sport recreation physical activity opportunities. I'm proud of our government's commitment promoting sport and wellness in aboriginal communities across Ontario. The minister of agriculture and sport attended the CARA training symposium on behalf of our government. That was you minister and I'm told that the CARA training symposium featured a variety of workshops different events and offered opportunities for continued education for both sport and recreation. Mr. Speaker can the minister please share with the house the impact of the continued educational opportunities for CARA on program leaders and are we proud of that? Mr. Speaker yes we are we're doing a fantastic job. Activators throughout Ontario that are part of these programs are doing an incredible job with the young people in the communities they serve. Mr. Speaker I had the opportunity to go to the symposium two weeks ago and it was amazing to talk to these young leaders in their communities who participate in these programs and I got to watch a video of these four young women from Laxoul which is a First Nation community in Ontario and to see these four young women pick up a camera and put together a music video through partnership with the CARA program it was just incredible to see. In fact Mr. Speaker if you go on to YouTube and put in Echo My Soul you'll see that they've got 26 thousand hits on this video and it's part of this program and they're talking about their community their culture and it's through programs like this Mr. Speaker thank you Mr. Speaker thank you Mr. Speaker my question is for the minister of community and social services right now there are at least 14 thousand adults with developmental disabilities on the wait list for housing the need is extremely urgent to get help one mother had to declare her son homeless another young man with autism had to be locked in a psychiatric ward when Global News approached the minister for her thoughts she stated are you sure you want to talk to me how insulting it is the minister's job to provide answers and hope to those affected by this crisis why won't the minister provide an answer is it because the real answer would expose her and her government's total and inexcusable lack of action good question well thank you Mr. Speaker and I'm very happy to respond to the question from the member opposite first of all our government recognizes the efforts and commitments of families who are supporting their adult children with developmental disabilities we understand those challenges and we want to work with them this is why of course we did establish developmental service organizations across the province to ensure equity across the province in terms of prioritization in terms of moving to residential support services we also want to enable people with developmental disabilities to live and participate as fully as possible in their communities this is why we made the investment of 810 million dollars to help those with developmental disabilities and in fact we are making good progress in providing new residential support this year alone we have supplied 500 additional residential spaces Mr. Speaker that kind of answer is meaningless for families suffering because of this government misplaced priorities they are cutting secret million dollar checks to teachers unions but to the most vulnerable amongst us they are being total tightwad how long will it take to cut down the housing wait list global ask but the minister wouldn't say the auditor general told us at the current rate it will take 22 years that's assuming nobody else joins the list families need housing solutions now not decades down the road will the minister apologize to families take responsibility and start helping those most in need and will she do it now thank you well first of all I do want to emphasize that families that are on the residential wait list are already receiving some forms of support through our direct funding programs in other words they are receiving supports within the community to assist them while they await residential placement we have established our housing task force and I've had the opportunity to travel around the province to make announcements of these demonstration projects those with developmental disabilities very considerably as individuals as we would expect some people need very strong support in their communities they may have complex medical needs so we're looking at innovative ways to house individuals working with partnership with the community agencies that they need we have some 12 demonstration projects and we will have another 12 very shortly thank you thank you speaker my question is for the premier 20,000 pensioners who worked for us steel and their families pension benefits cut off since October the minister of finance rose in this house to say that the government was going to kick in $3 million over 6 months as a transition fund the problem is speaker nobody really knows how this transition fund is being administered or how to access the help these pensioners desperately need the help the minister has promised speaker pensioners are now writing to the ministry the ministry of health and long term care not knowing where it is that they should be turning to get the help that was promised by the minister of finance nearly 2 months after these benefits were cut will the premier tell this house where is the $3 million to help of help that she and her minister promised to the question thank you minister of finance thank you Mr Speaker I also wish to acknowledge the work that's being done by the member from Hamilton east is good work and advocacy on that side of the bench Mr Speaker we recognize our working to letter and collaboratively we can help those most in need and that's what's happening here and the government of Ontario has been at the table has been trying to encourage support for those families that's why we've earmarked the $3 million to support the transition that's going forward but it's a longer term process than that Mr Speaker we're trying to enable this operation to be a going concern to enable those families those workers to continue working and finding ways to make it so the industry is in flux it's not just U.S. Steel it's the industry and the sector in its entirety so we're reviewing all of that and that has huge implications for the well-being of many families and I recognize the concerns that the leader of the third party is making we share them Mr Speaker this minister offered $3 million in transitional help all I was asking is where's the money and he didn't answer my question it's quite disappointing the minister of finance also said that the government will do everything we can to stand with the retirees as well as the employees what that means for them Speaker is opening up the agreement the deal that was signed between U.S. Steel and the federal government will this premiere tell the people of our province the retirees and their families what commitments they've secured the federal government to protect pensioners and the vital benefits of 20,000 U.S. Steel pensioners seriously Mr Speaker of course we've been trying to identify the secret deal that was made by the Harper government of the past and we're trying to determine what that means going forward but the member seems to be antagonistic here we're trying to find ways to foster the well-being of these families available as required we're going through those negotiations now her member has been actually at the table enabling us and working together and we will continue to do that for the benefit of the people of Hamilton who are exposed by this a very unfortunate situation we're going to try to encourage and find ways to provide the greatest safeguards available to them Mr Speaker thank you very much Mr Speaker my question is for the minister of education yesterday marked the first day of anti-bullying awareness and prevention week the province has designated bullying awareness prevention week on the third Sunday of November to help promote safe schools and a positive learning environment three years ago the accepting school act was passed in this legislature and it requires school boards to take greater measures to prevent bullying and issue tougher consequences for those who bully others what is the government doing to help provide students and teachers a safe inclusive and accepting learning and teaching environment thank you minister of education yes and thank you very much to the member for the question Ontario has a safe school strategy in place in specific policies that require that all schools have bullying prevention and intervention plans and procedures in place as well as safe and accepting schools teams these teams are made up a variety of students teachers and people representing the community and they are responsible for making sure that the school is providing a safe and welcoming learning environment for its students and staff and as you know speaker a safe and welcoming learning environment is so important schools have been provided with resources and training for teachers and principals to support the work of these teams schools are encouraged to work with their teams to educate students about all the different forms that bullying can take that includes physical bullying verbal bullying social bullying and electronic or cyber bullying as we commonly know it and all those different forms of bullying to be dealt with last year there was a price that was given for safe schools in Ontario and we want to thank them for their efforts and their contribution to different communities in the province the elementary school in my writing was chosen for the premier's prize because they adopted this safety method a survey conducted at a call elementary Catholic revealed more than 97% of students felt strongly that were supported and felt safe at school minister please explain how other schools in Ontario can qualify as a recipient for the premier's award for accepting schools thank you yes and my congratulations go out to a call elementary Catholic recipients of the premier's award for accepting schools are safe and accepting school teams who want demonstrate initiative creativity and leadership in at least three specified areas related to school climate secondly they must identify the specific challenges faced by the team and how they were addressed and thirdly they provide evidence that the activities that they've arranged have made a significant difference in the school community and the member just gave the example of 97% of students in the award winning school feeling safe at school all safe and accepting school teams across Ontario are eligible to apply for the premier's award for accepting schools so once again congratulations to the 10 school teams who have been selected for the award thank you Mr. Speaker my question is to the minister of energy today the on peak electricity price is 17.5 cents per kilowatt hour that is more than four times what it was when the liberal government first came to power the government keeps saying that the increases were below their projections from the 2013 long-term energy plan so apparently we're worrying too much the Ontario energy board even says that there is a simple solution to these soaring energy costs Ontario should just conserve a bit harder and work during off peak hours residents in my writing North Lakes Brock are fed up with these poor policy choices from this government did the government expect seniors on fixed incomes to freeze during peak periods businesses to close and dairy cattle to hold their milk until off peak hours Mr. Speaker how can the minister say to Ontarians that to better manage their bills they should just stop working and heating their homes during on peak hours Mr. Speaker the member knows that our 2013 long-term energy plans projected rates are coming in lower than projected Mr. Speaker and that the increases that have been announced recently are lower than those that were projected in our long-term energy plan Mr. Speaker in addition Mr. Speaker the member knows we are continuing to mitigate rates with a series of mitigation programs Mr. Speaker and again I repeat I don't think on that side Mr. Speaker have prepared a list of those programs and provided them publicly in their householders to the constituent Mr. Speaker we're still adding more mitigation measures Mr. Speaker to assist customers with their bills and in the supplementary Mr. Speaker I'll go into more detail Mr. Speaker the bottom line is people are still paying more for energy the Liberal government's long-term energy plan continues to subsidize industrial wind and solar power the Ontario energy board even said that a third of the electricity increase came from the cost of this government's Green Energy Act Ontarians shouldn't have to give up more of their hard-earned money just so that the government can stand on a soapbox and preach photo op environmentalism as it turns out the government isn't green enough to stop wind turbines from popping up on the sensitive Oak Ridge Marine in Manverse in Bethany Ontario's Ontarians shouldn't have to continue to starve freeze in the cold and sell their homes because of this government's energy policies Mr. Speaker how can the minister continue to support energy policies that are starving and bankrupting hard-working Ontarians who are struggling to make ends meet Mr. Speaker the member will know that as we sit here today Mr. Speaker the Ontario energy board is advertising through newspapers and other means Mr. Speaker the new Ontario electricity support program which for modest income families will save them $360 to $400 per year Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker Never too late to get a warning In addition to that Mr. Speaker we know that the debt retirement charge is coming off January 1st Mr. Speaker which will take another $70 per year after bills Mr. Speaker and we are also reminding people that through January February Mr. Speaker that for senior citizens they will be able to apply for their tax credit and Mr. Speaker get up to $1060 off their electricity rates Mr. Speaker there are a lot of programs that they can access Mr. Speaker I would ask the members opposite to communicate to their constituents those programs that are available rather than standing up here with Rant Mr. Speaker Thank you Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker the government has announced that it is looking for public input into setting up a third party certification program for compliance with Ontario's accessibility legislation the AODA By third party of course this government means privatization and any input is already being considered through this lens This government shouldn't be interested in accessibility for Ontarians facing barriers because it's commercially viable for Ontarians new markets the government should be invested because it's in fact the law how will this government ensure 10 years after the accessibility for Ontarians disability act is finally will finally be enforced Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker much to the temptation to go otherwise I want to respond to the members question yes indeed Mr. Speaker I was at an event with College's Ontario yesterday where Rick Hanson was speaking as the motivational speaker we were talking about an initiative that Rick Hanson has been a champion of Mr. Speaker that's looking at ways that we can reach out to the business community and recognize Mr. Speaker those businesses that are excelling and becoming accessible similar to the way the LEADS program works with Gold, Platinum bronze. Mr. Speaker, the leading person in this and the leading organization in doing this thus far in Canada has been Rick Hansen and his foundation. Mr. Speaker, we would be open to others doing this kind of work as well. But surely, Mr. Speaker, the member doesn't have a philosophical problem with this government working with Rick Hansen on accessibility. Thank you. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, Rick Hansen certainly is one of our most revered advocates for people with disabilities. But unless the government intends on having Rick do the enforcement part of the AODA, I don't think you're actually going to be able to follow. Thank you, Rick. Thank you, Rick. Mr. Speaker, my brother is a quadriplegic. We know the barriers that people with injuries face. Advocates, disability advocates have been clear they don't need certification. They need enforcements of the AODA. What does it matter if the source of the barrier has been certified? How will you enforce, after 10 years, how will you enforce the AODA? Mr. Speaker, I know that this member cares a lot about this issue, and we do as well. And we're going to take our advice, Mr. Speaker, from experts like Rick Hansen, Mr. Speaker, because nobody knows better than Mr. Hansen when it comes to these issues. And, Mr. Speaker, we're going to use models that work and have worked in the past. And it's really important that we change the dynamics in this province and across this country when it comes to business perceptions about the needs and importance from a business case in becoming accessible. There are many ways we can do that. Compliance is one of them, Mr. Speaker. Enforcement is another. But it's really important that businesses embrace our ability to become accessible. And a Leeds-like program in Ontario would be a first in Canada, and something we're working very close with the likes of Rick Hansen to achieve. We're proud of that. And I would expect the member ultimately to support it. Thank you. The point of order of the President and Treasury Board. Thank you, Speaker. And I'm delighted to welcome Dr. Gerald Smith from the Ontario Dental Association who's joined us today for all of Question Period. Welcome, Dr. Smith. Thank you. Can you remember from when you went to St. Andrew? Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my colleague from Niagara West, Glanbrook, I would like to welcome students from Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Elementary School from Stony Creek here to the house today. Also, Cindy Lola for grades five and six, and Claire Rose Mascarena for grades four and five. Welcome to Queen's Park. Thank you. We have a deferred vote on a motion for closure, on the motion for second reading of Bill 109. Call in the members. This will be a five-minute vote. All members, please take their seats. All members, please take your seats. Over to 2015, Mr. Flynn moved second reading of Bill 109, an act to amend various statutes with respect to employment and labour. Ms. Albanese has moved that the question be now put. All those in favour of Ms. Albanese's motion, please rise one at a time and be recognized by the plan. Ms. Albanese, Mr. Nackley, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Shurelli, Mr. Sousa, Ms. Nguyen, Ms. Matthews, Mr. Hoskins, Ms. Sandals, Mr. Dugas, Ms. McCharrol, Mr. Quinter, Mr. Cole, Mr. Takar, Mr. Bardinetti, Mr. Delaney, Mr. Dillon, Mr. Ozzetti, Mr. McMeacon, Mr. Murray, Mr. Coteau, Mr. Leel, Mr. Flynn, Mr. Zimmer, Mr. Zimmer, Madam LaLong, Mr. Quadrie, Mr. Balkas, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Dixon, Ms. Manga, Mr. Crack, Ms. Hunter, Mr. Sergio, Ms. Jasek, Mr. Del Ducat, Ms. Damerle, Ms. Wong, Mr. Fraser, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Baker, Mr. Ballard, Mr. Don, Ms. Hogarth, Ms. Koala, Ms. Mollie, Ms. Martin, Ms. McGarry, Ms. McMahon, Ms. McMann, Mr. Milchin, Mr. Milchin, Ms. Nidoo Harris, Mr. Pot, Mr. Rinaldi, Mr. Rinaldi, Mr. Reneal. All those opposed, please rise one at a time to be recognized by the court. Mr. Wilson, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Arnaud, Mr. Hardiman, Mr. Hardiman, Ms. McLeod, Ms. Jones, Mr. Brown, Mr. Brown, Mr. Clark, Mr. Fidelli, Mr. Yakibuski, Mr. Miller, Perry Sound, Ms. Skoka, Mr. McNaughton, Ms. Scott, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Barrett, Ms. Monroe, Mr. Hudak, Mr. McLaren, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Walker, Mr. Smith, Mr. Harris, Mr. Nichols, Ms. Marteau, Mr. McDonnell, Mr. Pettipies, Mr. Bisson, Mr. Singh, Ms. Horvath, Mr. Vantog, Ms. DeNovo, Mr. Tabbas, Mr. Miller Hamilton, East Stony Creek, Ms. Sattler, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Natascha, Ms. Armstrong, Ms. Armstrong, Ms. Jellina, Ms. Fight, Ms. Forrester, Ms. Campbell, Ms. Campbell, Mr. Montag, Mr. Hatfield, Ms. Gretzky, Ms. French, Ms. French. The ayes are 53, the nays are 44. The ayes being 53 and the nays being 54, I declare the motion carried. Mr. Flynn has moved, second reading of Bill 109, an act to amend various statutes of respect to employment and labor. Is it the pleasure of the House of Motion carry? I heard a no. All those in favor, please say aye. All those opposed, please say nay. In my opinion, the ayes have it. Calling the members, this will be a five-minute bill. Mr. Flynn has moved, second reading of Bill 109, an act to amend various statutes with respect to employment and labor. All those in favor, please rise for the motion. favor of the motion. Please rise for the time being recognized by the cards. Mr. Flynn. Mr.ELL bad, Mr. Flynn, Mr. Ms. Hogarth, Ms. Kuala, Ms. Mollie, Ms. Martin, Ms. McGarry, Ms. McMahon, Mr. Milchin, Mr. Milchin, Ms. Nidoo Harris, Mr. Potts, Mr. Rinaldi, Ms. Verneel, Mr. Arnaud, Mr. Hartman, Mr. Hartman, Ms. McClough, Mr. Wilson, Ms. Jones, Mr. Brown, Mr. Clark, Mr. Fidelli, Mr. Yacobusky, Mr. Miller, Perry Sound, Ms. Goca, Mr. Miller, Perry Sound, Ms. Goca, Mr. McNaught, Ms. Scott, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Barris, Ms. Monroe, Mr. Hudak, Mr. McClaren, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Walker, Mr. Smith, Mr. Harris, Mr. Nichols, Ms. Marteau, Mr. McDonnell, Mr. Pettipiece. Please rise for her in time, be recognized by the clerk. Ms. Forrester, Mr. Singh, Ms. Horvath, Ms. Horvath, Mr. Bisson, Mr. Vantog, Ms. DeNovo, Mr. Tabas, Mr. Miller, Hamilton, East Stony Creek, Ms. Sattler, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Natascha, Ms. Armstrong, Ms. Jelinau, Ms. Kambel, Ms. Montag, Mr. Hatfield, Ms. Gretzky, Ms. French, Ms. French. The ayes are 78, the nays are 19. The ayes are 78, and the nays are 19. I declare the motion carried. Second reading of the bill. Please connect your dealt with the law. Shall the bill be ordered for the third reading album. Third reading, yes. Shall be ordered. To the judge, every speaker. Oh, good. This is a zero fodder. Shall be referred to the Justice Committee. Point of order, the member for the Edlington Lawrence. There's some very unparliamentary language used by the leader of the Third Party, she should withdraw immediately. I heard that, yep. I listened to that as a point of order. All members have their own Their own watch to see whether or not they've said anything if I if I've heard it I did not and if anyone does use unparliamentary language. I rely on them to identify and withdraw There are no deferred votes. There are no further deferred votes. This house stands recessed until 3 p.m. This afternoon