 Member Statements. Recognize the member for York South West. Thank you, Speaker. I would like to start by thanking a moment to thank the residents of York South Western for the trust and confidence they have put by electing me as their representative at the Ontario Legislature. It is an honour and privilege to serve you. It is also an honour to stand in this house for the first time as the first ever member of the Somali community elected to provincial office. It truly makes me proud to be part of a team that truly represents the incredible diversity of this great province. Our new Democrat team and at Andrea Horvath's leadership is one that values and celebrates our diversity but more importantly it is a team that recognises the importance of every single Ontarian deserving to see themselves represented in government. My being here would not be possible if it was not for the incredible work of our campaign team. Thank you to the dedicated staff, the committed volunteers, everyone that dedicated selfless hours to making sure we connected with thousands of residents in every corner of our riding. I share this moment with each of you and to you I extend my enormous thanks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to introduce my very good friend, candidate of record from Brampton, Mississauga, South, a great businessman, Mr. Amarjit Gill. Member statements. Member for Whitby. Thank you, Speaker. I rise this afternoon to speak about human trafficking in the work of the Durham Regional Police Service. It's an ongoing struggle, Speaker, and the Durham Regional Police Service is hitting back hard against those who was solicited sex from young women and girls. So far the Durham Regional Police Service's work has resulted in charges including sexual exploitation, child learning, and obtaining sexual services from a minor against several people across the region of Durham who responded to online ads placed by undercover officers. Speaker Durham Police have focused their fight against human trafficking primarily in two ways by arresting and charging the pimps who control sex slaves and by reaching out to the girls and women and offering them support should they choose to escape the exploitation to which they've been subjected. I hope, Speaker, that the excellent work of the Durham Regional Police Service will have the net effect of putting a definite dent in a sorted industry that has harmed too many young women in the region of Durham. Thank you, Speaker. Member statements. Member for Windsor to come. Speaker, I had three private bills on the table when the Liberals called the last election but I am still determined to press the new Conservative Government to consider the ideas I had proposed. I had wide support for the suggestion that Ontario would benefit from having a poet laureate. We wouldn't be the first province to create the position Canada has a poet laureate as do many Ontario municipalities including my city of Windsor. I believe we could honour the late Gord Downey of the tragically hip by creating the poet laureate position in his memory. I had another bill to honour the memory of the brave Canadian military personnel from Ontario who lost their lives in combat while serving our country. Other provinces BC and Saskatchewan, for example, have created a Silver Cross or Memorial Cross license plate. These are made available to the immediate family members whose sons, daughters or spouses paid the supreme sacrifice while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. My third bill would strip away the red tape and allow Ontario distillers, for example, to sell our whiskey where it's distilled and bottled. This would allow Windsor to reopen the doors of the historic Canadian Club Brand Centre in Old Walkerville. 15,000 visitors a day used to take the public tours that were once offered in this historic magnificent architectural gem. So, Speaker, a new government, but I will still be pressing for these and other ideas in the coming weeks as the proud member from Windsor to come. Thank you. Member statements? Member for Brandt Brandt? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to bring attention to an important event in my writing of Brandt for Brandt. The Grand River Pow Wow has a history that started in 1977 when a few people from the Six Nations community began to dance at Pow Wows throughout Ontario. One night in 1979, sitting around the campfire at a Pow Wow, the discussion turned to, why don't we host a Pow Wow at home? The wheel started turning and the work began. The Grand River Champion of Champions Pow Wow Committee was formed and it was decided to have the first Pow Wow in 1980. The term Champion of Champions was introduced as an added incentive to attract dancers. The dancer that would accumulate the most points throughout the weekend would be deemed the champion of champions and receive a trophy, as well as have their name engraved on a large trophy that is displayed by the Pow Wow Committee. A date was picked and it was decided that the Pow Wow would be held annually on the fourth weekend in July. This annual event takes place this Friday, July 27th through Sunday, July 29th and promotes Aboriginal multicultural arts heritage by showcasing their pride in music, dance, arts and crafts. It takes place in the open air during the afternoon and on into the evening. It's held at the Chiefswood Tent and Trailer Park on the grounds of the former estate of the Mohawk Poetess, E. Pauline Johnson at the Six Nations of the Grand River community. I encourage all who are interested to come and learn, watch and take part. Thank you. Statements, the member for Parkdale High Park. Thank you, Speaker. I rise in the house today to speak about the affordable housing crisis that we've been experiencing in Parkdale High Park and Toronto for years. Too many working class families, immigrant families and seniors are being pushed out of their units, out of their neighborhoods, places where they live called home for 10, 15, even 20 years. Sky rocketing rents, an inflated housing market driven by speculation. The lack of government investments in co-ops and subsidized housing have created this crisis. Successive governments, both conservative and liberal, have chosen not to take action even though it is a priority issue. Speaker, in the last two years, we've had two rent strikes in Parkdale High Park. Tenants organised and resorted to a lot back because the system currently is designed not to protect tenants but benefit corporate landlords. And we know exactly what needs to be done, Speaker. First and foremost, we need to bring in rent control, real rent control. And that means tying the rent to the unit, not to the person, so that the affordable rental stock remains affordable over time regardless of whether the tenant moves out or not. To stop the use of the above guidelines rent increases and corporate landlords already get a provincial tax deduction for capital repairs. And thirdly, to create a rent registry so tenants know what rents are going for and they're not put in a bidding war against each other to increase the profit of landlords. Speaker, I want to hear from this government what their plan of action is on affordable housing because in Toronto, everyone should be able to call Toronto home, not just to Rich. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to share a story of a former business owner that I had the honour to work for during my undergraduate years in my writing of Mrs. Saga East Cooksville. A well-respected business owner that contributed to the local economy for over 20 years, as well as employed numerous employees. Today my former boss whom I have stayed in touch with came to me and said that despite his best efforts to keep the company afloat, he had decided to sell his business. Mr. Speaker, he simply could not withstand the elevated hydro cost of his business was incurring. Plain and simple, he was forced out of business. Mr. Speaker, it is always a sad day when hard-working small independent business owners, the backbone of the Ontario economy, are forced out of business due to terrible short-sighted governance policies that were brought and implemented by the previous government. Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario are ready and in dire need for the positive changes our current government is proposing. The promise to reduce hydro rates by 12% will bring much needed relief to businesses and home owners and ensure no other small businesses need to shut their door. Thank you. Thank you. Member State, Member for London North Centre. Thank you Mr. Speaker. This morning my caucus made the member from London West ask the Premier whether he will extend the temporary overdose prevention site in London. Dr. Chris Mackie estimates that the London location has had 1,500 unique visits and further estimates that there are 6,000 injection drug users in the London area. Staff have thus made meaningful connections with 25% of that community and each connection has a potential to put someone on the road to recovery. Seven potentially deadly overdoses have been prevented and over 100 people have been helped with housing, addiction and mental health supports. I rise today as I am disappointed in the government's answer. While the Minister of Health said the government would look at the evidence it's already available. She stated that they would listen to the experts. Well they're already there as well. I would also highly recommend that she speak to those with lived experience. They're available too. The minister stated the government would make a decision in the near future. I'm rising today because I wanted to strongly remind this government that the deadline is fast approaching. On August 15th 2018 the exemption will expire. I am disappointed in the answer we heard today and I hope this government will do the right thing and keep the temporary overdose prevention site open so staff may continue to save and improve lives. Thank you. Member statements. The member for York Centre. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Located at Wilson and Keele in North York, Madonna All-Girl Catholic Secondary School has been a staple of the Dancer community since 1963. The Madonna Robotics Club led by Ms. Ferrera, Mr. Coleman and Mr. McDonnell engages in foster students' interest in science, electronics and robotics. In May of this year the Madonna Robotics Club competed and won gold medal in the Provincial Skills Ontario Competition and qualified to represent Ontario in the Skills Canada National Competition. Taking place last month in Edmonton, Alberta, the National Robotics Competition is a two-day event where students are tested on both pre-programmed and remote controlled robots. The robots were tested on their ability to pick up pipes and chase ball bearings. I'm pleased to announce that the Madonna Robotics Club won the silver medal at the National Competition making many York Centre teachers, parents and this MPP extremely proud. Robotics and automation are evolving and rapidly growing segments of Ontario's high-tech industry. This achievement underscores the importance of additional investment in math and science in Ontario schools. I'm proud of the girls at Madonna and offer them my sincere congratulations. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. Member Statements. The member for let's see. When Gary Prescott Russell. Storm on Dundas. Storm on Dundas. So clean Gary. Thank you Speaker. Speaker, I'm proud to rise today to talk to the many terrific summer festivals that are held in my riding in storm on Dundas in South clungary. Of course it all started with many July first celebrations where most of the every community in my riding marked the birthday of our great country with breakfasts, students, activities, concerts and of course fireworks. Our rural communities pulled again together thousands of volunteers to host our famous agricultural country fairs. Last week experienced the rural local hospitality at the Abamore fair and it will be followed by Canada's oldest fair, the Williamstown fair, fairs in Chesterville, South Mountain and Newington. This Thursday night I hope to attend the opening of a very popular ripfest in Cornwall where thousands of visitors experience great food, terrific entertainment over the four day festival. And during the month of July people gather on Tuesday nights in Williamstown for their traditional Scottish Cali hosted by the Glungary Celtic Music Hall of Fame. On North Dundas every Wednesday night hundreds gathered village centers for local food entertainment and company for the very successful Meet Me on Main Street. At our local summer of all our largest summer festival the Glungary Highland Games brings together over 30,000 people to celebrate Scottish heritage of Glungary County. The Friday and Saturday at the civic holiday weekend is filled with traditional Scottish food competitions and Highland sports dance and music which includes up to 70 bands competing in the North American band competition. Speaker, these are just some of the many events that are held in Stormont Dundas. Thank you very much. That concludes our member statements for this afternoon. Reports by committees.