 Member Statements, the Member from Oxford. Thank you very much Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as we begin Local Government Week, I want to rise and commend all those in the municipal sector who work to provide the services that people rely on every day. Across Ontario, municipalities will be holding events this week to educate people on municipal government and the important role they play. From the water we drink, to the roads we depend on, to the police that protect us, to the places our children play, to the planning that shapes our communities, municipal governments impact people's lives every day. This week is an opportunity to celebrate the thousands and thousands of people who work hard in the municipal sector to ensure that everyone can rely on those services. It's an opportunity to celebrate the thousands of elected officials who give their time to help build strong, healthy and vibrant communities. We recognize that municipalities are a mature level of government and an important part of our democracy. We know they need a real partner in the provincial government, one who will listen to them and respect each community as it has different needs. They need a partner that will provide and support and predictability and that will work with them to reduce costs rather than adding new burdens. We understand the challenges in delivering all the services that people depend on and we understand that municipalities preserve, persevere because they know what their residents rely on for them. Residents rely on them. So as we celebrate local government week, I want to commend our municipal sector and thank them for everything they do. And thank you very much for this time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Member Sabans, the member from Windsor to Cumpsey. Good afternoon, Speaker. It's good to be back in this chamber after celebrating Thanksgiving with family and constituents in Windsor to Cumpsey. I have a lot to be thankful for. I celebrated 41 years of marriage with Gail last week. I say celebrate it, but I spent most of that morning in the dentist chair having a root canal. Then there was office work to be done in the constituency office. And in the evening, we had a public meeting on hydro rates. I say we, meaning the member for Essex and the member for Windsor West, and I hosted the meeting. The former member for Trinity Spadina, God bless. Rosario Marchese explained how and why the rates are going up. Speaker, as you know, it all started with the Conservatives when they started to privatize Ontario Hydro Hydro One. It's getting worse, much worse, under the wind liberals. There's no end in sight. In fact, rates are going to go up again in the next two weeks. Speaker, we hosted another meeting last week, Diane Sacks. The Environmental Commission of Ontario came down and spoke to a large crowd about updating the Environmental Bill of Rights. That bill, as you know, Speaker, was brought in by Minister Bud Wilden in a former NDP government in 1993. The public has until the 8th of November to provide input into that update. I'll leave you with this, Speaker. The Environmental Bill of Rights is based on a key insight. Decisions that affect the environment are just too important to leave entirely to government. Thank you. The member from Scarborough, Agent Court. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is an honour for me to rise today to recognize the 56th anniversary of Cyprus independence from Britain. The legislature marked its celebration by raising the Cyprus flag at Queen's Park on October the 6th. There were many special guests at this celebration, including His Excellency Dr. Pavloz and his ideas, the first High Commission of Republic of Cyprus to Canada. Cyprus is a small Mediterranean country of just over 9,000 square kilometres. It has population of almost 800,000 people. The friendship between Canada and Republic of Cyprus go about 52 years when Cyprus asked UN to create a peacekeeping force. Canada's peacekeeping operations Cyprus from 1964 to today is one of Canada's longest and best known overseas military commitments. As we celebrate Cyprus independence day, we also need to remember the sacrifice of 28 fallen Canadian peacekeepers who paid the ultimate price in our country's effort to bring peace to Cyprus. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Christina Amadellidis, the President of Cyprus Federation of Canada, a constituent of my writing of Scarborough, Agent Court, for organizing the October 6th celebration at Queen's Park, and continue our 52 years of friendship between Canada and the Republic of Cyprus. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. For the member, same as the member from SCORM, I've done that, South Glen Gary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since its first settlement in the early days of Canada, SCORM on Dundas, South Glen Gary, has embodied the spirit of generosity and community involvement that continues to inspire acts of charity and advocacy for good causes at home and abroad. Recently, three North Dundas residents ran to raise funds to fight diabetes in a half marathon in Rajivic, Iceland. Donna Marquette, Cheryl Glacier, and Trish Wilders joined more than 40 other Canadians in the Team Diabetes Canada delegation to the event, raising a combined total of $215,000 for the cause. Our international efforts don't stop at fundraising. Though David Murphy, a local endurance athlete, who combines his passion for swimming with his commitment to environmental advocacy, by swimming long distances to raise awareness of river conservation. David Swam the St. Lawrence River from Kingston to Montreal, the Ottawa River from Ottawa to Oka, and the Aguasin River in the Philippines. David's efforts were recently rewarded by the St. Lawrence River Institute through the 2016 River Award, a recognition of his valuable contribution to the St. Lawrence River that forms the backbone of our historical and environmental heritage. Wherever you go, residents of Stormont Dundas and South Glen Gary bring messages of hope, cooperation, and good citizenship. They are an inspiration to us all and a reason for Ontario to be proud. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Further member statements? The member from Algoma and Manitou. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And guess what I was doing this weekend? I was at the Bruce Mines Fairgrounds for Chickapalooza 2016. This was one heck of an event. There was lots of clucking and lots of feathers flying and races were going. But the one thing that was really amazing is how children can actually develop their own family values by caring for their beautiful chickens. And there's a lot of different kinds of chickens. The Youth Algoma Poultry Association, they had all kinds of activities with birds and crafts and crazy competitions such as the best poultry art, the best feather arrangement, chicken races, pin the comb on the chicken, rooster crow, largest egg, smallest, most unusual, best decorated egg. It was all over the place. It was fantastic. Some of our winners with the Silky Division was Mikey. It was Mickey. The Americana Division was Hannah. The Serema was Brienne. The Orpington was Jacob. The Challenge Show was amazing. It was a chicken with a pair of pants on. They had everybody there in stitches. That was Nathan. And the MPP choice this year was Hailey who won it. All of this was going on, keeping in mind one of their very best community members, Terry Winter, who could not be there this time, who is here in Toronto, who is a little ill under the weather. And I will be delivering a little gift to her later on. Everybody had a fantastic time. And if you've never been out to a Chickapalooza event, I dare you to go out. Members of the State, Mr. Member from Durham, I have other kinds of comments I would make. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Friday, I was happy to join with the Minister of Energy to make an important announcement about the Darlington Refurbishment Project that is currently on the way this month in Clarenton. This $12.8 billion project is expected to generate $14.9 billion in economic benefits. It will create up to 11,800 jobs throughout the life of the project, many of those jobs being in my riding of Durham. The impact and the local economy both immediate and future is massive, Mr. Speaker. And beyond that, this 10-year project will mean that Darlington, which has an excellent reputation for producing safe, reliable power, will cease lifespan extended by about 30 years. Ensuring that we have clean, reliable, safely produced power is a huge component in our plan to build Ontario up. A great deal of work has gone into ensuring a supply of clean energy, negating the need for use of cheap but dirty coal. Though we inherited a grid that was old and fragile, we have worked diligently to upgrade and maintain the system so that energy gets to where it's needed, when it's needed. I am so proud to represent an area in which some of that reliable, safe power is produced. And pleased to see us moving forward with a project that will help maintain our place as a contributor over the long term. I look forward to seeing this project completed. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to rise today to highlight Lupus Awareness Month. This chronic disease causes inflammation in one or more body parts, and it can affect one in 1,000 Canadians. Lupus affects both men and women between the ages of 15 and 45. However, women are nine times more likely than men to develop the disease. The causes of Lupus is unknown. However, Lupus does cause the immune system in the body to attack its own tissue, causing inflammation in a variety of symptoms. This disease is very hard to diagnose, and it can affect people in many different ways with a wide range of symptoms. Lupus can severely damage the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lung, blood vessels, and the brain. Patients may experience joint pain, rashes, extreme fatigue, chest pain, weight gain, swelling of the feet, and abnormalities in blood chemistry. Although no cure is available for Lupus, there are some medications and stories that can be prescribed, along with a healthy lifestyle, that increase one's chances of normal life expectancy. But Lupus is difficult to recognize and diagnose, causing it to become life-threatening and life-altering. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank all healthcare professionals, Lupus Canada, Lupus Ontario, for all their hard work in raising awareness regarding Lupus and acting as resources to individuals and their families who are suffering from Lupus. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the member's statements, the member from Hamilton East Stony Creek. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, for over the last few weeks I've heard from dozens, if not hundreds, of residents and businesses in Hamilton East Stony Creek that are suffering from and outraged by the rocketing costs of electricity in this province. The people of Hamilton East Stony Creek are distraught when they open their hydro bills. They're calling on my office hour after hour with 700, 900, even 11 or $1,200 bills. Wages are not going up enough for families to afford this hit. Pensioners are cutting back on heat and air conditioning, even food, to make their hydro payments. At the same time as we export power at a loss to the United States. Last week I visited a small manufacturer in my riding that is being hurt severely by Ontario's soaring electricity rates. His hydro bill has jumped to almost $7,000 a month. On Tuesday I visited businesses in the Stony Creek BIA. They complained about their hydro bills and the difficulty they are having absorbing increase after increase, year after year. It's relentless. This government's failed energy policies are costing jobs in my riding one by one at first, but much worse every time a business shuts shop entirely or moves to an affordable jurisdiction. This province needs a sustainable and affordable energy policy. And my constituents, all of our constituents, need real help now. Thank you. Member from Kingston and the Islands. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend Queen's University in my riding of Kingston and the Islands celebrated its milestone 175th anniversary. On October 16, 1841, 26 years before our country was formed, Queen Victoria granted the royal charter to Queen's University. This historic event was commemorated yesterday by the planting of a scarlet oak tree, which was so beautifully blessed by Mary Ann Spencer, the elder in residence at Four Directions. With the legacy of shaping great thinkers, Queen's has become a central hub for research in this province. Researchers at this university spark and develop ideas that make an impact globally each and every year. Many notable individuals, including the 8th Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Robert Borden, his own engineer and inventor, Sir Sanford Fleming, and 2015 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Arthur McDonald, have graced the halls at Queen's University. Queen's is an integral part of Kingston's community, employing over 8,000 faculty and staff, and has more than 22,000 students from more than 100 countries. It certainly holds a very special place in my heart, as two generations now of Koala women have studied there. Here's to another 175 years of Queen's outstanding performance and more outstanding medical research for the next 175 years so we can all see it in celebration and celebrate. Congratulations, Queen's University. Thank you for your members' statements. No, that is it. Thank you. I thank all members for Thursday.