 Member Statements, the Member for Spadina, Fort York. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Over the summer, we had three months of committee hearings on small and medium-sized businesses in this province. And on the last day, you know, and over the three months, I'll just say that at the beginning of the three months, businesses were very concerned. They were saying, look, I wasn't able to make my may rent. By the end of it, the last day at the end of August, six businesses from six different parts of the province, six different, very different businesses, they all said, I'm not going to be able to make it through the winter. And they said, we need three things. We need commercial rent relief, a program that actually works. We need tax forgiveness, not deferral, because it's unfair that this government is demanding that companies who were forced to shut down by the law, by law, by this government, are actually expected to pay taxes for that period. And they need regulation on insurance companies, which are tripling some companies' insurance rates because of the pandemic. And the response from this government was that they would, some of the Conservative members said that they would write a letter to the federal government, or they would provide advice. Well, these companies don't need advice. They need support. And they need support to remain solvent so that they can reopen when this pandemic is over and refloat our economy. And so I'm asking this government to reconsider their actions to support small and medium-sized businesses in this province, so that we can all have a strong economy at the end of this pandemic. Thank you. Thank you. Member Statements, the Member for Mississauga East Cooksville. Thank you very much, Speaker. This year has seen unprecedented challenges for Ontarians in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. With Thanksgiving around the corner, I want to thank every resident of this great province for heeding public health advice and doing what they can to stop the spread of COVID-19. I want to also share my deepest appreciation for the frontline healthcare and essential workers who have served this province and kept things running smoothly and continue to do so. Speaker, this here has been a difficult one for my family as we just lost our grandmother just a few weeks ago. I'm thankful for the time my wife and I and our kids had with their great-grandmother. And I will never forget her delicious and heartwarming Thanksgiving dinners. She will be missed. Speaker, I want to express gratitude for being able to celebrate Islamic Heritage Month in this great province of Ontario. It is truly a privilege and an honour to live in a province that uplifts and celebrates the diverse communities that make up the landscape of the place we all call home. Speaker, as we approach the Thanksgiving weekend, I want to remind everyone to continue to follow public health guidelines by avoiding unnecessary gatherings, wearing a mask, keeping your distance and washing your hands. Let's continue to work together to keep one another healthy and safe. Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you. Member Statements, Member for Brampton East. Thank you, Speaker. Right now our roads are safest they've been in years with far fewer accidents happening than before. People have been listening to public health experts and they've been staying at home while their cars are often parked in their driveways or on the streets. Why are they still paying full price for car insurance? We're all making sacrifices during these tough times. Billion dollar car insurance companies are actually increasing their premiums during a pandemic. The Conservative government has the power to mandate lower car insurance rates, but they've chosen to do nothing. That's why the NDP is fighting for a 50% reduction in car insurance rates for all Ontarians during COVID-19. That's what people deserve during a pandemic. Last week, I met with Ken. He's a small business owner in my riding and he had to shut down his business because he didn't receive the support he needed from the Conservative government during a pandemic. He is just one of the many small and medium-sized businesses that are living hand to mouth right now because of COVID-19. But instead of acting to help, this Conservative government is doing nothing. That's why the NDP is standing up for small and medium-sized businesses and we're calling for an immediate ban on commercial evictions. We're calling on a freeze for utility payments and for rental support for businesses in need. The NDP is going to keep on fighting for small and medium-sized businesses until they get the support that they need. Member Statements. The Member for the Topical Lakeshore. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's been a crazy morning. During the emergency lockdown, as a response to the COVID-19 virus, we were encouraged to stay home and children were not allowed to go to school. It's been completely understandable why, during this time, so many families and individuals decided it was a good idea to adopt or purchase a pet. Animals are a great source of comfort, especially during times of stress. They bring families together, they provide company, great memories and they force us to go outside and get exercise, even when we don't want to. During these unprecedented times, most of our animals in our shelters have been adopted and some shelters have actually reported that demand has sometimes exceeded supply. This is a good thing for our animals in our shelters and one of the few silver linings in this global pandemic. However, some people who adopted a pet six months ago or longer are now coming to the realization that some pets can be very expensive. Pet owners can easily spend $1,000 to $2,000 on a dog or cat in any given year and sometimes that can grow when your animal gets sick. This is leading many pet owners to surrender their animal to animal shelters. Now I know firsthand how expensive pets can be. I have two rescue pets, a dog and a cat. Now while the cat doesn't cost much, I'll tell you we call our dog our little money pit. He has allergies, he has special food, his shampoo costs more than mine. But you know what, they are worth every dollar. Our pets are worth our costs. But I just want to remind everybody to look at their financial resources and that should be part of your thinking when you make that decision to purchase that pet and give them their forever home. Thank you. Member Statements and Member for St. Catharine's. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Recently I sat down with health care workers from SEIU and my former colleagues from the hotel do Shaver. They expressed frustration about this board government only providing temporary healthcare solutions to permanent problems. Melissa Jennings and Julie Skinner described to me their frustrations of still being excluded and not being recognized for the pandemic pay. Stephanie Graves and Kathy Chase shared about how frontline workers struggled to get proper PPE and now we're in the second wave, they are worried. Yet the most effective story I heard was on the weekend when one of the PSWs called me back. She was upset about this government announcing a temporary pay increase for PSWs. She was wondering why it is temporary when with or without the pandemic she and her workload has not changed. PSWs are savagely underpaid, cruelly overworked but it is what she said next that sends chills down my spine speaker. What happens when we win the battle against this pandemic? And people are no longer paying attention to long-term care. I'll repeat what happens when we are no longer paying attention. For decades current and past governments have ignored PSWs, low wage and high turnovers. PSWs like the ones I have recently spoke to do not deserve temporary solutions to permanent problems. So SEIU members that I spoke to, I see you. To all the healthcare workers that I speak to, I see you. My colleagues see you. The people in this province see you. We need to fix these problems with real solutions. I will make sure that everyone is watching. Goes both ways. Member Statements, the member for Orlean. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. I'd like to take this opportunity today to say how proud I am of the strong and resilient teachers in Orleans. Every day I admire their resilience and their devotion towards their students while taking on challenges that they are facing due to this pandemic. Sacrifice in the effort teachers across our province make every day as they plan and as they play an invaluable role in shaping the lives of future generations. There's no playbook on how to teach during a world health crisis but somehow our teachers have pioneered great new innovations to keep our children thriving. Despite severe staff shortages and an increased health and safety measures these community leaders have stepped up to the plate to continue to go beyond their job descriptions to ensure their students have the best possible environment to learn and grow. When I talk to school boards as well as parents there is one thing that is very clear and constant. It is the efforts from teachers who keep helping students to learn in this very difficult time. Not only during these difficult times but always for some students you're the only constant in an unpredictable world. Please know that your work is recognized and appreciated and even though you may not feel it the pat on the back is always there. Thank you very much. The next member's statement, the member from Mississauga Centre. Thank you so much Mr. Speaker. Good morning. I'm honoured to rise today to speak to a topic close to my heart as an Ontarian and as a nurse. Mr. Speaker, the month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month a month dedicated to honouring those who have lost their fight to breast cancer and supporting those whose fight continues. Mr. Speaker, one in eight Ontarian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and one in 33 will die from it. This month gives us an opportunity to raise awareness of the risk factors so that Ontarian women are familiar with potential causes of breast cancer and prioritise their health. There is a significant risk factor in particular that I was made aware of that may be overlooked by health professionals and that is breast density. Dense breasts refer to containing a higher ratio of gland to fat. To put it simply, the higher the density the higher the risk. Research on breast density shows that it is an even more significant risk factor than family history. I applaud Dense Breast Canada, a volunteer group of hard-working women who have been raising awareness for the risk of Dense Breast and advocating for Dense Breast notifications for patients across the country. I would also like to thank Canadian Cancer Society for the invaluable work that you do in advocating for and supporting survivors of breast cancer and those currently battling it and those who have passed. Mr. Speaker, this advocacy work matters because breast cancer can affect our mothers, daughters, wives, friends and colleagues. So I invite all women to learn more about breast cancer and your own risk factors because there can be life after breast cancer but the prerequisite is early detection. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Member Statements, Member Fortron, Danforth. Thank you Speaker. Within the last 10 days, Metrolinx has unveiled more details about its plan for the Ontario line. Giving my constituents a look at their future, it's not a pretty picture speaker for those in the south end or the north end of my riding. My riding desperately needs more transit and my constituents strongly supported the previously planned relief line. It would have made a huge difference in subway crowding. If this government had simply continued on with that plan, not only would construction be underway now but it would be done without putting a huge burden on our neighbourhoods. As it is, the stretch from Gerard to Eastern will have six railway lines as opposed to the current three resulting in the sound of trains passing at least every 45 seconds throughout the day. And this is with houses less than 20 metres away from those tracks. Even now, people have to stop talking when trains go by. In Eglington, sorry, in Etopico Centre, the Premier directed the undergrounding of the Eglington LRT at a cost of well more than a billion dollars. This is for a line that ran down the middle of a four-lane highway with separation zones on either side. There is no such consideration for my constituents. Metrolinx needs to come back with a plan to put the line underground south of Gerard to Eastern and the north end needs to engage in real consultation with my constituents. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you very much. Members' statements? The Member for Stormont, Dundas, South Glen Gary. Thank you, Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of people in my riding in Stormont, Dundas and South Glen Gary who continue fundraising for the Children's Treatment Centre, including six long-sue public-schooled elementary students. Led by organizer, 10-year-old Georgia McDougal, her team of Chloe Carter Edwards, Victoria Powers, Isabel Paquette, Olivier Giver, and Esther Stevens sold handmade crafts for $1 to $5, an item on August the 20th. They hope to raise $500 for the Treatment Centre, a non-profit organization that relies solely on fundraising to help children and youth overcome the effects of abuse and neglect. Meanwhile, Cornwall lawyer Andrew Gagel held a month-long campaign to raise about $1,000 for the Centre. Mr. Gado donated 20% of the proceeds from his work. He did involving will and power of attorney tasks. These acts of generosity and community spirit in these challenging times are especially important because many fundraising activities have been curtailed during the pandemic. I look forward to the Treatment Centre's drive-through breakfast on October the 16th to replace their annual celebrity walk and breakfast. These kinds of selfless initiatives are what makes my writing at Stormont Dundas in South Hungary the special and caring place it is. Thank you, Speaker. Member Statements. Member for Scarborough Centre. Thank you, Speaker. Every year and every day here in Ontario, people and families go hungry. I am inviting people of Scarborough Centre to join my office in doing something to help our fellow Scarberians and Ontarians. On Saturday, October 24th, at the McGregor Park Community Centre parking lot, from 1 to 3 p.m., we are doing a pumpkin giveaway and food drive. If you bring a food donation, no matter how big or how small, you get a pumpkin and get to take it home with you. We'll also have a pumpkin decorating contest at home, so we'll be giving out pumpkin decorating kits for your kids. And any kid under 12 is able to do so. You have two weeks to decorate your pumpkin and we'll choose a winner and we'll put a picture of your pumpkin on our wall. And you will get to have lunch with me and your parents, of course. We'll also have an ice cream truck DJ. I'm sorry, no ice cream, but he is a DJ in an ice cream truck playing music as you come by and hot apple cider. I'm also very proud to share that our pumpkins are coming from Thomas Reiser and his family at Sweetridge Farms. Thomas is a seventh generation farmer and the Reiser family is the final farming family that is still going in Scarborough. So thank you to Thomas, thank you to Lois and Dale. We're very proud to be getting our pumpkins from you and we're very happy that we get to do this work for Scarborough families and we encourage all Scarborough families to visit Sweetridge Farms when you have the opportunity as well. They're a great Scarborough institution. Thank you. Thank you very much. That concludes our member's statements this morning. I understand the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry has a point of order. Thank you very much, Speaker. On a point of order, I did want to recognize the fine member from Bay of Quinty who was, again, yesterday was nine years a member here, which a lot of people shared that, but today he's 50 years a member of the race, the human race. 50 years today, half a century. Everybody's good friend, Todd Smith. Happy birthday. Technically not a point of order. Happy birthday, Todd. Government host leader on a point of order? Thank you, Speaker. If you seek it, I'm sure you'll find unanimous consent that at the conclusion of question period today that the house return at one o'clock instead of three. Seeking unanimous consent to move a motion to allow the house to resume at one o'clock today instead of 3 p.m. Agreed? Agreed. Agreed.