 It is now time for member statements, and I recognize the member for Niagara Falls. Thank you Mr. Speaker. For allowing me to rise today, on Sunday we are invited to attend the Niagara Falls Fire Department Memorial Ceremony. Line of Duty Death Memorial. This year we are honoring a falling member of this past year with the laying of a rose by his two daughters. This was a 12th member that they are honoring. I'd like to speak about the member today. His name is Fred Hall. Fred was a firefighter in Niagara Falls for 31 years. The ceremony was moving, and they honored Fred, who passed away of an occupational cancer in July of 2020. In January of 1985, Fred joined the Niagara Falls Fire Department. A department I can say is one of the finest in all of Ontario. A dedicated family man with two daughters and three grandchildren. Fred worked his way up to Patoon Chief before his retirement, spending 31 years with the Niagara Falls Fire Department. Even a firefighter is an irregular occupation. You belong to a family. To a group of men and women you love. Spend your days with, train with, and work with. Fred knew that and stayed with his brothers and sisters even after retirement. In honoring Fred's life and his dedication to our community, we must remember that the death was not an accident. It was the result of the work he did. Every day men and women that make up our fire departments across Ontario risk their lives to ensure we as a community are safe. They do that knowing the risks. They answer the call. I hope today we can all remember Fred. Remember him for what he gave to his family. What he gave to our brothers and sisters, to our community, and to the department. And what he gave to all of us. And in this case, Fred gave with his life. Thank you. Member Statements, the member for Ottawa, West Napaean. Thank you, Speaker. To many in Ottawa, the tennis name is associated with the wholesale food industry. Tannis trading, as it was known then, was started by brothers Tophik and George Tannis as a confectionary business in the 1940s. In the early 70s, tragedy hit the family when both the founding brothers passed, and Tophik's wife, Saoud, found herself in charge of a company that was floundering. Families and friends worked together to turn the company around, and it kept growing, creating jobs across Ottawa until they sold it to Cisco Foods in 2015. Meanwhile, George's son, Ralph, started the institution Fat Albert Subs in 1969, which expanded to include Ralph Sports Bar. Not only did Ralph feed many for years, he also helped transform the snowsuit fund in Ottawa to what it is today from a modest beginning. But Speaker, the legacy of the Tannis family is much greater than providing well-paying jobs for our city. The Tannis family has always answered the call to serve our community. Among the more notable donations includes contributions to Karen's Place, the Elizabeth Breyer Foundation, the Pearly Hospital, St. Patrick's long-term care facility. In fact, Speaker, in total, they have donated well over $2 million to community causes across Ottawa. Our city owes a huge thank you to the family for their philanthropic and enterprising spirit. Please join me in recognizing the Tannis family for their support of the city of Ottawa. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Member Statements. The Member for Scarborough, South Wales. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, I'd like to take a moment to remember the life of a young girl that our community lost this week. On Tuesday, October 19th, Nadia Majumdar, a 17-year-old girl, died after being struck by a vehicle on the intersection of Birchmount and Danforth. Nadia was a bright and active member of our community here in Scarborough. She attended Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute not too far from where she lost her life. Nadia was an ambitious young woman who was passionate about contributing to our community and had big dreams about a future where she could help her family and her neighbors. Our community is devastated. They're devastated from this incredible loss. Those who knew Nadia saw her potential and it is heartbreaking to see her being robbed of her future. Speaker, more than half of all the fatal traffic and pedestrian accidents over the past year have been in Scarborough. In fact, there are multiple intersections in Scarborough, South Wales which are known for having recurring collisions, pedestrian impact and devastating fatalities. Members of our community deserve to be able to walk to school or work, wait for a bus, ride a bike safely without the fear of imminent danger. This isn't just Scarborough, Speaker. We have seen multiple deaths this week in Toronto from the same issue. We cannot let this go on. So today I call on all my colleagues from across the aisle to commit to concrete policies that ensure we do not lose another life to these senseless and preventable accidents. Thank you, Speaker. Member Statements, the Member for Mississauga, Erin Mills. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to talk about Mississauga brand new community center today. The 51 million Churchill Meadows Community Center and Sports Park. A 65,000 square feet building combined with 55 acres of green space will support future generations for decades to come in my writing of Mississauga Erin Mills. I would like to congratulate Councillor Sue McFadden for her advocacy and support in these endeavors. It is a state-of-the-art facility in the City West End and I am glad that Mississauga infrastructure is being improved even during the pandemic. By investing in local projects here in Mississauga and across the province, our government is helping to strengthen our communities and guaranteeing a bright and healthy future for our great province. We are ready to build, Mr. Speaker, ready to build the community centers like the $45 million reconstruction of South Common Center in my own writing. Ready to build highways like the 401. Ready to build the transit like the Mississauga LRT. Ready to build this province and proud of the achievement of this government, we have faced a crisis, few administrations have faced and under the leadership of Premier Ford. We have blazed Ontario on the path to recovery. Thank you. Member Statements, the Member for Parkdale High Park. Speaker, on Parkside Drive in my writing of Parkdale High Park to Torontonians, Vladimir and Fatima Avila were recently killed in a vehicle collision. Our thoughts are with the Avila family as they grieve these needless deaths. This week I joined my community for a vigil to remember their lives and renew our long standing call for safe streets in our cities. On a road like Parkside, which borders High Park, Toronto's busiest public park and a residential neighbourhood with a school nearby, vehicles are regularly documented going in excess of speed limits. We know that vehicles travel not according to speed limit, but according to street design. We need a new approach to designing our streets for all modes of transportation, not just cars, so that everyone is safe. That means protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks and more pedestrian crossings. This is critical infrastructure that will save lives and prevent Sears injury. I urge the Ford government to provide additional supports for the infrastructure needed for safe streets implementation by municipalities so that we can achieve Vision Zero. I also urge the government to adopt the vulnerable road users law that the NDP has proposed so that vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclists, road construction workers, emergency responders are protected under the law. We cannot continue to overlook road violence. Thank you. Member Statements. The Member for York Centre. Thank you, Speaker. From the seat I had to articulate thoughts that would never seem unthinkable a few years ago. I pleaded with the government not to impose emergency orders without a stage of emergency or parliamentary oversight. I pleaded not to use the North West Standing Clause, the nuclear option, to pass legislation that the court said could benefit the government's reelection. I pleaded to preserve the freedom of speech. But I never dreamt that I had to urge the Ontario government to de-escalate the fear-mongering and chill the dangerous rhetoric, the dangerous attitudes that we're now hearing on the street in the store and in the media against unvaccinated Canadians. That unvaccinated Canadians are putting the lives of others at risk. All the fear turned into hate. I don't recognize my country anymore. I don't recognize some Canadians anymore. Speaker, the vaccine was never meant to prevent transmission. It doesn't prevent transmission. See the National Post on July 30th. The vaccinated are spreading Delta as quickly as the unvaccinated, according to the CDC. Fauci has quoted multiple times saying the viral road is about the same. The point of the vaccine was to significantly reduce bad outcomes, and thankfully it does, so we should promote the efficacy of the vaccine instead of creating doubt in the efficacy of the vaccine. But please, don't create classes and suggest that one class of Canadians is risking the lives of other Canadians because of their medical status. It incites fear. It incites hate. It's dangerous and unbecoming. It's false, and it's disgusting. Stop this hate, please. Cool down the fear-mongering. Cool down the rhetoric. Oppose and dispel the proposition that anyone is risking anyone's lives. Member Statements. The Member for Flamborough, Glendale. The opportunity this morning to talk about the incredible connections a group of young volunteers from McMaster University and Hamilton is making with residents in assisted living facilities. The group is called Glamour Girls McMaster, and what they do is provide complimentary beauty makeovers, hairstyling, and manicures to women in seniors' homes. McMaster has the only Glamour Girls chapter in Canada. It was started a couple of years ago by Liz Marie and Stacey Correa. The sisters wanted to do something to give back to the community, and they immediately thought of their grandmother who has dementia and is living in Carolyn Place, assisted living home in Hamilton. So, these determined young women blended their interest in beauty and seniors and began the Glamour Girls chapter. Liz Marie says the residents are thrilled and call them their little glamour girls. They have lengthy conversations with the residents and the seniors feel appreciated and valued, and the pandemic didn't stop the students from connecting with the seniors. When they couldn't visit the homes, the students began writing letters to residents in a number of long-term care homes in the city, and some started a pen pal relationship. I want to commend Liz Marie and Stacey and all the volunteers at McMaster who are using makeovers to make the lives of seniors a little brighter. Member Statements, the member for St. Catherine. Thank you, Speaker. One out of every five people in Niagara are over 65 years of age. COVID-19 has been hardest on our older adults, population over the age of 65, which is something we could not control. But today, I stand in this chamber to point out an issue affecting residents over the age of 65, and it is something we can control. It's about OHIP support for eye care and eye tests. This is because eye care is health care, and by ignoring this point hurts every senior in Ontario, especially senior communities like ours in Niagara. Mr. Premier, it is shameful you have not sat down to negotiate eye care and seniors over the age of 65 are paying the price. Ontario pays the lowest rate for eye care in the country. Yes, this funding shortfall started with the Liberal government. However, it could end with the Conservative government. You could do the right thing today. Every day my office gets calls from seniors who are worried about losing their vision and being turned away because the Premier wants to save a buck. Well, Speaker, do you know who is paying the price for that? Yes, it's our seniors. I have made a commitment to my constituents to continue to pressure this government to do the right thing. That's what I will continue to do. So today I stand to deliver a letter imploring you to sit down and negotiate eye care so our seniors can get the care they do deserve. Thank you. Member Statements. The Member for Oakville North, Burlington. Speaker, today I would like to honour his most divine all holiness, Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, economical Patriarch and the spiritual leader of the world's almost 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. On October the 22nd, 2021, his holiness marks the 30th anniversary of his election as Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and economical Patriarch, the longest serving Patriarch in the history of the Sea of Constantinople, the first throne of the Orthodox Church. A visionary leader and bridge builder, the economical Patriarch has increased cooperation within the Orthodox community and promoted dialogue and peace among all religions. He is also known for promoting religious freedom, human rights and combating human trafficking. His work on environmental justice has earned him the title the Green Patriarch. Time Magazine has named him as one of the most influential people in the world. He speaks six languages, Greek, English, French, German, Italian and Turkish and has also fluent in classical Greek and Latin. Ontario has a strong and vibrant Orthodox Christian community, including the Patriarch's representative in Canada, his eminence Archbishop Soterios. On behalf of all members of the legislature, I would like to extend sincere congratulations to his all holiness on his historic anniversary and on his 30 year worldwide ministry. Thank you. Member statements? Member for Elgin Middlesex London. Thank you very much Mr. Speaker with strong family support and an entire community behind her. 23 year old Emma Rankie made us all St. Thomas proud this past summer at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. Emma is a member of the Canadian women's goalball team, the official sport for blind and low vision players. They are all blindfolded and throw a heavy ball with a bell inside down the court to score. And I can tell you Mr. Speaker that ball is really really heavy. Emma was introduced to the sport of global in grade nine and showed incredible natural talent and at age 18 she made the national team. She has traveled the world representing Canada over the past five years and it helped bring home numerous medals for our country. Emma was a fierce competitor in Tokyo, scoring eight times in four games. But unfortunately the team was eliminated early. She though had a great wonderful experience at her first Paralympics is looking forward to her future. I joined community members just recently in September to welcome Emma home. And from there she is headed off to Brazil for the world qualifier. She is expected to be a fixture on the world stage for years to come. So I look forward to her next Olympic Games. Mr. Speaker, St. Thomas, Elgin County and the province of Ontario are incredibly proud of Emma who has represented St. Thomas on the world stage. And we just can't wait to see what's next down her line. So congratulations Emma. Thank you.