 It's now time for Question Period, the leader of Her Majesty's Board of Opposites. Thank you very much, my question to the Premier on the motion that we've tabled with the Chair. I do want to say in the light of the Premier's position on Bill 74, I've been in politics for a long time. I've seen people take two sides of an issue. I've never in my life seen somebody take three sides of an issue. That's not the kind of leadership I need in the province. And it's just further evidence, Speaker, that we desperately need change in our province. And when we see the cancellation of the Oakville Gas Plant, a $1.1 billion, to put forward the interest of Liberal Party head of taxpayers, we've seen 10 months of indecision, we've seen 36 panels. I just got to ask a question. In light of the lack of decisions, except to save Liberal seats, why should we trust you to run the province of Ontario? Before I call the Premier, I'm going to make mention of the fact that I'm hearing something you know I don't like to hear and you will be reminded for all of you, you mention people by their writing or by their title. And I will not tolerate anything else. Premier? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You know, Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had the privilege of being at Centennial College and being part of an announcement about an investment into a program that is going to allow young people to get experience in the aerospace industry, Mr. Speaker, which is an absolutely leading and important industry in this province, Mr. Speaker. In fact, 14 of 25 manufacturers, Mr. Speaker, in the aerospace industry, 14 of 25 in the world are here, Mr. Speaker, in Ontario. To our strengths as a province, I would have thought, Mr. Speaker, that the leader of the opposition would have been supportive of that kind of job creator, that kind of investment in people and infrastructure that is going to help the economy, is going to help people get into the economy, is going to create jobs. I would have thought that he would have been supportive of that, Mr. Speaker. Premier, I just want to see a government that's not corrupt. I want to see a government that's not morally bankrupt. That's why. I'm just going to caution. So let's stay away from the kind of language that could be inflammatory, and I would ask the member to follow that request. You know, the Premier continues to put the interest of Liberal Party ahead of the interest of hardworking taxpayers. We put a motion on the floor of the House to say that we simply cannot trust the Liberals to run the province voluntarily. Clearly, that's what I hear from Ontarians around this province. We're losing jobs. We're losing more manufacturing jobs in Hamilton. We have folks in the corner of the racetrack who are facing closure. And quite frankly, despite the NDP protests, that track would not be closing without the support of the NDP and the Liberals. So the question is, if the NDP actually suddenly agrees with us instead of siding with the Liberals in each and every vote, if they say they're on the side of Ontario families and agree with us that we can't trust the Liberal government instead of being patsies for the Liberals, will you then say let's go to the people, let's actually have them decide we can forge forward to get better answer? Mr. Speaker, what we want to do on this side of the House is give people the opportunity to get the training that they need, make sure that communities have the infrastructure that they need, Mr. Speaker, so that we can continue to bring business to the province. We want an economy that's going to thrive and we have a plan, Mr. Speaker, to make those investments. And we are executing that plan, Mr. Speaker. What we are not going to do is make a 180-degree turn and cancel the services that people need. Firework, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Rural Affairs come to order the member from the NDP and Carl can come to order the member from Lent and Kent Middlesex come to order and I'll catch the rest of you in the next time around. Policies, Mr. Speaker, that we are putting in place, including those around the horse racing industry and I know that the leader of the third party has a newfound interest in horse racing in Fort Erie, Mr. Speaker, but the reality is that the public policy that was in place as a result of their government was not planned. It was not accountable, Mr. Speaker. It had to be changed. We have changed it and my hope is that the race tracks across the province will have a sustainable future. Well, frankly, the premier caused the crisis and she signed the document that sold the province down the river to between $1.1 billion. And quite frankly, the NDP sold their soul to prop you up. Here's the reality across the province. Hydro rates have doubled. We've lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs. People are worried about keeping their job, let alone the pay raise that they need in this province in the private sector. The horse racing industry is in jeopardy. The reality is to get anything done, you need two parties in our legislature to support that agenda. So far, the liberals and the NDP have been hand in glove driving for this agenda that's resulted in doubling Hydro rates, the closure potentially of race tracks across the province. The NDP changes their mind and says, you know what? We're actually saying enough is enough. We can't trust this liberal government. If they support our motion, well, that means you'll actually put the vote, the people of Ontario, decide to move forward. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And I want to pick up on something that the leader of the opposition said. And you know, I acknowledge that we are in fragile economic times. You look around jurisdictions around the world, Mr. Speaker. We're in fragile economic times. So I do not believe that firing 10,000 education workers and 2,000 healthcare workers and putting in place right to work legislation, Mr. Speaker, that would drive down workplace to the lowest common denominator and in fact, kill jobs, Mr. Speaker. That is not the route that I believe is responsible, Mr. Speaker. So we're not going to take that route. That is the route that is laid out by the leader of the opposition. So we believe that the investments in people and in infrastructure and in a business climate that will bring business to the province is where we should go, Mr. Speaker, which is what the announcement yesterday was about. The aerospace industry is one of our strengths. That's the kind of strategic investment that needs to be made in order for this economy to thrive. We're going to continue on that path, Mr. Speaker. You see it, please? You see it, please? You see it? And I'm actually telling everybody to stop acting. New question to the members? Mr. Speaker, my question as well is to the Premier. Speaker, the Premier has no mandate from the people of Ontario. She is providing over the largest political scandal in Ontario's history and a new opinion poll says Ontarians want an election over the gas plant scandal. It says somebody should be thrown in jail over this $1.1 billion scandal. And I believe those results, Speaker, because when I am an Osgoode or Kors or North Gore or Nippian, the same people that are being asked in these polls are telling the same thing to me. They think they ought to be thrown in jail. Voters have lost confidence in this Liberal Party. It seems the only person with any confidence in this Liberal Party is the leader of the New Democrats, who, by the way, sat idly party candidates lost the race trap program. His legislature adopts our opposition motion next Wednesday that says that the voters have lost trust in your party. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's a little bit much that the Leader of the Opposition, the members of the Progressive Conservative Party have stood up and made all this noise about wanting to clear the decks and get on with legislation involving employment, involving creating jobs for Ontarians. Right now, we have Bill 105 in front of the legislature, Mr. Speaker. And instead of finishing the debate on Bill 105 and allowing it to proceed to the next stage, we're engaging in all sorts of efforts to delay their bringing forward these mischievous motions, Mr. Speaker. The other part of it is that under the standing orders of this legislation, this is simply a stunt by the opposition. While, Mr. Speaker, it's time that the opposition start to focus on jobs for the province of Ontario. Let Bill 105, which lowers taxes for a small business group, and stop focus. Thank you, supplementary. I'd like to go back to the Premier of Ontario because this relates directly to the confidence and the trust that people of this province have in her. The forum research poll was quite clear. People don't view them as a trusted government. They view them as a bunch of criminals. Minister of Transportation. This goes to a vote. It is very important that this motion be listened to. This is a Premier who would prefer to set up panels across the province so that everyone in the province is on one so she can feel that she's having a conversation. But what we learn in those conversations, particularly at the Justice Committee Speaker, is that their government is at the very root of a very corrupt scheme in Oakville and Mississauga. Stop the clock for a moment, please. I'm trying to do my job, so I don't need to do my job. I'm chair of quarterbacks and I care what the member said and I'm not impressed again. We will stay away from any references to any member in this place as involved in criminality and I'm asking the member to stay away from that. Carry on. Thanks. Now that the Liberals are ignoring Ontarians and their wishes and the NDP continues to prop them up, I'd like to know what she has promised the NDP when our party puts forward our motion. I'd really like to know Premier, if you are... Thank you. Thank you. Government House Leader. You know, Mr. Speaker, they can't have it both ways. They can't stand here in the House and say over and over again that the cancellation of the power plants was the worst thing to befall civilization since the plague or the Macarena and forget the fact that they stood up in the campaign aggressively and said vote for us and the power plants will be cancelled. That their candidates had robocalls and fliers and tweets that they went door to door saying vote for a progressive, conservative government and the plants will be cancelled. Mr. Speaker, it was a promise they made and a promise we kept. It was a promise that was made by every single party in this legislature and the honourable member cannot deny that fact. Thank you. Final supplementary. Back to the Premier of Ontario. Mr. Transportation and infrastructure come to order. On to the opposition's questions over a very important matter of trust and confidence. She has lost their confidence and never was able to get it in the first place because she has no mandate from the electorate. Not only will I debunk what this Government House Leader has said with respect to plants, I have the words from the Auditor General, as does the rest of the people of this province. You are behind that Oakville power plant cancellation. You cost the taxpayers this province $1.1 billion and I want to know from the Premier's own mouth will she listen to our confidence motion next week? Will she tell the people of the province that she will listen to them when they don't trust her? Premier, yes or no? Will you have the courage of your conviction to vote in this House next week or not? Thank you. Thank you. First of all, Mr. Speaker, it's not a confident... Member from Prince Edward Hastings second time. Sure, yes. First of all, it's not a confidence motion. The member knows that. I direct the member to go to the website of Mayor Rob Burton of Oakville. He has a section called timeline related to this and I want to hear this. On September 25th, 2011 this is what I'm quoting PC leader Tim Houdak says the Oakville power plant cancellation cost $1 billion and suggests because you were yelling so loud you didn't hear me even with my mic on. The member from Stormont will come to order. Carry on. And suggests the Mississauga power plant cancellation may cost another billion. On October 5th, 2011 Mr. Rural Affairs come to order. In front of the still under construction Mississauga power plant, PC leader Tim Houdak promises to stop the power plant if he wins the election after only days before warning that he sure may cost another billion dollars, Mr. Speaker. That is the testimony of Mayor Rob Burton of Oakville and I invite the honorable member to check out that website. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. I'm joined in the legislature by four horse families from Fort Erie. They're wondering why the Premier is killing racing in their community and whether it's just so that the Liberals And if it continues, I might jump right to warnings. We will have civility here. Finish your question, please. And whether it's just so the Liberals can help out the newly privatized woodbind track, pad their profit margins, the kind of track that people prefer as well, Speaker. Is the Premier ready to meet Mr. Speaker? And explain to them why she thinks the Fort Erie track should not have a future of racing in Fort Erie. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, I welcome the folks from Fort Erie here today and I would just say that the leader of the third party is absolutely wrong. I want there to be a future for the horse racing at Fort Erie, Mr. Speaker. The robust and sustainable horse racing industry across the province. That is not what we had in place, Mr. Speaker. There was an unaccountable untransparent system in place, Mr. Speaker. It had to be changed. When I came into this office, I said that I was going to make sure that we had an integrated system with the OLG so that horse racing across this province would have a future because I believe that it is an important part of our culture. The culture in rural communities around the province, Mr. Speaker, and it's important to the province. So I want Fort Erie to have a future. It may not be exactly the same as its past, but I want it to have a future and the plan we thought in place will allow for that, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the liberals are gambling on the future of horse racing and the Premier should know that the stakes are real. Henry and Claudia Wheeling are here today. They've had to meet with the bank about how they can keep their home and the stress has caused Henry to have a heart attack. The government is pulling the rug out from under them, but still trying to roll out the red carpet for private casinos, even while community after community rejects those private casinos. The Premier's admitted that the government's so-called modernization plan was a mistake. Will she let families like the Whalands pay for that stake, Speaker, or will she back away from a plan that just is not working? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, as I said, I have been clear from the outset that there is a future for Fort Erie. The reality is that the track will need to work with the Ontario Racing Commission as the other tracks will need to, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that there is a plan in place. The Minister of Rural Affairs is warned. Carry on. $400 million into horse racing over the next five years, Mr. Speaker, and each one of the tracks around the province has the opportunity to work with the Ontario Racing Commission to make the case for a business plan. That is the responsible way forward, Mr. Speaker. We want a horse racing industry that is sustainable and for which the success is tied to the usage by people who go to the track. We want that to be the benchmark. There was no benchmark under the slots program, Mr. Speaker. There was no benchmark. There was no transparency. We need that transparency. Thank you. Final supplementary. Twelve-year-old Kayla is with us today, too, Speaker. Her dad and her brother have had to move to Florida to find work. Kayla grew up on a farm and horses have been part of her life since she can remember. But instead of working with families the Premier has taken away their livelihood and her livelihood. Kayla asked to put this question to the Premier, and so I'm going to do it. What does the Premier think is going to happen to the horses that have been raised and trained by families like hers when there's nowhere to race those horses and those families can't afford to keep them anymore? Thank you. So I'm not sure where Kayla is, but I want Kayla to know that the tracks that I have visited, the horse families that I have, the racing families that I have spoken to, the people I've spoken to in the horse racing industry are exactly they are the reason that I was so committed when I came into this job that we would put a plan in place that would allow the tracks like Fort Erie to work with the Ontario Racing Commission. So I want Fort Erie to have a future. I want horse racing to have a future. It was one of my priorities. It's one of the reasons I took on the role as Minister of Agriculture and Food. So I want the people in this gallery to know that there is an opportunity for Fort Erie to work with the Ontario Racing Commission and to put in place a sustainable plan for the future. That is why we wanted to bring the plan out early so that people who are breeding horses would know that the plan was in place. $400 million. Thank you. Christina, please. Thank you. My next question is also for the Premier. The Premier said that she killed racing at Fort Erie because this Lotsat race track program wasn't affordable or transparent. She just said that earlier this morning. Jim T. Bear, the CEO of Fort Erie Race Track, is here with us today. Jim made sure that the track at Fort Erie opened their books to auditors and to the public. Will the Premier ensure that the newly private Woodbine race track has to open its books so Ontarians have the same level of accountability and transparency for that track. Mr. Speaker, absolutely. I think what the leader of the third party is alluding to is the reality that as we went into the transition, Mr. Speaker, there were audits that were done of each of the tracks in the province and those audits contained commercially sensitive information. And that was the agreement with the tracks, Mr. Speaker. There is currently an audit being done by the Auditor General of the Slots at Race Track Program, Mr. Speaker. Obviously when that report comes out that report will be public and will be available to all members of the legislature and the public, Mr. Speaker. But make no mistake, we needed to make a change to the program that had been put in place that was unaccountable, that had been put in place by the previous government. We're making that change but we're making it in a way that horse racing must have a sustainable future, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary. The government did conduct an audit of race tracks to see how SART money was being spent and Jim Deep-T-Bear and the folks from Fort Erie gladly opened up their books. But the Premier is keeping the Woodbine audit under wraps. She is not making that information public because it's commercially sensitive, sounds like the gas plants to me. She says she wants to be accountable and open. In fact, she's got a panel to tell her how exactly to do that. Do I need to be a member of that panel, Speaker, to suggest that she release the Woodbine audit? Well, if you'd like to be part of that panel, you may be part of that panel, Mr. Speaker. But I, the reality is, as I have said, in order to work with tracks to go through a transition so that we could redesign a program that would be sustainable. There were audits that were done of each of the tracks, Mr. Speaker. Those were done confidentially. That was the agreement with the tracks, Mr. Speaker. And that there is commercially sensitive information as part of those audits. There is currently an audit that's being done by the auditor general and that report will be made public, Mr. Speaker. If there had been misconduct discovered, Mr. Speaker, in the third party audits, then that would have been sent to the authorities. Going forward, we have put a sustainable plan in place. And I think it's interesting to note, Mr. Speaker, that I have heard absolutely no strategy from the third party on how they would make course racing sustainable. Thank you. Final supplementary. Gee, uh, Gee, Speaker, I think what the Premier is saying is just trust us. Everything in those audits is on the tickety bill. I don't think the people of Ontario buy that from the Liberal government. I don't think it's a race. Not-for-profit tracks like Fort Erie have opened up their books. Minister of Immigration and Citizenship come to order. The authorities would find we'll do the same. The government has put the livelihoods of the people here today and rural communities across Ontario at risk. At the very least, she should be giving them the openness and the transparency that she likes to harp about but rarely delivers. So, Mr. Speaker, as I said, there has been no plan coming forward from the third party on how they would make course racing in this province sustainable, Mr. Speaker. The suggestion that underlies the leader of the third party's question is that somehow everything was fine under the previous regime that the Flossed Race Track Program was fine, that it was good public policy. That's just not the case, Mr. Speaker. And Fort Erie was struggling under that plan as well, Mr. Speaker. So, the reality is, we have worked very hard with all of the tracks in the province, Mr. Speaker, to put in place a plan that's going to allow them to have a future. My hope is that the people at Fort Erie will work with the Ontario Racing Commission. I want Fort Erie to have a future, Mr. Speaker, not because that's the politically expedient thing to do, Mr. Speaker, but because people's jobs rely on it and because horse racing is an important part of our culture. That's why we're putting the plan in place. Can you see the please? Can you see the please? New question. Member from Whitby, Oshawa. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Health. Minister Kim Fletcher, Milton mother with two young children is asking for more time. More time with her nine-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter. After being diagnosed with stage four terminal glioblastoma multi-farm for 18 months to live. Kim's doctors have told her that Avastin will give her more time, in fact, up to 18 months more time. Minister, you and your ministry have denied funding for Avastin for uses other than for colorectal cancer. But in fact, studies show that the use of Avastin with both colorectal cancer and brain cancer is the same. It gives patients more time. If Ms. Fletcher lived in British Columbia, Saskatchewan or Manitoba, Avastin would be covered. Will you commit today to give Kim Fletcher more time and commit to funding Avastin for the cancer? Thank you, Mr. President. Well, thank you, Speaker. And this is a very heart-breaking story. I have followed this particular patient. I've been on the website. I've seen the pictures of Kim Fletcher and her husband are two gorgeous little children. I cannot help, but imagine if this were my own children. Speaker, it is a heart-breaking story. We have passed a law in this legislature that takes the politics out of drug funding. It would be against the law for me to intervene in a particular case for a particular drug. We do have in place a committee to evaluate drugs. It has twice reviewed the evidence using Avastin for this particular condition and twice it has rejected that for lack of evidence. Thank you. Supplementary. I respectfully disagree with the minister. There are several programs under which there is an ability to fund drugs for compassionate purposes of the exceptional access program or the case-by-case review program under Cancer Care Ontario. And surely you have to agree that one of those cases where compassion should be administered. In fact, this is why we pay taxes in the province fund. Exactly. People want their tax money to be used for their fellow Ontarians in their time of need. Minister Kim Fletcher and her husband are here with us today. Will you do the right thing and extend compassion to this family and extend Avastin? Thank you. Do you see the face? Do you see the face? Speaker, this is a family going through an absolutely heartbreaking event in their life. All of us want nothing but the very, very best for this family and for this individual. I do have the committee to evaluate drugs report. These reports are publicly available on the website. As I say, it has been reviewed twice for this condition in July of 2010 and June of 2011. The recommendation is that it not be funded for the treatment of this disease on the basis that treatment has not been proven to improve survival, Speaker. I will happily pass this over. The committee to evaluate drugs will always review new evidence. As a result of their work, Speaker, we've added 300 300 new drugs to the formulary. Speaker, they do hard work. These are very difficult decisions. These are not political decisions. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and good morning to you. My question is to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines. 30 to 50% of operating costs for the mining sector is the price of electricity. And the threshold for the global adjustment program still stands at 1 megawatt, which penalizes missized producers. In Thunder Bay, the government even realize that the electricity supply is not sufficient to support new mining developments. Will the government commit to a real plan for mining development in Ontario by coming up with a plan to increase electricity supply and to deal with the sky-high price of electricity so that mining companies can create good jobs? Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, we've just received in the last couple of days the report back from the task force for Northwestern Ontario based out of Thunder Bay. They're responding to a plan that's on the OPA website to really invest billions of dollars literally over the foreseeable future in Northwestern Ontario for hydro for electricity and transmission. Mr. Speaker, from the mining industry point of view they will have power when they need it. We've given that commitment we're talking to the people from Northwestern Ontario on that particular issue. In addition to that Mr. Speaker we have introduced supports for energy prices in the north. We have the Northern Ontario Energy Credit, Northern Industrial Electricity Rate Program and a number of other programs Mr. Speaker. We are going to deliver we are delivering for Northwestern Ontario. That includes Thunder Bay and I'm happy to talk to the member personally. Thank you again my question is to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines. Ontario's mining sector has created 27,500 direct jobs and tens of thousands of indirect jobs. The development of the Ring of Fire and numerous other projects in the Northwest will require a skilled workforce by 2020. Yet this program yet this government refuses to play a role in training programs. Mining companies can create jobs but they need the right competitive factor including a trained workforce. Why is this liberal government not investing in a training program so that the people of Ontario can benefit from the immense economic opportunity that mining can create? Mr. Speaker, I'm really pleased to respond to this particularly in light of the fact that we have invested so many significant millions of dollars in fact in terms of skills trading and upgrading related to the great potential of the Ring of Fire we recognize there are many components to the development of this plan. Clearly our work with the First Nations we've recognized how important that is and it's ongoing in a positive way but as the member points out quite accurately we have a mining sector in the province of Ontario that's employing more people than it does ever have. We are the leading jurisdiction for exploration and for production in our mining sector in all of Canada and one of the top ten investment jurisdictions in the world. Certainly in terms of the training aspects to a number of programs, to a number of investments we are preparing the workforce in northwestern Ontario in fact of all of Ontario to be prepared and ready for when the Ring of Fire development moves forward. We're continuing to be prepared. That's all one of the aspects is so crucial so we certainly agree and we're all on the same page of that. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Research and Innovation and it deals with the importance of supporting new thriving companies. In my writing of York Southwestern, my constituents strive for quality and well-paying jobs so that they can provide for their families and they also want their children to have a good university or college education so that they can be ready to be the leaders of our future. Ontario's capacity to compete in the global knowledge-based economy depends on how well we can utilize our research strengths and provide the support our entrepreneurs and their businesses need to prosper. We need to ensure that Ontario benefits to the full extent from our knowledge-based economy because our future success and that of our children depends on. Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister how is our government helping new upcoming companies thrive and succeed? Thank you Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the member from York Southwestern for that important question. Our government recognizes the importance of assisting new companies. Many new start-up companies to compete in the global market. For example, we helped client outlook. This is a water-based company software company that allows hospitals to share digital x-rays and save some money instead of spending money on setting up working stations. In anchor services, we help a company called Fibercast which harnesses its technology in purifying drinking water and treatment of wastewater technologies. Fibercast now employs 70 people in the region. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that our government's track record in helping small innovative companies develop products and services that are helping Ontario and also help people's lives. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker and thank you to the Minister. The backbone of any strong economy starts with providing the necessary support that small and local companies need to thrive. Small companies across our Great Province provide the most jobs to Ontarians and our ability to help them turn great ideas into successful businesses and new employment opportunities is of paramount importance to our economy. And when Ontarians have well-paying jobs to support their families they can take comfort in knowing that future generations are well positioned to prosper and succeed. Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister could you speak to the initiatives that our government is taking to help small, local and innovative businesses thrive? Thank you, Minister. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I want to thank again the member from York South Reston for that question. Mr. Speaker, our government is taking strong action to ensure that Ontario companies remain globally competitive and have necessary tools to succeed. For example, Mr. Speaker, Bill 105 the Support to Small Business Act is one of the very many steps that our government is taking to help small businesses. This will aim to help small businesses in Ontario but much of their detriment is being delayed in this House, Mr. Speaker. I urge the opposition to stop stalling the passing of Bill 105 so that we can move forward in helping small businesses in this province. When innovative businesses succeed in our province our local economies are going to succeed. Mr. Speaker, we want to make this happen by letting this bill to proceed to the committee in order to help our small businesses across the province of Ontario. Thank you. Your question? The member from Burlington. Today US Steel announced that the massive blast furnaces of the former Stelco plant in Hamilton will shut down permanently by year end. It will be the end of an era in Canadian industrial history. At peak in the 1980s more than 14,000 people were living at Stelco. They built a proud city and helped make our economy stronger. This spring you insisted that the job crisis in Ontario's manufacturing sector was a myth. Do you still believe that today? Good question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, we and the government are disappointed that US Steel has made this decision unfortunately to end certain operations that have in fact been idle since 2010. Mr. Speaker, we understand Hamilton works, coke making and finishing operations will continue to operate and it's important to note as well that no immediate layoffs will or have occurred and we understand in fact that the company plans to reassign the 47 individual employees that are impacted by this regrettable decision. Mr. Speaker, over 80% of Canada's steel making happens in this province and we're proud of that. In fact, the sector employs more than 17,000 people across the province and indirectly more than 50,000 more. But we will continue to work proactively with the entire sector to spur innovation and attract investment in projects. The members, before I call on the member from Burlington, the member from Renfrew and Nipissing, Pembroke will come to order. Supplementary, please. Thank you, Speaker. I didn't get a good point. Premier, across the bay from my riding skill workers have been making steel for over a century. Your party has been in office for a decade and that time Ontario has lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs. The manufacturing crisis is no myth Premier. It is real. Your government has a role to play Premier and that role is strong leadership. Could we have changed headlines with the plan that offered more affordable industrial power rates? The investments in plant and equipment have saved jobs. We believe it would and truly wish you would take our plan. Premier, if we have to wait until the 2014 budget to hear your jobs plan, will there be any manufacturing jobs left? Thank you. I agree with the member opposite that the steel sector worldwide is facing challenges and in fact the economy as we know in this province is facing challenges. But it's important to remember, Mr. Speaker, that since the bottom of the recession we have created almost 500,000 new jobs. In fact, many of them in the manufacturing sector, 95% of them full-time jobs, Mr. Speaker, and the overwhelming majority of them in the private sector as well. So the pace of job creation when you compare it to other jurisdictions around us, the pace far exceeds that in the United States. In fact, exceeds that substantially among our competitors in the great late states as well. So we have a plan for more work-creating jobs that includes in the steel industry and we will work hard to make sure that those workers who are displaced have the support that they need. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Speaker, Stealtown got its name from the iron and steel works that defined Hamilton for more than a century. Yesterday US Steel announced the permanent shutdown of the iron and steelmaking operations. Since 2010, US Steel has said they could restart their operations if the economy turned around. Speaker, in that time new Democrats have proposed a job-creator tax credit getting sky-high electricity rates under control and an industrial investment tax credit which could have helped to add a hot strip of coal. Glad to see the Tories now actually accept our idea, Speaker. With the status quo, new Democrats believe that Hamilton can come out of this stronger. So why is this government simply throwing up its hands? Thank you, Premier. Minister of Economic Development Trade and Employment. Well, and as the member, the leader of the third party, I know that she agrees with me in saying that I'm so proud of Hamilton and the work that they've been doing over the past years has actually reached the stage where they're the number one jurisdiction in all of Canada for investment and commercial and residential industrial activity there. So the work that is being done, the leadership that's being demonstrated by that city is nothing short of remarkable, Mr. Speaker. And I want to mention as well that we've been working closely with Hamilton Works for a number of years with US Steel to support those workers who unfortunately have faced layoffs in that difficult sector right now. And in fact, the colleague behind me, the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, has since 2011, has supported an action center with the Hamilton workers to make sure that those laid off employees are getting the support that they need. We'll continue to do that. But I'm proud of the work that Hamilton's done. I've no doubt they're going to be able to overcome these. Supplementary. Well, Speaker, the Minister's facile boosterism isn't enough. The government can try and pass the buck, or they can stand up for Hamiltonians. Mayor Birchina said, and this is his words, his quote, worse fears come true. The government is standing on the sidelines and watching as those fears come true. Speaker, they can waste a billion dollars on cancelling gas plants to save a few liberal seats in the GTA, but they won't fund a manufacturing investment tax credit that could help businesses across Ontario invest and grow. Hamilton is filled with smart, dedicated, hardworking people who can come out of this stronger. Is the Premier going to stop standing by and watching as Stealtown loses its steel-making works, or will she start listening to these Democrats and focus on job creation instead of her own political self-interest? Well, thank you, and Mr. Speaker, you know, we are investing in Hamilton. We are supporting the leadership in Hamilton as they work their way through transitions, including the likes of what we're hearing in the steel worker. But I want to say, Mr. Speaker, we are investing in manufacturing right across this province. In fact, we've committed nearly a billion dollars to support 170 projects in the province's manufacturing sector since 2007. Mr. Speaker, we've been providing relief as well, tax relief to our manufacturers. Of course, we paralleled the federal government earlier in the budget earlier this year to provide the accelerated capital cost allowance. That is a value of nearly a quarter of a billion dollars over the next several years. And of course, through the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund and other mechanisms, we're investing in the manufacturing and other sectors throughout that region of Ontario. We're proud to work with the local leadership to do that. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. My questions for the Minister of Northern Development has to do with the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund. Minister, one of the chronic constant complaints we hear as northerners from our political opponents is that Northern Ontario doesn't have a voice and that their voice is not heard. Obviously as a northerner, I emphatically reject that premise. Our investments through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and our increases in funding, and it's important to note, taking that fund from $60 million to $100 million is one very clear indication that in fact the North is being heard and that Northern members continue to deliver for their writings. I know very recently, Minister, you made an announcement on a bit of a renewed, relook, refresh of the programming within the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and I'm wondering, Minister, if you could share with the House exactly what the programming is going to do to continue that wonderful trend in Northern Ontario. Thank you. We're so very proud of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund in terms of the jobs it has created, 22,000 jobs created or retained over the last 10 years, you know, thousands of $890 million in investment, but two weeks ago we decided we needed to look and say can we make the program even stronger and we had the opportunity to announce five new programs to basically enhance how the Heritage Fund works and what we recognize while we want to tie it into the priorities that were identified in the growth plan. Existing and emerging sectors in the economy, the ones that are the real priorities for the North. So now what we've done is with the new programs, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation has aligned programs with those sectors that will maximize benefit for Northerners and even work better than it has in the past. So we've been working with Northern municipalities, Aboriginal communities certainly in this private sector to create a stronger, more diverse economy and I'll look forward in my supplementary. Thank you. I'm going to ask the minister next time to wait for me to acknowledge you before we start. Your microphone will be on. Carry on supplementary. Thank you very much and minister thank you for that response. As mentioned since October 2003 over $860 million towards more than 5,800 projects leveraging over $3 billion in investment. I can tell you in my riding alone there's been tens of millions of dollars of investment through hundreds of projects creating or maintaining close to 1,700 jobs. A few examples in my riding of Thunder Bay Atacocan. New tech metals $300,000 to expand the fab shop for high definition plasma table allowing them to bid on jobs they previously couldn't hire more people. Rubin Business Park and Marillo and Oliver Papoonge over $500,000 for an expansion of their industrial park with service lots. Thunder Bay International Airport Authority the third busiest airport in all of Ontario a million dollars to continue the great trend that we see there on the business expansion at Thunder Bay International Airport. Can you please share with the house the new programming specifically how we're going to see that continue what's been a great trend through NOHFC all across northern Ontario. So much again and this is why aligning our programs with the growth plan is so important because the growth plan in Ontario the north's competitive advantage. So our program changes our focusing investment on existing and emerging sectors that have strong potential for significant growth across the north and as part of our government's plan to strengthen the economy and support a dynamic and an innovative business climate that attracts investment and helps create jobs the NOHFC wants to continue to partner with northerners. So the five new programs at the Heritage Fund are building the themes of sector job creation supporting northern community infrastructure enhancing economic development capacity and stimulating commercialization innovation and productivity and of course attracting and retaining talent that we look forward to continue to work with all of our northern organizations to keep building jobs great jobs in northern Ontario. Thank you. Your question from my question this morning is to the Premier. As you are aware your government has managed to pass just four pieces of legislation since your liberal coronation. Of course my bill is to flipped and flocked by first supporting and then opposing and then just outright hiding was defeated yesterday. Premier you demonstrated cowardly weak leadership. This morning though I'm not going to accept that it's not what I would call elevating the debate so the member I withdraw. Premier you demonstrated weak leadership. This morning I'd like to ask you about bill 69 the prompt payment act. Bill 69 is an important bill that has broad support from all three parties in this house. Prompt payment is also supported by industry stakeholders such as a council of Ontario construction association and the Ontario road builders association. Premier is bill 69 a priority for your liberal government and if so when do you expect to move forward on this important piece of legislation. Thank you very much Mr Speaker and I want to thank the member for Vaughn for his efforts in this area interest in this piece of legislation on both sides of the house Mr Speaker the bill will move through the normal course of the process in the legislature there'll be an opportunity for debate and a vote and I'm focused Mr Speaker I'm focused on making sure that we make the investments available in an infrastructure and in a business climate that's going to bring business to this province and is going to work with the private sector to create jobs Mr Speaker this piece of legislation will have its day in the house and I look forward to the debate. Premier enough of the song and dance you're delaying this legislation. The construction industry employs over 400,000 men and women approximately six and a half percent of Ontario's total workforce so the prompt payment legislation will correct the existing inequity so that small and medium size construction firms have the ability to invest, grow and create jobs Premier prompt payment legislation already exists around the world in the majority of US states the UK, the EU, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand one month ago Premier I question you about this important piece of legislation and last week I wrote to your office and I'm encouraging you to move forward with bill 69 Premier it's obvious that you have no desire to move forward on prompt payment legislation have you told your MPP from that his bill 69 isn't going anywhere in your Liberal government Mr Speaker the member is being a little mischievous he understands more than anyone that this is a private member's bill it is right now in our committee there will be an opportunity for discussion at committee and he knows that private member's bills there is a tradition that their movement to third reading when it does happen happens after discussion between the parties and as a result of agreements this particular one came forward due to a programming motion that was put forward there are others that have come between a consensus between the house leaders he knows that's the process to follow but you know Mr Speaker the minister of health the minister of health maybe he wants to stand up and explain why the conservative party is filibustering bill 105 which would cut taxes for small business and not allow it to proceed to committee so that it can help the have the positive economic effects we know it will bring new question the member from London thank you speaker my question is to the minister of health minister yesterday Londoners in London the wait time for cataract surgery is nearly 200 days and rising which as we know affects seniors the most this government didn't listen to the eye physicians and surgeons of Ontario when they said that these cuts will have dire consequences for patients requiring cataract surgery why is this liberal government cutting back cataract surgeries for seniors who need it to be able to see the minister of health when it comes to cataract surgery this government has a remarkable record across the province wait times for cataract surgeries have been cut in half as of august 2013 93% of cataract surgeries were being completed within our target speaker province wide and I'll need my glasses for this speaker province wide we've cut 163 days off cataract surgery we've more than cut in half wait times at south west you might remember this the member of subate remember this at st. Joe's health care when we started measuring cataract surgeries it was 495 days a year and a half speaker we have reduced that by 60% and we are almost at the target speaker we have a great success story we have more about in this supplementary speaker I appreciate the minister's response however Shirley Havelwood is 77 years old and lives in my riding of London west she is on a wait list and won't have cataract surgery until September of 2014 that's a wait time of almost one year more than double the target this government promised Shirley can no longer read and is now considering going to the US to have surgery speaker Shirley and seniors in this province need cataract surgery to be able to see they shouldn't have to leave the country to get their vision corrected is this liberal government trying to make up the $1.1 billion wasted on the gas plant scandal by forcing seniors with cataracts to wait longer as their eyes deteriorates minister I think it's important to acknowledge that ours was the government that started to measure wait times we are the government that publicly reports wait times we are the government that's making strategic investments to bring down wait times and to hold them below target as we address the backlog we have a great success story the volumes are allocated according to the wait time by wait times I understand speaker that different physicians would have different wait times but speaker in the southwest the wait time for cataract surgery is a 171 days so certainly this particular person could go to a different physician and get a lower wait time speaker new question from Ajax Pickering thank you Mr. Speaker my question is for the minister of transportation my constituents and Ajax Pickering tell me that every day as the roads become more congested they are turning to public transit and minister speaker as a government I'm just going to have to talk a little louder so my friends can hear we are making record investments in public transit to make sure it's more reliable I'm pleased that public transit has been a priority for this government there is a distinct need to reduce gridlock to improve air quality and to build stronger communities go transit is a large part of this strategy unfortunately I was troubled to hear recently that the leader of the opposition party proposed to cancel these planned transit investments specifically some of the BRT and that's the bus rapid transit projects in the big move as a member with a BRT project currently underway I was hoping that the minister could provide a current status for this thank you minister of transportation very much Mr. Speaker and I want to thank the member for Ajax Pickering who has been a particular champion for a very important project which is the Durham Pulse project which is going to take students all across Durham region to U of T Scarborough and we are working with Roger Anderson to extend it to Centennial College and 905 wants and understands transit likes transit in LRT and that students at Centennial College and U of T Scarborough actually want affordable transit and that those families shouldn't have to have three beater cars in the driveway for their kids they can have clean supporters Mr. Speaker we have a problem right now though the official opposition is proposing to cancel most of the 15 LRT and BRT projects Mr. Speaker whether it be catastrophic from Bombardier I mean a massive loss of jobs in Thunder Bay and in Barrie where these parts are thank you Mr. Speaker thank you Mr. Speaker thank you to my minister for the update on the Durham Pulse it's good that we are working so closely with municipalities across Ontario to deliver this service I know that the people in my riding of Ajax Pickering will be pleased to hear our unprecedented transit investments are working to reduce congestion an important part of our transit strategy is also to invest in highways it's important that we are committed to building all transportation infrastructure that is necessary and suitable to the needs of our constituents that include investments in roads and highways could the minister please update the house on our investments in the highway infrastructure in my riding thank you Mr. Speaker I'd be very happy to thank the really remarkable member of Ajax Pickering who I referred to as Father Joe my spiritual leader and the minister of consumer affairs because they have delivered big time for the folks that way 567.13 million dollars for transit Mr. Speaker the biggest investment in transit in the history of Durham region we're proud of that record Mr. Speaker in addition 329 million dollars for highways Mr. Speaker over 100 million dollars for highway 7 and highway 401 half hour all day go services which is allowing the mayors along those corridors to actually see new commercial clusters and unprecedented growth in jobs along the go corridor because they're accessible now with downtown Toronto Mr. Speaker plus the important extension of the 407 Mr. Speaker this government is acting on mobility the opposition wants to cancel it all Mr. Speaker Thank you Mr. Speaker Thank you Mr. Speaker my question is for the minister of community safety and correctional services Minister Ontarians know it was time to put the OSPCA on a shorter leash by legislating the oversight and accountability that's nonexistent today instead you let them right off the leash with a 5.5 million dollar windfall OSPCA Board Chair Rob Godfrey told the Toronto Star he can't even get basic details about investigations made public he tried but the board shot him down so we know the board chair himself is powerless to provide even the tiniest bit of transparency doesn't that prove I'm right that it doesn't matter if you stick a ministry staffer at the end of the board table it does nothing to have the accountability that OSPCA needs Thank you Thank you Mr. Speaker Thank you Mr. Speaker I'm very proud of the work that the OSPCA is doing and the community at large is very proud also because they receive a lot of donation from the community so with this announcement last Friday we have this 5.5 million dollar that we have provided to the OSPCA will improve the care of the animal in Ontario because it will establish a 4.7 centralized dispatch service to ensure enforcement officer can respond effectively they will be creating a squad of specialized trained investigators who will crack down on puppy mill and kitten mill they will be delivering specialized livestock training for investigator in the agriculture sector and in the supplementary Thank you back to the minister I'm shocked you can't see the problem here you barely finished your announcement and the OSPCA already started bragging about flexing its new muscles you claim the new zoo registry is voluntary yet the OSPCA that says anyone that doesn't sign up can expect to surprise knock at the door I'd ask if using a voluntary registry to target people is right but even if you didn't like it you can't do anything about it again minister can you explain to Ontarians why you expanded the powers of this private police agency without putting anything in legislation that gives you any say whatsoever on how they yield their power thank you with this announcement came more accountability for the OSPCA they have an agreement now with the ministry they will that stipulate that the OSPCA will produce two full report per year for the government we will have someone from the ministry sitting on the board of director and they will ensure that the government will receive progress report from the OSPCA but you know what mr. Speaker I'm not going to take advice from that party who recently moved a motion to strip the OSPCA from the power to oversee the OSPCA power for animal welfare on the farm they want no responsibility to look after and to oversee what is being done on the farm thank you we have a deferred vote on the motion for third reading of bill 60 an act to strengthen consumer protection related to wireless services accessed from I'm in the middle of this from the cellular phone, smart phone or any other similar mobile device calling the members this will be a five minute bill will the members take their seats please all members take your seats thank you on October the 29th Ms. McCharles moved third reading of bill 60 all those in favor please rise one at a time and be recognized by the court Mrs. McCharles Mrs. Matthews Mrs. Sandals Mr. Hoskins Mr. Quinter Mr. Bartolucci Mr. Cole Mrs. Cansfield Mr. Dillon Mr. Duga Mr. Gravel Mr. McMeakin Mrs. Peruzza Mr. Murray Mr. Shirelli Mr. Surgio Mr. Bulkasen Mr. Albanese Mr. Dixon Mr. Jassek Mr. Hunter Mr. Fraser Mr. Dalduca Mr. Crag Mr. Manga Mr. McDonnell Mr. Wilson Mr. Hardiman Mr. Fidele Mr. Miller Mr. Cleese Mr. Barrett Mr. McNaughton Mr. Holiday Mr. Jones Mr. Monroe Mr. Chudley Mr. Clark Mr. O'Toole Mr. Wallatt Mr. Bailey Mr. Jackson Mr. Smith Mr. Leone Mr. Hillyer Mr. Milligan Mr. McLaren Mr. Nichols Mr. Singh Mr. Bisson Mr. Horvath Mr. Marquesi Mr. Pru Mr. Taylor Mr. Nadechak Mr. Tabbins Ms. Fife Mr. Samantha Mr. Miller-Hamilton Ms. Sattler Mr. Hatfield We recognize by the clerk The ayes being 96 and the nays being 0 I declare the motion carried Third reading of the bill To us you have lectured Pro-Jean-Lewis Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion Mr. Speaker I would like to welcome the students of Holy Trinity Bradford, Ontario They were here until the count for the vote But I would like all members to welcome the students of Holy Trinity Thank you Thank you Speaker I would like to welcome the uncle of Page Evan Tanovich His uncle Chris Paul has joined us this morning as well The other deferred votes this house stands adjourned until 3 p.m. this afternoon