 It is now time for member statements. I recognize the member from London Fanshawe. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, this past summer and fall, like so many of us, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my community. Even through our masks and distance, I could feel how glad and relieved everyone was finally able to get together. Thank you for all your invitations, whether it was to walk with you at Parkinson's Walk or the Namran Friendship Centre for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, checking in with local businesses or celebrating local organizations, attending summer festivals or tree planting. It was a delight to see you all again. We've made it through this hard part, so let's keep going. I also want to take a moment to honor someone special, Bill Paul, London's unofficial town crier. He passed away earlier this month. Bill always had a smile and good cheer for everyone he came across. Bill will be missed, will miss your booming voice and calling out, oh yeah, oh yeah, to start our events. It always felt like a special occasion when you were there to celebrate with all of us. We will miss you, Bill Paul. Thank you. I recognize the member from Berry and still. Thank you, Speaker. I want to thank the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms and unity that we commemorate on Remembrance Day this year and every year. During World War II, 7,400 indigenous people volunteered for the Canadian military service. Approximately 300 lost their lives. Known as one of the greatest Canadian soldiers, the greatest named company sergeant, Major Francis Pagamabao, was honored with a building that was dedicated in his name at CFB Borden. He is known as the most skilled sniper of the First World War with more than 375 kills. He is one of the only 38 Canadians to earn the military medal with two bars, each in recognition of his act of bravery. But Speaker and Berry, we have a rich history to recognize our veterans. As you drive around this year, around Simcoe County, around Berry and Isfell, take time to commemorate the streets that are named after our veterans. For example, Brown Street, which is named after George Roy Brown and Harold Brown, both who fought in the World War. We also have Spear Street, which is named after Thomson Robert Spears. And just next door, Newmarket, we have for named after Reginald Harrison, who is the granddaughter of, who is the grandfather of Emma Knottman who works with my team. He served in Europe. And so as you drive around this year and commemorate our veterans who fought for freedom, don't forget to think about the local history in our own areas. Thank you. I recognize member for Niagara Center. Thank you, Speaker. I'm pleased to rise to speak about a great initiative in Welland. Next month, Jim Butts is joining other Wellanders to offer breakfast to those facing homelessness in the city. For the last nine years, Butts and a team of volunteers, including my friend, Mary Ellen DuPont, have been operating a food bank and serving hot meals once a month at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church. These Good Samaritans are now partnering with Beyond the Streets, a local volunteer-led organization providing services to those at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Welland. The group has counted at least 40 people who are homeless in downtown Welland alone. Shelter beds offered by the Hope Center are constantly full and local not-for-profits report that more and more people are struggling to find a place to live. Groups like Beyond the Streets and the organizers out of Holy Trinity Anglican Church are hoping to fill some of the gaps and ensure that those facing homelessness can get a hot meal at the start of their day. The program is starting with a soft launch on November 6th, where I will be joining them and handing out food, and I encourage others to join as more help is needed. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact my office where we will connect you with the organizers. Thank you, Speaker. Member Statements, the member for Eglinton Lawrence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm proud to rise and say that after decades of neglect by previous governments, our government is taking action to fix Ontario's long-term care sector. We want to ensure Ontario seniors get the quality of care that they need and deserve both now and in the future. The Minister of Long-Term Care is committed to an open dialogue on how best to move Ontario's long-term care system forward, and in that spirit, I held a consultation on October 12th with the Minister of Long-Term Care and the MPP for Willowdale, the Associate Minister of Transportation. The consultation included input from relevant stakeholders, such as long-term care providers and family groups from the riding of Willowdale and my riding of Eglinton Lawrence, including representatives from Villa Colombo, Toronto and the Jewish home for the aged. I'm proud that in addition to these consultations, our governments already taking concrete steps to improve long-term care across the province, funding more care with a $270 million investment this year. As a result in my riding of Eglinton Lawrence, to increase the direct care every resident receives this year, Villa Colombo, Toronto Residential Long-Term Care will be receiving $1.4 million more than last year and the Jewish home for the aged, $1.7 million more than last year. And to meet our promise of an average of four hours of care per resident in 24-25, Villa Colombo will be receiving $8.5 million more annually than their current funding by that year and the Jewish home for the aged, $10 million more annually than their current funding. Mr. Speaker, strengthening long-term care is a commitment our government takes seriously through consultations with our partners in the sector and our direct investments. Our government is fixing long-term care now and for the future and making a difference for Eglinton Lawrence. Thank you. Member Statements, member for Ottawa Centre. Thank you, Speaker. Nine years ago, an organizer for Ottawa Acorn knocked on Blaine Cameron's door. Blaine lived with Becker's muscular dystrophy and he used a power wheelchair and he'd been trapped in his apartment for months, struggling with a pest problem and a lack of access to the outside, given Ottawa's winter conditions. This is the case, Speaker, for thousands of people with disabilities every year. The organizer told Blaine, though, that he didn't have to put up with it. Blaine was invited to join Ottawa Acorn to help people organize for justice and from that day onward, Blaine was a leader in our city because, Speaker, someone knocked on his door. In time, Blaine became the chair of Acorn's Ottawa Chapter, the Central Ottawa Chapter. He helped win $250,000 in rent rebates in that building. He helped win increases to the asset limits for ODSP recipients. He fought for hikes in Ottawa's affordable housing spending and he helped win a national program, the Connecting Families Program, which offers low-income families $10 a month internet and that's reached 200,000 families across Canada. In 2018, Speaker Blaine was also a major part of our win in Ottawa Center but we lost him two weeks ago, Speaker. His heart couldn't sustain his life any longer and his friends and family today are heartbroken too. So this Saturday, we are going to celebrate Blaine's life and we're going to do it by hosting a community canvas for rent control because that's what Blaine would have wanted. Blaine, rest in power, my friend. We're thinking of you and we're never going to stop organizing for justice. Bless you. Member statements. The member for Glen Gary Prescott Russell. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for decades, residents of my rider who travel on Highway 17417 have faced traffic jams, accidents and everything else that makes a daily morning commuter nightmare. More than 20,000 people use this highway daily in my area. The status quo is not acceptable. To resolve this problem, the highway must be widened and as I have already advocated with the government for this to happen, it is essential that the Ontario government take back the highway under their jurisdiction. I know that this government, through their minister of transportation, has stated it will not take back Highway 17417. This position is deeply disappointed as this resumption is the only way to move forward with the widening project at this point. I again urge this Premier and government to change their position on this important issue and take back this highway for safety, for efficiency and for the economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Merci. Member Statements, the Member for Scarborough, Waging Port. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Racism and hate are the scourge of any society. It is a destructive phenomenon. It destroys the cohesion of any society or country. I am proud of the government initiative to launch 1.6 million programs to protect communities against racism and hate. I am confident that the stronger together coalition will benefit from this program. The stronger together coalition was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic by the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. Its mandate is to combat racism and hate, especially against the Asian communities. For the record, I would like to pay tribute to the coalition members. Alpha Education, Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs, Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council, Canadian Multicultural Council Asians in Ontario, Canadian Tamil Congress, Chinese Professional Association of Canada, Filipino Centre of Toronto, Hong-Fuk Mental Health Association, Korean Canadian Cultural Association, Malaysian Association of Canada, South Asian Culture and Health Association, the Cross Cultural Community Service Association, Toronto Haka Heritage Alliance, Toronto Police Service, United Way of Greater Toronto. During the Lantern Festival celebration, the coalition organized a powerful and meaningful tribute to the victims of the residential school children. Mr. Speaker, I was honored to participate in this tribute. I am also privileged to have participated in the founding meeting of the coalition. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Member Statements, the member for Davenport. Mr. Speaker, my community of Davenport is going through some extraordinary change. We have some of the most intensive development happening anywhere in the city. And as I meet with neighbors on the doorstep, there is one issue that continues to be raised again and again and again. They want development that doesn't just spew out more high priced condos. They want housing that is deeply and permanently affordable with real rent control. They want developers who profit from these projects to contribute to the building and maintenance of local schools, to playgrounds, to transit, to parks, and they also want transparency around the ownership of real estate and developers in our community, like the disclosure laws that the BC government has brought in. And while the City of Toronto considers inclusionary zoning, they're asking for the support of this government, the provincial government, to stand up to developers who don't build with our communities in mind. I want to thank organizations in my community like South Junction Triangle Grows, Junction Triangle Community Action Network, for the work that they're doing to ensure there's a cohesive community voice and focus in negotiation with developers. And especially I want to mention the amazing community members of Build, a better Bloor-Dufferin, who have successfully worked to negotiate significant benefits and affordable units in developments at the Bloor-Dufferin area. We need more support from this government now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Member Statements. Member for Sarnia-Lambton. Thank you, Speaker. It's an honor to rise today to announce another critical investment in Sarnia-Lambton by the government of Ontario. I'm pleased to share the good news that the Ontario government is investing nearly $1,350,000 this year for critical health care infrastructure upgrades in Sarnia-Lambton at Blue Water Health Beloved, Charlotte-Ellenring Hospital in Petroia. This is a very important investment and part of the government's larger investment of $182 million provided through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund. This year's investment by the government of Blue Water Health CE Campus also builds on our investments of $1.3 million in 2019 and over $1.2 million in 2020. Mr. Speaker, our government continues to make record investments to support world-class hospitals across the province and ensure the health care system is prepared to respond to any scenario. Upgrading and maintaining hospitals and community health infrastructure is one of our more important ways our government is ensuring Ontario receives exceptional care when they need it and closer to home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much. That concludes our member statements for this morning. I'm very pleased to inform the House that Paige Lamise Albaoumi from the Riding of Mississauga-Malton is one of today's page captains. And we have with us today at Queen's Park her father, Usama Albaoumi. And Yamama Deldahl from the Riding of Toronto Centre is also one of today's page captains. And we are joined today by her mother, Fatah and Deldahl. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. We're delighted to have you here.