 guest. It is now time for members' statements. The member from Carleton, Mississippi Mills. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recently attended the International Property Rights Conference in Ottawa on October the 4th. This property rights conference was the first international property rights conference and was hosted by the Ontario Landowners Association. Len Harris, a former senator from Australia, Ron Gibson from Oregon, an expert in letters patent and U.S. Constitutional Law, Tom DeWise from Virginia, founder and president of the American Policy Centre, and Elizabeth Marshall, head of research for the Ontario Landowners Association and an expert on letters patent and other Canadian constitutional documents were the guest speakers. The conference was packed with 200 people and included several progressive conservative MPPs and a City of Ottawa councillor. The presentations included invaluable information on the destruction of private property rights around the world and sharing of available common law tools with which to fight back. That same evening, interested landowners convened and formed the International Property Rights Association. They decided that the time had come to establish a global network to defend against a worldwide attack on private property rights. Tom Black, president of the Ontario Landowners Association, was elected as chair of the new association. The mission statement of the International Property Rights Association is to preserve and protect inviolable rights, property, land, and security under common law. Thank you. Member Stamets, the member from London West. Thank you, Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration, established in 2009 to provide a support network for London's diverse Muslim community. The Centre engages local Muslim and Arab leaders as well as social service and justice agencies in dealing with complex issues related to integration, family conflict, domestic violence, and children in conflict with the law. Yesterday, the Centre hosted a provincial conference called Culturally Integrative Family Safety Response and Child Welfare. The conference showcased the successful model developed by the Centre in collaboration with the Children's Aid Society of London and Middlesex to reduce the risk of family violence. Between 2009 and 2012, this model led to a 73% decrease in the number of Muslim and Arab children entering the child welfare system. With support from the Ontario Trillion Foundation, the model has been transferred to Ottawa, Kingston, and York Region. In the wake of the violence on Parliament Hill, many commentators have called for just such culturally responsive services to identify Muslims in crisis and connect them to professional supports. Yet the Muslim Resource Centre remains underfunded, its operations dependent on a patchwork of project-based funds. We all need to work together to protect community safety, ensuring a culturally responsive social safety net through sustainable funding for agencies like the Muslim Resource Centre is a critical part of those efforts. Thank you, Speaker. An epic battle between Toronto's two top rugby clubs, Balmy Beach and Toronto Scottish, occurred last Saturday. For Ontario, men's rugby's oldest and most sought-after prize, the McCormick Cup. Held at Fletcher's Field in Markham, this contest is a long-standing tradition in Ontario rugby, but I must confess to a small conflict, Mr. Speaker, since my daughter Robin has played for the Scottish, whereas the Beechers are in my riding. But now that I have joined the Balmy Beach Club, I guess we'll be cheering for different teams. Now the McCormick Cup is a prize for rugby Ontario's Marshall Premiership League for the first teams and allows the winner to vote that they're the best rugby team in Ontario. The cup is named for former rugby Ontario President Vic McCormick, one of the great builders of the sport in our province. The McCormick Cup has been won 13 times by Balmy Beach, but last Saturday they beat Scottish decisively 27-22, hoisting it for the 14th time. But that's not all. Two top cups were won that day. The Gage Gage Cup, the trophy for the seconds, was also won by Balmy Beach, a decisive victory of 38-25, again over the Scottish. The Beechers' head coach, Bruce Gage, was son of Tubbs and Guy, who their local field is named after. They worked very hard to make rugby what it is on Cheryl today, and I say the double victory has never happened before. It's a true testament to the depth of the club, a hard-fought battle, great job boys, off the beach. Mr. Speaker, there are many notable milestone anniversaries this year. The 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the beginning of the Battle of Normandy, and the liberation of Europe are two that come to mind. There's another significant milestone anniversary this year that has passed largely unnoticed. In the summer of 1834, 180 years ago this year, slavery was abolished in the British colonies by an act of parliament of the United Kingdom and so abolished in Canada. For more than 20 years, in a remarkable display of parliamentary perseverance, William Wilberforce introduced bill after bill in the House of Commons to end the scourge of slavery in the British Empire. His goal was finally realized in 1833 with the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act. Sadly, Wilberforce died one month later, not living to see his bill come into force on August 1, 1834. Today, August 1st is recognized in Ontario as Emancipation Day, the day when slavery here was abolished for all time, turning Ontario into an important destination of the Underground Railroad for slaves who had escaped the U.S. South. Bill 111, the Emancipation Day Act 2008, was the very first private members bill introduced in the history of this House that was co-sponsored by two MPPs from different parties, showing that we can work together across party lines to get things done and recognize with pride an important part of Ontario's heritage and history. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Halloween is just a few days away. The kids are excited, and let's be honest. Many parents are looking forward to raiding the stash their kids will bring home as they sleep. During the Halloween season, it is important to keep your child's safety in mind when planning costumes, decorations, treats and activities. Make sure that Halloween is a safe and happy experience for the whole family by preparing ahead of time. It is important to make your home safe for the little ghouls and goblins. Remove objects around and the outside of your house that could cause children to trip or fall. Turn on your outdoor lights to increase visibility and let the trick-or-treaters know they can visit. Ensure that your children are dressed appropriately for Halloween. Pick brightly colored costumes. Avoid costumes that are too big. Choose costumes that fit well and can be worn over worn clothes so that children are protected against the cold and wet weather. Keep your children safe by teaching them to stay visible and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Teach your children to be careful when crossing the street. Always examine the treats and toys that are brought home before giving them to your child. With all that in mind, Mr. Speaker, enjoy a spectacular and safe Halloween. Boo. Member Stavis, Member from Mississauga Street. Thank you very much, Speaker. Today, Ontario joins with Turkish people around the world to celebrate the 91st anniversary of the proclamation of the Turkish Republic. On October the 29th, 1923, Mustafa Kemal, also known as Kemal Ataturk, father of the Turks, later elected as the first president of the Republic of Turkey declared that Turkey would become a republic. Turkey today has the world's 16th largest economy, a population of some 80 million, and a growing, healthy, free market. It has a strong infrastructure fabric, and Turkey is more resilient to the peaks and valleys of the global economy as a result. The Federation of Canadian Turkish Associations hosted a flag raising today just outside the legislature. The Federation was established in 1985 and is a non-profit organization promoting cultural, economic, educational, social, and religious issues important to the Turkish community in Canada. It was my honour today to join with my colleagues, including Minister Moriti, to welcome the Federation of Canadian Turkish Associations, to welcome the Consul General of Turkey, Mr. Ali Reza Guni, and to join with Turkish people across Ontario who have come together to celebrate this joyous day. On behalf of Ontario, I welcome you this evening to celebrate the Republic Day of Turkey at Hart House from 6 to 8 p.m. Thank you very much. Thank you, Speaker. Today I would like to recognize a woman from Waterloo Region who devoted her life to helping others, Laura Coughlin. I have been told great things by people within our community about Laura, as well as by her son, Patrick Nelson, who is a friend of many of ours in this legislature. In Waterloo Region, Laura spent the last 30 years working to improve the lives of children with mental health, mood disorders, and developmental challenges. Recognizing the gap that exists for families who have children with mental illness or disability, Laura assisted in strengthening the parents for children's mental health, Waterloo, and founded the Moods Disorder Parents Support Group in Waterloo Region. She volunteered for Kids Ability Waterloo, which is a rehabilitation facility for children with special needs. These are all foundational programs within our community that bring great support to families. More recently, she participated in the Grand River Hospital Foundation campaign to raise awareness of children's mental health. In amongst all her volunteering, she still found time to provide foster care for almost 40 children and teenagers. Laura's selflessness and dedication is an example for all of us to live by. On Thursday, October 23rd, she lost her battle with ALS. It is with great sadness that she leaves us. On behalf of the Ontario Legislature, I want to thank her for the contributions she has made to this province and the legacy she leaves behind in our Region of Waterloo. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Member Stamets, the member from Durham. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to recognize an outstanding achievement by a team of soccer players in my riding of Durham. I am pleased today to tell you about the Darlington Fusion under 16-girl soccer team, which over the Thanksgiving weekend traveled to Mount Pearl, Newfoundland for national soccer championships. They didn't face an easy road to victory in the tournament, though they earned shutouts in the first two games of the tournament. The team was forced to go to penalty kicks in both quarter and semifinal games before finally beating Manitoba in what here was an extremely well-played game. The team won provincials played in Oshawa to qualify for the national championships. This group of talented young women have been able to lead over the past three years by head coach Dave Staley. The Darlington Fusion is part of the Darlington Soccer Club, which has been part of my community for more than 130 years. My very warmest congratulations to this group of very talented young women and their coaches. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. October 27 was a momentous day for municipalities across Ontario, and Kitchener was no exception. I'm delighted to tell you and the House about our new council and our new mayor in the great city of Kitchener, as well as to thank our outgoing long-time mayor, Carl Zehr. After serving six consecutive terms as a Councillor for Ward 2, Barry Verbanovic was elected as our new mayor in Kitchener with a healthy majority of votes. I've personally known Barry for more than 25 years, and I can attest to the fact that he's a very hardworking, generous and committed public servant. Barry will no doubt be a great asset to the city of Kitchener. And with the happy welcoming of Mayor-Elect Verbanovic, it is also with a very heavy heart that we say farewell to our outgoing mayor, Carl Zehr, who was first elected to Kitchener Council, where he served from 1985 to 1994. He went on to become our mayor in the city in 1997, making him Kitchener's longest-serving mayor ever. Carl has been a wonderful advocate for our city, and I sincerely thank him for his years of commitment and devotion to our community. I'd also like to welcome Dave Snyder and Sarah Marsh as new members of Kitchener City Council and congratulate all of the returning members. And I want to give a nod to all of the candidates who put their names on the ballot in the KW area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. I thank all members for their statements and