 I would now ask for members' statements. The member from Elgin Middlesex, London. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take this opportunity to speak about Carol Yusef Wojtyła, known to the world as St. John Paul. April 2nd of each year has been designated a day in his honor in Ontario. Through his tireless efforts, John Paul II is recognized as helping to end communism rule in his native Poland and eventually throughout all of Europe. He was born in Poland on May 18th, 1920 and served as Pope of the Catholic Church from October 16th, 1978, until his death on April 2nd of 2005. It is one of those dates that I have in my memory that I know exactly where I was when this sad news was delivered. He dedicated his life and papacy to the international understanding, peace, and the defensive equality in human rights. John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church's relations with Judaism, Islam, Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion. His love for young people brought him to establish World Youth Days. The 19 World Youth Days celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. He was one of the most traveled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate, including Canada. And I do remember myself sleeping outside in the rain down in Downsville waiting for his rival in mass back when I was 13 years old. John Paul II's beatification mass took place at St. Peter's Square on May 1st, 2011, and he was canonized on 27th of April, 2014. Mr. Speaker, as a Canadian of Polish heritage, I am proud to rise and honor St. John Paul II. His life and legacy will always be remembered. Thank you. Thank you. Member Finich, remember from Canora Rainey River. Thank you, Speaker. This past week I traveled to a number of communities in Northwestern Ontario where I heard from frontline healthcare providers and First Nations leadership about the most pressing and urgent health issues facing Northerners. People are struggling right across this province, but Speaker, I have to say that in the North it is different. In the North we have a patchwork system where services if provided are provided in silos across ministries and governments with huge gaping holes left in between. There are wait lists so long for children who have experienced trauma that it effectively shuts the door to effective treatment and traps them into a lifetime of suffering. Diabetes is rampant and so accelerated that within five years of a diabetes related amputation, the patient will either receive another amputation or be dead. A doctor told me that 34% of pregnant women who she treats and to look out are addicted to opioids. Funding is available for drug treatment but not housing or clean water. Autism is limited in all children with special needs in the far North or either left to the wayside or removed from their community. And most tragically, children as young as 10 years old are committing suicide. I heard from a doctor who described these failings in tears. Another nurse spoke about how it wears on her soul. Speaker, we live in a prosperous province and we are all Ontarians. Northerners deserve a cohesive provincial strategy to address Northern healthcare and for this government to step up to the plate and deliver on its commitment to treat First Nations people and all Northerners with the dignity and respect afforded to all Ontarians. Thank you for the members. Thank you for the member from Kingston and the Islands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As members of this House are aware, our government committed to bringing 10,000 refugees from Syria and some are now calling my home of Kingston and the Islands, my community, their new home. To welcome them in the most Canadian way possible, Dr. Wajik Khan from the Cataraqui Woods Dentistry program donated a hundred tickets to the most quintessential Canadian pastime watching a hockey game. I'd like to also thank Dario Paolo and his team for organizing this event. It was an unforgettable moment for all of us watching, seeing them watch their very first game and in a place where hockey was born nonetheless and sharing the excitement and energy of our sports spirit and traditions. Their faces were nothing to behold. The night was only made better by our Kingston Frontenac's incredible skill and talent resulting in a five to two win in their last game of the season. Awesome. I also want to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of the local partners who have been coordinating their efforts and pulling resources to help sponsors, families and enhance settlement efforts, such as the staff and volunteers at Kingston Community Health Centers, Kingston Immigration Partnership, Immigration Services, Kingston and Area, United Way, KFLNA, City of Kingston, Canadian Forces Base, our school boards and so many more. Initiatives such as this are ones that make our community the best place to call home and it makes me immensely proud to be representing the generous and compassionate constituents of Kingston and the islands. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Member Stevens, the member from Nipissing. Thank you, Speaker and good afternoon. Families across this province are angry at this government's decision to double the drug costs for 92% of all seniors. At a recent Royal Canadian Legion Convention held in Dunn Church, North Bay's Preston Quirt and Jim Thompson brought forth a motion expressing their displeasure. It reads, whereas the proposed Ontario budget will have a drastic effect on the health and lifestyle of our senior population and may force more seniors into poverty, therefore be it resolved that we, the members of the Royal Canadian Legion attending the Zone H2 Convention strongly urge the provincial government to reconsider the changes to the Ontario Drug Benefit Program in their proposed budget. Deborah Cooper Berger, chair of OAN HSS, a seniors organization, was clear yesterday when she told our finance committee that seniors will be forced to choose between buying food instead of medication. Our seniors rely on their medications to stay healthy and out of hospital. Our most vulnerable deserve better. I call on the Premier to stop making seniors pay for her government's waste, mismanagement and scandal and repeal the seniors drug task. Thank you for the member's statements, the member from Tomiskimi Cochran. Thank you, Speaker. It's the season before planting season, it is farm meeting and farm show season and it was an honour for me to attend the March Classic Farm meeting put on by grain farms Ontario, but there's one farm show that's near and dear to my heart and that's the Earlton Farm Show. It's held on April 15th and 16th and if people are interested in agriculture in Northern Ontario and a good place to learn about that is the farm show and I'd like to give a show to Melanie Cook. There's lots of volunteers there but she's the backbone of that show, it's fantastic. And for those of you in Southern Ontario don't know how to get there, I'll give you some directions. Up 400, up 11 you get to North Bay, that might be the gateway in Northern Ontario but it's not the gateway to agriculture yet. You'll drive through an hour and a half of pristine Northern Ontario, you'll think you're in Tom Thompson painting. Farmers don't be depressed, some people like that. Then you'll crest this hill and you'll see 200,000 acres plus of beautiful agricultural land. Keep going, you'll drive by the co-op feed mill, you'll drive by the Grant elevator, you'll drive by the Temgraene elevator, you'll drive by Thornlow cheese, you'll drive by Green Tractor and then there'll be a sign at Erolton to turn left at Cook elevators. But you might miss that because you'll be so busy counting the bins and looking at the equipment that you might miss that. So I advise you go up another mile, do a U-turn at Brownlee Farmer Equipment and come back and visit the show and I hope to see you there. Thank you, Speaker. I don't know if it's parliamentary to correct a statement and that is you would want a Lauren Harris painting because he comes from my riding. The member from Cambridge. Thank you, Speaker. I wanted to talk about the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank whose mission is to help those in my community of Cambridge and North Dumfries Township, offering not just food to those in need but also support all the while encouraging self-reliance through various programs and services. One of these programs is the Small Steps to Success, a program designed to help women overcome barriers to employment due to social, economic or educational hardships. I myself had the opportunity and the honor of speaking to this group of women and heard some inspiring stories. Working in conjunction with staff from the Cambridge YWCA, they focus on life skills, job search techniques, education and building health esteem. Last weekend, the executive director, Pat Singleton, got into a Dr. Zeus-inspired hat for the second annual Pat in the Hat fundraiser at the Cambridge Mall. I'm pleased to report that Pat sat in her hat for 31 hours, encouraging shoppers to contribute to this worthy cause and in all raised $45,000 for the Cambridge Self-Help Food Bank. I want to honor the staff and the executive director of this incredible organization. They go above and beyond the call of duty. They are there at every community event. They inspire others to contribute and to help all those that are less fortunate in our community. So many thanks to executive director Pat Singleton and some of the staff, Jeff Hunter, Bonnie Deacon, June Anderson, and their other staff and volunteers. Thank you. Thank you for the member of students, the member from Dufford, Caledon. Thank you, Speaker. Are you familiar with Plan Canada's Spread the Net student challenge? 10 years ago, Rick Mercer and Belinda Stronich founded the Spread the Net student challenge as a friendly competition between Canadian schools to raise funds for the purchase of bed nets to prevent the transmission of malaria. This year, more than 50 schools from across Canada participated and helped raise $80,000, which will go towards the purchase of 8,000 bed nets. Macville Public School in Caledon participated in this year's challenge after grade 8 student Clark Elliott watched the Rick Mercer report that challenged students to get involved in this initiative. Clark thought this was a great cause to get Macville Public School involved, and wow, did they step up to the challenge. As a result of their efforts, Macville Public School, a school of only 247 students, raised $11,454, the highest amount raised by any elementary school across Canada. Rick Mercer's visit to Macville Public School congratulating them for their efforts will be featured on the Rick Mercer report, March 29. Once again, I want to congratulate and thank Clark Elliott and the students and staff at Macville Public School for supporting the Spread the Net student challenge. Well done. Thank you. Further member students? Member from Davenport. Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about an event held in Mott in celebration of International Women's Day and My Riding of Davenport. On March 7, my constituency office hosted an art gallery opening featuring works from the South Asian Women's Center and Sistering, a women's place. Both of these organizations provide vital services for women as they provide support, a place to talk about women's issues, and a strong community network. At the event, I was also able to recognize Gerbine Bassin and Issa Mello recipients of the Leading Women Leading Girls Awards. This award, given by the minister responsible for women's issues, recognizes the women and girls who have taken a leadership role and made significant contributions in their communities. Gerbine Bassin is the president and founder of Ongan Community Center, a self-sustaining organization that provides vulnerable families in the community with immigration, counseling, housing, food, and legal resources. Issa Mello is the founder and editor of a Sethri Tal magazine, a periodic publication for Brazilian and Portuguese communities. This publication was awarded for the best ethnic magazine of Canada in 2011, 2012, and 2014. I also want to take this time to personally thank MPP for Brampton Springdale, Herindra Malley, for attending my event and engaging with the female community leaders about women's issues. I'm so proud to represent these fantastic Leading Women and organizations in Davenport. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, for their member statements, the member from Scarborough Agent Court. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Care for Seniors in Community Services Association and nonprofit charitable organization, headquartered in my writing of Scarborough Agent Court, with nine satellite offices from across Toronto, Peel, and York Region. This organization provides quality one-stop multi-services to over 10,000 seniors and adults with physical disability in GTA annually. Care First takes an interdisciplinary approach to deliver comprehensive, preventative, primary, acute, and long-term care services in the community. This all-under-one-roof model allows frail seniors to remain independent and in a home as long as possible. Besides the 40th anniversary, Mr. Speaker, Care First recently moved into the 52,000-square-foot state-of-art building to better provide a variety of community-based programs like chronic disease management, adult day program, elder abuse prevention intervention, wellness program, exercise classes, and reducing seniors' isolation and transitional care center. Like any successful organization, Care First has a dedicated staff and volunteers who are committed to provide quality social, healthcare, and supportive services to seniors and adults with disabilities. And I want to thank all the Care First staff, Mr. Speaker, and over 1,200 active volunteers for caring for the clients and putting their needs first. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before we move on, between 1 o'clock and 3 o'clock, we had a very special occasion to honour someone that I believe all members appreciate and respect and understand. In the gallery, in the Spears Gallery today, is someone who has retired after 42 years working here, and she has brought with her friends and family, as far away as Jamaica, to visit her. And she was kind enough to come back so that we could say goodbye. And I know that the members would join me in thanking and wishing her well. Gloria Richards. I do want to let you know that between 1 o'clock and 3 o'clock, I shook hands with her, and we now have a deal. I am going to be the ghost writer, and she's going to write a book about all the speakers and the people she's known. I get the preamble and the last chapter. And my last chapter is about a page long, but Steve Peters' chapter is two chapters about what he's done. Anyway, as you can see, a very kind welcome. And thank you very much, Gloria, for all the work that you've done for the province of Ontario. Remember from Elgin, Middlesex, I want them on a point of order. Speaker, I'm glad you gave me a few more minutes because I know I took some time introducing. Aside from my favorite liberal, Joan Peters, who's here today, we have Karen McDade, also St. Thomas. I didn't even recognize Bridget Cousins. She's, look, Steve Bridget coming. Don Cousins I mentioned, Mark Cousins. But we've got to have Aubrey Cousins stand up. Aubrey is 12, carries a wreath every remembrance day for a family member who was a Victoria Cross winner. So there's a bridge in Nipissing's writing, named after your family member. Welcome, Aubrey. Thank you for coming and seeing what legislation's all about. I definitely appreciate the camaraderie that's being displayed. So I want to blame Steve Peters for Aubrey's ability to wear red converse shoes all the time. So I just wanted to let that be known. There's an insight story for that. I'm older than Steve, and I wore red connies way before he ever wore them. He vented them. I thank all members for their statements and their kind reception of glory.