 It is now time for oral questions. I recognize the leader of the official opposition Thanks very much mr. Speaker I want to start by as leader of the official opposition welcoming the POA and Bruce Chapman their president Who I met with several weeks ago just to say thank you to the police officers that keep our province safe and continue to work with you Making sure you're able to stay well and continue to do your jobs with the support of of your province Speaker my first questions to the premier who apparently missed me yesterday Ali Ken Valshee served the conservative party in many roles both in Ottawa and here at Queens Park He was even chief of staff to the minister of finance during his brief stint as interim leader Yesterday the premier struggled to answer some basic questions. So will the premier today at least admit to knowing mr. Valshee To you mr. Speaker the OPG is responsible for their own staffing issues But let me let me tell you what we have done when it comes to the energy file We ended up saving 7500 jobs out in Pickering that the leader of the opposition Wanted to get rid of that 7500 families that wouldn't have been able to pay their pay their mortgage put food on their table But that wasn't a concern to the leader of the opposition We canceled the worst contractor was it was a green energy scam. I call it the green energy act We saved 790 million dollars for the taxpayers of this great province Con cancelling these contracts again a waste of money We ended up getting rid of the hydro board and the CEO We're turning hydro around because the number one issue when I criss-cross this province mr. Speaker was energy costs energy costs to businesses Energy cost the people that couldn't afford to pay their hydro bills choosing between heating and eating Should I reread my statement? Hanzard has it. I don't have it Start the clock supplementary Speaker back to the premier when did the premier learn that mr. Valshy had been offered a job on Ontario power generation Premier Three you mr. Speaker This is I think this is the third day. They just keep repeating and repeating the question Opie Opie G is responsible for their own time stuff But I want to thank the leader of the opposition to give me an opportunity to tell The leader of the opposition what people really care about and I actually get others There's so many accomplishments as government has made matter of fact There's no government in the history of Ontario that have ended up getting more done in four months The 7,500 jobs that the leader of the opposition wanted to ask We put a memorial up for the veterans of the Afghan war Reformed Oh hip supporting people in the greatest need fought for Ontario on the illegal Border crossers canceled wasteful contracts as I said $700 million Independent financial commission to look into who was spending the money the last 15 years Thank you. Thank you In the history of Ontario did the premier discuss mr. Valshy's appointment to Ontario power generation with his chief of staff dean french To you mr. Speaker, I want to thank the leader of the opposition for giving me more time to finish my We fought for Ontario jobs during NAFTA protecting farmers protecting steel workers We ended a nasty strike at York University We announced a better local government reducing the size and cost of government getting rid of the politicians Downtown city of Toronto that couldn't get anything done. We challenged the federal government with a carbon tax We'll be going to court over that order. We returned a buck of beer provided a hundred million dollars to fight for Like guns and games I don't want to count up Thank you and to quote a former speaker when the speaker stands you have to sit down We start the clock next question Leader the off Thank you speaker my next questions for the premier the premier's now had 24 hours to review the newspaper reports and Confer with his chief of staff dean french Can he now confirm or deny that his chief of staff mr. French himself Contacted the chief of Ontario or the chair rather of Ontario power generation concerning the appointment of Ali Ken Valshy to an executive position Here minister of energy Minister of energy. Thank you, mr. Speaker Ontario power generation is responsible for their own staffing decisions OPG is a crown corporation that is responsible for their own staffing decisions put differently all staffing decisions at OPG Are made by OPG? Thank you, mr. Speaker. Well, speaker yesterday the CEO of OPG came to Queen's Park But refused to discuss employment matters with reporters and government MPP's intervened government and government Government MPP's Intervened to ensure that he did not take any questions about this matter at the fiscal transparency committee the fiscal Transparency committee will the premier ask OPG to make the details of mr. Valshy's contract public Minister of energy Thank You mr. Speaker the biggest potential human resources challenge for OPG would have been that if the anti nuclear Democratic Party had powered 6,500 people would have been caught loose Can you imagine a skilled workforce like that out in beautiful pickering country looking for work mr. Speaker? I can't imagine it. I've looked at all of our nuclear facilities I'm getting to visit every single one meeting great workers who are committed to making sure that Ontario has a stable source of Electricity from nuclear power. These are significant assets that we appreciate. We appreciate those people and thank God Restart the clock final supplementary well speaker the premier's job is to set a high ethical standard They're governed in the public interest and be accountable to the people who elected him instead The premier seems to think his job involves doing whatever he wants whenever he wants and answering to know when at all Speaker the conservative insider a conservative insider is going to get paid half a million dollars for a single day's work The premier's office is responsible for this speaker will the premier finally show some leadership and Talentarians what role his office played in this abuse of the people's money Well, thank you mr. Speaker Let's turn human resources into an opportunity and talk about what this government has done over the past four and a half months We've been eliminating the barriers that cost employers and small businesses money to be competitive Creating jobs opposition. There's a there's a human resource opportunity It used to be an issue during the decade of darkness But the people of Ontario asked us to flip the switch on brighten their horizon and create opportunities for jobs So that the only human resource issues that businesses in this province had was the opportunity to go and hire more people Thank You mr. Speaker Thank you so much mr. Speaker my next questions for the Minister of Finance For weeks now the government has refused to disclose bakes basic information about contracts awarded by the Ontario cannabis store These are contracts awarded using public money. Will the minister disclose who has won the lucrative contract? Thank you very much for the question so the Ontario cannabis store has a number of Contracts and agreements with different businesses and entities that provide the recreational cannabis to its customers. I'll break it down succinctly we begin with 32 Federally licensed producers some like canopy growth and up cannabis There's a long list that's been published of the 32 that licensed producers that we purchased from that Goes that product goes to our warehouse Who not only warehouse the products but distribute them and that? Proud that was that OCS warehouse speaker was competitively tendered and Negotiated under the previous government then Canada Post delivers the orders Shopify Speaker security at our warehouse is a top priority and we will not be sharing information on the Operator Well, speaker the minister might think it's idiotic to be concerned about how the government spends public dollars But after this past week people have a right to be concerned about this government's decision-making When was the contract awarded? How much was it awarded for? Once again, we begin with the 32 published federally licensed producers We know that we have a warehouse, which I'll talk about it again in another moment We have Shopify that who won the contract by the previous government to Run our online operation and we have Canada Post who deliver it now when it comes to the warehouse It was competitively tendered and negotiated by the previous government Security of the OCS warehouse is the top priority speaker We will absolutely not be sharing for further information on the day-to-day Operations, this is a secure water The security of those important employees Concerned speaker and we're very disappointed that the NDP want to pursue want to pursue information of such a supreme Confidential nature Good morning speaker my question this morning is for the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Congratulations on her new portfolio. Mr. Speaker constituents and police officers in my riding of Mississauga Center Have been voicing their concerns about the treatment of our hard-working and dedicated front-line police officers in Instances where they administer naloxone to overdose victims under a regulation in the police services act Police officers have been required to report to and be investigated by the SIU in an incident in which a civilian dies After naloxone is administered speaker This requirement is placing unfair burdens on our dedicated front-line officers who for who perform their dangerous duties Day in and day out to keep our Ontario communities and families safe to the Minister Could you please update the members of this legislature on how our government for the people is addressing this process? Which unfairly burdens our brave front-line officers It would be an honor and thank you to the member of Mississauga Center because this is an important issue But speaker because the police association of Ontario is here because so many front-line officers are joining us today I would like to publicly thank you on behalf of our government Know that you have a government who understands the challenging work that you do as frontline officers And that you have a government who is listening it was a great honor yesterday But frankly, I really have to give all the thanks to minister to Bolo because he did all the work in preparation for the announcement Specifics of the naloxone change in myself Supplementary I thank the minister for her response It is very reassuring to hear that our government for the people is treating the dedicated and hard-working men and women of Ontario's police services with respect our dedicated front line of officers perform some of the most dangerous work in the province And we must ensure that they have the necessary tools they need to perform their work safely I am proud to stand here today knowing that our government for the people is taking action to ensure That the men and women of our police services are better equipped to continue saving lives and keeping our communities safe Speaker can the minister please explain why this amendment to the police services act needed to be made Currently today our frontline officers our paramedics our firefighters are able to use naloxone They don't have to go through an unnecessary criminal investigation if something goes wrong And yet before this small regulatory change was made our police officers did it wasn't fair It wasn't right. We made that change and I'm proud to stand with Premier Ford Next question the member for Essex Much speaker my question is to the Premier speaker This is a question about ensuring impartiality in our criminal justice system as police investigate the activities of the Ontario PC Party As the Premier well knows there are multiple police investigations involving the part the party that he currently leads Yesterday the government admitted that it would be improper for the government to involve itself in an investigation For this reason will the Premier agree to bring in an independent special prosecutor to ensure the complete impartiality of this investigation For you mr. Speaker as I've answered this a couple times already We can't get involved in police investigations, but I'll tell you I was elected to be a leader of this party to clean up Patrick Brown's mess That's exactly what I did and we're moving this province forward in a positive way Supplementary Speaker unfortunately the level and frequency of the scandals that we're seeing is even making the Liberals blush in this house Speaker it is of public importance that this investigation and eventual prosecutions government side come forward fairly and impartially in the Investigation into possible fraud in the PC nomination to Hamilton West police report that witnesses have been so far Uncooperative and refused to provide statements This is very concerning because the fact is that one of these candidates at the center of this nomination battle is now Safely employed within the government working directly for the Minister of Health Speaker something smells here and the public just won't believe that the party under investigation can be trusted to prosecute itself Speaker will the Premier to bring in an independent special prosecutor to ensure the complete impartiality of this investigation Through you mr. Speaker the member from Essex is suggesting he doesn't trust our police He doesn't trust the Hamilton police. He doesn't trust any of the police I can assure the member from Essex I trust our police. I trust the investigation. I'm going to order. You know something. I have faith because they're accountable They're transparent unlike the NDP. You don't know where they're coming from I have all the faith in the world in our police across this province. They're absolute champion Remind members make their comments through the chair Start the clock next question Member for Topical Lakeshore Thank You mr. Speaker my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry I'm pleased to hear that our government for the people will be conducting forestry roundtables across the province to develop a comprehensive forestry strategy currently Ontario's forestry sector contributes 15.3 billion dollars to the economy and supports roughly 150,000 jobs in approximately 260 communities across this province our forestry sector sector is a major economic driver in Ontario However under the previous government the industry lost 51,000 jobs Mr. Speaker the government is committed to bolstering Ontario's Forestry industry and repairing the damage inflicted by the previous liberal government Could the minister inform the house of the crucial importance of in conducting these roundtables and engaging with stakeholders Thank you very much speaker and I'd like to thank the member for the question I agree with the member that Ontario's forest industry is a major economic driver in this province And I'm pleased to announce that I'll be getting on a plane tonight and traveling to Sault Ste. Marie for the very first The forestry industry was neglected by the former liberal government Restrictions regulation and tax burdens hindered the industry Our forestry strategy will help local communities grow and thrive because mr. Speaker Ontario is once again open for business We'll focus on gathering feedback from forestry stakeholders about the challenges and obstacles that are preventing the industry from growing Like we know it can The information gathered at these roundtables will allow our government for the people to identify what we can do to help the industry and Unleash its full potential as a driver for economic growth and prosperity particularly in northern eastern, Ontario Mentory I Would like to thank the minister for that response and I'm so glad to hear that our minister is starting right away with These forestry roundtables right now in my hard-working colleagues riding of Sault Ste. Marie And it's continuing to engage with the industry through a number of roundtables throughout the province and through written submissions and online submissions There are so many hard-working Ontario's whose families depend on the forestry sector And I'm pleased to hear that our government for the people is committed to strengthening the sector as a whole and Opening up to Ontario for business Can the minister expand more on how our government is supporting the forestry sector in Ontario? Minister Thank you speaker and again, thank you to the member for the question Our government for the people has been clear crystal clear that we are committed to opening up Ontario for business and the forestry strategy We are developing will assist in doing just that Our government will always value and stand up for our forestry industry Speaker I was disappointed to hear the leader of the NDP Disregard forestry and deem the ministry of natural resources and forestry a lower portfolio Thousands of Ontarians Does the leader of the of the NDP consider them lower as well Sorry minister of natural resources has a loud voice The government side is so loud. I can hardly hear I'd ask the minister to conclude his comments Speaker this government is committed to reducing red tape Improving efficiencies and identifying opportunities for innovation while ensuring sustainable forest management Fortunately, we have a government for the people that will always stand by forestry And I can assure the member and this house that that will always be of the case regardless of what the leader of the NDP says Thank you, mr. Speaker. My question is for the minister of education Speaker so far this government's record on education has been nothing but cuts chaos and Contradictions they have cut 100 million in funding meant to tackle the school repair backlog Wearing hats and mitts inside the classroom They cut the parents reaching out grants grants that funded important programs aimed at engaging parents In their children's education and they scrapped the modern sex ed curriculum leaving young people without the tools they need to face Issues like hyperbole and consent and to protect themselves from abuse Speaker this government has already taken so much out of education Can the minister tell us what other cuts parents students and educators should be bracing themselves for? Thank you very much speaker and speaker I stand before you today and tell you with my heart on my hand What I am going to cut out is the nonsense Minister of Education because of the applause from the government side I would ask the government members to consider that and think about it supplementary Thank You mr. Speaker. I suspect that I hit a nerve back back to the minister By this minister's lack of response response mr. Speaker in fact last week the government showed just how unwilling they are To talk about looming cuts when a journalist asked what cuts this government has in store for our kids education the minister staff replied Let's ignore so much for transparency mr. Speaker so much for accountability I ask again mr. Speaker can the minister tell us what further education cuts are coming Or is her government going to continue to ignore the real concerns of parents students and educators across Ontario We need to cut out of this house once and for all it's the perpetuating of fear via Be responsible in here order I'm hearing speaker and Appreciating that we are taking her because there was a lot of member for Niagara West will come to order The premier will come to order the house will come to order you can start the clock Next question the member for Guelph. Thank You mr. Speaker My question is for the premier Yesterday the Environment Commissioner revealed that the previous government allowed raw sewage to be dumped into our rivers and lakes 1327 times last year this is disgusting my daughter had one word for it gross This is our drinking water This is the water we take our kids swimming fishing and paddling and we know that climate change will only make this situation worse One low-cost solution is to stop paving over our green space, so I'm asking today premier Will you commit today to protect and expand the green belt to defend the places we love and to protect our water? Premier minister of environment Mr. Speaker through you to the member from Guelph and thank you for the question He is correct in noting that the Eco Commissioner did deliver her annual report and there were some some troubling information about about the previous government's focus on Water and and he has spoken to me this about this individually and personally as well It's it's something that that will be part of the plan that we will having We'll have coming out at the end of the month with regards to the environment It's an important consideration clean water clean air and clean land and what this party committed to in its election And what we're committed to in our environmental plan that will be forthcoming Is to make sure that Ontarians have clean air clean water and clean land I should reference as well that we are still open for consultations on that We've had over 5,000 Ontarians Contribute and they can continue to until Friday at at ontario.climate.ca. Thank you Supplementary Thank You mr. Speaker. I do hope the premier will commit to protecting the green belt though Yesterday also the insurance Bureau of Canada was here raising alarm bells about the cost of climate change $1.2 billion in insurable losses in the last nine months. That's over $350 per household yet the government has no plan to reduce these costs on families I released a climate change strategy this morning. I afforded to the minister's office He is welcome to steal every idea in that plan But my question to the to the premier or the minister is will the government today? Commit to pollution targets that meet our Paris obligations and leave a livable affordable future for our children and grandchildren Minister So mr. Mr. Speaker and to the member from Guelph I do appreciate both directly and today his input that he's provided as I said Over 5,000 Ontarians have provided input directly and we continue to gather that input but mr. Speaker the the member from Guelph also This morning he attacked our government He attacked our government for getting rid of cap and trade Which was a commitment that we made during our election and part of the mandate that elected us He attacked our government for fighting the Trudeau carbon tax again something we committed to Mr. Speaker, we won't apologize for meeting our commitments We won't apologize for an environmental plan that protects families and protects the environment Thank you, mr. Speaker Before I begin I would just like to welcome to the legislature a personal friend and colleague of mine Matt scoff president of the Ottawa Police Association As well as directors bar Mac and Vary Jamie McGarry and Brian Samuel Samuel and I look forward to meeting with them later today My my question mr. Speaker is for the Minister of Health and long-term care We have an ongoing population Aging population in this province and across our country our seniors built this great nation fought in our wars and made Ontario What it is today? However, sadly the previous government treated them as nothing but an afterthought for the past 15 years We have over 30,000 people on wait lists for long-term care beds and in my riding of Carlton alone These wait lists are years long. I know this is an issue the minister has advocated for passionately in the past Can the minister please explain? What is being done to invest in additional long-term care beds across my riding of Carlton in Ontario? Carlton for this important question Our government for the people is delivering on our promise to end hallway health care by taking urgent action To expand access to long-term care Reducing the strain on our health care system in advance of the upcoming flu season and working with frontline health care Professionals and other experts to transform the province's health care system. We're moving forward with building 6,000 new long-term care beds across Ontario Representing the first wave of more than 15,000 new long-term care beds that the government is committed to build over the next five years We told the people of Ontario we'd make our hospitals run better and more efficiently and we'd help get them the care They deserve and mr. Speaker. We are keeping that promise I'd like to thank the minister for her response and through you mr. Speaker I'm excited to hear that this is just the first wave of long-term care beds And that will see many more beds across Ontario in the coming years It is clear that with our government for the people help is on the way We've done a lot in just four months, and I know that the minister is committed to ending 15 years of neglect for 15 years The previous Liberal government failed to take care of the seniors who worked to build Ontario up Could the minister please provide more details about our plan to show respect for Ontarians who expect and deserve quality long-term care Minister our government will be extending funding for spaces already operating in the hospital and community sectors across Ontario to help communities prepare for the surge that accompanies the upcoming flu season hallway healthcare is a multifaceted problem that will require real and innovative solutions our Government will continue to listen to the people who work on the front lines of our healthcare system as we develop a long-term Transformational healthcare strategy to address hallway healthcare and ended Thank You mr. Speaker my question is also for the Minister of Health and long-term care Ontario's families have been stuck waiting longer and longer for the healthcare that they need and this week Financial update it is clear that cuts and privatization will be on the agenda for healthcare system The minister had said so much in recent speeches to the Ontario hospital associations and others Can the minister lay out exactly how? privatization and Spending cuts will make it easier for people to find a family physician or to get the hospital care they need Well, mr. Speaker through you in fact I feel it is really important to address for all members of the legislature and anyone watching these proceedings the actual facts In fact, I made no such statement What we are going to do is expand healthcare across Ontario for the people that need it That's why we've committed to building or creating five thousand new long-term care beds within five years That's why we have committed to three point eight billion dollars over ten years to create a connected and coordinated mental health system across Ontario Minister talk about innovation I feel like I have seen this agenda before it is clear during the minister's speeches During the resolutions I will be debated at the PC convention this weekend when I see things such as a Resolution to encourage public and private sector partnership in the delivery of healthcare system I get nervous speaker Like Tommy Douglas the NDP believes that care should be based on needs not on ability to pay and that the private health care Businesses should not be maximizing their profit on the back of sick people Can the minister tell us which health care services or conservative government plans to privatize next? No such thing is going to happen That there are many things that get discussed at party conventions you have party conventions the other parties have conventions We have conventions Not at all in fact what we are committed to is making sure that people have access to our health care programs Where that is not happening we're going to concentrate on that we are going to work on ending hallway medicine by Creating those long-term care spaces by developing a long-term Connected mental health and addiction strategy by making sure that people get the home care services that they need That's what we are concentrating our efforts on by building up our services in Ontario So that all people all people will have access to Thank you next question number for Hastings Lennox and adding to thank you Thank you, mr. Speaker My question today is for our fine minister of tourism culture and sport and not suggesting we accelerate the actions of this house Of course what I am referring to is the Tim Horton briar The winner of the 2020 curling championship will represent Canada a month later at the world men's curling championship From March the 28th to April the 5th in Glasgow, Scotland Additionally that winning team will return to defend its title as team Canada in the 2021 Tim Horton's briar From the minister today in for this house and our government's involvement with this tremendously important 2020 briar Thank You mr. Speaker and thank you to the member from Hastings Lighters adding 10 for the question. I'm happy to tell the house today that after waiting for more than 50 years Kingston will get it's long-awaited second opportunity to host the world's most famous national curling championship Tim Horton's briar will be played from February 29th to March 8th in downtown Kingston Kingston is the home to one of the oldest curling clubs in Canada and it's fitting that the championships are coming back to the city Great sports like curling Strengthen communities and bring us closer together Additionally the Tim Horton's briar will prove to have a positive economic effect In Kingston and in the surrounding area response. It will create jobs and provide opportunities to meet and socialize I congratulate the city of Kingston for this great achievement Thank the minister for that response, you know Kingston last hosted the briar in 1957 Long time ago when Alberta's Matt. I even remember When Alberta's Matt Baldwin hosted the tankered following the perfect 10 and zero round Robert performance at the Kingston Memorial Center But the briar you know it's not only an opportunity for interiors to come together and support our sports sector But it's also a tremendous opportunity to promote the economic growth that is so important to all of these regions So if the minister today elaborate on the importance of the briar for interiors at all of our local communities Ontario's government for the people is open for business and Committed to supporting the continued success of our sports sectors in many communities across Ontario curling is an essential part of our cultural heritage and our identity as proud Ontarians It's a time for all provinces and territories to come together For what is one of the most prestigious trophies in Canadian sport? The briar will be a positive economic and social benefit for Kingston and for all Ontarians Who will gather to watch the championship from across the region? That's why I'm happy to congratulate Kingston today and look forward to the camaraderie and Competition that will be taking place shortly in Kingston My question is to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Ontario's black youth action plan was a commitment and investment in black children black youth and their families Funding meant enhanced youth outreach by youth workers who received anti-racism training in order to better support youth experiencing trauma or mental health challenges Black youth and their families would also be connected with community-based services and resources as well as provided with culturally appropriate mentorship To date the conservative government has not made combating systemic anti-black racism a priority And has instead relied on pre-written scripts to evade talking about real action Will the minister be continuing the funding for the black youth action plan? Yes or no Thank you to the member of the NDP for the question, you know It's interesting to me that we hive off these individual issues and yet when we say we are reviewing all Programs, we are looking at every single program that our government provides To ensure that it is providing the appropriate outcomes and getting what the people of Ontario need and deserve That's what our responsibility is as government, and that's what we are doing. Yes. It takes time Yes, it is going to be thorough But we are doing a line by line program by program audit to ensure that the outcomes that were promised are Actually being delivered. Thank you Not talking about systemic and institutionalized racism doesn't make it go away The anti-racism directorate which is something that the Ontario NDP has long been Advocating for was the government's commitment to building a more inclusive society and its commitment to identifying addressing and preventing systemic racism in government policy legislation programs and services It's estimated that the racialized population in Ontario will be 48 percent by 20 36 Which means that the work of the anti-racism directorate is critical for supporting the needs of our increasingly diverse population Will the minister be maintaining the anti-racism directorate with adequate adequate resources to do their job? Yes Thank you, you know I think it's important for the members of the NDP to understand that we work as a team here together And I am incredibly proud of my parliamentary assistant the member from Brampton South who is taking These forms of protecting our young people We understand the importance of ensuring that the programs we are providing are getting the outcomes that we want and my Parliamentary assistant our team member the Brampton the member from Brampton South is doing that and I know that with his Thrillness we will get there with the appropriate outcomes that actually are going to make a difference for the people and the children of Ontario Restart the clock next question the member for Oakville Speaker my question is for the president of the Treasury Board My constituents are concerned about how years of liberal mismanagement have left the provinces finances in terrible shame Shame they're also concerned about how the damage wasn't limited only to the public accounts But to public trust That's why it's so important to hear during a speech last week that the president of the Treasury Board talked about restoring Accountability trust to government here here. In fact, I was interested to see that just yesterday The president of the Treasury Board attended a town hall with employees from the ministry to answer many of their questions Can the president of the Treasury Board please inform this house what actions the ministry is taking to reinstall transparency and accountability throughout government Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker I'd like to thank the member from Oakville for that thoughtful question since being sworn in I visited Hundreds of the ministry staff in their offices to discuss What they do and how they are doing it? Mr. Speaker people are hungry for change That's why we've consulted public servants through our big bold ideas challenge and we've received Thousands and thousands of great ideas from our Ontario public service on how we can transform government, mr Speaker my speech last week was called the challenge of our generation Well, it was made clear during the town hall yesterday that the staff of the Treasury Board Secretariat are ready and able to meet that challenge, mr. Speaker I look forward to working with them and all of my colleagues as we transform government and serve the people of Ontario together Yes Thank You mr. Speaker and thank you to the president of the Treasury Board for the answer It's I must say it's refreshing to have such an engaged and knowledgeable president of the Treasury Board here here It's been said that no single person has a monopoly on good ideas That's why the planning for a prosperity survey has received over 26,000 ideas for members from the public eager For change only by consulting a wide range of Ontarians Can we understand what actions we need to take to repair the years of damage caused by the liberal mismanagement years? It's important that we ensure our province is modern and fiscally sustainable for this generation and for the next Can the president of the Treasury Board please inform this house? What ideas were brought forward in the TS TBS? TBS town hall concerning modernizing the public service excellent question Well the president of the Treasury Board Thank You mr. Speaker and again through you thank you to the member for that question yesterday as I looked out at the crowd At the town hall. I was struck by the young diverse and many talented people that we have in Treasury Board Secretariat In fact a TBS employee is here today Colin I don't know where he is in the gallery, but he's responsible for the digital documents in cabinet To support our meetings. That's the kind of modernization that we need to continue to drive Mr. Speaker, it's all of up to all of us to work together as we deliver a modern sustainable Government that serves the people not the other way around here here I'm confident that that together we will meet the challenge We have to for this generation and for future generations Mr. Speaker together we are restoring trust We are renewing accountability and we are re-establishing transparency mr. Speaker Thank you very much and mr. Speaker my question is to the Minister of Economic Development job creation and trade a 113 people applied to appear before the committee that will analyze rollbacks of our employment and labor standards just tomorrow That's a hundred and thirteen people for only twenty spots over a five-hour period over one day and these people applied from Peterborough from Barry from Thunder Bay from Ottawa from Cambridge From Brantford from Chatham, and it's only for the people who can make it to Toronto just tomorrow Does the minister think that that is enough consultation on this regressive piece of legislation? Thanks very much for the question this morning and speaker I'm pleased to to answer it bill 148 was the most harmful piece of legislation That was brought forward for businesses in Ontario in our generation We ran an election we ran an election in the spring on Making changes to bill 148 to ensure that Ontario was open for business again And I can tell you that when bill 148 was introduced by the Liberal government Our members went out then and met with business owners Employers even employees across the province and heard directly from them mr. Speaker that this piece of legislation Bill 148 was killing jobs across Ontario It was a job killer mr. Speaker and since the election since the election My two parliamentary assistants Skelly and Parsa have been fanning out and hearing directly from employers as well Mr. Speaker The government is imposing serious far reaching regressive changes to labour laws and employment standards across this province Across the board wages will be cut paid sick days will be slashed work place rights Removed order, but the government doesn't seem to have the decency to hear from the people of this province from hard-working Ontarians for her shutting down the voices of the people of Ontario on a bill that will directly Impact them is undemocratic and it affects the quality of the life of workers in this province Premier let the people in and let them be mr. Speaker. I can tell you that When the Liberals introduced bill 148 in this house, we heard loud and clear from people across Ontario That that piece of legislation which was supported by the third party at the time Potentially headed for third-party status again mr. Speaker wasn't doing anything to grow the economy in Ontario It was killing jobs in Ontario It was sending employers outside of our jurisdiction to the United States Tack on the high cost of electricity and the NDP supported that legislation as well the green energy act and tack on the cap And trade mr. Speaker the NDP supported the Liberals on that piece of legislation as well These guys have done everything they can to drive jobs out of Ontario Order member for York Center come to order start the clock Mr. Speaker to you and through you to the Minister of Agricultural Food and Rural Affairs Mr.. Speaker this year we have seen on precedent levels of Momotoxin mold on corn across the province and in North America Farmers in my riding and indeed across the province are struggling to keep their businesses operating during this harvest season Because the rising levels of mold Resulting in some corn being rejected at the grain elevators Farmers are struggling to get their corn to market Agri-food businesses are struggling to produce feed and livestock farmers are worried about providing their animals with nutrition This is an issue. Mr. Speaker. There's reflecting the agricultural industry across the board. Can the minister please tell us what farmers can do Thank you. Thank you very much speaker And thank you very much to the member from sarnia lampton for that very important question As the member highlighted this year has seen an unprecedented amount of Momotoxin in corn and I'm aware that farmers across the province are frustrated about the impacts on their business I understand how challenging this is for not only Ontario farmers But also the hardworking people across the entire agriculture industry My ministry encourages farmers to harvest as early as possible To avoid having the disease spread further across the field and to keep storage bins clean and separate from the disease corn I encourage all farmers to contact agri-core for more advice on what assistance is currently available for them I continue to meet with those impacted across the industry My ministry will continue to keep farmers informed on any new next steps Thank you, mr. Speaker and to you and through you to the minister Thank you for his response and leadership on this issue I've heard from a number of farmers who have found high levels of momotoxin in their corn And the number of concerns I'm hearing from them is increasing day by day Some farmers are not able to get their corn to market as their crops are being rejected at the elevators some For the level of mold farmers are beginning to contact agri-core agri-core for assistance on what to do with impacted corn And what this means for their production insurance Mr. Speaker, can the minister please tell us what this government is doing to help farmers and provide them with the assistance that they so desperately need Thank you The member that my office is in contact with agri-core and those across the agriculture industry on next steps And the best practice is to provide a timely and effective solution for all these impacts I acknowledge the challenges and the hurdles our farmers and agri-food industries are experiencing frequently rainy weather Amongst many other factors has contributed to the problem that has made harvesting a challenge Tomorrow I will be hosting a roundtable with those across the value chain from grain farmers to ethanol companies feed producers And to livestock farmers to gather input from those impacted in the sector Mr. Speaker I will work tirelessly with our partners like agri-core to find solutions and support on terrors hardworking agricultural workers My ministry is committed to working with the farming industry and providing all those impacted with clear and effective solutions And I thank the member again very much for the question The member for Niagara Falls Mr. Speaker My questions to the minister of municipal affairs and housing One of the most significant heritage assets in the Niagara lake is a rand estate The town of Niagara lake recently moved to designate the rand estate under the heritage act for its local and national cultural heritage significance That designation is now being appealed by the developer who instead wants to develop this historic property This same developer now today is taking a chainsaw to this extremely important site Mr. Speaker The province has the tools Available to help the town of Niagara on the lake and his residents regain control of what's happened on this site Including under the planning act Speaker will the minister take action to ensure that this jewel in Niagara lake is not lost forever Minister of municipal affairs and housing Thanks. Thanks very much speaker and I want to thank the honorable member for Putting his question To me this morning I'm sure he knows that I obviously have to be careful in my Comments given that the matter is before a tribunal But I am very concerned and very interested in to the points that he made Regarding what's happening on the site this morning I would like to through you speaker offer the opportunity to To sit down with the member and gain further insight into what's actually happening in his riding If he would afford me that opportunity I'd I'd give him some time after question period Thank you very much Thank you, mr. Speaker This week the developer virtually cleared cut a quarter of the site He is thumbing his nose at the town of Niagara on the lake and its residents and if you can imagine this Who are now engaged in acts of protests to try to stop this deliberate destruction of this cultural heritage jewel The residents are doing everything they can to raise opposition to this. He's chopping down trees that are 150 years old Speaker will the minister stand with the residents of Niagara on the lake And issue an order under his powers in the planning act to protect this historically significant property Thank you Again speaker through to the honorable member. I don't have any further information to add. I've made my offer I'd be more than happy to to sit down with you But again, you have to be you have to be with all due respect to the heckling from across matters in Before the tribunal are very very Delicate and but I I do I do value the member's information that he's placed Before this house and I look forward to speaking to him after the question Thank you Next question the member from Milton Thank you. Thank you, mr. Speaker Mike Thank you, mr. Speaker my question is the minister of environment conservation and parks Mr. Speaker the residents of my riding of Milton Know that carbon tax will raise the price of everything This tax is hurting our most vulnerable. It hurts our families. It hurts our seniors It hurts our job creators and it hurts the prosperity of our province, mr. Speaker I'm proud to oppose this tax and I'm proud to be part of a government That is cutting taxes and not raising them Through you mr. Speaker. Can the minister outline our efforts to oppose this aggressive tax? Thank you Mr. Speaker through you to the member member from Milton Mr. Speaker, it's never been more important than now for this government Under the leadership of premier ford to stand against the the trudeau liberals As you know, our premier has been leading a growing coalition of provinces There are now six provinces that stand stand opposed to the the federal government climate plan And this could never be more important because just just yesterday And I've had to learn mr. Speaker to parse the statements of my my federal counterpart But just yesterday the federal minister of the environment talked about Under under questions about the fact that the carbon tax according to economists wasn't high enough to be effective It was it was only going to add $648 to the price of a family's year But she said the focus now and I have to translate this the focus now is on to implement a climate framework by that They mean a carbon tax and then then move forward with increased targets in the future. Mr. Speaker. We don't know how much Thank you, mr. Speaker. I want to thank the minister for his answer and back to the minister Mr. Speaker the financial accountability officer of interior reported that the cost of trudeau carbon tax Is well over $600 It is unfair to impose this tax on working families and the people of interior agree, mr. Speaker They do not want to see higher gas prices or groceries Speaker, can the minister update us on what the next steps we're taking to protect our jobs and oppose this tax, mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker through you to the member from melton Mr. Speaker the financial accountability officer did identify $648 as as the member pointed out per family by 2022 and as I just pointed out the federal government isn't done yet The federal government is talking now actively and publicly about how much they plan to increase that tax And that's why we have a number of steps that I can I can talk about We're of course using the courts and as we talked about no stone will go unturned. So we are supporting the government's Saskatchewan's Review of this we will have our own for which our fact and will be filed at the end of the month We will also be taking taking other steps in terms of working with other governments Mr. Speaker the federal minister environment cancelled cancelled the regular face-to-face meeting environment ministers in Ottawa Where this was going to be the first on the agenda. I wonder why that is So we'll follow up with those other ministers and take all the steps we can within our power That concludes the time for question period the members for university rosdale has a point of order Uh, I'd like to introduce urea ravitz hella. He's from book of law collegiate And he will be working with me today as part of take our kid to work day. Thank you for coming The member for toronto st paul's point of order speaker. I'd like to rise on a point of order to welcome my goddaughter jessema Vassil hewitt to our house to your house I'm so proud of you as a student leader and it really warms my heart to see you here today I'd just like to introduce a welcome for still collegiate now that they're in the space and mr. Ferroni for being here today for takers our kids to school to work day. Thank you very much The minister of labor. Thank you, mr. Speaker. I'd like to welcome andrey young and kanisha taylor from my office to the legislature today. Welcome The member for london north center Thank you speaker. I'm standing today to recognize the beginning of transgender awareness week And that november 20th is transgender day of remembrance To honor the trans people who have been victims of hatred violence and murder. Thank you Mr. Training colleges and universities I would like to welcome two groups of students to the today in the gallery the college student alliance including their president britney greg and uh the ontario undergraduate student alliance Danny chang mitchell pratt karen albrecht julia goldner peter hennan beth lindsay and adan hidma Here i'd like to welcome syeber a friend and a resident of tronel to queen's party Member for storm on dundas south clen gary. Thank you speaker I'd like to welcome david clane and jeff lone from the carmel police association great meeting this point For barioness phil. Thank you mr. Speaker as I was mentioning it today's an environment industry day And I wanted to remind everyone the entero environment industry association is having um a reception this evening And I would like to remind all members of all parties to join us in committee room 228 this evening for their reception Member for hastings lenox and adington Thank you, mr. Speaker. I'd like to welcome a constituent of mine from north hastings the velma waters A lovely lady who always thinks outside the box Government house leader Speaker I just noticed uh, we have one of the strongest police officers in ontario standing up there pat komo from the belville city Police has joined us today Once again We welcome all visitors to the legislature today Pursuant to standing order 38a the member for kitchens center has given notice of her dissatisfaction with the answer to her question Given by the minister of community safety and correctional services Concerning the black youth action plan and anti-racism directorate. This matter will be debated today at 6 p.m Pursuant to standing order 38a the member for guelph has given notice of his dissatisfaction with the answer to his question Given by the minister of the environment conservation and parks Concerning protecting the green belt and climate change targets. This matter will also be debated today at 6 p.m I beg to inform the house that pursuant to standing order 98c A change has been made to the order of precedence on the ballot list for private members public business such that mrs. Gretzky assumes Ballad item number 45 and mr. Rackosevic assumes ballot item number 57 There being no deferred votes There being no deferred votes This house stands in recess until 3 p.m