 Seeing no further introductions, it's therefore time for question period. The member from Kitchener, Conestoga. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transportation. Speaker, today the Premier is testifying before the Sudbury bribery hearings where liberal ethics and integrity are in trial. Speaker, given that leadership starts at the top, few are surprised to hear reports suggesting ethically questionable dealings leading to the approval of a GO station in the Minister's own riding. A $100 million GO station that a Metrolinx business case had already rejected. Yet, when Metrolinx said no, the Minister approved it himself in a news release. Mr. Speaker, simple question, did the Minister override Metrolinx for his own personal political gain? Thank you for your transportation. Thanks very much, Speaker. I appreciate the question from the member across the way. I have now spoken on this issue in this legislature a number of months ago in response to a question from that same member. I've also had the opportunity to speak to the issue publicly on a number of occasions. Speaker, I will repeat now what I've said in the past on this issue. Firstly, from my perspective as Minister of Transportation, but also as someone who has lived or worked in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area my entire life, I believe fundamentally that it's extremely important for governments at all levels and of all stripes to invest in critical transportation and transit infrastructure as communities grow and evolve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will see in parts of the GTHA as that member knows explosive growth over the next number of years and we want to make sure that we're building in the right place at the right time, Speaker. What I've said in the last number of days, of course, is that Metrolinx is to not engage or enter into any contractual obligations with respect to either the proposed Kirby Go Station or Lawrence East Go Station, Speaker, and I understand that Metrolinx will be conducting work in that regard, and that was in media reports earlier today. Thank you. Supplementary? Yes. Mr. Speaker, there's something seriously wrong when the Minister is approving backyard Go stations that Metrolinx, in fact, warned would drive commuters out of their train seats and back onto the road. Even the Toronto Star editorial board strongly condemned this Minister's decision, saying, quote, politics rather than good policy has determined trended decisions in this region. Politicians with little or no regard for the evidence declare what's to be built often in a crass effort to garner votes. And who is the politician they speak of? That would be the Minister of Transportation. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister come clean and admit that the Star was right and that this was just a crass effort to garner votes? Thank you, Minister. So, Speaker, again, I appreciate the follow-up question. First, what I didn't mention in my original answer, but I will say now, among other things, Speaker, and notwithstanding the fact that I do passionately believe in the importance of investing in transit infrastructure as communities, including my own grow and evolve, and, again, there will be explosive growth in this particular part of York Region over the next 10 to 15 years, Speaker, I think it's also important to note that the proposed Kirby Go station is roughly 10 kilometers away from the riding in which I intend to run in next year's election campaign, Speaker. But at the same time, as I said in the second half of my answer to the first question, I have now sent a letter to the Chair of the Board of Metrolinx to make sure to stipulate explicitly that Metrolinx is not to enter into any contractual obligations, essentially spend any money on either the Lawrence East or Kirby Go station, until the Metrolinx staff and board are satisfied that stations both at Lawrence East and at Kirby are justified, and I understand that the Chair has responded with a letter saying that they will have that work completed by their February 2018 board meeting. Thanks very much. Thank you. Final supplementary. Back to the Minister. I'm clean here today. No further review nor minister assurances he'll listen to Metrolinx station recommendations going forward can cover up questions as to why he didn't listen to the same experts when his direction tried to drive us backward. Continued attempts to dance around political influence questions only breed more concern for liberal ethics and corruption of the process. That same Toronto star editorial declared, and I quote, if the minister can't demonstrate to interns that this is not politically motivated, he will have left no doubt that he is unfit for the job. Mr. Speaker, can the minister explain? Was this decision politically motivated or is he simply unfit for the job? So thank you. Thanks very much, Speaker. I've taken my role for about three and a half years as Minister of Transportation. I've taken many questions. I've taken many questions from Leader Patrick Brown and the member from Kitchener, Conestoga in this legislature on transit and transportation, Speaker. And I have to say, I have to say that I've never heard that member question my fitness to serve when I invested in our government invested in Kitchener, Conestoga with the go station of Breslau, Speaker. I didn't hear Patrick Brown or the member from Kitchener, Conestoga suggests that I didn't have fitness to serve when we doubled gas tax for 99 communities across the province of Ontario to support public transit. I didn't hear that member or any member of the opposition complain when we invested in highways in the north, LRTs in Hamilton, subway expansions in every corner of the GCHC. Member from Essex, come to order. Wrap up, please. Thank you, Speaker. I didn't hear any of those members complain when we talked about building go stations in Stony Creek, for example, Speaker. Building and critical cycling infrastructure, Speaker. I only hear it today. We know in this place, we're playing politics with this. New question, the member from Renfrew, Nivisingpanda. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Labor. Yesterday when a reporter asked how business should handle their labor reforms, he responded and I quote, I think they could look at pricing. The Liberals actually want to raise prices across the board. Everything is about to get more expensive. And by just how much money does the Minister want to raise the price of everything from gas to groceries? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you to the member for that question, Speaker. What I want to raise is a standard of living for people that are working 35, 40 hours a week, more working two and three job, Speaker, and still not being able to get by. What I want to know, Speaker, is I know what the third party stands on this. I know where the government stands on this, Speaker. I don't know from day to day where that party across Speaker stands for. I don't know where the member stands. He's telling us yesterday that the leader of the opposition supports $15 an hour. The leader of the opposition tells us he doesn't support $15 an hour, Speaker. We stand firmly in the corner of working people in the province of Ontario, Speaker, who working hard, as I said, 35, 40 hours plus a week, Speaker, still can't pay all the bills. We're going to change that. That party needs to support us on this. Supplementary. Wow. Back to the minister. This statement from the minister is further evidence that the wind liberals are out of touch with small businesses and families. Their reckless approach to the minimum wage is its their way or the highway. They refuse to listen to any independent experts who are advising them to exercise the chamber of commerce and the financial accountability officer have weighed in. And the liberals have ignored their independent advice, advice that warns that these measures could actually hurt Ontarians and lead to job losses from between 50 and 185,000 jobs. Speaker, why does all Ontario have to suffer when the liberals try to gain votes? Speaker, we know there's a long list of opinions on this issue. Speaker, there's a long list of studies, long list of literature. It comes from Ontario, Speaker. It comes from across Canada. It comes from across the entire continent, Speaker. And the leader of the opposition and the Labour critic can try and ignore those studies. Clearly, we've got 53 economists step forward, people who were fellows of the Royal Society of Canada, two former presidents of the Canadian Economic Association, one that was used, Speaker, by Jim Flaherty and the Conservative government have stepped forward and said Ontario is on the right track. This government knows that it's on the side of working people in the province. They're working, as I said, 35, 40, 50 hours a week. Leader of the third party, come to order. Finish, please. Speaker, it's time that the minimum wage in this province reflected the reality of what it costs to live in this province, Speaker. And it's time for the opposition party to come clean on where they stand on this issue. Final supplementary? Thank you, Speaker, back to the minister. When faced with that evidence from the FAO, the minister chose to double down. He said, and I quote, the moral and economic evidence supporting this fundamental belief is without question. We will not back down from this commitment. Actually, the moral and economic evidence says otherwise. First, morally speaking, the FAO confirmed that this plan does not target, and I quote him, low income families and raising the minimum wage would be an inefficient policy tool for reducing overall poverty. Second, the economic evidence from the FAO shows a minimum of 50,000 job losses while the Chamber of Commerce says it could be as many as 185,000. Speaker, why is the minister ignoring the real, moral, and economic evidence? Why not stop being so reckless and conduct their own economic impact analysis? Well, they won't do that. Speaker, as I said, Speaker, you can go out. You can find a variety of opinions on this issue, Speaker, and we've looked at them all. What I'm saying, Speaker, is it's not good enough to claim your support of $15 minimum wage. As you have done personally, as the member has done personally, Speaker, and then not have any plan, and have a leader who's saying he's gonna vote against it, have a labor critic that says he's gonna vote for it, and it's not good enough for the leader of the opposition, Speaker, to say, I don't think anybody in Ontario can live on $11 an hour, and then not propose to do anything about it. Finish, please. Thank you, Speaker. There's a bill before the House that proposes to raise the standard of living for 30% of the people that live in this province, Speaker. The Opposition Party either votes for it or against it. I hear they're voting against it, Speaker. They should come clean. No question, the leader of the third party. Thank you, Speaker. My question's for the Deputy Premier. This morning, the member from Nickelbelt and I joined Noah Irvin, a grade 12 student from Guelph who lost both of his parents to mental illness. In fact, he and his grandparents, Donna and Ross Irvin are with us in the chamber today. The creation of a Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions in Ontario. Since the loss of his parents, he's been advocating for an end to the mental health care crisis in Ontario. Having a ministry dedicated to mental health and addictions will go a long way to ensuring that mental health care gets more resources, more funding, and the focus and attention that it absolutely deserves. Will the Liberal government commit to this important step in helping people who are suffering and don't have access to the services that they need? Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Curnett. The Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. The Minister of Health, Long-Term Care. Thank you. And Mr. Speaker, first let me say hello to Noah and his grandparents and to say, I think, on behalf of the legislature, but certainly for me personally and as Minister of Health, sorry I am, that you have been through such a tragic personal experience and I also want to not simply acknowledge that but also applaud you for your courage and your leadership. And Mr. Speaker, the leadership that Noah has shown to Ontario and to this province, to the country in the face of such enormous personal tragedies is really, I think, inspiring to all of us and I look forward to speaking directly in the supplementary. Supplementary. Speaker, I've heard from so many people who need urgent care. In fact, I'm sure that every single member in this legislature has heard from people who urgently need mental health care and addiction services but they're stuck waiting months and months on waiting lists. I've listened to parents who are trying desperately to get mental health support for their kids but thousands and thousands of children cannot get the care that they need. And I've heard tragic stories like Noah's, of families who have suffered so very much, Speaker, because their loved ones could not get the mental health services that they need in their province. Why won't the Liberal government commit to giving struggling Ontarians the help and care that they need? Thank you, Minister. Well, Mr. Speaker, we are committed to mental health. In fact, there can be no health without mental health. I view them, I think we all do, as two sides of the same coin. When we look at physical health and mental health, they are two sides of the same coin and we need to invest in and pursue with vigor and intent to the same degree our efforts on mental health as we do in physical health in this province and we have a long way to go, Mr. Speaker. We have a long way to go. We've benefited from many sources, many experts, those with lived experience as well as experts across this province and this country to help us shape our investments. And we have created, and this is the third year, where we have a mental health and addictions leadership advisory council chaired by Susan Pigott that provides directly to me advice on an ongoing basis on what investments we need to make. And that's resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars of investments that specifically target those areas where we know where the pressing need is and where we need to make the difference, Mr. Speaker. Final supplement. Speaker, everyone who needs access to mental health and care and supports should be able to get it when they need it. And that is not happening in this province. It's not happening today under this liberal government. And if the liberal government and the minister of health refuse to commit to creating a ministry and helping Ontarians, what exactly is the government planning to do to fix the mental health care crisis in this province because the efforts to date have not been adequate and they have not been effective? Thank you, minister. And Mr. Speaker, I think the entire country recognizes that our efforts as a nation have not been adequate or sufficient, whether it's a federal government, whether it's individual provincial governments, territorial governments, municipal governments. But there has been a societal change. The stigma that still exists has been lessened. The recognition of political leaders that these investments need to be made, that recognition exists. We have a long pathway in front of us and I want to applaud the NDP for coming forward because I understand and I agree with and I believe in their motivation. And it's the same as mine, Mr. Speaker. It's to create an environment, a health system, a society where there is no stigma against mental health, individuals suffering from mental illness and where we do make the investments on par with physical health. And we do see it as part of the same whole in terms of a person's being. There can be no health without mental health, Mr. Speaker. And my commitment to NOAA and its grandparents is to achieve that. Thank you. Can you see it, please? Stop the clock. Can you see it, please? Thank you. New question, the leader of the third party. My next question is also to the Deputy Premier. Speaker, seven years ago, MPPs from all parties came together on the select committee for mental health and addictions. They heard heartbreaking stories from across our province and they made urgent, urgent recommendations seven years ago for change to help save lives in this province. It's been seven years and those urgent recommendations have not been implemented. My question for the acting Premier is simple. Why? Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we deeply appreciated the work of the individuals of the MPPs that sat on the select committee and the many hundreds, if not thousands, that were part of a process that provided that good advice. There are a number, well within this legislature today, a number of MPPs that sat on that select committee. In fact, Mr. Speaker, just about 10 days ago we had the inaugural cabinet committee meeting of the new mental wellness table that is comprised of cabinet ministers and MPPs to give an even higher priority to our mandate on mental health. And one of the first orders of the day, in fact, was to look at some of the specific recommendations within that select committee report. And Mr. Speaker, we have now through the advisory council as well as this committee, I think, the experience and expertise and determination to make a further difference. Thank you, supplementary. Well, Speaker, it may be that a committee got together 10 days ago, but seven years ago, the recommendations came forward. And now, seven years later, the mental health crisis in Ontario is even worse than it was then, not better. The wind government, like the conservatives before them, have swept problems under the rug and allowed mental health care to slip through the cracks for far too long in this province. When will the government take action that is needed? And actually, action that has been recommended seven years ago to help people struggling with mental health and addictions in Ontario. Thank you, minister. Well, Mr. Speaker, even as recently as this year's budget, we made a significant $140 million new investment in mental health services, a budget that that party voted against, Mr. Speaker. And so that included, and they're saying children's mental health, it included the creation, Mr. Speaker, of youth wellness hubs, which provide, Mr. Speaker, the a wraparound support service for children and youth up to the age of 25 across this province, that those integrated services that are so important to restoring wellness, Mr. Speaker. It also included, and we were the first province in the entire country to do so, is to fund structured psychotherapy. So therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which has highly proven effectiveness and can be delivered through a number of disciplines, which has a dramatic impact, particularly for those that have mood disorders, Mr. Speaker. These are the sorts of investments that we made this year that that party voted against. Thank you. Final supplement. Mr. Speaker, mental health and addictions care in this province must be a priority, not an afterthought. Out of the shadows and give mental health care the attention and the focus that it needs to be able to provide the kind of services, the kind of care that people in crisis and that people overall deserve in order to be well in the province of Ontario. One crucial way, Speaker, one crucial way to give mental health and addictions care is to have a standalone separate ministry, the ministry of mental health and addictions. That's what we would do, Speaker, if we were in government. We are committed to creating a ministry of addictions and mental health. Will this government do the same? Will they make that commitment today? Mr. Speaker, please. Thank you. Minister. Well, Mr. Speaker, and I look forward to, I believe it's being debated as private members tomorrow afternoon, Mr. Speaker. And I do know that the party opposite looked to their sister NDP party in British Columbia that a couple of weeks ago announced to stand alone ministry on mental health and addictions. And so I, but I applaud and understand and agree with their motivation. It's to make sure that we have integrated coordinated care. And Mr. Speaker, we have more than doubled our investment mental health. It's just plain wrong to suggest that this government isn't absolutely committed to prioritizing mental health. And our investments, whether it's in supportive housing, whether it's in youth services, Mr. Speaker, whether there are a myriad of investments that we have made approaching a quarter of a billion dollars over just the last several years alone that we are committed to this. I look forward to the discussion tomorrow because I think any discussion about mental health, Mr. Speaker, particularly in this legislature is important and positive and helps to reduce and eliminate the stigma that's still out there. Thank you. A new question. The members from Hullaburton Court of Law. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the minister of the status of women, it's clear that this government would rather have us focusing on issues like cannabis than on fighting human sex trafficking. I spent the past two days at an excellent conference on human sex trafficking hosted by the Ontario Provincial Police in Barrie. It was a gathering of some of the best experts working to address the ongoing crisis that now reaches every corner of Ontario. But sadly, not one minister bothered to show up. It's the same story across the province. Police officers, community organizations and individuals are working day and night to stop traffickers and to save the lives of victims without adequate provincial coordination, information or resources. Mr. Speaker, how can the wind government claim to be acting on this issue when they don't even bother to show up? Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to rise today. And talk about this very important issue. I want to thank the member opposite for this important question. And I want to start out by saying that we on this side of the House will not take accusations of being inactive when it comes to actually getting out there and doing the job. I am not going to go through the list of things that we did this summer, but I can tell you that I visited the Canadian Border Institute. I also talked to people across the province about various issues when it comes to women and women's issues and sexual violence and harassment. Absolutely. Absolutely, human trafficking is a devastating crime that violates human rights. And I want you to know that we are working hard every day to put a stop to it and to help survivors and to put in place the pieces that they need in order to heal. That's why we launch an across-government strategy to end human trafficking. I'm not sure. Perhaps the member opposite isn't aware that we did this. Thank you. We absolutely did it. Last. Thank you. Supplementary. And Mr. Speaker, again to the minister, it's time to stop the shell game. What do we see on the ground? Ministers missing in action, delays in the rollout of funding for victim services, under-resourced police departments. They've had years to act, but have little to show for it except for press releases and conversations. That just doesn't cut it. Mr. Speaker, does the government not see how important this issue is or do they just not have it in them to lead this fight against human sex trafficking? Very good. Thank you. Minister. I am happy to talk about what the government is doing on this side to help the survivors of this deplorable and brutal crime. And let me start by telling you, we don't just talk about it. We move money forward and we move money into actual pieces that are building support and services. Let me tell you, enhanced funding of 6.65 million to 47 community-based partners. 40s. Both sides come to order. And the member from Duffer and Kellogg. Finish please. You know, it is easy to sit on that side and criticize and wander around talking about how we're not doing anything. We are doing something. We're working very hard with our partners. We're not just listening. We're actually putting our actions into words and into actual legislation. $72 million working with all of our other ministries to deliver a strategy that will take care of this problem on a real fundamental basis. Thank you. Thank you. Your question, member from Oshawa. Thank you, Speaker. And my question is to the acting Premier. Earlier this year, Sears Canada filed for creditor protection and began the process of closing stores and liquidating assets. So far, 59 locations have been closed and nearly 3,000 jobs have been lost. We have a Sears in Oshawa and our community is watching anxiously. Now Sears Canada has filed a petition to terminate its vastly underfunded pension plan, leaving thousands at risk of losing their pensions. There are 18,000 retirees that depend on this pension plan. What does the government have to say to the Sears pensioners that are worried about supporting their families? Thank you, Deputy Minister. Minister of Finance. Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the question. It's certainly an issue of great concern for all of us. When any company is faltering on their commitments and we recognize we've done this on a number of other occasions, Ontario is the only province that offers a pension guarantee. And we've recognized that the assets of the pension must be supported. We are working to ensure that Sears, which does remain an operating company at this point, is continuing. FISCO, which administers the PBA, including the pension benefits guarantee, is also monitoring the situation. May I add, it does not affect the assets in the pension plan, but we are taking the steps necessary and supplementary. I'll advise more. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, supplementary. Back to the acting Premier. This government is failing pensioners. And last year, the Premier, actually everyone in this whole house supported my motion to protect pensioners by prioritizing them during bankruptcy proceedings. Now the Premier is saying there isn't a role for government. Now she doesn't seem to think they deserve her help. Why did the Premier go back on her word and decide that pensioners should be left to fend for themselves? Good question. That's total nonsense. The member opposite recognizes exactly that the federal government is in charge of the prioritization of pension assets. We on this side of the house have actually, through our reforms, are increasing the pension guarantee. We've taken reforms to support our pensioners and our retirees. We've taken the steps necessary in our last budget around this very issue, which you did not support. Mr. Finance, wrap up, please. We're continuing to do our best to support our pensioners and retirees. We're taking the steps to reform our pensions all across the province to protect their interests, Mr. Speaker. The member opposite knows that and she voted against them. Thank you. New question in the members of the Public Health Center. Thanks very much, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Growth. Minister, Amazon recently announced that it wants to open a second North American headquarters and has opened the bidding to large cities in North America. Amazon said the campus will cost up to about $5 billion and will create up to 50,000 new jobs. Now, I know from my business experience, prior to entering politics, that as the presence of companies increases in a particular sector, that this also increases the likelihood of investment from other companies in that sector. So the winning city in this case is not only going to attract the 50,000 jobs and the investment, but it could attract additional investments in the years to come. I actually think this is a great opportunity for Ontario and I know there's a lot of buzz about Amazon being able to locate its headquarters here in Ontario. Minister, could you tell this house and could you tell the people of Ontario what you are doing, what we are doing to attract Amazon here to Ontario? Thank you, Minister of Economic Development and Growth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The member is absolutely right. This is a huge and exciting opportunity for Ontario. We recently created our Ontario Investment Office and they're already fully engaged on this, working closely with our municipal partners and developing what will be a compelling pitch for Ontario. Aline O'Dad, our Chief Investment Officer, is working closely with Ed Clark and a group of Ontario business leaders on this very important initiative. We're going to leave no stone unturned on this, Mr. Speaker. We're going to fight for this investment. We're going to do what we need to do to do everything we can to land it. I have no doubt because of the investments we've made in our people, because of the investments we've made in driving and transforming our economy, that Ontario is the best location for this. But let's stay grounded on this. We're asking an American company now to make an investment of a head office, a significant investment outside of the United States. In the current climate, this is going to be challenging but we're up to that challenge and we're going to do everything we can to try to land the people of Ontario. Supplementary. Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Minister, as you know, prior to being elected, I was in business, I was a management consultant and one of the things that I did when I worked in consulting was to advise companies on decisions and important investment decisions like the one Amazon's about to make about its second headquarters. And I know from experience that there are many criteria that companies consider. One of the most important criteria that they consider when expanding their business is knowing that they will have access to skilled workers, to the talent that they need to grow their business. And in fact, Amazon has indicated that it is trying to attract and retain talent focused in the software development and related fields. You mentioned in your response to me just now that we have fierce competition for this bid. With all the cities and jurisdictions competing for this kind of investment, what are Ontario's competitive advantages and what can we do to attract businesses like Amazon to our province, to Ontario? Thank you, Minister. Well, Mr. Speaker, the member hinted at it. Because of the investments we've made in transforming our economy, because of the investments we've made in growing some of the most talented workforce anywhere in the world, Ontario already is a global tech leader and that gives us a leg up. Just ask companies like Facebook, Thompson Reuters, Google, IBM, and many others that have located offices here in this province. We're second now only to the Silicon Valley when it comes to the number of ICT companies. That's 20,000 companies doing business here in the province of Ontario. We graduate 40,000 science, tech, engineering, and math students, and we're not done, Mr. Speaker. We're continuing to make investments in the new economy. We're investing in AI, autonomous vehicles, 5G technology, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. Because of the investments we're making, we're growing this economy, Mr. Speaker, in the new economy, and I have no doubt but to say that Ontario is the best location for Amazon and any other company that wants to get ahead in this global economy. No question to remember from Elgin, Minnesota, to London. Mr. Speaker, my question's to the acting Premier. Speaker, while the Premier herself is spending time testifying today at the Sudbury bribery trial, the Ontario PC party. We have to stop the clock for a moment, please. We're weaving in and out of getting close to mentioning people's attendance and that is not acceptable practice in the house, so just find another way to say it, please. Mr. Speaker, Ontario PC party is going to be here today defending small businesses, farmers, and healthcare professionals, and that's why a month ago I wrote to this government about the federal level governments recently proposed changes to professional corporations and the unintended negative impacts will have on patients, taxpayers, and doctors. Mr. Speaker, this government has spent three years in an aggressive attempt to contain that physician cost to the extent of imposing unilateral cuts and using heavy-handed tactics designed to embarrass doctors. Mr. Speaker, these federal cuts are another attack on doctors. Mr. Speaker, it has to stop. Will the acting Premier and the Minister of Health tell their liberal friends enough is enough? Chasing the doctors. I'm Mr. Finance. Mr. Finance. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite recognizing that the federal government has taken upon themselves a bill to look at the small business and the corporate taxes that go to consultants and others and the sprinkling effect. We're allowing the federal government to do its job. We ourselves will be in constant contact and recognize that it'll have an impact on many of us here in the province of Ontario as well as across Canada. Thank you. Supplementary? Thank you, Speaker, back to the acting Premier. Speaker, the federal liberal changes will create financial barriers for doctors to make investments in their practices. In addition, the changes will negatively impact the retirement planning process. Most importantly, make it very difficult for doctors to continue to pay staff and office expenses during absences such as maternity leave or illness. Mr. Speaker, this government gave the doctors the ability to incorporate in lieu of fee increases. If the federal tax changes go through, they'll have a massive financial implications on the province and the patient care will suffer. Mr. Speaker, will the acting Premier call Prime Minister Trudeau today and tell him to stop his liberal download of costs to our health care system? Thank you. Thank you for your time, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is requesting and asking about an item that is the federal government's purview, and we recognize that impact. But I can tell you what we can do in this house and in this legislative assembly. I can ask this member why it is he doesn't support the tremendous amount of increase that we provided for our health care, the amounts that we provide to support more doctors. Finish, please. Broke second time, and I might have gone to warning because he knew that I had quiet. The member opposite and the other member who asked the question have the ability to support our initiatives that are progressive and enable us to support doctors. They're voting against those measures. They've done so consistently. We will continue to support our doctors and our health care by investing more in them that we control at this side of the house. The question, the member from Windsor to come see. Thank you, Speaker. My question is for the Deputy Premier. Good morning. Criteria for Ontario's disaster recovery assistance program were written in the last century. Sewer backup claims during torrential rainfalls aren't covered. In our area, we had more than 6,000 homes flooded recently. The Minister of Municipal Affairs took a look and says, few of them will qualify under the existing guidelines. Well, da, let's change the guidelines. Speaker, climate change is real. Torrential downpours causing sewer backups are the norm in this century. When will this government accept this, change the rules so people can get some help as they try to recover from natural disasters? Thank you very much. Thank you to the member for the question. He's accurate. I had the opportunity to be in Windsor yesterday for the second time within a year, unfortunately, related to significant flooding in that particular community. Speaker at the heart of his question is about private insurance for sewage backup. Before I made the comments publicly yesterday and last week when we activated the program I checked, it is made known to me that insurance is broadly and readily available for sewage backup in these instances. And I don't think, speaking, that most of the public would expect the province of Ontario and all of their taxpayers to be supporting or paying for something for which there is private sector insurance readily available. At the end of the day, Speaker, the program is there to deal with overland flooding. The reason it deals with overland flooding is because I'm not 100% sure. I think somebody avoided it a second time. And the reason the program is structured, the way it is structured, Speaker, is to deal with overland flooding. And that is because there is no readily available private sector insurance to deal with that particular issue. Supplementary. Well, Speaker, some private insurance companies have cut off people without warning. Some of them cap claims at ridiculous amounts. Municipalities have been building better sewers for years. Windsor's mayor says floods from this last storm caused $175 million in damage in his city alone. Such storms are hitting all across Ontario. The evidence is in. We need a decision. When will this government do the right thing, change the guidelines, and offer real hope for people affected by natural disasters? We recently changed the program to relieve local municipalities of the requirement to have a local fundraising effort or a committee and a committee. So we've made it better already. But at the heart of the issue, Speaker, this is ultimately about infrastructure. And I would say quite openly and proudly that there's probably not another provincial government in this country that has a better record of investing in infrastructure, including in cities like Windsor since we came to government in 2003. The most recent example of that, being the Clean Water Waste Water Fund, Speaker, first announced by the federal government as a 50% federal, 50% municipal fund. Only many municipalities would not have been able to tap into that. I worked very hard, along with the Minister of Infrastructure and our Premier, to bring $270 million new dollars into that fund, the Clean Water Waste Water Fund, from the federal government to help our municipalities even more than we have been for a great number of years to deal with infrastructure issues. At the end of the day, that's what this is about. And I made the point, Speaker, that we all have a role to play. Individuals can avail themselves of programs that are available. Municipalities need to plan their communities appropriately and invest in infrastructure and the provinces and the federal government also. Thank you. New question. The member from Kingston and the Islands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Infrastructure. Part of our government's plan to build a fair and open economy is enhancing quality of life by investing in the schools, hospitals, roads and public transit that people in Ontario expect and deserve. But we know that provincial governments alone cannot make 100% of the investments needed to address the existing infrastructure deficit and accommodate future needs. The federal government needs to be at the table as a reliable and flexible partner. In my riding of Kingston and the Islands, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the results of federal provincial partnership on infrastructure. Hello Future at St. Lawrence College is a project supported by the collaboration between the provincial and federal governments through the post-secondary institution strategic investment fund. This successful partnership will help St. Lawrence College reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage on campus, which will result in positive impacts. Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister, can he please provide the House with what the lay of the land is for federal provincial relations in on infrastructure in St. Lawrence? Mr. Speaker, the member from Kingston and the island is absolutely correct. Ontario is best served when different levels of government work together. We are glad finally to have a federal partner at the table with the plan to spend $186 billion nationally on infrastructure. Speaker, while it is less than $190 billion Ontario alone is investing, it is a level of investment we haven't seen from the federal government in a generation. We work very closely with the federal government on its phase one investments, which have resulted in over 1,300 clean water and wastewater projects and over 600 public transit infrastructure projects. And we have just started negotiations to bring an additional $11.8 billion in federal investment to Ontario. As the Premier said at the Council of the Federation meeting in July, Ontario wants the federal programs to be flexible and to build on our existing joint investments. It is critical that we work together, all orders of government, to get this right. Thank you. Supplementary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My thanks to the Minister for his response. I'm glad to hear that after decades of underinvestment under previous governments, we finally have both a provincial and federal government committed to spurring economic growth and enhancing the quality of life by investing in infrastructure. It's already clear that the productive relationship Ontario has built and fostered with the federal government results in every riding across this province, including every riding held by a member of the opposition in receiving that advantage. I myself had had the chance to work alongside my riding's federal member of Parliament, MP Mark Garrison, to announce some of the projects the Minister mentioned. While we have made significant progress on the infrastructure file, we know that the work is far from over. There is always more work that can be done. Mr. Speaker, through you to the Minister, can he please give the House insight into next steps for negotiations with the federal government. Thank you, Minister. Speaker, I thank the member for the question. Our government is making the largest infrastructure investment in Ontario's history and unprecedented $190 billion over 13 years. And we want to maximize every dollar. That means working with the federal government to align spending wherever possible. Next week, I will be co-chairing a meeting of Canada's infrastructure ministers, where we will continue discussions on phase two investments. We are advocating for programs that respect past investments and existing priorities. We are optimistic that the federal government's commitment to some additional flexibility will occur. And negotiations are expected to continue through the fall and winter with a goal of concluding by the date set by the federal government, March 2018. Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario are best served when all orders of government work together. Thank you. The question, the member who's seen cold break. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources. Minister, for years, I've been contacting this government over and over again about the deteriorating condition of the beachfront in West Saga Beach. Various issues have been identified, including overgrowth of vegetation, care of the washrooms, piping, plover, nesting areas, and the list goes on and on. Residents are concerned, tourists are concerned, the town is concerned, that nothing is being done by your government. Over 2,300 people have recently signed a petition asking the government to fix these issues. Minister, West Saga Beach is a jewel in this province. The Guinness Book of Records calls this beach the longest freshwater beach in the world. And from a provincial standpoint, I cannot understand why more attention is not being given to its proper care and maintenance. Will you do the right thing and commit to finally resolving these issues? Question, thank you. Minister of Natural Resources. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member for the question. I had a very good meeting with Mayor Brian Smith and the Councillors from the area that looks after West Saga Beach's summer at AMO. And I can tell you that we provided some information back and forth together. Number one, I did compliment them on 10 years as a blue flag designation for West Saga Beach in this province. That's something we can all be proud of. And some of the beach items that the members brought up is beach raking, secondary park plan management, we discussed funding, et cetera, et cetera. What I would like to say to this member is that there's a secondary beach plan that's been put in place. The Ontario parks continues to work very closely with the municipality. I know that all the gate receipts which helps provide for the services in any Ontario park are all put into this area. We continue to work with them and I'll address some of the details in the supplementary. Thank you. Supplementary. Back to the minister. Minister, a letter I received from you just the other day about the lack of proper maintenance of the beach, you offered me a tour with park staff. Well, I don't need a tour in my own riding minister. It's insulting. You're the one that needs the tour. Local rate pair associations have been asking for years that a minister actually come up and look at the beach and look at the concerns. Order. Mr. Brown's been there twice recently. For the first 15 years of my life, our family had a cottage at the Saga beach. I've lived there full. Come to order. Please finish. I've lived there full time for the past 25 years. And recently I sent you pictures, actual pictures of what's going on now of the deterioration and the degradation of the beach. My constituents and I don't appreciate getting the same form letter from you and previous ministers every time we raise our concerns. Frankly, we're just tired of it. People in my riding want these issues addressed. So Speaker, I ask the minister, will she join me on a tour and meet with the town and the residents association? Thank you. Minister. Thank you very much, Speaker. And I've not only been to the beach several times in the summer, but I visited in all seasons, including the winter as well. I know that the secondary beach plan that we've been working very hard on again as scribes to the values of the blue flag designation. There are areas of that longest freshwater beach area that remain ecologically intact. We have the piper plovers that are nesting on that area. And recently with the new secondary plan, we're allowing some light raking in that area. We're also allowing some reclamation of some of the beach sand that has gone away from that area to put back on the beach. But one of the reasons we have vegetation on beaches is to prevent erosion so that we can maintain that water and sand there. We are very proud of the work that they've done. And if that member and that party over there would help to vote for the investments that have been contained in our provincial governments in the last few years. Thank you. Thank you. No question. The member from Tunisia. Thank you, Speaker. My question is the minister of finance. The area around Largo Lake has about 1,000 residents. The town has one gas station, one co-op grocery store, two restaurants, several tourist lodges and campgrounds. And until recently, it had one LCBO outlet. And in Northern Ontario tourist town, an LCBO outlet is an anchor store. Due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, LCBO could no longer stay in their current location. But instead of moving locations, they got out of dodge. They abandoned the town. They abandoned the residents. In our inquiries, in response to our inquiries, the president of LCBO stated, and I quote, there are other areas that are under-serviced where we can better allocate resources. While it is not as convenient, Largo Lake residents can purchase alcohol in Kirkland Lake, Englehart or online. Question. Kirkland Lake is 27 kilometres, Englehart's 45, and there is no internet service half the places. Does the minister agree with the president of the LCBO that maximizing profits for the LCBO should be the only basis on deciding where to locate the store? Minister of Finance. Minister, I appreciate the question. I also appreciate and applaud your advocacy and your letter that you sent to both the LCBO and myself in recognizing the impact it has on your community as well as other communities across the province that do not have an LCBO. I appreciate the fact that many do want the retail outlet to exist, recognizing the positive impact it has on a community. We also recognize that one of the reasons we came with online delivery is to facilitate those communities that don't have access to an LCBO. Some of them do take an agency store and other aspects to provide service and convenience to consumers. It's also one of the reasons we've expanded into grocery stores and other means by which to expand distribution across the province. But I appreciate your question. I know we are looking at ways to try to facilitate the community as they're impacted by this decision. Thank you. Thank you. Supplementary. Once again to the minister. Court of the president of LCBO, rural Ontarians traveling 27 to 40 kilometers, one way for services is reasonable. With this racial mind, many other outlets in my region are at risk. In fact, many outlets throughout rural Ontario are at risk under that ratio. And the province through the LCBO has a social responsibility to all Ontarians, including rural Ontarians. Will the minister work with me and actually restore that social responsibility to the town of Larder Lake and ensure that all rural Ontarians in the future also have the benefit of the social responsibility of the government through LCBO and are abandoned. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Foyer. And again, the member talks about social responsibility and taking the precautions necessary to support our communities and our citizens who are not only looking for alcohol, but want to be doing it so in a socially responsible way by having someone like LCBO and their staff to provide that service. I know that Larder Lake, for my understanding, was closed as a result of safety issues, and I'm not sure the details as to why it was so, but I will continue to look into it and I recognize that again, the impacts it has on any community that doesn't have access to an LCBO, they of course have access in other ways. And to some that means traveling more long distances based upon their location and the remoteness of their communities, but it is something that we are considering, we are looking at, and again, thank you for the question. Thank you. New question to the members of Northumberland. Well, thank you, Speaker. Speaker, my question is the Minister of Energy. Minister, last year, the Premier said an essential goal for this government, making everyday life more affordable for the people of Ontario. While our economy is doing well, not every family's seeing the impact on their personal budgets. The cost of electricity has come a concern from many in my community. I heard from many people in the most rural parts of my riding, like Gore's Landing, Markiston, Stockdale. I know the people of Ontario were eager to see the government take action. This bring our government took a big step forward in ensuring that our clean and reliable electricity is affordable to everyone in Ontario. The Fair Hydro Plan, past last session, is a 25% reduction average to all households in the province. No loopholes, no exemption. Mr. Speaker, to the Minister, when did the Fair Hydro Plan begin to lower bills and how will it help households across the province? Thank you, Minister of Energy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I also want to thank the member from Northumberland, Northumberland, Quinty West, for that question, and of course for all of his hard work that he does, day in and day out for his constituents. Mr. Speaker, our government inherited an electricity system that was in disrepair, Mr. Speaker. We invested $50 billion in rebuilding the system and eliminating dirty coal from our generation mix. However, we asked one generation alone to pay the freight of these investments for everyone before and after. And that's why, Mr. Speaker, this spring we took action. We passed legislation, which has, since July 1st, lowered electricity bills by the full 25% on average for every household in this province. And under our plan, Mr. Speaker, rates will increase no more than inflation for the next four years, Mr. Speaker. We're proud of the work that we've done, Mr. Speaker, and we're putting our plan into action to make life more affordable for Ontarians. Yay! Is that the metric? Well, thank you, Minister, for that response. I know that this has been a positive initiative for the families and small businesses in my writing and indeed across the province. And, Minister, I can testify that I've seen the difference in my own bill. The 25% reduction on average will help to curb electricity costs for the people of Ontario across the board while other programs provide the type of support that keeps our province fair and competitive. However, there are also other elements of the government plan that provides additional support to particular communities who need it. Many low-income Ontarians take advantage of the Ontario Electric Support Program, the OESP, which provides unbilled subsidy for those who qualify for the program. I understand that under the Fair Hydro Plan, the governments expanded this program. Could the minister provide more details for the program that are being expanded for the benefit of those who need the most in our province? Thank you. Minister? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I just want to acknowledge the work that this member has done to talk about those who are vulnerable in his community and right across the province, Mr. Speaker. And with our government over the summer, Mr. Speaker, the OESP program, for example, that helps vulnerable consumers, it has been expanded by 50% with the maximum credit of now $900 a year and a special credit for those with unique electricity needs, Mr. Speaker, offers her a maximum of $1,300 a year. Another program that was expanded over the summer, Mr. Speaker, under our Fair Hydro Plan is designed to lower delivery rates called the TripleRP. This program provides a substantial subsidy that lowers distribution, excuse me, Mr. Speaker, that lowers distribution costs for those in the most expensive to serve areas of our province. Well, the opposition chose to vote against expanding these programs to help people, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to say that our Fair Hydro Plan is providing real and substantial relief for everybody on the territory. Thank you. New question. The member from Holland and Norfolk. Yeah, Speaker, to the acting Premier from August 4th, no August 10th of September 4th Labor Day, the main thoroughfare of Caledonia was blockaded, putting businesses and homeowners through psychological and economic hell. More specifically, many customers faced a six mile detour, businesses lost 25 to 60% staff for let go had the hours cut. Homeowners expressed concern about property values and compromise service from firefighters, police, ambulance. However, on September 1st, your government announced that was standing down from dealing with the Caledonia blockade. Acting Premier, what steps have you taken to arrange compensation, as has been done in the past, for Caledonia and area homeowners and area businesses? Thank you. To the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. To the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. Thank you very much, Speaker. Speaker, the member opposite is quite correct. There was a blockade that was put up a couple of weeks ago. And our ministry, the Ministry of Indigenous Relations, took that situation very seriously. As did the Six Nations Elected Council and the Haudenosaunee Traditional Confederacy. I can assure the members opposite and everyone in this house that after a series of negotiations with First Nations, with the Ontario Provincial Police, with the various ministries, that blockade was peacefully ended. And I want to congratulate and recognize the hard work of the Ontario Provincial Police in working in a way that was respectful of the Six Nations and the Haudenosaunee and the government of Ontario. I'm going to allow the supplementary. Yes, it's past month was a nightmare yet again for people in the Caledonia area and I've dealt with many ministries. September 2nd, a local newspaper reported that when a fire was set on the Southern Ontario Railway in Caledonia, a Caledonia fire truck was not allowed to pass through the barricade. Not allowed to put it out. September 4th, Labor Day, police attempted to secure Haldeman County Six Line at the bridge, again to quote another local paper. They were sent away by protesters in order to take up a position further back, which they did. Speaker, we've seen this film before. No firefighters, no police, no customers in the stores. Caledonia now worries. When will this happen again? Acting Premier, you and the federal government. My question is, you're working with the federal government as has been done in the past to compensate residents in Caledonia. Minister? Thank you again for that question. You know, the point here is that 10 years ago there was a situation in Caledonia that went on and on and on and there were real issues of public safety. This time, there was a blockade that went up, issues developed, but the point again is that all persons involved in the resolution of that blockade, be they police, be they fire responders, first responders, the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs, the Ontario Provincial Police, it was resolved peacefully. That's progress. That's in the spirit of reconciliation. And we will continue to deal with issues involving matters that First Nations raise wherever in the province. We will deal with them in a respectful way, in a peaceful way, to a constructive resolution. Thank you. Pursuant to Standing Order 38A, the member for Halliburton, Cortholex Brock has given notice of her dissatisfaction with the answer to her question given by the Minister of Status of Women concerning human sex trafficking. This matter will be debated, it's called respect. This matter will be debated today at 6 p.m. Pursuant to Standing Order 38A, the member from Kitchener, Conestoga has given notice of his dissatisfaction with his question given by the Minister of Transportation concerning ghostation approval. This matter will be debated today at 6 p.m. There are no further, the question period being over there, this house stands recessed until 3 p.m. this afternoon.