 Therefore, it is time for question period. The member from Prince Edward, please. Thank you, Speaker. My question this morning is for the acting Premier Speaker. We know that the opposition parties think that the $4.6 million compensation package for the Hydro-1 CEO is too high. We know that the Ontario public thinks that the $4.6 million in salary for the CEO at Hydro-1 is too high. We now know that the Ontario Energy Board, the OEB, thinks that the $4.6 million in salary for the CEO of Hydro-1 is too high. But what we don't know, Speaker, is, do the Liberals think that the $4.6 million in salary for the CEO of Hydro-1 is too high? Mr. Deputy Premier. Minister of Economic Development and Growth. Minister of Economic Development and Growth. I'm not sure why the opposition has such a tough time understanding the role of the Ontario Energy Board. I'm not so sure why they seem to want to have it both ways. When the Ontario Energy Board makes a decision that I think we all believe is in the public interest and do their job, they want to criticize them then. And then they talk about the Ontario Energy Board not having any role whatsoever in trying to lead consumers into thinking. I'm not going to be accepting those kinds of interjections, so be warned. Well, actually I shouldn't use that word until I want to do that. Be aware that I am not going to accept those interjections. You know, I think they're trying to lead consumers into thinking somehow or another that the government sets energy rates, and it's not the Ontario Energy Board. The Ontario Energy Board has an important role to play, Mr. Speaker. They're doing that role. We're proud of the role that they're playing. They're standing up for consumers, as this government did when we cut the energy rates by 25% for our consumers. Supplementary? Mr. Speaker, perhaps the minister didn't understand the question, but the Ontario Energy Board has ruled that $4.6 million is too high of a salary for the CEO at Hydro One. That salary was handed to the CEO by this Premier and this Liberal government. Two years ago the Premier tried to defend this outrageous salary by saying this is what they pay in corporate America. And that's actually less than American energy CEOs, so $4.6 million is acceptable, is what the Premier said. But I don't think the Premier can still spin it that way given the decision by the OEB in the last week that we're paying way too much for all of the executives at Hydro One. It doesn't require spin, Mr. Minister, Speaker. Mr. Speaker, do the Liberals think that a... It's really simple. Do the Liberals think that a $4.6 million salary for the CEO of Hydro One is too high? Thank you. Minister? It's funny, Mr. Speaker, a party that used to understand the importance of putting private sector acumen into decision making in some of our agencies, it now seems to want to go the exact opposite direction. Hydro One is now a publicly traded company. Our role, Mr. Speaker, is to ensure that they have the ability to provide the best possible level of service to the people of this province, taking advantage of that private sector acumen and improving the level of service and improving the return to the people of this province of that now publicly traded corporation. We believe that's going to be in the public interest. We believe we're going to see and we're seeing improvements in our energy system as a result of that. And we believe the Ontario Energy Board is doing their role in performing it very well and ensuring that that public interest continues to be served. I'm not sure where the member finds that there is some kind of a problem with what's going on. Thank you. Final supplementary. If I'm reading between the lines here, it seems like the Minister believes that a $4.6 million salary for the CEO of Hydro One is acceptable. And this Liberal government believes that a $4.6 million salary for the CEO is acceptable. And I can tell you that people across the province disagree with this Liberal government, vociferously disagree. Bill Kelly from CHML in Hamilton put it pretty well, I thought. He said that the Ontario Energy Board's recent decision slapped down Hydro One because they wanted ratepayers to quote cover what they called administrative cost, which is a sly way of saying that they wanted more money to give increases to their already overpaid executives. In fact, in the OEB ruling, they decided that the budget needed to be cut by $30 million. So Mr. Speaker, why did it take the Ontario Energy Board and not the Liberal government to slap down these high priced executives at Hydro One? Mr. Speaker, this is far from the first time that the Ontario Energy Board has asked one of the energy agencies to reduce their rate-asks, their rate increase-asks. In fact, it's very, very normal. It's happened almost every single year in every single application. And I can share with the member a list of dozens of times where this has happened. The Ontario Energy Board's doing their job. They're looking out for consumers across this province. This government's doing our job by lowering energy rates across this province for those very consumers. Mr. Speaker, I ask the member opposite to do his job and tell it like it is, Mr. Speaker, that the energy board is simply doing what is in their job procedurally to ensure that consumers' interests are looked after and at the same time we have an energy system that is being endured on a daily basis by this new publicly traded company. I think that's good news, Mr. Speaker, for the entire province. New question from the member from Nipissing. Thank you and good morning, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. Last month there were two legislative reports on the state of Ontario's finances. They were described as blistering and scathing. And those descriptions, Speaker, are well-deserved. Both of the legislatures- Stop the talk, please. Members from each of these short come to order. And as I indicated to both sides, I'm not going to tolerate the interjections. And you'll see how quickly I'll deal with them if I have to. Continue, please. Both of the legislatures' independent officers openly challenged the ministry's credibility. The Financial Accountability Office said that the minister is using, quote, unlikely assumptions, quote, to make his debt claims. In fact, they said that if any of these wild assumptions fall short, the government's targets would not be achieved. They particularly took issue with the government's overly optimistic growth projection. So, Speaker, if the FAO doesn't believe the minister's numbers, why should the people of Ontario... They don't. Thank you. Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, economists independent of government across Canada have cited this. Ontario is leading the way in economic growth in our country. The Conference Board of Canada has cited that we've outperformed the most transparent levels of reporting than any other government in Canada. Mr. Speaker, this member opposite continuously degrades and talks down the outstanding achievements of Ontarians and businesses in our province that are creating wealth, providing greater prosperity, hiring more jobs, we have the lowest unemployment of any part of this country, and we are overachieving every single year that we put forward our budgets to the benefit of Ontarians. We've reduced the deficit to under $900 million, Mr. Speaker, just last year, and we're going forward, we're balancing the budget this year, next year, and the year after that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary. Back to the minister. The FAO's comments were strong enough, but Speaker, the auditor general, painted an even more damning picture of the minister's financial reporting. For the second year in a row, the auditor wouldn't sign off on the province's books without a big asterisk, but the auditor went further stating flat out that the statements are, quote, significantly misstated, quote. She says our deficit last year was $1.4 billion higher than claimed, and our debt is a whopping $12.4 billion higher. She warned us and the markets and investors that we need to be able to rely on government's figures being accurate, but this year they cannot do so. That's her quote. You cannot rely on their numbers, is her quote. Speaker, again we ask, and I know they're belittling the auditor, I can hear their comments again. But we ask, if the AG and the FAO don't believe the minister's numbers, why should we? Mr. Speaker, investors around the world believe our numbers. The people of Ontario throughout Canada who buy our bonds believe our numbers. We have the highest liquidity of trading bonds of any government across this continent, in fact. And Mr. Speaker, our debt to GDP has been reduced, and it continues to reduce, below 37%. Again, overachieving our targets. Our committed deficits, which is a representation of that historical activity of Ontario's budgets. Today, Mr. Speaker, it's at around 27%. The same as it was 25 years ago, Mr. Speaker. Our interest on debt as a percentage of revenue, today is 8%. When he was in power, when the progressive conservatives were in power, Mr. Speaker, it was 15% of our revenues. We are overachieving and we continually do so. We are using the same standards as we've always done, including what the Auditor General has done even as recently as three years ago. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Final supplementary. Thank you. Back to the minister. So, if the minister is comfortable using, quote, significant misstatements and, quote, unlikely assumptions, then it should be no surprise to hear what else he continues to claim. They continue to say, quote, we're leading the G7 in economic growth. But Ontario is not number one, Speaker. There are 27 U.S. states ahead of us. And the minister continues to claim that manufacturing exports are up. But stats can just last week reported that Ontario manufacturing sales suffered their largest decline in eight years. Here are some of the recent headings. Trade deteriorates. First language. Ontario residents hit hard by manufacturing downturn. International merchandise exports fell. Manufacturing sales slipped. Speaker, given all these examples, plus the financial accountability officer and the Auditor General's criticism, how can anyone trust anything this government says? Consider, please. Consider, please. Thank you. Minister. Facts do matter, and that's out of the house. Well, we're there. From now on, we're going into the warnings of those interjections, and the member from Renfrew Nipissing, Pam Brooke, come to order. You brought us to this point. Warnings are on. Finish. Mr. Speaker, facts matter. This member opposite is citing sources. Member from Leeds-Granville is warned. Carry on. Recognizing references from years past, recognizing that as of today, Ontario is ahead of the curve. Our unemployment rate at the lowest has been in 16 years at 5.7 percent. And, Mr. Speaker, that's not to say that we're not continuously looking at stimulating economic growth around all of Ontario, recognizing some regional disparities exist. That member opposite and that party voted against those measures that improved prosperity, and growth, and continuously balance the book. Thank you. New question? Member from Oshawa? My question is to the Acting Premier. In my community of Oshawa, I have constituents come into my office all the time to tell me about their long wait times in the ER. Lakeridge Health Oshawa is no different than hospitals in Tilsonburg or Etobicoke or Brampton or Toronto or Peterborough, which just announced that it will open 24 beds without help from this Liberal government, just to try and keep up with the number of people who need care. In February of 2017, the occupancy rate of Lakeridge Health Oshawa's acute care beds reached 92 percent. Does the Premier have a plan to fix this unhealthy mess that she has helped create in Oshawa? Thank you. Deputy Premier. Minister of Health and Long Term Care. Long Term Care. Well thank you, Mr. Speaker, and of course, unlike the party opposite that simply opposes all of the plans that we have for addressing capacity and wait time challenges across this province, different than the party who opposed our $500 million investment in hospitals earlier this spring, we do have a plan. And with Lakeridge specifically, and they are facing challenges because the member knows it's a rapidly growing area, we've given them a planning grant so that they can actually plan not for today, but also 20, 30 years into the future for that entire region of Durham. And in fact, we're doing the same in Scarborough, Mr. Speaker. But for Lakeridge itself specifically, they're working together with Ontario Shores to open up a brand new behavioral support unit, which is specific that we're providing 20 beds for ALC patients that have mental health needs, Mr. Speaker, so that they can decant those out of hospital to a more appropriate setting. That's true. That's true. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, again to the Acting Premier. Lakeridge Health in Whitby is also overcapacity. In February it reached 102 percent. I would like to remind the Premier again that a maximum of 85 percent overcapacity is considered safe. The Premier has said over and over again that she makes decisions based on evidence. While the evidence that Ontario's hospitals are facing in overcrowding and hallway medicine crisis is out there, the evidence is piling up, literally piling up in the hallways. Why is the Premier refusing to act on the facts? Thank you, Minister. Well, Mr. Speaker, I'm gratified that the member opposite mentioned Ajax Pickering Hospital because, which is part of the Lakeridge Health Corporation, Mr. Speaker, and Lakeridge Health received this year alone, Mr. Speaker, a $6.6 million increase in their operating budget to allow them to make modifications and continue to provide that high-quality care. But also when it comes to Ajax Pickering and staying in line with the discussion on mental health beds specifically, we're opening 20 new acute care mental health beds at the Ajax Pickering site as well. In addition to what we're doing at Ontario Shores. So we're listening to the local community, we're listening to the hospital leadership, and we're making those multi-million-dollar investments on the operating side and on the capital side, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that they are able to competently address with the highest quality service those particular needs, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Final supplementary. Thank you, Speaker. Again, to the Acting Premier. In Oshawa, as elsewhere, it's not just acute care beds that are over capacity. Mental health beds are also locked in a constant state of gridlock. Both Lake Ridge Health in Oshawa and the Lake Ridge Facility in Whitby registered capacity numbers in their mental health beds of 115% last winter. The Premier cannot defend this, but can the Premier tell the people of my community when his help from this Liberal government coming? Thank you, Minister. Well, I would hope that the member opposite would understand and believe that 40 brand new beds for mental health, 20 of them for ALC patients that have specific mental health challenges, 20 acute, which is through Ontario Shores in concert with the Lake Ridge site in Oshawa, as well as 20 acute new beds at the HX site. But Mr. Speaker, the NDP in a single year in 1994 announced a $53 million cut to 10 of Ontario's psychiatric hospitals. That represented up to a 17% cut in the operating budget of some hospitals. In Hamilton, in Brockville, in Kingston, in Thunder Bay, in London, North Bay, Penitang, Toronto, St. Thomas and Whitby, a $4.7 million cut in Hamilton alone, a $5 million cut in Whitby alone, Mr. Speaker, $6.3 million in Kingston. And at the end, the NDP was forced to backtrack, so instead of $53 million, they only cut $20 million. In a single year, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. New question from the member from London Fanshawe. Yesterday, the Minister of Health said the vast majority of long-term care homes in Ontario are meeting the province's minimum standards of care set out in the various acts that apply to them. But what the minister and the Premier failed to realize is it seems that this is not good enough. Families with loved ones in care have been coming forward speaking up for months to tell this Liberal government about the heartbreaking conditions in some of these care homes. Does the Premier not care what families are telling her, or is she's just out of touch with what's really going on in this province? Mr. Speaker, the NDP continues to disparage not only our hardworking frontline workers in long-term care across the province, but also does not understand, in fact, that we are listening to Ontarians, we are listening to residents of long-term care homes who call long-term care homes their home, Mr. Speaker, and we have an obligation and a responsibility that I take very seriously to ensure that we're providing the highest quality of care. But I don't, again, I need to ask the question whether that party is going to vote for or against the new legislation that has just been proposed last week, Mr. Speaker, that actually will increase our ability to further inspect homes, will increase the penalties and fines available to government to impose upon those non-compliers, and give other powers to the government so we can ensure that not only is there compliance with the Act, but these homes, Mr. Speaker, of the highest quality possible. Thank you. Supplementary. Speaker, this is what's happening in long-term care. Seniors are being left in bed for 18 hours, getting a bath just once a week, constant short staffing and lack of consistency in care. Vulnerable seniors are not even getting the basic help they need to make it to the bathroom on time. These are just a few of the thousands of stories described to me in the past few months by families with loved ones in care. How can the Premier continue to claim that everything is fine in these homes when she hears from families themselves that there is a crisis happening right under her nose? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and that is precisely why this week I issued three cease of admissions to long-term care homes in this province, because they weren't complying with the Act because there were directors' orders against those homes for issues such as a fall taking place and that fall not being reported to the proper clinical authorities, the physician that would then do the proper assessment, that these are critically important activities that need to be taken, that need to be done in adherence with the Act. But I'm also, Mr. Speaker, it's also important to recognize that we're seeing that impact from our inspections, annual inspections of 100% of our long-term care homes, and we're seeing that since 2014, the average number of compliance orders issued during an annual inspection have actually gone down by more than 50%. We are seeing the improvement, the inspections are working, but we need to identify and act on those that are not in compliance. Thank you. Final supplementary. Speaker, the three cease admission orders in London, Mississauga and Fergus are indicators. There's systemic problems in long-term care. You, Premier and Minister, over and over again, we have told the Premier and her Minister of Health the heartbreaking stories of neglect and even abuse in long-term care homes. Over and over again, we have called for the wet-loft inquiry to be expanded so that we can get an honest picture of what's happening in the long-term care system, identify the systemic issues and fix them. But over and over again, the Premier and her Minister have ducked our questions and refused to expand the inquiry that would help thousands of people. They are content to ignore the problems in our long-term care system. Can the Premier tell us when will there be enough evidence for her to take this issue seriously? Well, Mr. Speaker, we are taking it seriously and we've been taking it seriously for a lot longer since the member opposite and her party have been raising this in a partisan fashion and fear-mongering across this province so that people in their long-term care homes, if they're afraid, they don't need to be afraid of the quality of care that they're receiving with a few exceptions, Mr. Speaker, that we're addressing effectively. They need to be afraid of what the NDP party is doing in fear-mongering and suggesting to Ontarians that their loved ones are not safe in long-term care homes. I think it's reprehensible. I think it's completely inappropriate. The member from the London fancage warned. Finish please. It's inappropriate to be elevating it to that level of conjecture and fear-mongering across this province, Mr. Speaker. If they believed in supporting the long-term care sector, why did they vote against our $80 million investment in this year's budget? Thank you. Do you have a question? The member from Oxford. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the acting Premier. Two weeks ago, I stood up in this legislature and asked the Premier to change her policies that are driving jobs out of Ontario, including the 1,300 layoffs that have been announced in Oxford over the last 10 months. Business after business warned this government that the high cost of operating in Ontario would force them to close their doors or move. Yesterday, 200 more layoffs were added to that total as Firestone announced that they are closing their doors after 81 years and shifting the remaining production to North Carolina. Will the government now finally admit that their policies are driving jobs out of Ontario and take action today? Minister of Economic Development and Growth. Let me respond to that question in two parts, Mr. Speaker. I want to start off by saying that we share the member's concerns for that community. They've been hit by a couple of significant layoffs in the last month or so. And we're very aware of those challenges and in fact we'll continue to work with local authorities there. Really our focus will be on helping those workers find other opportunities and we'll continue to ensure that our training colleges and universities are now mazdee, we'll be engaged in that as well and we'll work with them. Member from Land Arc product, I think Senator Eddington, is warned and I'll keep doing it. I mean at this time, Mr. Speaker, we're talking about something very important to one of his colleagues so I look forward to working with my colleague as my colleague minister to help in any way we can and in the supplementary I'll address the issues about Ontario's competitiveness. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Speaker. 1,500 layoffs in Oxford in less than a year and 2,800 CAMI employees on strike trying to keep their jobs in Ontario. The government can try to spin this however they want but that's the impact of your policies. The people of Oxford are doing everything we can to support our local businesses but this government just adds more and more burdens until the companies are forced to close their doors. How many more people have to lose their jobs before you're going to take real action and keep our businesses and our jobs in Ontario? Mr. Speaker, now it's time for me to bring the member into the real world because that is not the real world in Ontario, anything even close to it. This province is growing, Mr. Speaker, faster than the G7s on average. We have an unemployment rate in this province that's at a 16-year low. We have created a net 760,000 net new jobs since the global recession. So for the member to talk down the work that's being done in this business community in this province to create jobs is absolutely inappropriate and absolutely wrong, Mr. Speaker. I understand there are challenges in that particular community. There's been a couple of very significant layoffs and we will work with the member to help those workers but the best thing we can do is to stay on track and that's keep building the strong economy in Ontario, keep our lead in leading the G7 and keep that unemployment rate at record lows, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. We're determined to do that. Thank you. Your question, the member from the Government of Manitoulou. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. In a letter you received from Chief Elaine Johnson from Serpent River First Nation. If a family lives in Sioux St. Marie, Blind River or Elliott Lake, they have direct access to Algoma Family Services Children's Mental Health Services. However, if a family lives on a First Nations community, they receive no Children's Mental Health Services from Algoma Family Services. Minister, why is this? Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the member for the question. I've been in this position now for just over a year and I've had the opportunity to visit many of our Indigenous communities across the province of Ontario. In fact, Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago I was at Treaty 3 and met with the Chiefs in Canora and I signed an historical document out there moving towards an agreement between our Indigenous partners and the Government of Ontario to put the resources and the control back in the hands of the community so young people from the Indigenous communities can get the services they need and they deserve where they live. This is the first time in the history of this province, in fact, this country, that we've made a type of agreement that will put the responsibility and the ownership of the responsibility to look after children back into hands of the communities where it should be and I'm very proud of this Government's direction in regards to that policy. Again, to the Minister of Children, Youth and Services, Algoma Family Services has indicated that they don't have the expertise or resources to provide any services to First Nations in my area or to Indigenous children who are in the care of Nogda Windemann family and community services. This is why Nogda Windemann has submitted a proposal to your ministry to fund the delivery of culturally appropriate children's mental health services to my area First Nations communities. Your ministry simply answered that there's no money for this. Minister, every child matters. Why is there no money for direct treatment of children's mental health on First Nations in my area? Mr. Speaker, we brought forward Bill 89 this year. Again, it was a historical document. It's the first document in the history of this country that acknowledges a cultural approach to working with communities as necessary to actually acknowledge that systemic racism does exist and Indigenous communities have been victims of colonialism here in the province of Ontario and across this country. But Mr. Speaker, when we move forward with that bill, the NDP did support it. The Conservatives did not support that bill, Bill 89. We still don't know why today that they didn't support that bill. It raised the age of protection and actually moves forward to build a framework to put those resources back in the hands of the community. Mr. Speaker, you'll see as we go forward here in Ontario, those resources will be put back in the hands of the community and it's the first government in this country to do just that. Thank you. Any questions? Member from Kingston and the Islands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the minister responsible for the status of women. This past week I received a very concerning call from my daughter. She was walking down the street in Ottawa when she came across a protest, Mr. Speaker. She was walking by the Morgan-Taller Clinic. We know in recent months protest activity outside of several abortion clinics across Ontario have escalated to the point of harassment and intimidation. My daughter, who was simply walking down the street, felt it and she called me about it. Let alone the women and health care providers that work in these clinics. This is not right and we know that it is happening all across this province. Mr. Speaker, as a woman, a mother and a member of this government, we have a responsibility to act. Question? Yesterday the government introduced legislation that would have passed due just that. So Mr. Speaker, can the minister please tell us about our government's plan to keep these women safe? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank the member from Kingston and the Islands for raising a very important question. Speaker, as a woman and mother myself with a young daughter, I have an obligation to not only my daughter but to all women in this province and their daughters who make a difficult choice. It is my belief and our government's belief that every woman in Ontario has the right to make decisions about her own health care and that they should be able to do so freely without fear of bullying, intimidation or harassment. In fact, that is why our government introduced safe access zone legislation yesterday. That sends a very clear message that we will not tolerate any form of harassment against women exercising their fundamental right to choose. These proposed access zones would help ensure that women across Ontario have safe access to health care services and that their privacy and dignity are protected. Sir, thank you. Supplementary? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that the women across this province are relieved in the staff at these facilities about hearing this government's action to work towards this. However, Mr. Speaker, I would like some further information about the legislation. Mr. Speaker, the difficult decision that these women make is not one that is ever made easily. It's a very difficult decision they live with for the rest of their lives. The reasons for making such a decision is deeply personal and entirely up to them and no one else. We have a responsibility to ensure the privacy and emotional well-being of these women who make a choice about their own physical and emotional health. This responsibility, of course, also extends to health care providers. So, Mr. Speaker, through you, to the minister, how can we ensure that there is safety in every clinic in every home and on the street? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The member raises a very good point, and I can tell you that yesterday the health care professionals and advocates in the room were very supportive of the proposed changes we are making to protect their patients and themselves. In fact, they applauded. They were telling us how much this legislation was needed, needed to stop women from being harassed, intimidated and bullied. This legislation, Speaker, would, if passed, provide for the creation of safe access zones of 50 metres that can be increased up to 150 metres around abortion clinics. Speaker, we can't just stop there. We also have a duty to protect the safety and security of the staff, the staff that offer women's reproductive services, which is why this legislation would also implement safe access zones of 150 metres around the homes of the staff. Speaker, we're moving forward with this legislation because we take it seriously, because we have a responsibility to the women in this province. Thank you. Question to members from Sonia Lampton. Mr. Speaker, thank you. My question is to the Deputy Premier. Recently, the WSIB made significant changes to its hearing aid program without property consulting audiologist and WSIB recipients. Before the summer, the Minister of Labor committed to looking at ways to fix the mess the WSEB has created. However, months later, the official opposition is still hearing from patients right across this province who cannot access the hearing aid that works best for them. We've heard stories of individuals limiting their time with loved ones because the hearing aid they are now forced to use is affecting their quality of life in hearing. Deputy Premier, Ontario hearing aid patients are asking you to put them first and reverse the WSIB changes that are not benefiting them anyway. Mr. Speaker, I ask the Deputy Premier today, will you act? Thank you. Mr. Speaker, thank you to the member for that important question. I think a number of us in the Chamber have been asked about exactly the same thing, Speaker. And what we need to ensure is that the WSIB is operating in the best interest of workers at all times, Speaker. It's an organization that was put in place to ensure that if somebody is heard on the job, our preference, Speaker, is that the injury does not take place in the first place. We work hard on prevention. Should that injury take place? And, Speaker, from time to time those injuries can include hearing loss. We need to ensure that the services that are provided to the worker are services that meet the needs of the worker, Speaker, whether it's a return to work, whether it's a recovery from illness, Speaker. So the information that the member has brought forward was a change in policy at the WSIB. It was an attempt to ensure that the services that are brought forward in terms of hearing aid, Speaker, are the ones that are best to meet the needs of the injured worker, Speaker. We have talked to the WSIB about this. We remain in conversation with them. We hope we can reach a resolution. I'll address the rest in the supplementary. Thank you, Speaker. To the Minister of Labor again, just one single audiologist from my writing of Sarnia Lampton alone has sent over 30 appeals to the WSIB in the last few months. It takes an average of three to six months to receive an answer. In my writing, I have met with more than a dozen affected constituents and received over 200 handwritten petitions on this issue. I can only imagine how many other patients and constituents are being impacted right across this province. Mr. Speaker, to the Minister, let's do what's right and what's fair, and make sure that injured workers in Ontario have access to the hearing aid that they need without further delay. Will the Minister deal with this issue today? Thank you. Thank you. Minister. Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member. He and I have had a number of exchanges about health and safety in his own writing. I've always found the member to be very, very sincere. He brings issues to me first. He doesn't try to hijack the House Speaker when he brings these things forward. So, Speaker, I'm committed to continue to work on a variety of issues with the WSIB, Speaker, because I know they're brought forward sincerely. In this case, what I think you have, Speaker, is an organisation, the WSIB, that thinks it's doing the right thing, that has looked at what exists today in terms of hearing aids that are available to members of the public, to citizens of Ontario that need to avail themselves of the services of the WSIB, and have tried to provide that service in an effective and efficient manner as they possibly could. However, Speaker, you have a number of citizens that think that this is not working for them. I believe that working with a member, we can sort this out and everybody can get what they need at the end of the day. Thank you. Well done. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Deputy Premier. This morning, the Liberal government made it clear they don't intend to support the NDP's push for paid leave for victims of intimate partner violence. Despite clear evidence that too many women are afraid to escape because they simply cannot afford to, we heard from Unifor Sue McKinnon at the Bill 148 hearings this summer who described one woman's nightmare. She packed her life in a basket and fled with her three children. She was in constant fear of making sure her kids were fed, safe, and had a roof over their heads. And she still had to make mortgage payments on a home that her partner destroyed. Why is this government ignoring women who say paid leave will help them escape with their lives? Thank you, Dr. Kinner. Minister of Labor. Well, Speaker, I appreciate the question, but we are doing anything but ignoring women in the province of Ontario. If you look at the impacts of Bill 148, Speaker, a lot of the advantages that will be gained by the passage of that bill should the House presume to do that, Speaker, will be aimed directly at women who haven't been treated in the past in the workplace the way they should, Speaker. That's the whole point of this. I was in Hamilton this morning speaking at the YWCA, Speaker. As a result of us taking Bill 148 out after first reading, Speaker, we were able to hear from people around the province of Ontario. And one thing they brought forward was something that the member is bringing forward again, Speaker. And that is domestic violence, Speaker. People need to know that when they need to take time off in the eventuality of that, Speaker, that their job is not in jeopardy, that they're not in risk of being fired. And, Speaker, that's exactly what we do with leaves in the province of Ontario. I believe if we work together on Bill 148, Speaker, we can bring forward a bill that will exactly meet the needs of these women, Speaker. Back to the Acting Premier. New Democrats have repeatedly called for paid leave for victims who need it. The member from London West introduced two pieces of legislation. Your government is stalling it. New Democrats introduced amendments to Bill 148 during the clause by clause. The Liberal government voted against those amendments. The NDP leader last week, the member from Hamilton Centre, introduced a bill that would have 10 days paid leave for victims of sexual and domestic violence. So survivors can actually afford to take a leave so they can afford to have time off to file police reports so they can testify and have time off to testify in court proceedings against their abusers. But the Liberal government refuses to support this. Why is that? Well, Speaker, once again I appreciate the question, but the information being brought forward to the House Speaker simply is not accurate in this regard. I was out in Hamilton this morning, Speaker, talking publicly about the reason we took Bill 148 out in the first place, Speaker, the way that we have listened to the people of the province of Ontario, the way we are bringing forward up to 17 weeks, Speaker, of job-protected leave. What we do in case of a compassionate leave or these types of leave, Speaker, is the province under the Employment Standards Act, under the Labor Relations Act, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Speaker, provides the job protection. It says to the individual, your job is not in jeopardy during this period of time. We then turn to our federal counterparts in Ottawa, which I have done, Speaker, and we ask them to provide the income during that period under the Employment Insurance. We're doing the right thing here, Speaker. We're doing right by women with the support of the House Speaker. We'll get to where we need to get to. Thank you. No question? Member from Barrie. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development. Ontario has one of the most highly-skilled workforces in the world, and this is thanks, in large part, to the incredible transformation of our post-secondary system that we've undertaken in the last 14 years. As I'm sure all of us will agree, increasing access to post-secondary education by removing unnecessary barriers is one of the best ways that we as a government can help improve the life outcomes of Ontarians. As such, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please inform this House how we've removed barriers and increased access to post-secondary education in our province since 2003? Thank you, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development. Well, thank you, Speaker, and it has been a remarkable 14 years for post-secondary education in Ontario. Speaker, members of the opposition have said that they don't believe that cost and income are real barriers to post-secondary education. That couldn't be further from the truth. We know that participation rates for kids from higher-income families are far, far greater than for lower-income families, and that's why we've moved forward with an extraordinary transformation of student assistance of OSAP Speaker. This year, over 200,000 students in Ontario are getting help as well, Speaker. The number of students attending has also gone up dramatically, Speaker, by over 38 percent. We've made investments in their pain results. Thank you, supplementary. Thank you, Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for her answer. When our government was first elected, our post-secondary sector was in desperate need of significant investments to make sure that its institution could continue to provide the world-class education our students expect and deserve. But we know that world-class education and instruction requires world-class facilities and faculty. Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please share with this House and all Ontarians some examples of significant investments our government has made to improve Ontario's colleges and universities in the last 14 years? Yes, sir. Speaker, as I said, enrollment has gone up by 38 percent, but grants to colleges and universities have almost doubled. They've gone up by 85 percent, and that allows our colleges and universities to hire top-tier instructors and deliver state-of-the-art programming speakers. We've also invested heavily in the physical structure of their facilities as well. When the Conservatives were in power in 2000, their last year of power, they spent about $100 million on capital for colleges and universities. We have on average invested $300 million a year on colleges and universities. We've been able to build important projects such as the Software and Informatics Research Center at UOIT in Durham. The Beta Library Research Innovation Cluster at Trent. These are just two examples of the extraordinary investments we have made. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. The government is no stranger to the Nation Rise Wind Project in the township of North Starmont. If it had been paying any attention, it would know that the Miss Pally doesn't want it and the local residents don't want it. The minister has admitted that it doesn't need the power that Nation Rise or any other wind or solar contracts are still being offered, signed and imposed on unwilling communities will generate. Nation Rise scored zero on all the IASOs, the rated criteria. Yet, it was still offered a contract. It is unwanted, unneeded, and unjustifiable. What is this government waiting for? Why will it not cancel? Mr. Economic Development and Growth. Mr. Economic Development and Growth. Well, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Energy and the previous Minister of Energy have put in place a process now that very much takes into consideration the local concerns about these projects. But time and time again, Mr. Speaker, the party opposite, their true colors come out. Any time there's any resistance at all to any renewable project, they're up on their feet talking about how they don't support renewable clean energy. Mr. Speaker, we do have to start thinking of the big picture here. We need to start thinking of our kids and the health of our population. And that's why, Mr. Speaker, while local concerns are very, very important and we've taken measures to ensure that voice is heard, we're very proud to be the first jurisdiction anywhere in the world to eliminate coal and move the cleaner sources of power. That's going to help our kids live longer. That's going to save lives in this province. Mr. Speaker, it's helping to build a clean tech sector here in the province of Ontario. Thank you. Supplementary? Mr. Speaker, back to the deputy premier. It's clear that we just don't need the power. All the independent experts who have taken a look at this government's energy record have gassed in dismay at the total mess that you've made it. Only this government could force clean, green, bruce-powered events team to reduce generation. Spill renewable water resources over dams. Pay wind and solar companies more than the power is worth cause an 8 terawatt surplus in generation sell the surplus for loss and then proclaim that everything is just fine. We already have a surplus of power today because nation rise, before the nation rise is even built. This province doesn't owe the owners the nation rise of contract but it does owe the citizens of North Stormont a duty to listen and to represent them. North Stormont is an unwilling host. This government does not understand. The minister of environment, Mr Speaker. The environment climate change? Well thank you Speaker and thank you for that important question and the ability to once again stand up and defend green energy in this province Speaker because I'm not sure if the party opposite actually believes in green energy Mr Speaker. This government takes concerns regarding the environment and human health very seriously and let me say that our ministry adheres to a very strict renewable energy approvals process. There's not a single renewable energy project that the PCs have ever spoken in support of here in this house so they have no plan to help Ontario families and businesses make sustainable choices and lower cost projects. The member from Prince Edward Hastings has warned your time has expired. New question. The member from Windsor West. Questions to the acting premier. Speaker, last week the Daily Bread Food Bank released their annual Who's Hungry report and Toronto families were shocked by how dire the situation has become. Food Bank visits in Toronto are at the highest levels since the last year. The number of food banks has gone from 12 to 24 months with Scarborough families seeing a 30% increase in food bank visits. Mr Speaker, these figures are heartbreaking. People are skipping meals so they can pay the bills and keep a roof over their heads. When will this premier take off for blinders and see that this province is in crisis? The minister responsible for poverty reduction. Thank you Mr Speaker and I want to thank the member from Windsor West for the question. Mr Speaker, all Ontarians believe that no one should have to make the choice in this province between feeding themselves or their child or paying some other bill. We have a moral responsibility to ensure that all Ontarians have access to safe and good food. We know through the research that we've done that there's a number of initiatives that need to be done. We've worked on improving income support programs if approved the increase in the minimum wage is going to provide Ontarians a better living wage so they can pay for those they need to. We're working on preventing homelessness in this province to ensure people have a safe place to stay which includes supports that assist them with all their other daily needs Mr Speaker. I'm happy to answer more on the supplementary. Again to the acting premier, Mr Speaker this government can say that they are taking steps to address inequality with $15 an hour minimum wage and basic income but the controls have had 14 years to make life better in Ontario and they have failed. In fact, Daily Bread Food Bank explicitly states well on paper the economy may be doing well but in the real world many people are not. We know what the conservatives have said when times get tough the last conservative government told low income families that they could just buy dented cans and eat bologna sandwiches to save money in eight years they never once raised the minimum wage from $6.85 New Democrats will not stop fighting to raise families up even though this Liberal government keeps pushing them down. When will the premier get her priorities in order and actually start fighting for Ontario? Thank you Mr Speaker and I want to thank the member from Windsor West of reminding the House about the damage the conservatives did during their time in Ontario. Mr Speaker I'm working in my ministry on the food security strategy which we'll be consulting on later this fall last week I met with the director of the Daily Bread Food Bank which is actually in my writing and she said her number one ask on food security is affordable housing Mr Speaker and Mr Speaker we've extended rent control to all Ontario tenants to make sure all Ontario tenants are treated fairly we're investing in the homelessness prevention initiatives across the province Mr Speaker to make sure people have a place to stay and the other supports including good access to food to have a dignified life. Mr Speaker we've been taking action for 14 years and we'll continue to deliver on fairness for all Ontarians Mr Speaker can you see it please start the clock Mr Speaker thank you Mr Speaker my question is for the minister responsible of children and day care our government has been a real champion of child care taking action to make sure that we all have access to quality and affordable child care and we know that there was a lot of work to do with the priority when the party opposite was in power and I know as a working parent how important it is to have good child care options and I think I want to know exactly how much these investment have contributed to the life of families in Ontario can the minister tell us what are the plans and what the government has been doing to meet the needs of families in this province thank you Mr Speaker and thank you to the hardworking member from Ottawa Vanier for this very important question when we came into office the party opposite had no real plan for child care had made no real investments and had made no real commitments to improve child care for Ontario families we have been making child care our top priority for 14 years for 14 years early years and child care in fact when we came into power less than 10% of the children in Ontario had access to child care spaces we have doubled doubled the number of licensed child care spaces in Ontario since 2003 and in fact recently we committed to doubling the number of spaces again we have also doubled child care funding in Ontario to close to 1.5 billion dollars a year we are transforming the way we are delivering early years in child care unlike the party opposite we are working hard to get it right yes Mr President thank you Mr Speaker for all her work that she does on this file that is so important for all working parents across Ontario it's very encouraging I think that we are continuing to work so hard on this file to address the needs of all Ontario families for the last 14 years I think we have made huge strides in the file of child care and I know that the Premier it's an important file for her as well so I think it's important for all Ontarians to know that the party opposite does not really have a plan on child care and I think it's very important that we all know that so I'm proud to be a member of a caucus that believes in child care and that believes that working parents have a right to have child care options for them and my constituents I know in Ottawa Vangie believe that as well many of them are young parents and continue to want to have child care options Mr Speaker can the minister tell the house about this government's plans for the next few years Mr Speaker I am pleased to answer the members question when the party opposite was in power there were no ministries dedicated to child care when the party opposite was in power there was scarce funding for child care and when the party opposite was in power there were no commitments or investments made to improve child care Mr Speaker that says volumes about the party opposite they criticize and attack our hard work but the I said it once I'll say it again policy please no plan or track record but for us the commitment to our children will never stop the premier made a historic commitment to ensure that a hundred thousand more children have access to licensed child care over the next five years and we will be able to make sure that the party opposite are the last people we take advice from they've consistently voted sit down that's disappointing new question my question is to the minister of health yesterday the government announced an opioid emergency task force to deal with the growing crisis around opioid abuse and overdoses in addition the government announced $220 million to fight the opioid crisis given I've been calling for a task force since last February I've openly supported these announcements and thank the minister personally today the assembly will debate next law which would dedicate a portion of Ontario's advertising budget to opioid awareness and education and in just 36 hours we've had over 24 signatures on a petition calling for this law to pass as a show of good faith I'm hoping that the minister will support this can he speak to it Mr Speaker I appreciate the member office's advocacy on this critically important subject and it is true we have had quite a number of conversations and she has been a powerful appropriate and tremendous advocate with regards to Ontario facing a public health emergency with regards to opioids and Mr Speaker and I know that she's doing it from the right place in the spirit of wanting to make a difference and contribute to all our efforts to diminish and eventually end this crisis I look forward to the debate this afternoon on her bill I applaud her for also focusing on the reality that we among the many touch points we have to impact this public awareness and education is a critically important aspect of that so thank you for the question and I look forward to talking more in the supplementary in detail Thank you very much Mr Speaker I think I misspoke it was 2400 signatures that we got in 36 hours Nick's law is named for Nick Cody who was a teenager when he died by overdose from what his dad said was just one bad pill the stories I hear every day would sink your heart kids as early as 10 years older taking pills that could contain a deadly dose of fentanyl yesterday I was shocked that car fentanyl 10,000 times more powerful than morphine and even stronger than fentanyl and it's being found on the streets in our city so we have to be much more diligent will the minister commit to an immediate public health advertising campaign to warn Ontarians against this deadly and potent drug that is now making the rounds in Ottawa Thank you Mr Speaker and we have committed to such a public health awareness and education campaign and in fact we are implementing it Mr Speaker so we are already working with our public health units providing them with the updated necessary materials so that through their ability including with their partners across Ontario can provide that critically important information we are working with the ministry of education Mr Speaker and other ministries to ensure in the correct way and impactful way we are able to reach high school students those in colleges and universities we are working with the minister of higher education and advanced education Mr Speaker and we are also working with our pharmacists to ensure that at the point of contact when an opioid prescription is either provided for the first time or renewed that that individual also have the requisite information and we are working with our bar owners and our nightclub so that at that point we are able to reach those individuals appropriately with the right information and most importantly with our harm reduction workers for that same purpose Minister of Transportation I have a point of work Speaker I didn't have the chance earlier today to welcome two guests Kathy and Peter Kytley who are here in the gallery I believe they are the parents of my legislative assistant and issues manager Alana welcome to Queens Park I have a point of order from the member of parliament Norfolk that we would want to hear I wish to inform this house with sadness the passing of my predecessor former MPP Norm Jamison NDP member for from 1990 to 1995 and to those of us who knew Norm a true gentleman Friday October 6th is Norm's funeral and the flag here at Queens Park will be at half staff I'd rest his soul I have another sad announcement heavy heart this is the last day for our pages I would I would beg that we offer our thank you for the work that they've done I'm glad we saved the jocularity for another time so there are no deferred votes so therefore we will recess until 1pm this afternoon