 Member statements the member for Hamilton East Stony Creek. Thank you, Speaker Speaker 1996 was a very long time ago It's hard to remember a world where the internet and cell phones were still novelties to most people The 1990s were a time when families gathered around the television to watch sitcoms and live sports without the distractions of tablets Text messages or Instagram feeds one of the galvanizing events that saw the people of Hamilton gather around their television sets or Outside in a chilly minus 10 stadium was the 84 grey cup that was held at Iverwind Stadium in the fall of 96 While the tiger cats were not playing that day It was still thrilling game between Toronto and Edmonton The game became known as the snow bowl as tractors had to remove snow from the field prior to the game as well as Half-time it's been a long time coming But at last with a new stadium to play in the people of Hamilton will finally get the chance to host the 108th Grey Cup this upcoming December 12th The Hamilton tie cats may not be at the head of their division yet But it's still exciting today to watch the hometown heroes represent the Eastern Division in the grey cup Here in the hammer. We have also been awarded the 2023 grey cup if we don't win this year We have another shot to bring the cup back to the home of the CFL Hall of Fame as Famous saying in Hamilton has turned a hundred years old this year speaker and dedication to the great pig skin Pete and the Hamilton tiger cats Oscee wee wee Oscee wah wah holy Mackinaw Tigers eat them raw Thank you before we continue with member statements I need to inform the house that as a result of a change in the proportionality of private members within the recognized parties Both the government and the official opposition are entitled to the same number of member statements each day Therefore both will be entitled to four member statements each day and the independent members will still be entitled member statements The member for Whitby The speaker the honourable Nina Tangry associate minister of small business and red tape reduction recently introduced the supporting people and businesses act This comprehensive red tape reduction package speaker builds on the three years of work to reduce the burden Enlighten the load for hard-working Ontario families and businesses weighed down by the pandemic's demands I'm pleased speaker to support Ontario's colleges like Durham and my whippy riding with their innovative work on credential reform As part of the supporting people and businesses act Speaker colleges can deliver graduates with the right credentials if they're given the autonomy and flexibility To bring programs to market quickly and design the right credentials to meet labour market needs Speaker since taking office our government has been working hard to remove the red tape and readily regulatory burden That make growth for businesses more difficult and stifle opportunities for job creators non-profit organizations and workers across the province Through our work to modernize a regulatory system and make Ontario ripe for future investment and economic prosperity We're making Ontario an even better an easier place for businesses to expand and thrive. Thank you speaker Thank you very much member statements the member for Toronto centre. Thank you speaker COVID-19 is not the only pandemic we have been battling in my riding of Toronto centre The opioid and homelessness crises combined with COVID-19 have created an untenable situation in my community Last month I met with members of the church and Wellesley village BIA And the stories they shared with me were shocking and heartbreaking They told me about staff being physically assaulted and people dying in their establishments by overdose We also spoke about their concern for the most vulnerable members in the neighbourhood We talked about the helplessness of watching the mental health decline of our unhoused neighbors folks who are beloved and cared for Speaker for three years I've stood in this house and tried to call attention to the opioid and homelessness crises as I've watched Helplessly as this government has refused to act My whole community is demanding better I hear it from the frontline service providers from activists from health care workers the business community and even the police I spoke with one of our neighbourhood officers who was also deeply concerned He's tired of being called to apprehend someone in serious distress Only to have them turned out of the hospital within hours with no support No mental health or detox treatment and no housing While this is a complex issue that will require complex solutions Watching this government sit back and say hey, we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas has been frustrating beyond measure I am urging this government to come to the table and take action today to respond to these crises in my community. Thank you Thank you very much member statements the member for oxford. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker Mr. Speaker, we've all seen the impact covid-19 has had on small businesses across the province In my writing of oxford the walters theater located in bright is operated by the multi-talented walters family I had a conversation with one of the co-owners darin walters who told me the family's independent music and dinner theater stages 120 performances in a four month season with paid attendance of more than 20 000 The estimated economic impact of the theater is over four million annually The pandemic brought it to a halt to the theater's performance season and unfortunately They were not eligible for our government's recovery programs Darin didn't let that get him down He channeled his energies to create a podcast where he interviews outstanding singers and musicians and producers worldwide This show evolved into the stone house sessions Darin brings together musicians to create unique studio quality collaboration from their homes One of the stone house sessions included nashville country star T graham brown combined with the canadian singer jason blaine and the canadian country music association all star band To perform a special rendition of rainy night in georgia working with this video editing Musician nephew star Skyler lambart the final production earned them a 2021 international tele award Honoring excellence in video and television Mr. Speaker, we know that ontaria small business owners are resilient and resourceful And i'm pleased to bring an example of this from oxford county Thank you very much The member for humber river blackpink Thank you speaker This conservative government has kept up the liberal tradition of ignoring eye care here in ontario and on september 1st 2021 the situation reached a breaking point now It has been almost two months that oh hip covered patients are unable to receive eye care services. We're talking about children and youth Up to age 19 seniors age 65 and up in individuals with specific eye conditions and diabetes People across our province have been reaching out desperately to get the eye care they need In my community. I've heard from neil a senior with type 2 diabetes who needs regular checkups to keep his sight Beverly whose daughter has been suffering from eye pain and migraines and many more Countless people whose eyesight has changed and need a new prescription So they can continue to drive and go about their daily lives safely enough is enough I'm calling on this government to immediately return to the bargaining table and work out a fair solution So people can receive the eye care they need and deserve. Thank you Member statements the member for dawn valley west Mr. Speaker I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the community members and business owners of thorncliffe park Who for over six months now have been working to impress upon metro links and the government that they do not want the ontario Line maintenance and storage facility in the heart of their community Thorncliffe park is a microcosm of this country It is a diverse thriving community of more than 30 000 residents from all walks of life This past spring I convened consultation tables Which met from april to september with metro links in an effort to convey to the transit agency That there needed to be changes to the planned msf location I wrote to and spoke with the minister of transportation in this legislature I invited her to attend our meetings or to send her associate minister or a senior staff member Her chief of staff attended one meeting never to return Speaker the community has brought forward alternative suggestions Attempted to demonstrate to metro links that there are options that have not been considered But even when metro links officials seem to agree that a suggestion was worthy of consideration There has been no change to the plan and the community feels mr Speaker that the criteria and the numbers change each time a suggestion is brought forward I believe that if the minister had taken the time to familiarize herself with the situation She would have directed metro links differently speaker the shovels are not yet in the ground This is a community that wants and needs higher order transit But not at the expense of the integrity of the community This government needs to say yes to listening to thorncliffe park mr. Speaker Thank you member statements the member for kitchener connoisseur Well, thank you very much mr. Speaker and one of my family's favorite ways to kick off the weekend in kitchener connoisseur Is to head to the local farmers market and we are lucky to be just a stone's throw away from canada's largest year-round farmers market And one of the largest in north america mr. Speaker the market in st Jacobs But there are several other markets in my riding like the ones in wilma at wellesley village in omyra Where you conveniently pick up local produce meat cheese and baked goods all at one stop But there is one thing that is noticeably ablet absent from ontario's farmer farmers markets mr. Speaker and that is craft beer Even though craft brewers produce locally and support local jobs They haven't had the same opportunity as wineries and sideries who have been able to sell in farmers markets for years now The st. Jacobs market sees over one million visitors annually That is one million potential customers craft brewers in waterloo region have been missing out on That is until our government's 2021 budget made it possible for local breweries to set up shop and sell their beer at ontario's farmers markets I was thrilled to join the attorney general the minister of agriculture and rule Food and rule affairs the ontario craft brewers and ontario chamber of commerce earlier this month in st Jacobs to celebrate this change and learn about the benefits it brings to craft brewers in waterloo region Breweries like stockyards and kitchener who you can now find at the st. Jacobs market We are opening up new opportunities for them at a crucial time so they can grow their business and support the local economy I like many others I'm happy to be able to add craft breweries to the local list of local businesses that I can support at farmers markets across my riding Thank you, mr. Speaker Thank you the next member statement the member for brampton center Thank you and good morning speaker Speaker front line healthcare heroes like our nurses are tired of empty words from this government What they need is action They risk their lives to serve and protect those who needed it throughout this pandemic And I want to thank nurses from the registered nurses association of ontario from brampton like tereza serrano diana Pennelly Guyani we're a sing and charles muthapore Who have been advocating that this government do the right thing and repeal bill 124 speaker These frontline healthcare workers risk their lives to serve our community and the way that the government is currently thanking them Is by capping their wages through bill 124 speaker our frontline healthcare heroes deserve so much better than that speaker I'm urging this government to do the right thing and repeal bill 124 and ensure that frontline healthcare heroes are rewarded for the Hard work and dedication that they have shown throughout this pandemic. They deserve that they deserve to be paid fairly They are burnt out Overworked and stagnant wages are not helping a staffing crisis in healthcare We all have a responsibility to address this staffing crisis here Capping wages of healthcare workers is not going to help us attract and retain the healthcare workers that we need here in the province of ontario So i'm urging this government to do the right thing Listen to the nurses listen to the healthcare workers Help us address this staffing crisis and ensure that workers are paid fairly. Thank you Thank you very much next member statement the member for atobico lake shore Thank you, mr. Speaker Speaker i'm honored to have based in my writing of atobico lake shore a storied canadian regiment the toronto scottish regiment queen Elizabeth the queen's mother's own who are celebrating their 100th anniversary Originally formed as a 75th mississauga battalion The regiment was renamed on the 1st of september 1921 to the toronto scottish regiment The torr scottes have contributed significantly to canadian history and fought in some of history's greatest battles of both world wars The sum passion dale and vimy ridge Dieppe filets and northwest europe Members served in korea and numerous peaking peacekeeping missions including the un and nato led missions like bosnia and most recently afghanistan Most recently the regiment aided ontario by providing emergency covet 19 relief when the canadian armed forces were asked to assist We do not have to wait until november 11 to say thank you to those who've served continue to serve and continue to make sacrifices in so many ways There are so many ways to serve and i know that the torr scottes have found every one of them Finding words worthy enough to express our gratitude is difficult So i simply just say thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Your contributions will always be cherished I congratulate the toronto scottish regiments commanding officer lieutenant colonel kerney and all the members of the regiments on this milestone Happy anniversary and as your regiments motto says carry on Thank you very much that concludes our member statements before i invite oral questions i'm pleased to inform the house that tanvi sony from the riding of brampton west is today's page captain And we have with us today at queens park her father nikiji sony and her sister jill sony emily martin from the riding of king vaughan is also today's page captain And we have with us at queens park her mother camilla martin her grandmother diane martin Welcome to the legislative assembly of ontario