 Therefore, it is time for question period. The member from Prince Edward Hastings. Thanks, Speaker. Good morning, Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Yesterday, stats can reveal that Ontario is reporting and exporting twice as much electricity as it did 12 years ago, and we're getting less money for it. Ontarians are paying more and more for electricity that this government is handing over to New York and Michigan at clearance sale prices. After years of triple-digit increases for Ontario businesses, why is this government continuing to export electricity to competitors at rock bottom prices? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to stand and clarify the opposition's points again on the energy sector. Mr. Speaker, at the end... The member from Niagara, West Lambrick will come to order, and I am going to be as insistent as I have been. You wish to go to warnings? Carry on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For example, in 2015, at the end of the year, when you look at the full balance sheet, Mr. Speaker, we made over $300 million in the electricity sector. Same thing, Mr. Speaker, with 2014 and 2013, which is a lot better, Mr. Speaker, than when they were in power and had to spend $700 million to buy power from the other jurisdictions, Mr. Speaker. We've invested $70 billion to rebuild the system. We now have... Second time, the member from Simcoe Gray. Carry on. We now have intertized where we can share electricity with our neighbors, Mr. Speaker. We should be proud of the system that we've built, one that is actually clean, green... Thank you. ...supplementary. The minister of energy continues to make it up as he goes along, but the stats show that we are exporting more and we're getting less for it. The only reason the government can stand up and make these claims is because they actually changed the system operator's monthly reporting requirement, so we no longer know what the cost was to produce the power it was exported, and that's the key. But we do know, Mr. Speaker, because we all know that we're paying way more than two and a half cents a kilowatt hour to produce electricity in Ontario. All you have to do is look at the contracts, and this government has signed over a 20-year period. The minister is back to the five liberal deans of question period. Dodge, delay, defer, destroy, and delete. Speaker, why is it that Ontario is providing electricity at low, low prices to everyone, but Ontario? Thank you. Can you see the pose? Can you see the pose? Thank you. Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, so we know the whole system, Mr. Speaker, in making sure that at the end of the year our balance sheet shows a profit. But let's also look at the record that they had, Mr. Speaker. In 2002, they paid $500 million to import electricity. In 2003, $400 million to import electricity. Reliability was a concern, so they increased the use of dirty coal by 127%. Since 2003, the Conservatives, Mr. Speaker, had made sure that they were ensuring that we would look at ways of bringing back more coal power. Even the former, the member from Simcoe Gray, he goes, this summer, when we didn't have enough electricity in the province because we hit peak temperatures and all the air conditioners were running, we had to buy power. I had to pay $7 million one day to keep the air conditioners on in our hospitals. That was highway robbery. It was then, Mr. Speaker, and it is now. We're going to continue to advocate and build the system that everyone can rely on, Mr. Speaker. Final supplementary. Thanks, Speaker. And again, I know it's difficult for the minister to understand, but the stats can numbers are really, really simple. In 2005, we were exporting power at 6.6 cents a kilowatt hour. Now we're exporting it at less than two and a half cents a kilowatt hour. In liberal Ontario, the price actually went down for everyone, but our ratepayers. Now we're footing the bill, no businesses in Buffalo, in Albany, in Rochester, in Syracuse, in Lansing, in Ann Arbor can enjoy cheap electricity and poach our jobs here in Ontario. Speaker, can the minister tell the House when he plans to stop exporting Ontario's competitive advantage to the United States? Speaker, in Belleville, in London, in Renfrew, the member from Renfrew, Nipissing, Pembroke come to order, particularly when I just sat down. Carry on. Sudbury, in Toronto, in Hamilton, in Ottawa, everyone in this province has seen a reduction of 25% thanks to this government. The opposition, you know what they did, Mr. Speaker? They voted against it. So you know what we've done, Mr. Speaker, of we've helped every single family in this province. Unlike the opposition who has no plan, who has no idea, Mr. Speaker, we've brought forward enough plan to make sure that we can support everybody in the province, 40 to 50% reductions in many parts of our rural parts of our province and in our northern part of the province, Mr. Speaker. Our plan is working, it's lowering rates, it's clean, it's green, it's affordable, Mr. Speaker. We've eliminated coal, something that that party would have never done, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. New question? The member from Whitby also. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. This is the third week that Ontario's 500,000 college students are not in class. The College Student Alliance has organized a rally at Queens Park this afternoon, calling on your government to take action now to bring students back to their classrooms. Speaker, how many more weeks of class will students have to miss before the Liberal government takes action to bring both sides back to the bargaining table? Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development. Thank you, Speaker, and I welcome the question. And I'm happy to let the Legislature know that I have just received word that the parties have agreed to go back to the table. This is good news, this is an important step forward, but I'm going to continue to urge both parties to actually negotiate an agreement. Students should be back in the classroom. They should be back in the classroom as quickly as possible. Thank you. Thank you, Speaker. Back to the Premier. Well, I know that, Speaker, I know that Joe Willett, the President of the College Student Alliance, will welcome that news because I... Can you say that, please? Good choice. Finish, please. Thank you, Speaker. Mr. Willett said that we urge the negotiating parties to remember that students are at college to learn not to be used as pawns. He also said, though a college semester has never been lost because of faculty strike, students are increasingly concerned about this becoming a reality. And that's why they're coming here this afternoon. Speaker, when will the Premier take concrete definitive action so that the party could back to the bargaining table? Well, Speaker, as I said in my original question, we are delighted to let people know that that conversation will be starting. They will be back at the table tomorrow, Speaker. I have worked very closely with student groups to ensure they have the information they need to get through this strike, Speaker. But the sooner the students are in the classroom, faculty in the classroom, the better we all will be. I need to give them another question. Thank you. Supplementary. Premier, back to the Premier. Yesterday, I received a letter from the stepfather of a student enrolled at Durham College, which is in my writing. And he's in the Elevator Mechanics Training Apprenticeship Program. And in that email, he said that if the apprenticeship course does not begin by Monday, November the 6th, this upcoming Monday, it'll be cancelled, costing his stepson a year of advanced training, work experience, and the additional financial costs of food and rent. Why has it taken so long for the government to move to bring these parties together? Thank you. Minister? Well, Speaker, as I said, I'm delighted at the back of the table. I urge them to find an agreement to get students back. Speaker, college students give up a lot to be students. They pay their tuition, they give up their lives, they give up earnings, Speaker. They are there because they want to learn, they've overcome in many cases a big challenge to get to college, to get to post-secondary education. We need to support those students and get them back in the classroom as quickly as possible. New question, the leader of the third party. Thank you, Speaker. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. Yesterday, we learned that Brampton Civic Hospital treated an astonishing 4,352 patients on stretchers in hallways between April 2016 and April 2017. And we know it's just not Brampton that has a hospital overcrowding and hallway medicine crisis, Speaker. Families across Ontario are being forced to deal with long emergency room waits, cancelled surgeries and hospitals bursting at the seams. Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition, Natalie Mara, said yesterday that, quote, the rates of overcrowding in Ontario's hospitals are unheard of in the developed world. Why does the Premier think that her temporary beds are going to fix this crisis that has been decades in the making? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And we all believe that Ontarians deserve access to the highest quality healthcare, Mr. Speaker. And in fact, we understand that there are challenges that are being faced by hospitals as a result of demographics, Mr. Speaker, growing and aging population, particularly in some communities that are growing rapidly, Mr. Speaker, which is exactly why we are making additional investments in those communities, Mr. Speaker, to provide extra capacity because we understand that there is that need. So, Mr. Speaker, we're investing an additional $140 million in hospital, home and community sectors to create over 2,000 new beds in spaces. That's the equivalent of six medium-sized hospitals, Mr. Speaker, because I think the other reality is that there isn't just a single solution. The solution doesn't always lie in expansion of beds in hospital. There are community solutions, Mr. Speaker, and other spaces that need to be provided. Supplementary. Speaker, Mara also said that the Premier's temporary bed plan doesn't come anywhere near, and I'm quoting, anywhere near to addressing the crisis that has been caused by 10 years straight of real-dollar budget cuts in Ontario's hospitals. And Vicky McKenna, the Vice President of Ontario Nurses Association, said, quote, these numbers are shocking. And we know that almost every hospital in Ontario has been running over capacity for some time now. The Premier must know that the six temporary beds that she has offered at Brampton Civic will not help all of the 4,352 people who are forced to receive their medical care in a public hallway. She must know that temporary beds are not a solution to decades of conservative and liberal cuts to healthcare. If she knows why doesn't the Premier have a real plan to begin undoing some of the damage that she and her Liberal government have helped create in our hospitals in this province. Can you say it, please? Can you say it, please? Premier. Mr. Speaker, let's just be clear on what has actually happened over year over year in this province. And that is that there has been an increase to healthcare funding year over year over year. And, you know, the third party heckles no. Well, the fact is, Mr. Speaker, every year there has been an increase in the health budget in this province, Mr. Speaker. And over the past two years, we've provided over a billion dollars in new funding to the hospital sector. And William Oster Health System received a total investment of 41 million dollars in funding. Now, Mr. Speaker, those are the facts. The other fact is that there are challenges that are being faced because of aging demographics, because of growth in particular communities. And that means that there have to be solutions found, Mr. Speaker. And that's why our ministry is working with the local health integration network with those institutions to find those solutions. Some of them will be an increased beds, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Some of them will be in community spaces. Final supplement, please. Well, Speaker, you know what's clear is we have 84-year-old women in Sudbury that are in shower rooms overnight in our hospitalization, in pain, and not being able to get the attention he needs, in a hallway, in a hospital, in my city. That's what's clear, Speaker. Even when every single temporary bed that the Premier has announced is added to Ontario's existing number of hospital beds, we still rank dead last of all provinces in Canada in the number of beds per capita that we have here in Ontario. Dead last, Speaker. That's what's clear. That's quite a legacy for this Premier to saddle Ontario families with. Will the Premier now finally admit that this overcrowding and hallway medicine, this crisis, goes far beyond temporary beds and actually do something to make sure that Ontario families get the health care they need and the health care they deserve? Thank you. You see it, please? You see it, please? Premier. Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. Minister of Health, Long-Term Care. Well, Mr. Speaker, let's be clear about one thing. Ontarians enjoy one of the best health care systems in the entire world. Flex a lack of understanding and a lack of knowledge, Mr. Speaker. Finish, please? Mr. Speaker, every single third-party metric demonstrates that Ontario is at the top or near the top of measurements of care and outcomes across this country and indeed in many cases around the world. We are continuing to make those important investments like the historic investment last week, which resulted in the equivalent number of beds as six new hospitals in a single week being added to the complement. Mr. Speaker, these are important investments to make. I know the party doesn't support it, but we insist on making it. Thank you. No question, the Leader of the Third Party. Thank you, Speaker. My next question is for the Premier. Clearly, the announcement of temporary beds is nothing more than a desperate act by a desperate Premier. The Health Coalition says that the Liberals' plans are clear, and I quote again, announced a short-term boost to health care funding leading into an election in June and reduced that funding the year after the election. This is dangerous for patients and staff alike." I have to say, Speaker, sadly, I agree. When will the Premier commit to a plan that will actually reverse the damage that has been done to our health care system by themselves and the government before them instead of focusing on how best to use public money to try to get herself re-elected? Thank you. I think that the Leader of the Third Party knows full well that the $7 billion boost in health care funding over the next three years that was contained in our budget is... That's base funding, Mr. Speaker. That's funding that will stay in place. That has absolutely nothing to do with a temporary solution, Mr. Speaker. The reality is that there is a need to continue to resolve issues. But as the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care has said, Mr. Speaker, we have one of the best health care systems in the world, and it is our obligation as the people in this legislature to make decisions to make sure that we keep that health care system as one of the best in the world. And that means problem-solving when there are issues like the flu surge, Mr. Speaker. There are challenges that have to be met on a monthly and an annual basis, Mr. Speaker. And we work with the system. We work with local community institutions to make sure that we put those resources in place. That's what we're doing, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Supplementary. You know, Speaker, I have to say, I find it kind of frightening that the Premier and her Minister of Health are willfully ignorant about what's happening in our health care system, willfully ignorant about what the people are facing in the health care system today, in hospitals, in long-term care, in home care, around the whole gamut. It is a huge problem, and they are so out of touch that they don't even recognize it, Speaker. This crisis isn't just about shocking statistics. Every single piece of data that we talk about corresponds with a real human being here in Ontario who is suffering because of the conservative government and the environmental bunch of nurses and closed a whole bunch of hospitals and beds and because of a liberal government that has cut or frozen hospital budgets, particularly for the last couple of years, 10 years exactly. This crisis is one of the Premier's for making what is she going to do to show Ontario families who have suffered that they have a government that actually is in touch with the crisis that they've created. Minister of Health, long-term care. Minister of Health, long-term care. Well, Mr. Speaker, so when we became government after the Conservatives, Mr. Speaker, we were the worst in wait times for many things. We've gone from the worst to the first for reducing wait times for a hip, knee replacements, cataracts, cardiac care, radiation oncology, MRIs, CT scans and ultrasound, as noted by the Wait Time Alliance. From worst to first in the country, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, 96% of Ontarians have access to a regular doctor. That number is higher than the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany and the highest in Canada. We have the best stroke mortality rate of any jurisdiction in the OECD. Our wait times for cataract surgery is half the OECD average and significantly lower than the UK, Denmark and Australia. The average time for hip replacements are 121 days across the OECD, 86 days in Canada, 75 days in the UK, but only 70 days in Ontario, Mr. Speaker. This is a long list. Thank you. And they're superlatives because we are the best. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, please. Final supplementary. Well, Speaker, I'm going to leave the Premier with one final quote from the Ontario Health Coalition in the hopes that it actually inspires her to finally admit the hospital overcrowding and hallway medicine crisis is real and actually do something about it. They can deny and return to all they want, Speaker, but people are really facing these crisis situations day in and day out. So this is what Natalie Merra had to say yesterday, and I quote. The bottom line is this. Ontario's hospital funding is among the very lowest in Canada. And after decades of cuts, we have the fewest hospital beds left in the developed world. When will the Premier put politics aside? When will this Premier acknowledge and admit the crisis that she's created in our hospital system? And when would she recognize that she has an obligation and a duty to take care of the needs of the people who are lined up like scourds of wood in our hallways, in our hospital, Speaker? She needs to take care of the needs of every person in this province, and she is failing them miserably, Speaker. Thank you. Can you say that, please? Can you say that, please? Thank you. Minister? Well, Mr. Speaker, the individual who's failing Ontarians right now is the leader of the third party. For her to refer to the hardworking healthcare providers and the situation and emergencies, the way she does is completely irresponsible. She's obviously using and has made a decision, a political decision, to make this part of her platform, a part of going into the election process to scare Ontarians about our healthcare system. I just went through a long list of things that Ontarians can and should be very, very proud of in terms of our healthcare system. According to the Conference Board of Canada, Mr. Speaker, the health of Ontarians was not only viewed favorably among Canadian provinces, it was evaluated as the seventh best in the entire world. Better than Japan, better than Germany, better than the United Kingdom, who wants to say. Thank you. You see me, please? Start the clock. New question. The member from Perry Sound, Ms. Goldfinne. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. This summer, when I was visiting Gold Corp's board and mine, they told me they were very interested in diversifying their workforce to include more women. As I've told this legislature before, Ontario had legislation in place banning women from working underground in mines until 1978. Now we have a common core program that includes managing old technology that requires significant physical strength, making it difficult for many women to qualify. But with newer technologies available, there's no reason to require certification on the older equipment. Speaker, in order for mining companies like Gold Corp to achieve their goals of diversification of their workforce, they need this government to update their common core program. So, Speaker, why has the minister not updated the common core program to reflect newer technologies and encourage women to enter the mining field? Thank you. Serving indigenous relations and reconciliation. Serving indigenous relations and reconciliation. Thank you very much for that question. Look, the government of Ontario, we have invested about $170 million in the mineral sector activities in recent years. And here are some of the things that that investment has done. And when those investments are made, there will be opportunities for all. Men, women, and when those investments are made, there will be opportunities for men, women, our First Nation members. We have $40 million for initiatives to supporting a modernized mining act. We've got another $2.6 million for supporting mining supply and service companies to expand their export capacity and increase sales in international markets. We've got about $13 million for the Centre for Excellence Mining Innovation in Sudbury. And $120 million. Thank you. Supplementary to members from Sioux St. Mary. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back to the Premier. And I really hope that you'll bother to answer this and not pass it off. This government has taken mining for granted. This has happened a few times during question periods, and all members know the rules. And if you don't, you should. Any member, any minister has the right to move a question to someone else. So let's not get too carried away here. Carry on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government has taken mining for granted. During the last provincial PC government, Ontario was the number one ranked mining jurisdiction in the world. And the member from Simcoe Gray was then Minister of Northern Development and Mines. By 2015, we fell from number one to number 23. I wonder if the Premier's policy people have advised her of that. What caused our fall from grace? Was the failure to update the common core? The Liberals' complete disinterest in northern Ontario and a total lack of action on the ring of fire that caused it. I went to the ring of fire, and I saw firsthand the potential there. I visited the impacted First Nation communities, and I was told that this government has negotiated in bad faith. It is embarrassing, and it is shameful, that the Liberals sit on their hands and allow Ontario's potential to waste away. Why, Mr. Speaker, does this Premier continue to ignore Northern Ontario? Here. Thank you. Can I still use this? Minister. Thank you again for that question. You asked the same sort of question last week. I know you were at the ring of fire, but I was at the ring of fire also with Minister Gravel and Minister Morrow. We met, as I said last week, with the chief executive officer of NORON. We inspected the site. We got a detailed briefing, and I can tell you that this represents a historic opportunity to develop the northern mining sector. That's going to provide jobs. It's going to contribute tax dollars to our economy. It's going to provide opportunities for indigenous people. This government is committed to that project. That's why we've got $1 billion on the table to develop an access corridor to bring those metals out of the ground into production. That's going to mean jobs, jobs, jobs, and tax dollars. A member from Sault Ste. Marie will come to order. New question, the member from Nickelville. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Premier. Every day in this province, families are worried about their loved ones in long-term care. Frontline workers are doing their very best, but they are simply not enough staff and resources to provide the level of care now needed in our long-term care homes. Families and workers have been calling on the Liberals and the Conservatives to support and join with the new Democrat and support a minimum standard of four hours of hands-on care. When can we expect the Premier to start listening to families and pass Bill 33 that will deliver an average of four hours of hands-on care that our seniors deserve? Thank you very much. Mr. Health and Long-Term Care. Mr. Health, Long-Term Care. Well, Mr. Speaker, we're proud of our investments in our long-term care system. It's home for approximately 80,000 residents of this province, and it's important that we provide them with the safety and security and the high-quality care and supports that they deserve and that we're responsible for. In fact, that's why we've doubled our funding to long-term care homes since coming into office and including, importantly, many investments specific to human resources and staffing. We've added an additional 7,400 staff at our Ontario Long-Term Care Homes since 2008, Mr. Speaker, including 5,000 PSWs and 2,400 nurses. And these new staff, of course, have helped to improve patient care. But furthermore, we require our long-term cares to have individual care homes that reflect staffing levels that are necessary and appropriate for the complexity of that individual, Mr. Speaker. Thank you. Supplementary. Back to the Premier. Every week, I hear from families and frontline worker who are pleading for more time to care for our long-term care residents. It is simply unacceptable to let residents wait for hours in bed because there's nobody there to help them get up. It is simply unacceptable to give PSW only 10 minutes to help each residents with all of their morning routine. It is simply unacceptable to force families and frontline workers to do so much with so little. Our seniors deserve better. When will the Premier wake up to the crisis in seniors' care and legislate in an average of four hours of hands-on care to our most vulnerable seniors? Thank you, Minister. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And this year alone, we added $10 million new dollars for behavioral supports. And as we see an aging population and an increase in dementia, we've now more than $50 million annually specific to supports for those individuals with most complex needs. But, Mr. Speaker, what we won't do is what the NDP did when they were in power in a single year, Mr. Speaker. They increased... I know they don't want to hear this, but they increased the resident fees in a single year by 38%. What a burden for the residents of long-term care. And what we won't do as well with the PCs where they had actually legislation that required only 2.25 hours of nursing care until even that minimum level of care was repealed by the MyCares government, Mr. Speaker. We have just under four hours of care on average, but, importantly, we develop the plans that reflect the actual needs of residents. Thank you. New question. Remember from BGC Short. Well, thank you, Speaker. And my question is to the Minister of Community and Social Services. Speaker, we all know that the care and the well-being of adults with developmental disabilities is a priority for this government. And that is why, in our 2017 budget, we committed an additional $677 million over four years to develop the developmental services system. This new investment will continue to assist us in transforming the developmental service system into a more accessible, fair, and client-centered system of supports. And I know many in beaches east York are thrilled with this announcement, particularly my personal bagpiper, Sarah Severn, who's probably watching us today. Now, one of the transformative steps the Ministry of Community and Social Services has taken was with the Developmental Services Housing Task Force, aimed at creating unique housing solutions for individuals with developmental disabilities. And I know the terrific Forest Project Bridges to Housing is an incredible project. And I would ask the Minister to please explain to us about the work that has been done to develop and service this task. Minister of Community and Social Services. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and to the member for his question. We are certainly very aware of the growing demand for services, including residential services in the developmental services system. And we know there is a need for us to continue making improvements that will provide greater flexibility, choice, and inclusion in the services that we offer. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to housing for those with developmental disabilities. And that's why my ministry created the Developmental Services Housing Task Force to encourage creative, inclusive, and cost-effective housing solutions for adults with developmental disabilities. And since 2015, my ministry has provided $5.6 million to support the implementation of 18 housing demonstration projects that bring together cross-sector collaborative partnerships. So far, we've seen great success in these projects. One of the most successful has been the Bridges to Housing project, which is a program that partners with the City of Toronto, Community Living Toronto, and the Inner City Family Health Team. Thank you, supplementary. Well, thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the minister for the exceptional work that she is doing in this system in order to support vulnerable people in Ontario. Speaker, I know the Ministry of Community and Social Services is working with individuals, families, and partners in the developmental services system with the goal of improving supports for adults with developmental disabilities and supporting people to live as independently as possible in communities across the province. And as the minister mentioned, it is important, so important, to explore creative partnerships to achieve this goal and to ensure that we meet the unique needs of a wide range of individuals with developmental disabilities. And earlier today, Speaker, I understand the minister met with the organizers and the frontline staff of Bridges to Housing, which provide housing for homeless individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness issues. So, Speaker, could the minister please provide us with more information on this terrific project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And as the member mentioned, I met this morning with representatives and frontline staff from the Bridges to Housing project, which is led by Dr. Sylvain Roir, a neuropsychologist, president of the Ontario Psychological Association, and clinician with the inner city health team and members of his team are in the gallery today. The project helps homeless adults with developmental disabilities and or mental health needs access supportive, individualized housing solutions where no program currently exists. I was delighted to let Dr. Roir and the representatives know that my ministry will be providing 265,000 new dollars in funding for this project in addition to providing annual funding of $465,000. This new commitment will enable Bridges to Housing to continue to identify individuals who require support as well as expand the program to reach more people. And I'd like to thank everyone who is part of this project for all the work they do each and every day to create supportive housing solutions. Thank you. Any questions? The member can go to the speaker. Thank you. And Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the PC Caucus, our hearts go out to those who lost their lives on Ontario Highways last night and those impacted indirectly by the recent rise of fatal highway accidents. My question is to the Attorney General. Minister, last night, as you may know, a truly horrific crash occurred on the 400 highway in my riding. Please describe it as Armageddon. With so far two confirmed fatalities and 14 cars involved in this collision, firefighters from across the region were called in to support, to provide support. Over the last three years, this stretch of road has had over 10 major collisions and road closures with too many lives lost as a result. This is unacceptable. The minister, enough is enough. Will you commit here today to having a coroner's inquest? Thank you. Attorney General, would you like to start the presentation? Minister of Transportation. Thanks very much, Speaker. I thank the member for her question. I would echo her opening remarks with respect to acknowledging the loss of life on this particular stretch of highway 400 that I know is in her riding. It's just to the north of my riding. It's a stretch of highway that I've had the opportunity to drive many, many times, including recently, Speaker. My heart goes out to those individuals who have lost their lives. The two individuals that we know of so far, Speaker, this is a very serious issue. Anytime there's a fatality on any highway anywhere in the province of Ontario, we take this very, very seriously and we will continue to work with all of our partners from the OPP to any other individual organization that wants to support efforts to make sure that we maintain highway safety at all times. Speaker, I say in this House on a regular basis that for the last 16 consecutive years, we have had the safest roads in North America, first or second safest roads in North America. But we know that we continue to have to do more work and in particular on this one and some others that we've experienced recently. Speaker, we'll continue to work with all of our partners to make sure that we continue to get it right. Thank you. Supplementary to members from Kitchener, Conestoga. Back to the Minister of Transportation. In addition to the accident last night in the 400, the 401 and Southwestern Ontario has been closed five times in 17 days with multiple fatalities. The latest Friday, of course, where there was another 401 death near Cambridge. Last week, the OPP held a news conference to reference charges related to three accidents involving inattentive driving that claimed the lives of six, including a 14-year-old boy. Many of these have been in ideal road conditions and with winter coming, of course, the concerns only grow. We expect that a coroner's inquest will be called immediately, but we need to go one step further. Speaker, today I will table a motion calling on the government to strike an immediate task force convening road safety experts to investigate and develop recommendations to address the root causes of these preventable highway deaths. Speaker, will the minister tell us if he will support our call for our task force? Thank you. Minister? Thanks very much, Speaker. And I do appreciate the follow-up question. I'd be happy to take a look at the motion that the member is going to bring forward, and I'm sure it will be discussed at some point. I will say, again, a couple of things that are important for us to remember. One is we have, because of our tough penalties, because of our partnerships with law enforcement and our road safety partners, we have maintained first or second ranking across North America for 16 consecutive years for road and highway safety. In addition to that, Speaker, we're the only jurisdiction in Canada because many of the collisions that we're talking about involve large commercial vehicles. We are currently the only jurisdiction in Canada that has mandatory entry-level training for truck drivers for A-Z license holders, Speaker. That's an initiative we brought forward that started last July, this past July, Speaker. So happy to continue to work with members of the opposition, with our road safety partners, with law enforcement, to make sure that we maintain the solid track record that we've had over the last 16-year, Speaker. And I'd be happy to take a look at the motion that the member is bringing forward. Thank you very much. Thank you. No question. The member from London, West. Thank you, Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, the College Students Alliance and students across Ontario are rallying today at Queen's Park. They want to get back to their classrooms and while a return to the table is good, it is not a settlement. Students remain concerned that they will have to go deeper into debt to complete their education. Even if the semester is not lost, students with special needs say they won't be able to manage a condensed program and will have to take another year. Deadlines to write certification exams will still be missed. Programs could still be cancelled. If this Liberal government actually cared about the 500,000 students attending Ontario colleges, they would guarantee that students will not be financially disadvantaged by this strike. Will they do that? Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I actually care about the students who are caught in the middle of this dispute. Mr. Speaker, that's why I'm so pleased that the Minister has told us today that the parties are going back to the table. That is where the agreement will be forged, Mr. Speaker. And I have said publicly, I have said publicly that it is a great concern of mine that students not lose their term, Mr. Speaker, that they be able to complete the work for this term so that they can move on, whether it's on to the next term or whether it's out into the work world, Mr. Speaker. So I am very encouraged that the parties are getting back to the table. And I would hope, Mr. Speaker, that they will move expeditiously to get an agreement so that those students can get back into the class as soon as possible. Thank you. Supplementary. Mr. Speaker, it seems clear to everyone about the government that provincial underfunding of the college system is the root cause of this strike. Ontario provides the lowest per student funding of any other province. To reduce payroll costs, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of contract instructors who now make up as much as 80% of all college faculty. As Fanshawe College student Shelly Carr says, I am a student retraining to avoid precarious employment. My profs deserve better than four month contracts and so do I. Speaker, will this liberal government ensure that colleges have the financial resources necessary to support more full time stable faculty jobs and protect high quality education for students? Thank you. Please. Please. Please. Please. Thank you. Premier. Advance education skills development. Well, thank you, Speaker. And as I said the other day, we are absolutely committed to our college students. In fact, I would argue, Speaker, that there's been no government more committed to the success of our post graduate students than this government led by our Premier Speaker. When it comes to college funding, college funding has gone up 82% Speaker. Well, enrollment has gone up by 25%. But the big, big change, Speaker, is our change to OSAP, where we now have over 200,000 students who are getting their complete tuition, free Speaker, another third of our students who are getting help with the tuition, Speaker, and help with living expenses. Speaker, we're committed to the success of our students, and I am delighted that the two parties are back at the table. Thank you. Any questions? The member from the Tobacco Center. Thanks very much, Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Minister, carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer because it is a tasteless, odorless gas that can have deadly consequences. A week and a half ago, I was at Fire Hall 444 at my community in the Tobacco Center. I was there with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, with Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg, with members of his senior team, with local firefighters, with Councillor Stephen Holiday, and I was there to join the IBC in making a donation of carbon monoxide alarms to our local fire department so that they can distribute them to people in the community who don't have them in their homes and to raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. I was proud to do this, Minister, because I believe that in raising awareness and in making these donations, we may be able to actually save lives in the Tobacco Center. This week is Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, where I know our government and the Office of the Fire Marshal work together to inform Ontarians about the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning and how people can keep their families safe. Minister, what steps are you taking to help protect Ontarians against carbon monoxide poisoning? Thank you very much for the member from the Tobacco Center and the IBC for their initiative. Mr. Speaker, simply put, one death from carbon monoxide poisoning is one too many, and we all need to do our part to protect our loved one from these tragedies. Mr. Speaker, our government has taken strong action and enhanced the Ontario Fire Code to keep families safe. It is now required to install carbon monoxide alarms near sleeping areas in all homes with the fuel-burning appliances, fireplace, or an attached garage. Working smoking alarms are required on every story of a home. We have improved the fire safety measures in our care facilities and other vulnerable occupancies. Mr. Speaker, we know our work isn't over, and this is why we're working, and I'm working with the Minister of Municipal Affairs to examine the possibility of expanding requirements for carbon monoxide detection to other structures. I urge every single Ontarians to make sure they have working. Carbon monoxide alarms, it will save lives. Supplementary. Thanks very much, Minister. Ensuring that our families, our loved ones, our communities are safe from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, it's so important. People need to be safe in their homes, and they need to know that they are safe in their own homes, so I'm proud that we are taking action in this regard and that you are taking action in that regard. We must all do our part to protect ourselves and our loved ones and people in our communities, and that is why I think it is so critical that people have a carbon monoxide alarm in their home. That being said, there are many ways for people to protect themselves from carbon monoxide poisoning, so Minister, could you tell us more about how people can do just that? Thank you, Minister. Thank you very much again for the member from Etobicoke Center. I want to take this moment and recognize our fire service across the province for the incredible work that they do in raising awareness about carbon monoxide and its dangers. I also would like to recognize the member from Oxford for his education on this particular file, Mr. Speaker. I want to take this moment and I also encourage Ontarians to find out more about carbon monoxide week programs and activities in their communities by visiting their local fire department's website, Mr. Speaker. Winter is coming and that means that we will start eating and definitely we need to have a clear understanding of where to go, so I would encourage everyone that there's a list of simple rules that people can have access, which is co-safety.ca that Ontarians should check and ensure that they are following. Yes, sir. Mr. Speaker, everyone has a role to play in preventing the presence of carbon monoxide and having a functional carbon monoxide all over. And I also hear, Mr. Speaker, that you are very instrumental in helping us in moving this legislation. So thank you very much for your work in this. Further? Further? Next question, the member from Simcoe Gray. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, a speaker for some time now, we've known that funding for seniors care in this province has been inadequate. My office has regularly received questions about long-term care. This week, one of the most astonishing things I've heard in all my 27 years as an MPP was that the government is completely abandoning Mr. and Mrs. Jerry and Rita Bartolo. Their son, Raymond, has been told that although they both qualify for 56 hours of personal support care per week, there are no PSWs to provide that care. Instead, they were given a list of private home care companies to call. Mr. and Mrs. Bartolo are also on wait lists for beds in long-term care, but there are no beds. According to Health Quality Ontario, the average wait time for a bed in long-term care in both the central and north Simcoe, Muskoka Lins, is 220 days. That's an extraordinary amount of time for seniors in need of care. Speaker, I ask the minister, since when did it become the policy of the government of Ontario to abandon seniors who qualify for both home care and long-term care? Thank you. Minister, how long-term care? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And first of all, I'd like to say I'd be happy to work with the member opposite on this specific case to see what can be done. I'm not familiar, of course, with these individuals, but, Mr. Speaker, it's important to recognize, well, in fact, just last week, we announced an additional $40 million this fiscal year for home care services, and we're continuing to make those important investments in long-term care as well. We've, the member well knows that we've built 10,000 long-term care beds while in office we've redeveloped 13,500, but we understand, because we have a growing and aging population, and a population that quite frankly, any of us who have visited long-term care homes know that the acuity is higher as well. There are more complex patients. They tend to be even more elderly and frail, and their needs are very specific. And so we're investing in those supports, be it PSWs or RNs or other supports, behavioral supports, to ensure that they're getting the care that they provide. But it is a work in progress. I hope the member realizes and takes the opportunity to offer help. Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I want to thank the back to the minister. Thank the minister for his offer of support. Just a few more details. Mr. Bartolo was discharged from hospital after being a month in hospital, and no arrangements for home care were made. The family was promised, starting Monday of this week, that PSW care would be available. However, it's now Wednesday, and there's no care. The Bartolo children are doing the best they can to support their parents. But shockingly, they've been told that they may never be able to get a PSW to work in their area. They live near Cookstown, about halfway between Berry and Alliston. They're on the border of two Linn's, North Simcoe and Central. The really should be getting PSW help from Central. And yet, the North Simcoe Linn that we're working with says they can't share resources or information with the Central Linn, which is bizarre. And apparently, the North Simcoe PSWs don't want to go that far down south in Simcoe County. They don't want to drive there because they're not reimbursed well enough. So I do appreciate your offer of support in working with them. Thank you. Minister. Mr. Speaker, I think, I mean, it sounds like this is a challenge, a particular situation that we can help with. So it's important that when situations like this do arise that we work together. I know the member has a history of working closely with me, as do many of his colleagues on specific cases. And there are aspects of this that just don't seem right or proper, Mr. Speaker. But it is important to recognize as well that this year alone, we invested an additional $100 million, apart from the 40 that I referenced in the first, $100 million in home care supports, which provides specifically an extra 1.3 million hours of PSW care. Now, I understand that this is a challenge, which has to do with different Linn's as well as the residency of this individual. And other aspects of this, which just don't sit right with me, so I'm happy to work with the member opposite, as we have done previously. I thank for bringing this forward. Thank you. New question, the member from Windsor West. Thank you, Speaker. My question's to the Premier. On Monday, a fire broke out at an unlicensed group home in Toronto. The residents, people who are either elderly, have a developmental disability, or who are struggling with mental health, thankfully managed to leave without injury. It's a miracle that no one was hurt, because Toronto Fire Services said that the unlicensed home failed numerous fire code inspections. The owner willfully neglected to upgrade the building. This owner has been taking residents' disability and pension checks as compensation, and has pocketed the money rather than making the building safer. In May, my colleague from Welland introduced a bill that would establish a framework for the licensing of these homes, but the government has stalled this bill in committee. Speaker, will the latest tragedy finally be enough for the Liberal government to take action on this legislation and help our most vulnerable citizens? Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I know the minister is going to want to make a comment on this in the supplementary, but let me just say, Mr. Speaker, that this is a tragedy that needs to be addressed. We will certainly look into the specifics of this situation, Mr. Speaker. And the reality is that there are people who are living... People living in situations, Mr. Speaker, where the regulation of their living situation is not always as clear as it should be, Mr. Speaker. And so we are... This is something that we are tackling. It's something that we know needs more work, and we will continue to work with the municipality to make sure that the proper rules and the supports are in place. Thank you. Supplementary. Speaker, this is part of a very serious problem. Last year, the OPP launched a seven-month investigation into unlicensed group homes in Toronto, including the home that caught fire on Monday. The investigation found that the homes were overcrowded, unsafe, and I quote, deplorable conditions. Here's the horrifying part, Speaker. The province had the result of this investigation. They knew the vulnerable people in these homes were suffering. They decided to do nothing because closing the homes would mean that the residents would have nowhere else to go. This Liberal government knew exactly how bad things were. Instead of shutting down half-hazard operations, investing in long-term seniors' care and mental health supports and facilities, and resettling vulnerable people in safe, affordable housing, this Liberal government ultimately condoned these deplorable conditions. Speaker, will the Premier explain why she has turned her back on vulnerable Ontarians and why she is so comfortable doing so? Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I am never comfortable when there is a situation where there is a vulnerable person who is at risk, Mr. Speaker. That is absolutely the kind of situation that government exists to address. So, Mr. Speaker, whether it is increased funding in mental health services, which we are making, whether it is increased funding for long-term care and for home care and community care, Mr. Speaker, which we are making, or, Mr. Speaker, whether it is putting in place the supports to help people to find housing that is the right kind of housing, because the member opposite has mixed together a number of issues, and at the root of those issues, Mr. Speaker, is housing appropriate to the state of the person who is looking for that housing. So, Mr. Speaker, we are working on all of those fronts as it is our obligation to do, and we will continue to do so, Mr. Speaker. Mr. President, the member keeps our relations in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Attorney General. Speaker, we have all heard or read about the overcrowding in correctional facility. This past Monday, the Attorney General announced the new bail directive. It is my hope, Mr. Speaker. This will address the congestion and allow some of the most vulnerable individuals such as indigenous, racialized, and low-risk individuals to move through the system and enable them to get their support from the community. Speaker, through you to the Attorney General. Can he please explain why we need to overhaul the system and who will benefit from this new bail directive? Thank you, Attorney General. Thank you very much, Speaker. I thank the member for this very important question. Speaker, as everybody in this chamber knows that in Ontario, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Speaker, we also know that bail is a critical stage of the justice process and can have serious impacts on the outcome of an individual and their case. That is one of the reasons why, Speaker, the Supreme Court of Canada recently released their antique decision. That decision, Speaker, sent a very clear reminder that at the bail stage, safe for exceptions and unconditional release of the accused should be the default. Speaker, in their decision, the Supreme Court also spelled out the latter principle, meaning that start at the bottom rung for bail and consider it before moving up the letter in terms of any conditions that should be imposed on an individual. Speaker, the antique decision was a large wake-up call at the Jordan decision, and we have made sure through the work that we have been doing in reforming our bail system that we have followed that particular decision. But, Speaker, let me be very clear, though, that there are some people who pose a risk to public safety and should be rightly denied bail to keep our communities safe. Supplementary. Thank you, Speaker, and thank you to the Attorney General for his response. It is great to hear Ontario is taking a progressive step in improving time to trial. Ontario has been a leader across the country on this important issue, Mr. Speaker. And I have spoken to my constituent in Scarborough, Asia, quite about bail and pretrial detention, and I have read a report on this important issue, Speaker. This report talks about bail conditions can be overtaxing for a marginal and individual with mental health conditions. This will lead to a cycle of breaching, rearrest, and reincarnation, Mr. Speaker. About 20% of people admitted to pretrial detention are there for breaching, breaching, Mr. Speaker, their bail condition. Speaker, through you to the Attorney General, can he please inform the House how the new bail directive will address this issue? Thank you. Question, thank you. Thank you very much, Speaker. Good question. I think we have a real opportunity here to ensure that those accused individuals who are still innocent because they have not been proven guilty, that those who are low risk or vulnerable are provided services in the community. Speaker, that's where the opportunity for them to thrive, opportunity for them to get the right care of services are best suited. Speaker, we also know that we have disproportionately higher number of people who are indigenous or racialized in our correctional facilities. And once again, we need to make sure that we take a different approach to bail as we have announced in our new bail directive where those individuals, because of their circumstances, because they may be in poverty, are unable to satisfy tough conditions, are the ones who actually see the release in the community with no restrictions, perhaps with the help of supports like mental health care workers that we are supporting through John Howard Society, our bail best that we're supporting across the community. So that they can care, they can get the care they need. Thank you. New question? The member from Chatham, Ken Essex. My question is to the Premier. Speaker, I'm not convinced that this government is taking the danger of carnage alley seriously. First, the Premier made a promise in the House to build a barrier. And everyone understood her to mean concrete medium barrier that my constituents were demanding. Then the Premier began walking that promise back and the transport minister began talking about high tension cables. Well, cables may be effective against the car, but a large truck would simply plow right through them. Well, Premier, winter is coming and I know how hazardous that stretch of road is. The Chatham OPP speaker reported that snow and ice storms caused 61 accidents from Tilbury to Chatham in Carnage Alley since 2014. You're now doing construction in that stretch of highway right now. I know you can reopen the contract to build the contract barrier or to build the concrete barrier. Be cost effective, Premier. Will you build the concrete barrier? Premier. Sir, transportation? Sir, transportation. Thanks very much, Speaker. I thank the member for his question. I, obviously I've had the chance. We know this. We've said this in the legislature previously that member brought some constituents in to meet with me a number of days ago, Speaker. It was a very constructive meeting. What I've asked the MTO officials to do is to go back and look at the plans for the area. Well, I will not make a firm commitment here in the legislature to do exactly what the member is talking about. I can't assure the member that I've asked the team at MTO to come back with some additional proposals, additional ideas about how we can provide the traveling public through that part of the 401 with the security that they deserve and the safety that we should have on all of our highways. And I'll be happy to provide an update to that member once we have our information back. Thank you very much, Speaker. Thank you. The member from Hamilton East Stony Creek on a point of order. Thank you for your indulgence, Speaker. The rest of the contingent of my Pakistani friends from Hamilton have arrived. Zahid Bhatt, Mugamum Bhatt, Zaghem Bhatt, Fazia Bhatt, Miriam Bhatt, Ushna Bhatt, and Wahid Malik. Welcome. That was an extremely important and good catch by the member from Hamilton East Stony Creek. Pursuant to standing order 38A, the member from London West has given notice of her dissatisfaction with the answer to her question given by the Premier concerning the Ontario College strike. This matter will be debated today at 6 p.m. I'm still standing. Pursuant to standing order 38A, the member from Windsor West has given notice of her dissatisfaction with the answer to the question given by the Premier concerning unlicensed group homes. This matter will be debated today at 6 p.m. We have a deferred vote on a motion of closure to the motion of second reading of Bill 166 an act to amend or repeal various acts and to enact three new acts with respect to construction of new homes and ticket sales events. Calling the members, this will be a five minute bow. Would all members please take their seats? On October 17th, 2017, Ms. McCharles moves second reading of Bill 166, an act to amend or repeal various acts and to enact three acts with respect to the construction of new homes and ticket sales for events. Mr. Coteau has moved that the question now be put. All those in favor, Mr. Coteau's motion, please rise one at a time to recognize by the clerk. Mr. Naftli, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Daluca, Mr. Sandler, Mr. Sousa, Mr. Sousa, Mrs. Win, Ms. Wyn, Ms. Matthews, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Hoshher, Mr. Shurelli, Mr. Shurelli, Mr. Dugal, Mr. McMean, Mr. McMean, Mr. Tkar, Mr. Tikar, Mr. Cole, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Bardinetti, Mr. Bardinetti, Mr. Delaney, Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon, Mr. Ballard, Mr. Ballard, Mr. Chan, Mr. Coteau, Ms. Hunter, Ms. Hunter, Mr. Leo, Mr. Flin, Mr. Flin, to amend or repeal various acts to enact 3x 3 new acts with respect to construction of new homes and ticket sales is the pleasure of the House of Motion carry I heard I know all those in favor of the motion please say aye all those of the polls please say nay in my opinions the ayes have it calling the members this will be a five-minute bill. Ms. McCharles has moved second reading a bill 166 an act to amend or repeal various acts and to enact three new acts with respect to construction of new homes and ticket sales all those in favor of the motion please rise one at a time be recorded by the clerk. Mr. Nacky, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Del Duca, Mr. Sandler, Mr. Sousa, Mr. Sousa, Ms. Wynne, Ms. Matthew, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Shirelli, Mr. Shirelli, Mr. Dugan, Mr. Dugan, Mr. McMeekin, Mr. McMeekin, Mr. Takkar, Mr. Takkar, Mr. Cole, Mr. Cole, Mr. Bardinetti, Mr. Bardinetti, Mr. Delaney, Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon, Mr. Ballard, Mr. Ballard, Mr. Cotto, Mr. Cotto, Ms. Hunter, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Pettipies, Mr. Cove, Mr. Cove, Mr. Cove, Mr. Gates, Mr. Gates, Mr. Bissau, Mr. Horvath, Mr. Vantah, Mr. Vantah, Mr. Vantelina, Mr. Tabbins, Mr. Miller Hamilton, East Stony Creek, Mr. Miller Hamilton, East Stony Creek, Ms. Sattler, Ms. Taylor, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Nataschak, Ms. Armstrong, Ms. Armstrong, Ms. Fife, Ms. Forrester, Mr. Hatfield, Mr. Hatfield, Ms. Gretzky, Ms. Gretzky, Ms. French. All those polls please rise one at a time be recognized by the clerk. Mr. McClaren. The nays are one. The ayes being 91 and the nays being one. I declare the motion carried. I'll do the same lecture to the president of the law. Shall the bill be ordered for third reading? Attorney General. I ask that the bill be referred to the Standing Committee on Social Policy. So referred. The member from Etobicoke North on a point of order. Thank you, Speaker. All members will know as we wear poppies to honour our veterans, the brave men and women who have served Canada so well. Just to respectfully remind all members of the legislature and staff that the protocol for wearing poppies is that it must be the highest thing on the lapel. It should be higher than any pin of parliament and even the Canadian flag. Thank you, Speaker. The member from Etobicoke North is correct. We would ask all members to respectfully wear the poppy properly. There are no further deferred votes. This House stands recess until 3 p.m. this afternoon.