Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Report continued from volume A.

Supporting Recovery and Competitiveness Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur le soutien à la relance et à la compétitivité

Continuation of the debate on the motion for third reading of the following bill:

Bill 276, An Act to enact and amend various Acts / Projet de loi 276, Loi édictant et modifiant diverses lois.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate? The member from Sudbury.

Mr. Jamie West: Thank you, Speaker, and as I mentioned earlier, I’m glad that you’re feeling okay. For the members who aren’t aware, the Speaker had an accident with a deer. I saw the news, and I’m happy to see that you’re okay. If you still have it, my dad would probably want to clean it.

I’m proud to bring the voice of Sudbury to Bill 276, the Supporting Recovery and Competitive—Competitiveness Act. I struggled to get through that, because not all of the bill actually fits that. It’s 28 schedules; this is an omnibus bill. They call it a red tape bill but, Speaker, it’s an omnibus bill. It’s got 28 schedules. It’s 61 pages. There are some poison pills in here—we’ve talked about it before—and one of them, ironically, is a poison pill that has to do with a school of medicine that would provide health care in northern Ontario. I will expand on that afterwards.

I just want to do a little summary on this. Just like every COVID recovery bill—just about every single one that has come through—the majority of this bill doesn’t have much to do with COVID recovery. There are a bunch of minor technical schedules in here, small changes that are not going to really help people or businesses very much. There are some that will, but there are many that have nothing to do with COVID or the pandemic or recovering from the pandemic.

I often say that the government deserves an award for creative writing when it comes to the titles of their bills. This one really goes back to the 2019 Conservatives and the agenda that they had then. It doubles down on harmful policies that were targeting people who were struggling before the pandemic and people who are struggling now, during the pandemic. Specifically, it makes life harder for people who are on Ontario Works or ODSP, who really struggle. It’s déjà vu all over again, Speaker. It goes right back to the old days of the agenda the government had in 2019.

Let me just be very clear on this: This is a pandemic recovery bill. This is going to help us. We’re hopefully at the tail end of the third wave of COVID-19. This bill has zero in here about paid sick leave still. It has zero in here about vaccination leave. It has nothing in here about rent relief. It has no help for the hairdressers and barbers who have been knocking on my door since February; it’s June now—nothing for them; nothing about smaller class sizes; nothing about fair wages for PSWs; nothing about a commitment to four hours of hands-on care that would started not five years from now; nothing about repealing Bill 124. The Conservatives love to talk about how great nurses are, but they capped them with that 1% wage increase as a max. Imagine that? You have to fight and bargain to hopefully get close to 1%, knowing that the cost of living is typically 2.5% to 3%. And there’s nothing in here about providing enough money for Ontarians who are living on OW and ODSP to make ends meet.

I can go on, because there are 28 schedules. They’re not all bad, but there are some that are really bad. Whenever the government says, “Oh, why don’t you join us?”, why don’t you not put these poison pills into your bills? Why don’t you not put schedules that are ridiculous that we cannot vote for into your bills? Nothing in this bill reflects what health experts are calling for, what small business owners are begging for, what families, workers, students, seniors and the NDP have been calling for. Again, Speaker, this is 2019, pre-pandemic, back to the old agenda.

I really want to talk about NOSM, the University of Hearst and how it affects Laurentian University in Sudbury, but I owe it to the people of Ontario, especially those who are on social assistance, to talk about what’s going to happen with Ontario Works in schedule 21. Just as a summary, it’s going to enable the regulatory framework for changes under Ontario Works. This is basically what the Conservative government announced in 2019. For those of you who remember, there was a promise by the previous government to raise OW/ODSP by 3% in their last election platform. The new government came forward and they cut that in half, to 1.5%. They twisted it and said, “You still got a raise.” But really, imagine you were getting 3%, which is nothing, especially for the money they’re making, but you cut it in half to 1.5%, and now in the middle of a pandemic, you’re marching ahead with the old plan. It is unbelievable.

Speaker, I want to be clear on this: I’m not proud of what the Liberals did. The 3% is nothing, like I said, and for clarity, Speaker, I grew up in subsidized housing. I don’t think my mom was ever on—I think back then they just called it “welfare.” I don’t think she would have told me, but I don’t think she was. As far as I know, she always worked, but my friends’ families were on welfare.

One of my first political memories: I was five years old, and the Liberal government promised they were going to wipe out child poverty. I turn 50 this year. and I have seen Liberal governments and Conservative governments drop the ball on this promise.

Two years ago, the food banks of Ontario announced that more people than ever before who are working full time are accessing food banks on a regular basis. That is a failure. It’s a failure of the Liberal government and it’s a failure of this Conservative government to have so many people starving that they have to go to food banks, and you should be ashamed.

Interjection.

Mr. Jamie West: I’d turn my chair around too, if I were you.

We hit this pandemic, and when CERB came out and people said they can’t work and make ends meet, the federal government immediately said, “You need $2,000.” I mean, they didn’t say that; what really happened was that Jagmeet Singh and the NDP forced them to bring it up to $2,000, and they agreed to it. Can you imagine living on OW/ODSP, finding out that people need $2,000 a month when, for decades, you have been begging for an increase and you’re struggling on OW to make $700 and change, and on ODSP just slightly more than $1,000?

What is the solution this government comes up with in the middle of a pandemic, when the price of food is going up, where you need to buy PPE to get from place to place, where everything is more expensive? Privatize Ontario social service delivery, and I think, from memory, Speaker, that the privatization is going to a US company. So we’re not even stimulating the economy in Canada; we’re just funneling that money out to the States. I don’t know if you know anyone in the States, but their social service program isn’t something we should be modelling. It’s not that great either.

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I want to talk about Karl Ament from Sudbury. Karl is on ODSP. He’s currently facing eviction, and he’s looking for an apartment to move into. Mr. Ament receives a total of $1,169 a month from ODSP. I’m going to repeat that, because the number is so shockingly low: Every month he gets $1,169. As a reminder, that was 1.5% less under the Liberal government. Don’t pat yourself on the back, though. You slashed the 3% promise in half.

Of the $1,169 that Karl receives, he’s supposed to only spend $497, because that’s what it says and that’s what his worker told him. That’s reserved for basic shelter needs, $497, and the remainder of $672 is supposed to be for heat, hydro, his PPE, his clothing, his bus fare and, if Karl is trying to find a job, the ability to go out and apply for those jobs.

The average market rent in Greater Sudbury—I know it’s much higher here. Our average market rent, and it has skyrocketed with COVID, is $921 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, and I think it has gone up since I spoke with Karl. Not only is it almost double what the Conservative government allocates for shelter, it would leave Mr. Ament with $248 to pay all of his bills and find food, and that’s why people on OW and ODSP—and no one will make eye contact with me, because you know it’s true—are going to food banks. That’s why they’re starving: “For the people.”

Here’s the kicker, Speaker: Mr. Ament is a recovering addict. He had an opioid addiction, and he has been sober for over 14 years. Do you know how hard it is to become sober from an opioid addiction? For 14 years, he has done that; I believe he deserves applause and praise for this, and I want to offer it to him on behalf of the Legislature. But more than that, what he needs is affordable housing, so he doesn’t end up homeless. What he needs is ODSP. What he needs is OW, so he has enough money to pay his bills.

And it’s not just Karl; it’s every single person in Ontario who you’ve turned your back on, who you’re ignoring. You’re pretending to look at your phones right now. I’d be ashamed, too, if I were you.

I talked with Karl, and this is what he told me: “I’m very afraid I’ll become homeless, or that I’ll go hungry. Most of all, I’m afraid I’ll fall off the wagon and turn back to opioids.” People like Karl are struggling all over the place, and this government’s solution—in a pandemic, in the third wave of the pandemic, your solution is nothing. It’s to award a contract to a giant US firm, so they can cut people like Karl off, so they can cut them back.

I could go on about this. I’m limited on time, and I do want to talk about schedules 16 and 28. I’m going to start with schedule 28, the Université de Hearst Act. Basically what this does is it separates the University of Hearst from Laurentian University and makes it an independent university. I want to be clear about this: I’m excited for Hearst to become an independent university. I know this is something they’ve been trying for for a long time. I know this is good news for Hearst, but the reality is that this news is bittersweet.

It’s no secret the Conservative government has been under fire for letting Laurentian fail, for damaging the bilingual and francophone programs at Laurentian University. It’s a good first step. I think it’s great that the University of Hearst will be independent, a francophone university in the north. I don’t know if you’ve looked at a map, but the north is big. This isn’t a solution for the failures the Conservative government had at Laurentian University. Hearst is a four-hour drive from where I live, so having a university in Hearst to help the students who are francophone in Sudbury—you might as well have it in Ottawa or Toronto. What we need is a francophone university in Sudbury, and I support the efforts that Sudburians are pulling together to create one at Université de Sudbury.

I celebrate the success of Hearst. I’ve been clear on that, but you have a lot to do as government here. You really need to get your act together.

I’m going to move on to schedule 16, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University Act. I made some notes through debate today. Just working backwards, the member from Guelph spoke, the member from Nickel Belt spoke, the member from Waterloo spoke and the member from Waterloo brought in the voice of the member from Thunder Bay–Atikokan from the NDP. The majority of time of their debate was about how bad an idea this is, how detrimental this will be for health care in northern Ontario, how broken this is and still it marches through, and still the government during questions will ask me something like, “Will you support this bill because of this part of blah-blah?” Speaker, this is the poison pill.

I’ll you a story about NOSM, on how important it is and how it resonates with me. My wife and her friend went to Collège Notre-Dame in Sudbury and they became roommates when they went to Ottawa U. Her roommate is a very successful doctor in Sudbury right now and does wonderful work, but at the time there was no NOSM. There was no Northern Ontario School of Medicine. When she was going to Ottawa U, she met her husband, who’s also from northern Ontario, from farther north than Sudbury. They had a commitment to return back to northern Ontario. They loved it there. The same as everyone in our ridings love where we live, the people in the north love where they live and they want to go back when they leave school. So my wife’s friend had to fight to come to northern Ontario where we don’t have enough doctors. She had to fight. She was from here, wanted to be here. People in the community wanted her to come, the Sisters of Saint Joseph’s sponsored her to come, and she had to fight to come to northern Ontario.

NOSM solves that issue. First of all, the people from the north never leave because those formative years—those eight years it takes to become a doctor, not including the practical time they have to put in—the school years are when you’re most likely to meet your spouse, start putting down roots and make your adult friends and family. It’s when you potentially will have kids, when your kids will start to have friends, and that one day you say, “Goodbye, adult friends. Goodbye, children’s friends. I’m going back to northern Ontario,” is unlikely.

The other half of that, Speaker, is when you don’t have schools in the north, people in the south don’t go north. I’ve met people in Toronto—and I don’t mean this as an insult—who joke that Bloor Street is northern Ontario. I had an interview once in Kingston. They said, “Would you be willing to work in northern Ontario?” I said, “I’m from northern Ontario. I would love to,” and they said—and I’m not even making this up—“No, no. I mean the Far North, like as far north as Barrie.” My colleague from Mushkegowuk–James Bay, when I talk about northern Ontario, he’s like, “Slow down. You’re not from northern Ontario; I’m from northern Ontario.” Rainy River; same thing. It’s a huge northern area.

I want to get back here about NOSM and how important this is.

What happened to Laurentian University is disgraceful, and it falls at the feet of the Conservative Minister of Colleges and Universities. This is the largest failure of any post-secondary institution probably in the history of Ontario, and that blame is with this Conservative Party and this minister.

In June and July, I sent letters asking for additional funding. I had no idea how far in debt they were. I asked for additional funding through the minister. He ignored that. He ignored the follow-up calls. He ignored any efforts I had to contact his office. Then, suddenly this year, the CCAA announcement was made. The minister and the government hid from this. They hid and refused accountability for this. Then he slipped up in an interview and admitted he knew six months ahead of time this was happening, and the result of that lack of action and what falls at the feet of the Conservative government and this minister is that nearly 200 people lost their jobs.

They are predicting a negative annual economic impact of $100 million in my riding. Many programs were cut completely; many programs were almost crippled because of how they were removed. I’ll give you an example. Midwifery, les sages-femmes—one of six in Canada; the only bilingual, the only other French one outside of Quebec, so you can only go there if you go to Quebec; so typically, outside of Quebec, the only French program; fully funded by the Ministry of Health; 300 people apply every single year—has been cut.

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Physics has been cut. Sudbury is the home of the SNOLAB. We won a Nobel Prize. We no longer have a physics program because of the Conservative government.

French mining engineering was cut. We are the nickel capital of the world. We have over a hundred years of mining experience. That was cut.

Indigenous studies has been destroyed. You talk about the 215 shoes—the 215 bodies. Sorry; I was thinking about the shoes that are outside the Legislature. Laurentian University had a tricultural mandate. What they did is, they laid off all of the Indigenous professors who developed the programs over decades from lived experience of their lives, and then they tendered them to anyone who wanted to speak to them, any professor who was remaining. It’s unbelievable.

This is the legacy of the Conservative government. They didn’t just drop the ball on Laurentian University; they deflated the ball, and they forgot the ball in the schoolyard.

I have a minute, and I have more to criticize.

I want to get this on the record, because I hear it again and again: This rhetoric the government says again and again, that only 10% of the students are affected, is false. There’s an error in it. My son, for example, is considered not affected. My son Thomas fell in love with ancient civilizations and philosophy. He was told that he’s not affected even though those programs no longer exist, that he’s not affected because he can now graduate from general arts. He didn’t fall in love with arts. He fell in love with philosophy and ancient civilizations.

The midwifery program, les sages-femmes—their program is 100% eliminated. There will be no more midwives coming out of Laurentian University. But they’re not considered among the 10% affected because they can graduate from health promotion. Two of my three children were born with midwives. I didn’t phone in to health promotion to help us with the births.

The members who spoke before me spoke about schedule 16 and NOSM, how bad and broken it is. It’s completely broken. It has to be removed.

You are going to doom northern Ontario because of this bill. It’s an error. You’ve made a bad mistake.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Questions?

Mr. John Vanthof: I’d like to thank the member from Sudbury for his remarks on Bill 276.

One of the greatest challenges in northern Ontario for people—and for businesses, actually, to attract people—is lack of access to doctors, and one of the things that has helped with that is the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Yet in this bill, which is called the Supporting Recovery and Competitiveness Act, schedule 16 actually threatens the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. How could that be in a bill like this? And how could we vote for a bill like this?

Mr. Jamie West: The reality is, the short version is, we can’t.

I attended deputations, and there were groups that brought forward several warnings that I didn’t get to in my debate. The Conservative government failed to have fulsome consultation with stakeholders. I don’t know if they consulted with anyone, but I couldn’t find anyone they did consult with.

The Globe and Mail said, “Lakehead University president Moira McPherson released a statement saying the university was not consulted and is very concerned about the move’s implications.” Lakehead University’s president, who has a partnership with NOSM, along with Laurentian University, wasn’t consulted.

We couldn’t vote for this. It is so broken and damaging and detrimental. It is so wrong. We can’t support this in any way.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further questions?

Mr. John Vanthof: On a daily basis, I get contacted by municipalities in my riding, by family health teams—actually, it happened today. The biggest challenge? Getting doctors in northern Ontario. The biggest saviour we’ve had has been the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. There is still a huge shortage, but the Northern Ontario School of Medicine is actually a solution. And yet, this bill threatens the Northern Ontario School of Medicine by making it an independent body.

Could the member tell us how many other independent schools of medicine there are in Canada or North America?

Mr. Jamie West: The answer is, quite simply, zero, 0.000000. There are none.

Let me tell you something else that’s wrong with this that came up during the deputations: It overwrites collective agreements, so you could have, potentially, a challenge when it comes to the—

Interjection.

Mr. Jamie West: Yes.

The Liberals did this with Bill 115. It cost the province millions of dollars. They attacked the collective bargaining agreements.

And the Conservatives stumbled on this with the Power Workers, when the Premier announced that he was going to force them back to work before they had a vote on the strike.

We have a right, as humans, to join a union. When you attack collective agreements, when you violate those rights—you can’t do it. The consequences: First of all, you’re breaking the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Secondly, it costs the province a ton of money.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further questions?

Mr. Aris Babikian: The bill will create favourable conditions to protect and increase access to French-language services in the health care sector, including in long-term care. Legally enabling the vulnerable French-language-service designation for municipal and joint long-term-care homes will be an important tool to increase and protect services in French in the health care sector. Are the opposition against increasing the French-language-services designation in health care?

Mr. Jamie West: As I mentioned, this bill has 28 schedules, 61 pages.

You want to talk about services in French? Your government, as a result of your inaction—the only francophone midwifery program outside of Quebec, the only bilingual midwifery program in Canada, and the only midwifery program in northern Ontario was cancelled because of you.

Don’t point to the one schedule and pretend that it solves what you did, the errors you made and the damage that was caused from this.

I know the importance of the French language, Speaker. J’apprends la langue française toujours. Aujourd’hui, c’est mon 625^e jour d’apprendre avec mon application, et chaque semaine avec mon professeur, j’apprends la langue française aussi, depuis 2018.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further questions?

Mr. John Vanthof: Bill 276 is an omnibus bill, basically. It has a lot of schedules in it. Some schedules actually aren’t bad. But schedule 16, for instance, which threatens the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, threatens health care in northern Ontario, is what’s called a poison pill. Often, governments put in poison pills just to wedge the opposition. We understand that game.

What would prompt the government to put in a poison pill that could threaten the future and the current health care of large portions of the province—specifically, northern Ontario, where we get our doctors from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine?

Mr. Jamie West: I don’t understand why the government put poison pills in their bills.

I remember—I think it was the 2019 budget. There was an earlier budget where the member from Nipissing kept saying how the NDP voted against senior dental care: “I can’t believe you voted against senior dental care.” If you look at the details there, seniors who qualified for this had to make, I believe, $19,000 or less a year—I could be off on the numbers, but it was less than $20,000 a year—and have no other access to dental care. It would help so few seniors. You want senior dental care, any dental care? A hundred per cent; I’m with you. But stop with this—stop. It’s bad politics and it’s not what Ontario deserves. It’s not what the people we represent deserve, and I mean all of us. We’ve got to get away from this nonsense.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Questions?

M^me Natalia Kusendova: Je veux parler un peu au sujet des services en français et ce que notre gouvernement a fait pour épanouir les services en français. Par exemple, on a la formation des préposés au soutien à la personne, les « PSWs ». On a investi 115 millions de dollars dans la formation de 8 200 préposés au soutien à la personne, y compris dans nos deux collèges francophones, Collège Boréal et collège La Cité. On a aussi signé un accord historique de former la première université francophone, gérée par et pour les francophones. Je parle, bien sûr, de l’Université de l’Ontario français.

And in this bill, in schedule 9, we are proposing that municipal homes are now able to be licensed under the FLSA as well in order to expand services for francophones in our long-term care sector.

So why does the member opposite not support this bill, including schedule 9, in order to expand those very-much-needed long-term-care services for our francophones in Ontario?

Mr. Jamie West: Thank you to the member from Mississauga Centre. I appreciate the French in the question. But in order to hit the time limit, I want to be very clear about this: You can’t whitewash your history when and comes to the francophone university. The only reason we have a francophone university is because the federal government said, “We’ll pay the freight until you guys are out of office.”

When you attacked French language services in Ontario, there was a rally outside of my office so angry at you that we filled the entire parking lot.

We had a day at Queen’s Park where we had to wear a green tie—I can’t remember, it was for mental health, I believe. I couldn’t find a single item of green clothing in Sudbury because the green and white, as you know, in the drapeau franco-ontarien, is the colour of the francophones in Ontario.

You’ve done so much damage for this government—Speaker, sorry; I apologize for not addressing you. Speaker, the Conservative government has done so much damage to the francophones in Ontario. For them to be on their high horse now and say, “We respect them; we love them; we care about them,” I’ll tell you one thing: My wife is French. They have long memories and you don’t want to make them angry.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Unfortunately, there isn’t enough time for an additional question; however, further debate. Further debate? Further debate?

Mr. Sarkaria has moved third reading of Bill 276, An Act to enact and amend various Acts. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry?

I heard a no.

All those in favour of the motion will please say “aye.”

All those opposed to the motion will please say “nay.”

In my opinion, the ayes have it.

A recorded vote being required, it will be deferred until the next instance of deferred votes.

Third reading vote deferred.

Order of business

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I recognize the member from Oakville on a point of order.

Mr. Stephen Crawford: You read my mind, Speaker; you’re a brilliant man.

Point of order: I seek unanimous consent to move a motion without notice respecting the passage of private bills.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Mr. Crawford is seeking unanimous consent to put forth a motion without notice respecting the passage of private bills. Agreed? Agreed.

Back to the member from Oakville.

Mr. Stephen Crawford: Thank you, Speaker. I move that the order for second and third reading of the following private bills shall be called consecutively and the questions on the motions for second and third reading of the bills be put immediately without debate:

Bill Pr34, An Act to revive Apollo Shawarma and Grill Inc.;

Bill Pr37, An Act respecting the Parya Trillium Foundation;

Bill Pr39, An Act to revive Robe Investments & Consulting Services Limited;

Bill Pr40, An Act to revive Castleform Developments Inc.;

Bill Pr41, An Act to revive 2560462 Ontario Ltd.;

Bill Pr42, An Act to revive Hawke-Lea Holdings Ltd.;

Bill Pr43, An Act to revive 2271767 Ontario Inc.;

Bill Pr44, An Act to revive 2353043 Ontario Inc.;

Bill Pr45, An Act to revive 1825821 Ontario Ltd.;

Bill Pr46, An Act to revive Shuang Ying Company Ltd.;

Bill Pr48, An Act to revive Darvey Holdings Limited;

Bill Pr49, An Act to revive Woodex Inc.;

Bill Pr50, An Act to revive Whittrick N D T Services Ltd.; and

That the member for Oakville may move the motions for second and third readings of Bills Pr34, Pr37, Pr40, Pr42, Pr43, Pr44, Pr45, Pr46, Pr48 and Pr49 on behalf of the respective sponsors.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Mr. Crawford has moved that the orders for second and third reading of the following private bills shall be called consecutively and the questions on the motions for second and third reading of the bills be put immediately without debate:

Bill Pr34, An Act—

Interjection: Dispense.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I heard “dispense.” Agreed? Agreed.

Motion agreed to.

Apollo Shawarma and Grill Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Harris, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr34, An Act to revive Apollo Shawarma and Grill Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Apollo Shawarma and Grill Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Harris, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr34, An Act to revive Apollo Shawarma and Grill Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Parya Trillium Foundation Act (Tax Relief), 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Kanapathi, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr37, An Act respecting the Parya Trillium Foundation

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Parya Trillium Foundation Act (Tax Relief), 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Kanapathi, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr37, An Act respecting the Parya Trillium Foundation

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Robe Investments & Consulting Services Limited Act, 2021

Ms. Fife moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr39, An Act to revive Robe Investments & Consulting Services Limited

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

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Robe Investments & Consulting Services Limited Act, 2021

Ms. Fife moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr39, An Act to revive Robe Investments & Consulting Services Limited

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Castleform Developments Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Stan Cho, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr40, An Act to revive Castleform Developments Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Castleform Developments Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Stan Cho, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr40, An Act to revive Castleform Developments Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in motion.

Third reading agreed to.

2560462 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr41, An Act to revive 2560462 Ontario Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

2560462 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr41, An Act to revive 2560462 Ontario Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Hawke-Lea Holdings Ltd. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Ms. Hogarth, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr42, An Act to revive Hawke-Lea Holdings Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Hawke-Lea Holdings Ltd. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Ms. Hogarth, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr42, An Act to revive Hawke-Lea Holdings Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

2271767 Ontario Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mrs. Wai, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr43, An Act to revive 2271767 Ontario Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

2271767 Ontario Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mrs. Wai, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr43, An Act to revive 2271767 Ontario Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

2353043 Ontario Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Kanapathi, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr44, An Act to revive 2353043 Ontario Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

2353043 Ontario Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Kanapathi, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr44, An Act to revive 2353043 Ontario Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

1825821 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Stan Cho, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr45, An Act to revive 1825821 Ontario Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

1825821 Ontario Ltd. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Stan Cho, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr45, An Act to revive 1825821 Ontario Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried enthusiastically.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Shuang Ying Company Ltd. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Stan Cho, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr46, An Act to revive Shuang Ying Company Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Shuang Ying Company Ltd. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Stan Cho, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr46, An Act to revive Shuang Ying Company Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Darvey Holdings Limited Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Fraser, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr48, An Act to revive Darvey Holdings Limited.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

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Darvey Holdings Limited Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mr. Fraser, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr48, An Act to revive Darvey Holdings Limited.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Woodex Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mrs. Wai, moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr49, An Act to revive Woodex Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Woodex Inc. Act, 2021

Mr. Crawford, on behalf of Mrs. Wai, moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr49, An Act to revive Woodex Inc.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Whittrick N D T Services Ltd. Act, 2021

Ms. Fife moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr50, An Act to revive Whittrick N D T Services Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

Whittrick N D T Services Ltd. Act, 2021

Ms. Fife moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr50, An Act to revive Whittrick N D T Services Ltd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Orders of the day? I recognize the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Speaker, I think if you seek it, you’ll find unanimous consent to see the clock at 6.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): The government House leader is seeking unanimous consent to see the clock at 6. Agreed? Agreed.

Private Members’ Public Business

Nikola Tesla Day Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur le Jour de Nikola Tesla

Mr. Rakocevic moved second reading of the following bill:

Bill 293, An Act to proclaim July 10 as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario / Projet de loi 293, Loi proclamant le 10 juillet Jour de Nikola Tesla en Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Pursuant to standing order 101, the member has 12 minutes for his presentation. At the end of the 12-minute opening remarks, the debate will proceed with members of the various parties speaking in rotation.

I will now turn it over to the member from Humber River–Black Creek to begin debate.

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: Thank you, Speaker. We live in an era of technological wonder, but for the most part we take it for granted. Flip a switch and voilà, a dark room is illuminated and we can see. But technology that has now become mundane was once considered a miraculous wonder.

We live in a world of what was once science fiction, dreamed into reality by countless people of science, engineering and medicine, but do we ever take the time to truly see and recognize those brilliant minds that made this possible?

Today, in some small way, I hope to change this as I table the second reading of a bill to recognize and honour the life of a man who changed the world, a prolific inventor of 300 worldwide patents to his name, who developed a three-phase system of electric power transmission that ushered in a new era for humanity.

The advent of this alternating current system and hydro power is also linked to the history of Ontario itself. In fact, our very own Sir Adam Beck was knighted for his promotion of publicly owned electricity grids and development of transmission lines. Schools were named after him, power stations and more, but what of the scientist who made this all possible?

In the words of retired chemistry professor Dr. Majda Djordjevic, “That man, often overlooked, is responsible for 80% of everything powered by electricity that we use in our daily life, making it not just easier and more comfortable but” entirely “possible all together.” He arrived as a poor immigrant to America in 1884, and after all that he created, he died penniless and all but forgotten in his own time. But you’ve all heard his name by now: Nikola Tesla. You’ve heard of the car, but have you heard of him?

To tell the story of Nikola Tesla’s life and achievement in such a short time I admit is an impossible task, and much better suited to Tesla’s friend and contemporary Mark Twain. I can only offer you a very abbreviated sample of his early life, details on the advent of the polyphase alternating-current system—only one of many life-changing technologies he patented—and touch on its subsequent introduction here in Ontario. It is my hope to whet your appetite to learn more about this remarkable scientist and engineer, whose technologies changed the world. It is my hope today that you will join me and vote to proclaim every July 10, his birthday, as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario, as it is celebrated elsewhere.

Let me begin at the stroke of midnight on July 10, 1856, and, ironically, in the midst of a great thunderstorm, Nikola Tesla was born an ethnic Serb in the town of Smiljan in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, now present-day Croatia. His father, Milutin, was a well-respected and educated Serbian Orthodox priest. His mother, Djuka, although not formally educated, was very technically talented. Tesla attributed his initial interest in innovation to her and said she was “an inventor of the first order and would, I believe, have achieved great things had she not been so remote from modern life and its multifold opportunities.” This reflection may have instilled his future desire for innovation to improve the lives of everyone.

As a child and young student, Tesla had an eidetic memory, was a voracious reader and was gifted in mathematics. When the young Tesla was shown a steel engraving of Niagara Falls by his uncle, he envisioned it turning a great water wheel, and he ambitiously declared he would travel to America to one day harness its energy—a feat he would accomplish 30 years later.

Although his father hoped his son would enter the priesthood, Tesla dreamed of becoming an engineer, and after a near-death experience after contracting cholera at age 17, he enrolled in the Austrian Polytechnic School in Graz. A brilliant and inexhaustible student, Tesla barely slept and spent most of his time in the library, reading and studying languages, of which he fluently spoke eight. He regularly debated his professors and believed that a motor could be more efficiently powered through alternating current as opposed to direct current, which was the staple of the times.

In 1892, Tesla, now living in Budapest, was out for a walk with a friend when the vision for the concept of the induction motor came to him. Tesla described the moment as, “The idea came to me like a flash of lightning and in an instant the truth was revealed. I drew with a stick on the sand the diagram shown six years later in my address before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.”

It was said at the time that Tesla was able to envision all his inventions three-dimensionally in his mind and down to the finest detail. He could construct a flawlessly working model upon his first attempt. Soon after, Tesla moved to France and worked for Edison’s continental company in Strasbourg, where he was hired to improve their DC generation facilities. In 1883, he constructed his first polyphase AC induction motor, but was unable to gain interest from European investors. Tesla believed that he would have better opportunities elsewhere.

The next year, being highly recommended to Thomas Edison, a 28-year-old Tesla sailed to America to meet and ultimately briefly work for the renowned inventor and businessman. And so in 1884, Tesla arrived in New York by boat, with the clothing on his back, four cents and a letter of reference. After they met, Edison promised this brilliant but penniless eastern European immigrant that he would pay him $50,000 if he could make improvements to his DC system. Tesla tried to convince Edison that AC was the future, but Edison was unmoved, so Tesla agreed to help improve Edison’s DC system, working at the Edison Machine Works for as much as 19 hours a day until he presented a solution. But when the time came to be paid, Edison refused and claimed the offer was in jest, saying, “When you become a full-fledged American, you will appreciate an American joke.”

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Justifiably outraged, Tesla quit and worked at digging ditches for $2 a day to make ends meet while looking for backers to invest in his plans for alternating current. Although not interested in AC, a group of investors sought Tesla’s assistance in an improved method of arc lighting. Once again, Tesla, a poor immigrant, would be taken advantage of. After inventing a new and efficient arc lamp, all of the money went to the investors, and Tesla was left with worthless stock certificates.

Finally, Tesla was able to secure an investor interested in his AC motor. With money from A.K. Brown of the Western Union company, Tesla established a small laboratory and quickly developed right then and there the entire components that are still used in AC power generation and transmission today.

He then filed for and obtained the associated patents for the complete system of power transmission, including motors, generators, transformers, transmission lines and lighting. But it wasn’t until the wealthy entrepreneur and engineer George Westinghouse approached Tesla that the war for the future between DC and AC would begin. Convinced that Tesla’s inventions would indeed be the future for long-distance power transmission, Westinghouse purchased Tesla’s patents for $60,000, including cash, shares and more. In classic Tesla fashion, he poured most of his money into his laboratory to pursue further innovations.

Unwilling to go down without a fight, Edison teamed up with a professor named Harold Brown, who began an intense propaganda campaign to proclaim the dangers of alternating current. Together, they set up inhumane and horrific demonstrations by electrocuting old horses, dogs, elephants and even a convicted murderer through a modified AC generator. In the end, Edison received his comeuppance in his treatment of Tesla when the Westinghouse corporation won the bid to illuminate the Chicago World’s Fair through the use of AC power over DC. On May 1, 1893, US President Grover Cleveland flipped a switch and illuminated over 100,000 incandescent bulbs that would dazzle the fair’s 27 million visitors. From that day forward, there was no looking back.

Ontarians were among the earliest benefactors of AC technology in the world. In the late 1800s, steam was used widely here to generate power, but it was very limited in the distance this power could be transmitted. So, in 1894, a group of five Hamilton businessmen, later known as the five Johns, led by John Patterson, visited the Dean Adams power plant in Niagara Falls, New York, with the hopes of bringing AC power to Hamilton. Patterson had plans to develop an electric railway system and was interested in gaining access to cheap and efficient new hydroelectric power, but the Americans refused to sell hydro power to Canada, even at double the rates, and the water rights at Niagara Falls were already sold off, leaving Patterson’s plans literally dead in the water.

Undeterred, Patterson reached out to Tesla in 1896, with details on a plan to construct the DeCew Falls power generating station, just south of St. Catharines, with the intent to transmit power over 40 kilometres to Hamilton. Tesla personally reviewed and approved of the plans, and only two years later, on November 12, 1898, the station was opened. The transmission of power from the DeCew Falls station to Hamilton became the second-largest transmission line of its time, with the media excitedly proclaiming that the event would go down in the electrical annals of Canada as a red-letter day. With that, Hamilton became the first major city in Canada to be powered by this new AC technology.

Dr. Colin Campbell, a physics teacher in the Hamilton public school board, reflects on the impact Tesla’s innovations had on the city:

“As a proud Hamiltonian, I was not aware how much the prosperity and growth of our city owes to Nikola Tesla. Hamilton’s early reputation as ‘the Electric City’ was due to the transfer of electrical power from a location near St. Catharines to Hamilton, using Tesla’s concept of AC power transmission. This plentiful supply of low-cost electricity persuaded Westinghouse to set up his factory in the city. The steel industries of Stelco and Dofasco were based on the AC induction furnace, which attracted immigrants from all over Europe to make Hamilton their home. With its radial electric railway, based on Tesla’s induction motor, at the time, Hamilton enjoyed the most advanced transportation system of any city in Canada.”

To this very day, the DeCew Falls power generating station continues to remain in operation, nearly 125 years later, and is the oldest continuously operating power station in the world.

It would be another 13 years before AC electric power would be widely used in Toronto, thanks in large part to the efforts of William Hubbard, the city’s first elected Black city councillor. And within 25 years of Nikola Tesla’s announcement of his invention of the polyphase AC system, every major municipality and township in southern Ontario would receive electrical power. Through Tesla’s AC system, which could transmit power over thousands of kilometres, countless Ontario households, farms and businesses entered a new age of prosperity through scientific ingenuity.

But in this short time, I have only touched the surface of Nikola Tesla’s innovation. As I said earlier, he held 300 worldwide patents, but I only covered a scant few. Each innovation and patent is worthy of a story itself. They include but are not limited to remote control; neon lamps; radio broadcast technology; and the magnifying transmitter, through the use of his Tesla coils, which was the precursor to the wireless electricity technology of the present, imagined a remarkable 100 years earlier and, unfortunately, the project that ultimately led to his financial downfall.

Beyond his innovations, there is still so much to discover about Nikola Tesla, from his dreams to provide free and clean wireless power to everyone, to his opposition to the reliance on coal and fossil fuel power in his time, from the indescribable loss of scientific knowledge when his renowned lab burned down in 1895, from his hardships as a new immigrant in North America and the circumstances that led to the seclusion and poverty he experienced in his later life. One of humanity’s greatest minds, a man who changed the world died alone in a hotel in New York at the age of 81, in 1943.

So much of the convenience, comfort and prosperity of our times came from the mind and work of Nikola Tesla. There is so much more to learn, both about him and from him. But I leave that for you to discover and celebrate every July 10, if you are willing to join me today.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate?

Mr. Stephen Crawford: It’s an honour to rise today in the Legislature to discuss Bill 293, the Nikola Tesla Day Act, introduced by my colleague opposite. This bill seeks to proclaim July 10 as Nikola Tesla Day in honour of Nikola Tesla, who was an important inventor and engineer.

Nikola Tesla was determined to change the world. His work led to many important inventions that we use every day, such as the alternating current, which the member mentioned, the electric motor, the radio, remote control.

Inventors change the lives of others because of their creations. One of his most significant inventions was the alternating current.

Nikola Tesla’s memory remains at the forefront today, of course, with Tesla, Inc., formerly Tesla Motors, which is named after Nikola Tesla. His invention of the alternating current electric motor is used in their vehicles. In fact, in my riding of Oakville we’re proud to have a Tesla dealership. The electric motor is an important invention that is revolutionizing the world today, and of course, being used in electric vehicles, it has a positive impact by reducing carbon emissions.

Speaking of electric vehicles, I also want to take this opportunity to mention and highlight the Ford Motor Co. of Canada’s Oakville assembly complex, which is located in my riding. The Ford plant is a staple of my community, employing well over 3,000 people. Residents have a deep connection to the Ford plant, and they know its importance not only as a direct employer in my community but also as a secondary employer for our local businesses and the supply chain throughout Ontario.

Having manufacturing in Ontario will be critical to the economic rebound that our province is set to have. We need jobs here, not overseas, and our government continues to support Ontarians and my Oakville community.

In the fall of 2020, our government announced a $295-million investment to help retool the plant for the production of electric vehicles. It was an honour to host Premier Ford and the Minster of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade in my riding to make that exciting announcement. By retooling the Ford assembly complex, my community can rest assured that employment will continue for many, many years there and have a positive effect on the environment.

Electric motors are not only being used by the Tesla car manufacturer, but other companies seeing this for the future. This technology is a game-changer, and to keep pace with this tradition, Tesla has been working to build superchargers throughout our province. Soon, we will not only be seeing gas stations, but electric vehicle charging stations will become a prominent feature of our roadways.

I know the member mentioned green technology in the preamble of the bill. Changing technologies as a power source is also contributing to a greener Ontario. Our government has been advancing this through the efforts of emission-free nuclear technology. Oakville is the hub of nuclear energy development in Ontario. Important technology such as small modular reactors are being developed by many companies in my community. Our province, alongside Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, signed an agreement to explore nuclear technology using small modular reactors as a power source. It is this legacy of Nikola Tesla and his important work that make our province a better place.

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I will say that while this bill is symbolic, it offers a chance for important figures to be recognized for their amazing accomplishments. Our province has special days of recognition for various groups and individuals, and it is good for the member opposite to bring this bill forward on someone he believes should be recognized for the achievements they made.

With that, Speaker, I offer my support to the member from Humber River–Black Creek for this bill, and I’ll conclude my time with that.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The next speech, the member for Niagara Falls.

Mr. Wayne Gates: I’m happy to be able to rise today to discuss this important recognition of a remarkable man of Serbian heritage. Nikola Tesla changed history and the world as we know it with his technology that he produced. It’s impossible for any of us to even go a day without seeing with our eyes the contribution that Tesla has made to our world. This is especially true down in Niagara Falls.

As many of you are aware, we produce a great deal of electricity in Niagara Falls. There’s a reason we call it “hydro” so often around there: because our electricity is largely hydroelectric. The power generation would not have been possible without the technology that Tesla invented. The Sir Adam Beck generation station, operated by the amazing workers down in OPG, would not have been possible without Tesla. Quite frankly, I know this is something my late, dear friend Peter Kormos has said in this House before: Sir Adam Beck may have been a footnote in our history book if it wasn’t for the invention of Tesla.

Beyond the hydro produced with Tesla’s invention in Niagara Falls, something I’m very proud of, we are home to a vibrant Serbian population. Our Serbian community is so very proud of the legacy of Tesla, and rightfully so. Down near the base of the Falls—and I know a lot of my colleagues have been to the Falls—on the Niagara Parkway, we have a wonderful statue and monument to signify the incredible contribution that Nikola Tesla has provided to our country and our world. Every time we experience electricity today in Ontario, we owe a debt to Mr. Tesla. He is very important to how we as a province generate power. But also, his legacy was very forward-thinking. His vision dreamed of a future of renewable energy, a vision we should honour.

So, today, I am proud of my colleague for Humber River–Black Creek for putting together this legislation, and I’m happy to support it today. Making July 10 Nikola Tesla Day will be important, not only to celebrate his contribution he provided to our world, but also celebrating science—something, as a government, we must continue to do.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate?

Mr. Kaleed Rasheed: I rise today to speak in support of Bill 293, the Nikola Tesla Day Act, brought forward by the member from Humber River–Black Creek. Bill 293, if passed, would mark July 10 of every year as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario. I want to thank the member from Humber River–Black Creek for bringing this bill to the floor so that everyone in this Legislature can be reminded of the spirit of creativity that can motivate people to do great things for their society.

For those who may not know, Nikola Tesla was a Serbian American contemporary of Thomas Edison. He was so prolific in his work that he had 700 patents for his inventions throughout his life. In 1888, Tesla pioneered the polyphase alternating current we commonly refer to as AC, and the long-distance transmission system for that AC to be delivered to homes, factories, offices and hospitals.

Speaker, Nikola Tesla’s inventions changed the way the world worked, and we make use of his technology every day. But what does a Serbian American inventor from over a century ago have to do with Ontario? Nikola Tesla’s invention was adopted into a hydroelectric power plant at Niagara Falls, bringing electric power to homes and businesses across southern Ontario and the nearby city of Buffalo.

Nikola Tesla was born on July 10, so it makes sense to celebrate him and his accomplishments on his birthday. In 2006, the Serbian community in Ontario celebrated Nikola Tesla’s 150th birthday with the unveiling of the Tesla monument in Niagara Parks Commission’s Queen Victoria Park at Niagara Falls, Ontario. And more recently, in 2019, the plaza surrounding the statue was proclaimed as Nikola Tesla Plaza.

Speaker, I remember my kids and I have spent many summer afternoons visiting the falls, and more than once, we have passed the monument, which features Nikola Tesla standing on top of an AC motor overlooking the falls. I remember my older kids loved to learn about the inventor who brought light to the world by being creative and working hard to achieve his dreams of making a difference in the world. Even though Nikola Tesla himself was not from Ontario, he represents the pioneering spirit all Ontarians share in working hard to make the world a better place for their communities. I believe that honouring such a man with a day of recognition is the right thing to do for Ontario and especially for all of Ontario’s children, who will definitely be inspired by his story.

We all know of the hugely successful Tesla Motors company, which was inspired by Nikola Tesla. Their success is also Ontario’s success: In 2019, Tesla has operated research and development, also known as R&D, and manufacturing facilities in Ontario which employ over 340 Ontarians today. These operations largely focus on the design and construction of high-speed, continuous-motion, battery-assembly-line machines in support of battery cost reduction. Additionally, Tesla opened its first super-charger station, with eight super-chargers, on Lawrence Avenue in Toronto in 2014. Today, Tesla has built 522 super-chargers at 50 stations, with connectivity from Kenora to Toronto, Ottawa and Windsor.

We have all seen the sleek Tesla vehicles on Ontario’s roads. These cars represent the future of where our technology is heading. And as someone with a background in technology myself, I would not be more excited to see what they do next.

Speaker, Nikola Tesla was just one man with a lot of great ideas and the drive and motivation to invest his time and hard work into making them a reality. His ambition changed the way the world worked, and I believe that it is a great idea to honour him with a day of recognition.

I want to once again thank my friend from Humber River–Black Creek for bringing Bill 293. I look forward to learning more about Nikola Tesla and celebrating him with my kids this July, on July 10. I hope my colleagues in the House will join me in supporting Bill 293.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate?

Miss Monique Taylor: I’m pleased to be able to support Bill 293 from my colleague from Humber River–Black Creek to establish Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario.

As we know, Tesla is one of the scientists to whom we owe much of our modern world. Without his advances in electricity creating alternating current production and transmission systems, our progress as a species would have been stunted. We use AC electricity in all of our homes, and it powers all of our businesses.

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Hamilton was the first city in Ontario to receive electric power. Tesla himself consulted on the project to bring electricity to Hamilton. The cheap electrical power was the cause of Hamilton’s manufacturing boom. It is why industries started or relocated in Hamilton. Big industrial players and large employers were attracted to Hamilton because of the cheap power. Businesses like Westinghouse, International Harvester, Otis Elevator, Canadian Canners Consolidated, Proctor and Gamble, Stelco and Dofasco all sprang up in Hamilton.

Hamilton’s electricity was supplied by DeCew Falls Generating Station No. 1 in Niagara, which was built in 1898 and is still running. That station was built by Hamiltonians. They ran that electricity 50 kilometres to Hamilton, which then branded itself as the “Electric City,” a place with affordable power.

The importance of this electrical power coming when it did could not be overstated. Our manufacturing sector grew because of this important infrastructure. Recognizing the importance of Tesla’s contributions in 2015, our city council voted to rename part of Burlington Street as Nikola Tesla Boulevard in his honour. It was in large part due to a group of committed residents who organized and started to lobby council and built the case. They also fundraised, and they raised nearly $200,000 to help pay for all of the new road signage and to provide awards and scholarships.

Tesla aside, Speaker, one of the major lessons here is that infrastructure investments are so important to our municipalities. Investing in infrastructure pays dividends in the long run. That’s why I’m pleased to see that the Hamilton LRT is moving forward, despite this government’s attempt to cancel it.

I’m proud to support my colleague’s bill because it’s impossible to even go a day without seeing Tesla’s contributions. This would be an opportunity for education. Schools across Ontario could recognize Nikola Tesla Day and use it as an opportunity for science education. This day could be a recognition of many great contributions of Canadians of Serbian descent, as Tesla was Serbian. Serbian Canadians improved our province, continue to improve our province and our economy and our culture here in Ontario.

I’m very pleased to hear that the government will be supporting this bill so that we can establish July 10 each year as Nikola Tesla Day. Congratulations to the member from Humber River–Black Creek. It’s a good bill, and it will give us an opportunity to celebrate someone who has made huge contributions worldwide.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate?

Ms. Catherine Fife: It’s a pleasure to join the debate on the member from Humber River–Black Creek’s PMB. I do want to say about this particular member that he has been consistent about bringing the priorities and the values of the people in his riding, and that’s reflected, of course, in today’s motion in honouring the heritage and the history of that riding. Also, he’s very adept at rebuilding trust and genuine relationships that are reflected in the values that he brings to this place.

I do want to say that Tesla—I didn’t know a lot about this particular individual, so I was really quite pleased to do the research on this. He was a “true visionary and futurist.” Tesla “raised concerns with the use of fossil fuels,” for instance, and “he also dreamed of free and renewable energy.” We have heard that he poured a lot of his money and his efforts “into furthering scientific research, ultimately dying alone and penniless. We use his inventions daily, but often fail to recognize his immense contribution to modern society.”

I think when we are talking about the work of scientists, “our world reflects the realized dreams of countless scientists, engineers and people of medicine. As our daily lives have been greatly improved through their visionary work, it is important that we acknowledge their lives” and their sacrifices.

“Observing Nikola Tesla Day on July 10 will serve as an inspiration to future generations.” In fact, I might add, it already is. Abi Chandrasekhar and Gonzalo Espinoza Graham, two graduates of the bachelor of science program at the University of Waterloo, founded a company called Watfly—you may want to invest—a company that is developing flying cars, after they won $50,000 from the Velocity Fund Pitch Competition in 2019. This would not have been possible without the co-op term that they participated in and completed at Tesla.

About the personal aircrafts they are developing, these two students told the University of Waterloo magazine in the fall of 2020—so this is very recent: “On a day-to-day basis, your life is defined by the modes of transport you can access. If you’re limited by the amount of commuting you can do, then where you live, work and shop all revolve around that constraint. But if you can make a 500- or 1,000-kilometre commute, that changes everything.” Some of us can empathize with the commute, especially our northern members.

M^me France Gélinas: Where do I buy one of those?

Ms. Catherine Fife: Yes, you can invest pretty soon. Watfly’s first aircraft is named Atlas, and it will fly at about 100 kilometres per hour, roughly the same speed as a car. However, Espinoza Graham says their long-term goal is to create a vehicle that moves four to five times faster. The aircraft would complement other high-speed technologies like the Hyperloop, giving commuters choice between public and private transportation. So just think, from the government benches, you will not have to spend that $8 billion on Highway 413 that nobody needs. You should just start investing in Watfly.

“It’s an ambitious goal, fuelled ... by the pair’s first co-op terms at Tesla.” He says, “‘But actually working at Tesla and seeing what it takes to disrupt an industry ... suddenly it all seemed very possible.’

“Student design teams allowed the pair to test their concept and hone their leadership skills during their terms on campus. With mentorship from Peter Teertstra ... director of the Sedra Student Design Centre, and Jay Shah,” who is the “former director of the Velocity entrepreneurship programs, they took the steps to turn their ideas and their research into a business. ‘We’re surrounded by dreamers and doers,’ Chandrasekhar says. ‘That energy feeds off itself. It has really helped us go after this vision.’

This is the type of innovation in Waterloo that not only has the potential to transform the way that we live and how we travel, but that would make Nikola Tesla proud. The entrepreneurial spirit of University of Waterloo graduates Abi and Gonzalo embodies the visionary mind of Nikola Tesla that this bill aims to celebrate.

So I thought it would be very powerful to bring a current story to the floor of the Legislature that was inspired by Nikola Tesla. The future is bright because of the innovation and the research that Nikola Tesla shared with the province of Ontario and, indeed, the world. In turn, that return on investment on research, in research, has proven to make society better, make society more fair and, obviously, will change the way we work, live and, in this instance, commute.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate?

Ms. Goldie Ghamari: It’s an honour to rise and speak to the member’s motion here. I wasn’t planning on speaking, but when I told my sister that we’re debating Nikola Tesla Day in the Legislature, she was incredibly excited because, as an engineer, this is something that’s really important to her.

I’m just going to read some of the WhatsApp messages that she sent me. She said that, “Nikola Tesla is a rock star. He needs to be recognized and honoured.” She also said that this is an incredible initiative because it’s very inspiring to young engineers, especially women engineers and women who are in STEM in general. So it’s such a pleasure to support this motion. I’m happy to say some words on behalf of my sister, and I do agree with her and with the member that Nikola Tesla is a rock star.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Further debate? Further debate?

All right. The member for Humber River–Black Creek has two minutes to reply.

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I want to thank all the members that spoke today for their insightful comments. Nikola Tesla has always had a niche group of admirers—scientists, engineers and many others—but his recognition has mostly been eluded by the general public. I want to thank all of those who, over the years, have taken the time to educate the public and to raise awareness of the many great innovations and significant contributions that Nikola Tesla made to our modern world. They worked to promote a great scientist as a role model for us all.

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I want to thank Vic Djurdjevic, Dr. Colin Campbell, Dr. Majda Djordjevic, Zoran Cvijetic and Tatjana Pavlovic, who helped research, draft and spread word of this bill.

Nikola Tesla was a Serb and I want to congratulate and thank the Serbian community in Ontario, who are proud that this bill is debated here today.

I also want to return and thank Vic Djurdjevic for his important work in establishing the Nikola Tesla Educational Corporation, known as NTEC. His organization has worked very hard in telling the story of Nikola Tesla and the advent of AC power here in Ontario through countless presentations to students, scholarships, raising funds to rename a stretch of Burlington Street to Nikola Tesla Boulevard, galas, festivals and more. And so, for my last words here today, I’m going to turn it over to Vic, who said:

“I have presented the life and works of Nikola Tesla and his impact on Hamilton and other places at many schools, and over many years.

“At every presentation the students and teachers were left in awe in discovering an unknown yet important history. They were inspired and wanted to learn more.

“Your support in proclaiming Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario will encourage educators across our province to humanize the concepts of the generation and transmission of electricity to our students by telling the story of Nikola Tesla and the advent of AC power here in Ontario. Perhaps even through Ontario’s science curriculum.

“Those inspired, especially our young students, will have a light switch of curiosity turn on for them. And in so doing, some might pursue a future in technology and innovation.”

To quote the words of a bright and inspired award-winning student from Burlington, who was only in grade 8 at the time—his name was Michael Wolfe, and he said, “There are ... Teslas all around us. All we have to do is to wake them up.” Thank you.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The time provided for private members’ public business has expired.

Mr. Rakocevic has moved second reading of Bill 293, An Act to proclaim July 10 as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario.

Is it the pleasure of the House that motion carry? Carried.

Second reading agreed to.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Pursuant to standing order 101(h), the bill is referred to the Committee of the Whole House, unless—the member for Humber River-Black Creek.

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: I would like to refer it to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Is the majority in favour of this bill being referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills? Agreed? Agreed. The bill is therefore referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.

Order of business

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): Orders of the day. Government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: Speaker, just on a point of order, I am seeking unanimous consent to move a motion without notice respecting Bill 293, An Act to proclaim July 10 as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The government House leader is seeking the unanimous consent of the House to move a motion without notice with respect to Bill 293. Agreed? Agreed.

Government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: I move that the order of the House referring Bill 293, An Act to proclaim July 10 as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario, to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills be discharged and that the bill be ordered for third reading.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): The government House leader has moved that the order of the House referring Bill 293, An Act to proclaim July 10 as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario, to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills be discharged and the bill be ordered for third reading.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Motion agreed to.

Orders of the Day

COPD Awareness Day Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur la Journée de sensibilisation à la BPCO

Mr. Kanapathi moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 157, An Act to proclaim COPD Awareness Day / Projet de loi 157, Loi proclamant la Journée de sensibilisation à la BPCO.

The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): I recognize the member for Markham–Thornhill to lead off the debate.

Mr. Logan Kanapathi: I’m happy to rise and speak today about the third reading of Bill 157, An Act to proclaim COPD Awareness Day.

Before I start, I want to thank the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health for supporting this bill. I also want to thank my colleagues the Minister of Municipal Affairs, the member from Markham–Stouffville, the member from Huron–Bruce, the member from Eglinton–Lawrence and the member from Mississauga Centre; and also my colleagues from the other side of the aisle, from Brampton Centre, London–Fanshawe, Beaches–East York and Humber River–Black Creek, who rose to speak in support of this bill during second reading.

I also want to thank the general practitioners, respirologists, lung disease specialists and organizations such as COPD Awareness Canada and the Ontario Lung Association who expressed support for COPD Awareness Day.

Finally, I want to thank Mr. Andy Martin, the president of COPD Awareness Canada. I shared his story during second reading and in committee, but I will share it again here, because it has continued to move and inspire. His story is one that thousands of other people across Ontario share. Mr. Martin’s father, Charlie Martin, was diagnosed with COPD in 2000, but had been living with undiagnosed symptoms for long before then. Sadly, in 2009, the disease took Mr. Martin’s life.

This bill is inspired by stories like Mr. Martin’s. I hope COPD Awareness Day will help people with COPD to be diagnosed earlier so they don’t have to struggle with symptoms for so many years without treatment.

This is an issue that became even more personal to me five months ago, when one of my close friends, Dr. Ram Sivalingam, died of COPD. He was a strong community leader and was well-educated, but still, he wasn’t aware that he had COPD, and he was admitted to the hospital for a severe breathing condition. When he was finally diagnosed, it was too late. It is my hope that this bill will save lives by helping people like him get earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Bill 157 will designate the third Wednesday in November of each year as COPD Awareness Day.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a progressive, incurable lung disease, characterized by a narrowing of the airways that makes breathing increasingly difficult as the disease worsens. COPD is most commonly caused by chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Some common symptoms of COPD include a cough lasting longer than three months; coughing with mucus; feeling short of breath when doing routine activities, such as climbing the stairs or getting dressed in the morning; lung infections, such as the flu or a common cold, that last longer than normal; feeling tired all the time; or losing weight without exercise or dieting.

Mr. Speaker, today COPD is the third-leading cause of death globally, and more common than you might think. According to the Lung Association, 10% of adults over 35—900,000 Ontarians—are living with COPD. The number of people living with COPD is also increasing. The majority of the burden of COPD falls on seniors. The Public Health Agency of Canada has reported that 50% of seniors aged 65 to 69, and 30% over age 85, live with COPD. When we consider our aging population, COPD prevalence becomes an even more pressing issue. Today we know that stopping smoking is the single most important thing people can do to prevent and stop the progress of COPD.

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I want to take a moment to try and describe the daily reality for people with COPD. One day, all of a sudden, daily activities that you once took for granted, such as getting dressed in the morning, going grocery shopping or climbing the stairs, suddenly became difficult or even impossible. Many people with COPD depend on oxygen supply, and this means they have to carry oxygen cylinders. People with COPD cope with all of this and more; they are incredibly resilient.

To diagnose COPD, doctors use a simple spirometry test. This is a test that measures lung function by measuring how much your lungs can inhale and exhale. While COPD is incurable, it is possible to treat and manage. The treatment of COPD varies for each patient. Your health care provider will determine the appropriate treatment and medication to help control the advance of the disease and COPD flare-ups or acute lung attacks. Mr. Speaker, surprisingly and tragically, more than half of those suffering from COPD are not aware that they have the disease and without a diagnosis or treatment, many people struggle to manage the symptoms.

COPD Awareness Day will be a valuable education tool. By having a day dedicated to COPD, we can raise awareness about the disease and teach Ontarians to recognize its symptoms and seek early detection. This will help people suffering from COPD to receive early diagnosis and treatment from their primary care providers instead of having to seek care in the emergency department when their symptoms become life-threatening and unmanageable.

While we do a lot for those individuals with COPD to help manage the disease, prevention is also key. The best way to prevent the advance of this disease is to encourage more Ontarians to quit smoking and live a healthier and more physically active lifestyle. Today, we know that cigarette smoking is the number one cause of COPD and accounts for approximately 80% to 90% of all cases. When considering this statistic, it is important not to place blame on those who develop COPD as a result of smoking. Quitting smoking is incredibly challenging, but it is the single most important step a person can take to improve lunch health and overall quality of health.

Mr. Speaker, this is another reason why a COPD Awareness Day is so important. It will educate the people about the risk factors for COPD and promote a healthier and more physically active lifestyle. It can educate people about the links between COPD and smoking and prevent people from starting to smoke in the first place.

There are also other causes of COPD that are important for people to be aware of. These include genetic disorders; environmental and workplace pollutants such as dust, exposure to chemicals and other fumes; second-hand smoke; and frequent lung infections during childhood.

Workplace pollutants such as dust and exposure to chemicals and other fumes account for approximately 10% to 15% of all new COPD cases. Skilled trade workers and farmers who are exposed to biomass fuels are particularly at risk. As the son of a farmer, I grew up seeing first-hand the importance and value of their work, bringing us the food on our families’ tables. We need to make sure that our farmers and other at-risk workers are aware of the risks so that they how to better protect themselves.

We also know there is a connection between early lung function during childhood and adolescence and COPD later in life. In 2021, one of the biggest health challenges when it comes to the lung health of our young is vaping. The University of Waterloo has been doing some really important work on this topic. In one study they found that vaping in people 16 to 19 years old increased by 75% between 2017 and 2018, while cigarette smoking among the same age group increased by 45%.

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes the dangers of vaping for Ontario’s youth. That is why we have already made important changes in this area, banning advertising materials that promote e-cigarettes or vaping products, restricting the sales of flavoured and high-concentration vaping products, and encouraging Ontarians to exercise regularly and live a healthy lifestyle. We owe it to Ontario’s young people to educate them about the long-term risks of smoking and vaping on their lung health. COPD Awareness Day can be an important part of this.

Finally, raising awareness about COPD among the general population will inspire everybody to take actions to protect those with COPD. These actions include going out to get your free flu shot, being more cautious around people with a cold or flu, washing your hands more frequently to avoid infection, and avoiding scents or allergens that might worsen COPD symptoms.

We are now in the 15th^{month of our battle against COVID-19. One of the biggest lessons we have learned from the pandemic is that we all have a role to play in keeping society’s most vulnerable safe. Those most vulnerable during this pandemic have included, among other groups, our elderly people, people with high-risk conditions and compromised immune systems, and people with respiratory illnesses such as COPD. Lungs are the primary target for COVID-19, meaning those with COPD are at a much higher risk. Some research shows that although there is no relationship between COPD and a person’s chances of becoming infected with COVID-19, COVID-19 patients with COPD have significantly higher rates of hospitalization, ICU admissions and ventilation.}

We have to do our part to increase awareness so that those who have both diagnosed and undiagnosed COPD can remain safe and reduce their risks of becoming ill with COVID-19.

Mr. Speaker, you never know who could be struggling with COPD. It could be the cashier at your local grocery store, who is doing their part to make sure there has been food on our tables throughout the pandemic. It could be the ICU nurse caring for our loved ones, the construction worker making sure that our roads and infrastructure remain in good condition, or the firefighter putting her life on the line every day to keep our communities safe. COPD patients are our neighbours, parents, children, siblings and friends. This disease touches people from all walks of life across this province.

At a time when all Ontarians have been asked to go above and beyond to keep our province’s most vulnerable safe, educating the public about the risks COVID-19 poses to those with COPD will help inspire people to continue to follow public health guidelines and take the COVID-19 vaccination when it is their turn to do so.

What will a COPD Awareness Day look like in Ontario? It can include anything from workshops and visits from health care workers in schools, to COPD events and webinars, to improved signage and infographics about COPD in doctors’ offices. COPD Awareness Day will bring people across the province, young and elderly, from all walks of life, speaking many different languages, together to support our fight against this disease. COPD Awareness Day is the stepping stone we need to take important actions on preventing, diagnosing and treating COPD in Ontario.

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As a government, we are dedicated to combatting this illness.

For people like Mr. Andy Martin, this bill is a culmination of years of his hard work promoting greater awareness of this terrible disease.

It is crucial that we create a day to raise awareness about the realities of COPD. This bill will do important work to help slow the rise of COPD and create a healthier, smoke-free society. It will give us another tool to promote healthy aging as our baby boomer population begins to reach 75 years old. Our seniors have worked hard to build the society we have today. Improving prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COPD will give them more opportunities to make the most of their golden years.

Mr. Speaker, this bill will encourage us all to come together to protect the most vulnerable in our society and secure a healthier future for the next generation. We are committed to educating younger generations so they understand COPD symptoms, know the risks of smoking and the benefits of a healthy and physical lifestyle.

Most importantly, this bill will ensure that those suffering from COPD don’t feel alone.

We are here for you. We support you. Together, we will tackle COPD in Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

M^me France Gélinas: It’s my pleasure to put a few words on the record about COPD Awareness Day.

COPD is a disease that afflicts many, many Ontarians. We expect about 900,000—close to a million—Ontarians have this disease. Right now, about 50% of them have been diagnosed.

COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes all sorts of problems with breathing, with mucus. When it first starts, a lot of people won’t really notice that they have COPD, until it gets worse and worse. That’s why, for about 50% of the people, they don’t know.

There’s a simple test, a spirometry test, that can be done that helps diagnose. You can certainly have a chest X-ray or a CT that would help diagnose, but the simple spirometry test, which is a little plastic thing—you blow in it and you see the little bubble go up—helps to determine if you have the disease.

Most people who develop COPD are smokers, so we encourage people to quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke, as well as any kind of chemical smoke which may be present through your work. Good nutrition is important—and exercise, so that you continue to exercise your lungs as much as possible.

The disease usually flares up, so you have to be ready for that. A lot of people with COPD end up having to be admitted to hospital and put onto oxygen, to try to get better.

A lot of people who develop lung cancers also have COPD. For about 70% of the people who develop lung cancer, we will find out that they also had COPD. And for reasons that I don’t fully understand, there seem to be more women than men who get the disease.

I would like to thank Breathe—this is the name of the lung association in Ontario—for what they have done to bring this bill forward. They have been asking for an act to proclaim COPD Awareness Day for a long time, because through education, we can do a whole lot for the 50% of Ontarians who have COPD but don’t know, and that’s many of them: 450,000 of us have COPD and don’t know. A COPD Awareness Day may help them, if they recognize some of the symptoms that come with the disease and realize that, “Yes, in the morning, I cough quite a bit, and I do sometimes have a problem breathing,” and then they realize that, “It’s true; when I go up the stairs now, I have a little bit of wheezing and I have problems.” Well, maybe go tell your primary care physician or your nurse practitioner that you have those symptoms. If we can start treatment early, then you can certainly live a long time with the disease with milder symptoms, so an awareness day is always something that we support.

There is a number of medications that can help, so I’ll make my push for pharmacare. The disease usually starts at about 40 years of age. Many people do not have a drug plan at that time in their lives and would certainly benefit from pharmacare so that they can take their medications to treat the disease—and a plug for my private member’s bill Vaping is not for Kids, because we see the links between the two.

So it’s certainly a bill worth supporting. That awareness could help a lot of Ontarians.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Hon. Lisa M. Thompson: It’s my pleasure to add my voice to the debate today and congratulate the member from Markham–Thornhill for this thoughtful bill. Bill 157 has been brought forward to the floor of this House in Ontario to encourage everyone to think about (a) what causes COPD, (b) what it means to live with COPD and (c) why we need to increase awareness.

I really want to sincerely say thank you to the member, because he has brought forward something that connects us. Not only are we children of farmers, but my father lived with COPD for 12 years—or longer than 12 years, but he was permanently on oxygen for 12 years, so I can relate when you speak of your friend who learned how to live, come to terms with it and live with dignity as well. That’s so important, because COPD can really threaten the quality of life of people.

But the member from Markham–Thornhill really eloquently put together a message today, sharing how they can fulfill their lives and make the most of it. My dad travelled. My dad did a lot when he was permanently on oxygen. And let me tell you, I carried my own fair share of cylinders, as we all did in the family, but we wanted to do so.

But I think another thing that was really special today in the message that we heard from the member from Markham–Thornhill is why awareness is so important. I know the members opposite may very well remember an absolute spark plug I met—and it could have been the fall of 2011, fall of 2012. She was an advocate to increase awareness of COPD. Do you remember her? She came to Queen’s Park on her bike. She parked it right out front, the south doors, and then she was the belle of the ball in the advocacy reception later that evening, and I won’t forget her. She’ll be smiling upon you today—your friend, my dad and anyone who cares to support people with COPD.

Once again, thank you to the Markham–Thornhill. This is a very important piece of legislation.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate? Further debate?

Mr. Kanapathi has moved third reading of Bill 157, An Act to proclaim COPD Awareness Day. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

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Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur la Semaine de reconnaissance des aînés bénévoles

Mr. Pang moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 270, An Act to proclaim Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week / Projet de loi 270, Loi proclamant la Semaine de reconnaissance des aînés bénévoles.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I turn it back to Mr. Pang.

Mr. Billy Pang: I want to start by wishing all seniors a happy Seniors’ Month. Now more than ever, it is important to come together to support our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, it’s a pleasure to rise in the House to speak to my private member’s bill, Bill 270, the Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week Act, 2021. This bill, if passed, will proclaim the first seven days of June in each year as Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week. During this week, all Ontarians who interact with a volunteer who is approximately 65 years of age or older are encouraged to wear a yellow-coloured item as a way to display their appreciation. In addition to the yellow-coloured item, Ontarians are also encouraged to celebrate the senior volunteers in their community through other methods. This could be verbal appreciation, or hosting virtual or in-person events. The options are endless and will be up to the individual or organization to decide.

Mr. Speaker, Bill 270 has two objectives: (1) to show appreciation to Ontario’s senior volunteers; and (2) to encourage our senior volunteers to continue to stay active.

Our seniors have built and contributed to the province of Ontario and influenced our province in numerous ways. They have spent years shaping and strengthening our province. As they step out of their active working lives and live their years in retirement, many of our seniors continue to serve and give back to their communities through volunteering.

I’m a first-generation Canadian, originally from Hong Kong. Since volunteering at the age of 16, I dedicated many hours of my time volunteering at schools and for organizations who support street kids, marginal youth, cage home seniors, new immigrants, refugees and more. Besides my day-to-day activities, volunteering exposed me to many life experiences, and that was where I found my deep passion for community involvement.

Before becoming the MPP for Markham–Unionville in 2018, I was a York Region District School Board trustee. During my years as a trustee, I had the opportunity to connect with many seniors who volunteer their time at their local public schools. I’ve met many seniors who found joy in assisting school-organized events, guest speaking and mentoring students.

Volunteering is a free and voluntary, kind act. It is a selfless act which includes an individual taking time out of their day to help and provide service to an organization or individual, without money in return. Their volunteer efforts are driven with the goal to help and give back to their community. I am truly honoured to be able to serve and represent Markham–Unionville. Through this role, I am humbled to meet many constituents and organizations that share a common passion of serving and making our province a better place each and every day. That was one of the main factors that motivated me to initiate this private member’s bill.

Ontario has a vibrant community of seniors—persons 65 years and older—who impact their communities through volunteering. Estimates indicate that over 500,000 seniors in Ontario volunteer. Bill 270 reflects the contributing impact our seniors have on our province and it recognizes that our province can continue to take steps forward to acknowledge and celebrate our senior volunteers.

Seniors volunteer in both informal and formal ways. Examples of an informal volunteer activity that can oftentimes slip our minds as volunteering include babysitting, daycare and children’s supervision. While this kind of activity is not often reflected in volunteer surveys, it is nonetheless important to acknowledge. On other occasions, our seniors also volunteer in more formal settings such as religious, educational, health and entrepreneurial sectors.

Volunteering also provides beneficial factors. According to research, volunteering can improve senior citizens’ physical and mental well-being in many ways. These include providing a sense of accomplishment and belonging to a community or building on life experiences in a positive way.

Loneliness and social isolation are some concerns for seniors, as these factors may contribute to elder abuse, fraud or lead to declining social skills. Based on a 2013-14 study conducted by the National Seniors Council, over 30%—30%—of Canada’s seniors are at risk of social isolation. Volunteerism, therefore, plays a contribution to seniors and their mental and physical health by providing a space and opportunity for them to stay active, all the while helping to combat social isolation by connecting seniors to their communities.

In May, I was pleased to organize and host the second consultation for Bill 270, and I want to thank our special guest, the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, PA Ke, for joining the consultation. Most importantly, I also want to thank the constituents and stakeholders across Ontario for attending this consultation and partaking in my survey. The level of support I received was encouraging, and I was pleased to connect with attendees to hear their thoughts on the bill.

One of the remarkable ideas proposed by Mirja from Volunteer Markham includes using a hashtag to promote and celebrate Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week. A hashtag could create a platform for Ontarians across the country to come together to share their pictures, videos, words of gratitude and various ways of commemorating senior volunteers in their community.

With the time I have left, I also want to share some of the attendees’ stories with everyone today. One of the attendees, Katy, has been a volunteer for over 10 years. In addition to her involvement with youths and other seniors, she volunteers at Evergreen Hospice, an organization which provides community-based supportive services to individuals and their families who are living with a life-threatening illness or are living with the death of a loved one. As part of her volunteering efforts at the organization, she attends dedicated courses to learn how to communicate with individuals and families, who are grieving or experiencing sadness, empathetically and compassionately. As Katy shared, although she values all the other volunteer opportunities, the experience at Evergreen Hospice is truly eye-opening and is another way she is giving back to Markham.

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During the consultation, another attendee, Nelly, also shared her story. Nelly has been volunteering for over 40 years. Since retiring, she established the Seniors Centre and has been volunteering there ever since. Volunteering and serving the community, as Nelly explained, has given her a sense of accomplishment, gives purpose to her life and keeps her active. She has been enjoying her time with all the activities she is able to be involved in, and she hopes that she can continue to volunteer for as long as she can.

Speaker, our seniors across Ontario have shaped our communities and our province in so many ways. They continue to serve and remain dedicated to volunteering in our communities with the sole purpose of giving back. For everything they have done and continue to do for our province, it only fits to proclaim the first seven days in June for all Ontarians to come together to appreciate them.

I encourage all the members of the House to vote in favour of the bill.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Ms. Catherine Fife: Congratulations to the member to have Bill 270, the Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week Act, come to third reading in such a manner. I must confess, I normally would like to be more prepared for a third reading debate on a piece of legislation, but we just found out. That said, your bill is well intended. It has our full support.

I know that our critic, the member from Brampton Centre, spoke very eloquently earlier today in honour of Seniors’ Month. She talked about centring elders in our care system, deinstitutionalizing our health care system. Ensuring that integrity and dignity are built into their entire life cycle is a priority, and it should be a priority for everyone here.

I know that all of us in our ridings know of a senior who stands out for them. I’m sure that we could all tell these stories. For me, it is Mel and Terry Barrie, who work with Hockey Helps the Homeless each and every year. They describe their volunteer experience as just a part of the fabric of their lives, and the return on investment is a win-win, not only for the community but for them and for their mental and physical engagement as well.

They are a generation that leads by example and cares for others, and I believe very strongly that we have so much to learn from them.

It’s also worth noting that as a caucus, we have, of course, been fighting for the investments to give back to seniors, to honour their lives of work and volunteerism, and that includes an overhaul of the home care system, an overhaul of the long-term-care system, and investments to help seniors live in their own home longer and be part of that community, because we now have a greater understanding of how important that engagement in community is to their overall health and well-being.

This is a private member’s bill that is very straightforward and to the point. It is actually the first week in June. So why not get it passed? Let’s honour the seniors of this great province.

Congratulations.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate? Further debate? Further debate?

Mr. Pang has moved third reading of Bill 270, An Act to proclaim Senior Volunteer Appreciation Week.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Scottish Heritage Day Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur le Jour du patrimoine écossais

Mr. McDonell moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 208, An Act to proclaim Scottish Heritage Day / Projet de loi 208, Loi proclamant le Jour du patrimoine écossais.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I turn to Mr. McDonell.

Mr. Jim McDonell: Thank you, Speaker. The tartan of many colours stands for the people of Scottish culture who carried the values of the Scottish Enlightenment to many distant lands and gave birth and meaning to modernity as we know it today.

A mere 300 years ago, Scotland was known as the poorest nation in all of Europe, shrouded in the mist beyond Hadrian’s Wall and beyond the northern reach of the ancient Roman Empire.

In the union of the two Parliaments in 1707, Scotland truly put the “great” in Great Britain, for she became, in short order, the most educated and literate population of the time, casting her sunny shadow and moral values wherever they travelled.

Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer James Watt created the Watt steam engine in 1776, and it was fundamental in bringing about the Industrial Revolution in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world.

The Scottish clan system had led to several rebellions against British rule, and actions were taken to dismantle it. Improvements in agriculture made the existing Scottish tenant farmers expendable, and Scottish families were forcibly removed from their homes, which were destroyed so they could not return.

The Highland Clearances started in the mid-1700s and continued for approximately 100 years. With no work and no means to support their families, over 100,000 Scottish citizens were forced to emigrate, many looking to North America to create a new life. They tended towards eastern Canada and the New England states. But history was not kind to these new pioneers, and after fighting for King and country during the war of independence, they were again forced to leave their homes, moving north, settling in Upper Canada.

Glengarry county was founded in 1784 by Scottish Loyalists, mainly from clan Donald, and other Highland Scottish emigrants from the Mohawk Valley in New York. The crown granted them land and helped them with supplies the first winter, as compensation for their losses in New York. Some veterans received land instead of pay for their salaries. In addition, the settlement was founded as a destination for Scottish emigrants arriving after the recent Highland Clearances. Great Britain hoped that the new immigrants would help settle and develop the area, which became known as Upper Canada, and later, Ontario. This was reinforced in 1786, when the McDonalds arrived at Quebec City from Greenock with 520 new pioneers. Soon, immigrants came from all parts of Scotland, to make it one of the most important Scottish Canadian settlement communities. The Glengarry clansmen managed to get away from their homelands before the British government embargoed emigration during the war with Napoleon. Many other retired officials from the Hudson’s Bay Co. also arrived.

I wanted to direct some of my comments to the riding of Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, where many United Empire Loyalists were granted land on the southern shores of the St. Lawrence River.

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In 1794, a young parish priest, Father Alexander Macdonell, organized displaced and unemployed highlanders, the majority of which came from Glengarry, Scotland, and formed the first Roman Catholic regiment since the Reformation, under the Glengarry Fencibles. They fought for king and country during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, and he served as the regiment’s chaplain. At the time in England, it was illegal to be a Roman Catholic, but as a reward for their loyalty, the young priest was able to negotiate a land grant near St. Raphael’s in what is known today as Glengarry county, joining his fellow Scots.

Father Macdonell organized and built a church, a school, and established a prosperous community. With Britain tied up in the Napoleonic wars and fearing that the United States might take advantage of the situation to invade Canada, Macdonell sought permission from the crown to form a militia.

A few years later, in 1812, Canada was attacked by the US. On November 11, 1813, the militias from Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry and Grenville counties joined the British regular forces at Crysler’s Farm to defeat a much superior American army, despite being outnumbered more than three to one. The Americans were forced to retreat and abandon their campaign to capture Montreal, which, if successful, would have ended the war in their favour.

Today, the SD&G Highlanders Regiment traces its origins back to the Fencibles from Glengarry, Scotland, signified by the battle cry, “Up the Glens.”

Reverend Macdonell was named the first bishop of Upper Canada, and by his energy and perseverance, he induced considerable immigration to the province and left, at his death, 48 churches plus a seminary and a college. In 1831, the Big Bishop, as he was called, was called to the Legislative Council of Upper Canada, and thereafter was accorded the title “Honourable.”

The peopling of Ontario, from Guelph up to Huron and Bruce counties, owes much to the immigration programs set in place by John Galt, who was convinced to come here by the then Bishop Macdonell. On his interment in Kingston, it was said that Scotland “gave no more useful man to Canada” than this missionary priest.

The Scots in Canada became fur traders, settlers, explorers, adventurers and writers. They became successful politicians, newspaper publishers, led rebellions and incited uprisings. Scots built businesses, communities, and were instrumental in founding the Canadian Confederation. Famous Scots include:

John McDonell, from Glengarry county, who was a soldier, judge and a political figure in Upper Canada following the American Revolution. He was elected as the first Speaker for the first Legislature of Upper Canada.

John Macdonell, from Green Valley, Glengarry: a lawyer, militia officer, member of the Upper Canada Legislature who was appointed by Sir Isaac Brock as his aide-de-camp, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the militia, and led the Canadian Forces at the Battle of Queenston Heights during the War of 1812 after Brock had been killed in the battle.

The Hon. Sir John Sandfield Macdonald from St. Raphael’s, Glengarry: He was a lawyer and the first Premier of Ontario, and set the stage for Confederation.

Sir John A. Macdonald, born in Glasgow, was the first Prime Minister of Canada.

Alexander Mackenzie, Canada’s second Prime Minister: a plain-spoken, modest man who worked as a stonemason in the 1840s.

Tommy Douglas was born in Falkirk, Scotland. His family immigrated to Winnipeg in Canada. He went on to become the Saskatchewan CCF leader and the seventh Premier of Saskatchewan, and helped found the New Democratic Party.

Sir George Simpson, the Scot known as “the Emperor of the Plains,” became a hugely successful businessman and supervised the integration of the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1821.

John Galt, the first superintendent of the Canada Company, which was formed to populate what is now southern Ontario in the first half of the 19th century. It was later referred to as “the most important single attempt at settlement in Canadian history.”

Sir Sandford Fleming: a civil engineer and scientist who emigrated from Scotland and was the foremost railway engineer in Canada during the 19th century. He was instrumental in the development of the system of time zones used today in the world.

Alexander Graham Bell: Scottish-born inventor, scientist and teacher of the deaf, whose foremost accomplishments were the invention of the telephone and the phonograph, and later the first flight in the British Empire.

Simon Fraser, a fur trader and explorer who mapped most of western Canada, is best known for his daring exploration of the Fraser River.

Mr. Speaker, many people of Scottish heritage have left their mark on this country that we know as Canada today. Many of the Canadian universities—including Kingston’s Queen’s University—banks and hospitals were established by Scots. Canada’s first bank, the Bank of Montreal, was established in 1817 by a group of wealthy Scots. In 1832, the Bank of Nova Scotia, managed and dominated by Scottish immigrants, opened its doors for the first time.

To celebrate these accomplishments, this bill moves to make St. Andrew’s Day, the patron saint of Scotland, November 30 of each year, be the Scottish Heritage Day in the province of Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Mr. Jamie West: Thank you to the member opposite from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry—I didn’t want to mispronounce that—for bringing his bill forward for Scottish Heritage Day.

I want to say, Speaker, both my grandparents are from Scotland, and so this is something that is very personal to me. I sincerely appreciate him bringing this forward. I don’t know very much about my father’s parents; I didn’t have an opportunity to meet them. So I’m going to talk about my grandfather’s family, because everything I know about Scotland and being Scottish, I know from my grandparents.

My grandfather’s family were hard-rock miners in Scotland and came to Canada, which seemed ironic, because ultimately their descendants ended up living in Sudbury, which is a hard-rock mining town. My grandfather joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and had a long career there. I’m very proud of that. It actually led to the fact that my parents were able to meet on an air force base. I’ve talked in the House before about how my dad, for whatever reason, jumped out of perfectly good airplanes before coming to work at Inco in Sudbury.

I’m not going to speak a lot about this, but I want to highlight what I know about my grandmother. My grandmother, Elizabeth Bell or, as her best friend would say, Betty—when she met my wife, she said, “Betty is a brick.” Betty was the strength of her family, like most women in my family. They carried us.

I didn’t know this as a kid, but my grandmother had a light accent. Even though she lived in Winnipeg and I lived in Sudbury, we visited, sometimes at Christmas but mainly in the summers. I picked up some of her accent and would mispronounce certain words, not even realizing it until my friends pointed it out to me. I carried that on when I read stories to my daughter. When we read Archie comics, for example, I don’t know why but Jughead had a Scottish accent; it might be because it’s fun to say “Arch-ay.” My daughter, later on, when she got older, realized that Jughead probably doesn’t have a Scottish accent.

You can’t talk about Scotland without talking about the food. There’s a joke in So I Married an Axe Murderer with a Scottish family, where they said it seems like all of our food “is based on a dare.” The food most people know about is haggis and steak and kidney pie, which I absolutely love. But I would tease my grandmother that it tastes like steak and SuperBalls. My grandmother was an amazing cook, and I think the secret is to put love in your food. When I cook with my daughter, we always joke, “Don’t forget to add the love,” and we do this to throw it in.

The other thing about Scotland and being Scottish that I remember is the dancing. If anyone has ever seen me dance, I barely move my arms, so I think I reflect that well in the heritage of the dance. But it is magical and it’s beautiful to watch the traditional dances. And the music—there’s not a person here who doesn’t recognize the sound of the bagpipes. I’m one of the few, I think, who thinks that is beautiful and it brings a tear to my eye. It’s something symbolic about bagpipes, and it’s magical to hear. It’s a call to war, it’s a call of sorrow and it’s a call of celebrations. It’s wonderful.

And finally, the kilt: I think it’s just the Irish and the Scottish who are known for wearing their kilts and the different tartans. Symbolically, what it means—and I think it’s truly interesting to have that symbolic garb that’s recognized around the world and the pride that it brings out in people.

I’m going to close by sharing with everyone here the best advice that I ever got as a parent. It came from my grandmother when I was a child. I was probably five or six years old. I can’t remember what I did, but I was in trouble. My grandmother said to me—I was crying and I was probably taking it too hard, sitting in the corner or whatever was my punishment. She came over to me and she said, “I might not always like you, but I always love you.” That’s probably the best advice I ever had as a parent, because you do always love your children no matter what happens.

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I spoke yesterday about my grandmother. She’s always been a source of inspiration to me. My grandmother died from lung cancer. Earlier, we talked about COPD; similar to that condition, my grandmother had several parts of her lung removed with cancer, and she had one of those carts with the oxygen tank. She didn’t do very well near the end, but she held on until my eldest was born. She died shortly after he was born. He was born in Sudbury and she died in Winnipeg. She held on until he was born and as she faded away, she said, “I could see him.”

I want to thank again the member opposite just for allowing me to share this story about my grandmother and the importance of Scottish Heritage Day.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Hon. Bill Walker: It’s truly an honour and a pleasure to stand in the House tonight and support third reading of Bill 208, the Scottish Heritage Day Act, and support my good friend and colleague, the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, otherwise known as Jimmy McDonell. I know I’m not supposed to use names, but he is the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, Mr. Speaker, and I can tell you that I’m quite surprised that he didn’t reference the Scottish heritage of Wiarton Willie, because he teases the heck out me about that all the time. But there’s a link there, and there’s a link to Bruce county and the MPP from Huron–Bruce, who is quite a proud member as well, and there’s a lot of Scottish heritage. Every Sunday in Kincardine they have a bagpipe procession on the beach. It’s just a fabulous way to acknowledge that heritage.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that Jim McDonell; Lisa Thompson, the member from Huron–Bruce; myself and a number of others came in 2011. Jimmy McDonell, the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, at every opportunity, brings up his Scottish heritage. Whether it is the first Speaker of this Legislature, whether it is the first person elected in his county, he continually tells us, at every opportunity to do that. He is a person who brings up the Highland games. I think he is the type of guy who has enjoyed a number of Highland flings over his years, Mr. Speaker.

What I really want to focus on, though, is that heritage really shines through in his public service. He was a councillor and then the mayor of South Glengarry, the warden of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, and now the proud member, and a great member, from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry. He is caring, fiscally prudent—hence the Scottish accent and the Scottish pride that he shows—because in everything he does he’s one of those guys that can take a piece of copper, rub two nickels together and come out with a pipe. He’s the kind of guy that makes those things happen.

I don’t know for sure if he likes haggis or not, and I’m sure he will eat it because he likes his food, but I can tell you that he’s a guy who really has a special spot for macaroni and cheese, shepherd’s pie and, don’t tell Margie, but he really likes his breads when he’s at Queen’s Park.

Mr. Speaker, he’s also a goalie, and I’m being very kind because you, too, Mr. Speaker, I think have some goalie tendencies, dropping the puck every now and again. But I think we should elaborate a little bit here, with the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry, that perhaps his stats would have been better had he not continually worn a kilt with his hockey pads. Mr. Speaker, what he is not Scottish and frugal about is when he played with the Ontario hockey Legiskaters, because, Mr. Speaker, there wasn’t a puck that didn’t go by him. So, letting in goals, he was not as frugal as some of us other members might have liked.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot say of anyone else that I’ve ever met with a Scottish heritage that I’ve seen a guy with the pride that Jimmy wears at every opportunity. At every chance he gets, he brings it up. And that’s not sometimes for the benefit of other cultures, others like the English that I think he sometimes brings in and my Irish heritage. He always puts the Scots at the top, regardless of if there’s always fact included. He makes sure that his side of the story is that the Scots are there.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of everyone in our caucus and all the people that serve their communities with every heritage we have, this is truly one that I think, Jimmy, you’ve always been proud of the people that have served who have been of Scottish heritage in this building, in any Legislature across the world. You are a class act, you are a friend, a colleague and a teammate who should be proud to have your name inscribed on the walls of this Legislature and for all that you’ve contributed to your community, your province and country.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Ms. Catherine Fife: I didn’t know we were going to get emotional tonight here on the private member’s bill, but that was a very, very nice speech by my colleague.

It is a pleasure to bring a few brief words to the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry on Scottish Heritage Day. As you know, my last name is Fife; I definitely married into the family, but ancestry.ca also confirmed that I’m 90% Scottish. That must be the fiscal conservative part of the component.

Recognizing the heritage of the Scottish people and the impact that they have had on the province of Ontario is an important thing to do. It’s an important recognition of that hard work, that resiliency and that dedication to improving our communities. David Fife first came from Scotland to the Peterborough area; you will see an Ontario heritage sign honouring his contribution, because he actually brought Red Fife wheat from Scotland. It has made a comeback; you can actually get a Red Fife wheat beer in some places, when you could get a beer in Ontario. But it was a pivotal donation that he made because it was a heartier strain of wheat, which actually allowed Saskatchewan and the western provinces to be settled and to grow this very special wheat.

So I do want to thank the member from Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry for bringing this bill to the floor of the Legislature so that I have an opportunity to honour my family and my husband’s family, and certainly the Peterborough area, Indian River in particular.

I also was very impressed that the member always seems to have a Scottish tie on command, because he walked in today with his tartan. It was very appropriate. Congratulations on third reading of your bill.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Mr. Dave Smith: I wasn’t going to speak to this, but after hearing everyone else, I had to stand up. To the member from Sudbury, he professed his love for the sound of the bagpipes, please come to my office, you can try it, and you will not love that sound.

To the member Stormont–Dundas–South Glengarry: Lang may yer lum reek.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Mr. Gurratan Singh: Very briefly, just as we go down this path of sharing heritage and connections, there’s actually a long-standing history and connection with the Sikh community and the Scottish community. For those who may not know, there is a Sikh tartan, which is particularly given to members of the Sikh community to share with that tartan tradition, and the culture of bagpipes is actually something that continues until today. You will find Sikh bagpipers throughout a variety of Sikh performances and demonstrations, and at our annual Nagar Kirtans, the large Khalsa Day parades, you will always see a couple of bagpipers in the procession as well. As far as Sikh communities in Malaysia, they’ll have particular Sikh bagpipe performances and regimens to make these performances.

It’s cool that when we think about sharing our own culture and heritage, there are bridges with other cultures and heritages, and this is the beautiful part of loving who we are and being proud of heritage and culture: It builds inroads towards other communities and helps build more cohesiveness across the board.

I’m happy to speak in support of this bill today and just show the wide spread of folks who enjoy and take part in Scottish culture.

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The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate? Further debate? Further debate?

Mr. McDonell has moved third reading of Bill 208, An Act to proclaim Scottish Heritage Day. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

Nikola Tesla Day Act, 2021 / Loi de 2021 sur le Jour de Nikola Tesla

Mr. Rakocevic moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 293, An Act to proclaim July 10 as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario / Projet de loi 293, Loi proclamant le 10 juillet Jour de Nikola Tesla en Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): I return back to Mr. Rakocevic.

Mr. Tom Rakocevic: Apparently this bill is moving faster than the speed of electricity, and so in light of the movement and speed of this bill, I will keep my comments short. Certainly I breezed through a speech not too long ago, earlier today—I don’t even want to say today, it was literally, I think, an hour ago—and in that intervening time, that space of the hour from then until now, I thought to myself, what more could I add? I rushed through a speech.

There’s so much to say about Nikola Tesla. All I really spoke about was AC power and a little bit about the induction motor, but I touched on the other things, and I thought maybe I could use that time here. But then, considering that this upcoming July 10, should this bill receive royal assent soon, will be Nikola Tesla Day for the first time in Ontario, I thought maybe that’s a project for all of us to take away.

I can assure you that learning about Nikola Tesla is an incredibly rewarding and interesting experience. As I said earlier, his life is very notable to engineers, scientists, certainly to the Serbian diaspora worldwide and countless others, but if you take the time to learn about his struggles, what he went through, what he gave for us, it is an incredible story.

I want to again thank all of my colleagues on both sides of the House, thank them for their kind words today, thank everyone who has promoted the name of Nikola Tesla. I’ve always dreamed of a world in which more role models were scientists, people of medicine, engineers. We certainly glorify many, many individuals, but imagine the world we live in if young people thought more scientists were cool. I hope, with Nikola Tesla Day being recognized in Ontario, that educators across this province use the opportunity to humanize the advent of AC power, electricity and the story of this brilliant man in teaching the subject matter to their children. It is certainly inspirational.

I’m so proud to be able to table this bill again for third reading. I want to again also thank Vic Djurdjevic, Majda Djordjevic, Zoran Cvijetic, Tatjana Pavlovic, Colin Campbell and many others. I certainly want to congratulate and thank the Serbian community in Ontario, because I know that this is an important moment for you, too, and I know that personally.

Thank you to everyone here today. I look forward this July 10—incidentally, the day of my son’s birthday—to also celebrating Nikola Tesla Day for the first time in Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Hon. Bill Walker: It’s a privilege to stand here and support third reading of Bill 293, the Nikola Tesla Day Act, 2021, and to support my good friend across the hall, the member from Humber River–Black Creek, Tom Rakocevic. I want to suggest to him that this is going to be a pretty tough birthday present to top for your son, to go and name something else after that.

It’s very interesting to know that there was an inventor and engineer who invented alternating current; the electric motor, which I think our world and certainly your 10-year-old son’s world is going to see even more and more, going forward; the radio, which, of course, we all love—sadly, Mr. Speaker, I have heard you sing, and I hope you never make it to the radio—and the remote control, which most of us, when we get out of this House, are going to use at home tonight so we can flip between the two hockey games.

I want to say thank you to the government House leader, who gave me the privilege to say these few words tonight, kind of unscripted. He’s probably never going to do it again. I am hoping that my Boston Bruins beat his New York Islanders, so I’ll probably never get to speak in the House again if that happens. But I wanted to make sure we got that on the record.

It’s interesting that the member from Humber River–Black Creek referenced being a scientist and an engineer—because, Mr. Speaker, if I was either of those, it would be a pretty dark world and a pretty dark House, because I have none of those skills at all. I’m not certain, really, what my skills are, but we will figure that out at some point.

Ms. Catherine Fife: You talk really fast.

Hon. Bill Walker: Talk really fast—I’ll work on that.

The member from Humber River–Black Creek—I didn’t know this till I did a ton of data and research to be able to prepare this speech tonight, and I practised it profusely. He ran in 2011, 2014, and he was successful in 2018—so again, that dedication, that perseverance, that inventive spirit, to try to become a member of the Legislature and represent the good people of Humber River–Black Creek.

I want to also pay a little bit of homage to one of the people in my life here for 10 years: Ana Sajfert, who has a Serbian background. On behalf of Bill Murdoch, the former MPP for Bruce–Grey–Owen Sound, and myself, I just want to say, Ana, thank you so much for 10 years of—well, more than 10, because you worked for Mr. Murdoch earlier, and you’ve worked for me for 10, which is really a life sentence in some people’s eyes. You have served the people of our community and our province so well with all of the work and dedication you have put in.

So to the Serbian community, Mr. Tesla, but also Ana, who is closer to my heart, thank you so much.

It’s truly a pleasure to be here.

I really just want to end on a note that the member from Humber River–Black Creek was my first critic as Minister of Government and Consumer Services when he arrived here. Despite all those nasty things he said about me and all the challenges he created and now does for the member from Huron–Bruce, the Minister of Government and Consumer Services, I just want the world to know that we can still come together in this hallowed House—we can work together—and we can actually work, we can debate, we can challenge, but we can come together and do the right things and make sure that bills like the Nikola Tesla Day Act, 2021, become legislation.

Thank you so much for your efforts.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate?

Mr. Robert Bailey: Mr. Speaker, I was on committee a lot of the day, so I didn’t get a chance to take part in all of this, but I did have a chance to talk to the member from Humber River–Black Creek out in the hall to congratulate him. I didn’t realize we would be back in here still debating this. I told him that I had heard about Nikola Tesla. I like to read about history and stuff. One night, I was watching Murdoch Mysteries—I don’t know if anybody here watches Murdoch Mysteries—and the gist of the show was, Henry Ford and Nikola Tesla were in some kind of a car race, and I think the electric car won. I don’t remember all the details, but I learned a lot more about Tesla that night. And of course, I heard a lot about Nikola Tesla today. I just wanted to get that on the record.

The Serbian community certainly has something to be proud of.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Further debate? Further debate?

Mr. Rakocevic has moved third reading of Bill 293, An Act to proclaim July 10 as Nikola Tesla Day in Ontario.

Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Be it resolved that the bill do now pass and be entitled as in the motion.

Third reading agreed to.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): Orders of the day? I recognize, once again, the government House leader.

Hon. Paul Calandra: No further business.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr. Rick Nicholls): There being no further business, this House will stand adjourned until tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock.

The House adjourned at 1950.