Assemblée législative de l'Ontario

The committee met at 0900 in committee room 1.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): I call the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills to order. We are joined today by staff from legislative counsel, Hansard, and broadcast and recording. Please wait until I recognize you before starting to speak. As always, all comments should go through the Chair. Are there any questions before we begin? I see none.

201827 Ontario Limited Act, 2022

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr59, An Act to revive 201827 Ontario Limited.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): There are three private bills on the agenda today which we will consider. We will start with the first one: Bill Pr59, An Act to revive 201827 Ontario Limited. I call upon MPP Miller, the sponsor, to deliver his opening remarks.

Mr. Norman Miller: Thank you, Chair. I can hardly see you over there, but I know you’re there.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): We have to find a better way to locate these cameras.

Mr. Norman Miller: If I peek between whatever those devices are, I can see you.

Anyways, thank you, Chair. I’m Norman Miller, MPP for Parry Sound–Muskoka. As the sponsor of the bill, I move consideration of Bill Pr59, An Act to revive 201827 Ontario Limited.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Thank you. Now I call upon the applicant, Mr. Peter Theoret—I hope I pronounced that correctly—to make his opening remarks. Please state your name for the record.

Mr. Peter Theoret: Peter Theoret.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Go ahead.

Mr. Peter Theoret: I had a lot left over from a business my mother owned—all was paid to taxes. And then one day—she’d bought it from his son, who decided to buy it and came up to me and said, “Do you want to sell that lot?” Which is about 20 miles from where we live. I said, “Sure. My dad owns it. We bought it from your mother.” So I went to sell it to him, and then I found out that it wasn’t transferred to my name from a numbered company, but the taxes are here up to date. And so I have to go through this process of getting it back in my name.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): That’s it?

Mr. Peter Theoret: Yes. I think it was purchased in 1986 by my parents, just as an investment, I suppose. They knew the people, they bought the lot and it was passed on to me upon their death. I never transferred it from a numbered company to my name, which I wasn’t aware I was supposed to do. But we still pay the taxes. We still owned it, and we still do to this date. The taxes are still up-to-date to this date. But now I found out that because I didn’t transfer it to my name from a numbered company, I no longer own it. I have to go through this process to get it back—I don’t know if through the numbered company or probably, preferably, my name, so we can do what we want with it.

Whether we sell it or not at this point, I don’t know, but it’d be nice, seeing as it was in my name for so many years, since 1986, and it is our lot and we did pay the taxes and such. It’s absolutely to no use of anybody; it’s just sort of a little lot that just sits there. But I don’t own it now.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you. MPP Walker, do you have any comments?

Mr. Norman Miller: Walker?

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Oh, sorry—Miller.

Mr. Norman Miller: I think I saw MPP Mantha raising his hand.

Mr. Michael Mantha: I was acknowledging and saying good morning to a colleague across the way.

Mr. Norman Miller: Oh, okay.

I think it’s fairly self-explanatory, Chair, that a company was dissolved, and to be able to do something with the property, he has to revive the company to be able to do what he wants with his property.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Thank you.

Are there any interested parties in the audience who would like to make any comments before we go to the committee members? I see none.

Any comments or any questions from the committee members? MPP Smith, go ahead.

Mr. Dave Smith: Did you go through a lawyer or an accountant to dissolve this?

Mr. Peter Theoret: Yes.

Mr. Dave Smith: So if I could summarize, then, you hired a professional to do this properly, and they made a mistake, and as a result you’re kind of stuck. So we’ve got to revive this company for you because of somebody else’s absolute mistake?

Mr. Peter Theoret: I don’t know. He was my accountant. I guess between the accountant and the lawyer, they didn’t say that any assets you have through a numbered company should be put in your name.

Mr. Dave Smith: Right.

Mr. Peter Theoret: And that’s why they took the case. I’m sorry; it was an oversight on our part. I looked into it for you, and that’s what they’ve done. They’ve corresponded with you and given you all the necessary documents you require and everything, and now there’s a letter saying to appear—

Mr. Dave Smith: It’s unfortunate, because it’s one of these cases where you’ve done everything that you were supposed to do. You hired professionals to do what they were supposed to do, and at the bottom of all of their invoices, it says, “E and OE—errors and omissions excluded.” They made a mistake and here you are, stuck.

Mr. Peter Theoret: Yes, sir. Basically.

Mr. Dave Smith: Okay. Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Any other comments? Questions? I see none. Okay. Now I am going to put the question: Are the members ready to vote? Yes?

We will start with section 1 of Bill Pr59, An Act to revive 201827 Ontario Limited. Any questions or comments on section 1? Seeing none, are we ready to vote? All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 1 is carried.

We’ll move to section 2. Shall section 2 carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? Section 2 is carried.

We move to section 3. Shall section 3 carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 3 is carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Any questions? Any comments? No. Okay. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The preamble is carried.

Shall the title carry? Any questions? Any comments? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The title is carried.

Shall the bill carry? Any questions? Any comments? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The bill is carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Any questions? Any comments? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. I shall report the bill to the House.

Thank you very much, Mr. Theoret, for your presence. Take care.

Ross Memorial Hospital Act, 2022

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr65, An Act respecting the Ross Memorial Hospital.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Now we move to Bill Pr65, An Act respecting the Ross Memorial Hospital. May I invite the witnesses to take their seats? Thank you very much.

I would like to call upon the sponsor, MPP Scott, to make the opening remarks.

Ms. Laurie Scott: Thank you very much, Chair. I move consideration of Bill Pr65, An Act respecting the Ross Memorial Hospital. I’d like to welcome, from the Ross Memorial Hospital: Kelly Isfan, president and CEO; Nick Pasquino, the lawyer; and behind them, Veronica Nelson, VP and COO; Wanda Percival, the board chair; and Valerie Harris, a former board chair.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you. I call upon the applicant, Mr. Nick Pasquino, to make opening remarks.

Mr. Nick Pasquino: Good morning and thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the committee for allowing us to be with you today. We’re here to ask the committee to consider an application to modernize the special act governing Ross Memorial Hospital.

The hospital was incorporated in 1903 and the special act was amended in 1954, 1964 and 2000. There are multiple reasons to modernize this special act. What we are trying to accomplish with this application is to move the hospital to a modern, simple, easy-reading special act that is flexible, enables the best practices in governance for hospital care in Ontario and cleans up certain historical references that are no longer relevant.

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To bring two to your brief attention: The first is there are historical references to predecessor municipalities to the city of Kawartha Lakes that are outdated. Secondly, and interestingly, because in 1903 there wasn’t the modern hospital governance structure that we have today with the ministry—the Ministry of Health, Ontario Health—there was a reference in the special act to a “visitor,” being the Governor General of Canada, being able to be a sort of supervisor to the hospital. Those legislative provisions are no longer necessary given our modern corporate structure and our modern legislative structure. For those reasons and others, we are here to ask the committee to modernize the special act.

I’m pleased to report that we have consulted widely. There is support from the municipality, support from various other entities that have been notified and submitted materials in your packages. There was some feedback from the community that was incorporated into this version of the special act, to take that feedback into account.

With that introduction, we’re happy to take any questions.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): MPP Scott, would you like to have any additional comments?

Ms. Laurie Scott: I just want to add the comment that I’m very supportive of the bill. I’ll leave it if there are any questions, but there has been a lot of due diligence done over many years, and we’re at this point.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you.

Are there any interested parties in the audience that would like to make any comments? I see none.

I will move to the government’s side. If they have any questions or comments they would like to make. I see none.

The official opposition: Any comments? No.

Are the members ready to vote? Okay, I will put the question now on Bill Pr65, An Act respecting the Ross Memorial Hospital.

We will start with section 1. Shall section 1 carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. Are we ready to vote? All in flavour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 1 carried.

Section 2: Shall section 2 carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 2 carried.

We move to section 3. Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 3 carried.

Section 4: Shall section 4 carry? Any comments? Any questions? Okay, I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 4 carried.

Shall section 5 carry? Any questions? Any comments? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 5 carried.

Section 6: Shall section 6 carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 6 carried.

Section 7: Shall section 7 carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 7 carried.

Shall the preamble carry? Any questions? Any comments? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The preamble is carried.

Shall the title of the bill carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The title is carried.

Shall the bill carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The bill is carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Any comments? Any questions? All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. I will report the bill to the House.

Thank you very much for your presence.

Eleanor Fulcher Limited Act, 2022

Consideration of the following bill:

Bill Pr71, An Act to revive Eleanor Fulcher Limited.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Now we move to our third item on the agenda of today: Bill Pr71, An Act to revive Eleanor Fulcher Limited. MPP Miller, go ahead.

Mr. Norman Miller: Thank you, Chair. I’m very happy to be joined by Peter Van Loan, former MP, who is working on behalf of the individual.

I am Norman Miller, MPP for Parry Sound–Muskoka. As the sponsor of the bill, I move consideration of Bill Pr71, An Act to revive Eleanor Fulcher Limited.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you very much. Welcome, Mr. Van Loan. Please state your name for the record, and then you can have your opening remarks.

Mr. Peter Van Loan: My name is Peter Van Loan. I appear as the legislative agent on behalf of Eleanor Fulcher, who is the director of the lapsed corporation Eleanor Fulcher Limited. The purpose of this bill is to revive this lapsed corporation.

There is a bit of a story here. Eleanor Fulcher was a bit of a trailblazer. Some people may be familiar with her name. I wasn’t, but my wife was. Eleanor Fulcher established Canada’s first modelling agency in 1960 and was quite a trailblazer in the field of fashion, beauty and modelling. As a consequence of her establishing the agency, for example, she was able to reverse what was a practice up until that time, where, for many advertising shoots, commercials and so on, advertising agencies in Canada would actually bring in models from New York, from the United States. By creating a pool of talent here in Canada, we were able to replace those with Canadians over time, and that was part of her legacy.

She did a lot of work in that field, and then around 1980 decided to undertake the establishment of Canada’s first spa, which was the Eleanor Fulcher Spa, which is central to what we’re dealing with in this bill. It was on Shady Lane in Gravenhurst. This spa was established in a pretty small building and ran for a number of years. After a time, it ceased to be the only spa in Canada and because of its size found it difficult to compete with other ones, so Eleanor Fulcher wound down the business of Eleanor Fulcher Limited, which was the spa, and began to use the property simply as a commercial rental and then as a kind of private cottage.

At some point along the way, the corporation lapsed, simply because it was out of sight, out of mind. She was not running that business anymore. It was allowed to lapse. And now we find ourselves, some years later, finding that, guess what, she didn’t realize she was unable to deal with the property because it’s owned by the lapsed corporation. Hence, we are before you, seeking to revive that corporation so that she may once again deal with that property.

That’s the purpose of Bill Pr71. Thank you very much for your time. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Thank you, Mr. Van Loan.

MPP Miller, do you have any comments?

Mr. Norman Miller: I think Mr. Van Loan did a fine job of explaining why we’re here.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): Okay. Thank you. Now we move to the government side. Any comments or any questions from the government side? MPP Smith.

Mr. Dave Smith: Has the property been maintained—

Mr. Peter Van Loan: Yes, the property has been maintained, and the property taxes have been paid throughout.

Mr. Dave Smith: Okay. Thank you.

The Chair (Mr. Aris Babikian): No comments from the official opposition? Thank you very much.

Now we will put the question, and we will start with section 1. Shall section 1 carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 1 is carried.

Shall section 2 carry? Any comments? Any questions? None. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 2 carries.

Shall section 3 carry? Any questions? Any comments? All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. Section 3 carries.

Shall the preamble carry? Any questions? Any comments? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The preamble is carried.

Shall the title of the bill carry? Any comments? Any questions? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The title of the bill is carried.

Shall the bill carry? Any questions? Any comments? I see none. All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. The bill is carried.

Shall I report the bill to the House? Any questions? Any comments? All in favour, please raise your hand. Any opposition? I see none. I will report the bill to the House.

Thank you very much, Mr. Van Loan, for your presence here today.

Since we have concluded our items on the agenda today and there being no further business, this committee now stands adjourned.

The committee adjourned at 0922.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON REGULATIONS AND PRIVATE BILLS

Chair / Président

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Vice-Chair / Vice-Président

Mr. John Fraser (Ottawa South / Ottawa-Sud L)

Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)

Mr. Lorne Coe (Whitby PC)

Mr. John Fraser (Ottawa South / Ottawa-Sud L)

Mr. Vincent Ke (Don Valley North / Don Valley-Nord PC)

Ms. Laura Mae Lindo (Kitchener Centre / Kitchener-Centre ND)

Mr. Paul Miller (Hamilton East–Stoney Creek / Hamilton-Est–Stoney Creek IND)

Mr. Billy Pang (Markham–Unionville PC)

Mr. Jeremy Roberts (Ottawa West–Nepean / Ottawa-Ouest–Nepean PC)

Mr. Dave Smith (Peterborough–Kawartha PC)

Mrs. Daisy Wai (Richmond Hill PC)

Mr. Jamie West (Sudbury ND)

Substitutions / Membres remplaçants

Mr. Michael Mantha (Algoma–Manitoulin ND)

Mr. Norman Miller (Parry Sound–Muskoka PC)

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton–Kawartha Lakes–Brock PC)

Clerk / Greffier

Mr. Isaiah Thorning

Staff / Personnel

Ms. Catherine Oh, legislative counsel