Journal des débats 1998-mai-05 | Assemblée législative de l'Ontario

Mr Rick Bartolucci (Sudbury): Those of us living in the north hope that today's budget won't be any worse than last year's. We won't forget that the only new tax imposed by Mike Harris was one imposed on northerners with the institution of the northern vehicle registration tax.

After that budget last year, there was a huge outcry from the people in the north saying that this new tax was wrong, that it was unfair, that it was mean-spirited and that it was the act of a government that simply didn't understand the extra costs of operating a vehicle in northern Ontario. But our pleas fell on deaf ears. Mike Harris and the Tories weren't listening.

The people from the north started a postcard campaign. Thousands upon thousands of people in the north signed these postcards telling Mike Harris that the new tax was wrong and would cost us millions of dollars. But our postcard campaign fell on deaf ears. Mike Harris and the Tories weren't listening.

But this year's edition of Mike Harris is supposed to be a kinder and gentler one, one that listens. Well, will you admit today, Premier, that your new tax on northerners was wrong and that you will withdraw that tax in your new budget this year, or will you be the same old Mike Harris who says he listens but really doesn't hear? Premier, you have a chance to prove to northern Ontarians that you're listening and that you care. Axe the tax, Mike, today.

HEALTH CARDS

Mrs Marion Boyd (London Centre): I'm rising today to discuss yet again the question of the Harris government's insistence that every person seeking medical care within the province now have on their person a valid health card.

We have raised this issue again and again, that in fact this demand for a valid health card actually in a person's hand is causing real difficulty, real barriers to the health care to which every resident of this province is entitled.

Those who are working in hospitals, in doctors' offices, in medical laboratories, who are dealing with people who for one reason or another do not have their cards with them, the outcry from those health care professionals about the barrier to access to health care is growing.

This government excuses its behaviour on the ground of fraud. The citizens of this province feel it is inappropriate for the government to assume that people are always trying to defraud it. That's the opinion this government obviously has. Children who may not have a health card with them when they're visiting with relatives, street people who may not have identification that enables them to get cards and those who have had their wallets stolen may not have cards and may not be able to get the medical care they need.

RECYCLING IN NORTHUMBERLAND

Mr Doug Galt (Northumberland): On April 23, 1998, the county of Northumberland received a Silver Municipal Award from the Recycling Council of Ontario. The RCO's Silver Municipal Award is given to municipalities that achieve waste reduction targets that are higher than the generally accepted standard. Municipalities achieve these targets through comprehensive reduce, reuse and recycle programs.

The residents of Northumberland and the waste management staff at the county are certainly to be congratulated for their collective effort in reducing the amount of municipal and business waste generated in Northumberland.

While recognizing the county of Northumberland for its recycling efforts, it is also important to mention that this is Pitch-In Week. Pitch-In Week is now in its 30th year in some parts of Canada. Hundreds of communities in Ontario are participating in activities that promote the importance of recycling, such as cleaning up waterways and highways and removing garbage from school yards and parks.

Communities such as Northumberland are to be commended for pitching in to promote a cleaner and healthier environment.

I certainly hope that all members of this House will encourage recycling in their communities, not only during Pitch-In Week, but also throughout the whole year.

SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Mr James J. Bradley (St Catharines): On Saturday, May 2, 1998, a very important ceremony was held in St Catharines as Saints Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church was designated as a historic site. The church, which was named after ninth-century Slavic missionaries, was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1998 because of its historical and architectural significance to our community.

The first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in St Catharines between 1912 and 1914, and a significant number of settlers from Ukraine came to our area in the 1930s. This growing community required a permanent place of worship and in 1943 the existing site on the path of the third Welland Canal was acquired.

Construction of the cross-shaped church took place between 1944 and 1946, utilizing plans prepared by Rev Phillip Ruh, a German missionary and architect-builder. The style is Byzantine Revival, which is typified by domes, decorative brickwork and stone arches. Under the care of Rev Dr Mykola Komar from 1962 to the present, the interior phase was completed, exemplifying the rich religious and artistic gifts offered to us by the eastern church.

The entire community of St Catharines celebrates this heritage designation, so special for the congregation of Saints Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church.

WOMEN'S ISSUES

Ms Marilyn Churley (Riverdale): "Gender Gap Widening for Tories." This is the title of Jim Coyle's column in today's Toronto Star. I suggest everybody take a look at this, as on the day of Ernie Eves's budget we expect to hear some very fine language today to try to close that gender gap. I would suggest that people read, as Jim Coyle is suggesting in his column, a book that was just released by Sylvia Bashevkin. It is called Women on the Defensive: Living Through Conservative Times.

To quote from Mr Coyle's article: "Of course, today's budget will doubtless seek to address the gender gap which is by now so well-documented and so potentially fatal. But Bashevkin is not terribly hopeful."

We have seen the Premier of this government blame pregnant women on welfare, taking away their food allowance, saying they just spend it on beer. We have seen the welfare cuts that have drastically affected women and their children. We have seen education and health budgets cut, which have affected women negatively, and on and on.

No wonder there is a gender gap. We don't want to just hear fine language today. We want to see some of that money reinvested for the sake of women and children.

CHRIS ROBERTSON

Mr Trevor Pettit (Hamilton Mountain): I am pleased to take this opportunity today to give recognition to a very special Hamilton Mountain resident, Chris Robertson, who undertook a most interesting journey recently.

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a pro-Canada rally at Mohawk College in my home town of Hamilton. The rally was organized and inspired by Chris Robertson, who had recently returned from an extraordinary trip and who wanted to spend an evening describing to his neighbours and fellow Hamilton citizens his experience of the magnificent physical beauty of this country. He wanted to describe to them what he encountered when he cycled 6,520 kilometres from Point Pelee, the most southern part of mainland Canada, to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean. He is the first person in history to go from the bottom of Canada to the top by his own power.

What Chris told us that evening was this: Canada is a country whose natural beauty we must celebrate more as Canadians, it is a country whose natural beauty we must show to our children, and it is a country whose natural beauty is the envy of most of the world.

Chris Robertson's To the Top Canada Expedition was undertaken because he was concerned about the unity of this country and because he believed that we as Canadians must be more outspoken in expressing our pride in Canada.

On behalf of my constituents high atop scenic Hamilton Mountain, I congratulate Chris for his courageous journey cycling across this magnificent country and thank him for educating us on how and why it is important to show our pride in Canada.

Fellow members, please welcome a great Canadian, Chris Robertson, who is with us in the members' gallery today.

RURAL AND NORTHERN PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE

Mr Pat Hoy (Essex-Kent): I am delighted by the Premier's dramatic flip-flop on hepatitis C. I have many constituents for whom I have been fighting for justice. The Premier has finally learned that he is vulnerable. Self-interest has taught him how to do the right thing. The Dionne sisters have taught him how to do the right thing.

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Now I'm calling on the Premier to do the right thing for rural and northern communities which are seriously short of physicians and specialists. A year and a half ago, the Premier pledged $36.4 million per year for three years. That money has not been spent. The quality of health care in northern and rural communities is being threatened by the lack of doctors.

Keep your promise, Premier. Communities in my area like Thamesville, Blenheim, Belle River, Rochester, Maidstone and Tilbury have been fighting to attract new doctors without any help whatsoever from the Harris government. I have called on this government time and time again for assistance: Lift the freeze on community health care funding. Provide a salary fund for nurse practitioners to help doctors in rural areas. Find the money in your budget, Premier. We need doctors now.

PHYLLIS McAVOY

Mr David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre): It's with a very heavy heart that I rise today and advise members of the death of Mrs Phyllis McAvoy. I know that members will recall the plight of Mrs McAvoy, whose son was killed on February 13, 1991, but as a result of a plea-bargaining process there was a conviction for a much lesser charge and the result of that court case clearly left the law saying that her son had committed suicide.

She refused to accept that and fought for years, with the help of Hamilton Spectator reporter Jim Holt and regional chairman Terry Cooke, who was then chair of the police services board, to get a coroner's inquest into the death. Indeed, that finally happened and the inquest proved that someone else caused the murder and that in fact the murder scene had been altered.

We then spent, along with her lawyer Ray Harris, the next couple of years trying to get back for Mrs McAvoy - who was a very ordinary working person who couldn't afford the cost of all that money and all those legal fees. To the credit of the sitting Attorney General, we worked and reached a settlement that gave her at least that peace of mind and it was just resolved a little while ago.

It's a shame that she didn't have more time to enjoy the peace that bringing a final resolution to this would have. Mrs McAvoy was an exceptional person, and I feel very honoured to have had an opportunity to have been even a small part of her life.

MILTON MERCHANTS HOCKEY TEAM

Mr Ted Chudleigh (Halton North): It gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today to congratulate the Milton Junior A hockey team, the Milton Merchants, on becoming the all-Ontario hockey series champion.

On April 24, the Merchants won their final game in a six-game series against the defending provincial champion Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats.

The hard work and dedication of the Milton Merchants has finally paid off. Their triumphant 4-2 series win over the Sabrecats gave them the honour of representing central Canada at the 1998 Royal Bank Cup in Nanaimo, BC, formerly known as the Centennial Cup.

Their back-to-back overtime victories in the last couple of games in the series were truly a team effort, and I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Milton Merchants on this dramatic win.

I want to personally congratulate team leader Jeff Haydar, his brother Darren, who was named the most sportsman-like player of the all-Ontario finals, and also Jarrett Rose, who won the most valuable player award. I'd like to also recognize coach Marty Williamson, team owner Brad Grant and the whole team for their commitment to Canada's national sport.

I know all the members of the House will want to join me in congratulating the Milton Merchants for their first-ever all-Ontario championship win and wish them good luck in BC in their quest for the Centennial Cup.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL WASTE DUMPING ACT, 1998 / LOI DE 1998 SUR LA PRISE DE MESURES DE RÉPRESSION À L'ÉGARD DE LA MISE EN DÉCHARGE ILLÉGALE DE DÉCHETS

Mr Wildman moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 13, An Act to Crack Down on Illegal Waste Dumping by amending the Environmental Protection Act, the Ontario Water Resources Act and the Pesticides Act / Projet de loi 13, Loi réprimant sévèrement la mise en décharge illégale de déchets en modifiant la Loi sur la protection de l'environnement, la Loi sur les ressources en eau de l'Ontario et la Loi sur les pesticides.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Short comment?

Mr Bud Wildman (Algoma): The bill amends the Environmental Protection Act, the EPA, the Ontario Water Resources Act and the Pesticides Act to combat the illegal depositing of waste. Specific amendments are made to the EPA, and all three statutes are amended to facilitate enforcement and increase penalties.

Provisions of the EPA that deal with the depositing of waste and with orders for waste removal are broadened and a power to make restitution orders is added.

Provisions that allow the seizure and suspension or detention of vehicle permits and plates are expanded.

The category of documents that may be used as evidence is also broadened.

CITY OF KITCHENER ACT, 1998

Mr Wettlaufer moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr15, An Act respecting The Corporation of the City of Kitchener.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

MUNICIPAL AMENDMENT ACT (SIMCOE DAY), 1998 / LOI DE 1998 MODIFIANT LA LOI SUR LES MUNICIPALITÉS (FÊTE DE SIMCOE)

Mr Gilchrist moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 14, An Act to amend the Municipal Act to name Civic Holiday as Simcoe Day / Projet de loi 14, Loi modifiant la Loi sur les municipalités en vue de désigner le Congé civique sous le nom de fête de Simcoe.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Short comment?

Mr Steve Gilchrist (Scarborough East): This bill would seek to change the Municipal Act so that every municipality in Ontario would recognize the contribution that was made by Lord Graves Simcoe, as has just been done by Sarnia city council and has been done previously by the city of Toronto. We think it worthy of recognition across all of Ontario in deference to the role played by the British and Lord Graves Simcoe in particular.

REDEEMER REFORMED CHRISTIAN COLLEGE ACT, 1998

Mr Skarica moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill Pr17, An Act respecting Redeemer Reformed Christian College.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

ORAL QUESTIONS

LONG-TERM CARE / SOINS DE LONGUE DURÉE

Mr Bernard Grandmaître (Ottawa East): My question is to the Minister of Health. Madam Minister, your health care restructuring commission removed more than $120 million of services in health care in the Ottawa-Carleton area, and on Friday, with great fanfare, you reinvested $45 million to create 1,300 long-term-care beds, but over eight years. To make matters worse, the first 300 beds won't be in place by the year 1999.

Don't you realize that we have at the present time a waiting list of more than 1,400 people? Our senior citizens are the fastest-growing population in all of Ontario. My colleagues in Ottawa-Carleton and the district health council are disappointed in your announcement. Would you not agree with the member for Ottawa-Rideau, Mr Guzzo, who says that 1,300 beds is inadequate? Will you do the right thing and provide us with more beds?

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Hon Elizabeth Witmer (Minister of Health): I think it's important that we put this into the appropriate perspective. As you know, the Health Services Restructuring Commission in its advice indicated that there was a need in the Ottawa area for 1,016 new long-term-care beds and also an investment of $23 million annually in long-term-care services. Our recent commitment was beyond the expectations and the recommendations of the commission, and we have actually committed 1,313 new beds and more than $36 million in new annual funding. That exceeds the recommendations of the commission.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Answer, please.

Hon Mrs Witmer: I guess what's important to understand is that there are not 14,000 people on waiting -

The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Supplementary.

M. Grandmaître : Madame la ministre, pour vous corriger, c'est 1400 personnes. Je n'ai jamais parlé de 14 000.

Je suis content d'entendre aujourd'hui que M. Guzzo - c'est complètement faux. Alors, les gens d'Ottawa-Carleton encore une fois ont été induits en erreur par M. Guzzo et par vous-même. Lorsque vous questionnez la liste d'attente de 1400 personnes, le Conseil de santé d'Ottawa-Carleton encore n'a pas raison.

Madame la ministre, faites la bonne chose. Ajoutez les lits nécessaires, qu'on attend depuis toujours dans la région d'Ottawa-Carleton.

Hon Mrs Witmer: I would agree that certainly you do need the beds, and as you know, we're trying to ensure that the beds are going to be provided as quickly as possible.

I'd like to clear up some of the misconceptions around the waiting list. Indications are that there are 1,300 or 1,400, whatever number, on the waiting list. I'd just like to break that down as to what's actually happening.

At the end of February the Ministry of Health did a survey. The indication is that of that total, 438 individuals are already in a long-term-care facility and are looking for a transfer to another facility, so they already have a bed. Another 165 individuals who should be in a long-term-care facility are in an acute care or chronic care facility, so they already are receiving the required care; they're simply not in the appropriate facility. We have a further 733 individuals who are listed as being in the community waiting for a bed. This number includes those put on a waiting list through the community care access centres because there is a future anticipation that they will need a bed.

The Speaker: Answer, please.

Hon Mrs Witmer: This number also includes people who are being serviced in their own homes with long-term-care services but who over the longer period of time will need -

The Speaker: Thank you. Final supplementary.

Mr Alex Cullen (Ottawa West): The crisis in health care in Ottawa-Carleton continues. Last December, the Ottawa-Carleton Community Care Access Centre got an emergency $3-million infusion from your ministry to stave off draconian cuts to its 17,000 clients who require home care: the frail and sick elderly, hospital patients and the disabled.

The community care access centre's fiscal year ended, as you know, in March, and it has submitted a new budget requesting these funds plus $2.7 million to accommodate additional caseload growth as a result of both hospital cutbacks and an aging population. In support of that, there are letters from the Parkinson's Society of Ottawa-Carleton, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Nepean Community Resource Centre, Carlington Community Health Services, multiple sclerosis. All these agencies, whose clients require home care services, are asking this ministry to confirm that funding.

Will you today provide confirmation not only that the $3 million will become part of the permanent budget, but that caseload growth, the demand for an additional $2.7 million, will be accommodated for this year?

Hon Mrs Witmer: Obviously the member didn't hear the announcement of last week, where our government indicated that we were going to be investing a total of an additional $551 million into community-based services. We are well aware of the increased need for services. As you know, each year we have been increasing the amount of money that is available for the CCACs and it is totally consistent with the needs of the population in that community. We are the first government to recognize the need for community-based services and we are continuing to increase budgets each and every year, consistent with the needs of the community.

Mr James J. Bradley (St Catharines): Mr Speaker, on a point of order: I would like to request permission for the member for Ottawa-Rideau to ask another supplementary on this.

The Speaker: The member for St Catharines is seeking unanimous consent for the member for Ottawa-Rideau to ask a supplementary. Agreed? I heard a "No."

FIREFIGHTING IN NORTHERN ONTARIO

Mr Frank Miclash (Kenora): My question is for the Chair of Management Board. The Chair of Management Board is the person who is responsible for the mess we find ourselves in, in terms of forest fires in the north today.

Minister, you will remember that after my colleagues and I toured the northwest fire centre in Dryden, I alerted you of the dry conditions and the early explosive fire season that we would be seeing in the northwest because of the lack of snow over this past winter. You will know, being that we have a very dry spring in the northwest, that we have been caught in a situation where the fires are burning out of control. I ask you, why were you not ready for the dry spring in the north and the fires that we are facing today, the things I had asked you to be ready for later on in the winter?

Hon Chris Hodgson (Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet, Minister of Northern Development and Mines): I appreciate the question. As you know, the Minister of Natural Resources has been in the area yesterday and again today looking at the situation at first hand. I just want to say that our firefighters are the best in the world. They're doing a tremendous job. They're fully prepared. There are 27 fires being actioned right now and they are all being actioned to some extent. We realize the situation is tense. We realize that there are weather conditions that no one can predict, but our forces are prepared.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Supplementary?

Mr Michael Gravelle (Port Arthur): Thunder Bay fire 21 is raging out of control and has tripled in size over the last 24 hours. It has forced the evacuation of Gull Bay and it has cut off access to Armstrong. There are many people in northwestern Ontario who want to aid in the firefighting effort, 18 of whom are trained firefighters from Gull Bay First Nation, the community under siege right now, yet your privatization of forest firefighting and your drastic cutbacks in fire crews and fire stations two years ago, which we consistently warned you about, have hampered the ability of these trained people and countless others to join the firefighting effort. Can you assure us today that all those who are properly trained will be put to work immediately, and will you allow the many other northerners who want to help to get to work as soon as possible to help here?

Hon Mr Hodgson: As the members opposite know, the Minister of Natural Resources is in the area right now and he is reviewing it. That's why he can't be with us in the House. But I can tell you that the Ontario government, this Mike Harris government, has the best firefighters in the world and we have communities that are -

Mr Bud Wildman (Algoma): We all knew it was going to be dry. Fire them all.

The Speaker: Order.

Hon Mr Hodgson: We have had a couple of seasons of high fire activity. I just want to assure the House and all the people who may be watching this on television that we have not reduced the number of crews this year or last year. The major reduction in firefighting took place when the opposition was in power, and that is the truth. We can go back through the numbers. Our government also has just invested -

Interjections.

The Speaker: Hold on. I can't hear the answer, folks.

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Hon Mr Hodgson: We have well-trained crews that are doing their best right now under very extreme conditions. We have also, as a government, invested $200 million on new water bombers with more capacity. Unlike previous governments that let our infrastructure run down, we're making the proper investments to solve and try to help the situation in northwestern Ontario right now.

The Speaker: Final supplementary?

Mr Michael A. Brown (Algoma-Manitoulin): Minister, you just don't get it. This climax situation is not news. It could have and should have been anticipated. Northern Alberta is on fire. People in northern Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba are praying for rain. The northeast is drying out in Ontario. There aren't going to be crews from other jurisdictions to come and help; they've got their own problems. You should have bolstered our ability for first strikes and got our manpower hired so that we could attack those forest fires immediately.

Everybody in the province knew this was happening - as a matter of fact, everybody in North America did - and you did nothing. The minister is up there now. He should have been up there three months ago getting ready for what was inevitable.

People are losing their communities, their livelihoods, their opportunities for recreation. Millions upon millions of dollars in timber are going to go up in smoke. Get with it. Get up there. Commit the resources. Hire the people. Let's address the situation with more than words.

Hon Mr Hodgson: We are addressing the situation with more than words. We've put actions in place that allow for better training of our initial attack crews in response to suggestions by some local members from that area a couple of years ago. They wanted to make sure that more local people got trained and got access to fight our fires. We've done that.

We've also made the investment in water bombers, a huge investment that other governments didn't have the courage to do, all for the sake of making sure we have the best firefighting capability in the world. Our preparedness will stand up against any other jurisdiction.

VISITOR

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): I'd like to take this opportunity, in the government members' gallery, to introduce the former member for St George, Mr Allan Lawrence. Welcome.

FIREFIGHTING IN NORTHERN ONTARIO

Mr Gilles Bisson (Cochrane South): My question is also to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines. The fact is that last winter we had very little in the way of snow. Last fall we had very little by way of rain. This spring it's extremely dry. The fact is, you're the minister who oversaw the dismantling of the Ministry of Natural Resources. You fired 50% of the staff of that ministry and laid off, two years ago, a great part of the fire protection crews that were there to fight the fires.

The question I ask you, Minister, is the same question that people across northeastern and northwestern Ontario are asking: Are you prepared to do the right thing? Are you prepared to make sure that we have the crews in place to properly protect our communities during the spring fire season?

Hon Chris Hodgson (Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet, Minister of Northern Development and Mines): Yes. The Minister of Natural Resources is up there right now and the minister and the ministry staff are doing everything with the tools this government has allowed them to have in terms of a bumped-up initial attack, taking advantage of technology. We got rid of tying up resources in outdated fire stations, where people had to sit in a tower. We have sophisticated satellites that can identify when fires are starting.

We've known that we're facing unusual weather circumstances. To respond to the opposition, we have invested again this year up to $200 million for new water bombers. There are four of them in action right now. That's a major investment to help this situation, and we're taking those steps.

Mr Bisson: You don't seem to get it. I have to say what my good friend from Nipigon said: You sit there as northern Ontario quite possibly can burn.

You're the minister who shut down 18 fire centres across northern Ontario. Those fire centres were there for a reason: So that we had people onsite, close by, who were ready to go out and fight fires when they did come up. We've been lucky up to now; we've managed to suppress the fires that have started.

Our fear is quite simply this: If we don't have the manpower in place, if we don't have the crews that are necessary to fight these fires onsite at the proper time, they're not going to be able to suppress those fires when they start, and literally parts of northeastern and northwestern Ontario can burn.

I ask you again, will you do the right thing and ensure that the necessary crews are in place to fight fires as they start across the fire season this year?

Hon Mr Hodgson: Yes. That's what our changes have allowed us to do in the last two years.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Final supplementary.

Mr Gilles Pouliot (Lake Nipigon): Minister, for as long as the sun shines and the river flows, you shall have forest fires. It's a phenomenon. The riding of Lake Nipigon is 26% of the overall land mass of the province, extending all the way to Hudson Bay, nestled between Lake Superior and Lake Nipigon. Get it?

People in Gull Bay, a native community, are isolated. There is nowhere to go. There is no more a lifeline. They wish to go to work to save their resources, to save their belongings and maybe themselves. They are presently unemployed. You have the jurisdictional capacity and the duty. Find the fortitude to put those people to work. Give them a chance to live. Will you make that commitment today?

Hon Mr Hodgson: I will take that under advisement. I'm sure the Minister of Natural Resources will respond to that when he comes back.

HEALTH CARE FUNDING

Mr Wayne Lessard (Windsor-Riverside): My question is to the Minister of Health. Yesterday, a couple of my Liberal colleagues were in Windsor trying to make themselves out to be great friends of public health care by slamming your privatization plans. The only problem is that it's the federal Liberal government that has been encouraging your actions by cutting billions of dollars in transfer payments towards health care.

Your government is privatizing health care. You're Americanizing it.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Order. The member for Sudbury, come to order.

Mrs Sandra Pupatello (Windsor-Sandwich): You should be nervous, Lessard.

Hon Charles Harnick (Attorney General, minister responsible for native affairs): I heard you were the loudest in Windsor.

The Speaker: Attorney General. The member for Durham East, I'm certain that's not your seat. The member for Windsor-Riverside.

Mr Lessard: Is it over, Speaker?

Minister, you're privatizing health care in Ontario, you're Americanizing it, and you're forcing out community-based, not-for-profit agencies like the Victorian Order of Nurses. We think you're not moving too far, too fast, like my Liberal colleagues have been saying, but you're going in the wrong direction.

What have you done to demand that the federal Liberals, in the face of their budget surpluses, restore their cuts to health care transfer payments to the province of Ontario?

Hon Elizabeth Witmer (Minister of Health): In response to the question from the member opposite, I would certainly indicate to you that we are not privatizing health care. In fact, yesterday I received a letter from someone within the VON congratulating us on our announcement last week. There has been a tremendous response.

Last week, as you will know, we made an announcement of $1.2 billion. We have taken action to respond to the changing needs of our aging population. Last week we invested money into 20,000 new long-term-care beds. We invested and will be renovating 13,000 older beds in order that they meet the same high standards and that people in those old facilities will have the same quality of life as elsewhere. We are certainly moving forward without the federal government in order to provide the services and the level of funding needed.

Mr Lessard: Minister, you didn't answer my question. You may be hearing from different people than we are. New Democrats have been consulting with the public across Ontario. We've been using this document, Condition Critical! The Future of Health Care. We're calling in that document for the expansion of the guarantees under the Canada Health Act to cover home care services. People are telling us - patients, health care workers, families of people who need care - that they are afraid that with the move you're making to home care, they won't have those guarantees, now that it's not publicly funded.

They are worried that your government is privatizing health care through the back door. We think they're right to be worried. The Canada Health Act only guarantees full public funding and universal access for services provided by hospitals and doctors. With home care, there are no such guarantees. Will you do what the NDP has called for and commit to gradually expand the guarantees in the Canada Health Act to cover home care and ensure seniors receive the quality care they deserve?

Hon Mrs Witmer: The minister with responsibility for seniors will take that.

Hon Cameron Jackson (Minister without Portfolio [Seniors Issues]): I'd like to advise the member opposite that it was his government that delisted home care services from the OHIP formulary in Ontario. I'd like to remind the member opposite that at the recent conference in Halifax, the first ever national conference on home care, Ontario was the only province that sent an elected representative to protect our seniors, because the federal Liberal government is not talking about a universally accessible home care system; it's talking about the fact that home care in this country is provided on the basis of a user fee, a co-pay, some kind of means test. The only two provinces that don't have this kind of a co-pay are Ontario and Manitoba, both Conservative provinces. We'll continue to provide home care that way in this country.

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Mr Lessard: The minister is just talking through his hat. The New Democrats never delisted home care services under OHIP. People in Windsor and across the province are worried that the cost of home care is going to fall on them and their elderly parents or their children. They're concerned there will be no guarantees of quality, despite the assurances from the Minister of Health.

I have a letter from J.W. Payne. He's the director of finance and administration for the Windsor-Essex Community Care Access Centre. This letter is in response to my request to see the agreements between the CCAC and the long-term home care providers. They've told me I can't have that agreement because it's confidential.

How can we trust that the standards are going to be there when we can't see those legal agreements? How can we know that your government isn't saying one thing publicly and entering into agreements privately with private home care providers? What are you trying to hide? Will you commit today to make all legal agreements that the government signs with home care providers public so that we can see what's really going on with the restructuring of health care services?

Hon Mr Jackson: I want to advise the member opposite that for years in Ontario we had an unregulated system of home care that was operated on a monopoly basis, administered by the government. Today in Ontario we have a community based system, with citizens participating on the boards. In Windsor there are 10 or 11 community members serving on that board, making the decisions. We as a province and the taxpayers transfer to them millions of dollars and they acquire the services, sign the contracts and ensure that the service is delivered by professional, competent nursing staff for nursing care and homemaking staff for homemaking services. Those services are provided with standards for the first time in this province, with a local board held accountable. Those contracts are reviewed by the legal department of those community based centres. In Windsor, it's the Windsor-Essex Community Care Access Centre.

We're proud of a system that is able to monitor patient satisfaction and professional delivery of service. It's the first time that has occurred in this province. We're very proud that we've been able to implement it.

EDUCATION FUNDING

Mr Richard Patten (Ottawa Centre): My question is for the Minister of Education. Under your government's education funding formula, the new Ottawa-Carleton District School Board - that is a forced amalgamation, as you know - is told that it now has 1.6 million square feet of surplus space in schools that are actively used and occupied by students. That requires the board to close as many as 13 elementary schools and seven high schools.

Under your funding formula, the government will not recognize any reductions of surplus space that happen after September 1998. This gives the board a little over five months of planning time for any sales, any adjustments, any new plans on students and families that are disrupted. What is the logic of this, that this will not be recognized after September 1998? What is the reason for that?

Hon David Johnson (Minister of Education and Training): The logic of the funding formula in general is to focus, and space is the same but all particulars of the funding formula, to ensure that the money is spent in the classroom on the teachers, on the textbooks, on every aspect of in the classroom, which is important to the students in Ontario. In terms of space, this government wants to ensure there is an adequate amount of space for the students and for the teachers. But the province of Ontario does not feel the taxpayers should be funding space beyond what is adequate for the needs of the classroom.

Mr Patten: Minister, you haven't answered the question. If you ran a business and you had 20 facilities in which to sell and accommodate and rejig the staffing arrangements to occupy that space somewhere else, would you do it in a five-month period? No, you wouldn't; I'm sure you wouldn't. You talk about common sense. The Ottawa-Carleton board has a desperate need for space in outlying areas. What you've effectively done is pitted inner schools against suburbia and rural areas, causing communities to fight communities for that kind of space.

It's going to mean more busing, more transportation. We hear there's a likelihood of a drop in transportation. I'm going to ask you: Will you at least extend that particular deadline, and it's not just this school board, it's every board that has this problem across the province, so they can make the kind of planning decisions on a rational basis that will consider these, let alone you're going to be causing and adding to the decay of inner cities, certainly in the Ottawa area?

Hon David Johnson: The Ministry of Education is currently in the process of taking an inventory of space with all the boards. The Ottawa board would be a case in point. We're working very closely with the Ottawa officials to determine the exact parameters of the space they have. This is taking place at the present time. My expectation is that somewhere within about a month this process will be completed. Then we will know what we're talking about.

In terms of the deadline, the school boards are able to dispose of properties either before or after September. If they dispose of it now, then it doesn't count in their inventory. If they dispose of it after September 1, then they have the benefit of taking the money from any school or any property they dispose of - and indeed if it's administrative and we're asking them to dispose of their administrative properties first, but any property - and they can take that money and build a school where they need it.

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Ms Frances Lankin (Beaches-Woodbine): My question is to the minister responsible for children's issues. I have a serious concern that the Minister of Health and the minister responsible for seniors' issues, in overseeing the establishment of community care access centres, have overlooked the importance of specialized children's services. I know you're aware of the problem this has created.

There are some community care access centres in the province that are sending out tender documents that have a pre-qualification saying, "Any service provider bidding on the contract must have the ability to provide cradle-to-grave services." This is not acceptable and it should be a matter of provincial policy to prohibit such pre-qualification.

You know the importance of specialized children's services in the area of physiotherapy, speech pathology, paediatric services. It is not acceptable that these specialized services be disqualified and stripped away from children and their families. I spoke to you about this two months ago. I would like to know if you've been able to convince your cabinet colleagues to issue such a policy directive to ensure that this practice in those parts of the province where this occurred will be stopped and children will be put first.

Hon Margaret Marland (Minister without Portfolio [children's issues]): I'm referring this question to the Minister of Health.

Hon Elizabeth Witmer (Minister of Health): As you know, CCACs, as has been pointed out earlier this afternoon, are local bodies. They are governed by individuals within local communities. Obviously, they are in a position to indicate what services are needed and also what members of a certain community are going to qualify for those particular services.

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Ms Lankin: This is the second time I have asked a question of my friend the minister responsible for children's issues and her cabinet colleagues have made her refer these questions.

I say to the Minister of Health, you and the minister responsible for seniors' issues have set up these CCACs across the province and you have not given any consideration to specialized children's services. It is not good enough to leave it to the local community, whose main focus has been seniors' services and whose secondary focus has been services for persons with disabilities. They do a fine job trying to manage those services. They are not experts in children's services.

You have cut out paediatric services, you have cut out children's treatment centres in some communities from bidding on these contracts. You can fix the problem. This is not a local issue. It is a question of whether there is a provincial priority on children. You, Minister, can give that policy directive.

Hon Mrs Witmer: I think our government has made it abundantly clear that we are very concerned about children's issues, and it's for that reason that the Premier set up the ministry and the minister with responsibility for children's issues. There is collaboration among the education ministry, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Community and Social Services in order that we can address the needs of children throughout Ontario.

UNIFIED FAMILY COURT

Mr Tom Froese (St Catharines-Brock): My question is to the Attorney General. My question is about the Unified Family Court services. I understand that the services are under both federal and provincial law and provide families with access to mediation services as an alternative to the court system. Minister, could you please tell this Legislature what your ministry is doing to provide Unified Family Court services across the province.

Hon Charles Harnick (Attorney General, minister responsible for native affairs): It's a very important question. The Ontario government is committed to the expansion of the Unified Family Court as fast as we possibly can. This court now operates in Hamilton, London, Barrie, Kingston and Napanee, and it has been termed a resounding success by the bench, the bar and the families who use it.

This court provides one-stop access for all family matters in one court, all matters being dealt with in a unified court. It's of great benefit to the public. It offers mediation services, education services, information services and truly allows the court to deal in the best interests of children because of the way the court is structured. Certainly we are looking for better ways of finding solutions and reducing the emotional toll of the court process, particularly on children.

This model is something we very much wish to expand across Ontario, and if the federal government permits us to, we will.

Mr Froese: The Niagara region has a population of almost half a million people and it needs a Unified Family Court. I believe St Catharines is the obvious choice. Can you tell this Legislature, Minister, if you have made any commitments with respect to expansion of the Unified Family Court as a means of improving the delivery of family law services in the Niagara region.

Hon Mr Harnick: I can certainly say that St Catharines would be a very strong candidate for the expansion of the Unified Family Court. As you know, recently the federal government announced it would appoint 17 judges to this court so it would permit us to expand the court. The number of judges falls far short of the expectations we have to be able to expand the court across Ontario so we don't have to run two separate systems for family law matters. As a result of the federal government only taking a half-step towards the expansion of the court - we're grateful for that, although it wasn't enough, but we are grateful they are committed to some expansion of the court - we will be taking a look at all the communities that are ready to accommodate such a court, and certainly, as I said, St Catharines is a strong candidate.

ARTS AND CULTURAL FUNDING

Mr Michael Gravelle (Port Arthur): My question is to the Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation. The arts and heritage community continues to see threatening signs from your government that point in the direction of less public support for culture in Ontario. In fact, your government has already ripped the heart out of the community by repeated and brutal cuts to the Ontario Arts Council, cuts to Ontario museums, art service organizations and our public libraries.

During the last session, Minister, you actually spoke about how your ministry was not in the business of giving out grants, which I know came as a shock to many of our partners. In fact, your government's style has been more one of death by a thousand cuts and this has been very upsetting as well. Can you tell us why your government has not seen the value of the arts in Ontario and has spent the last three years attacking it and all those who support it?

Hon Isabel Bassett (Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation): First of all, I thank the member opposite for the question because it gives me a chance to say how much this government values the arts. Every single ministry in the past three years has seen enormous cuts because we had, as you know, an $11-billion deficit when we took office. Everyone has had to do their part. What we in this ministry have done is to make sure that we are assisting the artistic community to partnership with business and to get more sponsors to run their operations in a businesslike manner where possible, and we are beginning to see some of the results of that.

Mr Gravelle: Minister, there's no question there has been an extraordinary impact from the cuts you've made to the arts, culture and heritage community. Your cuts to the Ontario Arts Council have left this important supporter of the arts basically at 1974-75 funding levels, and we now hear that your government is moving to change the way the Ontario Arts Council provides grants and supports to culture.

We hear that your government will add another obstacle for arts organizations and individual artists by demanding increased private sector support in order to receive public support. Minister, are you so out of touch with the smaller community-based organizations in this province that you don't realize the impact of such a policy change?

Hon Ms Bassett: I know we've got to look at everything as carefully as we can, but we feel that making a buoyant economy is what helps the arts. I was at the theatre community just last night talking to some of my colleagues, and they say they've never seen such sales for shows in the past three years because of the buoyant economy.

If I can refer to a comment from one of your colleagues, he said that the buoyant economy is beginning to reach the north, and, believe me, Thunder Bay is beginning to see as well some of the increased vitality in the economic community. That will impact on the arts. It will make sponsors more ready to sponsor shows.

For example, the Courtauld exhibit that's coming to Toronto is being sponsored. The Picasso exhibit in Ottawa is being sponsored by Midland Walwyn. More and more businesses are seeing the opportunities -

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): New question.

CHILDREN'S SERVICES

Ms Frances Lankin (Beaches-Woodbine): I'd like to return to my colleague the minister responsible for children's issues. Minister, if I didn't convince you of the need to intervene in this important issue when we spoke two months ago, then the Minister of Health's response today must be a deciding factor for you.

It is clear that the ministry has not any understanding of the importance of specialized children's health and home support services and that they are different than adults' - in particular seniors' - services in the skill and the expertise. We have agencies that have built up over long, hard years specialized expertise and we do not want to lose that. More important, we don't want to allow the children out there who need that to lose those services.

There are some community care access centres that don't understand that. Many in the province have done the right thing, but you could solve this problem. There are communities - I know you're aware of it because your colleagues have spoken to you - where they're fighting hard to solve the local problem. They've solved it temporarily for this year but not in the long haul. Minister, will you intervene and talk to cabinet and attempt to get a province-wide policy directive sent out?

Hon Margaret Marland (Minister without Portfolio [children's issues]): This is not for me to answer. It is for the Minister of Health. I'm referring it back to the minister.

Hon Elizabeth Witmer (Minister of Health): To the member opposite: I can appreciate her concern and I can certainly appreciate the particular situation that she is referring to. I want to indicate to her that I agree that we need to make sure that when we go through this process of looking for services and looking for providers, we do it in such a way that we continue to provide continuity in the delivery of those services. So we're prepared to review the process that has been put in place to ensure that there is a continuity in the provision of the services.

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Ms Lankin: Three times now, and I'm very sorry, I say to my friend, your responsibility is to intervene on behalf of children and to talk with cabinet and to get cabinet to do the right thing.

I say to the Minister of Health that the quick briefing you got from the Minister of Community and Social Services about the problem in her own community doesn't quite go far enough because there are other communities involved in this.

The issue is one of right of choice, of parents of frail children to have continuity of service and to have the right expertise of service. But beyond that, the issue is one of community care access centres not being able, by pre-qualification, to prohibit specialized children's service providers from bidding on these contracts.

The only way to resolve this, Minister, is for you to issue a policy directive. I do appreciate that you will review step 1 of this. I am asking you now for a commitment that you will review the question of a province-wide policy directive to CCACs that they may not disqualify specialized children's services by pre-qualification requirements.

Hon Mrs Witmer: We are quite prepared to take your suggestions into consideration and we will do whatever we can in that regard.

MUNICIPAL RESTRUCTURING

Mr Frank Klees (York-Mackenzie): My question is to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Recently the government released draft legislation for the creation of a Greater Toronto Services Board. Yesterday I received a letter from the mayor of Markham in which he enclosed an outline of some proposals that were put together, suggested by the mayors of Vaughan, Mississauga, Burlington, Ajax, Aurora and, of course, Markham. They make some proposals that they contend would strengthen the Greater Toronto Services Board. Quite frankly, some of the proposals they've made I believe make some sense and I believe the government should seriously consider incorporating them into the legislation.

Minister, could you comment on your view of this input made by these mayors and can you assure us that in fact their recommendations will be given serious consideration?

Hon Al Leach (Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing): I thank the member for York-Mackenzie for his question. It was very nice to get the letter from the mayors and chairs of the greater Toronto area. It's better late than never. We had a consultation paper out a year and a half ago and would have appreciated getting the response at that time. However, they have put a lot of thought into the proposal that they put forward. The one thing that we all have in common is we recognize there is a need to coordinate the services right across the greater Toronto area, services like garbage disposal and economic development, transit and many others.

The mayors have made some recommendations on the draft legislation that's being presented around the greater Toronto area at the present time and I would be more than pleased to take their suggestions into consideration. One thing we want to do is make sure that the Greater Toronto Services Board works and it works well. If that requires additional consultation, we'd be more than pleased to do that.

Mr Klees: Precisely to that issue, the undertaking of the Greater Toronto Services Board is a very important one. Decisions will be made, no doubt, through that board for many years to come that will impact the greater Toronto area. I know that the minister no doubt has a timetable in mind for the legislation.

Can we have an assurance in this House that the necessary time will be taken to get this right, and perhaps, if we need some additional time, that we will have that time for the appropriate consultations?

Hon Mr Leach: Again, I thank the member for York-Mackenzie for his question. As you're aware, we've retained Alan Tonks, the former chair of Metropolitan Toronto, to consult with all the stakeholders right across the GTA on their views as to how the Greater Toronto Services Board should work. We've received presentations and information from just about every stakeholder who is involved. We intend to take all of those comments into consideration and there will no doubt be some revisions to the draft legislation as a result of the input from all those stakeholders.

I can assure the member that if it takes additional consultation and additional time, this government is here to listen, we will listen and we will act on the information that's brought forward.

KIDNEY DIALYSIS

Mr John C. Cleary (Cornwall): My question is to the Minister of Health. In 1996, over two years ago, your government promised to establish a dialysis treatment facility in Cornwall. Since then there has been delay after delay. Although the government's legal proceeding concerning the dialysis facility was completed over six months ago, we've not yet had notification on whether a licence has been issued.

A number of sites in Cornwall state that once a licence is issued, retrofitting can be done almost immediately so the provider can provide dialysis. Minister, your government's stalling has gone on far too long. The patients, families and health care representatives in the greater Cornwall area have waited too long. There is a real time frame and location on which I hope I will get the answer today. Therefore, will you confirm whether or not the Cornwall facility has been issued a licence?

Hon Elizabeth Witmer (Minister of Health): Yes, certainly, as the member well knows, dialysis services and the increasing number of dialysis services are a priority for our government. In fact, I am pleased to say that we have seen the expansion of 20 new dialysis centres throughout Ontario. We have spent $25 million.

Interjections.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Order. Thank you. Minister.

Hon Mrs Witmer: Indeed, we now have some pilot programs whereby in London and the London community we are looking at providing dialysis within the homes of individuals.

However, there has been a unique situation in the Cornwall community. As you know, there was court action that was being pursued at one time, and although that has been abandoned, there are now discussions that are going on. As soon as we are in a position to make an official announcement I will be -

The Speaker: Supplementary.

Mr Cleary: Time and time again, I have requested on behalf of my constituents that you provide details on the negotiations for the Cornwall facility and an accurate time frame. But still there is a lot of confusion among the families. Mr and Mrs Ron McKee from Cornwall have expressed their frustration with your government's dithering on the matter and have extended an invitation to you to accompany them on a trip to Kingston, which they make three times a week to have treatment at the Kingston General Hospital renal facilities. It is the same with Mr and Mrs Fortin and dozens of others.

Mr and Mrs McKee write: "A dialysis treatment facility in Cornwall is critical, is long overdue, and is vital to the quality of life."

Minister, no more red tape, no more court. Political battles do not make a dream come true for the residents of Cornwall. Will you finally fulfil your government's commitment and present the specifics for when and where the Cornwall dialysis facility will be treating patients?

Hon Mrs Witmer: I can certainly appreciate the stories and the feelings of the people who have shared the stories with you. As I indicated to you, it has been and it continues to be a priority of our government to bring the dialysis services close to the homes of people and individuals across this province. However, we are still in discussions. As soon as I have information we will certainly let you know in order that your constituents can receive those services. I think you are aware of the fact that recently we have approved an additional 10 beds for the Kingston hospital. Although that's not in Cornwall, it does provide some additional services for your community.

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VISITOR

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): I would like to introduce in the government members' gallery, sitting next to the honourable Allan Lawrence, Mr George Ashe, the ex-member for Durham West. Welcome.

EDUCATION REFORM

Mr Bud Wildman (Algoma): I have a question for the Minister of Education and Training. Is it correct that under the new four-year program curriculum for secondary schools, students will be required to have 30 credits in order to graduate?

Hon David Johnson (Minister of Education and Training): Yes, students will be required to have 30 credits: 18 mandatory, and the rest are not mandatory.

Mr Wildman: If that's the case, then how is it that the new funding formula only provides for 7.2 credits per year? Times four, that works out to 28.8. How does that work out to 30?

Hon David Johnson: In terms of the number of credits taken per year, there's quite a variance at the secondary school level today. In some boards, at some high schools, the figure is as low as about six, and in other boards it's as high as about 7.5.

The ministry is currently reviewing that very situation because of the variance. It was felt that, particularly this year where there are five years - of course, we still have grade 13 this year - the 7.2 credits at the secondary level is a little above average. Notwithstanding that, the ministry recognizes the variance, is reviewing the matter and has an eye on the fact that in the fall of next year there will be a four-year program at the secondary level.

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Mr Marcel Beaubien (Lambton): My question is for the Minister of Labour. In the past 10 years, the Sarnia-Lambton area has experienced a very sluggish economy, mainly due to the fact that there has been a slowdown in the construction industry, in the petrochemical industry. The Sarnia area is not competitive with the Alberta area and certainly not competitive with the Gulf coast states.

Interjection: We wouldn't want to be.

Mr Beaubien: I think we would want to be, in Sarnia-Lambton; I'll tell you that much. Maybe you should be talking to some of my constituents.

Project management has been suggested as a possible way of dealing with the situation we are experiencing in the Sarnia-Lambton area. In the throne speech last week, there was mention of - I think the exact words were "construction competitiveness." Minister, is there a possibility that your ministry will address this particular situation in the next few weeks?

Hon Jim Flaherty (Minister of Labour, Solicitor General and Minister of Correctional Services): I appreciate the question from the member for Lambton. The issue that is being addressed is the issue of project agreements. To attract large-scale project investments in the province of Ontario, there is a need for some flexibility.

I compliment the unions involved and the contractors and the petrochemical industry for making every effort since last fall to try to work out an agreement between themselves with respect to a framework for project agreements. Those efforts have been sincere. The Ministry of Labour has assisted in those efforts. Some further assistance is being offered this week to the parties to encourage them to arrive at a negotiated framework for project agreements in Ontario. I must say that the parties, including all of the trade union parties involved, have demonstrated goodwill in these discussions, these negotiations.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Answer, please.

Hon Mr Flaherty: Project agreements will assist competitiveness in Ontario, particularly in attracting new investment in the petrochemical area, which will benefit the people of Sarnia and Lambton -

The Speaker: Thank you. Supplementary?

Mr Beaubien: The unemployment rate in the Sarnia-Lambton area may be satisfactory to the members opposite in this House, but let me assure you that it is not satisfactory to this member; 12%, 13% unemployment is not satisfactory.

Minister, can I tell the constituents in my riding that within the next month or two we can expect some legislation dealing with this situation?

Hon Mr Flaherty: I thank the member for the question. It would be my hope that the parties themselves would arrive at a negotiated resolution, but if it's necessary to fill the gap and the parties are not able to arrive at a complete conclusion, then it is hoped that we would be able to move forward with project agreements.

We are losing work. We're losing skilled workers from Sarnia and Lambton to Alberta. We're losing projects to Texas. We're losing projects to Alberta. Our workers in the construction sector in Ontario want these jobs. They want these projects. Project agreements will result in more projects, more jobs for construction workers in Ontario, particularly in Lambton and Sarnia.

SENIORS' HEALTH SERVICES

Mr Bruce Crozier (Essex South): My question is for the Minister of Health. Thousands of couples over the age of 65 are involuntarily separated because their spouses are residing in nursing homes. In most cases the spouse living in the nursing home has his or her income pay the care facility, and the resident then pays a $2 user fee for prescription drugs. This often leaves the spouse who remains at home with an income of less than $16,000 and as a result they have to pay the $100 deductible and the higher $6.11 user fee.

These seniors who live at home are involuntarily separated from their spouses by circumstance. As a result, they no longer have the same income as they did when they were cohabiting. However, they are being charged a significantly higher drug dispensing fee than the spouse who is living in a nursing facility.

We have been advised by the Ontario drug benefit plan that only legal separation or divorce is recognized and each is considered on their own. What could you -

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Thank you. Minister of Health.

Hon Elizabeth Witmer (Minister of Health): If there is a specific issue you would like to bring to our attention, we would certainly be pleased to take a look at it. If there is an issue of financial hardship, certainly we would be prepared to follow up.

Mr Crozier: I have written to the previous Minister of Health about this issue and really didn't get a satisfactory answer.

The federal government considers a couple separated if they are in fact involuntarily separated. This places a hardship, as I have said, on a large segment of our population. Minister, will you do what the federal government does? Will you do the compassionate and correct thing and recognize -

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order.

Mr Crozier: Obviously when it comes to compassion for seniors, they don't want to listen to this.

Will you recognize involuntary separation the same as legal separation?

Hon Mrs Witmer: I hope this doesn't degenerate into a discussion as to who has more compassion. I think we need to remember that the action that is taking place regarding the copayment, the fee etc, is in accordance with the federal tax laws, and if there are to be some changes, obviously that's where some of those changes need to occur.

SERVICES EN FRANÇAIS / FRENCH-LANGUAGE SERVICES

M. Gilles Bisson (Cochrane-Sud) : Ma question est au procureur général. Comme vous le savez, vous avez présentement le projet de loi 108 que vous voulez réintroduire dans la Chambre pendant cette session. Vous voulez transférer les services juridiques, qui sont présentement des services provinciaux, aux municipalités de la province.

Vous avez refusé, en décembre passé, d'accepter notre amendement pour donner un garanti législatif aux francophones pour protéger les services en français tels qu'ils sont protégés sous la Loi 8.

On sait que depuis le mois de décembre, vous avez eu des rencontres avec l'association juridique de l'Ontario et autres. Avez-vous changé d'idée ? Êtes-vous préparé à accepter un amendement qui protégerait les droits linguistiques des francophones dans la province de l'Ontario ?

Hon Charles Harnick (Attorney General, minister responsible for native affairs): We have, through Bill 108, developed a process to protect the French language far beyond the process the previous government used to protect the French language when they transferred parking tickets to municipal jurisdiction. In that case, there were no guarantees of French-language trials, no guarantees of French-language prosecutors and no guarantees of French-language service at the counter. We will guarantee all of those things with the transfer, and I can tell you that we are working to ensure that issues of due process will be protected in the legislation.

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BIRTH OF MEMBER'S GRANDSON

Hon Norman W. Sterling (Minister of the Environment, Government House Leader): Mr Speaker, on a point of privilege: I know this is a very exciting day for many members of the Legislature with regard to the budget, which is going to come down later this afternoon, and a very joyous event for all of us because of that. But an event which has happened this afternoon to my seatmate the Hon Dianne Cunningham is that she has been blessed with a new grandchild, a baby boy. I'd like to congratulate her and I know every other member would like to do that too.

PETITIONS

INSTALLATIONS SCOLAIRES

Mr Gilles E. Morin (Carleton East): I have a petition signed by 441 of my constituents and it reads as follows:

«À l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario :

«Attendu que le bâtiment vétuste de 43 ans occupé par l'école Nouveaux-Horizons depuis six ans devait être temporaire et avait été condamné en 1983 ;

«Attendu que ces installations déficientes ne fournissent pas un milieu propice à l'apprentissage ;

«Nous, les soussignés, pétitionnons l'Assemblée législative de l'Ontario comme suit :

«De libérer des fonds pour permettre la construction d'une nouvelle école catholique française à Gloucester dans le secteur de Chapel Hill.»

J'ai affixé ma signature.

TUITION FEES

Mr Wayne Lessard (Windsor-Riverside): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas tuition fees have risen by more than 140% over the past 10 years; and

"Whereas the increases in the cost of living have stayed at 2% per year or less since 1986, while tuition has increased anywhere from 7% to 20% per year; and

"Whereas high tuition fees are a barrier to accessing post-secondary education, especially among students from low-income backgrounds, students with parental responsibilities and students with special needs; and

"Whereas students are now paying in excess of 40% of the operating costs of universities and colleges; and

"Whereas the quality of education, due in part to the erosion of facilities and the increasing of class sizes, has deteriorated;

"We, the undersigned, do hereby petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to implement an immediate tuition freeze."

I've affixed my name to the petition.

ABORTION

Mr W. Leo Jordan (Lanark-Renfrew): "To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas Ontario taxpayers funded over 45,000 abortions in 1993 at an estimated cost of $25 million; and

"Whereas pregnancy is not a disease, injury, or illness, and abortions are not therapeutic procedures; and

"Whereas the vast majority of abortions are done for reasons of convenience or finance; and

"Whereas the province has the exclusive authority to determine what services will be insured; and

"Whereas the Canada Health Act does not require funding for elective procedures; and

"Whereas there is mounting evidence that abortion is in fact hazardous to women's health;

"Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to cease from providing any taxpayers' dollars for the performance of abortions."

That's signed by over 360 people and I affix my signature.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): I thank the member for Lanark-Renfrew. I'm not certain, but isn't that your grandson behind you?

Mr Jordan: Yes, my grandson, a page in 1996.

The Speaker: Further petitions?

Mr Pat Hoy (Essex-Kent): "Whereas the Ontario health system is overburdened and unnecessary spending must be cut; and

"Whereas pregnancy is not a disease, injury or illness and abortions are not therapeutic procedures; and

"Whereas the vast majority of abortions are done for reasons of convenience or finance; and

"Whereas the province has exclusive authority to determine what services will be insured; and

"Whereas the Canada Health Act does not require funding for elective procedures; and

"Whereas there is mounting evidence that abortion is in fact hazardous to women's health; and

"Whereas Ontario taxpayers funded over 45,000 abortions in 1993 at an estimated cost of $25 million;

"Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to cease from providing any taxpayers' dollars for the performance of abortions."

This petition is signed by a number of residents from Woodslee, Oldcastle and Cottam. I affix my name to it.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Mr David Christopherson (Hamilton Centre): I have a petition signed by the members of the United Steelworkers, OPSEU, CUPE and CEP. The petition reads as follows:

"To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"Whereas each year in Ontario approximately 300 workers are killed on the job, several thousand die of occupational diseases and 400,000 suffer work-related injuries and illnesses; and

"Whereas during the past decade the Workers' Health and Safety Centre proved to be the most cost-effective WCB-funded prevention organization dedicated to worker health and safety concerns; and

"Whereas the WCB provides over 80% of its legislated prevention funding to several employer-controlled safety associations and less than 20% to the Workers' Health and Safety Centre; and

"Whereas the Workers' Health and Safety Centre recently lost several million dollars in funding and course revenues due to government changes to legislated training requirements; and

"Whereas 30% of Workers' Health and Safety Centre staff were laid off due to these lost training funds; and

"Whereas the Workers' Health and Safety Centre now faces an additional 25% cut to its 1998 budget, which will be used to augment new funding for employer safety associations in the health, education and service sectors; and

"Whereas the WCB's 1998 planned baseline budget cuts for safety associations and the Workers' Health and Safety Centre will be disproportionately against the workers' centre and reduce its 1998 budget allocation to less than 15% of the WCB prevention funding,

"Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to stop the WCB's proposed cuts and direct the WCB to increase the Workers' Health and Safety Centre's funding to at least 50% of the WCB's legislated prevention funding;

"Further we, the undersigned, call upon the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to direct the WCB to significantly increase its legislated prevention funding in order to eliminate workplace illness, injury and death."

I proudly add my name to those of these workers.

ABORTION

Mr Dave Boushy (Sarnia): I have a petition signed from my riding which reads as follows:

"Whereas Ontario taxpayers funded over 45,000 abortions in 1993 at an estimated cost of $25 million; and

"Whereas pregnancy is not a disease, injury or illness, and abortions are not therapeutic procedures; and

"Whereas the vast majority of abortions are done for reasons of convenience or finance; and

"Whereas the province has the exclusive authority to determine what services will be insured; and

"Whereas the Canada Health Act does not require funding for elective procedures; and

"Whereas there is mounting evidence that abortion is in fact hazardous to women's health;

"Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to cease from providing any taxpayers' dollars for the performance of abortions."

I will be glad to add my signature to it.

CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CARE

Mr Peter North (Elgin): A petition to the Ontario Legislature:

"Whereas the Ministry of Health has recently strengthened its reputation as the Ministry of Medicine through its $1.7-billion three-year agreement with the Ontario Medical Association; and

"Whereas the Mike Harris government is restricting access to alternative cost-saving treatments for patients of the province; and

"Whereas two recent reports commissioned by the Ministry of Health called for increased OHIP funding to improve patient access to chiropractic services on the grounds of safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness; and

"Whereas over one million Ontario adults now use chiropractic services annually, increasingly those with higher incomes, because of the cost barrier caused by government underfunding; and

"Whereas the Mike Harris government has shown blatant disregard for the needs of the citizens of Ontario in restricting funding for chiropractic services;

"We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to recognize the contribution made by chiropractors to the good health of the people of Ontario, to recognize the taxpayer dollars saved by the use of low-cost preventive care such as that provided by chiropractors and to recognize that to restrict funding for chiropractic health care only serves to limit access to a needed health care service."

I affix my signature.

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EDUCATION REFORM

Mr John C. Cleary (Cornwall): I have a petition to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

"Whereas the government of Ontario is determined to pass Bill 160 without meaningful consultation with parents, teachers and other stakeholders; and

"Whereas a properly funded quality education system is critical to the wellbeing of the children of this province and to the future of the province itself;

"Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:

"That the Legislative Assembly hold a province-wide referendum on the question of whether Bill 160, the Education Quality Improvement Act, 1997, should be withdrawn or, if enacted, whether Bill 160 should be repealed."

I've also signed the petition.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

Mr Bud Wildman (Algoma): I have a petition addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It reads as follows:

"Whereas each year in Ontario approximately 300 workers are killed on the job, several thousand die of occupational diseases and 400,000 suffer work-related injuries and illnesses; and

"Whereas during the past decade the Workers' Health and Safety Centre proved to be the most cost-effective WCB-funded prevention organization dedicated to worker health and safety concerns; and

"Whereas the WCB provides over 80% of its legislated prevention funding to several employer-controlled safety associations and less than 20% to the Workers' Health and Safety Centre; and

"Whereas the Workers' Health and Safety Centre recently lost several million dollars in funding and course revenue due to government changes to legislated training requirements; and

"Whereas 30% of Workers' Health and Safety Centre staff were laid off due to these lost training funds; and

"Whereas the WCB's 1998 plan to baseline budget cuts for safety associations and the Workers' Health and Safety Centre will be disproportionately against the workers' centre and reduce its 1998 budget allocation to less than 15% of the WCB prevention funding,

PROTECTION FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Mr Bob Wood (London South): I have a petition which reads as follows:

"Whereas nurses in Ontario often experience coercion to participate in practices which directly contravene their deeply held ethical standards;

"Whereas pharmacists in Ontario are often pressured to dispense or sell chemicals and/or devices contrary to their moral or religious beliefs;

"Whereas public health workers in Ontario are expected to assist in providing controversial services and promoting controversial materials against their consciences;

"Whereas physicians in Ontario often experience pressure to give referrals for medications, treatments and/or procedures which they believe to be gravely immoral;

"Whereas competent health care workers and students in various health care disciplines in Ontario have been denied training, employment, continued employment and advancement in their intended fields and suffered other forms of unjust discrimination because of the dictates of their consciences; and

"Whereas the health care workers experiencing such unjust discrimination have at present no practical and accessible legal means to protect themselves;

"We, the undersigned, urge the government of Ontario to enact legislation explicitly recognizing the freedom of conscience of health care workers, prohibiting coercion of and unjust discrimination against health care workers because of their refusal to participate in matters contrary to the dictates of their consciences and establishing penalties for such coercion and unjust discrimination."

LINHAVEN HOME FOR THE AGED

Mr James J. Bradley (St Catharines): I have a petition that reads as follows:

"Whereas Linhaven Home for the Aged has provided excellent service to seniors in St Catharines for many years;

"Whereas the staff and volunteers at Linhaven have endeavoured to enhance the quality of life of residents of the home through their kind and compassionate care;

"Whereas cuts in funding to Linhaven will result in a reduction of staff and resources available to meet the needs of seniors who reside in the home;

"Whereas the discharging of acute care patients from active treatment hospitals results in medical staff at homes for the aged being required to provide more extensive and intensive care to patients who are discharged from hospitals;

"Whereas Linhaven and other homes for the aged have among the residents more individuals afflicted with Alzheimer disease, Parkinson's disease and other medical conditions which require an appropriate complement of staff and necessary equipment to meet their medical needs;

"Be it resolved that the government of Ontario increase funding to Linhaven Home for Aged in St Catharines so that the medical requirements of Linhaven residents may be properly addressed and seniors may live in dignity in our community."

I affix my signature to this petition as I'm in full agreement with its contents.

Hon Norman W. Sterling (Minister of the Environment, Government House Leader): I seek unanimous consent of the House that we now suspend the proceedings until 4 o'clock, at which time the budget will be presented.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): The government House leader seeks consent. Also, I'll cause the bells to ring at five to 4 to call the members back. Agreed? Agreed.

This House is in recess until 4 o'clock.

The House recessed from 1507 to 1600.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

1998 ONTARIO BUDGET

Hon Ernie L. Eves (Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance): I move, seconded by Mr Harris, that this House approves in general the budgetary policy of the government.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): I ask the indulgence of the House as the pages deliver the budget. Have all members got copies?

Hon Mr Eves: All across Ontario today, small business owners, entrepreneurs and private sector investors are creating jobs. Jobs for welders and store clerks; for child care workers and truck drivers; for factory workers and software designers; for scientists, technicians and machinists. Companies large and small are investing and expanding.

Today, taxes are lower; the deficit is being reduced; welfare recipients are returning to work; taxpayers' money is being spent more wisely; and major investments are being made in health care and in our children's classrooms.

In the first quarter of 1998, Ontario experienced a rate of job growth unprecedented in the past 15 years, and I am proud to say that between February 1997 and February of this year, more jobs were created in Ontario than have ever been created in a one-year period in the entire history of our province.

Today, Ontarians have a renewed confidence, a renewed optimism in the future. Today, Ontarians believe, as do we, that our province is once again the best place in the world in which to live, work and invest.

In my budget last year I spoke of laying the foundation so that young people like my daughter Natalie and her generation could reach their full potential in a greater and stronger Ontario.

This budget builds on those foundations through more tax cuts, additional improvements in health care, support for children, initiatives for safer communities, and investments in learning.

I want to extend my personal thanks to my good friend and colleague Premier Mike Harris and to all my colleagues in the House for their guidance and counsel.

I would also like to thank the entire team at the Ministry of Finance; my personal staff, led by Steve Pengelly; and finance staff inspired by Deputy Minister Michael Gourley.

I don't think it would be possible to find a more dedicated, innovative team leader than Mike Gourley. We are indeed a team at the Ministry of Finance.

Mike and I, Sunday, took our traditional walkaround through the print shop and other areas of the Ministry of Finance. There are many dedicated people working there, endless hours - night, afternoon and morning. This morning as I entered the Frost building, two dedicated employees were wheeling over the final copies of the budget. They said, "Hey, Ernie, we've just wrapped it all up." It's that kind of camaraderie that makes one's job a little easier. Mike Gourley's assistance and support have helped me immeasurably over the past three years. I guess you could even say that this budget has been Gourleyized.

I want to thank my family: my mother, who while encouraging all of her children to get an education to prepare themselves for future opportunities never let us forget the needs of the less fortunate in society. To my wife Vicki and daughter Natalie, a heartfelt thank you for their support and love through some very difficult times in the past few years.

Thank you to the many individuals and organizations across the province who shared with me their thoughts, their ideas and their experiences.

All Ontarians can be proud of the accomplishments of the last three years.

Ontario's economy is booming.

The province's economy expanded by some 4.8% in 1997 and the average private sector forecast for growth this year is 4%.

Private sector forecasters expect Ontario's economy will grow faster than any of the G-7 industrialized nations over the next three years.

Consumer confidence rose for the ninth straight quarter early in 1998, and so far this year retail sales have risen by 10%.

Housing starts increased by almost 26% last year and our land transfer tax refund has helped more than 28,000 families buy their first new home. The value of business building permits issued last year rose by almost 33%.

Ontario's international exports are up by 8.3% so far this year. The Export Marketing Task Force is working to increase Ontario's share of the global export market.

Women entrepreneurs are playing an ever-increasing role in the expanding Ontario economy. The Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto is developing new business leaders with its highly successful management program. In partnership with the private sector, it is recognizing outstanding successful women entrepreneurs through its Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

My colleague the Honourable Dianne Cunningham, minister responsible for women's issues, will be holding roundtable discussions on ways to expand this type of very innovative program.

The 1997-98 Ontario deficit will be $5.2 billion. This represents a reduction of almost $1.4 billion from the $6.6-billion target set out in the 1997 budget. It also includes an additional $725 million for the cost of an agreement with the teachers providing for early retirement opportunity and other benefit enhancements.

The deficit for this fiscal year will be $4.2 billion, some $600 million lower than the deficit target set last year in the balanced budget plan and including, as usual, a $650-million contingency reserve fund.

The balanced budget plan will ensure that the deficit is eliminated by the year 2000-01.

The Ontario economy created 265,000 net new private sector jobs between February 1997 and February of this year. This is the largest number of jobs created in a 12-month period in the entire history of the province. In the first quarter of this year, the Ontario economy created jobs at a rate unequalled in the past 15 years.

Ontario's unemployment rate declined again in March to 7.4%.

Overall, 1998 promises to be one of the best years in Ontario's history for job creation.

A tax cut is the best job creation program.

I have already announced 30 tax cuts in the previous two budgets. Today I am proposing 36 more tax reductions.

We promised the people of Ontario a 30% provincial income tax cut over three years. As a result of the first four steps of the Ontario tax cut, the economy has performed better than expected. Therefore, I am introducing legislation to accelerate the final phase of the tax cut to July 1, 1998 - half a year ahead of schedule.

A promise made, a promise kept.

Every Ontario taxpayer gets a tax cut.

When this final stage is implemented, more than 90% of Ontario taxpayers will see a cut in Ontario income tax of at least 30%.

Most of this tax reduction goes to the nearly three million middle-income earners in this province. These taxpayers, who earn between $25,000 and $75,000 a year, will receive 64%, or almost $3 billion, of savings from the tax cut each and every year.

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Ontarians with modest incomes will get the largest percentage of the reductions.

Ontario leads the way in cutting taxes. In 1998, the broad-based Ontario income tax cut will provide five times more in tax reductions than the selective cuts made by the federal government. The Ontario tax cut means more tax relief for more people.

As a result of Ontario's tax cut, a couple with two children and a net family income of $60,000 will pay $1,210 less in Ontario income tax this year alone. When this year's cut is combined with reductions in the last two years, that family will have saved $2,165. When you add the $1,385 in 1999 savings, the total benefit to that family from Ontario's tax cut will be $3,550.

This same family can look forward to a $120 tax savings in the narrowly based federal tax cut.

Ontario and other provinces have taken action by introducing substantial income tax cuts. In recent discussions, several leading economists have told us that the federal government's refusal to meaningfully cut taxes is holding back economic growth in Canada.

Meaningful and lasting jobs are created by the private sector. Governments can help by establishing an environment that supports job creation, by cutting taxes, reducing the deficit and eliminating red tape. The government of Ontario is doing just that.

We are committed to taking further action to foster job creation.

Last year, small businesses created an estimated 82% of all new private sector jobs in Ontario.

Ontario promised to support job creation by reducing the payroll tax burden on small business.

In the 1996 budget, the government announced that the employer health tax would be eliminated from the first $400,000 of payroll, effective January 1, 1999. A full 88%, or some 270,000 Ontario private sector employers, would no longer pay one cent of this job-killing payroll tax.

I am proposing to accelerate the final phase of this exemption. To give effect to the $400,000 exemption as of July 1 this year, I will introduce legislation to increase the payroll tax exemption from $300,000 of payroll to $350,000 of payroll for the entire 1998 taxation year, delivering the full exemption six months ahead of schedule.

A promise made, a promise kept.

Many individual small business owners have told us that further cuts to small business taxes would help them to create even more jobs.

Today, I am pleased to announce that the government will introduce legislation to cut the small business corporations tax rate in half, from 9.5%, the highest rate in Canada, to 4.75%, the lowest rate in Canada, over the next eight years. Under this legislation, the tax rate on eligible small business income will be reduced from 9.5% to 9%, effective midnight tonight, and would be reduced each year thereafter until 2006, when it would be one half the current rate. This tax cut will help more than 90,000 small businesses continue to grow and create jobs in the province.

We have been told by small business that certainty boosts business confidence and encourages job creation. To ensure that small businesses can be certain of receiving the full benefit of this cut, proposed legislation will confirm the entire eight-year reduction.

Three months ago, I offered to match dollar-for-dollar cuts in above-average business property taxes. I am pleased to announce that the province will do its part.

We will introduce legislation to ensure an eight-year plan to reduce commercial and industrial education taxes in some 366 municipalities where these rates are above the provincial average. Provincial business education taxes will be cut by more than $500 million from current levels, starting with a $64-million cut this calendar year. The cut will be $128 million in 1999 and the balance will be phased in over the remainder of the eight-year program.

A promise made, a promise kept.

Lower property taxes will increase the competitiveness of Ontario businesses and help them to create more jobs.

Local governments also need to cut taxes to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in their communities. Only a few of Ontario's 650-some municipalities have announced decisions on 1998 property taxes to date.

Some communities, such as Milton, Nepean and the township of Haldimand, are leading the way and have announced plans to cut municipal property taxes. Some municipalities have announced plans for a tax freeze and a balanced budget, including the cities of Toronto, Niagara Falls, Kingston and Owen Sound, and the towns of Fort Frances and Kenora.

Other municipalities have demonstrated a solid record on holding the line on taxes for several years, including the cities of Brantford, Stratford and Cornwall, and the towns of Prescott, Blind River and Parry Sound.

The city of Mississauga, under the dynamic leadership of Mayor Hazel McCallion, has a most enviable record in this regard.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Come to order. Members for Lake Nipigon and Scarborough North, come to order.

Hon Mr Eves: After municipal budgets have been set for 1998, the government will begin a new dialogue with municipalities and taxpayers to find the most effective ways to further reduce property taxes, while maintaining important services.

In the 1997 budget I announced the creation of the Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund. This $500-million fund supports leading-edge R&D through partnerships between Ontario's research institutions and the private sector.

Today, I would like to announce four investments approved in the challenge fund's first competition.

Laurentian University in Sudbury will establish a new research and development program for sustainable mining that will develop innovative mining technology.

The Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, a world leader in medical research, will set up a program in biomedical research for the 21st century.

The University of Waterloo and the University of Toronto will each establish complementary research laboratories to develop computer technologies for telecommunications services.

Every one of these initiatives has attracted substantial private sector funding. I would like to thank Dr Cal Stiller, chair of the Ontario R&D Challenge Fund board, for his fine leadership in making the R&D challenge fund a high-impact program.

These are only a few of the many excellent proposals to be approved that the challenge fund is supporting. My colleague the Honourable Jim Wilson, Minister of Energy, Science and Technology, will announce other investments in the coming weeks.

The province will accelerate $135 million of the R&D challenge fund commitment over the next three years to match the Canada Foundation for Innovation's initial awards to Ontario research institutions. I would like to thank Dr Peter George, president of McMaster University, and Dr William Leggett, principal of Queen's University, for making this suggestion on behalf of all Ontario universities.

The government will extend the telecommunications access partnerships (TAP) program by investing $30 million over the next three years to further encourage innovative ways to make use of the information highway. The TAP program is opening new paths for sharing information in the health care and education fields.

I am also introducing initiatives to support the interactive digital media, sound recording, computer animation and special effects industries, which have the potential for rapid expansion and job creation.

A vibrant economy depends on high-quality, high-capacity transportation networks. We are investing more than $820 million in this fiscal year to upgrade Ontario's highways, including our northern highway network. The Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Tony Clement, and the Minister of Northern Development and Mines, the Honourable Chris Hodgson, will announce further details.

The resurgence of the Ontario agriculture and food sector - led by new investments, innovations and value added food products and record levels of exports - continues to be a key component in the growth of the provincial economy.

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The government's plan is working to ensure that more good things grow in Ontario, that jobs grow in Ontario.

More than 200,000 people have jobs in tourism, one of Ontario's most important industries.

Attractions and destinations such as Niagara Falls, Point Pelee, Toronto's CN Tower, Georgian Bay's 30,000 islands, the Agawa Canyon, Science North, Lake of the Woods, Ottawa's Rideau Canal and Upper Canada Village are just some of the reasons why 33 million visitors are drawn to Ontario annually. Additional tourism marketing will attract more visitors and create more tourism jobs.

Ontario was once a leader in tourism promotion. We have listened to Ontario tourism operators' call to better promote Ontario. We are responding by investing $120 million to market Ontario better over the next four years.

Increased tourism will also be encouraged by a new self-sustaining cultural attractions trust fund that will support the tourism potential of major events at cultural centres such as the McMichael Art Gallery, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum.

A new $25-million arts endowment fund will match and invest money for participating arts organizations that contribute to Ontario's vibrant culture and diverse economy. I would like to thank the former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and current chair of the Ontario Arts Council, the Honourable Hal Jackman, for this recommendation.

A clean environment keeps Ontario competitive and makes the province an attractive place to live and work.

Ontario will provide $20 million in funding for the natural areas protection initiative to protect important natural heritage sites and environmentally sensitive lands. The funding will assist in acquiring lands to develop a system of parks and protected areas in the Niagara Escarpment, the Rouge Valley and the Lynde Marsh.

Ten million dollars in funding for fish and wildlife protection enhancement will help improve provincial fish and wildlife management.

I am also announcing the creation of the Ontario Great Lakes Renewal Foundation, with an initial endowment of $5 million to attract contributions for cleanup efforts around the Great Lakes.

Interjections.

The Speaker: Member for Algoma, come to order, please. Hamilton East as well, come to order.

Hon Mr Eves: Society benefits when all of its members are given an opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way in the workplace.

This government is committed to supporting people with disabilities through a variety of measures, including the creation of an Ontarians with Disabilities Act. We will promote opportunities for people with disabilities by increasing access to employment, transportation, education and training. People with disabilities can, want to and do contribute to a thriving economy.

The government has already taken people with disabilities off welfare through the Ontario disability support program.

Today, we propose to provide a new, accelerated tax incentive that would support the efforts of businesses to accommodate people with disabilities. This measure would assist thousands of businesses each year in providing increased access and job opportunities for people with disabilities.

In the coming weeks, my colleague the Honourable Isabel Bassett, Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation, will provide details of this program and other initiatives to increase such access and job opportunities.

As well, we propose that the retail sales tax rebate for personal use vehicles purchased to transport people with physical disabilities be expanded to include additional family members and non-family care providers.

Ontario youth are benefiting from the province's strong economic growth. However, too many young people are still unemployed.

The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Honourable Noble Villeneuve, will announce details of a four-year, $35-million rural youth jobs strategy shortly.

The Premier recently announced the 1998 summer jobs strategy, a $51-million program that would help 48,500 young people find jobs this summer, twice as many as were helped in 1995.

The number of students attending colleges and universities in Ontario increased in the last decade, even though the population of 18- to 29-year-olds declined.

The Minister of Education and Training, the Honourable Dave Johnson, will announce how an additional $29 million in annual grants, phased in over three years, will recognize the contribution of Ontario universities that have increased students' access to post-secondary education and enhanced their job opportunities.

We are excited about the federal government's new millennium scholarship fund, which will provide an estimated $1.2 billion in scholarships to Ontario's college and university students over 10 years, beginning in the year 2000.

We have a plan to create a new student assistance program which will be designed to meet the needs of Ontario students and to limit student debt. We will combine Ontario's share of the millennium fund with both federal and Ontario spending on student loans to create a new Canada-Ontario millennium fund for students that will invest more than $9 billion in student assistance over 10 years.

In the coming months, the Minister of Education and Training will propose details of this new program. This program will address all elements of student assistance, including harmonizing the patchwork of federal-provincial programs and simplifying administration. It will allow us to take major steps forward in supporting college and university students and maintaining their access to an affordable education.

A promise made, a promise kept.

Access is not just about financial resources. More must be done to help students with learning disabilities attend college and university.

The Learning Opportunities Task Force for the integration and support of learning-disabled students in post-secondary education, which I asked Dr Bette Stephenson to lead in last year's budget, has completed its initial work and will be reporting on selected pilot projects over the next few weeks.

Nine pilot projects have been selected, involving nine colleges of applied arts and technology and four universities.

Among those institutions that have been selected are York University, the University of Guelph, Cambrian College and an innovative partnership among the three French-language colleges: la Cité collégiale, le Collège Boréal and le Collège des Grands Lacs.

The others are Fanshawe College, Conestoga College, Georgian College and an innovative joint program involving Nipissing University, Canadore College, Trent University and Loyalist College.

Interjection.

Hon Mr Eves: I say to the member for Renfrew North, Joe Clark is welcome to it.

The needs of both French-language and aboriginal students are addressed by all of these proposals.

The selected pilot projects will provide post-secondary programs needed by more than 400 learning-disabled students this year alone.

A promise made, a promise kept.

Colleges have benefited from a one-year extension of the Ontario student opportunities trust fund. They have raised an additional $30 million, which will be matched by the province. The more than $600 million in total in the fund will help 185,000 college and university students over the next decade get a post-secondary education they couldn't have otherwise afforded.

A promise made, a promise kept.

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The government, in partnership with the private sector, will reward excellence in graduate studies in science and technology through new graduate scholarships. Seventy-five million dollars will be awarded to students over the next 10 years through this initiative.

In addition, the government, in partnership with the private sector, will provide another $75 million over 10 years for new research excellence awards to help our world-class researchers attract talented people to their research teams. The Minister of Education and Training and the Minister of Energy, Science and Technology will provide more detailed information about these awards.

In the last 10 years, two out of every three jobs in Ontario have been created in knowledge- and technology-based industries.

Demand by Ontario businesses for skilled employees consistently exceeds the supply of graduates from our colleges and universities. The Canadian Advanced Technology Association has told us that there will be a shortage of some 42,000 computer scientists and electrical and computer engineers over the next five years alone. They said we must "double the pipeline" of graduates in these programs to remain competitive.

Today, I am announcing a special Access to Opportunities program to enable twice as many students to enrol in computer science and high-demand engineering programs. The government will invest $150 million over the next three years to implement this program, which will provide up to 17,000 new opportunities for students each year. The government will apply a "market test" by requiring industry to match start-up costs.

In the 1997 budget, I announced a government-industry partnership to create a world-class Animation, Communications Design and Technology Centre at Sheridan College. Today, I am committing more than $10 million to another four projects that will enhance strategic skills.

We will support a new partnership between Georgian College and the Industrial Research and Development Institute, made up of some 250 member firms that employ more than 150,000 people in the province of Ontario. The partnership will provide advanced training in automotive parts design and manufacturing technology.

I would like to thank Norman Jewison for his efforts to enhance new media skills training, and announce that we will support this work at the Canadian Film Centre.

We will support comprehensive skills training for the telecommunications industry through the Telecommunications Learning Institute at Humber College.

Our support of metal machining, engineering and information technology training at Conestoga College will help to provide the skilled workers required by many southwestern Ontario firms.

The province has set aside an additional $20 million this year to seek and support more of these effective partnerships to develop critical skills now. The Minister of Energy, Science and Technology will lead consultations with industry, educational institutions and training providers, and begin making approvals in June of this year.

In addition to these new initiatives, we have a comprehensive plan to strengthen training in the workplace to get thousands of unemployed Ontarians back to work. We will use the employment insurance dollars that Ontario's employers and employees have contributed and that they deserve.

Over the next 10 years, our made-in-Ontario workplace training and employment plan will direct some $9.5 billion to Ontario's priorities. It will provide opportunities for more than 750,000 Ontarians per year.

Our plan will give apprenticeship the status and recognition it deserves. We need to dramatically change and redesign Ontario's apprenticeship program to make it more relevant to the workplace.

We will work with employers to provide work placements, internships and on-the-job training to meet critical skill shortages. We will work with municipalities to ensure that welfare recipients have a chance to get marketable skills and meaningful work experience. We will provide young people with jobs and training.

It is imperative that the federal and provincial governments work together to put taxpayers' dollars to best use by providing every person with an opportunity for a lasting and meaningful job.

The government's reforms to welfare are producing impressive results. Since June 1995, the welfare caseload has gone down by almost 20%.

More than a quarter of a million people are no longer dependent on welfare. That is equivalent to the combined population of cities the size of Ajax, Belleville, North Bay, Owen Sound and Sarnia put together.

Ontario Works is all about helping people on welfare get jobs. Already, more than 240,000 people have benefited by acquiring skills, confidence and contacts.

A promise made, a promise kept.

The government will take further steps to ensure that welfare recipients continue to find routes to jobs and independence.

The Learning, Earning and Parenting program will provide $25 million in child care subsidies and other supports to help single parents on welfare finish school.

A promise made, a promise kept.

An additional $10 million will be made available for child care assistance for other participants in Ontario Works to provide greater flexibility and choices for parents.

The Honourable Janet Ecker, Minister of Community and Social Services, will have more to say about these important initiatives.

For the third year in a row, the government proposes to give extra tax cuts to modest-income taxpayers through the Ontario tax reduction program.

The Ontario tax reduction adjustments made by this government will benefit an additional 360,000 taxpayers. Seventy thousand Ontarians will have their Ontario income tax entirely eliminated. A further 290,000 taxpayers will have their income tax reduced by more than 30%.

We also recognize the importance of providing assistance to working families.

In the 1997 budget, we announced a $40-million child care tax credit. Ontario intends to combine that money with an additional $100 million in this fiscal year to create a new program that will support 350,000 young children in working families. Under this program, modest- and middle-income working families would receive a new Ontario child care supplement for working families of up to $1,020 for each child under the age of seven years. Next year, we plan to invest more than $200 million in this program.

The government proposes to provide businesses with a new 30% workplace child care tax deduction for the capital cost of building or expanding onsite child care facilities, or for contributions to facilities in the community that care for the children of working parents.

The child care initiatives introduced by this government would triple the number of children who benefit from child care assistance to an estimated 450,000 children.

A promise made, a promise kept.

We all want to be sure that the excellent health care services we rely on will be there when we, our family members or our friends require help.

Despite the fact that the federal government has reduced funding to the program that supports health care by over $2.4 billion over the last three years, this year the province of Ontario will spend $18.5 billion on health care, up $300 million from the 1998-99 operational spending announced in the December 1997 Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review.

Despite the fact that the federal government now spends only $125 on health care for each person in Ontario, this year the Ontario government will spend $1,639 to meet the health needs of each Ontarian.

Despite the fact that the federal government collects twice as much personal income tax revenue from each taxpayer in this province than the provincial government collects, it provides less than eight cents of every dollar spent on health care, while the province of Ontario pays the rest.

While the federal government has all but abandoned the health care needs of the people of Ontario, our government is improving the services people have now and expanding those that they will need in the future.

Not only is this year's projected health care spending of $18.5 billion an increase of more than $1 billion from 1995-96, it is more than any Ontario government has ever spent on health care.

A promise made, a promise kept.

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My colleague the Honourable Elizabeth Witmer, Minister of Health, announced that community-based health services will be expanded over the next eight years to better care for an aging population. The province is adding 20,000 and upgrading another 13,500 senior care beds. The province is investing $1.2 billion to increase beds for seniors by 35% and expand health care services for seniors, people with continuing care needs and children with disabilities.

The Minister of Health responded quickly to the recommendations of the Hospital Emergency Room Task Force by announcing $75 million over the next two years to support opening hospital beds in times of peak demand. The government will also increase training for critical care and emergency room nurses.

In addition, $55 million will be spent over two years to create 1,700 senior care beds in available space in hospitals.

All of these changes mean improved health services. They also mean jobs. The increase in senior care beds will lead to the creation of 27,500 nursing, personal care and other health care jobs as well as 42,500 construction jobs. Our emergency room investments will provide jobs for 1,000 nurses. With a $1-million investment, nurses will receive the most up-to-date training in critical and emergency care.

I am also announcing a $5-million fund to enhance community-based nursing care in community health centres and other agencies.

To ensure a more coordinated approach to the future of the nursing profession, the government will establish a Nursing Services Task Force.

The government will provide $300 million for medical equipment renewal to ensure that the health care sector has the capacity to maintain the excellence of its medical equipment. This will assist the health sector in addressing year 2000 issues.

The government is committed to improving the health and safety of children in Ontario.

Ontario will increase funding for the Healthy Babies, Healthy Children program by $10 million this year, growing to a $50-million annual program by the year 2000.

Prior to this budget, I held 20 round table discussions with more than 200 groups representing a broad cross-section of Ontario society. I have spoken personally with hundreds of individuals who have shared their ideas with me.

The Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies told me that more needs to be done to help our most vulnerable children. We listened and we are responding by providing children's aid societies with an additional $170 million over the next three years. These resources will be directed at increasing the number of child protection staff, providing better training for front-line workers and revitalizing foster care.

A promise made, a promise kept.

Ontarians understand that the most effective education dollars are those spent in the classroom.

In March, the Minister of Education and Training announced a fair funding formula for education. The government has defined classroom spending and has focused elementary and secondary education dollars there, while adding $583 million in new spending in the classroom.

A promise made, a promise kept.

Students achieve better results when they are in smaller classes and can receive more individual attention from their teachers. That is why Ontario introduced the class size protection fund. This $1.2-billion fund will end the trend towards larger classes and ensure that the average class size, on a board-wide basis, is no larger than 25 students in elementary school and 22 students in secondary school.

For students with special needs, we are providing $1 billion each year in a separate envelope to ensure that this funding indeed goes to special education.

The Minister of Education and Training has committed to stable spending for elementary and secondary education over the next three years.

Today, I am pleased to announce that over the next two years, the government, together with private sector partners, will invest $130 million to strengthen the Internet networking of our education system and promote lifelong learning.

The government will provide $100 million for the purchase of textbooks and other learning materials so that all elementary students will have access to the very latest information and knowledge. This will double the amount of money available for books in the next school year. Funding of $150 will be provided for each and every elementary student.

In addition, the Minister of Education and Training will announce more than $12 million in funding this year for initiatives to update laboratories and buy equipment, double the grants to school boards for math and science tutors, and expand standardized testing.

One of the most innovative ideas I heard in round table discussions came from Rich Richardson, a volunteer with the High Road Foundation. In response to Mr Richardson's request, the foundation will be given funding for a pilot project to look at ways to help our young people stay in school.

To complement the introduction of the new fair funding model for education, the government will provide one-time adjustment funding of $69 million to assist school boards in a smooth implementation of the funding model.

The government and the Ontario Teachers' Federation, representing 155,000 teachers, 90,000 deferred pensioners and 57,000 pensioners, surviving spouses and their families, have reached an agreement on changes to the teachers' pension plan.

This agreement is good for education, good for students, good for teachers and good for taxpayers.

It will allow more than 18,000 teachers to retire early and will open up many thousands of teaching opportunities for highly qualified graduates of Ontario's teachers' colleges.

Taxpayers will no longer have to make $33 billion in unnecessary special payments to the teachers' pension plan over the next 31 years.

Everyone has a right to a sense of personal safety and to feel assured that their family is safe. The government will spend more than $150 million over five years on new community safety initiatives.

The community policing partnership with municipalities will result in the hiring of hundreds of new front-line police officers to serve our communities.

Other initiatives include a new OPP cadet training program, a rural crime prevention strategy, the establishment of a multiforce "Anti-Biker Gang Squad," and a proposal to more than double fines for running red lights.

We will ensure that the appropriate judicial infrastructure is also in place to support these initiatives.

All of these initiatives have benefited from the efforts of my friend and colleague Bob Runciman, the member for Leeds-Grenville, who will always be honourable to me.

Today's budget does indeed build on the foundations we have laid for a greater and stronger Ontario.

The 36 tax cuts I am proposing in this budget will bring to 66 the number of times we have cut taxes in less than three years. Tax cuts that are creating jobs and economic growth.

But tax cuts don't just create opportunities - they ensure a quality of life that allows all Ontarians to take advantage of these opportunities, today and in the future.

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As President John F. Kennedy said in 1962 -

Interjections.

The Speaker: Order, member for Ottawa West. Member for Scarborough North, come to order, please. Minister.

Hon Mr Eves: - "Wealth is the means and people are the ends. All our material riches will avail us little if we do not use them to expand the opportunities of our people."

In Ontario, tax cuts are helping welfare recipients find hope. They are contributing to child care initiatives that will support almost half a million children and their families.

They are assisting hundreds of thousands of post-secondary students get the education they deserve. They are aiding our government as we remove the barriers that keep people with disabilities and other Ontarians from sharing fully in our thriving economy.

Tax cuts are contributing to significant new investments in the classroom - in textbooks province-wide. They are allowing for record investments in health care to ensure that our families have the services they require, and that our seniors have the care and dignity they deserve.

In the words of Premier Harris, "Our goals have always been straightforward - "

Interjections.

The Speaker: Member for Hamilton Centre, member for St Catharines as well, come to order. Minister.

Hon Mr Eves: "Our goals have always been straightforward: to build a climate where jobs and prosperity are available equally and to all people; to maintain the quality of life that we enjoy in Ontario; and to ensure a healthy and secure future for our children, a future full of hope and opportunity."

As today's budget confirms, Ontario is poised to enter the 21st century with a confidence that many thought impossible just three years ago - with jobs and growth, with prosperity today and optimism for a better tomorrow, with promises made and promises kept.

Mr James J. Bradley (St Catharines): I am pleased to move adjournment of the debate.

The Speaker: Mr Bradley moves adjournment of the debate. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Government House leader.

Hon Norman W. Sterling (Minister of the Environment, Government House Leader): I believe we have unanimous consent to revert to introduction of bills.

The Speaker: Is there unanimous consent for introduction of bills? Agreed.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

TAX CUTS FOR PEOPLE AND FOR SMALL BUSINESS ACT, 1998 / LOI DE 1998 SUR LA RÉDUCTION DES IMPÔTS DES PARTICULIERS ET DES PETITES ENTREPRISES

Mr Eves moved first reading of the following bill:

Bill 15, An Act to cut taxes for people and for small business and to implement other measures contained in the 1998 Budget / Projet de loi 15, Loi visant à réduire les impôts des particuliers et des petites entreprises et à mettre en oeuvre d'autres mesures contenues dans le budget de 1998.

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell): Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

A short statement?

Hon Ernie L. Eves (Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance): No, thank you. I made quite a lengthy statement today already.

Hon Norman W. Sterling (Minister of the Environment, Government House Leader): Mr Speaker, I move adjournment of the House.

The Speaker: The government House leader moves adjournment of the House. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

This House stands adjourned until 1:30 of the clock tomorrow.

The House adjourned at 1657.

5 mai 1998