Assemblée législative de l'Ontario

Report continued from volume A.

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Private Members’ Public Business

First responders

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): I recognize the member for Ajax.

Ms. Patrice Barnes: I move that, in the opinion of this House, the government of Ontario should officially recognize the dedication, perseverance and sacrifice of members of emergency services.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Ms. Barnes has moved private member’s notice of motion number 113.

Pursuant to standing order 100, the member has 12 minutes for her presentation.

Ms. Patrice Barnes: I rise today with immense pride to speak to the second reading of this private member’s bill. This bill seeks to address a significant oversight—one that has existed for far too long. I’m referring to the lack of formal recognition for the brave men and women who serve in Ontario’s municipal emergency services.

If passed, this bill will see the Solicitor General and other ministers responsible for the oversight to develop a provincial long service and good conduct medal to be awarded to municipal emergency workers with long and exemplary careers. This will provide them with the long-overdue honour they deserve for their distinguished and selfless service in our communities.

For years, Ontario Provincial Police officers have been eligible for the Ontario Provincial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. This is a prestigious provincial honour that recognizes their dedication to public service. And while municipal officers are eligible for the federal Police Exemplary Service Medal, they lack a similar honour from their own provinces. This bill seeks to rectify that by ensuring that all municipal emergency workers receive the same level of acknowledgement, appreciation and respect for their service to Ontario’s communities.

Speaker, this isn’t merely a question of fairness, although fairness is at the core of this issue. It’s about recognizing that municipal emergency workers face the same dangers and challenges as their provincial and federal counterparts. Every day, our front-line workers service and protect, upholding the law and safeguarding our communities. They deserve to be recognized not just for the length of their service but for the courage, professionalism and integrity they demonstrate daily.

In Ontario, we are proud to have a diverse range of front-line emergency workers. From large urban communities, such as Toronto, to small communities such as those in Thunder Bay and Cornwall, these front-line emergency workers are responsible for a vast array of duties. For example, our municipal police service handles everything from petty crime and traffic violations to major public safety threats, such as organized crime, hate crimes and drug trafficking.

But their responsibilities go far beyond enforcing the law. They are the first responders in most times of crisis, whether it’s responding to violent carjackings, de-escalating mental health issues or providing order during public emergencies. But they can’t do it alone. They work closely with EMS and fire to help those that are in need in communities across Ontario. They are the faces we see in times of crisis. They are who we trust and rely on every single day.

Speaker, in my own riding of Ajax, we are fortunate to be protected by the dedicated members of the DRPS EMS service, fire and police service. I recently had the privilege of standing alongside DRPS Chief Peter Moreira and my fellow Durham colleagues as, together, we announced our government’s investment in a joint air support unit for the region. That helicopter and the commitment behind it is a direct result of our government’s steadfast commitment to keeping our community safe.

Chief Moreira is a man whose career in municipal policing spans more than 30 years. He is just one of the many municipal officers across Ontario who have served with dedication and professionalism. This bill is for him and for the countless others who have quietly served our communities with dignity and integrity. They put their lives on the line each day to protect the people of Ontario.

This past summer, I joined EMS Chief Troy Cheseboro to launch the community paramedic program alongside Lakeridge Health. A special thank you to Chief Cheseboro and his team, who tirelessly serve our community, and congratulations to all the new paramedics that have joined his team this last year.

Ajax Fire Chief Aaron Burridge and Deputy Chief Kimbell have been amazing in keeping Ajax safe and educated in fire safety. They have seen a new batch of new recruits. I was very thrilled to attend their graduation as well, to welcome this new batch of recruits that will serve our community.

This bill holds a personal significance for me. Having served on a municipal police board, I’ve seen first-hand the tireless dedication and sacrifice of our municipal officers. Coming from a police household myself, I understand the weight of the uniform and the challenges they face each and every day as they work alongside their colleagues. Every time an officer puts his uniform on, they have to accept the very real risk that they might not come home that day, and that is an extreme burden for the family that supports them.

So at this point, I want to thank each and every person and family member of our emergency services. This is a burden that very few of us can fully comprehend, but it is one that every sworn officer in Ontario bears with courage, dignity and unwavering resolve.

This bill has three key objectives: First, it is to acknowledge the unwavering dedication of municipal emergency services who serve at an immense personal risk. Whether they’re confronting violent criminals, responding to public safety emergencies, or managing the unseen toll of mental health and emotional stress, they serve with bravery and selflessness. This bill will finally give those officers and emergency workers the recognition that is long deserved.

Second, it strengthens the bond between emergency workers and the community that they serve each and every day. Recognizing exemplary service sends a powerful message to the public: that we value and honour those who serve and protect us. It fosters mutual respect, which is the foundation of trust, and trust between front-line workers and their community is essential to the health and safety of our society.

Third, this bill promotes a culture of excellence by formally recognizing long-term and exemplary service. It sets the bar for all that follows behind. When we honour those who have dedicated their careers to public safety, we set a standard of professionalism and integrity that the future workforce will aspire to. This is not just about retention; it is about ensuring that we continue to attract and retain emergency workers of the highest calibre.

The Ontario Provincial Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal has been in place for 75 years. Since 1949, it has recognized OPP officers who have dedicated at least 20 years of their lives to public service. These officers have displayed integrity and professionalism and are rewarded for such. This award is not a marker of time; it is a symbol of dedication, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to public safety that those officers embody.

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However, let’s focus a little bit more on police officers. For too long, our municipal officers have been excluded from this provincial recognition. Officers who have served with distinction in municipal forces for 20 years or more have not received the same formal acknowledgment of their service. This bill will seek to change that by ensuring that every officer, regardless of whether they serve in a municipal or provincial role, is recognized for their long-term dedication to public service.

Equally important to length of service is the pillar of exemplary conduct. Police officers are entrusted with immense responsibility, and their effectiveness depends on maintaining the trust of the communities they serve. Public trust is built on ethical behaviour, professionalism and integrity—values that define the very best of law enforcement.

Long service and good conduct medals honour not just the passage of time but the quality of service. It recognizes those officers who have upheld the highest standards of justice and fairness throughout their careers.

Speaker, supporting this bill is not just about symbolism; it’s about concrete recognition of the bravery and dedication—municipal emergency workers across Ontario have done to serve their community. It’s also about ensuring that we continue to build a safer Ontario by supporting the men and women who stand on the front lines each and every day.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government has made significant investments in public safety. From expanding police and fire training to providing new resources, we have taken meaningful steps to ensure that Ontario’s emergency workers have the tools they need to keep our communities safe and criminals behind bars.

Just last year, we made basic constable training free for all cadets, in addition to making paramedic training free, through the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant. This move will help attract new talent and ensure that we are well-prepared to meet the evolving challenges that will arise.

In conclusion, this bill is about respect—respect for the men and women who serve with honour and distinction. It’s about fairness for those who risk their lives to protect us and serve us. It’s about ensuring that all emergency service workers across Ontario, whether they serve in provincial or municipal roles, are recognized for their long years of public service.

I urge all members of this House to join me in supporting this bill. Let’s stand with our emergency workers. Let us take this important step towards honouring their service, celebrating their sacrifices, and showing them that Ontario stands with them now and always.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further debate?

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: It’s always an honour to rise in the House—with the opportunity to talk about the motion put forward to officially recognize the dedication, the perseverance and the sacrifice of members of emergency services. We absolutely should recognize these individuals—from our police officers to our firefighters, paramedics, 911 emergency responders, and everyone in the back end making sure the job gets done. They are the very heartbeat of our communities. Every day, they answer the call to protect, to save and to serve. Their commitment to duty, their courage in the face of danger, and their resilience in the most challenging situations are commendable qualities deserving of official recognition and acknowledgment. However, it’s not enough to simply acknowledge their efforts in passing. This government needs to take formal steps to ensure that their dedication is properly recognized, not just in our words, but in the concrete actions taken to support them.

It is an honour to be able to speak in this House, as I said, and as the official opposition critic for the Solicitor General, and to be able to share these words with you all today. In my capacity as critic, it is my job to speak for and advocate for those who work in emergency services. Whether it’s fighting for better wages, improved working conditions, or ensuring adequate mental health supports for workers in this sector, myself and my colleagues have stood shoulder to shoulder with our front-line heroes. Often, people hear “emergency services” or” emergency workers” and think automatically to an EMS, police or fire, but we also have to acknowledge the contribution of those who take the initial call for help: 911 operators are the first initial point of contact. They remain calm and resourceful and guide callers through high-stress situations.

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the NENA conference in St. Catharines, which is the National Emergency Number Association. I was joined by St. Catharines Fire Chief David Upper, Niagara Regional Police Chief Bill Fordy, Niagara EMS Deputy Chief Karen Lutz and the presidents of NENA for both the United States and Canada.

It was an eye-opener how this organization empowers and connects all members of police, fire and EMS to provide the best quality of response to all Ontarians by reducing wait times and implementing the latest in GPS tracking technologies to better pinpoint locations where calls originated from.

It was brought to my attention and it was brought up to me once that it is important to recognize that emergency services doesn’t stop when a patient is dropped off at the hospital, for example. That work extends through to the nurses, to the doctors and other staff workers who take over. They triage and they step up to do what is needed to be done to save the lives of people and residents in Ontario.

I want to also say thank you to the front-line workers for the incredible, difficult situations they face on a very daily basis.

Now, there’s a fun fact I want to share with you all tonight: Niagara EMS is one of three organizations all across Canada that have built an emergency communication nurse system program. We have an emergency room nurse who works directly in the Niagara dispatch centre, since 2019. They essentially triage calls over the phone, and with their expertise, decipher which calls are true emergencies that require police, fire, or EMS to be dispatched. But they also ask medical questions to determine the seriousness of the emergency. If they find it safe for a caller to wait, the call is transferred to a second nurse for further triaging. It is about going through the signs and the symptoms of a medical emergency, and these nurses’ unique knowledge actually eases the burden on our overextended and overworked health care system. Niagara EMS is one of five services in the entire world accredited to use this response system.

As of May 2024, Niagara EMS had triaged more than 15,000 calls using this system since 2019, and more than 20%, or approximately 3,000 calls, did not end up requiring an ambulance or a paramedic. That’s 3,000 calls where resources were allocated effectively and the valuable time of our EMS and our emergency workers was used where they were most needed.

I’d like to share a personal story that might resonate with all of us tonight. Last year, my 83-year-old mother—she was 82 last year—she’s going to kill me for saying her age. A very active, independent senior, she lives on her own. She looks after her own pool. She cuts her own yard. She was hit by a car on her afternoon walk out in the neighbourhood. Of course, we were all very shaken up, and we got the phone call from her sitting in the back of an ambulance. She unfortunately had suffered, with some broken bones and stitches to the head. She was able to get amazing rehabilitation from—a big shout-out to the Hotel Dieu Shaver in St. Catharines.

Applause.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Yes—amazing angels that work there. People come in and then they walk out, and it’s amazing. They’re angels.

My mom’s now back on her feet, though. I remember the EMS responding immediately, being at the scene within a few minutes at most. They calmed my mother down, and they talked to her very calmly and went through this whole experience. Of course, she was quite shaken up after being thrown, but her experience from the moment on in interacting with various emergency service members was absolutely phenomenal, so I want to thank them at this time.

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It brings me back to 2020, during the pandemic, when my colleague the member from Niagara Centre tabled a motion to provide emergency funding to municipalities ensuring that critical services—including police, fire and EMS—weren’t at risk of being cut. Without proper funding, these essential services risk being overburdened, putting workers and the public at further risk.

We know that Ontario’s emergency workers are facing many challenges across the province, and we are seeing a troubling trend of staff shortages. This is not just a localized problem; it’s systemic. Our police officers, paramedics, firefighters are stretched thin, covering wider areas and taking on heavier workloads. The pressure of these demands often leads to burnout, fatigue and, in some cases, the decision to leave a profession altogether, which is very shameful.

This House must take responsibility and address the root causes of this issue. We must invest in recruitment and retention strategies to ensure that our emergency services have the personnel they need to operate safely and effectively. This must change. We need to provide accessible, high-quality mental health services tailored specifically to the needs of those on the front line.

It shouldn’t just be on the shoulders of individuals like Shawn, who is in my riding, who suffers from PTSD after 31 years of being a firefighter. Shawn has a project: It’s called Valhalla, and it works with service dogs for people with PTSD to help combat the symptoms of this disorder—big shout-out to Shawn.

Applause.

Mrs. Jennifer (Jennie) Stevens: Yes. Thank you.

We have all heard about the underfunding of emergency medical services. Paramedics in particular are experiencing higher call volumes than ever before, while staffing levels have not kept pace. This leaves our paramedics overworked and overstressed, often forced to make impossible decisions about where to allocate their limited resources. We’ve called for urgent action to address these shortfalls.

Speaker, at this time, as we honour these brave individuals today, let us commit to doing more. Let us thank them every day, not only in words but in actions.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further debate?

Mr. Lorne Coe: What a pleasure it is to be able to speak in support of MPP Barnes’s motion, which calls on the government of Ontario to officially recognize the dedication, perseverance and sacrifice of members of emergency services.

Applause.

Mr. Lorne Coe: Yes—I lived that sacrifice and dedication in my youth. My father was a police officer with the Montreal police service on the docks of Montreal, at a time when it wasn’t a good thing to walk on the docks of Montreal. Some might argue it still isn’t, but, notwithstanding, I understand that dedication, perseverance and sacrifice of members of emergency services.

Speaker, first responders in Whitby and other parts of the region of Durham are volunteers and professionals who have dedicated their lives to public service. Their life-saving skills often make the difference between life and death. Through this motion, we honour the courage of those who put themselves in harm’s way to save people who, in a majority of cases, they don’t even know—running into fires and smoke, for example, to save people, extract them from cars that have overturned, to evacuate students from schools. When tragedies strike, these women and men are always there to help us. We thank them. We thank them for their extraordinary service to the province of Ontario. I also want to acknowledge the front-line heroes in Whitby, the fire department, the men and women who work in 911 and the Durham Regional Police Service in the west division on Taunton Road, who work tirelessly every day, putting service above self to ensure their communities are healthy and safe. They risk everything when they close the door behind them to start their shift to save others.

This year, the Durham Regional Police Service proudly marks its 50th anniversary. This occasion represents five decades of unwavering dedication, service and collaboration for the residents they serve so proudly. Throughout those 50 years, the Durham Regional Police Service has played a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.

Myself and members of provincial Parliament from Ajax, Pickering and Durham will be attending the annual Durham Regional Police Service appreciation dinner tomorrow evening to say thank you to these heroes and their families, acknowledging their long service not only at that venue, but at their retirement dinners as well. As my caucus colleague’s motion proposes, it’s not only expression of our gratitude for putting their lives on the line daily, often under difficult and dangerous conditions, but it’s a vital acknowledgement of the unwavering commitment these men and women show to public safety.

By recognizing their service, we reinforce the invaluable role they play in safeguarding our ridings, our province. The proposed recognition will boost morale, providing motivation for front-line officers and their families as they continue to navigate their lives and the importance to serve. Moreover, it’s a tangible expression of appreciation from both the community and the institutions they serve, fostering stronger relationships between first responders and the public.

Importantly, this proposed recognition also conveys a message to young men and women, like my granddaughters, Sophia and Annette, that being a first responder is not only a respected and rewarding career, but also one that values dedication and excellence, all of what we aspire to. It promotes the retention of experienced staff while attracting new recruits, both critical for maintaining highly capable and committed first responders.

The commitment they feel goes beyond their occupation. It extends into charitable activities, fundraisers and community service for worthy causes across the province, once again making a difference in the lives of hard-working families in Ontario and helping to make Ontario a safe and secure place for all. I believe that living a life of service and sacrifice is not just what first responders do; it is who they are.

Our first responders remind us that we are a province because we are made up of good people. Let us renew our commitment tonight as a province to standing by them and their families, just as they stand by us, shaping a stronger, safer and more resilient province of Ontario.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further debate?

Mr. Adil Shamji: It’s an honour to rise in this chamber and to speak in support of this motion that we should officially recognize the dedication, perseverance and sacrifice of members of emergency services.

I do thank the member for Ajax for bringing this forward. I would remind the member for Ajax that she has 16,968 people in her riding who don’t have a family doctor, and I hope that she will join me in speaking in support of resolving the primary care crisis that we face, which has a necessary consequence on the use of emergency services workers.

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But to the point at hand, which is to celebrate the work of emergency services, this is something that I know a little bit about, as in my professional capacity I am an emergency physician and regularly work alongside all of the emergency services. I have performed combined operations with police, fire and paramedics, as well as many of the other workers who comprise our emergency services teams: our 911 operators, our respiratory therapists and our nurses, who oftentimes are involved in transporting critical patients. The kind of heroism that I have seen, the nature of the sacrifices that I have seen, is truly awe-inspiring and, frankly, unspeakable.

I often talk about the fact that I have two families—my immediate family that I share blood with, and my emergency services family—because we see things and share experiences that no one else could understand: the long hours, oftentimes in the elements, in the heat, in the cold, seeing unspeakable things. Many emergency services workers are assaulted, some dying in the line of duty.

Now, I want to take a moment to actually discuss the substance of this motion: “That, in the opinion of this House, the government of Ontario should officially recognize the dedication, perseverance and sacrifice of members of emergency services.” Well, may I say that the best way to recognize the dedication, perseverance and sacrifice of these members is to treat those members with fairness and respect? I can say as one of those members and as someone who works alongside those members that they do not feel respect and fairness from this government. They didn’t feel respect and fairness from this government when Bill 124 was implemented. They didn’t feel it when this government recklessly pursued defending Bill 124 in courts, even as it was shown to be unconstitutional. They didn’t feel respect and fairness when this government, in the depths of the pandemic, instituted pandemic pay for some, but not others, like respiratory therapists and paramedics.

I certainly didn’t feel it when, in this very chamber, the Minister of Health accused me. Before I was elected, working as an emergency doctor on the front lines in an emergency department, she accused me of sitting on my hands and doing nothing to support health care, and you can check the Hansard for that. These are not the words and actions of a government that treats emergency services workers with respect and fairness.

So how do we show respect and fairness? We could do it by paying emergency services workers fairly. We could do it by actually implementing retention plans for members of the emergency services, for example by supporting them in their mental health and their burnout challenges. We could do it by making sure that the workplaces in which they operate are actually safe; I mentioned that I have friends and colleagues who have literally been assaulted at work and colleagues who have died in the line of duty.

One of the last members who spoke before me said this motion can be a tangible example of our appreciation to health care workers, that it will boost morale, and the reality is that it will not. It will not, unless it is backed up by the actions of demonstrating respect: fair pay, safe working conditions, an actual retention plan for health care workers. If the government cannot do that, then these words are not worth the paper that they are written on.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further debate?

MPP Lise Vaugeois: I would also like to extend my thanks to all the people involved in emergency services: the offloading nurses, dispatchers, fire, police, social workers and mental health workers.

In my time, I want to focus specifically on paramedics, because it’s a very significant issue in my riding. We have a huge problem with distances in the rural parts. It’s not really rural, but North Shore and Highway 11 are very spread out, so it can happen that the ambulances are pulled to one place and there is no ambulance available.

Unfortunately, we had a terrible tragedy recently with a family who was not able to get an ambulance. They wound up driving their very sick mother to hospital. She died on the way. They wound up then having to wait for the coroner, with her, on the side of the highway for four hours, until the coroner could release the scene. It was very, very traumatic and, obviously, people throughout the region have been traumatized by this.

So what do we need to do? We have a very severe recruitment and retention problem. EMS, those paramedics, need to be paid at a scale that is equivalent to their level of responsibility—it is not, so that’s one of the major problems.

Another problem that people may not be aware of is that basic training for—and it’s called the basic program. It’s a two-year program right now, but it’s about to become a three-year program, so there are very, very major concerns that this is going to add to the recruitment and retention problem. It’s going to take three years to get your basic level. It’s going to cost three years of tuition—three years with no income. That’s a very significant worry.

We’re about to run out of time.

Basically, in my region, we need a significant review of how EMS is structured, because it currently is not able to serve the people of the region.

Kudos to all of those workers, because they sacrifice a lot, and we are very grateful for their service.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): Further debate?

Mr. Will Bouma: It’s a pleasure to rise today. Colleagues, can you feel it? Once in a great while, despite all of the disagreements that we have here in this House, we get to do something special and we all get to stand up and agree on something, and I just want to take a moment and acknowledge that—that this is a very good motion before us, and everyone agrees on that, so I appreciate the member bringing it forward. And I, too, will rise to speak in support of this private member’s motion.

Speaker, every morning, in households across our great province, thousands of men and women put on their uniform and kiss their loved ones goodbye. These brave officers know full well the dangers that they might face each and every day, and it’s never a guarantee that they will come home in the evening. This kind of a sacrifice is something that most of us will never know. My colleague here from Lambton–Kent–Middlesex is a fellow volunteer firefighter; he knows a little bit about what that’s like—when you’ve got your pager on, it goes off in the middle of the night, and you really don’t know what you’re going to and what’s going to happen. And yet, every day, these incredible men and women in our police forces face danger head-on. They work in difficult environments and dangerous situations, all to keep the rest of us safe.

Police forces in Ontario work tirelessly to keep our communities safe and secure and deserve to be recognized for these efforts. Their work to protect and to serve the province of Ontario and their dedication to public safety is highly respectable. And I am proud to represent a government that continues to acknowledge and appreciate the hard work of long-standing officers.

Speaker, our government has a deep appreciation for our police services and understands the importance of making sure that our communities are safe and secure. The work that they do every day to ensure the safety and security of individuals and property in Ontario—including those on First Nations and Indigenous territories—cannot be overstated.

Furthermore, our officers work tirelessly to safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Whether it’s by performing vital first aid at the scene of an accident, performing CPR, or rescuing someone from a life-threatening situation, officers save lives during their daily work—and very often, police officers are the first ones on-scene, long before fire or paramedics get there.

In addition to the danger and challenges that officers face on a daily basis, police services across Ontario help bolster and develop community initiatives. Our police services continue to work closely with the communities that they serve, respecting victims of crime and being attentive to their needs. Our officers build trust and relationships with community members, helping to foster co-operation, prevent crime, and solve community issues and problems. Furthermore, their involvement in local programs, schools and youth outreach initiatives has made lasting impacts on countless communities across the province.

That’s why our government, through this motion, is requesting the creation of the Ontario police long service medal, an award that will be handed out to police officers who have protected and served the community for an extended period of time.

Recognizing the long service of police officers is vital for several reasons. Police officers who have dedicated large portions of their life to service, often in dangerous and psychologically taxing situations, deserve to be rewarded and awarded for these efforts. Such recognition reinforces their invaluable contribution to public safety and to law enforcement.

Additionally, awarding this medal to long-serving officers will provide a significant boost to their morale and motivation. This award serves as a tangible expression of appreciation and respect from the community and the institution they serve. This will help to continue to foster a positive relationship between the police force and the public and strengthen the bond between officers and their community.

Furthermore, recognizing continued, dedicated service can inspire both current and future officers, promoting a culture of excellence and loyalty within the force.

Recognizing long service officers would also assist in improving public perception of the police force, as it highlights the stability and professionalism of those who have devoted much of their careers to public service.

Speaker, I’ve got pages left, and I’m going to run out of time.

I want to finish with this: Recognizing the long service of police officers aligns with the Premier’s priorities by reinforcing our commitment to public safety, showing support for law enforcement, fostering better community-police relations, and promoting the retention of experienced officers, all of which are essential for a safe and secure society.

Speaker, in the 28 seconds that I have left, let me tell you, when, in the middle of the night, you’re in a scene—red lights flashing; someone is going through the worst day of their life; you don’t know exactly what’s going on. And to see people show up who know what they’re doing, who can take control of the situation where our expertise can’t—need to be rewarded for their long service.

I look forward to every single person in this House supporting this motion.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): The member now has two minutes to respond.

Ms. Patrice Barnes: I want to thank each and every member in the House for the support that we’ve heard around this bill.

I also want to take a moment to acknowledge Deputy Chief Dean Bertrim from DRPS, who is retiring this November, after 34 years of service.

Speaker, we’ve heard and we’ve talked about some of the things that it is so important to recognize in first responders. And it’s a fact that we should not be complacent, because we know that there is a rise in violence against first responders. We’ve even seen it at the federal level, with the introduction of Bill C-345, An Act to protect firefighters, paramedics and other first responders. This long service medal will not solve this problem, of course, but it will show our appreciation for their dedication and the service that they have dedicated to our communities across Ontario. They show up for us, and we want to show up for them.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): The time provided for private members’ public business has now expired.

Ms. Barnes has moved private member’s notice of motion number 113. Is it the pleasure of the House that the motion carry? Carried.

Motion agreed to.

The Deputy Speaker (Ms. Donna Skelly): All matters relating to private members’ public business having been completed, this House stands adjourned until 9 a.m. on Thursday, October 24, 2024.

The House adjourned at 1754.