Question Period: Tuesday, May 11
Desk-banging and heckling abound
Premier DOUG FORD was again MIA in Question Period (he was in meetings and briefings all day, as per his office) — so House Leader PAUL CALANDRA took the lead on what turned out to be a rather raucous debate, with much desk-banging and heckling over second-dose uncertainty. The scene got heated: Minister JOHN YAKABUSKI and Independent MPP ROMAN BABER were warned by Speaker TED ARNOTT (if they kept it up, they would’ve been “named” and booted from the chamber for the rest of the day).
HIGHLIGHTS: Memo to self: “Military plan needed” — Second-dose anxiety — Brampton’s essential workers need more paid sick days — Softball on accelerated inoculations — Hinting at new support for biz, but details are scant — “Lack of focus on one of the fastest-growing forms of hate” — PCs stick to theme of border control: “It’s not about race” — “Perfect storm” of bad policy in Beaches-East York — Greens want small biz grants tripled — Major tenant Covid outbreak in Hamilton — Human cost of cancelled surgeries — Housing affordability drops off a cliff in Niagara — All aboard the child-care bandwagon — Fact check: no guarantee for second-shot appointment.
Memo to self: “Military plan needed”
TRANSCRIPT — Ms. Andrea Horwath: My first question this morning is for the Premier. We know the long-term care commission obtained notes from the Minister of Long-Term Care regarding what was happening in long-term care with COVID-19. On April 17, 2020, last year when we were in the first wave, this is what the minister had jotted down in her notebook, and I quote, “Military plan needed, get them within 24 to 48 hours. Homes spiral down quickly.”
The Premier didn’t ask for the Canadian Armed Forces to help Ontario until five days after that note was jotted down, and they didn’t arrive until 12 days later; in fact, they didn’t arrive to Downsview until early June.
So the question is, why did the Premier wait five days after this note was written by the minister to actually call the CAF to get some help to those homes?
The Speaker (Hon. Ted Arnott): And to reply, the government House leader.
Hon. Paul Calandra: Thank you, Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition is correct in how important the Canadian Armed Forces were to helping us stabilize some of the homes through the first wave. Mr. Speaker, as you know, there was a whole of government effort, especially during the first wave, to improve capacity in our acute care system, as well as assist in the long-term care system.
As I mentioned yesterday, look, we were on the defence for a better part of a year when it came to fighting the first wave of COVID, ostensibly because of the situation that we had been left in by the previous government. We are making significant progress in ensuring that our LTC system is better equipped, not only to handle future pandemics, God forbid that that should happen again, but to provide the best quality of care for the people of Ontario who have been so important to helping to build this province.
Horwath: Well, Speaker, the military debriefing notes tell quite the horrifying story of what they found in long-term care when they did arrive. Two homes, Downsview and Hawthorne were infested with cockroaches. They also found 26 seniors who died when all they needed was water. The Minister knew that the Canadian Armed Forces were needed on April 17, and yet they didn’t arrive for over 12 days. The Premier didn’t even ask for them until five days after she was aware that they were necessary.
So, did the Minister of Long-Term Care not bring this necessary request to the Premier’s attention, or did the Premier simply not act on it quickly enough?
Calandra: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Look, as I’ve said, I’ll say it again and I’ll say it throughout question period I suspect, the Armed Forces was a very important part in helping us stabilize a number of long-term care homes in the province of Ontario through the first wave. We saw across Canada that, in fact, our long-term care homes in many provinces needed the assistance of the armed forces, in particular in both Ontario and in Quebec. We were moving very, very quickly throughout the first wave, as I said, and I’ll repeat again, Mr. Speaker: We were left on the defensive posture for much of the first wave as we attempted to catch up to the lack of investment that we had inherited, whether it was infection, prevention and control measures, whether it was renovating old homes that needed to be fixed quite frankly, the addition of greater capacity in the system, dealing with the health and human resources. There was a lot of work that needed to be done that we inherited. We’re getting it done.
Horwath: Back to the Premier: The military are people who are trained for combat and they are actually trained to expect the worst. The military staff in the notes that we saw indicate that they were horrified at the very idea of having to return to any of these homes. In fact, the very thought of it, in one person’s words, is that it “sucked the life right out of you”— the idea of having to return. One medic said that they saw more death in one week in their long-term-care stint than they had in all of their other tours of duty combined.
On April 17, the Minister of Long-Term Care indicated that she needed to get the CAF into long-term care immediately, but there was a delay. So, the question is who is responsible for the delay? Is it the Premier who delayed or was it the Minister of Long-Term Care who didn’t identify to the Premier quickly enough to get the —
The Speaker: Government House leader.
Calandra: As I said, the Canadian Armed Forces played a vital role, especially in the first wave, in helping us address some of the shortcomings that became evident in long-term-care homes when the request was made. We were very appreciative of the armed forces coming in. They did it as quickly as they possibly could in both Ontario and Quebec, Mr. Speaker.
But the whole system highlights, and the commission report highlights, the problems that we inherited in the system, whether it was underfunding, whether it was homes that were old and in desperate need of renovations or whether it was the health and human resources, these PSWs who have been working so hard for so long, but were underfunded …
Second-shot uncertainty prompts call for order, warnings
Horwath: My next question is also to the Premier. This one is going to be about vaccinations, and particularly the second doses. People are anxious to know when it is that they’re going to be able to get their second shot. They want to know so they don’t have to scramble at the last minute like they’ve had to do for the first shot. A full four months is what was expected, but now, apparently, that may change because vaccines are coming more quickly.
So, my question is: What is actually the government’s plan to get the second shot into people’s arms?
The Speaker: Minister of Health.
Hon. Christine Elliott: We are in phase 2 of our rollout of the vaccines, and we are now receiving sufficient quantities — particular of the Pfizer vaccine — that we will be able to provide people with their second shots at the appropriate time.
We have booked — actually, yesterday we did 112,000 vaccines, and we are at a total of 6,350,000 right now. We are on track to deliver vaccines to 65% of adults over age 18 by the end of May, and of course we can now provide the Pfizer vaccines to young people aged 12 to 16 as well, so that is rolling out.
People will be able to receive their vaccines at the appropriate time. Because we have additional supplies, if we are able to reach that target and people are coming forward, we may be able to shorten the time frame, but people already have their appointments for their four-month shots and so they will receive them, maybe sooner than that, but they definitely will receive them within that time frame.
The Speaker: The supplementary question?
Horwath: People don’t know when they’re getting their second shot. Those shots are not booked. I haven’t got a booking for my second shot —
Interjections.
The Speaker: Stop the clock. Member, please take your seat.
Interjections.
The Speaker: The government side will come to order. The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry will come to order. The member for Niagara Falls will come to order. I’m going to ask the Leader of the Opposition to withdraw —
Horwath: Withdraw, Speaker.
The Speaker: — and finish her question.
Horwath: Speaker, the government’s rollout of the vaccinations has been a mess; it has been chaotic. In fact, it was —
Interjections.
The Speaker: Stop the clock. The Solicitor General will come to order. We’re not going to have this. I apologize to the Leader of the Opposition. Restart the clock.
Horwath: It has been saved by the public health units — thank goodness for them. They have to fix the rollout problems, Speaker. Instead, they’re busy with a blame game, always pointing at somebody else. Look, the sign-up system was convoluted. It excluded family doctors. The rollout meant that people who needed the vaccines the most got them at the end instead of at the beginning. So the question is, what is the plan to fix this chaotic system for the second dose? Can the government show us one?
Interjection.
The Speaker: Stop the clock. Okay. The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry is warned. You know what that means: If I have to speak to you again, you’ll be named.
Please start the clock. To reply, the Minister of Health.
Elliott: Contrary to what the leader of the official opposition says, Speaker, we have a very organized rollout. Our vaccination campaign is rolling out well, by virtue of the fact that 6.3 million doses have already been administered — that’s almost half of the population of Ontario — and we are on track to book and vaccinate over 65% of the adults over age 18 by the end of May. I don’t know anyone who would call that a failure. It’s moving forward.
We have our booking system where people can book online, or they can call to book an appointment. They can receive their vaccines through a mass vaccination clinic, through pop-up clinics, through pharmacies — more and more pharmacies are being added every day—or through primary care offices. We’re making it as easy as possible for people to be vaccinated, and we already have another four million people booked to receive their vaccines, so I would call that a coordinated system.
Horwath: Speaker, public health units and communities have come together to try to fill the holes in this government’s vaccine rollout. In fact, people are calling it a scavenger hunt to try to get a vaccine. They’re relying on things like Vaccine Hunters Canada to get a vaccine here in Ontario. It has been a mess.
The question I have for the government, which is very, very focused on partisan ad campaigns, but not so focused on cleaning up the vaccine rollout — there is an increased supply, and I think we’re all pleased about that, but the question still remains: Who is going to get their shots? When are they going to get their shots? How are they going to get their shots for the second vaccine? That’s what people need to know, and that’s what this government should be able to provide in terms of information. No more excuses. The vaccines are here. What’s the plan to get the second shot into people’s arms?
Elliott: Well, the facts speak for themselves: over six million doses already administered, four million doses already organized and booked. We are rolling this vaccine plan out. We’re making it very easy for people. We’re offering more and more pharmacies to be able to offer vaccines. Some of these pharmacies are open 24/7, or you can walk in. We have the mass vaccination clinics. We have clinics that are going to people’s workplaces. We have a plan, the plan is being delivered and the plan is working.
Brampton’s essential workers need more paid sick days
Mr. Gurratan Singh (NDP): Two weeks ago, all of Canada was talking about Brampton’s COVID-19 crisis. We had one of the highest positivity rates in the entire country. Countless people were getting sick and many were dying. Tragic stories from Brampton were being heard across our nation, from the utterly devastating accounts of loss of life to essential workers who had to choose between going to work sick and paying the bills.
But despite all this national attention, two weeks later, the Conservative government continues to fail Brampton. We still have one of the highest positivity rates in the entire country, and essential workers are still getting sick. Workers are risking their lives every single day, moving this economy so others can work from home. They deserve more than three paid sick days. Will the Conservative government commit today to treating workers with the dignity that they deserve by bringing in two weeks of paid sick days?
The Speaker: The Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
Hon. Monte McNaughton: I want to begin by thanking the member opposite for supporting our government’s legislation to pass a comprehensive package that includes 23 days of paid sick leave in record time here in the Legislature. Thank you to the NDP, thank you to the independent Liberals for joining with our government to ensure that workers do not have to choose between their jobs and their health. I can assure the member opposite: We’re going to continue working every single day to protect the health and safety of every single worker until we defeat COVID-19 once and for all.
Singh: Back to the Premier: When you’re in a crisis, you don’t do the bare minimum. You pull out all the stops. You do everything possible to save lives. But from the beginning of the pandemic, we have seen a clear track record from the Conservative government. They are continually doing the least possible to help Ontarians. Half measures are continually being brought forward, and not enough help is being given to communities that need it the most.
Now, the Conservative government is warning that Ontarians should be prepared for at least two weeks of a stay-at-home order and closure. But while they’ve warned of longer lockdowns, the truth is the Conservative government had every opportunity to stop the third wave, just like they had every opportunity get this crisis under control sooner, both times. Instead, they chose to stand by and do nothing. We need more paid sick days, we need more vaccines, we need more support for hot spot communities. We’re in a crisis, and people are dying. When will the Conservative government start acting like it?
Elliott: We have been taking action throughout this pandemic, especially as far as Peel and Brampton are concerned. They are receiving their fair share of vaccines. In fact, in the month of May alone, we will be allocating 432,960 doses to Peel region, which will make Peel the public health unit with the second highest doses rate per capita in the province. So we are sending sufficient quantities to Peel, and to Brampton, of course.
In terms of places where they can be received, there are over 150 pharmacies, seven of which will be running 24/7; four hospitals; hot spot pop-ups. We have 40 primary care sites in Peel region, and we also have workplace clinics at Maple Leaf Foods, Maple Lodge Farms and Amazon. Now, we know that there are 25 postal codes that have been designated as hot spots in Peel region, and the entire region is receiving sufficient quantities to make sure that anyone who wants to receive a vaccine in Peel will be able to receive them.
Softball from the backbench, on accelerated inoculations
Mr. Stan Cho (PC): This week, I’ve been having many encouraging conversations with my constituents in Willowdale, and it has to do with Ontario’s COVID vaccine campaign, which has clearly moved into the next gear, as doses enter the province at almost double the previous rate. Over the last few weeks, Ontario has had an army of health care workers that have set records when it comes to needles in arms, and we’ve soared past the goal of 40% of Ontario’s adult population getting at least their first dose by the end of April. It’s very encouraging to hear, in fact, from the health minister, that over 6.3 million doses have been administered, with — perhaps best of all — the last million doses being administered in nine days, and the million doses before that in just eight days. Speaker, my question is for the Solicitor General. With so much forward momentum on the vaccine front, what can members expect moving forward with Ontario’s vaccine campaign?
Hon. Sylvia Jones: Thank you very much to the member from Willowdale. These are exciting times, as we see the increase in doses coming from the federal government. We know that Ontarians are very excited about the rollout of Ontario’s vaccine campaign, and there is a lot to celebrate. As you said, after smashing through our goal of 40% of adults receiving at least their first dose by the end of April, we’ve set an ambitious goal for the end of May: 65% of adults receiving at least their first dose, and we are well on our way. Ontario is expected to surpass 50% of adults in the next 48 hours who will have received their first dose. It’s incredible. With a daily average of 120,000 vaccines being delivered every single day, we can all be proud of the tireless work of thousands of health care workers and many, many volunteers who are assisting in this rollout campaign. It’s exciting news, it’s great news and we are well on our way to seeing the end of COVID-19 in Ontario.
Cho: I share that sentiment of excitement, and so do the people of Willowdale and Toronto. After such a difficult year, this is the good news I think we’ve all been waiting for. The city of Toronto, Speaker, where I represent: Nearly 1.3 million vaccine doses have been administered, and this represents approximately half of the population in our great city. It’s clear that, with the vaccine supply ramping up in the province, the goals that we’ve set for the month of May are well within reach. Speaker, given these developments in the vaccine rollout, I’m hoping the Solicitor General can update the House on what expansions to vaccine eligibility have been introduced this month and what will be introduced in the weeks ahead.
Jones: Thank you for your enthusiasm on this very critically important stage. With stability in vaccine supplies comes stability in our ability to expand the eligibility range. That’s why we started off the month by expanding eligibility to all of those aged 18 and above in the 114 hot spot neighbourhoods across 13 different public health units. As well as a series of planned expansions based on age and risk, starting today, for example, individuals with at-risk conditions such as dementia, diabetes and sickle cell disease, as well as the second phase of people who cannot work from home, including grocery store, restaurant and transportation workers, are eligible to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, due to the increased vaccine supply, we are adding at-risk health care workers and dialysis patients to the list of those eligible to book. It’s exciting news, and I hope that people take the advantage of, when you book, booking quickly, because we have the vaccine for you.
Hinting at new support for small biz, but details are scant
Ms. Catherine Fife (NDP): “A nightmare.” “Ridiculous.” “Just an awful experience.” “It just looks like rank amateurs, top to bottom.” “The government simply doesn’t seem to know what it is doing.” These are quotes from business owners describing the Ontario Small Business Support Grant program.
Countless MPPs in this House have now shared stores of the significant problems their constituents have experienced with this program. The government needs to correct these issues. You need to expand eligibility — you should not be stalling on this any further — and you need to ensure that businesses that are closed through this third wave can receive additional support. Will the government commit to doing that today?
The Speaker: To reply on behalf of the government, the member for Willowdale and parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Finance.
Cho: I appreciate the member from Waterloo bringing up the small business support grant program, a grant program that has helped over 109,000 small businesses receive $1.5 billion. In fact, over 75,000 businesses have received a second iteration of that grant program. That’s $1.1 billion. It’s a total of $2.6 billion paid out to these small businesses, with an average wait time of 12 days to get cash in hand.
Of course, there is a large volume of business that have applied to this good program, and that’s why we have doubled up on the resources available to get through that backlog. But what’s very curious is that the member stands in her place today and calls for further supports when she has voted against every single one of those support measures, including the doubling of the small business grant, which has helped about a thousand businesses in Waterloo region weather the storm that is COVID-19.
My question to the member is, hopefully, if the government does introduce new measures, will she support these small businesses with —
The Speaker: Thank you very much. The supplementary question.
Fife: Are you going to do that? That’s what we’ve been calling for since last April. Come to the table.
Another quote, Speaker: “I’ve never seen a program that just didn’t have anyone there.... There’s no one you write to, no one you can call, there’s no other number to ask to be elevated to speak with someone else. Ever.” This lack of meaningful support or information is an issue not only with the grant program, but with the highly affected sectors like tourism and event venues; in Waterloo region, Bingemans and the Princess Cinemas. All of us have examples. They have not been able to generate revenue for a year.
Businesses are about to be closed for another two weeks. That’s another two weeks business owners will be on their own, without help from this government. They are at the breaking point. You need to do something to support businesses for our economic recovery. When are you going to fix the small business program? When are you going to put some additional funding on the table? When are you going to expand the eligibility —
The Speaker: Thank you. The member for Willowdale.
Cho: To answer the question of when, well, from the very beginning of this pandemic, this government has been there with —
Interjections.
The Speaker: The opposition, come to order.
Cho: — working with all levels of government. What the NDP has in common with all those support measures that they now call for is that they have voted against every single one, whether that was a PPE grant for the smallest of small businesses; whether that was a permanent reduction to small business property taxes of up to 30%; whether that was broadband infrastructure investment; the elimination of the EHT, a tax on jobs, for the smallest of small businesses; or the Digital Main Street program to help businesses retool and sell their products online.
Of course this is a tough time for small businesses. That’s why this government has been there for them. The question is, why hasn’t the NDP?
“Lack of focus on one of the fastest-growing forms of hate”
Mr. Michael Coteau (Independent Liberal): Mr. Speaker, my question, through you, to the minister responsible for anti-racism: Can the minister update and inform this House about the alarming and unacceptable increase in anti-Asian racism and how these extreme forms of hate have impacted Asian Canadians in our province over the last year?
Jones: The member opposite is absolutely right: There has been a disturbing increase. We all appreciate and understand that it is coming from misinformation and misinformed individuals who are targeting a particular group, suggesting that that is the cause of the COVID-19 outbreaks. It’s terribly unfortunate. We have been working within the Anti-Racism Directorate—and, frankly, across government—to educate, inform and ultimately go after and shut down these individuals who are misinformed and are hurting our communities in a way that is truly, truly indefensible at this time.
Coteau: I want to thank the minister for the answer, but the government has, frankly, done little over the last year to combat systemic racism and stop hate.
Last week, I asked the minister why the new anti-racism strategy, the updated strategy, did not mention the word “Asian” even once in the entire document. Instead of pledging action, the minister made reference to a grant, which — a small portion of that grant actually benefited one organization that’s combatting anti-Asian racism.
We need this government to stand up to hate and to protect the rights of all Ontarians, including Asian Canadians, and it starts with this government taking initiative and creating a strategy to tackle anti-Asian racism. But Speaker, because of the minister’s continued lack of focus on one of the fastest-growing forms of hate in Canada, I plan to bring forward a change to the legislation today, the Anti-Racism Act. I want to know if the minister will support those changes to include anti-Asian racism within the Act.
Jones: Well, I look forward to reviewing the private member’s bill. Obviously, I have not had any insight into what he is bringing forward, but I’m happy to review it. But I think it’s important that we talk about the actions that our government has taken. You mention grant programs like they’re inconsequential. I think that is very unfortunate, because the enthusiasm and the encouragement that we have received in talking to organizations saying, “This will help us. This will help us educate. This will help protect us, and ultimately, it will help inform all Ontario citizens.”
Again, I will remind the member: The Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate Grant will provide $1.6 million in total funding, will be accessible to communities throughout Ontario and provide investments to community-based projects. The organizations and the communities asked us for these investments. We have done that, and they are very pleased. I’m happy to be working with them on this.
Friendly Q: PCs stick to border-control theme. “It’s not about race”
Cho: I continue to have some frustrating conversations with my constituents regarding our border control measures from the federal government. We know that the majority of cases today are variants of concern. These are dangerous. It’s a pretty clear message from the Prime Minister that this just isn’t a priority for him, tightening up our border controls. This is problematic for the people of Willowdale and our province, because we know that these variants originate from outside of Ontario. While our government continues to urge our federal partners, to request real action to secure our borders, we’re going to continue calling on them in a vocal way. It’s not just international travellers that are the concern; of course, there are people coming in from other provinces carrying the variants.
My question is for the Solicitor General. I’m hoping that she can share with the House what our request is to the federal government when it comes to these domestic travellers to make sure that Ontarians can remain safe from these dangerous variants of concern.
Jones: Our request to the federal government was really very simple. It was three: to actually shut down the land and water international travel that is happening between our southern partners; it was to make sure that when domestic visitors come in they get tested immediately at the border. What we are finding, as we’ve highlighted previously, is when a domestic traveller comes into Ontario and goes back to their place of residence or where they’re visiting, then books an appointment, then gets the test, then waits for the results of the test, how many people did they interact with? How many people did they put at risk? We’re seeing the variants increase. There’s a very simple fix that the federal government could do, and that is test people when they arrive at the border. The third and final thing, of course, is make sure that when individuals self-isolate they do the proper follow-up and make sure that they’re doing the right —
The Speaker: Thank you. The supplementary question.
Cho: I hope I don’t sound too frustrated in the Legislature today, it’s just the frustration of my constituents is at a boiling point. It has been a tough year, and that has been the case for people all over the province. After making those sacrifices over a very difficult year, it’s fair of Willowdalers to expect some sort of action from our federal cousins on getting these borders under control and protecting us from these dangerous variants of concern —
Interjections.
The Speaker: Order.
Cho: I know the Liberals are heckling me and call this about xenophobia. It’s absolutely not about race. This is about protecting Ontarians against these dangerous variants of concern and putting in safeguards at the federal level to make sure that we protect all Ontarians.
Back to the minister: Can she provide examples of the concerning trends from incoming travellers at Toronto Pearson, Pearson being, of course, Canada’s largest airport right here in the region of Peel?
Jones: Yes, unfortunately, it is a disturbing one and a very direct one. We know that the P1 variant of COVID-19 has been connected to a massive outbreak in Brazil, and we know that travel remains a major vector for transmission. Just across the border from Hamilton, the Buffalo airport has a full web page dedicated to transportation for Canadians. I don’t need to remind members of how some travellers move across the border to avoid airport quarantine. Even through our government is taking extra precautions by closing interprovincial land borders to help keep out the variants, we do not control our international borders. All levels of government must work together to keep our citizens safe, including those carrying variants of COVID-19 travelling into Ontario, which is why we will continue to call on the federal government to help secure international entry points and further strengthen screening at our borders.
‘Perfect storm’ of bad policy in Beaches—East York
Ms. Rima Berns-McGown (NDP): My question is for the Premier. Beaches–East York is home to communities of essential workers who have no choice but to work precarious jobs with no benefits. They’ve watched neighbours evicted — no work, no home. They can’t take that risk so they go to work sick or not. The Premier stayed home for 14 days to ensure he wouldn’t get his family sick, but he’s only willing to give three days to essential workers, and, as a result, they and their families are ending up in the ICU. As much as the government would like everyone to believe that the COVID fire raging in Ontario is entirely due to planeloads of foreigners, the science table and critical care doctors have been clear: It is driven by workplaces.
When is the government going to put in place a program of paid sick days that will allow workers to stay home when they’re sick and Ontario to heal?
The Speaker: Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development to reply.
McNaughton: Again, I would thank the member opposite for her support in our province’s paid sick leave plan. In fact, we were the first province in the country to bring forward paid sick leave for workers. It’s a comprehensive plan of three days so workers don’t have to choose between their jobs and their health. The health and safety of every single worker in this province, their families and their communities is our government’s top priority. We will continue to stand with workers every day until COVID-19 is defeated.
Berns-McGown: What we have in Ontario is a perfect storm of bad policies. Last March, the Premier promised that nobody would lose their housing due to COVID, but that turned out to be a fairy tale. Thousands upon thousands of people who lost income due to COVID have been or are being evicted to couch surf or into homelessness because there’s no moratorium on evictions for arrears and no rent relief. Essential workers in Beaches–East York are terrified of losing their housing. Three days of paid sick days is simply not enough to allow people to stay home or to stem the tide of workplace infections. Ultimately, all of Ontario is suffering as a result.
When is the Premier going to do to the math and give people the paid sick days they need to stay home when they’re sick so that we can end the devastating cycle of lockdowns and begin to rebuild our lives?
The Speaker: Before I ask the minister to respond, I’m going to caution the member on her use of language. I now ask for the reply from the Minister of Labour.
McNaughton: Great. Again, I thank the member opposite and her NDP Party for supporting our comprehensive package to support workers: 23 paid sick days are available to workers in this province.
Greens want small biz grants tripled
Mr. Mike Schreiner (Independent Green): My question is for the Premier. Small businesses are hurting, barely hanging on, if they haven’t gone out of business already. The third wave has forced small businesses to close for a third time, and there is speculation that they will remain closed well into next month. Speaker, small businesses are doing their part to save lives, but they need the government to have their back. So I have a simple yes or no question: Will the Premier triple the Ontario Small Business Support Grant to help small businesses survive the third wave?
Cho: I think I’ve mentioned this. I also have a great deal of respect for the member from Guelph. We’ve had many conversations with the small businesses not just in his riding, but throughout this province through our work with the finance committee, listening to the very difficult times they’re going through, from the beginning of the pandemic. That’s why this government has responded in step with our partners at other levels of government to provide a blanketed measure of support.
We’ve introduced a series of supports. Not just the small business support grant program, but help with hydro, with fixed costs like property tax. We’re reducing, we’re eliminating, in many cases, a tax on jobs, the EHT, for the smallest of small businesses, in fact, Speaker.
It’s curious to hear that the member from Guelph is calling for a third round of the small business support grant program, when he voted against the second round. So the question — yes or no — is, if we introduce more support measures, will the member finally support us and vote in favour of those supports?
Schreiner: I think small businesses wanted a “yes” response to my previous question. The bottom line is wave 1 and 2 supports, in citing those, will not get small businesses through wave 3, especially when the current program is broken.
I just want to quote one of the many small businesses who have reached out to me: “I just got off the phone with a call centre and I got a ‘hurry up and wait,’ but they don’t have any timelines on payments.”
Speaker, businesses simply cannot hurry up and wait. I can tell you, as a long-time small business owner, that cash flow is critically important. So I will support a third round of funding in a system that is fixed. Speaker, through you, I ask the gentleman: Will you expand the eligibility criteria of the small business support grant, bring in a third round of funding and fix the existing broken system?
Cho: I appreciate the passion from the member from Guelph, and it’s encouraging to hear that he will consider changing the voting record and supporting small businesses for supports moving forward. It’s important to talk about the supports that the businesses in Guelph have received. In the first iteration of the grant program, they had received over $11 million. This helped well over 700 businesses in the area of Guelph, and now the member voted against that, but in the second round these businesses will be given more support. Of course, we are not through this storm that is COVID-19, and I will work with that member and his constituents and small businesses to make sure that we are listening to them.
Because what I have in common with that member is, I, too, am from a background in small business. My family made a new life for themselves in this, the best country in the world, based on small business. We need to help them, so I encourage that member to reach out to my office. Let’s get the job done. Let’s put COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror and make sure that small businesses are not just prosperous again, but that they are the most successful that we have in the entire world.
Major tenant outbreak in Hamilton
Miss Monique Taylor (NDP): My question is for the Premier. Tenants at Rebecca Towers in Hamilton are asking for help. The high-rise building is home to seniors, essential workers, newcomers and working-class families, and it now has over 100 confirmed case of COVID-19. The outbreak in the building has been growing since March, and it is located in a community that has a test positivity rate of 22%, yet this area is still not a provincial hot spot.
My question to the Premier is, why were the tenants at Rebecca Towers left to get sick or die without the province acting to get this community more resources, more vaccines and urgent help?
The Speaker: To reply, the government House leader.
Calandra: I thank the honourable member for the question. She knows that much of the plan for this month, especially with the increase in the vaccines that we received from the federal government, has been to attack some of the hot spots across the province, hot spots that have been identified by both the science table and by the local public health units. What she raises is obviously very concerning, and I’m sure it’s something that we will work with public health in Hamilton to address shortly.
Taylor: Thank you, Speaker. Not only are the tenants of Rebecca Towers facing a horrible COVID-19 outbreak, but they are also facing the consequences of this government’s terrible housing policies. In the middle of this pandemic, the tenants are fighting an above-guideline rent increase, and the building has fallen into complete disrepair. With only one elevator in service and no regular cleaning of the common areas, it is no wonder COVID-19 is spreading so quickly. Rebecca Towers tenants need a safe building and the whole community needs their vaccines now.
Why has the province allowed landlords to raise the rents and let buildings like Rebecca Towers fall into such a level of disrepair that it is making people sick and die during this pandemic?
Calandra: Mr. Speaker, as you know, throughout the pandemic, when there have been shutdowns and when previously we entered grey zones, of course, evictions were stopped across the province. We brought in rent freezes.
Obviously, it is very important when it comes to vaccine distribution that we hit hot spots, Mr. Speaker. As you know and as the member opposite will know, the hot spots are the focus of our vaccine distribution plan for this month. It is very important, as the Minister of Health has highlighted, that we get to these hot spots. We’re identifying hot spots by working with local public health but also working with the science table. I can assure the member opposite that we’ll certainly follow-up with local public health officials in her area. Her constituents deserve access to the same great vaccination distribution program that all Ontarians get.
Human cost of cancelled surgeries
Mr. Roman Baber (Independent): My question is to the Minister of Health. On May 3, Citytv ran an article about a Toronto woman who died from kidney cancer because her surgery was delayed three times. Cancer, heart procedures, hip replacement, knee surgeries and cataract operations are cancelled daily by government directive.
Yesterday, the FAO revealed that Ontario’s backlog of surgeries will take more than three and a half years to clear. So many Ontarians will lose their lives. But the most astounding fact is that almost all beds saved by cancelling surgeries are sitting empty. Surgeries of real patients are being cancelled to save beds for computer-modelled COVID patients. And while the field hospitals are barely being used, there are more than 6,000 employees at the Ministry of Health.
Has anyone done the math on how many people will lose their life because surgery was cancelled versus how many lives will be saved as a result of the cancellation? And if they haven’t done such a comparison, will the minister commit to the House to undertake a study and report to the House? The question is simple: What is the estimate of the number of people whose lives are saved from COVID by cancelling surgeries versus what is the estimate of the number of people who will lose their life as a result of their surgeries being cancelled?
Elliott: Where to start? First, let me assure the member opposite that the beds in Ontario hospitals are unfortunately filled right now. They are filled with people with COVID and they’re filled with people who are there for other reasons, people who have had surgeries, but they are filled.
We are very concerned about the levels. They are starting to go down. The numbers in intensive care units are starting to go down, but we’re not in the clear yet. We still have a lot of work to do, and that is why we’ve had to postponed some of the surgeries and diagnostic procedures during this third wave, as we had to between the first and second waves. But it is something that we are making sure — we’re looking at the situation on a daily basis. As it stands now, most of our hospitals have completed 88% of their surgeries for the year, and we are looking at ways that we can catch up to those surgeries when we come back out of it.
I can assure the member opposite that the beds in our hospitals are full right now. That’s not computer modelling; they are full.
Baber: Like I say, I invite the minister to make that public so the public can see how many beds are actually full. ICU capacity has never gone above the 83% or 84% mark.
Speaker, my question was reasonable. The minister always says that the goal is to save lives, so why doesn’t she have the courage to study if she’s actually costing more lives than she is saving? Clearly, she doesn’t have the confidence to own her decision. But Speaker, it gets worse because apparently the province is cancelling all elective surgeries, and that includes surgeries of ambulatory patients who don’t need a bed.
Yesterday, the Globe and Mail ran an opinion piece by Dr. Nam, a professor of surgery at U of T specializing in urological cancers. Nam is turning away patients due to the directive to cancel surgeries. He says, for cancer patients waiting for treatment, the hopes of being able to beat cancer were severely harmed by a stroke of a pen. He doesn’t understand why the order applies to ambulatory patients who do not require a bed after a surgery. And this is true not just for cancer. Many arthritis, gall bladder, hernia procedures don’t require a bed.
Speaker, what’s the minister’s excuse for cancelling outpatient surgeries? Will she please just own her mistake and rescind the order and restore cancellation —
The Speaker: Thank you.
Elliott: Well, there’s a lot there, but I’ll try to answer part of your question. One is that if people — we’ve already conducted over 420,000 procedures and surgeries since this pandemic began last year, so if someone has cancer or they have a cardiac issue that is threatening their life, they will receive surgery, and I want the people of Ontario to know that. If you need to be in hospital, please go to the hospital. The hospitals are safe, and if you need surgery for cardiac or cancer care, you will receive that surgery to save your life.
This is something that is not done by politics. This is done by medical professionals who assess every case to determine whether that person needs to have surgery right away or whether it can be delayed for a point in time. I am confident that our medical experts are making the right decisions. I am confident that we have a plan. It is very unfortunate that we have to delay some of these surgeries and procedures, but I can assure the member and I can assure the people of Ontario that we are looking at the numbers on a daily basis, and as soon as we can restart that procedure and surgical backlog — start to work on that — we will, because we know —
The Speaker: Thank you very much. The next question.
Housing affordability falls off a cliff in Niagara
Mr. Wayne Gates (NDP): My question is to the Premier. There’s a housing crisis in Niagara. People from my community can’t afford to buy a house. Families are torn apart, kids forced to leave the community they were raised in to find a home of their own. A recent report showed that Niagara experienced a 14% drop in housing affordability, the largest drop in Canada. Residents of Niagara are getting priced out of the market. People are evicted from their properties purchased by investors and they can’t find an affordable rental unit. They end up on the streets. This is driven by greed and it has to end. The average home price in Niagara is nearly $750,000. Families in Niagara have not seen wage increases at the same level as housing costs increase.
My question, Mr. Speaker: What is the Premier going to do today to address this crisis and make it so people can afford to own a home in Niagara?
The Speaker: The government House leader.
Calandra: Actually, I really appreciate the question from the honourable member, because it is something that this government has been focused on from day one, Mr. Speaker. We have consistently talked about affordability on this side of the House. It is ironic to hear a question coming from the member opposite who has voted against every single measure to make this province more affordable for the people of the province of Ontario, including those first-time homebuyers who are doing exactly what he’s saying: They’re saving. They’re trying to put money away so that they can buy their first home. It becomes increasingly difficult when, if you listen to the opposition, governments are digging in your pocket and taking away all of that extra money that you should be putting away for your first home, Mr. Speaker.
Look, we are seized with this. We know how important it is for people to be able to buy their first home, and that is something that this government has been focused on from day one. I really invite the honourable gentleman opposite to work with us, to bring down costs for people to make it more affordable to buy homes so that more people can enjoy the first home that he is talking about.
Gates: Back to the Premier: I’ve spoken with young people in my community who are saving whatever they can to buy their first home. Right now, the dream of being a homeowner is becoming just that: a dream. It’s sadly not a reality for many hard-working first-time homebuyers. Homes for sale are getting multiple offers and bidding wars, selling well over asking prices: sometimes $100,000 over asking. What average working Ontarian can afford that? People renting are facing renovictions in our community at an alarming rate. Our waitlist for affordable housing in Niagara is so long, the average wait is over a decade.
Again, Mr. Speaker, the question is: Will the Premier finally stand up to speculators, investors only interested in padding their own pockets, support the hard-working people of Niagara and end the practice of greedy speculators driving up housing costs? Will he take action to make homes in Niagara affordable again for our kids and our grandkids, their kids and their grandkids?
Calandra: Again, I certainly would expect that the member opposite would expect that this is a whole-of-government approach to ensuring that there is availability. You have to ensure that there is availability and supply is there for people. Just earlier today, the member for Kitchener talked about two-way, all-day GO train service that this government has brought to his region. That makes it more affordable and easier for people to work in different parts of the province. That’s one important feature.
The Minister of Infrastructure has brought in a groundbreaking, over $4.5-billion broadband project which will see all of the province of Ontario connected to broadband, making it essential, because more people will be able to work from home and live in diverse parts of the province. We’re hearing, from across the province, different members—I heard the member from Timiskaming talking about all of the people who are moving to his community from the GTA.
This is what we need to do, Mr. Speaker: Open up more parts of the province so that people can have their first home. It’s more affordable, and this government is taking a whole-of-government approach to make sure that it happens.
All aboard the child-care bandwagon
Mr. Stephen Blais (Independent Liberal): My question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, it has been weeks since the federal government presented Canada’s national child care plan. Ontario Liberals have committed to working with the federal government to implement $10-a-day licensed child care, which will save Ontario families on average $10,000 a year per child. This is money that families can use to save for post-secondary education, put away for retirement or pay down their personal debts. This is a lot of money, Mr. Speaker, especially in those early years of parenthood. One might think the Premier would react enthusiastically and get on board with their federal partners to deliver real relief for families, but that’s hardly the case.
We all remember that it was Conservatives who killed the last national child care plan, and it seems like the Premier’s government is about to do it again. Why won’t the Premier do the right thing, partner with the federal government and provide $10-a-day child care to all Ontario families?
The Speaker: To reply, the Minister of Education.
Hon. Stephen Lecce: I want to thank the member opposite for the question. I will remind him that when his party was afforded with the honour of serving for 15 years, the cost of child care rose to the most expensive and the second most expensive system in the nation. That is not a program or a metric which any member of this Legislature should be proud of.
What we are doing in this House — in our first budget, as a recognition that child care was inaccessible and unaffordable — was to reintroduce the child care tax credit, a credit that is flexible, recognizing that most families will raise their children in keeping with their values and recognizing the inherent costs of raising every child in respect of the use of institutional daycare. What we have done is to introduce a credit to provide up to 70% of eligible expenses, supporting 300,000 families, and in the most recent budget we topped it up.
To answer the question: Yes, we are going to work with the federal government. I’ve spoken to Minister Ahmed Hussen myself on this matter, as we work together to make child care more accessible and —
The Speaker: Thank you very much. The supplementary question.
Blais: Women are bearing the brunt of job losses during COVID-19. An analysis by RBC shows that working-age Canadian women are leaving the workforce at a rate 10 times higher than men. The she-cession is real and the government doesn’t seem to have a plan to do anything about it.
Increasing women’s workforce participation has the potential to grow Ontario’s economy by $7 billion a year. Our economy won’t recover from COVID-19, though, without full and equal workforce participation, and that won’t happen without child care. And yet, Speaker, the government seems unwilling and uninterested to deliver affordable child care to Ontario families. Ontario Liberals have committed to delivering $10-a-day licensed child care and to ensure the economic dignity of child care workers. There’s an opportunity for transformation in child care and throughout the economy, Mr. Speaker, so through you: Will the Premier join us in working with the federal government to deliver Ontario families $10-a-day licensed child care?
The Speaker: To reply, the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services.
Hon. Todd Smith: As the Minister of Education just mentioned, he is working very closely with the federal government, as I am, and my colleague Minister Dunlop is as well. We know, and the government is certainly aware, that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted on the economic and social well-being of women across the province and that they’ve been affected both at home and in the workplace. That’s why we’re working hard to ensure that there is more child care space available for them to access, and we will be working with them, given the investments that we have made in child care, to ensure that we’re working towards the goal that the federal government has set in their recent budget up on Parliament Hill.
But, Mr. Speaker, our government wants to build a province where every woman and every girl is empowered to succeed because promoting women’s full economic participation supports Ontario’s continued growth and prosperity, and that is the goal of our government here in Ontario.
Fact check: no guarantee for second-shot appointment
Mr. John Vanthof (NDP): My question is to the Deputy Premier. Earlier in question period, in response to the leader of the Official Opposition, the Deputy Premier stated, I believe, that everyone in the province, when they got their first vaccine, would have an appointment set for the second vaccine. I would like to ask the Deputy Premier to confirm that that is actually the case.
Elliott: Yes, to clarify —
Interjection.
The Speaker: The member for York Centre is warned. Minister of Health.
Elliott: — I can advise that we have over four and a half million people booked for their first and second doses already, and over a million of them were booked in the last week. So this is something that it depends, of course, where you make your appointment, whether it’s through the central booking number or through a pharmacy. But through the central booking system, we have over four and a half million already booked for first and second doses.
Vanthof: I appreciate that clarification, because that did not come through in the first response. For an example, I got vaccine through a pharmacy. My wife and I, we specifically asked for a date for the second vaccine, and we were told, “You will just have to keep looking.” That is part of the issue with the vaccination program, that there are many streams and people are confused.
I’m glad that the minister clarified that, but I would ask, could you please clarify more widely? Because people are clamouring for information, and each time it’s partly explained it just adds to their confusion and fear. Could you please do that, Minister?
Elliott: Well, we are providing people with information as broadly as possible, and now people have choices about where they can receive their vaccines. They can be received through their primary care provider, and that’s happening for a lot of people with pre-existing health conditions that want to understand whether it’s safe for them, with their health conditions, to do that; mass vaccination clinics; pharmacies. Of course, we’re adding more pharmacies by the week. We expect to reach 2,400 pharmacies offering vaccines by the end of May. We also have the pop-up and mobile vaccination clinics.
We want to make it as easy as possible for people to receive a vaccine wherever they live in Ontario and whatever time of day, because we have many of our pharmacies also offering vaccinations 24-7. We’re going to continue to work on that so that everyone who wants to receive a vaccine, first and second dose, will be able to do so.
The Speaker: That concludes Question Period for this morning.