LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

Tuesday 18 April 2006

The Acting Speaker: Further debate? I'm pleased to recognize, for her maiden speech in the Ontario Legislature, the honourable member for Nepean-Carleton.

Ms. Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton): I'd like to start my maiden speech in this distinguished chamber tonight by first thanking by wonderful husband, Joe, and my beautiful baby daughter, Victoria, as well as my constituents in the great riding of Nepean-Carleton. On March 30, they sent me to this place with the highest percentage of any opposition MPP in Ontario. In doing so, I became the youngest MPP in this Legislature and the first woman to represent Nepean-Carleton at Queen's Park.

Applause.

Ms. MacLeod: Thank you. I'm proud to hold these two historic titles in a riding steeped with Ontario and Canadian history. Nepean-Carleton is a riding that embraces the Rideau River in the city of Ottawa. From the old Goulbourn township to the small village of North Gower, this riding has been strongly represented since Confederation by the likes of Sir John A. Macdonald, George Drew, Walter Baker and Bill Tupper. In recent times, two of my dear friends, John Baird and Pierre Poilievre have been sent to Queen's Park and Parliament Hill as the two youngest members in their respective chambers during their rookie elections. Many will know that the former member of provincial Parliament for Nepean-Carleton is now the Ottawa West-Nepean federal member of Parliament. He is doing very well as the Treasury Board President in Stephen Harper's federal Conservative government and we're very proud of him on this side.

By sending these strong advocates to places of government, the people of Nepean-Carleton have been able to count on their views being known to governments of the day. My commitment to the people of Nepean-Carleton is that every day I am at Queen's Park their views will be known on the floor of this Legislature.

The people of Nepean-Carleton are self-reliant. They believe in strong values and they believe in strong families and safer streets. They work hard for their money and they expect value for their money. The people of Nepean-Carleton are people like Helen Byers, Bill Donaldson, Pam Richardson, Louise Clarke and Georgie Tupper. They're people like Jim and Norma Noonan, Thom Bennett, Donna and Walter Foster, Liz MacKinnon and Vernon and Helen Foster. They're people like Brian Nelson, Lloyd Cowan, Ian Graham, Brian Cummings, Douglas Collins and D. Aubrey Moodie. They are people who value family and the community they live in. They are dedicated to making Nepean-Carleton the best place to live, work and play in all Ontario.

D. Aubrey Moodie founded what is Nepean and he did it based on family values that were learned on the farm and in the rural communities that surrounded Ottawa, values that we can truly be thankful for today. Self-reliance, hard work and honesty -- the archetypical virtues of humanity that when applied to governance made governance work. That spirit still lives today in my community of Nepean-Carleton, where families still work hard for their community and for each other.

In this recent budget, the people of Nepean-Carleton were given an opportunity to judge the McGuinty government and its priorities against their values, and they resoundingly rejected this government, its priorities and its ever-convenient "buy election" budget. Nowhere in the budget were self-reliance, strong families or safer streets valued. In fact, Nepean-Carleton and the city of Ottawa weren't valued at all. Instead, we saw a budget for the GTA where $244 million was taken from our farmers, out of the agriculture budget; $82 million was taken from children and youth; and there was no new infrastructure funding announced to my city of Ottawa.

The McGuinty government did little to offer the people of Nepean-Carleton strong leadership. The McGuinty government did nothing to offer the farmers in my community, whether they are from Osgoode, Richmond or Metcalfe, solutions to the crises on the family farm. Farmers were all but forgotten in this budget.

The McGuinty government did nothing to offer young families like mine who live in Stittsville, Greely, Manotic and Barrhaven a better way to make ends meet. Instead, families like mine are paying approximately $2,000 more a year since this government took office.

The McGuinty government did nothing to offer patients reduced wait times. In fact, just today the Premier confirmed that wait times are on the rise. He did this when the PC health critic, Elizabeth Witmer, questioned him on increased wait times in parts of Ontario.

I can only conclude as a new member of provincial Parliament that this is the "pay more, get less" budget. Nepean-Carleton constituents are paying more in taxes, fees and services, but they are getting far less from their government. My people had a choice between a McGuinty government that cuts and slashes the agriculture budget or the Progressive Conservative Party that defends the family farm, and they chose the Progressive Conservative Party, the party of rural Ontario.

The families of Nepean-Carleton had a choice between the fiscal irresponsibility of this Liberal government or a Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario that demands balanced budgets and scrapping an unaccountable tax on families. On March 30 they chose fiscal accountability and sent a Progressive Conservative to Queen's Park because families like mine need a break. They need to make sure that that medical tax is not in their pocket because it's going to anything and everything but health care in this province.

Seniors in Nepean-Carleton had a choice between a McGuinty government that creates more bureaucracy -- not more doctors, not more nurses and not reduced waiting times -- with its local health integration network or the Progressive Conservative Party, the party that wants to explore new options in health care so we can put patients and seniors -- not more red tape -- first.

The budget lost credibility on day one with the everyday hard-working Ontarian who is struggling to pay the bills. When a government claims a deficit but has a surplus and yet continues to tax families, just as this government does, people lose faith in their representatives. They lose faith in their institutions.

This budget was so wrapped up in government spin that it did nothing for the dignity of government. All this budget has done is to add skepticism in the mind of the public, and skepticism is on the rise with this government. So far this government has broken 50 promises. Imagine our surprise on this side of the chamber when in the 2006 budget a whopping 43 new promises were made. Instead of keeping its promise to balance the budget or to fulfill its commitment not to raise taxes, the McGuinty government chose to embark on a major year-end spending spree with their $3-billion surplus or, as I like to call it, our tax dollars.

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When a government spends itself purposely into deficit when it should be in the black and continues to tax Ontarians, the people of Nepean-Carleton are justifiably concerned. When a government takes a $2.4-billion tax hike in an illegitimate McGuinty health tax -- a tax, mind you, on hard-working families -- and then the government claims to provide better health care yet has spent millions of that health tax outside the health sector, you will understand that families are understandably upset. When a government has the audacity to call its leader the education Premier while college professors are on strike and thousands of students are fretting over a lost school year, it is more than reasonable for parents, students and college professors to demand that their government take some leadership on a crisis that you'll remember only came to a head as election day drew near. These are the very sorts of issues that condemned the scandal-ridden federal Liberal Party out of office and into defeat.

Governments must govern and they must act for the good of all people. They must act for all of the people that they represent, not just those seats that they hold in the GTA. They must act for all of Ontario, including eastern Ontario, and specifically the city of Ottawa, where the Premier's own riding is adjacent to mine, Nepean-Carleton. Whether you are a farmer in Nepean-Carleton or live in the GTA or northern Ontario, you should be able to expect that the government will work for you and will treat you equally and with respect, but clearly it is not the case under this current government.

This budget falls down as but another failure of this province's broken and rudderless government that has never been able to find its way out of a hole that it dug for itself in public policy during a bitter-fought election campaign in 2003. So desperate was this government that its front benches would do anything to win. It promised the moon, it promised the stars -- a series of promises that it could never keep; a series of promises that I'm sure they never intended to keep.

They've had three budgets, and every one has had a different priority. The first budget was about health. Despite the largest personal tax increase in Ontario, they failed to keep their promise to reduce wait times. Their second budget was about education, and they have massively increased funding to school boards and teacher contracts, but school boards are still facing deficits, and some are even being audited. As I have mentioned, the Liberals still put college students out on the streets rather than in the classrooms.

This budget is supposedly about infrastructure -- not in the city of Ottawa, mind you -- but the big infrastructure spending that they've announced is coming out of last year's budget. I just told you that it was the education budget. You might be confused. But this is a government that has lost its way or that has never found its way, and this budget and its two predecessor budgets are simple reflections of its makers' lack of vision and lack of leadership.

My party opposes this budget bill, as we have with every other budget bill since the Liberals took office, because we oppose the fiscal mismanagement and tax hikes of this McGuinty government. The people in Nepean-Carleton have spoken loudly too. They oppose this budget bill, and on March 30, they sent a message that they oppose this government.

The Acting Speaker: Questions and comments?

Mr. Kormos: I'm so pleased to have been in the chamber for Ms. MacLeod's, the member for Nepean-Carleton's maiden speech or, perhaps more appropriately, her inaugural speech. I'll put this on the record: By the time Ms. MacLeod was finished with that speech, the government members didn't know whether they'd been drilled, punched or bored. She put it to them as straightly as anybody could. I anticipate that Ms. MacLeod will be a vocal and active and effective member who indeed will show up when the House is sitting, who wouldn't miss an opportunity to participate in committee or in the day-to-day routine of the chamber or the work that she may do in her riding or on behalf of her party or the Legislature in the broader sense across the province. So I congratulate her on her effective premiere here at Queen's Park. I admire the enthusiasm with which she pursues the Liberal jugular. I consider that something that's desirable in what is a very adversarial system here. While she went for the throat, she was nonetheless articulate and, I'd say, downright polite. She didn't use a single cuss word.

Laughter.

Mr. Kormos: Well, she didn't. I was waiting for one because I figured she was warming up to one, but not a single cuss word, not a single disparaging remark, not a single ad hominem comment. Rare -- the absence of cuss words, I mean, here in this Legislature. I'm pleased to have been part of her audience.

Hon. Mary Anne V. Chambers (Minister of Children and Youth Services): It's my pleasure to welcome, once again, the new member from Nepean-Carleton.

I would like to use this opportunity to turn your attention to something that you can actually work for your constituents on. I refer specifically to the moving forward on the early learning and child care agreement, which was struck with the government of Canada last year on behalf of families and children all across this country. Let me suggest to you that if you look at our budget this year, you will find that we have worked to sustain the demand that has been expressed by families in Ontario who say they need high-quality child care. But instead of being able to commit to an increase of 25,000 new spaces for Ontario, including more than 1,000 for the Ottawa area, that agreement has been cut short, effective March 2007. Let me suggest to you that one of your quests should be to work with us, to work with this side of the House because, surprisingly, your colleagues have been silent on this over the past several months. It is really quite surprising to me that you would not have the interest of your constituents at heart, as you have said. Here is an opportunity for you to demonstrate that commitment. You are a mother; you should understand. You are here working. Many mothers -- in fact, more than 70% of mothers with kids under the age of six have said to us that they require high-quality licensed child care. Please don't forget those mothers in your riding as you work with us to look after their interests.

Mr. Robert W. Runciman (Leeds-Grenville): It's regrettable that the minister chose the intervention she chose this evening. It's truly unfortunate with the member's maiden speech, but it is typical of this government and increasingly typical of this particular minister.

I want to compliment the member from Nepean-Carleton on her maiden speech here this evening. I recall back in my day, back in 1981, first elected, delivering my maiden speech, and what an important occasion it was for me for the opportunity to thank my predecessor at the time, Jim Auld, and all of the people who made it possible for me to become a member of this chamber. Ms. MacLeod talked about John Baird. She has a big pair of shoes to fill. John was, as we all know, an outstanding, outspoken advocate on behalf of eastern Ontario on so many issues of concern, especially the issues related to the well-being of children in this province.

I want to say that Mr. Sterling, Mr. Yakabuski and myself certainly welcome this addition to the ranks in eastern Ontario because we need more spokespersons making the case for eastern Ontario, because this government, as the member pointed out quite clearly, is ignoring eastern Ontario and ignoring rural Ontario. I wonder why. We talk about the Premier, who supposedly represents --

Interjections.

The Acting Speaker: Take your seat. Relax.

I would ask the government members to come to order and allow the member for Leeds-Grenville to finish his two-minute response.

The member for Leeds-Grenville.

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Mr. Runciman: I think I lost at least 10 or 12 seconds there.

The fact is that Premier McGuinty supposedly represents an eastern Ontario riding, but we know that he lives in a $1-million-plus mansion in Forest Hill paid for by the Liberal Party and the taxpayers of Ontario. We know that he's getting his hair cut for $75 a shot. How many people in eastern Ontario get their hair cut? When he has to go to Hamilton, he avoids gridlock by flying in a taxpayer-paid government plane. He's lost touch with the people of Ontario. Ms. MacLeod is going to stand up for the people of eastern Ontario -- something the Premier is not doing.

Mr. Bisson: I want to congratulate the member from Nepean-Carleton because I've got to say that was one of the better maiden speeches I've heard in this House in a long time. She got up on her feet, said it the way it is and talked about what's important to her and the people of her riding. I think she's going to make a wonderful addition to this House. We may not be of the same party, but I do have respect for people who can hold their own in here. For the minister to suggest to the honourable member from Nepean-Carleton, "You've got to trust us and work with us" -- ain't they the guys who tried to work with you in the last election? They were onside, right; they wanted to get you elected? My God. One of these days -- I know you understand; I'm just wondering if they understand.

I just say to my good friend from Nepean-Carleton, I lost a bit of a friend and colleague, but I see maybe we'll have a renewed friendship in some way in that part of the province, because Mr. Baird and I go back. We were elected at the same time. Mr. Baird and I got to meet Polkaroo at the same time, and one of these days he'll tell you that story.

But to the speech; that's the most important part, and that is the question of what the government chooses to do with the budget. I know that the member from Nepean-Carleton probably sees it a little bit differently than I, but I think we both agree that this government made some choices in this budget that some of us can live with, but there are a whole bunch of choices they didn't make that some people can't live without, and that's really the problem I have with this particular budget.

The government promised, for example, to restore services for children with autism over age six. We know that's an issue that the Premier -- and in opposition, Mr. McGuinty -- spoke passionately about. I remember him standing in opposition to the Ernie Eves and Mike Harris governments successively, saying how bad it was and how, if he was elected, he was going to restore autistic services to those children over age six. Did they choose to do that in this budget? Not at all. They chose not to. I think this budget speaks volumes to the things that they didn't do for the most vulnerable in our society.

The Acting Speaker: The member from Nepean-Carleton has two minutes to reply.

Ms. MacLeod: It's my pleasure to respond to the four members. To the member for Niagara Centre, thank you very much for your kind words. I look forward to working with you, and hopefully I'll be as vocal as you in holding this government to account.

To the Minister of Children and Youth Services, as somebody who represented a riding and won by 57.6% of the vote based on this issue alone, I think I am standing up for my residents. Also, during a federal election in which the federal member for Nepean-Carleton actually campaigned on this issue and won by the highest amount of votes of any political party in Ontario, I think I'm standing up for the residents of Nepean-Carleton just fine on this issue. As the only member in this chamber currently speaking with a child under the age of five, I think I know what I'm talking about.

To the member from Leeds-Grenville, I want to applaud him. You'll notice tonight that I, along with my colleagues from Lanark-Carleton and Leeds-Grenville, are the only three members in here from eastern Ontario, the Premier's own area, and I appreciate the work that the two of you, along with John Baird, the former MPP, played in getting the 416 all the way to Ottawa, because that highway is important. The veterans highway is important, and we appreciate that.

Now to my good friend my colleague from Timmins-James Bay, I appreciate your kind words. I picked up on his lament on the broken promise on autism. I want him to know that two days after I was elected by the good people in Nepean-Carleton, I walked with my NDP opponent, Laurel Gibbons, who was a fantastic candidate, and stood outside the Premier's constituency office, reminding the Premier about his broken promise on autism. I came here and, on my second day on the job at Queen's Park, I delivered that petition from Laurel Gibbons, my NDP opponent, because she is an excellent autistic children's advocate.

Interjections.