No. 48 No 48 ISSN 1180-2987 Legislative Assembly Assemblée législative of Ontario de l’Ontario First Session, 37th Parliament Première session, 37e législature Official Report Journal of Debates des débats (Hansard) (Hansard) Wednesday 26 April 2000 Mercredi 26 avril 2000 Speaker Président Honourable Gary Carr L’honorable Gary Carr Clerk Greffier Claude L. DesRosiers Claude L. DesRosiers Hansard on the Internet Le Journal des débats sur Internet Hansard and other documents of the Legislative Assembly L’adresse pour faire paraître sur votre ordinateur personnel can be on your personal computer within hours after each le Journal et d’autres documents de l’Assemblée législative sitting. 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Phone 416-326-5310, 326-5311 or toll-free téléphone : 416-326-5310, 326-5311, ou sans frais : 1-800-668-9938. 1-800-668-9938. Hansard Reporting and Interpretation Services Service du Journal des débats et d’interprétation 3330 Whitney Block, 99 Wellesley St W 3330 Édifice Whitney ; 99, rue Wellesley ouest Toronto ON M7A 1A2 Toronto ON M7A 1A2 Telephone 416-325-7400; fax 416-325-7430 Téléphone, 416-325-7400 ; télécopieur, 416-325-7430 Published by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario Publié par l’Assemblée législative de l’Ontario 2429 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLÉE LÉGISLATIVE OF ONTARIO DE L’ONTARIO Wednesday 26 April 2000 Mercredi 26 avril 2000 The House met at 1330. After that success, it distinguished itself in every military Prayers. conflict in which Canada has been involved, including the Canadian 3rd Division in the Normandy assault on D- Day, June 6, 1944. MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS The Queen’s Own Rifles motto is “In Pace Paratus,” “In Peace, Prepared.” They have demonstrated their readiness more than adequately over the past 140 years. ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE In the mid-1870s it was called out twice to aid the civil Mr Monte Kwinter (York Centre): Tomorrow power. It has been involved in peacekeeping duties from during private members’ hour we will be debating Bill 2, Cyprus to Bosnia. Today, as a reserve regiment, it has my private member’s bill, which provides that a licensed been assigned an airborne tasking, the only reserve regi- medical doctor shall not be found guilty of professional ment in Canada to receive this responsibility. It was out misconduct or incompetence solely on the basis that the to assist with natural disasters such as Hurricane Hazel, it said doctor practises a therapy that is non-traditional or manned the armoury for the homeless during the cold that departs from prevailing medical practice, unless winter of 1997, it assisted in the ice storm of 1998 and there is evidence that proves that the therapy poses a was on alert for the Y2K emergency. greater risk to a patient’s health than the traditional or Their officers have provided great leadership and have prevailing practice. included such men as Colonel Gillmor, the first Clerk of This will be the third time this bill is debated at second this Legislative Assembly. The soldiers of this out- reading. On two previous occasions, the bill was given standing regiment are part-time, yet they give of their unanimous consent but, unfortunately, on both occasions time and resources to be ready to serve our needs and the bill died on the order paper. emergencies at a moment’s notice. They deserve our Many positive things have happened since I first respect and support. We congratulate Lieutenant Colonel debated second reading of the bill on May 8, 1997. The Bruce McEachern and his selfless men on this, their College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario estab- 140th year of service to Canadians from coast to coast. lished an ad hoc committee on alternative medicine I ask the members to join me in showing our appre- which made 14 recommendations in its report. One of the ciation for their impressive past and commitment to the key conclusions is: “In essence, we believe that physic- ians be allowed a reasonable degree of latitude in the future of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. kinds of therapies they offer to their patients. We also believe that patients have every right to seek whatever WATER EXTRACTION kind of therapy they want.” The Ontario Medical Association has also decided that the probationary Mrs Leona Dombrowsky (Hastings-Frontenac- section on complementary medicine should be granted Lennox and Addington): Last week we heard that 74 OMA sectional status. water-taking permits are pending on the Trent River. In the United States, more people seek alternative Another 60 permit applications are pending for the York treatment than conventional treatment. That trend is also River in Bancroft. Of course, we are all aware of the occurring in Canada. The time has come to ensure permit in Centre Hastings that our leader, Dalton freedom of choice for the doctor and freedom of choice McGuinty, highlighted a couple of weeks ago. for the patient. At a time when farmers are not sure there will be enough water for their crops, it seems as though the Ministry of the Environment is issuing permits like QUEEN’S OWN RIFLES water. Yet the process does not require municipalities or Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): Created on conservation authorities to be notified directly, or that April 26, 1860, when we were the province of Canada, there is open public discussion about the impact of these six companies of citizen soldiers were joined by the permits. Militia Act of 1855 to form the 2nd Battalion Volunteer The Tory government has sacrificed the effective Militia Rifles. In 1863, it became the Queen’s Own management of the environment to provide tax cuts. Cut- Rifles of Toronto, and as that regiment it was mobilized backs to regional offices have left capable and committed in 1866 to thwart the invasion of Canada by the Fenians. staff struggling to manage workloads that are impossible. 2430 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO 26 APRIL 2000 Ministry of the Environment offices do not track how Both P.J. and M.J., as they are fondly referred to in many water-taking permits are pending in any given area, Sudbury, were more than doctors to their patients. They because they do not have the support staff to effectively were family, mentors, role models, a shoulder to cry on monitor this important information. The government has and people to confide in. They are two people who by cut this ministry to the bone, and no one is considering every measure truly cared for and about the people they the long-range impact. came in contact with. Water is most certainly one of our most precious Tomorrow night, these two pillars of our community resources, and I am absolutely appalled that the Tory will be honoured with the prestigious Paul Harris Rotar- government has no priority to track how much of it we ian Award. The many hundreds of people who will attend are giving away. this affair in their honour will reminisce about times that were and how these two individuals affected the lives of RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT so many people. Mr Marcel Beaubien (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex): 1340 As a member who represents a rural riding, I would like Our community of Sudbury and the northeast wish to publicly commend the Premier for his concern for these two men much health and happiness in their retire- rural communities and the fact that they are not enjoying ment. We hope that their happiness in part will be in the benefits of the current economic boom to the same knowing that the 30,000 people they brought into the extent as other areas across our province. world and their families love and appreciate them for not The problems presently being experienced in rural only who they are but what they are. Good luck, M.J, and communities are unique from those of their urban neigh- good health, P.J. We will always be indebted to you for bours. Further, I would suggest that while we often think your love of and dedication to your fellow human being. of rural communities and the business of agriculture as one and the same, they are in fact mutually exclusive. I believe that if we make a distinction between the two, it CANCER TREATMENT will help us better understand the plight of rural com- Ms Shelley Martel (Nickel Belt): One year ago, munities and, as a consequence, devise strategies to help Cancer Care Ontario began sending southern Ontario them. cancer patients to the United States and northern Ontario Nowhere is that plight more typical than in the com- for radiation treatment. On recommendation from Cancer munity of Wallaceburg, located in my riding of Lambton- Care Ontario, the Ministry of Health is providing special Kent-Middlesex. Heavily dependent on the manufactur- additional funding to cover 100% of the travel accom- ing industry, this town of 11,000 has been devastated by modation and food costs for those patients to access the loss of more than 2,000 manufacturing jobs over the treatment elsewhere.