Thank you for listening to Depiction's Media Radio. Welcome to Policy Rights to show
about government policy and human rights. Welcome back to Policy Rights. Here in
Depictions Media Radio, Doug Ford is going to make some announcements about how Ontario
is helping build skills, especially in this case we're talking about electricians. They
are coming over the program where they're going to support electrical skills with two point
seven million dollars in investments for training of electricians. Believe or not, there
are two skills in construction that we really need to take a good look at,
especially beyond building of new things, new buildings at all that the repairing
plumbers in electricians. They keep our houses going, they keep our businesses going
and zake without them, well, simply put, with electrician, the lights
wouldn't come on, the computer wouldn't work. There's a whole bunch of things
that in today's society with electronics would go cutput. So it sounds like a
wise investment in Ontario, and why don't we listen to what Doug Ford has
to say at this press conference about supporting electricians. Good morning, everyone,
Welcome. My name is Goldie Gamari and i'm the MPP for Carlton. I
would like to welcome everyone to Rural Ottawa today. I'm very excited to be
here with Premiere Ford and Minister McNaughton, as well as the Mayor. I
would also like to thank E Electrical Services for hosting today's event and announcement.
K E Electrical Services exemplifies both the contributions and the importance of a contractor in
a community. Their work includes domestic, commercial and industrial projects locally and throughout
the City of Ottawa. The Premier has shown time and time again his support
towards our electrical workers as contractors are building new homes at a rapid rate in
eastern Ontario and rural Ottawa. As the daughter of an electrician working in the
skilled trades, I look forward to today's announcement. I would now like to
introduce Jesse Lowe, CFO of k E Electrical Services, to the podium to
say a few words. Thank you very much, thank you Goldie, and
good morning. I am Jesse Lowe, the CFO of k Electrical Limited on
behalf of KAE. I would like to welcome everyone, including the Premier,
Minister McNaughton, the Mayor, as well as other officials Tower facilities here out
in a beautiful car. I would also like to quickly acknowledge that we are
currently located on unseated Algonquin territory. We're very excited to host this morning's announcement
and we're very thankful for the work that Premier Ford and his government has done,
specifically in relation to the skilled trades. Initiatives such as enhancing and creating
exciting opportunities for young students to enter the skilled trades, increasing apprenticeship ratios,
coming up with great ways to further training and education in the skilled trades,
and enhancing health and safety have all had a positive impact on KAE, our
employees, and the skilled trades in general. It has enabled KAE to do
their part in making Ontario a great place to build and to live. I
want to hope, I hope everyone has a great exciting time out here today,
and without further do, I'm excited to announce our Mayor the City of
Ottawa, mister Mark Sutcliffe, Thank ye, thank you, Jesse Bonsieur Tourmentsmond
and Plasier Detric, the Daque Year, the Premier Minista Danta Riot. I
want to welcome Premier forward to Ottawa it's always a pleasure to welcome the Premier
here to our city, to the nation's capital, to the great city of
Ottawa, and especially to rural Ottawa. I know that the Premier and I
both share an affection for the rural communities in our in our city and uh
and this is just such a great part of our city. I'm looking forward,
of course to the car Fair later this year, and always happy to
spend time in rural Ottawa. And I want to thank the Premier and his
government for this announcement today and for the collaborative relationship that we've been building between
the city and the province. The Premier is incredibly responsive, is always available
when we need him, and so I'm grateful for that relationship, not just
for the announcement today, but for all the other investments that the Ontario government
has made in Ottawa and the responsive nature of the relationship. This is a
really important announcement today, and I want to express gratitude to Kay Electrical Services
for hosting us. It's really great to see the work that's going on here.
I've got a chance to speak to members of the family and to hear
a little bit about the business here and the farm as well, And this
is really special. This is a great example of a local business in our
community, a local rural business. And you know, I think electricians are
really the unsung heroes sometimes of the trades. They're behind the scenes, they're
making sure that everything works well even when we're not noticing it. And so
this announcement I think is very important and reflects the need that we have in
Ontario and in Ottawa to invest in the skilled trades, to bring people forward
who can solve problems and be part of building more homes and more factories and
just building more in the province of Ontario. So electricians have a huge economic
impact. They're a big part of our city and the demand for electricians and
for other skilled trades is only going to rise in the months and years ahead.
So let's continue to champion the vital role that they play and support these
dedicated professionals who power our progress and really truly light the way for a better
and brighter future for all of us. Thank you Nasiboku, well, thank
you Mareth so much for those for those great words. I'm mount to mcgautin
and Taro's Minister of Labor, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. I want
to thank you Jesse and the amazing team here at KAE for hosting us today
and for the incredible work that you're all doing building the future of our province
and the region. It's great to be back in Ottawa alongside my incredible colleague
Golden Gamari, who does so much for the residents of Carlton, and of
course Ontaro's Premier dug Ford. Over the next decade, we're going to need
one hundred thousand more workers in the trades to build the hospitals, schools and
homes that families rely on. Every single day. You can really see this
labor crunch already, with businesses struggling to find the skilled workers they need to
build our province and grow the economy for everyone. Each of these unfilled jobs
represents a paycheck not collected and a missed opportunity for someone to have a better
life. Last week, I was proud to be here in Ottawa to announce
our government has made historic progress on this increasing apprenticeship registrations by twenty four percent
overall compared to the previous year, and women leading the way with a thirty
percent jump, bringing us to more than ninety one thousand active apprentices across the
province, truly historic records, and those include trades right here in the Eastern
Ontario region, like the workers that are here with us today. From lighting
our homes to powering our businesses, these really are the jobs that are making
a difference where you can be proud of what you build, earn a solid
paycheck that lets you provide for your family. Under the leadership of Premier Ford,
our government is on a mission to help every worker gain the skills they
need to find in demand jobs that are close to home. Through our seven
hundred million dollars Skills Development Fund, we have now launched nearly six hundred projects
in communities across the province, helping five hundred thousand workers take the next step
in their careers. And now I really wanted to turn it over to the
Preimer who has made this a central piece in our government to get more people
into the skilled trades. There's no bigger champion for blue collar workers in the
skilled trades, and internal's Premier Premier over to you. Thank you, well,
good morning everyone, and before we get started, please join me in
praying for the best outcome and speedy recovery. Of those involved in the seven
Chinook helicopter crash near Pettahwahwa, and God bless the first responders on the scene
and they aid aide them and their recovery mission. So our prayers and thoughts
are with our air force in our military folks. Thank you Minister Manton for
that introduction. It's always great to be back here in Kannada along Minister alongside
Minister McNaughton an MPP Goldie Gamari, I also want to recognize a great mayor,
Mayor Mark Stuckcliffe. Mayor. Right from the get go, we've had
an incredible relationship. I always joke around with the mayor. He calls me
more than my wife does, and that's all right. You can call me
every day. And we had him over to our house with a few other
mayors on Friday with a barbecue. But I'll tell you, Ottawa is so
fortunate to have a great mayor like Mayor Stutcliffe. And when we're walking in
I told him from the day I was nominated as leader of this party,
every single trip to Ottawa has just been a phenomenal time. I love the
people here and we look forward to visiting a few folks through the rest of
the day there and a big thank you to Gordon and Jesse. Jesse,
I'll tell you she's seen the look on the monte in my face and Goldie
folks. He wasn't reading on for script or anything. So you have a
great future in politics after you've finished it with Ka but the boy you're well,
well spoken, and the entire team at k Electrical for hosting us today.
It's always a pleasure to visit companies like yours, a company that's grown
from humble beginnings to one of the area's premier electrical contractors, helping to build
growing Ottawa region, helping to build Ontario. The other thing that I found
amazing the mayor sent me over a map of Toronto inside the boundaries of Ottawa
geographically, Mayor, what is it three times or four times the size of
Trona, four times the size of Toronto. Ottawa has a massive geographical footprint.
Year and again, I want to thank everyone for what they do here
and in the city of Ottawa. My friends. No secret that Ontario was
facing a historic labor shortage. Well nearly six hundred and fifty thousand more people
are working today than when we took office in two and eighteen. Still hundreds
of thousands of jobs going unfilled each and every day, including sixteen hundred electrician
jobs. And over the next decade we're going to need an additional hundred thousand
skilled workers to help build the housing and infrastructure are growing province needs. Here
in Ottawa, for example, we're working closely with Mayor Sutcliffe to build one
hundred and fifty one thousand new homes in Ottawa by two thousand and thirty one.
And when I look at the mapping, you know Toronto is going to
be seeing a lot of influx in people coming there. Ottawa is Kitchen and
Waterloo, So those regions are the let's say, the hot head and the
reason they're coming here because it's a quality of life. Quality of life that
you're helping create. Your council's helping create Mayor and the people of Ottawa to
bring home ownership into reach for more people, and right across the province.
We've embarked on the most ambitious capital plan in our province's history, with planned
investments over the next ten years totaling one hundred and eighty four billion dollars.
We're building schools, including thirty four million to build the new Riverside South Catholic
Elementary School and the Fenlay Park I'm sorry, Fenlay Creek Elementary School in Ottawa.
We're investing nearly fifty billion to upgrade our healthcare infrastructure, including almost thirty
million towards the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus. And that's a planning grant that Ottawa
Hospital is going under the second largest build in Canada. It's absolutely massive,
well deserved, and the CEO cam over there is doing a great job.
We're investing twenty eight billion in roads and highways while supporting the largest transit expansion
on all of North America. This includes our commitment to build and expand Highways
four seventeen and four one East. But at the time when it's never been
more important to deliver infrastructure our growing province, we need to do everything possible
to deliver on our commitment to build Ontario. We're attracting new jobs and billions
of dollars and new investments in every region of our province. We're welcoming hundreds
of thousands of newcomers to Ontario every single year. Not too sure if you
always quote these numbers that Scanda came out. Four hundred and forty five thousand
people were landed in Ontario last year alone, and they're calling at home.
And that's the reason we need to continue building, building more homes, and
we need to get it done. But we can't build if we don't have
the workers. That's why our government is investing over one point five billion dollars
in our skilled Trade strategy, working hand in hand with our labor unions and
business to train the skilled workforce our growing economy needs. Whether it's upskilling workers,
training new ones, or getting skilled immigrants into the province. We're leaving
no stone unturned. It's all hands on deck and so as part of our
Skills Development Fund, we're pleased to announce that we're investing two point seven million
dollars to support an innovative project that will help sixty five electrical workers upgrade their
skills to meet the demand for qualified electricians in Ontario. This project, led
by k E Electrical, will provide participants with the training they need to progress
from labors to apprentices, apprentices to journeymen, and journeymen to foremen. The
program will help electrical workers earn more take home pay for themselves and their families,
while tackling the critical shortage of skilled trades workers the province faces. It
will help create a bigger pipeline of talent so together we can build the homes
in the infrastructure the Ottawa Region needs to reach its full potential. Friends,
as we continue to navigate global uncertainty, our government is hard at work building
an economy that can weather any storm, any economy that never lose a sight
of what's most important, helping people succeed, helping workers succeed. That starts
with creating the economic conditions that attract investments and growth and good jobs. We
have the right plan to build Ontario collectively, all of us. We're making
an electrical electricity more affordable. We're keeping taxes and fees low, we're cutting
red tape. We're investing in transit roads and highways to keep people in goods
moving, and we're training the skilled workforce to build the infrastructure our growing province
needs. Thank you all for joining us today and make God bless of people
of Ontario. Thank you. Okay, Well, now take questions. Just
reminder, it's one question. One follow up, my Premier Floras Stone Globe
and Mail. How do you make it all the way. I know,
it's like it's a miracle. Yeah, I'm from here and visiting my parents.
Good, yes, hi, I will. I'll come over for lunch
one day, sure, dinner, can babysit um. So you're in Ottawa,
so naturally I have to ask you about Toronto. The may all races
next Monday, and polls are showing that Olivia Chow is set to win that
race. You've previously warned against electing a lefty mayor. You've said it's going
to be a disaster. She's come out strong against your Ontario Place plan and
she has another availability at the site in Ontario Place today. Are you going
to be able to work with her if she wins? And are we in
for years of gridlock and you know, stalling and between the province and the
city. I'll work with anyone when we go through the democratic process. She
gets elected, I'll work with her and we'll sit down and come up with
common grown. It's no different than I'll say, Andy Horbath. I think
she works so well with the province. Stephen del Duca, I don't care
about political stripes. I want to do what's best for the people and hopefully
the mayor will We'll do what's best for the people, not race taxes and
attract businesses. That's what I'm concerned about, keeping taxes low, creating jobs
and attracting more businesses. And I'm confident if that happens. But in saying
that, I always say my brother used to telling me Rob. Dogs are
for polls, and the only poll accounts is on election date, So see
what happens. I'll remember when Rob got elected two days before the polls I
call him the fake polls. They come out and they said George smither One
was going to win by twelve points. Well there was a difference of twenty
four points because Rob kicked this up by twelve points. So don't believe the
polls. Folks, get out there. Whoever you vote for, go out
and vote. I encourage you to vote. Thank you. And I think
it's been noticed that there's a Mark Saunders sign on your lawn. Are you
can you speak about why you're supporting him and are you now going to endorse
him? And do you wish you'd maybe talked more throughout the race about why
you think he specifically is the right choice for Toronto. Well, I've always
said I'm staying out of the race, and I have the right like anyone
else, to put a sign on my lawn. I put Mark's sign on
my lawn. I'm proud to have his sign on the lawn. But again,
I tell everyone I'll be voting for Mark, but vote who whoever you
know, whoever you want to vote for. That's your choice. That's not
up to me or anyone else to tell you who to vote for. That's
just my opinion. You'd be the best. Mayor. Michael Prail, CTV,
Ottawa. Today, your government is starting their appeal of Bill one twenty
four. We've seen yesterday the CMAJ said our rs are in crisis across the
province. Here in the Ottawa region, they're ear doctors calling for the removal
of the health Minister for the lack of progress that have been made. We
know that nursing unions say by removing Bill one twenty four, which was deemed
unconstitutional, it would improve it would improve the situation in our hospitals. Why
is your government, in spite of all of these calls from medical experts and
professionals, choosing to continue their appeal. Well, I can't make it common
since it's in front of the courts. But what I will common about what
they were mentioning, this government has put more money into healthcare than any government
ever in the history of this province. Were's three thirty one hundred additional beds
since we've taken office, additional three thousand beds. There's fifty projects totally fifty
billion dollars that no other government's ever done. So fifty projects around the province.
You're either getting a new hospital or you're getting an expansion on hospital.
And as for the nurses, we set a record and bringing on new nurses
over twelve thousand last year. That's from the College of Nurses that gave us
that report. We have over thirty thousand nurses in the hopper to join the
front lines. I think the world of the nurses and we're giving them everything
we have, not mentioning the eight thousand doctors have come on board, not
to mention the new medical school that we're putting in place in Branton. And
I could go on for the next half an hour of everything that we've done
for health Again, there's no government in the history of Ontario. I'll go
by the numbers that has put more into healthcare than we have. Despite that,
though the christ this remains, and according to health experts, the decision
your government is making is actively worsening the problem. So you may not be
able to speak about what is happening directly inside the courts, but you can
speak to the reason that your government is choosing to do something they say will
actively make it worse. Well, why are you appealing Bill one twenty four.
Let's be fair here. You're talking on behalf of the union. The
union's always going to speak that way. I just rattled off half a dozen
things that we're improving healthcare. We're making sure that we have community healthcare clinics,
surgical clinics all around Ontario. That's what we're doing. We're alleviating the
burden off the box of the hospitals. Isn't it amazing how the OMA and
Ontario Medical Associations saying that was the right decision, then Tario Hospital Association,
all the CEOs of hospitals saying that's the right decision. When I talk to
numerous orthopedic surgeons, they're saying that's the right decision. So we're investing into
healthcare to a tune of eighty one billion we're going to continue to invest in
healthcare. Comcial premiere, I want to I want to hear you on paramedics.
Um, I don't know if mister Southcliffe was having this discussion with you
earlier. Today, there's a need for more paramedics in Ottawa. They are
losing five hundred hours every day waiting in hospitals, you know, for transfer
of patients. Hospitals are having a hard time. Paramedics are also having a
hard time and they need and they want the province to invest in in hiring
new paramedics. So, um, anything to say about that? How can
your government help the situation? Well, first of all, the mayor has
been a great partner. He called me right away and we had a discussion.
Put him in touch with the team. So Ottawa recently received the top
up and funding of two point six million dollars through the Dedicated Offload Nurses program,
which was expanded beyond nurses last year to allow for more paramedics, position
assistance and respiratory therapist to assist with a patient offload. Our understanding is that
a one hundred thousand was not used. That's fine, they'll use it sometime,
but it wasn't used. Ottawa also received fifty three million dollars for their
land ambulance service Grand and we'll we'll match the anything the city puts in,
and that goes for every single city. We'll go for fifty fifty on anything
moving forward. But they did get an increase pop up a two point six
million that there's still eight hundred thousand there. I can pass it over to
the merit and you can make it come if you like. Yeah, thank
you, thank you, yeah. Um. And just to be clear where
we are, so there's two areas okay iliad Premier um Ilia, the um
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and solecidn J sivant sure so U there's there's two issues there. We need
to hire more paramedics for growth because the population Badel is growing, and we're
prepared to do that and we actually passed a motion recently to do that and
we'll split the cost of those fifty fifty with the province as we always do.
The other issue is the offload issue in the hospitals, and from our
perspectives, that's the fact that it's taking so long to offload patients in hospitals
is an issue of the healthcare system, not an issue of the paramedics service.
So we're asking for help from the provincial government and we've been having very
collaborative and cooperative conversations with the Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, and with
the Premier, and so I'm hopeful that we'll find some solutions going forward.
There's a number of different ways to approach this issue. Doesn't necessarily have to
be hiring paramedics. That might be another way. So we're happy with the
progress that we're making in these conversations and we hope that there'll be a solution
at some point in the future. Back to you, mister Premier, I
want to hear you on housing because mister Sutcliffe said that last week, Daddy
wants to end homelessness in Ottawa. You introduced a bill to you know,
help help building homes faster, but it is putting a bit more of a
burden on cities. So how are you going to help cities to you know,
to fill that gap? Well, yeah, did you just say it
puts a burden on city? Yeah, to help cities if we build more
homes and get more rentals. We set a record all the way back to
nineteen eighty seven for more purpose built rentals and also housing starts. We need
to continue building homes. The four hundred and forty five thousand people that land
here, they need a place to live. We have to have attainable and
affordable homes. And it's very simple, folks. Everyone understands supply and demand.
There's a larger demand than there is a supply, So we have to
get moving. We have to cut through the red tape. We have to
get the permits out a lot quicker than what we're getting right now. I'm
not talking Ottawa and talking in general across the province, and we need to
start building. That's as simple as that. We have a growing thriving population,
and we're so fortunate. You know, everyone knows someone around the world.
Talk to your friends, you're elder around the world. You know.
Because of the great people here, we have a phenomenal place to call home
in Ontario and start a business and get a job and raise a family.
We're so blessed here and we really are. And it all has to do
with the great people. But when they come, we need to build homes.
One hello with the Community Voice newspaper here in the riding. Minister Steve
Clark intervened with Club Link when their planned to develop Glenn Abbey was before the
Ontario Land Tribunal, right about the same point Canada Lakes golf Course stands today.
Last time I asked you about Canada Lakes, you said it's before the
courts and you can't interfere. Your government intervened in Oakville. Can you explain
the difference between the two cases. Well, that's something that i'll follow up
with, Minister Clark. I'm not a thousand percent familiar with it. I
understand there's a situation happening there, but I'll follow up and if i'd be
able to get your number after, I'll give you the direct answer on that.
Okay, thank you for that. Anyways, on school transportation, we're
seeing information coming from the local school transportation authority that they're seeing a nine percent
cut to funding. Why is that good for students? Well, again,
that usually goes through the school boards and we're investing into education and education we're
increasing it over two billion dollars as we as we see the students population isn't
growing with the students, it's relatively the same. We're pouring money into education
gets transferred over to the boards. The boards make the decisions. I don't
direct the school boards. Some days I wish I did, but I don't.
And we're always going to make that a priority to make sure kids get
the school via bus or other methods of transportation. Low Premier at Talcamopenico with
CBC in Ottawa. Just to follow up here on Bill one twenty four.
If you do lose this field, your government loses. Will you take it
to the Supreme Court of Canada. Well, let's just see what happens.
I don't want to comment since it's in front of the courts. But our
whole goal with Bill one twenty four I have to make sure that we respect
the taxpayers, but also make sure that the frontline workers are treated fairly and
come up with common ground. So we always look forward to working with our
unions, no matter public or private sector unions, and come up with a
fair deal for the public sector, but again making sure we always respect the
taxpayers money. And that's what we're going to do. So let's see what
the courts say, and then I'm sure i'll have comments after the decisions made,
wondering if you could elaborate on that point about respecting taxpayers. So my
colleague asked a couple of times why your government is appealing and we heard reasons
from you from your side of how you've improved healthcare in this province, But
why exactly what do you tell on terms about why you're taking this to an
appeal. Well again Bill one twenty four eventually laughs. Right, So we're
going to sit down again with the unions and we're going to get a fair
deal for the frontline workers, but always respecting the taxpayers, making sure that
we're prudent physical managers of the taxpayers money. Keep in mind, every non
public servant you know, gets paid by everyone in this room that's working in
you know, the electrical company looking at people out there and factories. They're
paying for public service and public servants. They're paying my salary. So I
have to be respectful and make sure that always be a prudent physical manager the
taxpayers money. The problem starts and hopefully this number happens here. At won't
under my watch when more people are taking out of the system than putting into
the system. And we're always going to make sure that we have great jobs
so we can play pay for hiring great teachers, having great nurses and doctors,
making sure people have the services that they expect and need to run a
beautiful city like Ottawa or Toronto or any other region of this province. And
again there's six hundred and fifty thousand more people working today paying up the Queen's
Park coffers in the private sector than there was five years ago. So I
just believe in putting more money into people's pockets and businesses until they can reinvest
it and people can go out and buy a home or do something might otherwise
not be able to do. Okay, this will be the last question Zaya
City News. My questions about at Eyak closures. So what is the government
doing about at EYA closures in smaller communities in eastern Ontario. Okay, well,
we know that's a staffing issue. We're going to be there to support
all the hospitals across Ontario. But who makes those decisions. I think there's
a misnomer out there. It's the hospitals that make the decisions. The regional
Healthcare is making those decisions, The board of directors on the hospitals are making
those decisions. We're always going to be there to fund the system always,
but I can't direct the CEOs of the hospitals. They get their funding and
they do what they need to do to run the hospital most efficient way possible.
But thank you for that question. I appreciate it. Thanks everyone,
Okay, thanks everyone, to take care of all. Right. Education is
an ultimate thing, and the more we can get our society supporting education and
skills, the better, the better our society is and supporting them in getting
them into into this into getting these people into a stream where not only do
they find a good job, but maybe they can build a good business.
And we all have all of the all these businesses supporting our community and making
and building a better place for all of us to live all right. Thank
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