<html><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div><div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><div><div></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><br></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://x.com/bezirganmocha/status/1832158192123703351?s=46&t=qkZc6IuDIA1Zwhno706xow">https://x.com/bezirganmocha/status/1832158192123703351?s=46&t=qkZc6IuDIA1Zwhno706xow</a></div><div><br></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><b>---------------------------------------</b></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">D) Wilmot Land Assembly - Full Transcript Of MPP Catherine Fife and Minister Vic Fedeli:</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;"><br></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;">Even the start of this meeting is fascinating to read the transcript as the Conservative government announces the Bill is unamendable (no changes possible - something quite unprecedented) and then tries to move to secret in-camera meetings so there will be no public record or information on Bill 190. Quite alarming. They are in a closed secret meeting for several hours. They then resume the public hearing when Wilmot comes up. The section on Wilmot starts around 15:20 and again at 16:40 continues until the end of the meeting:</div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/finance-economic-affairs/parliament-43/transcripts/committee-transcript-2024-sept-10">https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/finance-economic-affairs/parliament-43/transcripts/committee-transcript-2024-sept-10</a></div><div><br></div><div>Here’s the transcript:</div><div><br></div></div><div><strong style="caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong><span style="caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;">Okay, that’s great. Thanks to the Clerk for that verification.</span></div><div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para152" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">And thanks to Minister Fedeli and Associate Minister Tangri for being here. It will not surprise you, I’m sure, that I’m going to be asking about the Wilmot land assembly, because this pertains to vote item 902 and then 902-13. You’ve indicated that there’s a 144.3% change in economic development and investment, according to estimates, so my question pertains to—this section is allocated towards the province’s growth. If we want to focus on growth, it should be noted that according to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, agriculture is one of the largest sectors in Ontario, generating more than $47 billion in economic activity every year and supporting 750,000 jobs, or about 10% of the province’s workforce. A lot of people don’t know this, and I will also admit that my learning journey on this has been profound.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para153" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">In Wilmot township, millions of dollars are being spent on buying hundreds of acres of farms for industrial purposes, with thousands more acres of prime farmland being targeted for unplanned development that was never part of the regional official plan—or any municipal official plan, for that matter.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para154" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">So my question is to you, Minister Fedeli. You did put out a statement about this issue. Why are farmers not being regarded as business owners when there’s such a significant GDP contribution here? And how is the destruction of our local food sources helping Ontarians, which include Ontario’s farmers and farming families?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para155" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Thank you for the question. My quick answer before my longer version is that we understand Ontario’s farmland is very critical to the success not only of the agri-food industry, but the success of the province and our entire economy. That’s why we are taking a balanced approach to ensure the agri-food industry continues to thrive, as does the rest of the economy.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para156" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">We know that the agri-food sector has grown incredibly rapidly since we took office. That’s why they’re at $50 billion added to our GDP every year, employing a million workers, exporting $26 billion worth of product. We will always support our farmers and create those conditions for business in every sector to succeed—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para157" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> I’d like to reclaim my time.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para158" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Thank you very much for that answer. I specifically, though, want to talk about Wilmot, Minister Fedeli. You and MPP Harris put out a statement saying that you were not supportive of the way that the region of Waterloo has conducted themselves with regard to the forced expropriation by hiring a third party, Canacre, to go to those farmers, offer them $35,000 an acre and say to them that if they do not accept the $35,000, their land would be expropriated. When you did put out your statement, it was of interest to me that the regional chair—and I want to thank you for this: You did clarify that the province is funding the purchase.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para159" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">I will note that around six months ago, when this issue first came up, I did note that the region of Waterloo had said they don’t have the money to expropriate this farmland. That was through their budget process. And you had said, “While the province is supporting the region of Waterloo with funding to help” because of the land, “it is the sole responsibility of the region to assemble” that.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para160" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">However, in response to your press release, Chair Redman was very clear. She said it’s disappointing to see recent events unfold from the government because the government was driving the process. You established the terms of reference with regards to the expropriation timelines. The region had asked for some additional time to meet with farmers. The government has said that you are not driving the process. The region of Waterloo, the chair there, has said, “I’m surprised and I’m confused because from the very beginning of this project, we worked in lockstep with the province,” specifically around these 770 acres, which is roughly 311 hectares.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para161" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Chair, you’ll understand this, because you’ve been in politics a long time: The people of Wilmot, the people of the region of Waterloo—there’s been no public meeting about this expropriation or sale or purchase of the 770 acres for the land assembly. There’s been no transparency and, really, no accountability.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para162" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">As it stands right now, the region has purchased, with your assistance, about 160 acres at about $100,000 an acre. So we’re looking at a substantive amount of money. Is that contained in the vote item on 902? Has the region already flowed the money to purchase this land? Because there is a need for us as politicians, as legislators, but also for the public at large to know why the government is pursuing this land purchase, given the fact that there is no identified purchaser for the property or anchor company, as has been described. There’s been no transparency around how much money has flowed already. And there are competing stories here. The region says this is your process. You put out a press release with Mike Harris Jr. saying, “We do not support this process.”</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para163" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">So, I just want to give you an opportunity to clarify for the people of Waterloo region what actually is going on with regard to this massive industrial land assembly on class 1 farmland.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para164" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Thank you. I look forward to answering. You have a lot of questions in there; I’ve written a couple of them down. It was kind of wide-reaching.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para165" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">But I do want to correct one thing: You had said the province set the expropriation timelines. That’s absolutely false, just plain and simple. The province is not involved in setting an expropriation timeline. That was just something I wanted to clarify right off the bat.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para166" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Now comes my longer answer. The short answer, it was exactly where I had ended. But I can tell you, you need to look at the why. Your last question is, why are you pursuing land? In my first opening of 10 minutes, I talked about a couple of billion dollars being invested in Port Colborne, almost a billion dollars being invested in Napanee, $4 billion from a Korean company, $15 billion going into Alliston and other areas. The list goes on and on. All the communities in Ontario understand that we are literally on fire in Ontario. We have more prospects than we have land that’s readily available, and so Premier Ford put out a call to municipalities and said—</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para167" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Interjections.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para168" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The Chair (Mr. Ernie Hardeman):</strong> Order.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para169" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> We didn’t—I’m sorry. What’s going on? Are you okay? Okay.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para170" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Premier Ford put out a call to municipalities right across the province and said, “Get your shovel-ready sites assembled. We need land. You want the jobs,” and so municipalities all over Ontario began.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para171" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">You asked why. It is the region pursuing land. It’s not the province—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para172" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Because you asked them.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para173" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> It’s not the province pursuing the land purchase; it is the region. The Premier asked all municipalities in a blanket statement, “Do you see what we’re doing? It could happen in your community if you want.”</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para174" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Did you put any parameters on what that land—like, is class 1 farmland up for sale? Is that a part of your parameters of this deal?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para175" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> I still have about 10 of your other questions, so I’ll get to that one.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para176" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Again, there are more prospects who want to come to Ontario because, as you’ve heard, this is the number one jurisdiction now in Canada. The Premier put out a call and said, “Get your shovel-ready sites assembled,” whether it’s a municipality that owns it or whether there are businesses that own land that want to put that land available for smaller prospects, as well—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para177" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> These are not willing partners, though. These are not willing farmers.</span></p><p class="timeStamp" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para178" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">1530</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para179" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> The municipality has the option to come to the province and say, “We would like some help on this site.” We are supporting the region of Waterloo with funding to help purchase the land, period.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para180" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> No expropriation? You did not indicate that you are supportive of expropriation?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para181" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Look at what we did at Volkswagen—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para182" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Just say no.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para183" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> But you have to look and see. I’ll speak by example. Look across the highway at Volkswagen. We acquired 1,500 acres with zero expropriation.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para184" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> That is not what’s happening, though, in Wilmot. And with respect—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para185" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> This is the sole responsibility, though, of the region.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="P213_38579" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> And with respect, though, the chair of the region, Karen Redman, says the “expropriation was an obligation in the partnership agreement they signed with the province.” So they signed an agreement with you, and I’m just trying to get a sense of, if you don’t have eyes on this deal, if you don’t have hands on this deal, is there a deputy minister, is there an ADM that is directly dealing with this? Because the non-disclosure agreement that also the region tells us was a condition of your funding—I’m trying to get to the fact that, you know, this is out of character for the region. We have a long-standing tradition; we have a countryside line. I know the previous Minister of Municipal Affairs said someone took a crayon. No, it was done by planners. It was based on our capacity and sustainability around water and around the environment.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para187" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">And so I want to get a sense from you, Minister Fedeli, did you insist that the region of Waterloo sign this NDA and also start with the expropriation mode? Because this is a tale of two—it’s a tale of two stories, actually, but at the end of the day, it’s causing chaos for farmers in Waterloo region and Wilmot, and I just want you to answer clearly: Did you obligate the region of Waterloo to start with expropriation?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para188" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> So, between the deputy and I, we’ll answer your question, but again, I will point to an actual example across the highway—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para189" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> I’m not interested in what’s happening across the highway. With due respect, Minister Fedeli, I’m only interested—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para190" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> What I’m trying to say to you, though—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para191" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> —in Wilmot.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para192" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> —it’s the same process.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para193" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> It is not the same process. What happened across the highway was without contention. There was no conflict. What’s happening in Waterloo region right now, particularly in Wilmot, is that whether you admit it or whether you intended, the destabilization of farmers in that region—this is a real issue. And I know that you care about farmers. I know that you care about the GDP that these farmers are generating. But right now, they are stalled, and they are fearful that the government will come in, take their land and upset their family businesses and also upset the economic development potential of Waterloo region. This is what’s happening in my community, which is why I’m bringing it to you in this committee.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para194" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> So, why I refer to the one across the highway is because exactly the same scenario was presented to the region of Waterloo. It is the sole responsibility of the region to assemble the land. It is their sole responsibility to work collaboratively with all of the stakeholders. I look at our role much the same as any other infrastructure project in your community: a sewer and water project or a land acquisition. The province funds these things, but the municipality—in your case, the region—does all of the work.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para195" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">I’ll ask the deputy to talk specifically to that.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para196" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span id="P223_42030" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. JP Cadeau:</span></strong> My name is JP Cadeau. I’m the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. I would reiterate and echo that the province is supporting the region of Waterloo with funding to help support the purchase of the land, and it’s the responsibility of the region to assemble the site and work collaboratively through that process. It is, as the minister said, no different than any other land assembly project the government supports across the province and the same approach that was used for St. Thomas’s land assembly.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para197" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Thank you very much for that answer, but it is not the same, and that is my point, Deputy Minister. My point is that the region has said publicly now, in response to the joint statement that was put out by the Minister of Economic Development and the minister of red tape—the local member, MPP Harris—that these terms and conditions were set by the province. In fact, I would say to you, and I would argue, and I would win the argument, that if the province is funding the project, then you have set the terms and conditions for this land assembly. Did you set out these terms and conditions for the region of Waterloo to go about initially trying to expropriate and now purchase 770 acres of class 1 farmland for a large industrial land assembly? Did you set out these terms and conditions? That’s the question.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para198" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. JP Cadeau:</strong> Again, just to reiterate, we are providing the region with funding to support the purchase of the land and we’re supporting them in that local effort. It is the same process that we’re using and we have used for previous land assembly projects.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para199" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Okay, but clearly, as the deputy minister, you’re watching how this is unfolding in Waterloo region. The 160 acres that have thus been purchased at almost $100,000 an acre was recently—the corn on that field was recently destroyed at a huge cost.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para200" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">We’ve learned some lessons from the pandemic around having a reliable food source, around food security, and yet—I mean, the region actually had to bring in farmers from outside Waterloo region because no farmer would ever plow over a viable corn crop just to make a point. They would not do that. And the rumoured cost for the destruction of that crop was $370,000. Is the ministry funding the destruction of these crops in Waterloo region, yes or no?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para201" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. JP Cadeau:</strong> As with any land transaction, the agreement with the owner includes conditions around due diligence, including archaeological work and to ensure that the parcels are suitable for future work. Archaeological assessments required that we go through that process according to standards. We understand that the region is working through that work on that parcel and due diligence activities like archaeology, like environmental assessments are standard processes as part of that process.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para202" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> So this is so time-sensitive that the region, with the province’s support, couldn’t wait three more weeks for the harvesting of this crop? I mean, you would have seen the news today: One million additional people are visiting food banks in Ontario.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para203" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">I’m trying to get a sense of what your control is with regard to this deal, right? Because the $16 million that has thus been expended—this was not in the budget, per se. This is new expenditures. Regardless of the call for a large industrial land assembly in Waterloo region, this has genuinely caught the community off-guard. This is a very engaged democracy in Waterloo region. They have, traditionally, a very open and honest and transparent relationship with the regional level of government.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para204" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Just to remind you, these farmers were actually approached, before this land assembly was even rumoured, by a developer offering $65,000 an acre. So somebody knew something was going on, right? This doesn’t instill confidence. This is not the way government should operate. After that happened, then Canacre was employed by the region to go to these farmers and offer them $35,000 an acre, and of course, those farmers turned it down. To date, the 160 acres have been purchased at great cost, and this is, as I would remind you, class 1 farmland.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para205" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">But farmers want to know right now, is this going to continue? Is this bullying of farmers going to continue, and is the province going to continue funding it? Because if I were the government—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para206" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The Chair (Mr. Ernie Hardeman):</strong> One minute.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para207" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> —I would recognize that this is class 1 farmland that creates great economic value for the entire region and provides great food security.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para208" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">So my question to you, Deputy Minister, is, is the province going to continue down this road and disrespect farmers in Wilmot township? Because it sends a cooling effect to all farmers across this province.</span></p><p class="timeStamp" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para209" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">1540</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para210" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> I would say to you that it’s the region who’s running the ground game. We are completely reliant on the region to take a responsible and measured approach. We are here to support the region. We rely on their local judgment, their local expertise and their local knowledge, and all of those decisions are made by the region. They’re supported financially by the province for the purchase of the land, but it is completely and utterly up to the region to run the ground game and make those individual decisions—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para211" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Mountainoak Cheese has said they’re not going to sell—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para212" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The Chair (Mr. Ernie Hardeman):</strong> Thank you very much. That concludes the time.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para213" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">We now go to the government side. MPP Hogarth.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><br></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;">Part 2</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para365" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">We’ll now go back to the official opposition. MPP Fife.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para366" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> I think it’s wonderful that you mention Waterloo, their IT sector and how productive—and the overall GDP value to the province of Ontario. As I pointed out in my original comments, though, the agriculture and agribusiness in Waterloo region is also very profitable—in fact, fairly comparable to the value around job creation and goods and services for the region as a whole.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para367" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">So I have to go back to Wilmot because, I must tell you, I’m not very satisfied with the answers that I received. I think that this comes down to the expropriation question because, Minister and the deputy minister, you’ve been very clear that you have a hands-off approach to what’s happening in Wilmot, whereas the regional chair has said, and this is a direct quote, “We have been transparent with landowners who said ‘if I don’t want to sell, would expropriation be an option?’ Expropriation is one of the tools that is in the kit, when we made an agreement with the province. We have never said we want to expropriate, we want fair and equitable negotiated settlements with all the landowners, but when people ask, is that a possibility,” they had to say yes because the province indicated so.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para368" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">I think, if we’re looking at financial transparency on what’s happening in Wilmot, I guess my question to you, Minister, or to the deputy minister is, are you going to continue to funnel and flow Ontario taxpayer dollars to fund the expropriation of class 1 farmland in Ontario for what at this point is an undisclosed large industrial land assembly in Wilmot township? Do you agree that this is a mechanism that you’re willing to fund to the tune—if everything happens as it has thus far, this would be $77 million to decommission class 1 farmland, kick farmers off of their land for an undisclosed large industrial project. Is this something that the province will move forward with?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para369" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Let me talk about expropriation. First, when you say “undisclosed,” I don’t know what you mean by that.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para370" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> I’ll clarify. So to date, all of this has been proceeding without the knowledge of what actually is going to be going onto that land, which also increases the stress and anxiety of the community as a whole.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para371" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Yes. There is no client or customer.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para372" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Just give me latitude for one second when I talk about Volkswagen’s site again because—just so we’re very clear—we bought the Volkswagen site before we ever heard the name “Volkswagen.” So this was a project that we worked on with Elgin county—again, no expropriation. The land was assembled, because if any company around the world wanted a site that was a thousand acres, we had nothing in Ontario. The previous government did not buy any land, so that’s why, when we bought that land, there was no customer. “If you build it, they will come” was the thinking back then, because we had no sites, so the same scenario would exist.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para373" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">But expropriation, MPP Fife, is a very serious tool.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para374" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Yes, I agree.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para375" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> It is a tool that is available to municipalities. It is available. So when we work with municipalities, we want to make sure this very serious tool is wielded very carefully and with appropriate plans and approvals.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para376" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Thank you for that. What I would say, though, is if—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para377" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> I’m not finished. I’m <span id="P404_110574" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">not finished yet.</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para378" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">They don’t get wielded without the province’s approval, and that approval has never been granted for Wilmot, nor were we consulted when the suggested use of expropriation was made.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para379" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> That’s a very interesting point that you’re making, because the expropriation and the purchase of the 770 acres of class 1 farmland would not be happening without the province’s funding. Do you agree or disagree?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para380" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Well, the province is funding it, but we’re not managing the project.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para381" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> With all due respect, Minister Fedeli, you are funding the expropriation, because you are the funder—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para382" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> No, no, no.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para383" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Yes, yes, yes.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para384" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> No, no, no. The approval for expropriation was never granted for Wilmot—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para385" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> In fact, actually, it was mentioned by the chair of the region—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para386" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> —nor were we consulted.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para387" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> No, it was actually said by the chair of the region—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para388" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> But I am saying to you, we were not consulted.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para389" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Well, let’s take a step back. This is another thing that Chair Redman said: “One of the things that was really evident from the beginning was that the timelines provided from the province were very, very tight” and not negotiable. You set the timelines. You asked the region of Waterloo to sign an NDA. Is this correct? This question is for the deputy minister. Did the province of Ontario ask the region of Waterloo to sign an NDA?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para390" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> I would say that the NDA is involving the dollar value. I’ll leave it to the deputy to verify what I’m talking—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para391" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> That’s a key point that you’ve just said. These are not your dollars. They’re not my dollars. These are Ontario taxpayer dollars, and Ontario taxpayers are not in support of kicking farmers off their land.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para392" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> In the fullness of time, when all is said and done, everything will be public record. But right now, what’s under the NDA is the dollar value, because we want fairness for the taxpayer and fairness for the sellers. But they can’t know what our top-line dollar is; that’s not how business is done. I understand you might not be aware of that.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para393" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Actually, this is not how democracy is done, I would say to you.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para394" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> But in the fullness of time—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para395" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Kicking farmers off their land is un-Canadian—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para396" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> But this is managed by the—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para397" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The Chair (Mr. Ernie Hardeman):</strong> One at a time.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para398" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> —and it is absolutely disrespectful to what’s happening here.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para399" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">I just want to say, Minister, you and I served for many, many years together. If the Liberals were trying these shenanigans in Wilmot township, you and I would be on the same page, because there’s not one public meeting, not one financial statement or budgeted item for the cost of kicking these farmers off their land. It is un-Canadian. It is not the Waterloo way. And it’s being driven by the province, because it would not be happening if you didn’t fund it.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para400" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> I said, much like any other sewer and water program, they’re funded by the province, and they’re managed locally. We’re reliant on the region to take responsible, measured steps to manage this program. We’re here only to support the region financially. They’re the local experts. They’re running the ground game. They make all the day-to-day decisions.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para401" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Again, to your earlier point, expropriation was not an approval that has ever been granted for Wilmot, nor were we consulted when it was brought up.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para402" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Okay. Let’s take a step back here, because this entire process has been completely flawed. Even before the region approached the six main farmers, a developer went to those farmers and offered them $58,000. It was Stephen Litt from Vive industries. Was it a red flag or a blue flag for you that a developer knew that this was all happening? We all know that once the land is purchased, it goes from $58,000 to potentially $1 million per acre. Who is tracking this in your ministry?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para403" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Again, we’re here to fund the region. The region runs the entire show. All of the day-to-day decisions, all of the ground game—all of those local decisions are made by the region.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para404" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> I’m hearing that the province has set the terms and the framework for this farmland grab in Wilmot, but I’m not hearing anybody taking any responsibility for the funding of this expropriation and the purchase of this land.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para405" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">I would just go back to the chair’s statement. She said, “I was surprised, and I am confused,” when you and Mike Harris put out that press release. She said, “I am confused because from the very beginning of this land assembly process, we have been lockstep with the province. So I didn’t see this coming and I guess I would say, I’m pleased the province is now lifting the confidentiality obligations and I hope this will now allow greater transparency as we move forward with our land assembly partnership.” I would say that the farmers don’t view is as a partnership, right?</span></p><p class="timeStamp" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para406" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">1650</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para407" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Well, I can say to you that you read my statement. I said, and Minister Harris said the same thing: We’re disappointed in the way the region has handled this. Again, we didn’t get into the specifics, but I’ve said it to you today with respect to the word “expropriation”—because you’ve used it so many times that I wanted to answer that—it was not something that was granted by the province or approved by the province, nor with our knowledge, plain and simple.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para408" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> But can you acknowledge, at least, on a very transactional basis, that none of this would be happening in Wilmot township if you were not funding it? So even though you say you have a hands-off approach, at the end of the day, you’re driving the process because you’re funding the process.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para409" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> We’re not driving the process. Again, I’m going to point across the highway at St. Thomas and Elgin county. We were approached—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para410" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> It’s completely different.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para411" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> No, they’re absolutely identical. It’s the same contract.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para412" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> No, they are not identical.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para413" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> It’s the same contract. They’re absolutely identical. One handled it differently than the other, who chose to use a different approach without the understanding or knowledge or previous knowledge of the province, and so this is where they find themselves, but they’re the ones who are running the ground game. They’re the ones making these decisions. We want it to be—we want them—in my statement, we said, we want a respectful process. We want to see fairness for the sellers and fairness—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para414" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> You can create a respectful process. You can. You can create a respectful process by stopping the funding of this purchase of this farmland grab.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para415" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">And I want to say, there has to be some transparency and accountability of where the funding is actually going. I do want to say, the province is not in a good financial position. I will say that as the finance critic, but I’m actually backed up by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, who just on Friday addressed the finance minister’s “serial overspending,” arguing that he’s exceeded his own spending plans by $66 billion since taking the job in 2020. The statement also takes aim at your government’s Ontario Place parkade and the cost overruns on transit projects such as the Ontario Line.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para416" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">So the fact of the matter is—and this goes onto say: “In just four short years,” Minister “Bethlenfalvy will have added $56 billion of debt to the province’s bottom line. By any metric, that’s a lousy record.”</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para417" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">My job as the finance critic is to follow the money. So what have you budgeted, your ministry specifically—because we are looking at estimates. What have you budgeted for the Wilmot farmland grab?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para418" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> First of all, in six short years, we’ve also seen our revenue increase by $64 billion a year. But when you think about the fact that we are in a fierce competition US-wise and across the country—there are 40 states who have land assembly programs. We need to have these sites assembled to complete our investments and to compete with all of those investments around it. But—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para419" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Very good. That’s a very good clarification, because it seems to me that given the fact that $47 billion in economic activity is generated by farmers across this province and the agribusiness, you are making a decision. You are a choosing a large industrial farmland grab over the fact that this is—it defies logic, Minister, that we are kicking farmers off class 1 farmland and choosing a large industrial project, undisclosed, without having some even fiscal responsibility or even fiscal transparency. What have you budgeted?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para420" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> It’s a decision of the region, and again, all of the dollars that are to be allocated will come out in fullness of time. We can’t tell the buyer what we’ve got available for them to buy.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para421" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> There’s nothing to hide here. It’s fully open. These six farmers—so the 160 acres that have been purchased at $100,000 an acre, plus the destruction of the farmland, which, I want to say—the region of Waterloo just passed a motion saying they do not want to destroy farmland, because they were appropriately and responsibly noting that the destruction of that farmland was equal to half a million dollars that could have gone to food banks.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para422" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> But they’re also the ones who told us they want these anchor investments to create these healthy communities and jobs for generations to come. They’re the ones who want us to backstop this, but the process is done exclusively by them.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para423" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> However, you have set the timelines. Can you deny this?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para424" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> No, but I will add to it. I will tell you that the timelines for them have been extended several times, so—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para425" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> So they’re not meeting your objectives as the region—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para426" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> They’re not meeting the joint objectives of time.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para427" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Because even the region of Waterloo has—as part of their strategic plan, expropriation will only happen if there is a willing host. Wilmot residents have said they are not a willing host.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para428" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">What will it take for you to stop funding this farmland grab, which is fiscally irresponsible? I would argue, in 2024, we should know better about growing our own food and having sustainable practices from an agricultural perspective.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para429" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> I think that’s a question you would pose to the region and to the municipalities, because they’re the ones looking for these anchor investments.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para430" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> I want to ask you, Minister, what is it going to take? What would it take for you to say, “This farmland grab is inappropriate in 2024. It’s irresponsible”? Not having this anchor company that everybody talks about and not knowing what’s going to be happening on that land, especially given our aquifer needs in Waterloo region—this is a high-risk project, and no one can tell the taxpayers of Ontario or Wilmot what the return on investment is and what the risk management plan is that the province is asking for.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para431" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> I know you won’t like my answer, but I would only direct you to the unbelievable success just across the highway at the VW site in Elgin county and St. Thomas, where 30,000 new spinoff jobs are going to be created—3,000 direct. In St. Thomas, they will be building the fourth-largest building on planet Earth to employ 3,000 people.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para432" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> Is that plant happening on class 1 farmland? Can you answer that question?</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para433" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Interjection.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para434" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> We’re uncertain.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para435" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> You’re uncertain.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para436" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">So I would argue that these are very different deals. You clearly had willing hosts and willing partners with the Volkswagen deal. I can tell you, based on the 40 tractors that came to downtown Kitchener a couple of Wednesdays ago, based on the region of Waterloo’s motion where they said that they are not supportive of the destruction of more farmland, that the opposition to this undisclosed anchor project is real.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para437" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> But you can’t keep calling it an undisclosed—there is no anchor. Just like across the highway, there was no customer; there was no prospect. We wanted to see that project develop—and yes, we did purchase farmland, by the way. I just don’t remember class 1 or—but if my memory serves me correctly, there were 17 farms. They were all willing sellers. There was no expropriation. The land was cleared. The building is about to be erected, and 3,000 people are going to work on that site, and 30,000 are going to be employed to supply goods and services to the site.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para438" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> I just want to say, the reason, Chair, that I keep asking about this particular issue is that there is going to be a cost to the local taxpayers because Waterloo region is one of the only municipalities in the province of Ontario that relies on groundwater—80%, actually, of our water. It’s built on the Waterloo moraine, which is where this plant is supposedly going to be. There is going to be a cost to build a pipeline to Lake Erie, there is going to be infrastructure costs to the township of Wilmot to connect with the city of Kitchener, and there has been no financial plan or transparency. It’s like rolling the dice at the risk of actually moving—the farmer, Mountainoak Cheese, said that he’s not going to sell. Are you going to support the expropriation of his land? Are you going to fund it?</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para439" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Again, I go back to—you say that there’s no customer or there’s no client. It’s the same across the highway. We have no large industrial mega-sites in Ontario. If we’re ever going to continue to compete with the 40 US states, who are envious of the success that we’ve seen in Ontario and envious of the tens of thousands—and hundreds of thousands, actually—of jobs being created, you have to have a site, much like you did—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para440" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> I would argue that food and water is also important—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para441" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The Chair (Mr. Ernie Hardeman):</strong> One minute.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para442" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> —for the people of Ontario, Minister. And what we did learn during the pandemic is that having the food security issue for Ontario to be sustainable is also very important. It’s like the importance of social infrastructure to draw investment into the province of Ontario. Kicking farmers off their land is un-Canadian. It is not the Ontario way, and it certainly isn’t the Waterloo way. What I wanted to get—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para443" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Victor Fedeli:</strong> Well, that’s something you should take up with the chair of the region.</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para444" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife:</strong> The expropriation would not be happening without your funding. That’s—</span></p><p class="speakerStart" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para445" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The Chair (Mr. Ernie Hardeman):</strong> Thank you very much. That concludes the time, and that concludes the time for the presentations.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para446" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The time has expired for the committee’s consideration of the estimates of the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. Standing order 69 requires that the Chair put, without further amendment or debate, every question necessary to dispose of the estimates. Are the members ready to vote?</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para447" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Shall vote 901, ministry administration program, carry? All those in favour? All those opposed? Carried.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para448" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Shall vote 902, economic development, job creation and trade program, carry? All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is accordingly carried.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para449" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Shall the 2024-25 estimates for the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, carry? Members ready to vote? All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para450" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Shall the Chair report the 2024-25 estimates of the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade to the House? All of those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para451" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The committee is now adjourned until September 17, 2024, at 3 p.m. I thank both ministers for your presentation, and we thank the committee for the participation this afternoon. Have a great evening, folks.</span></p><p class="procedure" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para452" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">The committee adjourned at 1702.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para453" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para454" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para455" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para456" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Chair / Président</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para457" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. Ernie Hardeman (Oxford PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para458" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para459" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Vice-Chair / Vice-Présidente</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para460" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife (Waterloo ND)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para461" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para462" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. Deepak Anand (Mississauga–Malton PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para463" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Patrice Barnes (Ajax PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para464" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Stephen Crawford (Oakville PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para465" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Catherine Fife (Waterloo ND)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para466" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. Ernie Hardeman (Oxford PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para467" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Hon. Mike Harris (Kitchener–Conestoga PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para468" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">MPP Andrea Hazell (Scarborough–Guildwood L)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para469" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Christine Hogarth (Etobicoke–Lakeshore PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para470" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre / London-Centre-Nord ND)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para471" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Effie J. Triantafilopoulos (Oakville North–Burlington / Oakville-Nord–Burlington PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para472" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para473" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Substitutions / Membres remplaçants</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para474" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. Aris Babikian (Scarborough–Agincourt PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para475" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. Sheref Sabawy (Mississauga–Erin Mills PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para476" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. David Smith (Scarborough Centre / Scarborough-Centre PC)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para477" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para478" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Clerk / Greffière</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para479" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Ms. Vanessa Kattar</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para480" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;"></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para481" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Staff / Personnel</span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; line-height: 1.7em; caret-color: rgb(84, 84, 84); color: rgb(84, 84, 84); font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif;"><span id="para482" style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Mr. Alex Alton, research officer,<br style="box-sizing: inherit; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px;">Research Services</span></p></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><b>----------------------------------</b></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"><div><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">E) Plastic People - Gorge Cinema Sunday, Oct 6th at 2pm:</span></div></div><div style="text-align: start; text-indent: 0px;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>