Thank you. It’s good to see you all here at Queen’s Park today.

What brings us together is the concern we all share about our air quality and our desire to improve it.

We are concerned about our health.

As you know, I not only represent Mississauga South, I am also a lifelong resident. It’s where my family lives and my kids go to school.

So as a resident and an MPP I know that for many years our community has had concerns about the Cumulative effect of emissions and their impact on our health.

That’s why I have stood and will continue to stand by my community.

That's why I have been fighting to improve emission standards.

That’s why I am fighting to cut even more emissions in the Oakville/Southdown Clarkson Industrial Area from existing plants that still rely on coal.

That's why I support tougher standards that take into account the Cumulative Effect in our airshed.

That’s why I celebrated the demolition of the coal plant at Lakeview. We've taken important, major steps forward to protect and revitalize our precious waterfront, to benefit our whole community and future generations.

I appreciate that my colleague, Kevin Flynn, is also very engaged on this issue.

However, my community is concerned about any proposal that, while excluding Oakville as a site for a new power plant, would allow, or even encourage, the citing of one in south Mississauga.

As I and many in our two communities have often said, the issue is about the quality of our airshed.

I remain committed to the goal of emissions reductions in the Clarkson Oakville airshed, but I would never suggest, as I am sure my colleague agrees, that such reductions should come at the expense of another community.

We recognize the need to reduce particulate matter emissions from vehicle traffic.

And we know that we are subject to trans-boundary emissions from across the border that we cannot control.

But, that is exactly why we all have concerns about a new power plant, a new emitter, in our sensitive airshed.

Much more needs to be done.

Reducing local emissions is critical.

I am encouraged by some successes.

The Ministry of Energy has launched a new program, with new funding, to help local industries lower their emissions.

In addition, the Ministry of the Environment has established a new task force to reduce emissions in our area.

The Task Force has already begun its work consulting with municipalities, health units, industry and local community groups.

These advancements have occurred because of you.

For the first time in our community, and for the first time in Ontario, we will have an action plan that will include targets for improving air quality.

It will include strategies and timelines for reducing emissions. And it will be well funded.

All of these commitments are big steps forward for our community

It will and must play a role in lowering emissions in our area.

Your efforts have lead to these improvements and you should be proud of your involvement throughout the process and especially today.

Your efforts are essential.

Bottom line: we want, and I support, reductions in emissions, not more emissions.

Thank you. Keep up the good work!