Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): Congratulations, Mr. Speaker.

I'm really sorry to say that once again Dalton McGuinty is gambling with community safety. He's planning, as we speak, to pass over the keys of our valued provincial parole system to the National Parole Board as early as April 1, 2006.

Ontario's provincial parole system, the oldest in Canada, established in 1910, is there for a reason, and I'll explain it to the Liberals. It is to keep dangerous provincial offenders off our streets and to keep our communities safe.

Ontario has the largest provincial parole system in Canada. The Ontario Parole and Earned Release Board reviews all parole and early release applications from the more than 8,000 offenders in provincial jails and correctional centres. That's 41% of all provincially sentenced offenders in Canada, and more than the National Parole Board handles in seven other provinces and three territories combined.

Ontario's parole system is much tougher than the National Parole Board's. The OPERB approves only 22% of parole applications. The federal board approves 60% of parole applications for provincial offenders -- almost three times the provincial rate. Provincial inmates are more dangerous than ever. With the increase in community sentencing since 1996, only the most serious provincial offenders are incarcerated. A tough parole system is more important than ever. Ontario's parole system is fully integrated with our provincial correctional facilities and the provincial probation system.

All of these are reasons why Monte Kwinter should stand up and fight at the cabinet table to maintain our current provincial parole system. As minister, he must stand up for safe communities. The citizens of Ontario deserve and expect safe communities, and we expect that the government will turn around and forget about this ridiculous decision.