Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): On behalf of the Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus and our leader, John Tory, I rise today to welcome the Ontario Professional Fire Fighters Association to Queen's Park. I see there are a number over here.

The OPFFA represents approximately 9,500 professional firefighters, each of whom is ready to put their life on the line every day to help keep our province safer.

Firefighters' dedication to serving Ontarians is evident in the OPFFA code of ethics. The code includes the following: "I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of the fire and emergency service."

The OPFFA is here today to raise concerns with MPPs on issues like OMERS autonomy and standards for the fire service. We hope their concerns will be heard loudly and clearly, especially by Dalton McGuinty and the members of his government.

In a letter to Fred LeBlanc dated May 23, 2003, Dalton McGuinty personally outlined his promises to Ontario firefighters. We expect the Premier to keep these promises, and as the official opposition, we must hold him accountable for them.

Earlier today, I was pleased to meet with Fred LeBlanc, the association's president, and Brian George, the association's executive vice-president, as well as Michael Gagnon from the Midland fire service. I was pleased to listen to their concerns and to have John Tory participate in one of our meetings later on.

I thank the OPFFA for coming out to Queen's Park, and I encourage all members to show their support for our firefighters by attending the OPFFA reception later today in committee room 2.