Mr Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): My question today is for the Attorney General. Minister, yesterday you and your cabinet colleague Monte Kwinter started the day by downplaying and sidestepping the Toronto Police Service's need for $700,000 to track sexual predators. This is funding our government had already approved back on August 6, 2003, by cabinet.

Only hours later, during question period, you executed the quickest flip-flop in the short history of the Dalton McGuinty government. That's when you said, "Of course the government will be providing that funding. Of course we will." I need to know -- and so do the parents of children like Holly Jones -- why you hesitated for seven months about funding this worthy police project, especially when our government had already approved the funding.

Hon Michael Bryant (Attorney General, minister responsible for native affairs, minister responsible for democratic renewal): I presume the member supports the expansion of anything we can do to try to track sex offenders. I assume the member supports that. That's what we're doing over here. I don't think this is a particularly partisan or political matter. I think this is something that we want to do mostly to give people some confidence in their community. We're doing that. I'm glad it's clear to you now. If you have any questions about the specifics of the program, I know Minister Kwinter will happily explain all this to you, but this is a good thing. I hope you support it and I'd like to hear you support it when you stand up, sir.

Mr Dunlop: Minister, yes, we do support it, but we wonder why it took you seven months to support it. We all know that the one thing you and your federal Liberal cousins truly have in common is that you are all very soft on crime. I'm glad we received your assurance in the House yesterday that the money is coming to the Toronto Police Service. I'm sure you can appreciate why we had to verify your comments today in case you decided to flip-flop on this issue once again.

Can you please tell us in this House, and clearly enough so that it makes sense to Chief Fantino and the Toronto Police Service, exactly when will the Toronto Police Service get their money, all $700,000 over three years from the victims' justice fund, as approved by the cabinet. When will they receive the funding?

Hon Mr Bryant: That's exactly what Chief Fantino said we are trying to get right so that in fact we are providing the best possible service for the safety of this community that's particularly affected and everybody across the province of Ontario. That's exactly what the federal minister announced yesterday in saying that we are going to be expanding the national registry.

I don't know why this member cannot take yes for an answer. This is good news for Ontario. This is good news for safer communities. Yes, I know when you were in government, you were all talk no action. I understand this particular announcement is a good example of that, but we're not going to follow that lead. We're not going to do the all talk, no action. We are going to be all action. We are going to come to this House and explain what we're doing. That's exactly what I'm doing now. I don't understand why you can't take yes for an answer.