Vaccines for kids
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath kicked off question period with the "great news" from Monday that Pfizer had <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/10/18/pfizer-officially-submits-application-for-covid-vaccine-for-kids-aged-5-11-to-health-canada.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">officially submitted its application</a> to Health Canada to get approval for its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11. Parents, she said, are "chomping at the bit" waiting for their kids to be able to get immunized. 
Referring to what she viewed as "the chaos, the scramble" in previous government decisions related to the pandemic, Horwath asked, "Where is the plan for vaccinating our children?"
Health Minister Christine Elliott said the government "is ahead of the issue" and has asked all 34 public health units for their plans.
"We are going through those plans right now. We are using a variety of sources in order to vaccinate children of this age and we will be ready as soon as Health Canada gives it a go-ahead," she said. "So, parents need not be concerned." 
Pointing to British Columbia pre-registering children for the vaccination, Horwath accused the government of lagging behind and repeated her question.
Elliott said the government is exploring a variety of options including primary care, pharmacies and schools, though not during school hours for the latter since parents want to be with their children during vaccination. She said information would go out to parents in advance. You can read more about this <a href="https://www.qpbriefing.com/2021/10/19/ontario-open-to-mass-vaccinating-kids-against-covid-19-at-schools/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. 
Horwath then asked whether the COVID-19 vaccine would be added to the list of diseases schoolchildren need to be immunized against.
Elliott didn't answer the question, but rather touted the vaccination campaign as successful so far.
Auto jobs
The debate got a bit heated as the NDP leader turned to automaker Stellantis, which announced last week that it plans to reduce its operations from two shifts to one next year, which would mean the loss of 1,800 jobs. Horwath noted a shift cut at the same plant last year and asked for the premier's plan to save this latest batch of jobs.
Premier Doug Ford said he met with union representatives from Unifor and that he would be speaking with Stellantis officials on Tuesday to discuss the "hundreds of millions of dollars" the province and federal government are willing to invest in bringing Stellantis back to three shifts.  
Horwath placed blame on the current and previous Liberal governments, saying a "made-in-Ontario auto strategy" could have prevented job cuts that have hit the auto sector in recent years.
"When will this premier stand with workers, fight for their jobs instead of rolling over and neglecting Windsor and Ontario’s auto sector?" she asked. 
The premier took the chance to deflect any blame to his predecessor. 
"The reason these plants closed and were closing all across the province is because of 15 years of neglect and terror throughout the auto sector," said Ford. "We spoke to the CEO and they said this is the worst place in the entire world to do business because of the policies of the NDP and the Liberals with the high hydro rates, outrageous taxes, debt coming through the roof."
Call for an apology
NDP MPP Doly Begum turned to the premier's comments on Monday, which caused a stir.
Following an announcement on hospital funding in Tecumseh, Ford talked about the shortage of skilled workers in Ontario.
"You come here like every other new Canadian has come here, you work your tail off," he said at the time. "If you think you're coming to collect the dole and sit around, not gonna happen. Go somewhere else. You want to work, come here. We have so much work, we can't keep up with it right now."
Calling Ford's comments "callous, discriminatory, dismissive, and offensive to thousands of immigrants who came to Ontario for a better future, many of whom have helped build this province," Begum asked if the premier would apologize.
He didn't.
Instead, he said "I am pro-immigration" and then turned on the NDP, saying the party was trying to obstruct infrastructure development.
Begum then asked whether the premier would help the thousands of immigrants who can't find work in their fields because of challenges in getting their credentials recognized.
Ford listed success stories of immigrants who have phoned him.
"Mr. Speaker, all you have to do is come to a Ford Fest. You’ll see the support from people around the world who come there," he said, referring to the eponymous family political BBQ that has not been held since June 2019. 
Autism program
Liberal MPP Lucille Collard said many families of children with autism have been "left to fend for themselves" after the government decided to revamp the autism program. She asked whether the government would get rid of the age caps that currently apply to different levels of funding. 
PC MPP Jeremy Roberts touted the government's budget for the autism program and labelled it a plan "by the community, for the community." He didn't state any intention to scrap the age caps and noted that the government would "continue moving forward" on its implementation of the program. 
Collard said the wait list has ballooned and asked about the government's plan to address this, with Roberts responding that families have access to "interim support" in the meantime.
Vaccines
Independent MPP Rick Nicholls, who was booted from the Progressive Conservative for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, said he's hearing from people who could get fired from their jobs for not getting the jab.
Touting the need for "freedom of choice," he asked whether the government would introduce legislation "denouncing mandatory vaccinations in the workplace."
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton noted the success of the vaccination campaign so far, adding that the vaccine is "the best way to defeat COVID-19 once and for all."

‘I am pro-immigration’: Your question period briefing

Read this for free.