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Results: 1 - 100 of 2660
View Pam Damoff Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, June 18, Cameron Fraser Damoff made his much-anticipated entry to the world. Loved to the moon and back by his mom Taylor and dad Fraser, my first grandchild could not have been born to better parents.
His Auntie Jill, Uncle Rob and cousin Bayley cannot wait to meet him, and his great-grandmother Betty is excited to hold the wee bairn in her arms.
Taylor's strength and huge heart will make her an incredible mom.
I am so proud of the man Fraser has become and the father he will be.
Cameron will always be surrounded by so much love and affection.
As John Lennon said:
Before you cross the street Take my hand Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plansBeautiful, beautiful, beautiful Beautiful boy
Congratulations, Fraser and Taylor. May God bless them and wee Cameron. I know Bunka is smiling down on them.
View Anthony Rota Profile
Lib. (ON)
Congratulations, Grandma. She has me in tears.
The hon. member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies.
View Bob Zimmer Profile
CPC (BC)
Mr. Speaker, community leaders throughout my riding are alarmed by the lack of genuine consultation around caribou and other closures.
The recent release of the province’s draft winter motorized recreation management plan in South Peace is a direct result of the caribou partnership agreement signed by the current Liberal government in 2020.
The B.C. Snowmobile Federation, the Concerned Citizens for Caribou Recovery, and the municipality of Chetwynd have come out strongly against this proposed plan. It became clear that their recommendations to maintain public access to vitally important areas while conserving caribou habitat were flatly ignored. What did the Liberals do with all this sound advice from outdoor experts? They threw it out the window.
It is time for the government to recognize its failings with arbitrary land and marine closures. It must ensure decisions made are based on science and sound advice from our communities. These decisions will have a direct impact on the local economy and the way of life. It looks like more closures are on the way with 30 by 30 and other initiatives supported blindly by the government.
It is time for the government to stop ramming through its agenda and start listening.
View Jennifer O'Connell Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize outstanding members from my community of Pickering—Uxbridge. Despite the pandemic, these individuals share an unwavering commitment to supporting their communities.
Dr. Carlye Jensen and Dr. Jennifer Wilson were recently selected by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health as Pillars of the Pandemic. The pandemic has required exceptional leadership, and Dr. Jensen and Dr. Wilson consistently went the extra mile.
Mahnoor Hussain was recently selected as one of only three Parks Canada Youth Ambassadors. Mahnoor will spend the summer engaging with youth across Canada, advocating for the protection and conservation of our national parks.
Paul Yang was recently awarded The Globe and Mail's Changemakers award. As acting director of innovation and sustainability, Paul has worked hard to phase out the use of plastic straws at all Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada.
I want to thank these members of our community for their commitment and for reminding us of the lasting impact individuals can have in our communities and across Canada.
View Andréanne Larouche Profile
BQ (QC)
View Andréanne Larouche Profile
2021-06-23 14:07 [p.9046]
Mr. Speaker, there are some news reports that are very discouraging for our planet.
In my region, people are upset about the Goldboro project. People in the Montérégie region and the Eastern Townships recently learned that the Alberta natural gas company Pieridae is currently lobbying the federal government and MPs to obtain public money for the construction of a port and a natural gas liquefaction plant near Halifax. The objective is to supply a German energy corporation. The company is looking for nearly $1 billion in public money.
According to a December 2020 presentation, the natural gas would transit through pipelines located in Quebec. The problem is that the pipelines seem to be at full capacity already. We fear that if the company obtains the federal government's financial support, other pipelines will have to be built in Quebec.
This is project is dangerous for the environment and would not generate any economic returns for Quebec, because the natural gas only transits through our province. This is the ghost of energy east. The green economic recovery that we want cannot happen with this type of project.
View Adam Vaughan Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Adam Vaughan Profile
2021-06-23 14:08 [p.9046]
Mr. Speaker, I have had the honour of being elected to Parliament three times. My commitment to the city I represent has been to stand here at every opportunity and advocate for Toronto and to do what I can to make the country better by doing better for people.
It will surprise no one when I say that the fundamental, just way to do this is to fight to ensure every Canadian has a safe, affordable place to call home. Nothing in politics is done alone. I acknowledge the ministers, the members from all parties and people from the housing sector who have worked together to create the national housing strategy. Together, we have legislated the right to housing, we are investing in new homes, we are repairing existing ones and we are delivering direct support to those in need. This country can end homelessness. We must end homelessness.
Yesterday was a tough day in Toronto. The city I love can do better. Our government can do better. We must all do better. The way forward is to find higher ground. It is not through the battleground, we need to build on common ground. That is our duty. That is what we will do.
View Alex Ruff Profile
CPC (ON)
View Alex Ruff Profile
2021-06-23 14:09 [p.9046]
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the life of Robert Alexander, a Canadian hero and a lifelong Owen Sound resident who recently passed away at 91 years of age.
Bob loved his community and country. In 1949, he joined the Canadian Army. In 1950, he deployed for a year-long deployment to Korea with the 25th Infantry Brigade, where he served with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. After his return from Korea, Bob was a Master Warrant Officer, MWO, with the Grey and Simcoe Foresters and a proud member of the Royal Canadian Legion.
Bob worked for the Department of Public Highways of Ontario and the Ministry of Transportation for nearly 35 years. He volunteered with the Grey Roots Museum and received the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2016.
Bob has been a cornerstone in the community, specifically in the antique vehicle, military and museum circles. Many will remember him from Remembrance Day parades in his 1953 army Jeep.
I would like to commend Bob for his service to Canada and his community. I offer my deepest condolences to the Alexander family. Bob will certainly be missed by many. Pro patria. Lest we forget.
View Helena Jaczek Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Helena Jaczek Profile
2021-06-23 14:10 [p.9046]
Mr. Speaker, I want to take this time to thank the outstanding doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and other allied health professionals and support staff at Markham Stouffville Hospital for their heroic and tireless dedication in fighting COVID-19 and for providing the vital care to Markham—Stouffville residents when they needed it most.
In total, the hospital has admitted and treated over 600 COVID-19 patients. The very first patient to be intubated was Dr. Larry Pancer, a much loved and respected pediatrician, who has cared for patients at the hospital for over 30 years. Dr. Pancer's fight with COVID-19 was not easy, but thanks to the expert care he received at Markham Stouffville Hospital, he is home with his family.
I am sure that for the entire team at Markham Stouffville hospital, this has been the most challenging time of their careers. On behalf of the residents of our community, I want to thank them for their skill and incredibly demanding work during this difficult time. We are proud of them.
View James Maloney Profile
Lib. (ON)
View James Maloney Profile
2021-06-23 14:11 [p.9047]
Mr. Speaker, Summer is off to a fast start in Etobicoke—Lakeshore. To be clear, I am talking about Summer McIntosh, the 14-year-old swimming dynamo.
At the 2021 Canadian Olympic swimming trials this past weekend, she made history, winning the women's 200-metre freestyle. Not only did she secure herself a spot to represent Canada this summer in Tokyo, Summer now holds the fastest 200-metre freestyle time in history by a female swimmer aged 15 and under. She also ranks as the second-fastest Canadian woman of all time in the event.
Summer slammed it again in the 800-metre race. Her time of eight minutes and 29.49 seconds was almost four seconds under the Olympic standard needed for Tokyo. All eyes will be on her today as she takes on the 1,500 metres.
Summer comes to swimming naturally. The daughter of Jill Horstead, who swam for Canada in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games at age 17, Summer has followed in her mother's footsteps and will make our country, and our community in Etobicoke—Lakeshore, proud as part of the Canadian team.
This Summer is going to be great.
View Bernard Généreux Profile
CPC (QC)
Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to address the Chair, my colleagues and all Canadians who are watching at home.
My deepest sympathies are with the grieving families, friends and colleagues of Jérôme, Vincent, Yannick and Benjamin.
I learned earlier this week that a third young man in the Montmagny region took his own life. He was the fourth member of the same group of friends who committed suicide in just two months. Now that the lockdown is finally over and students and graduates are getting ready for summer, these young men in their early 20s took their own lives.
Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. I want to tell all those who are hurting inside, those who are in the dark and who feel alone, to call someone, talk to someone and open their hearts so they can get help.
We do not know what people are hiding behind their smiles, but we are there for them. There is hope and they are loved. Sometimes we might be awkward, but we are there. Until an emergency line is set up, the best thing to do in Quebec is to call the telephone help line at 1-866-APPELLE in times of need.
View Soraya Martinez Ferrada Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Soraya Martinez Ferrada Profile
2021-06-23 14:14 [p.9047]
Mr. Speaker, 400 years ago, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, was celebrated in Quebec on June 24 with bonfires along the St. Lawrence River. Now a national holiday for Quebeckers of all origins, this holiday celebrates our profound attachment to the nation we are today.
For me, Quebec's national holiday has always been an important day because it celebrates the nation I chose and that welcomed me 40 years ago, when I emigrated from Chili with my mother.
This year's theme is “Vivre le Québec tissé serré”, because we are close-knit and we have witnessed the great solidarity shown by the people of Hochelaga and everywhere in Quebec. To all the organizations in my riding that delivered thousands of meals and spread goodwill among our citizens, my deepest thanks.
I enthusiastically invite you to promote this Quebec nation which, generation after generation, expresses its pride, its solidarity, and its attachment to its language and its culture, always open to the world.
I wish Quebeckers a happy Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day and, of course, “Go, Habs, go!”
View James Cumming Profile
CPC (AB)
View James Cumming Profile
2021-06-23 14:15 [p.9047]
Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the many struggling businesses, particularly those in the tourism sector, that have been impacted by the lack of communication and non-existent border opening strategy in this country.
Trix Star Productions, one of 133 tourism and hospitality businesses in my riding, is heavily reliant on cross-border revenue to operate and will not see a light at the end of the tunnel until this government implements a concrete plan with benchmarks and measurables to reopen the U.S.-Canadian border safely and effectively.
This government has refused to listen to recommendations of its own public health advisers, who argued that maintenance of supply chains and services was one of the reasons against a rapid border closure. The tourism and travel industry accounts for $43 billion of our GDP. U.S. visitors contribute $1.9 billion. We cannot deploy a full economic recovery until we safely and strategically execute a plan on a border reopening.
We need a plan and we need it now, or our economy and the people of the country will continue to suffer the consequences.
View Bob Saroya Profile
CPC (ON)
View Bob Saroya Profile
2021-06-23 14:16 [p.9048]
Mr. Speaker, on this day 36 years ago, June 23, 1985, a bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182 connecting Toronto to New Delhi. The mid-air explosion killed all 329 passengers. The majority of the victims were Canadians, including 82 children under the age of 13. Two of the victims, Kulbir Kaur Minhas and Balwinder Kaur Minhas, were my relatives.
The bombing was the single worst terrorist act in the history of Canada. A judicial inquiry determined that the bombing was a Canadian tragedy and the largest mass murder in Canadian history. To acknowledge the tragedy, June 23 was declared a National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.
Sadly, every year the list of victims grows larger. Terrorists continue to target innocent people to further their causes. The recent attack in London was a horrific reminder that Canada must continue to stamp out terrorism in all its forms.
View Heather McPherson Profile
NDP (AB)
View Heather McPherson Profile
2021-06-23 14:18 [p.9048]
Mr. Speaker, congratulations to all the high school graduates from the many high schools in Edmonton Strathcona.
We are always proud of high school graduates, but to the class of 2021, I want to give a particular shout-out. They are all incredible for working so hard and accomplishing so much this year. In the midst of a global pandemic, they have demonstrated their determination and completed their high school diplomas.
An example of our phenomenal graduates is Nimra Hooda: the 2021 Strathcona leadership award recipient. Nimra, like so many students in Edmonton Strathcona, represents the very best of our youth. She empowers youth in our community, she works with residents in long-term care and she contributes so much to Old Scona Academic High School and to the broader Edmonton community.
Congratulations to Nimra and to all the amazing graduates in Edmonton Strathcona. They have overcome so many challenges this year, and these lessons will guide them in whatever future they choose. They should take a moment to appreciate this accomplishment. They have earned it and they deserve it.
View Yves-François Blanchet Profile
BQ (QC)
Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has been the dominant theme of three successive sessions, which will come to an end this afternoon.
This will be Quebec's second national holiday under the threat—which is finally subsiding—of a virus of diverse and formidable forms and effects, but a celebration is definitely in order. Our nation comes together in the face of adversity.
As we can begin to feel hopeful and as our efforts and discipline seem to be paying off, the holiday will feel particularly liberating, although our national holiday always feels liberating.
On behalf of all members of the Bloc Québécois, along with our staff, I would like to wish everyone a very happy Quebec national holiday.
I wish a happy Quebec national holiday to all Quebeckers, to our indigenous friends and to everyone who loves Quebec with the passion of our dreams for building a future together.
This June 24, all of Quebec will move into the blue zone.
View Raquel Dancho Profile
CPC (MB)
View Raquel Dancho Profile
2021-06-23 14:20 [p.9048]
Mr. Speaker, 25 new Liberal MPs were elected in October 2019, and I do not think they quite knew what they were getting into. In the last 20 months, they have stood right alongside the corruption of a tired Prime Minister plagued by scandal, with no plan to secure the future of Canada. They said nothing as their Prime Minister ignored four parliamentary orders to hand over documents related to the level 4 lab in Winnipeg. They seemed unconcerned that their government was found in contempt of Parliament. They said nothing when their government tried to give half a billion dollars to the WE charity, which paid the Trudeau family half a million dollars. They stood by a defence minister who has absolutely failed to send a clear message to the most powerful men in our military that the status quo is no longer acceptable. That is the record of the new Liberal MPs.
Conservatives will do whatever we can to replace the corrupt government with one that will put the needs of Canadian families first and secure our future.
View Churence Rogers Profile
Lib. (NL)
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today to recognize a true hero in my riding. Duane Antle is the current fire chief in the town of Come By Chance, which has a volunteer fire department. He was the 2020 recipient of the Canadian Volunteer Fire Services Association's lifetime achievement award.
Duane has served as a firefighter for the past 27 years. He is the current president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Fire Services. Duane truly exemplifies what community service means, and I cannot think of a better person to be recognized with the award. He is also the first Newfoundlander and Labradorian to receive it. I was honoured to present Chief Antle with his national award earlier this month at a dinner hosted by his hometown.
Congratulations again to Duane. We all celebrate him and his accomplishments, and thank him for all he does for our communities and towns.
View Paul Manly Profile
GP (BC)
View Paul Manly Profile
2021-06-22 13:59 [p.8969]
Mr. Speaker, my congratulations to all the graduates of 2021. They are resilient, and I hope the challenges they have faced during their education will help them be flexible and creative as they continue on their life's journey. Enjoy the summer.
COVID-19 is not over yet. As we reopen, we need to remain vigilant to the threat that the variants pose to public health. It is also important to acknowledge that many people and businesses are still facing financial insecurity and the stress that comes with it.
The pandemic has shown us what is possible when we unite to face an emergency. We need that same approach to transform our economy, to put people and the planet before corporate profits. The climate emergency and biodiversity crisis demand nothing less.
I am committed to this work, and I pledge to work collaboratively to get it done. Together, we can do this.
View Terry Sheehan Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Terry Sheehan Profile
2021-06-22 14:00 [p.8969]
Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my most sincere congratulations to all 2021 graduates in my riding of Sault Ste. Marie.
Happy graduation to the students of Sault College, Algoma University, École Notre-Dame-du-Saul, St. Mary’s College, Korah Collegiate, Superior Heights Collegiate, White Pines Collegiate, the alternative and adult learning centres, and, of course, all the amazing grade eight graduates.
This has been a challenging year to be graduating, but these graduates have shown incredible perseverance and should be very proud of their accomplishments. I know that I am, as are their parents, relatives and friends.
Whether they are entering the workforce or returning to school in the fall, I know that the next chapter of their lives will bring great things for them.
As a reminder, the federal government has invested record-breaking dollars into the Canada summer jobs program, creating over 580 youth job opportunities locally, so visit the Canada Job Bank online for more info.
For the 2021 graduates, who are outstanding members of the community, I wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
View Corey Tochor Profile
CPC (SK)
View Corey Tochor Profile
2021-06-22 14:01 [p.8970]
Mr. Speaker, there is something rotten on Parliament Hill. We have the Centre Block renovations that have become a big, black hole for Canadian taxpayers, with billions of dollars blown through already, over budget, delayed and literally just a big hole on Parliament Hill, and the Liberals are just getting started.
It is now being reported that the once proud national symbol is being “green washed”. The Liberals want to cancel our centennial flame, symbolizing Canadian unity, that has been using Canadian natural gas since the start. The Liberals now want the flame to burn on garbage instead. They would rather truck in garbage dump gases from Montreal than use Canadian clean natural gas.
When will the Liberals stop turning our national symbols into garbage? Canada is not a garbage dump, and the Liberals need to stop treating us like one.
View Marie-France Lalonde Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Marie-France Lalonde Profile
2021-06-22 14:02 [p.8970]
Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of speaking virtually to express my appreciation to the members of the Association pour l'intégration sociale d'Ottawa, or AISO, on the occasion of their annual general meeting, on June 14.
The association is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and I wanted to thank its members for the essential services they offer in our community. The theme of their AGA was “Our strength is the foundation that brings us together”, a theme that is perfectly aligned with the values they convey in offering services in French to francophones with intellectual disabilities.
In this way, AISO plays a leadership role in promoting and teaching our beloved French language. In the last three decades, it has proven that all we need is a vision and some leadership to accomplish great things.
I wish the whole AISO team a happy 30th anniversary. I hope they keep up the good work.
View Luc Thériault Profile
BQ (QC)
View Luc Thériault Profile
2021-06-22 14:03 [p.8970]
Mr. Speaker, I am still in a state of shock after learning that a tornado struck the heart of Mascouche, in my riding. It took the life of a man, Jacques Lefebvre, and left devastation in its wake.
I would like to extend my condolences on behalf of the Bloc Québécois and myself to the family and friends of Jacques Lefebvre. The whole region is there for them in this time of mourning. My thoughts go out to the fifty-some families affected who, today, must deal with the damage and, in some cases, the rubble. I wish them courage.
I invite all the residents of Mascouche and the region to stand together in the days to come. Their friends, relatives, neighbours and fellow residents of Mascouche have a lot of challenges and work ahead of them. Let us be attentive, generous and kind to one another in the wake of this tragedy that we never thought could happen in our riding.
View Karen McCrimmon Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Karen McCrimmon Profile
2021-06-22 14:04 [p.8970]
Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to thank the people of Kanata—Carleton and all Canadians. They have inspired me with their tenacity, their generosity, their compassion and their care. We are seeing it even today, with the number of Canadians who are stepping up to get vaccinated so they can look after each other.
My mother's favourite saying was, “It's not happiness that makes you grateful, it's gratefulness that makes you happy”, and we have so very much for which to be grateful.
It is quite an honour to stand here and to thank people for their commitment to a better Canada. If we acknowledge our shortcomings, if we know that we can do better, if we are willing to work hard and if we are willing to let love, kindness and care guide the way, we cannot get it wrong.
I thank them all, and I appreciate everything they have done to make this an even better country. We will just keep going.
View Joël Godin Profile
CPC (QC)
Mr. Speaker, as Parliament is about to rise, allow me to thank the Chair, all the staff of the House and all my colleagues. It has been impressive to see how adaptable and resilient we are.
This government must now find solutions so that our businesses can emerge from this crisis and share in the economic recovery. The labour shortage is alarming, and this government needs to stop making excuses and put tools in place, such as speeding up and relaxing immigration of workers. Businesses are the backbone of our economy; it would be shame if they were hit by another crisis in the form of a labour shortage.
The inefficiency of this government can be seen in its inability to find solutions. We must value work, not encourage passivity. I am urging this government to give a boost to Canadian businesses, which are threatened with bankruptcy. We simply need to give them access to labour; it is not complicated. Let us not forget that our businesses are what create economic prosperity, not this ethically deficient, centralizing Liberal government. This government needs to act now.
View Peter Fragiskatos Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Peter Fragiskatos Profile
2021-06-22 14:07 [p.8971]
Mr. Speaker, each member of Parliament is able to serve because of people who freely give of their time for a cause larger than themselves. That is the kind of person Peter Regan was.
Last week, Peter passed away as a result of acute myeloid leukemia. He is survived by his devoted wife Lissa; daughters Amy, Sarah, Mary and Leah; his grandchildren Sydney and Thomas; and siblings Shelley, Sue, Judy, John, Mark, Jeff, and Shannon.
Peter was dedicated to his family and friends from across Canada and the United States, including his London Knights every Friday night gang, the London Football Referees’ Association, the Fanshawe Optimists, his Bell Canada guys, former North London Soccer and London Minor Football teams.
I met Peter seven years ago as a candidate pursing my party's nomination. The first volunteer to put signs into the ground and the first to take them out, Peter was genuine and kind. People like him are seldom talked about. They ought to be, because they help to make Canada exactly what it is.
View Chris Warkentin Profile
CPC (AB)
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has failed Canadians. My constituents in Peace Country are fed up with politicians who claim one thing to get elected and then impose an Ottawa-knows-best, one-size-fits-all fantasy solution to real-world problems.
Peace Country residents have been hit hard by the Liberals' ongoing attack on Alberta's energy sector, the tripling of the carbon tax, and they cannot afford the hyperinflation the Liberals are currently manufacturing. My constituents want representation that actually cares who they are and what they believe, and the effective solutions they have. It is time for a government that will not pit one group of Canadians against another.
Canadians are the solution; they have always been that. Canadians deserve a government that will encourage creativity, innovation, opportunity and prosperity rather than inhibit it through government control and unnecessary regulations. It is time for a government that will respect the people and will be focused on building a future for every Canadian, not just politicians and their friends.
View Terry Duguid Profile
Lib. (MB)
View Terry Duguid Profile
2021-06-22 14:09 [p.8971]
Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, our country witnessed a horrific tragedy. The Afzaal family, enjoying an evening walk together, became the victims of an abhorrent act of hate and terror that demonstrated the destructive and deadly consequences of Islamophobia. The reality is that this cowardly attack was not an isolated incident.
From London to Toronto to Quebec City to Edmonton, Muslim Canadians have continued to be the subject of Islamophobic attacks, targeted simply because of their faith. Muslim Canadians are hurt, they are angry and they are demanding action.
To the growing Muslim community in my riding of Winnipeg South, which is home to elders, parents, young adults and children who make our neighbourhoods a vibrant place to live, I want them to know we stand with them. I commit to listening to them and to demanding better for them.
It is the responsibility of each one of us to fight against Islamophobia and racism, and to root it out of our communities once and for all.
View Kenny Chiu Profile
CPC (BC)
View Kenny Chiu Profile
2021-06-22 14:11 [p.8971]
Mr. Speaker, last year, schools across the country received $2 billion in funding to see COVID-19 safety measures implemented before the school year began, including schools within SD38, the district where I once held the honour of serving as a board of education trustee.
This year, schools are still facing uncertainty as the pandemic continues. I must bring to the government's attention that vaccines for people 12 years or older alone are not enough. Richmond schools require enhanced sanitization and staff to disinfect high-touch areas. They also need support for essential health and safety supplies and PPE, including child-sized masks and hand sanitizer.
As well, with learners having been greatly impacted by the isolation, mental health supports for students and staff are also critical. There is still work to be done to prepare our nation for reopening and to ensure our children and youth have a safe return to school this fall.
View James Cumming Profile
CPC (AB)
View James Cumming Profile
2021-06-22 14:12 [p.8971]
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to congratulate Fort Edmonton Management Company for the completion of the Fort Edmonton Park enhancement project, a $160-million project sponsored by the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta and the City of Edmonton. As both a board member and an Edmontonian, I am proud to have played a small part in seeing this project come to life.
Recognized as the largest living history museum in Canada, Fort Edmonton Park will reopen on July 1 with an upgraded utility work, an expanded 1920s midway, a new front entry plaza and, most important, the Indigenous Peoples Experience. This one of a kind transformative experience will immerse our guests in indigenous customs and traditions and highlight the inspirational stories of first nations, Métis and Inuit peoples who have resided on these lands for hundreds of thousands of years. The breath-taking and interactive exhibit tells the story of four seasons and the 13 moons, and is designed to be truly diverse and an inclusive representation of Canada's first peoples.
I look forward to the impacts it will have on my community, the surrounding area of Edmonton and the rest of Canada.
View Matthew Green Profile
NDP (ON)
View Matthew Green Profile
2021-06-22 14:13 [p.8972]
Mr. Speaker, at the request of rabbis in Hamilton and leaders of the Jewish community, I rise today and share an excerpt from their statement of solidarity with the Muslim community after the attack in London. They say:
Once again, the Jewish Community of Hamilton recoils in horror upon learning of the deplorable act of murder perpetrated in London yesterday. We are no less sickened to learn that the murder was a racially motivated, premeditated Islamophobic attack, carried out solely because the victims were Muslims....At this incredibly painful and frightening time, Hamilton’s rabbis and its Jewish leadership reach out to our Muslim brothers and sisters and to their sheikhs and imams, extending our empathy, solidarity and support. We cry with you and we mourn with you. We yearn for a day when every human being, whether Indigenous, Muslim or Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Atheist, Christian or other, can proudly live in this country true to her or his beliefs without a drop of fear. And we pledge to work with you, shoulder to shoulder, to bring this about....We pray for the recovery of the injured child, and that the memories of the murdered ones always be for a blessing.
In tears and hope
View Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Profile
BQ (QC)
Mr. Speaker, in the face of human tragedy, the only thing worse than inaction is promising to act and then doing nothing. That is what the federal government is doing to the family of Raïf Badawi, who has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for nine years.
His wife, Ensaf Haidar, wrote to the Minister of Immigration and the Prime Minister this morning, reminding them that all members of the House, including the minister and the Prime Minister, agreed that Canada should grant citizenship to Raïf Badawi. She also reminded them that the Quebec National Assembly and the Senate also support that request. Everyone is calling on Ottawa to take action.
The saddest part of her letter is that Ms. Haidar expresses doubt, perhaps for the first time, that her husband will be able to serve his full prison sentence before Ottawa finally takes action. I still believe this government is better than that. It is not too late. The government needs to honour its promise and make Raïf Badawi a citizen.
View Michael Chong Profile
CPC (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has laid bare the state of our institutions. There is no governor general because of scandal. Eight senior leaders of the Canadian Armed Forces have resigned or have been forced out. We have military procurement systems that cannot procure, and we have payroll systems that cannot pay.
We have a government that thought it appropriate a year ago to introduce legislation that would have suspended the powers of Parliament over taxation and spending until the end of this calendar year. We have a government that prorogued Parliament to shut down committee investigations. We have a government that continues to defy four orders of this House and its committee to hand over documents related to serious breaches at the Winnipeg lab, which is now preventing this Parliament from doing its job.
The government is in contempt of Parliament. The government does not deserve another mandate. The government must go.
View Kirsty Duncan Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Kirsty Duncan Profile
2021-06-22 14:16 [p.8972]
Mr. Speaker, my thoughts and prayers are with three beautiful, innocent children who were attending a birthday party on a warm summer night. What should have been a happy occasion, filled with children's laughter, quickly turned to tragedy when a one-year-old, a five-year-old and an 11-year-old were hit by gunfire. Our community is outraged by this brazen, disgusting and horrific attack. We are grateful two of the injured children have been released from hospital, while we keep a little girl who is in critical condition in all our hearts.
Firing a gun anywhere at any time in our communities is unacceptable. We cannot tolerate violence, especially when it threatens the lives of children in our communities. The perpetrators of this heinous crime must be brought to justice. We thank 23 Division of the Toronto Police Service for working non-stop to find those responsible. We must strengthen our efforts to end gun violence and heal our communities.
View Tony Van Bynen Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Tony Van Bynen Profile
2021-06-21 14:00 [p.8841]
Madam Speaker, for over 27 years, Rae Bowie has dedicated her career to public service and helping Canadians. Over the years, Rae has worked for many members of Parliament, at both the provincial and the federal levels. She has mentored numerous staff and provided outstanding service to constituents in several ridings.
Rae has also been an exemplary community member through her volunteer service across York Region, a friend to all of us, and a proud mother and grandmother. Her support for the residents of Newmarket—Aurora throughout this pandemic has not been unnoticed.
Rae has been an invaluable team member and we will miss her. On behalf of our team and all of those who have had the pleasure to work with her, congratulations to Rae on her well-deserved retirement.
View Jasraj Singh Hallan Profile
CPC (AB)
Madam Speaker, today as we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day, I would like to recognize the Siksika nation's generous donation of vaccines to the Dashmesh Culture Centre in Calgary for their vaccine drive. Through the tireless efforts led by President Amanpreet Singh Gill and the entire executive committee, the Dashmesh Culture Centre serves the community at large in Calgary through Seva and many community initiatives. This is what Canada is about.
When the South Asian community needed help to tackle COVID-19, it was our indigenous brothers and sisters who stood up and came to help. During this pandemic, we must remember that we are in this together. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others.”
We are stronger together and may God truly keep this beautiful land strong and free.
View Julie Dabrusin Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Julie Dabrusin Profile
2021-06-21 14:02 [p.8842]
Madam Speaker, this year, the Withrow Park Farmers' Market celebrates its 15th anniversary. Started as a pilot project, it came together through the hard work and dedication of volunteers. Roberta was at the heart of it all. She could be found every Saturday at the market and working throughout the week to make it a success.
The market is not just about food; it is about projects like its zero waste initiative that moved people beyond single-use plastics by lending out plates, cups and cutlery to use for market foods, and it is about building community. I used to organize a stone soup at the fire pit. Community members would pick food up at the market and together we would make a big pot of soup to share while telling stories around the fire.
My thanks to Chantal, the market manager; Eleanor, Janet, Lanrick, Estelle and Mary on the board of directors, and all of the amazing volunteers who make the Withrow Park Farmers' Market a great part of our community.
View Claude DeBellefeuille Profile
BQ (QC)
Madam Speaker, at this very moment, seriously ill people are facing unacceptable financial worries. They are wondering whether they will be able to provide for their families while they are recovering. They are caught in this dilemma because employment insurance is failing them in the middle of their recovery, when what they need is 50 weeks of special sickness benefits.
Bill C‑265 received unanimous support from the members of the parliamentary committee. People who are sick need compassion and caring, not to be abandoned. That is why the House is calling for an increase in EI sickness benefits to 50 weeks.
The only thing missing is for the Liberal government to give the royal recommendation to the bill. The time has come to listen to the will of parliamentarians and give the royal recommendation to the Émilie Sansfaçon bill, to ensure that sick workers are never again abandoned.
View Emmanuel Dubourg Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Emmanuel Dubourg Profile
2021-06-21 14:06 [p.8842]
Mr. Speaker, as part of the third “eminent men in Bourassa” ceremony, which was held in Bourassa, I had the honour of celebrating six men, who lead various organizations, for their significant contributions to making our riding a better place to live.
At this ceremony, held on Father's Day, I handed out certificates to these men and awarded them the Bourassa MP's medal for distinguished service. The recipients are François Bérard, Antonio Bernabei, Omar Messioun, Will Prosper, Martin Rodrigue and José Trottier.
It is important to point out the accomplishments of these men in the riding of Bourassa and to present them to my colleagues in the House of Commons.
View John Brassard Profile
CPC (ON)
View John Brassard Profile
2021-06-21 14:07 [p.8842]
Mr. Speaker, close to 200 well-wishers lined the streets leading to the home of Edwin Ng as he returned home earlier this month.
Ng, a 48-year-old husband, father, grandfather and dedicated personal support worker, contracted COVID-19 when an outbreak devastated Roberta Place long-term care centre in January. He spent almost five months in hospital and underwent a double lung transplant. He was determined to survive and with support from his wife Samantha, family, friends, community and their faith in God, Edwin never gave up hope.
Our community of Barrie—Innisfil is also sending its love and support to Troy Scott, owner of the Foodland in Stroud, who was recently hospitalized facing a similar battle as Edwin did after contracting COVID. In Barrie—Innisfil and communities across Canada, our resiliency and, in many cases our faith, has been tested with stories like Edwin's and Troy's.
As we approach Canada Day inspired by these stories of resilience, let them serve as a reminder that as a nation, Canada has faced and overcome great challenges during our history when we are united, determined, compassionate and respectful, and we will do so again.
View Wayne Long Profile
Lib. (NB)
View Wayne Long Profile
2021-06-21 14:08 [p.8843]
Mr. Speaker, since 2015, I have been advocating for more affordable housing for my riding of Saint John—Rothesay. Housing is a basic human right that should be available to all. That is why for the fifth consecutive budget, we are making significant new investments in housing.
Budget 2021 proposes an additional $2.5 billion over seven years in new funding. Notably, we are extending the highly successful rapid housing initiative introduced by our government late last year, with an additional investment of $1.5 billion in 2021-22. Last week, I had the pleasure of being joined by Minister Hussen to announce a $1.3-million investment from the federal government to build the Unified Saint John Housing Co-operative’s Victoria Street building that includes 14 housing units primarily intended for low-income women, including women with children.
I want to thank all of those involved in this project for all of their hard work and their commitment to providing safe and affordable housing for those who need it most.
View Anthony Rota Profile
Lib. (ON)
I just want to remind hon. members that even during their S.O. 31, they cannot mention the name of someone in the chamber. Normally, we refer to them by their position or their riding.
On another note, I just want to offer a tip that has worked for me. I saw it happen to a member earlier. Always have a hard copy of whatever your statement is, even if you are using the screen. It just works out that much better as a backup.
The hon. member for Niagara Centre.
View Vance Badawey Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Vance Badawey Profile
2021-06-21 14:09 [p.8843]
Mr. Speaker, gardens and gardening contribute to the development of our country, our cities, as well as the lives of Canadians in terms of health, quality of life, reconciliation, inclusion and environmental challenges.
We recognize 2022 as Canada’s Year of the Garden, marking the centennial of Canada’s ornamental horticulture sector on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association. The Year of the Garden, led by the Canadian Garden Council, will engage Canadian gardeners, families, students and tourists with our garden culture and history, the importance of public and private gardens, and our urban landscapes. It will invite Canadians to “live the garden life”.
The Year of the Garden 2022 will also contribute to the economic development of municipalities across this great nation. Members of all political parties have expressed support for the Year of the Garden 2022, along with members of Canada’s garden family from all part of this great country. Canada is also the first country to celebrate the Year of the Garden.
View Blaine Calkins Profile
CPC (AB)
View Blaine Calkins Profile
2021-06-21 14:11 [p.8843]
Mr. Speaker, Ponoka lost a legend earlier this year when Mr. Henry Fleck passed away on January 22. A cowboy to the core, Henry had a love for all things horse-drawn and was best known as a stagecoach driver in the grand entry of the Ponoka Stampede, a role he held for more than 15 years.
No doubt about it, Henry was a cowboy through and through and shared his passion with everyone. If he was not driving the stagecoach in the summer, he was pulling a sleigh in the winter. He rarely asked for money; just a little something to cover the cost of feeding the horses. When the occasion called, Henry would honour fallen cowboys by bringing them to their final resting place in a horse-drawn hearse.
Henry was proud to be from Central Alberta and would often tour with the stagecoach to other destinations to promote his hometown and the Ponoka Stampede and bring a sample of our western hospitality to everyone. We were so blessed to have such an incredible ambassador for the cowboy way of life in our midst.
Rest easy, Henry. We tip our hats to you.
View Rachel Bendayan Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Rachel Bendayan Profile
2021-06-21 14:12 [p.8843]
Mr. Speaker, small neighbourhood businesses across the country are reopening, and the federal government is here to support them, as it has been from the first day of the pandemic.
After working with the Minister of Small Business for several months, I was present for the announcement of our national shop local program this morning. The federal government is working with chambers of commerce across the country, including the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, to promote our main streets.
Small businesses are reopening across the country, and they need us. They need all Canadians to think of them and support them through their recovery.
Earlier today, the Minister of Small Business and I announced a new federal program that will support “shop local” initiatives right across the country and encourage all Canadians to support their local entrepreneurs.
Tens of millions of dollars in federal funding are coming to our main streets, because our local small businesses and our neighbourhood merchants are what make our communities home. So get out there and shop local.
View Michael Barrett Profile
CPC (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the people of Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes have been getting things done. Collaborating with the provincial and municipal governments, our community has been working together to bring federal funding for major projects we need in developing them from ideas into reality.
Massive infrastructure projects, like the County Road 43 expansion that will get us to work in the morning and home at night more safely; recreation projects, like the new arena in Prescott that will serve as a community hub; or affordable housing projects, like the St. Vincent de Paul project in Brockville with affordable housing for seniors. I will continue to fight to make sure that our community gets its fair share of dollars for these vital projects.
We are going to call on the government for more funds for investment in Gananoque, Westport, Rideau Lakes, North Grenville, across the United Counties with rec projects in Leeds and the Thousand Islands, and Edwardsburgh Cardinal.
I want to thank my provincial and municipal counterparts and everyone in our community who has worked so hard on these projects. Together, we are building a better community.
View Colin Carrie Profile
CPC (ON)
View Colin Carrie Profile
2021-06-21 14:14 [p.8844]
Mr. Speaker, the anti-Muslim terrorist attack in London, Ontario that took the lives of four members of the Afzaal family devastated our nation, including my community of Oshawa and Durham Region.
On Friday, June 11, councillor Maleeha Shahid and Siraj Patel organized a peace walk and vigil to remember the lives lost and mourn for Fayez, a boy now left without his family, and take a stand against the hate that brought destruction to innocent Canadians just trying to live their lives. I want to thank Imam Shakir and Pastor Jayson Levy for their words of comfort and challenge that evening.
I was also thankful for the opportunity to visit the Islamic Centre of Oshawa this past Friday to speak with the imam and the congregation. The intense pain felt by those in London is shared in Oshawa.
Oshawa has a strong history of celebrating our multicultural past, and we are committed to welcoming all cultures as part of our rich, shared and respected future.
View Mumilaaq Qaqqaq Profile
NDP (NU)
View Mumilaaq Qaqqaq Profile
2021-06-21 14:15 [p.8844]
Mr. Speaker, today is National Indigenous Peoples Day. It should be a day of celebration, culture and history, but I am filled with a tremendous amount of sadness and anger.
When this institution talks about indigenous communities, we often talk about resiliency. Those in the federal institution talk about its record-breaking investments when a quarter to five dollars is a slap in the face. They pat themselves on the back while denying Inuit access to safe, livable space that keeps them alive.
I will continue to say this. There is nothing to be proud of for indigenous peoples in this institution. There is nothing for anyone to be patting themselves on the back. In fact, they should all feel extreme shame. I feel ashamed that Inuit are continuously being denied the right to live, the right to self-determination.
Today, I applaud Inuit and indigenous peoples. Without ourselves, our strength and our resilience, we would not be here.
Matna.
View Sylvie Bérubé Profile
BQ (QC)
Mr. Speaker, today is National Indigenous Peoples Day, but commemorations are not enough, especially after what happened in Kamloops. This day must be one of action and must focus on respectful nation-to-nation collaboration, in spite of the gravity of residential schools. That is why the Bloc Québécois spoke to the different assemblies representing the first nations and the Inuit.
As a result of these discussions, we are calling on the government to contribute financial resources to identify the locations that may have been the site of the same horrors as in Kamloops. We are calling on the government to push the religious communities that participated in the residential school system to give access to their archives. Furthermore, we are demanding that a monument for residential schools be constructed in Ottawa, in collaboration with the Algonquin nation.
These actions will not erase the generations of violence, inhumanity and shame, but they do represent a step forward. This is what indigenous peoples are recommending and what we must do together.
View Jag Sahota Profile
CPC (AB)
View Jag Sahota Profile
2021-06-21 14:17 [p.8845]
Mr. Speaker, this pandemic has wreaked havoc on our economy and resulted in thousands of individuals being laid off, with the vast majority of those affected being women.
While Canadian women have been struggling to make ends meet, the Liberal government, under this Prime Minister, decided to dole out millions to his rich friends and raise taxes on middle-class Canadians. Canadian women cannot afford this corruption and higher taxes any longer.
However, there is hope for women. Canada’s Conservatives have a five-point plan to secure the future for Canadians, which includes recovering the million jobs lost, balancing the budget over the next decade and bringing about more accountability so we never see another WE scandal.
For those who support higher taxes, job losses and more scandals, Canadians have four parties to choose from, the Liberals, Bloc, NDP and Greens, but for Canadian women who care about securing Canada’s economic future, there is only one choice: Canada’s Conservatives.
View Yvonne Jones Profile
Lib. (NL)
View Yvonne Jones Profile
2021-06-21 14:18 [p.8845]
Mr. Speaker, today we honour the rich cultures and traditions of first nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada. We also recognize this National Indigenous Peoples Day is occurring at a time that is very difficult. Many of us are deeply heartbroken learning of the unmarked remains of children at the former residential school near Kamloops.
This National Indigenous History Month is dedicated to the missing children who went to residential school and never came home. It is dedicated to their families and to all residential school survivors.
While today we recognize the historic and ongoing contributions of indigenous people to our country, we also take the time to educate ourselves about the hard truths of our past, acknowledge the ongoing impacts of racist colonial policies and the realities of current systemic racism.
We encourage all Canadians to read or reread the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action, as they are a road map to reconciliation, a road map that is supported by indigenous people, by our government and hopefully by all Canadians.
View Marwan Tabbara Profile
Ind. (ON)
Madam Speaker, Canadians are now world leaders in the share of people who have had at least one dose of vaccine. With our steady supply, high vaccination rates and a shift to second doses, Canada is on its way to being one of the most vaccinated nations in the world. Congratulations to everyone who has worked on this world-leading procurement and logistical project.
However, the fight against COVID is still not over and my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler in Waterloo Region is currently the region with the highest number of new cases daily in Ontario. Over 80% of the new cases and hospitalizations are from 30% of the adult population who remain unvaccinated. Sadly, we are facing the prospect of being left behind in reopening plans. I want to remind my constituents and all Canadians of the importance of getting vaccinated as soon as possible. It is the fastest path back to normal.
View Chandra Arya Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Chandra Arya Profile
2021-06-18 10:59 [p.8763]
Madam Speaker, Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem is the third-holiest site in Islam. My wife and I visited Al-Aqsa Mosque when we travelled to Palestine and the images of violence we saw there during the holy month of Ramadan were upsetting; it resulted in conflict and loss of life, including children.
The Human Rights Watch report reflects the life conditions of Palestinians under occupation, of which we all are well aware.
It is not enough for Canada just to state it is concerned about settlements, demolitions and evictions, including in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. I request our government to distinguish between the occupied and the occupier and to take concrete, visible and decisive action toward finding a peaceful two-state solution.
View Kelly Block Profile
CPC (SK)
Madam Speaker, the family has always been regarded as the cornerstone of society. Ronald Regan stated, “Our families nurture, preserve, and pass on to each succeeding generation the values we share and cherish, values that are the foundation for our freedoms”.
The importance of the role of fatherhood should never be diminished. As we celebrate our fathers this Sunday, I want to pay tribute to the three generations of fathers in my family.
To my father Ernie, thank you for being my biggest fan and a tremendous source of guidance and encouragement.
To my father-in-law Henry, thank you for your wisdom and reason.
To Theo, Jeff, Michael and Nic, thank you for your courage and commitment to your families.
Finally, to Milton, thank you for being my rock, best friend and life partner; and for your dedication to our family.
To fathers across the country, your contributions are essential in ensuring that we continue to thrive as a society.
Happy Father's Day.
View Peter Schiefke Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Peter Schiefke Profile
2021-06-18 11:01 [p.8763]
Madam Speaker, one thing that unites Canadians from coast to coast is their love of hockey. It is June, the outdoor rinks in Vaudreuil—Soulanges have long disappeared, and the skates have been replaced by bathing suits.
None of that matters, though, because the NHL playoffs are under way. One Canadian team is still in contention to win the Stanley Cup, and we are all cheering them on.
The Montreal Canadiens, hockey's most storied franchise, are tied in the conference semifinals against the Vegas Golden Knights.
While those in Las Vegas may be going all in, in supporting their team, we know that in Vegas going all in can come with a price. What kind of price? Well, a big price. If they have not factored in that price, it may just be too much to handle. After every game, it feels more like 1993. The only thing left to do is bring that cup back to Montreal.
On behalf of all Canadians, go, Habs, go!
View Scott Duvall Profile
NDP (ON)
View Scott Duvall Profile
2021-06-18 11:02 [p.8764]
Madam Speaker, “junior seniors” and “senior seniors” sounds absurd because it is absurd. That is what we will have in Canada if the Liberal government does not fix its budget, Bill C-30: a two-tier seniors system.
Many Canadians are outraged that seniors aged 65 to 74 have been left out of the plan for a long-overdue increase to old age security payments. Our government is hiding from them, saying it is living up to a campaign promise. Keeping a promise on bad policy does not make it good.
The minister says older seniors are “at greater risk of running out of their savings”. Also, government documentation refers to our large proportion of seniors aged 65 to 74 who still work. There it is: the government policies on the backs of seniors who feel they need to either work or use up their savings. By its design, it is a two-tier and unfair system.
The Liberals still have the power to fix this before we rise for the summer. I call on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Seniors to do what is right.
View Élisabeth Brière Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Élisabeth Brière Profile
2021-06-18 11:03 [p.8764]
Madam Speaker, my first term as a member of Parliament has been unusual, obviously on account of COVID. As far as I am concerned, since October 2019, I have been proud to represent the most beautiful city in the world, Sherbrooke. I am proud to be part of a government that has lifted over one million Canadians out of poverty, including nearly 400,000 children. I am proud of the $92 million that went out to over 20,000 Sherbrooke children during the first year of my term. I am proud of the $15.4 million given to 14,000 seniors in my riding as a one-time payment to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am proud of programs like the RRRF, which supported our local businesses. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives, who, need I remind members, do not even recognize the existence of climate change.
The session will soon come to an end. I would like to wish all my colleagues a great summer.
View Cheryl Gallant Profile
CPC (ON)
Madam Speaker, Canadians can see right through the government's tired, old excuses. That is not the kind of transparency Canadians are owed.
The Prime Minister has become the boy who cried national security wolf once too often. Canadians remember how the government invoked the national security as an excuse not to come clean about a sole-sourced contract for parkas. These were not military parkas; they were parkas for refugees, and the government covered up the contract.
Lawful firearms owners have taken the government to court to challenge the scary looking gun bans. They have learned all government evidence to justify the gun grab has been deemed a national security secret.
Hotel quarantine costs, a national security secret; vaccine contracts, a national security secret; and the Prime Minister's sock budget, a national security secret. This is not how a democratic society is supposed to work.
It is time for the government to stop crying national security wolf any time it has embarrassing information it wants to hide.
View Irek Kusmierczyk Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Irek Kusmierczyk Profile
2021-06-18 11:05 [p.8764]
Madam Speaker, today, I rise in the House of Commons to recognize the remarkable leadership of Theresa Marentette, the CEO of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Over the last 15 months of the pandemic, Theresa worked with courage and composure alongside Dr. Wajid Ahmed to steer our community through the greatest public health crisis in our history. We faced outbreaks in long-term care homes and among migrant farm workers, but we came through it thanks to Theresa and Dr. Ahmed. Today, Windsor-Essex is the gold standard for the vaccine rollout, with 75% of residents vaccinated and almost 30% with two doses.
Theresa is retiring at the end of this month after over 30 years at the health unit, which she joined as a public health nurse in 1989. Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara said it best, “It has been my privilege to work with Theresa Marentette. Her passion for public health and the community she serves is apparent everyday in her tireless journey to keep us all healthy and safe.”
On behalf of all residents of Windsor—Tecumseh, it has been our privilege, and we thank Theresa from the bottom of our hearts.
View Judy A. Sgro Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Speaker, I am honoured to rise virtually today to recognize a tireless labour rights activist, who I have known for quite some time, by the name of the Marino Toppan.
Marino is the creator behind the Italian Fallen Workers Memorial project established in 2016. This memorial, one of the biggest of its kind in Canada, commemorates nearly 2,000 Italian workers who lost their lives on the job over a century ago. I know the Italian community truly appreciates this important recognition.
Marino is also a published author. His book, entitled Land of Triumph and Tragedy: Voices of the Italian Fallen Workers is a book I always notice on the shelf my office.
From all Italian Canadians across our country, myself, and my husband Sam, I would like to thank Marino for all he is done to bring closure to the families of the Italian workers.
Grazie mille.
View Jasraj Singh Hallan Profile
CPC (AB)
Madam Speaker, today, I do not wish to give a political speech. Today I wish to give a speech of hope. As Desmond Tutu once said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
For over the last year, people have lost their small businesses, loved ones, mental health, physical health, their homes and even, in some cases, their own lives. For some of us, all hope seems to be lost. It seems that darkness has consumed our nation, but it is hope that will continue to keep us going.
Just recently in my province of Alberta, many restaurants reopened for dine-in and many other restrictions were lifted. Hope is on the horizon. Businesses are reopening, jobs are coming, and I ask the Canadian people to get up and continue the fight against the pandemic and help rebuild our economy and glorious country.
View Joël Lightbound Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Joël Lightbound Profile
2021-06-18 11:09 [p.8765]
Madam Speaker, as the summer approaches after a tougher-than-usual year, I want to pay tribute to my constituency team in Louis‑Hébert. I have the best team in the country, if I do say so my self.
Filip Novakovic, a Bosnian refugee, dearly loves both his country of origin and his adopted country. He is a humanist both in his ideals and his everyday actions. Everyone in the riding loves him because he is always ready to help. Thank you, Filip.
Marie-Claude Gagnon, our office manager and its heart and soul, always welcomes constituents and organizations with sunshine in her voice, a compassionate outlook and a healthy dose of the typical Beauce pragmatism we all need. Thank you, Marie-Claude.
My constituency assistant Gabriel Bergevin-Estable has done more than anyone would ever have thought possible from a modest MP's office. That is what happens when extraordinary intelligence meets gumption. Thank you, Gabriel.
Claudine Boucher also pushes the limits with just as much heart and soul. She has a fierce sense of justice. She is a mother of five bright, lively children, with one more on the way, and she is studying for her master's degree. She even managed to get blocked on Twitter by the leader of the Bloc Québécois, like thousands of other Quebeckers, I am told. It is an achievement that we are all rather proud of around the office.
It is an honour to work alongside them for the people of Louis‑Hébert. I thank them and wish them a restful summer, because they have earned it.
View Richard Bragdon Profile
CPC (NB)
View Richard Bragdon Profile
2021-06-18 11:10 [p.8765]
Madam Speaker, there is an ancient writing that says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The Liberal government clearly has a lack of vision for Canada.
On this side of the House, we see beyond our perils and speak to our potential. On this side of the House, we know the importance of our farmers and harvesters who supply our food and literally keep our land. On this side of the House, we recognize how vital our energy sector is. On this side of the House, we value our workers, entrepreneurs, transporters and builders, knowing they will be the key to our comeback. On this side of the House, we recognize the importance of our seniors, veterans and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have both built and defended this great country. On this side of the House, we will offer Canadians a clear vision, so that when we get to that side of the House, Canadians will have a government that recognizes their potential and a government that will secure their future. On this side of the House, we believe in Canada and the story we have to tell: Our best chapters are yet ahead.
May God continue to keep our land glorious and free.
View Raquel Dancho Profile
CPC (MB)
View Raquel Dancho Profile
2021-06-18 11:11 [p.8765]
Madam Speaker, I rise in the House today to congratulate the graduating class of 2021. These graduates have overcome tremendous adversity over this past difficult year, and it is my hope they will take the resilience they have built and use it to empower their dreams, aspire to new heights and achieve excellence in their future endeavours. We are so proud of them.
Now it is time to help us build a better world, and Canada needs them. We need their energy, their spirit and their optimism. There will be many more challenges ahead, but with them at the helm of the next generation, I know our future is in safe hands.
This is an exciting time in their lives. The possibilities are truly endless for them. They should take all the opportunities that come their way, keep an open mind, work very hard, and have some fun this summer, because they have certainly earned it.
If they can, they should reach out and volunteer in their community. We have many vulnerable neighbours who have had tough times this year and their smiling faces may be all they need to get through the day.
View Daniel Blaikie Profile
NDP (MB)
View Daniel Blaikie Profile
2021-06-18 11:12 [p.8766]
Madam Speaker, Manitoba continues to be in a serious lockdown. Many businesses are not open to the public and, as a result, small business owners and employees in Elmwood—Transcona and across the province are struggling to earn income.
The Liberals are completely out of touch on this. How else could they plan to cut the Canada recovery benefit by 40% as early as July 18? Seniors across the country are outraged at the government's plan to exclude seniors aged 65 to 74 from a long-overdue increase in the old age supplement, but their protests are falling on deaf ears in the Liberal government. Meanwhile, large corporations, known to have abused the wage subsidy by paying executive bonuses and dividends, are getting off scot-free, even as the government nickel-and-dimes disabled Canadians and kids who graduated from foster care and applied for the CERB in good faith, albeit perhaps erroneously.
We know from the behaviour of provincial Conservatives that they are not here to help and they do not have answers to these problems. That is why I am proud to belong to an NDP caucus that is fighting for the interests of all the people who do not have corporate box office tickets, and we are going to keep up the fight.
View Marilène Gill Profile
BQ (QC)
View Marilène Gill Profile
2021-06-18 11:13 [p.8766]
Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart filled with love for her family and loved ones that I rise today to pay tribute to one of the greats of the north shore. Wanda Beaudoin died suddenly on June 13.
Wanda was the first woman to serve as mayor of the fabled Blanc‑Sablon. A coaster at heart and proud north shore denizen, she firmly believed that women's contribution to politics is both necessary and invaluable. She put her sharp mind and gut instinct to work for her constituents.
Less than a month ago, I was working with Wanda on a case riddled with injustice. It hit close to home for her, and she was completely outraged about it. However, her voice was so filled with determination that no one would ever have guessed she was living with cancer.
Wanda, you were a smart and caring woman, a woman in politics, a woman from the north, and by showing the House your strength and determination and your love for our lower north shore, I hope I have made it clear that the north shore will remember you always.
Farewell, Madam Mayor.
View John Brassard Profile
CPC (ON)
View John Brassard Profile
2021-06-18 11:15 [p.8766]
Madam Speaker, many Canadians are on bended knees under the weight of crushing debt and a new reality of inflation, the levels of which have not been felt for generations. The cost of everything has gone up, but it is those who can least afford it who are paying the price.
Increases in groceries, gas, carbon taxes, housing and rental costs are cascading across communities in Canada, including in my community of Barrie—Innisfil, and it is causing many sleepless nights. Senior Elizabeth recently wrote me, “We now have to pick our food purchases very carefully, even local produce has taken a large jump.” This should not be happening in Canada
We need a government that understands that it will be the power of Canadian businesses, the people they employ, the products they produce in every region, in every sector of the economy, so Canadian businesses can compete here at home and around the world, and bring back investor confidence.
There is only one party that will secure the future, that will unify Canada and bring back hope, opportunity and prosperity for all Canadians, and that is Canada’s Conservatives.
View Kevin Lamoureux Profile
Lib. (MB)
View Kevin Lamoureux Profile
2021-06-18 11:16 [p.8766]
Madam Speaker, for the 1,000 students graduating grade 12 in Winnipeg North this year, I would like extend my personal congratulations. The Class of 2021 has done it.
Whether it is of a virtual nature in their living rooms or in a ceremony of some sort, they should know that, without a doubt, the people who care about them are beaming with pride and are so proud of them.
For parents, guardians, family members, teachers and close friends of a grad, I offer my congratulations as they, too, have done their job of shaping a very special person.
Common quotes we would have heard at ceremonies to inspire might have been: “Be bold”, “Be courageous”, “Be your best”, “Follow your fear”, “If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door”, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
I would like to conclude with one of my favourite quotes from no other than Dr. Seuss:
“You're off to Great Places! Today is your day!Your mountain is waiting, So...get on your way!”
I congratulate all grads across Canada.
View Derek Sloan Profile
Ind. (ON)
Madam Speaker, Canadians know that I have fought hard for them in Parliament over the past several months when other parties have failed to do so. Too many times, we heard nothing but silence in Parliament over urgent issues, such as the detainment of Canadians at airports; research into promising COVID treatments like Ivermectin, which has been utilized in other jurisdictions but not Canada; the unconstitutional push for vaccine passports with no debate in the House of Commons; the use of endless lockdowns across Canada, despite the negative impact on our economy and youth mental health; the rights of workers against forced vaccinations in the workplace and, of course, the Prime Minister's famous double standard on the constitutional rights of Canadians to protest.
I have always stood up for Canadians on these issues, just like today when I hosted a panel of Canadian doctors and professors, who are now facing extreme censorship across our nation due to their whistle-blowing on Canada's handling of COVID-19.
I call on the government, big tech and other organizations to stop muzzling medical experts and let them share their concerns freely without fear of reprisal and censorship.
View Raj Saini Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Raj Saini Profile
2021-06-17 14:01 [p.8666]
Madam Speaker, Canada is currently facing an entirely avoidable crisis. Every year, we waste approximately 13 million tonnes of food, one of the highest per capita levels in the world. This wasted food creates some 56.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions, uses 1.5 billion cubic metres of fresh water, uses land three times the size of PEI and could feed 24 million people if it were recouped. This massive waste is only made worse by the fact that four million Canadians still struggle to access healthy food. All along the supply chain, from farm to fork, are inefficiencies that end up leading to more than half of all food produced in Canada being wasted.
It is time for the federal government to take a serious look at the avoidable crisis of food waste and develop a comprehensive federal strategy to address it.
View Mel Arnold Profile
CPC (BC)
View Mel Arnold Profile
2021-06-17 14:02 [p.8666]
Madam Speaker, as this parliamentary sitting nears conclusion, I stand in appreciation of Canadians I have been honoured to work with through the challenges of the past 16 months.
I send my thanks to my team in Ottawa and at home in the North Okanagan—Shuswap. To Joel, Chelsea, Mary, Penny and Teresa, I give my thanks for being on the front line of the thousands of calls, emails and letters the office has received. Working as a team, they have consistently gone that extra mile to assist constituents with professionalism.
I also want to thank the good people of the North Okanagan—Shuswap for their patience and co-operation as my team and I worked with them through the challenges of stranded travellers, lost jobs, struggling businesses, separated families and more. As we move into the summer months and beyond, my staff and I will continue to be available to them all.
To everyone, I wish a safe, healthy and happy summer.
View Rachel Bendayan Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Rachel Bendayan Profile
2021-06-17 14:03 [p.8666]
Madam Speaker, the good weather is here, and Montreal is coming out of lockdown. Our patios and shopping streets are bustling. After these long and difficult months, it feels so good to be able to get together and celebrate life. Nothing says summer in Montreal like festivals.
With the MURAL Festival, the Festival des musiciens du monde, the MAPP Festival, the Montreal St-Ambroise Fringe Festival, the Festival international Nuits d'Afrique, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and many others, Montreal will truly be celebrating this summer.
We still need to be cautious. We still need to respect our local health and safety measures, but we also need to celebrate. We need to celebrate everything that makes life worth fighting for and worth living: our families; our friends; our art; our culture.
I am so proud of our community, from the live music on the rooftops of POP Montreal to the free delivery service of the COVID-19 help hub, to moms baking for local food banks and chalk rainbows in every alley and driveway. Our community came together—
View Alexandra Mendès Profile
Lib. (QC)
The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.
View Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Profile
BQ (QC)
Madam Speaker, this afternoon in Montreal, people gathered at the urging of Amnesty International to once again demand the release of Raïf Badawi. I say “once again” because Mr. Badawi has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for nine years now, without having committed a single crime. For nine years now, his wife Ensaf and his three children have been hoping that the Canadian government would take action to reunite their family, but nothing is being done.
We actually thought that the process would speed up in January, when the House unanimously demanded that the federal government grant Raïf Badawi Canadian citizenship. However, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has done nothing. If this continues, Mr. Badawi will serve his entire unjust sentence before Ottawa takes the slightest measure to facilitate his release.
Enough is enough. There are four days left in the session. The House has been asking the minister to grant Raïf Badawi citizenship for five months. His wife and family have been waiting for him for nine years. The minister must do his job.
View René Arseneault Profile
Lib. (NB)
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that our borders are finally open, and we are really beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, after many months of discipline, sacrifice and patience.
This summer is the perfect time to come and discover the people in my region. I invite everyone to come and experience our indigenous, Acadian, Irish and Scottish cultures, and enjoy the festivals that will be taking place throughout my riding this summer.
Whether travelling solo or with family or friends, everyone is invited to come taste the beers crafted by our microbreweries, feel the salt winds of Chaleur Bay, and bask in the tranquility of our beautiful lakes. Enjoy the lull of the current carrying their kayak down our majestic rivers, or the thrill of a mountain bike ride on one of our woodland trails through the heart of the Appalachians.
We invite our beloved neighbours, friends and relatives to visit, or revisit, our beautiful riding of Madawaska—Restigouche.
I wish everyone a great summer. As La Sagouine would say, “v'nez nous ouère”. For those who do not speak Chiac, that means come and see us.
View Tom Kmiec Profile
CPC (AB)
View Tom Kmiec Profile
2021-06-17 14:07 [p.8667]
Mr. Speaker, teacher, soldier, husband, father, patriot and Reform Party volunteer. That was George Carsted, who passed away peacefully at the age of 90. George immigrated to Canada in 1951 from Germany.
While he was a patient at McKellar General Hospital in Fort William, he charmed his future wife Helen, who was a nurse on his ward. They would be happily married for 64 years. George became a teacher and got his first teaching job at Glenlawn Collegiate in 1958 in Winnipeg. Later, he became the principal of Hasting Junior High and then Glenwood School.
While still a teacher, he took on a second career with the army reserves. He was the commanding officer of The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada for a time and then Colonel Carsted ended his military career as deputy commander of the Militia Area Prairies in 1981.
George and Helen retired to Calgary to be closer to family. To Caroline, Frederick, Elizabeth, Eric, my friend Douglas, and to his 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, please accept the eternal gratitude of this nation.
View Adam van Koeverden Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Adam van Koeverden Profile
2021-06-17 14:08 [p.8667]
Mr. Speaker, the Kamloops Indian Residential School on Tk’emlups te Secwépemc territory operated for almost 100 years before it was finally closed in 1978.
Indigenous children stripped from their lands and their families were brought there and to hundreds of schools like it and subjected to a cultural genocide.
The discovery of 215 children buried at the school grounds was yet another stark remember of the horrific intergenerational legacy of the residential school system. It also underscores the ongoing oppression and systemic racism this country must confront in order to meaningfully walk the path of truth and reconciliation.
Like so many, I have been moved by the outpouring of grief and the support of communities. In Milton, 11 students, nine of whom are indigenous, set up a memorial outside the Town Hall. They placed candles and 215 pairs of shoes surrounding a pair of moccasins and participated in a moment of silence for the children who never made it home.
This was an act of reconciliation to remember and commemorate the lives and cultures lost. It was a deep act of respect that was educational for many, very meaningful and represented a step forward on the path of meaningful reconciliation, and I thank them for that.
View Kevin Lamoureux Profile
Lib. (MB)
View Kevin Lamoureux Profile
2021-06-17 14:09 [p.8667]
Mr. Speaker, Canada now leads the world in first-dose vaccinations against COVID-19, with more than 72% of eligible Canadians having received at least one dose. All vaccines approved for use in Canada are free, they are safe and effective, and all of them will help us get back to the activities and the people we have missed so much.
More than 30 million vaccine doses have been administered to Canadians and we have delivered more than 33 million doses to provinces and territories. These milestones are a true team Canada achievement. Our government will continue to go above and beyond to ensure every Canadian who wants to be is fully vaccinated.
On July 7, I will be getting my second shot, and I would like to encourage all to get their second shot as soon as they become eligible. A return to a more normal life is nearing. We are not there yet. We must all continue to follow public health measures like physical distancing, wearing a mask and reducing non-essential outings to a minimum.
Let us end this crisis together.
View James Bezan Profile
CPC (MB)
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the small business owners in my riding and across the country who have been working so hard to stay afloat throughout the pandemic. Our communities are better and stronger places to live because of their tenacity and commitment to weathering this storm.
That said, on behalf of Manitoba business owners, I want to express their disappointment and frustration over how the Liberal government continues to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses, especially in the catering, hospitality, travel and tourism sectors, remain shuttered because of the Liberal government.
Just today, one of my constituents said, “All I ask of the government is to quit making us beg to open.” They made the sacrifices and took on mountains of debt to get through this crisis. However, the Liberal government’s slow reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of forward planning and late rollout of vaccines and rapid testing are directly responsible for the delayed reopening of our economy and the ongoing suffering of small businesses.
Canadians deserve a government with a plan to secure their futures. Unfortunately, Liberal ministers have repeatedly ignored their phone calls and emails. Canadians deserve better.
View Marc Serré Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Marc Serré Profile
2021-06-17 14:11 [p.8668]
Mr. Speaker, this year marks Peru's 200th anniversary of independence. Peru is Canada's third-largest bilateral trading partner in Latin America, with Canadian exports in Peru reaching $871 million in 2020 and Canadian merchandise imports from Peru reaching $3.7 billion.
In December 2020, the Peruvian Canadian Institute was launched in partnership with me and Dr. Kevin McCormick, president of Huntington University. It fosters friendship between countries and brings together leaders to collaborate on important topics such as education, politics, trade, culture, environmental sustainability and gender equality.
I encourage all members of the House to join ParlAmericas's international activities to strengthen our strong ties with Caribbean and Latin American countries like Peru.
I would like to congratulate the people of Peru on the important historical milestone.
View Luc Berthold Profile
CPC (QC)
View Luc Berthold Profile
2021-06-17 14:12 [p.8668]
Mr. Speaker, It starts in school:A tug of the hairSome crass languageA first love, without love, without respectNot to worry, boys will be boys... And it continuesA new relationship, passionate, but unhealthyLove serves as bait, but has no soulThat first love planted a seed, now growing strongThe respect comes and goes, and then just goesKind words become unkindWhispered words become screamsConnection becomes disconnectedA gentle touch, now but a memoryReplaced by bruised skin, bruised heart The love is gone, control's all that remainsIsolation, devastationDeath.13 women were killed in Quebec13 lives lost to a treacherous love I can no longer stand by and hold my tongueI can no longer ignore this violence.To colleagues and Canadians alike:We cannot pretend we don't see The cries, the tears, the noises, the bruisesAre not all harmlessPerhaps a sign of something wrong We cannot close our eyesIf we're to save that 14th woman,Who's now suffering in silence, hoping a neighbourWill see the signsAnd put an end to the deadly cycleOf domestic violence
View Scot Davidson Profile
CPC (ON)
View Scot Davidson Profile
2021-06-17 14:14 [p.8668]
Mr. Speaker, ordinary Canadians are being left behind by the Liberal government. Inflation is out of control. Prices are skyrocketing. Wages are down. Unemployment is rising. Businesses are closing. When Canadians look at their country, they no longer see it as a place where they could build something for the future. That is on the Liberals.
They have turned Canada into a country where it has become impossible to succeed. Inequality is rampant and opportunity is nowhere to be found. Young families cannot afford to buy a home. People are losing their jobs. Taxation, red tape and restrictions are stifling and shuttering businesses across the country. Success is no longer determined by hard work. It is something only well-connected Liberals and the wealthy can achieve.
Canadians need hope. They need assurance that there is a future for them. That is what the Conservatives are fighting for. Canadians are counting on us to secure their future, and we will not give up.
View Brian Masse Profile
NDP (ON)
View Brian Masse Profile
2021-06-17 14:15 [p.8668]
Mr. Speaker, yesterday General Motors announced a 75% increase in investment in electric vehicles to $35 billion. GM will accelerate construction of two new electric battery plants in the U.S., in addition to the plants in Ohio and Tennessee that are now being built. None are in Canada.
With the entire auto sector having a once-in-a-generation investment cycle, which will impact us for many decades as vehicles will be produced, Canada's lack of a national auto policy is leaving workers behind, and our country is at risk of losing the industry that built our middle class. We cannot and should not depend solely on the impressive union contract negotiations that Unifor has achieved to secure any new investment. For the past 19 years, as a member of the House, I have been advocating for national auto strategy and warning what would happen without one. While other countries of the world have implemented theirs, our vehicle production has continued to decline year after year.
As we have seen with the pharmaceutical, medical device, PPE and technology sectors, once manufacturing leaves it is extremely difficult to bring back, and the pandemic has exposed the consequences. Canada needs a national auto policy immediately to secure our workers, our industry and our country's future.
View Sylvie Bérubé Profile
BQ (QC)
Mr. Speaker, on May 15, the Institut national de la recherche scientifique awarded an honorary doctorate to Édith Cloutier. This is her second honorary doctorate, after the one she was awarded by Concordia University in 2018.
Ms. Cloutier has been the executive director of the Val-d'Or Native Friendship Centre for more than 32 years and also served as chair of the board of directors of Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue. She was the first indigenous woman to hold this position at a Quebec university.
She is credited with implementing practical projects for the urban indigenous community such as the Minowé Clinic, a model of indigenous health care services in Quebec. Ms. Cloutier has received many accolades from governments, community organizations and universities, including the Ordre national du Québec in 2006 and the Order of Canada in 2013.
I congratulate Ms. Cloutier, and I thank her for all her work on behalf of members of first nations and indigenous peoples.
View Rosemarie Falk Profile
CPC (SK)
Mr. Speaker, Canadians cannot afford more of the same from the Prime Minister and his Liberal government. As we turn the corner on the pandemic, Canadians need paycheques and opportunity. However, for my constituents whose paycheques depend on the Canadian energy sector, more of the same from the Liberal government is actually detrimental. With their livelihoods already under attack long before the pandemic, more of the same from the Prime Minister means more job losses and even less opportunity.
Only Canada's Conservatives have a five-point plan to secure the future. It includes job creation and economic recovery in every region and every sector of this country. Canadians who can afford not to worry about their jobs have four parties to choose to from. However, for everyday Canadians who care about securing Canada's economic future, there is only one choice: Canada's Conservatives.
View Annie Koutrakis Profile
Lib. (QC)
View Annie Koutrakis Profile
2021-06-17 14:18 [p.8669]
Mr. Speaker, as this school year draws to an end, I would like to congratulate the graduates of the secondary schools in my riding, including École Saint-Martin and École Saint-Maxime and Laval Senior Academy, on their amazing achievement.
Obtaining a diploma is no small feat, and here in the House, we recognize the unique challenges that these students have had to overcome and the sacrifices they have made to get to where they are today.
As they celebrate this milestone and think about the next chapter in their lives, I encourage them to continue being curious, compassionate, engaged and bold. They should not be afraid to break down barriers, shatter glass ceilings and work towards a future that is just, equitable and sustainable for all.
I wish them all the best as they embark on this incredible journey, and I hope they will have a safe and happy summer.
View Kody Blois Profile
Lib. (NS)
View Kody Blois Profile
2021-06-16 14:03 [p.8519]
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in this House to congratulate a constituent of mine, Wyatt Sanford, of Kennetcook, on qualifying to represent Canada at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.
Wyatt joins the likes of Tracy Cameron, Silas McLellan and Leigh Miller, all of whom are former Olympians who called Hants County home.
He is the reigning welterweight national champion and has represented Canada internationally, including at the most recent world boxing championships, where he finished in the top 16. That strong showing was important as the most recent Olympic qualifier in Argentina was cancelled, but Wyatt has been selected to represent Canada on the basis of his international ranking.
Wyatt has put in countless hours of training and dedication and carries with him what I call famous Hants County grit and determination. He has already made us proud and I know he will stand toe to toe with the world's best in Tokyo.
Congratulations, Wyatt, and best of luck this summer.
View John Williamson Profile
CPC (NB)
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate incoming Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on successfully forming a national government and to thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for 12 years of service, during which he strengthened the many bonds between Canada and Israel.
I also want to congratulate the Israeli people on electing their new government, the culmination of a robust democratic process, which is the only one in the Middle East.
The Conservative Party will always support Israel, our ally in the fight against terror, and will work toward a future when all the region's people can vote to have their democratic preferences reflected in governments of their choosing, that is to say, elected by a free and fair democratic process in Israel as in Canada.
View Pam Damoff Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, Oakville Deputy Fire Chief Monique Belair has been a trailblazer for women in the fire service for 35 years. She joined the Oakville fire service in 2017 and has made a lasting impact here in our community.
Camp Molly is an initiative Monique developed to encourage young women in Halton to chose the fire service as their career. As she has said, she wanted to show them the fire service is more than just putting wet on hot.
As she embarks on her new role as fire chief for the community of Belleville, I have mixed emotions. I am thrilled for her to take on her new role as chief, a role that sees too few women in Canada, but I am sad to lose her from our community.
I thank Monique for her friendship and all she have done for Oakville, and especially the young women who went through Camp Molly.
View Rhéal Fortin Profile
BQ (QC)
View Rhéal Fortin Profile
2021-06-16 14:06 [p.8519]
Mr. Speaker, 30 years ago, the scout troops of Saint‑Jérôme, Saint‑Hippolyte, Prévost and Piedmont, led by Prévost resident Loyola Leroux, began a project whose scope can only be truly appreciated through the lens of time.
In the spring of 1991, they went out and planted 25,000 trees. The next year, they planted 45,000 trees. In 1993, they planted 96,000, and so on and so forth. By 2016, they had planted a total of 2.3 million trees.
The members of Parliament, the mayors and other dignitaries of these cities never missed an opportunity to get their hands dirty in our fertile soil. Two-time Oscar winner and internationally renowned Quebec artist and director Frédérick Back, or the man who planted trees, was among those who came out every year to cheer on these young tree planters.
I think it is important to highlight this anniversary by reminding the government that we are still awaiting the hundreds of millions of trees we were promised by the Prime Minister. If he is wondering how to go about it, I would be happy to introduce him to Loyola Leroux.
I would like to thank these men and women who planted trees.
View Marie-France Lalonde Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Marie-France Lalonde Profile
2021-06-16 14:08 [p.8520]
Mr. Speaker, next week marks the beginning of graduation ceremonies, and I want to take a moment to congratulate the 1,722 graduates from the 10 high schools in my riding, Orléans.
This year's graduation ceremonies have to be adapted once again because of the pandemic, but I know that, regardless of how they celebrate, our graduates will find innovative ways to mark this important milestone.
It is always a tremendous honour for me to sign each graduate's certificate, to congratulate them and wish them every success. After such a momentous achievement, they are now beginning a new chapter in their lives. No matter what path they decide to take, now that they have completed high school, they have the tools and support needed to tackle whatever lies ahead.
I want to congratulate all graduates in Orléans and across Canada. They are our champions.
View Dan Albas Profile
CPC (BC)
Mr. Speaker, in just over a week's time, we will all be back in our home ridings. While all of our ridings are diverse and unique, one activity that will be ongoing in many regions across Canada is annual summer road work and maintenance projects.
I raise this point as a reminder because it is critically important that we remind our constituents to slow down and pay attention when passing through a construction zone. In British Columbia alone, there have been over 13 roadside workers killed over the past decade after being hit by vehicles, and 30 more injured. Let us not forget that a roadside construction site is also a job site, and highway and flagging workers deserve the same respect that we would expect with citizens passing through our job site.
April 28 is our National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job. Let us make every day this summer a day to take care to ensure those who work on our roads can be as safe and as stress-free as possible on the job.
View Salma Zahid Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Salma Zahid Profile
2021-06-16 14:10 [p.8520]
Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a community leader and mentor we lost too early. Brother Saleh Hafejee, with whom I worked closely in recent years, was a very special person who made a great impact in our community. He did this through helping the generation of youth as a sports coach and mentor; through his 25 years of service to the Scarborough Muslim Association, Jame Abu Bakr Mosque, recently as president; or through his decades of volunteering helping people of all backgrounds.
He loved his community, his faith and most importantly, his family. His passing was sudden and a devastating loss for the Muslim community in Scarborough. I say to his mother, Aisha Hafejee, wife, Fazila Hafejee, his sons, Mohammed and Hafiz Abubak, daughter Mariam Hafejee and his grandkids that we will miss Brother Saleh, or, as his son said yesterday at his funeral “everyone’s dad”. He leaves behind a legacy we can all be proud of.
View Randeep Sarai Profile
Lib. (BC)
View Randeep Sarai Profile
2021-06-16 14:11 [p.8520]
Mr. Speaker, British Columbians recently lost pioneer and centenarian, Gurdial Kaur Oppal, at the age of 104. She came to Canada at the height of the Depression and became widowed at the age of 30, but her tenacity and strength to never give up remained with her until the end.
As a Sikh-Canadian pioneer and devoted member of society, she was also a feminist. She was always speaking out if women were not allowed to participate. She raised two amazing boys, one who became the first Sikh justice and attorney general, the Hon. Wally Oppal, and the other, a prominent realtor and boxing fight judge, Harry Oppal. Gurdial Kaur Oppal’s life efforts and accomplishments will not go without acknowledgement. She will always be remembered as an exceptional member of society, as well as a kind-hearted woman fulfilled by serving others.
I would like to extend my most heartfelt condolences to Wally, Harry, Jasmine, Josh and the entire Oppal family as they grapple with the loss of their beloved matriarch. On behalf of Surrey Centre, our thoughts and compassion are with them during this difficult time.
View Tony Baldinelli Profile
CPC (ON)
View Tony Baldinelli Profile
2021-06-16 14:12 [p.8521]
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's pledge of a one-shot summer and his recent attendance at the G7 summit simply proves that Liberals have one set of rules for themselves and another for hard-working Canadians who are abiding by health guidelines and who simply want this pandemic to be over.
Every day I hear from my constituents who have been separated from their families and loved ones by the lengthy and extended border closure with the United States. This border closure has also had a devastating impact on our local and national tourism economy. Niagara is the number one leisure tourism destination in Canada employing some 40,000 tourism workers and generating over $2.4 billion in tourism receipts. Budget 2021 only commits $1 billion in tourism funding, which completely misses the mark when we consider that Canada's tourism industry generated over $105 billion annually before COVID. Severely underfunding indigenous tourism only adds to my disappointment in budget 2021.
The Liberal government has failed families, border communities, and Canada's travel and tourism industry, and it continues to fail the people of Niagara.
View Kirsty Duncan Profile
Lib. (ON)
View Kirsty Duncan Profile
2021-06-16 14:13 [p.8521]
Mr. Speaker, the Afzaal family were kind-hearted, innocent Canadians who went out for an evening walk. They mattered, they were loved and they were murdered because they were Muslim. Our Etobicoke North community knows the terrible pain we are once again feeling. We are still reeling and still healing from the brutal murder of Mohamed-Aslim Zafis, our friend who looked after the congregation at the International Muslim Organization of Toronto.
This past weekend, we came together to grieve and show solidarity at a vigil at the IMO mosque. Families are afraid, they are angry and they want our mourning to lead to further action because hatred and violence can have no place in our country.
I say to our Muslim community that they belong, they matter and they are loved. I stand with them during this very difficult time, and I will continue to fight for a better, more inclusive Canada.
View Jacques Gourde Profile
CPC (QC)
View Jacques Gourde Profile
2021-06-16 14:14 [p.8521]
Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to pay tribute to Lucie Côté, a friend who left us far too soon because of COVID‑19. Lucie was a determined woman who was proud of her roots. She was a loving partner to her husband Rémy and a devoted sister to Diane and Sylvie, who cared about her a lot. She was the mother of four children, Jean-François, Jocelyn, Caroline and Isabelle, the beloved grandmother of 12 grandchildren, and a friend to many.
All her life, she worked for the well-being of others and she was active in her community at both the local and national levels. This caring woman was a source of inspiration and leadership to us all. Before her untimely death, Lucie was getting ready to live out her retirement dreams with her husband Rémy after a busy lifetime of hard work.
Lucie, we miss you very much and we will always remember your zest for life, good humour and sensitivity.
Rest in peace, Lucie.
View Bob Benzen Profile
CPC (AB)
View Bob Benzen Profile
2021-06-16 14:16 [p.8521]
Mr. Speaker, Parliament will rise this summer without receiving a report from the national defence committee into sexual misconduct allegations plaguing our military. Rather than facing tough questions on what transpired within the leadership of the armed forces on the current government’s watch, Liberal members of the defence committee, empowered by their partisan chairperson, have instead filibustered, delayed and repeatedly suspended the committee to prevent a report from coming forward. Our current meeting has been ongoing since mid-May.
To show how blatant and pathetic the Liberals' obstruction has become, they have lately been filibustering their own amendment to a motion: anything to avoid a vote they know they will lose, instead of giving answers to Canadians. Multiple defence reports are now casualties of the government’s partisan antics. The Liberal members continue to place their party above the people, and especially above victims of misconduct in our military.
View Lindsay Mathyssen Profile
NDP (ON)
View Lindsay Mathyssen Profile
2021-06-16 14:17 [p.8521]
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to London's first woman mayor, Jane Bigelow, who passed away on June 1. Jane served from 1972 to 1978, and placed a great deal of importance on making London a better place to live, grow and flourish.
Jane was an advocate of libraries, museums, art galleries and festivals. She often travelled by bike throughout the city, and worked to establish our parks and walking and cycling trails. After her political career, Jane volunteered to help women in local shelters and centres.
Jane was described as a trailblazer. My favourite story of Jane was based on an editorial cartoon in our local paper. It showed “Jane of Arc” riding up to the London Club, a men-only club at the time, which had always invited the mayor to meet with its members. There was a quite stir within the club. The club simply did not know which tradition to follow: no women or no mayor.
It is this leadership that I want to specifically thank Jane for. She is one of the giants upon whose shoulders other women have been able to stand to allow us to fight for people and make London a better place for absolutely everyone.
View Yves Perron Profile
BQ (QC)
View Yves Perron Profile
2021-06-16 14:18 [p.8522]
Today, I want to congratulate the graduates of the various high schools across Quebec.
The very important last years of their journey, when people build bonds and friendships that often last a lifetime, did not go as planned, but humans are resilient. I am sure these students found a way to make the most of the situation. Now they are even better equipped to deal with the struggles of life.
I was a high school teacher for 25 happy, fulfilling years. I mainly taught grade nine, where I had the privilege of shaping the citizens of tomorrow. This June, the last cohort of students that I taught for a full year are graduating. I want to sincerely congratulate them and wish them all the best.
Most of all, I want them to always remember that nothing is impossible and that they should not let anyone convince them otherwise.
Congratulations and all the best.
View Raquel Dancho Profile
CPC (MB)
View Raquel Dancho Profile
2021-06-16 14:19 [p.8522]
Mr. Speaker, last month 68,000 more Canadian families lost their jobs, yet the Liberal government has spent more in deficits than any other G7 country, and in fact more than ever in Canadian history. It is clear the Liberals cannot manage our economy and deliver results, no matter how much they spend.
It is under the current Liberal government's feminist policy that all economic gains made by women in my lifetime have been completely wiped out, and Canadian families are having to live through the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Inflation has hit the highest levels in a decade. The costs of groceries, lumber and housing have all skyrocketed to unprecedented levels. The paycheques of Canadians are buying them less and less, yet the Prime Minister and his cabinet are acting as though everything is fine when it is not.
Canada's Conservatives are the only party that will make economic recovery the number one priority, ensuring families have secure jobs and can put food on the table, pay their bills and have more opportunities in every industry in every region of this great country.
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