Alana Hirtle

Madam Speaker, I would first like to thank the member of Parliament for Edmonton Strathcona for bringing Bill C-259 forward and for her advocacy on behalf of workers. The Government of Canada recognizes the spirit and intent of Bill C-259, because fairness for all Canadian workers is our top priority. Given the economic headwinds we are facing, worker fairness is needed now more than ever. Canada's economy is at a turning point. The global labour landscape has shifted dramatically, causing economic shockwaves felt at home and abroad. Tariffs have dealt a significant blow to workers and employers. This has caused real stress for families and communities across Canada. During uncertain economic times like these, Canadians expect the government to have their backs, and we do. We are working closely with employers and unions to shore up Canada's workplaces and ensure they remain fair and productive. Our marching orders are clear. We must protect Canadian workers while strengthening our country's economic resilience. We cannot build a strong economy without respecting the workers who keep it running every day. That is why we are fully committed to ensuring that workers and their employers have the tools they need to weather this current labour storm. At the heart of Canada's labour framework is the Canada Labour Code. It is more than a law that governs federally regulated workplaces in Canada. It is a promise to protect and support more than one million workers in 22,000 federally regulated industries. It is a promise we will continue to keep, because fair workplaces and a strong economy go hand in hand. Our federal labour framework already works well, but we are always on the lookout for ways to build greater trust, strengthen our labour relations approach and make our policies more flexible and proactive. Today, I would like to highlight our ongoing approach to supporting federally regulated workplaces and the collective bargaining process that is protected by law. The structural integrity of the collective bargaining process is held together by trust and independence. Without those two key ingredients, the process would fail. For agreements to work, workers must trust their union, and employers must trust the system. Any perception of outside influence weakens the system. Workers should also be able to choose their representatives freely and trust that those representatives act in their best interest. They deserve unions that answer to them without being influenced by external pressures. That is why Canada's labour relations system is built on a structured process that balances workers' rights and employers' responsibilities. I can assure members that the Government of Canada firmly believes in the right to strike. It is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and it is a key element of free, balanced and respectful labour relations. We believe in open and unfettered dialogue between the parties and that workers must have real bargaining power to reach those agreements. We know that the best agreements are those negotiated at the bargaining table. We also know that collective bargaining is not easy, but it produces the strongest deals that represent the needs of the parties involved and that help stabilize the economy. That is why we have taken concrete measures to strengthen that right while maintaining balance across the system. I am referring to Bill C-58, a historic act to ban replacement workers in federally regulated workplaces during strikes or lockouts. It also improved the maintenance of activities process so that parties determine early in the process what work needs to continue to ensure public safety during a work stoppage. It received unanimous support in Parliament and was written into law one year ago this month, on June 20, 2025. Banning the use of replacement workers protects workers' right to strike, removes distractions from collective bargaining and brings greater stability to our economy. We cannot have a strong economy without stable labour relations. Reforms like Bill C-58 help establish a better balance in negotiations and protect the integrity of the collective bargaining process. Collective bargaining can lead to tension at the table, but it remains the ideal mechanism for finding lasting, balanced solutions. That is why the federal labour regime relies on established rules and fair, transparent, independent decision-makers to help parties come to solid agreements. I am referring to the Canada Industrial Relations Board and the federal mediation and conciliation service. They both play an invaluable role in Canada's labour relations system. While news headlines may paint a different picture, the truth is most labour disputes are resolved without a work stoppage. In fact, in the last fiscal year, the vast majority of disputes in federally regulated workplaces were resolved without a work stoppage when the parties worked with the federal mediation and conciliation service. This tells us the system works well, when parties bargain in good faith and when they have access to the right support. Labour relations affect wages, productivity and economic stability. Success at the bargaining table contributes to a stronger economy, but we also know the opposite is true. When labour disputes collapse, this can have rapid and significant repercussions for millions of Canadians, businesses, exporters and the economy writ large. When an economy slows down significantly, it is often workers who bear the brunt of the impact. The collective bargaining space must remain uncluttered by external distractions, so parties can focus on solutions that can stand the test of time. It is here that I would like to turn back to the task at hand and talk about Bill C-259. Bill C-259 proposes a handful of specific amendments. It proposes to further define and codify employer influence and to bar certification of employer-dominated unions. It also adds procedural and governance requirements for certification and creates new penalties, such as summary conviction, up to $100,000. These preventative and clarifying measures are consistent with the code's foundational values. In fact, part I of the code already prohibits employer interference, and CIRB has previously applied these rules broadly through past decisions. We have also found limited evidence of widespread employer-dominated unions in federally regulated sectors. We are aware that the absence of widespread problems is not an argument against clear rules. We know that clear rules set clear expectations, often preventing problems before they arise. I am sure we can all agree that a proactive approach is always the best approach, especially when it comes to labour relations. The Government of Canada will always protect the rights of Canadian workers, including the right to strike. We are always looking for ways to help strengthen labour stability and bolster Canada's competitiveness while supporting workers' rights. One way to ensure workers are supported and policies reflect the distinct challenges of today's workplaces is through consultations. That is why this government held consultations in the spring with unions, employers and indigenous partners to discuss potential ways to improve worker support and the federal labour relations framework. These talks provided invaluable perspectives on the collective bargaining process in federally regulated industries, for example. We have explored various important topics in these consultations, and we are all ears for new and innovative improvements. Discussions like these are essential to help inform practical and long-lasting ways to support workers and workplaces, and ensure they have the tools they trust and that help them succeed. I would like to close by once again thanking the member for Edmonton Strathcona for bringing this bill forward and for her advocacy on behalf of workers. I would like to reaffirm the Government of Canada's unwavering commitment to the integrity of collective bargaining and fair worker representation. We will continue working closely with all stakeholders to ensure that our federally regulated institutions can rely on fairness at the bargaining table, now and in the future.

Mr. Speaker, do members know what the difference is between this side of the House and that side of the House? Conservatives wake up hoping for bad economic news that they can use to repeat pithy slogans, fire off fundraising emails and talk down Canadian industries and Canadian workers. On this side of the House, we wake up knowing that Canadians are counting on us to build a stronger, more competitive and more affordable economy. That is exactly what we are doing. Can the Secretary of State for Financial Institutions update this House on how Canadian innovators, entrepreneurs and workers are helping us navigate a rapidly changing world?

Mr. Speaker, in communities across this country, intimate partner violence is not an abstract idea. Survivors have been clear that they need our justice system to act earlier and more effectively to keep them safe. I am proud to be part of this new government's commitment to taking tangible action to better protect Canadians. Will the parliamentary secretary please tell this House how Bill C-16 would strengthen protections for victims of violence, and why it is so important that we move forward without delay?

Mr. Speaker, right now, in communities across this country, there are women living in fear inside their own homes. Intimate partner violence is not some theoretical problem to be discussed in the abstract. It is happening at the kitchen table, in the grocery store parking lot and in a text message sent at 2 a.m. It is fuelled by misogyny, and misogyny unchecked can kill. Bill C-16 would take action in service of the victims of such intimidation, harassment and abuse. It would strengthen our Criminal Code to better protect victims, standing for women and with women all across Canada. Bill C-16 is an example of how we can work together to reject misogyny and insist on dignity and safety for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, six years ago this past weekend, my community experienced unthinkable tragedy. Twenty-two lives were lost across Nova Scotia. They were neighbours, friends and family. These past six years have delivered much pain, sorrow and confusion, but we have also witnessed extraordinary resilience, compassion and solidarity. We have supported one another through the darkest of days and found strength together that we may not have known we possessed. We learned that grief does not have a finish line, but neither does love. Let us grieve, but not get lost in grief. Let us commit to working together toward the kind of community that honours every life lost.

Mr. Speaker, right now, as our government is making historic investments in the Canadian Armed Forces, we must not only prepare for thousands of new service members to put on the uniform but also consider what it means for them to one day become veterans, because while meeting the commitments we have made to our NATO allies is important, the commitments we make to the soldiers, sailors and aviators in the Canadian Armed Forces are paramount. Quite honestly, this is an area where we have fallen short in the past again and again. Through both Liberal and Conservative governments, none of us has succeeded in providing the full support that our veterans deserve. No government has gotten it perfectly right. Now, I expect I am not supposed to say that, but it is true. The way I see things is that we can stand around these hallowed halls for the next decade continuing to play the blame game or we can step up and do the right thing. We cannot, in good conscience, use our frustration at past inaction as logic for blocking action today. Over the past couple of months, I have found myself approaching this issue, this opportunity, with the words of poet and president Václav Havel humming in my ear. He said that “the real question is whether the brighter future is really always so distant. What if,” he asked, “it has been here for a long time already, and only our own blindness and weakness has prevented us from seeing it”? What if solutions we are looking for have been here for a long time already? What if the pieces of this brighter future are found in resources we already have? The motion that has been put forward is focused on the future. It is focused on veterans. It is focused on recognizing opportunities available to us within resources that already exist. Motion No. 16 would direct that we undertake a fast and focused study to examine the best ways to activate the potential in surplus federal properties across the country. Such a study would provide us with a road map for communities to adapt to their own specific local circumstances. Motion No. 16 would allow us to actually take the time to outline a strategy for local action at scale. One size does not have to fit all. What we desperately need is a plan to move us beyond these one-off agreements and delays that lead to missed opportunities and crumbling buildings. I would venture to say that not a single member in this chamber disagrees with the goal of utilizing federal properties more effectively, and I bet no one will find an MP who thinks we should not be striving for better supports and services for veterans. We already agree on these things. The motion seeks to move the situation beyond the administrative limbo that has for too long constrained the federal government from efficiently coordinating with provinces, municipalities, first nations and non-profit groups that might better maximize the potential within many government-owned properties. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders landed on Juno Beach 82 years ago this June. They fought their way across northwest Europe, they liberated villages, and they paid an unbearable price. The Colonel James Layton Ralston Armoury in Amherst, Nova Scotia, the building where the Highlanders gathered and trained and kept that legacy alive, is one of the underutilized properties I have been speaking about today, property that deserves better than the red tape of administrative limbo, property that deserves a future. I believe we can do better for the riding of Airdrie—Cochrane, better for Laurentides—Labelle, better for Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, better for Cumberland—Colchester and better for communities from coast to coast to coast, and this motion is how we start. Even now, the words of Havel continue to hum, asking whether the brighter future is really always so distant. What if only our own blindness has prevented us from seeing it? I ask the membership of this chamber to focus on the future and support this motion.

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to contribute to today's debate, particularly as we navigate a period of geopolitical volatility and significant change. Disruptions to global energy infrastructure caused by ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East are driving higher fuel costs, creating economic uncertainty for families in Canada and across the world. While governments cannot control global events, I can assure my hon. colleagues that Canada is doing what it takes to support Canadians facing the financial effects of this and other crises, not only because we know it is the right thing to do, but because we want more Canadians to be able to support their families and contribute to our country's long-term national prosperity. As I just mentioned, higher fuel prices driven by global conflicts are adding stress to household budgets in Canada and across the globe. That is why today we are taking further action to help Canadians manage these challenges, as was just announced by the Prime Minister. Canada's new government will use the improvement in the fiscal outlook associated with higher oil prices to provide targeted relief to households and businesses. Specifically, we are reducing pressure on fuel prices at the pump by suspending the application of the federal fuel excise tax on gasoline and diesel, effective next Monday, April 20, 2026, until September 7, 2026, delivering over $2.2 billion in relief. This temporary suspension of excise taxes for gasoline and diesel is expected to save Canadians up to an estimated $5.75 on regular gasoline and up to $2.30 on diesel when filling up a typical 50-litre tank of fuel. Now folks will have no reason not to come visit my beautiful home province of Nova Scotia this summer. Today's announcement is just the latest measure our government has announced to help Canadians manage affordability concerns and build a stronger future for everyone. Since taking office, our government has taken considerable, concrete and targeted steps to put more money in Canadians' pockets. My hon. colleagues will recall that one of the first things the Prime Minister did last year was to cancel the consumer fuel charge, directly allowing Canadians to save money from the price they were paying at the pump. Our government also removed the requirement for provinces and territories to have a consumer-facing carbon price as of April 1, 2025, at that time. Our middle-class tax cut, which lowered the first marginal personal income tax rate from 15% to 14% since July 1, 2025, will save two-income families up to $840 in 2026. Going forward, it is expected to deliver over $27 billion in tax savings to Canadians over the next five years. What is more, the bulk of tax relief will go to those with incomes in the two lowest tax brackets, that is, those with taxable income under $117,045 in 2026, including nearly half to those in the first bracket, $58,523 and below in 2026. This means the relief is effectively targeted at those Canadians who need help most. By eliminating the GST for first-time homebuyers on new homes at or under $1 million and reducing it for first-time homebuyers on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million, our government is also saving first-time homebuyers up to $50,000, making the goal of home ownership a reality for more Canadians, especially young Canadians. Moreover, we tabled budget 2025, “Canada Strong”, which includes numerous affordability supports for people across the country. For example, we made the national school food program permanent, a program that helps 400,000 more children each year receive healthy meals every day, while saving families with two children $800 per year on groceries. By making it permanent, we will work with provinces, territories and indigenous partners to expand the program into more schools across Canada. The budget also proposes to start automatically delivering federal benefits to low-income Canadians. That includes the GST credit and the Canada child benefit. We will continue protecting child care, dental care and pharmacare to maintain these essential services so many Canadians depend on. Moreover, to support Canadians with the cost of groceries and everyday essentials, which have stretched many Canadians' wallets thin, the government has also announced the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit, which will provide significant support for more than 12 million Canadians. When it becomes available this spring, the CGEB will replace the existing GST credit, but it will also be more generous. First, we are providing a one-time top-up payment to be paid as early as possible this spring, equal to a 50% increase in the annual 2025-26 value of the GST credit. Second, we will increase the benefit by 25% for five years, starting in July 2026. Combined, this means that a family of four will receive up to $1,890 this year and about $1,400 a year for the next four years, and a single person will receive up to $950 this year and about $700 a year for the next four years. That is not all. Let us listen to this. We also recently took action to put a cap on NSF, non-sufficient funds, fees to make banking fairer and more affordable for Canadians. As of March 2026, consumers cannot be charged more than $10 in NSF fees when they do not have enough money in their personal deposit account to cover a payment. Also, consumers will not be charged an NSF fee more than once in a period of two business days for the same personal deposit account, and consumers will not be charged NSF fees on a personal deposit account when the amount of their overdraft in the account is less than $10. To support Canadians amid ongoing global energy market disruptions, we are delivering timely, meaningful and tangible relief through a comprehensive set of actions that will put more money in Canadians' pockets. Canadians need relief. That is clear as day. This government is absolutely delivering for them, as well as for generations of Canadians to come. I am thankful for the opportunity to make my case.

Mr. Speaker, our government is keenly aware of the situation that everyday Canadians find themselves in, and that is why, whether it is through the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, the elimination of carbon pricing for consumers, increased support for first-time homebuyers or measures to increase housing supply through Build Canada Homes, our government continues to work for Canadians to improve affordability.

Mr. Speaker, our government is keenly aware of and engaged in what Canadians are dealing with these days. I, myself, have not been immune to being in a poor financial situation and having to rob Peter to pay Paul, as they say. I am keenly aware that our government is working to benefit all of our constituents and all of Canada by taking concrete steps to support Canadians through these challenges as we position them for long-term success by building the strongest economy in the G7.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. I am taking French lessons right now, but I will answer the question in English. I would encourage the Conservatives to join us in our work to grow our energy exports, protect Canadian workers and improve our competitiveness on the global market.

Mr. Speaker, I would say that the majority of Canadians will be travelling this summer, as it will be the tourist season, and this will be a significant savings for those individuals coming home to visit their friends and relatives this year.

moved: That: (a) the House recognize, (i) that the government is making historic investments in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to meet our NATO funding targets earlier than committed, (ii) the assumption that an increasing number of CAF service members will lead to a growth in the ranks of Canadian veterans over the next few decades; and (b) it be an instruction to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates to undertake a study on alternative ways to make use of underused and surplus federal lands and buildings, in ways that help reinvigorate communities by serving as centers that provide services for veterans, provided that, (i) there be no more than six and no less than four meetings held on the study, (ii) the committee report its findings to the House of Commons within six months following the adoption of this motion. Madam Speaker, right now in my riding of Cumberland—Colchester, there is a building that tells two stories at once. The Colonel James Layton Ralston Armoury in Amherst, Nova Scotia, named for a decorated war hero and former minister of national defence, sits empty today. At the same time, veterans in our community struggle to find affordable housing and access the physical and mental health services they have earned through service to this country. That gap is a problem, but it is a problem we have the power to solve if the folks in this room are willing to work together. Motion No. 16 is about connecting those two realities, taking federal properties that are not meeting their full potential and transforming them into vibrant community hubs that would deliver real support to the women and men who served us in uniform. Here is why I believe we need to have this conversation now. We are making historic investments in the Canadian Armed Forces. We are meeting our NATO commitments ahead of schedule. That means that, over the next decade, we need to prepare for thousands of new service members to one day become veterans. This is not just about addressing today's challenges. It is about getting ahead of tomorrow's needs with smart planning that works for veterans, communities and taxpayers. Let me paint a picture of what is possible. The Ralston armoury is a historic building with deep roots in Nova Scotia's military heritage. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders called it home. This is the regiment that landed on Juno Beach on D-Day, facing down the 12th SS Panzer Division in the wheat fields of Normandy, where it paid a devastating price: 80 dead and 200 wounded or captured in those first brutal days of the campaign, with 13 of the captured soldiers executed by the SS. These were not abstract statistics in our communities. These were sons, brothers and fathers, and their sacrifice helped liberate Europe. That building, their building, now sits in administrative limbo, declared surplus in 2016, then closed unexpectedly in 2020 due to structural concerns and closed again in 2025 due to environmental concerns. The community has fought to save it, but without long-term commitments toward a clear path forward, it will remain unused while its potential goes unrealized. I ask members to imagine the armoury becoming a veterans' resource centre, including affordable housing units designed for veterans transitioning to civilian life, mental health services, peer support groups, career counselling offices, meeting rooms where local veterans groups could gather and a revamped museum honouring the Highlanders' legacy, reminding everyone who walks through those doors what service and sacrifice really look like. It is not a fantasy. This motion is designed to explore how we could take buildings, such as the Ralston armoury, and turn them into solutions that honour the past while serving the present. Cumberland—Colchester is not alone in having this potential. In the riding of Brandon—Souris, my colleague across the aisle represents a community where the Canada Lands Company has already identified federal property available for housing development. What if that were to become another veterans' service hub, delivering wraparound support in Manitoba? In the riding of Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, my colleague in this chamber has similar federal properties sitting underused. British Columbia veterans deserve the same level of coordinated support we are talking about building in Nova Scotia. The list goes on and on. Coast to coast to coast, I could point members toward federal real estate that could be doing more, not someday, but right now. This motion would direct the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates to examine the best ways to make this happen. We would hear from veterans. We would consult with real estate and housing experts. We would look at successful models from other jurisdictions. By the end of this session, we would have concrete recommendations ready to implement. Some might ask, “Why focus on this? Why now?” The answer is that it is because housing affordability is a crisis that touches every Canadian community, and veterans are certainly not immune to the challenges; because mental health support should not require navigating a dozen different offices, criss-crossing the province; and because, when we ask Canadians to step up to serve their country, we make some pretty big promises, and those promises do not expire when they take off the uniform. This is about an obligation and an opportunity. Let us be clear about something else: This makes fiscal sense. Public Services and Procurement Canada is already working to offload underused federal office space through 2034, projecting $2.45 billion in operational savings over the next decade. We are going to be disposing of these properties anyway. The question is whether we do it strategically and intentionally, in ways that solve real problems for real people, or whether we just liquidate the assets without thinking about the bigger picture. Motion No. 16 says, let us be strategic. Let us be intentional. Let us make sure that, as we move these federal properties off our books, we are creating something of ongoing value in the process. Here is what I love about the motion. It is a win for everyone. For veterans, it means coordinated services in community-centred locations, places where they can access housing, health care, career support and peer networks without driving for hours or navigating bureaucratic mazes. For communities, it means taking buildings that are sitting empty or underused and turning them into anchors of local revitalization, places that create jobs, support vulnerable populations and strengthen our collective civic infrastructure. For taxpayers, it means using assets we already own more efficiently, generating savings while delivering better outcomes. For members of the House, regardless of party, it means delivering solutions that our constituents can really see and feel. When we walk past the Ralston armoury in Amherst or, more generally, an empty or underused federal building in any of our ridings and we see renovations under way, when we see veterans moving into affordable units, when we see families accessing services that help them thrive, that is a story we can all tell with pride. This is not about pointing fingers at past decisions. This is about building something better going forward. I want to be clear about what the motion does and does not do. It does not mandate specific outcomes. It does not override local decision-making. It does not tie anyone's hands. What it does is create space for local solutions, for good ideas to come to the surface. It directs a committee to do what committees, when they are at their best, do best: gather evidence, consult experts, listen to stakeholders and develop recommendations grounded in reality. This work will provide us with a road map that communities can adapt to their specific local circumstances. This is a chance for us to show the Canadian people what it looks like to work together. These are problems that every voter can understand. We have the potential to deliver easy-to-understand wins in ridings that span the entire country. The Ralston armoury in Amherst might become a veteran resource centre. The federal property in Brandon—Souris could focus primarily on affordable housing with integrated social services. The site in Kamloops might emphasize mental health programming with on-site peer support networks. Even if a member does not know these specific locations, we all know about the type of properties I am talking about. One size does not have to fit all, but the principle is universal: We have assets, we have needs, and we have an opportunity. Here is what I am proposing that every member of the House consider. I would ask all of us to take a minute right now, to put down our phones and maybe even close our eyes for a short, still moment of consideration. Consider if we have federal property in our riding that could better serve the community. I am willing to bet the answer is yes. Consider if we have veterans who would benefit from more coordinated, accessible services. I am willing to bet the answer is yes. Consider if we owe something to the Canadians who step up, put on the uniform and serve. I am quite certain that the answer is yes for all of us. With those questions in mind, I now ask for support of the motion being put forward today. I invite the full membership of the chamber to participate fully in this process. Come to the committee meetings. Share important insights. Tell us about the distinctive realities on the ground in ridings across the country. This kind of participation will help us build the best possible recommendations. Here is the truth. We are going to have more veterans in the coming years. Our NATO commitments mean a larger Canadian Armed Forces, which means more people who will eventually transition to civilian life and who deserve our support when they do. We can wait until the need becomes a crisis, or we can plan ahead. We can let underused properties continue gathering dust, or we can transform them into community assets. We can talk about supporting veterans in the abstract, or we can take tangible action. This is not abstract for me. I grew up with a visceral understanding of the price so many veterans pay as they sacrifice their bodies in service to their country. My grandfather, Private Ralph Hirtle, served as a dispatch rider in World War II, carrying critical information between the front lines in France and central command. He returned home with shrapnel in his chest, a price paid that was made front and centre for us kids before every Christmas, Thanksgiving and birthday celebration as we were reminded to not jump up on Grampy's lap: “He still hurts from the war.” He carried that physical pain with him every day. Later in life, I became intimately familiar with the mental pain that too many veterans have had to carry. Six years ago, in the autumn of 2019, my partner Joe died. He was a man of incredible light and unpredictable darkness. As a young man, he drove south, across the border, to enlist in the U.S. Army. He signed his papers and was off to the fight in Vietnam. As was true for tens of thousands of the men he served with in the mud and the muck, he brought parts of that fight in Vietnam back with him. Through PTSD, Joe would relive parts of that fight for decades. Long after returning to the safety of Canada, he carried that mental shrapnel the rest of his life. I could not help Joe. I could not offer him much more than the equivalent of mental band-aids, but this motion is a step we can take together to help us move beyond mental band-aid solutions. This is a step that might allow us to unlock creative solutions to better serve veterans across Canada. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders landed on Juno Beach 82 years ago this June. They fought their way across northwest Europe. They liberated villages. They paid an unbearable price, and they came home to build families and communities across Nova Scotia. The building that bears Colonel Ralston's name, the building where those Highlanders gathered, trained and kept their legacy alive, deserves better than the red tape of administrative limbo. I believe we can do better, and this motion is how we start. Let us embrace the opportunity. Let us study this thoroughly. Let us learn from best practices. Let us develop recommendations that communities from coast to coast to coast can implement. Let us prove that when we make commitments to the women and men who serve, we keep them, not just with words but with action. I ask every member with us today to see and embrace this opportunity. Motion No. 16 says that we have assets, we have needs and we have an opportunity. It asks, how can we be more strategic? How can we be more intentional? I ask now for the support of the House on Motion No. 16. Let us show the Canadian people that when we work together, we can get good things done.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member across the way for his question, but I am not sure that I want to. His point is taken. There certainly have been studies done. The need for veterans' housing is obvious, and the government understood that. This year, it launched Build Canada Homes, which will help provide housing for individuals, including veterans. By identifying the federal surplus buildings in each of our ridings, we are going to be better able to service those individuals and get it moving faster.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague hit the nail on the head. Sending the motion to committee and allowing for the study would enable a process to be put in place so the same procedures could be used across the country to identify buildings within each riding, create a process whereby they can be reallocated for the community and then enable the community to do what is best for it.

Mr. Speaker, I do not think there would be a conflict. I believe that we have the opportunity to repurpose historic buildings that have served our communities in past decades and to move them forward. With things like heat pumps, solar power and better energy efficiency, we can transform these buildings into units that can be occupied for decades to come.

Mr. Speaker, I would say that because OGGO is an opposition-chaired committee, it makes perfect sense for everyone to work on a non-partisan basis to review the opportunities and to see what we can do to move them forward.

Mr. Speaker, as a newcomer to politics, I am finding the Ottawa approach to problem-solving quite perplexing. I am proud of this government's focus on delivering for hard-working families through tax cuts for 22 million Canadians, making sure every kid gets a healthy meal at school, investing billions in infrastructure projects and creating good jobs in our local communities, but these plans for tax breaks and infrastructure investments are being met with obstruction. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance tell us why our practical solutions are being reflexively blocked when hard-working families expect us to work—

Mr. Speaker, my father suffered from four different types of cancer over five years and, indeed, opted for medical assistance in dying, which took place in August 2024. Although sitting with him that day was one of the hardest times of my life, I fully supported his choice to participate in MAID. I also supported the process as it took place and was there throughout it. I wonder if the member across would share how she voted for the initial legislation on medical assistance in dying.

Mr. Speaker, leading into Remembrance Day, the town of Truro, Nova Scotia, renamed its outdoor athletic facility in honour of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, the only all-Black Canadian unit in World War I. The men of the No. 2 showed up ready to enlist, and Canada said, “No, thanks; this is a white man's war.” When eventually allowed to serve, the No. 2 was the backbone of Canadian efforts, laying track for railroads and milling lumber, every board going to trenches, bridges, observation towers, walkways and fence posts. These men built the infrastructure that won the war; it was first-class service from men treated as second-class citizens. The No. 2 Construction Battalion provides us with an example of national service and commitment to community that we would do well to remember today. Let us serve the memory of its members by being of service to one another.