Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, today is the second anniversary of the tabling of the ACVA committee report entitled “Invisible No More. The Experiences of Canadian Women Veterans”. The report makes 42 recommendations and emphasizes the need to address health and research gaps, economic and social challenges, military sexual trauma, and the systemic barriers for women getting the services they are entitled to. Behind every recommendation was a woman who came forward to share her story. These are stories of service, of sacrifice, of resilience and too often, of feeling unseen. Many of those women are here in Parliament today. As co-chair of the parliamentary friendship group for veterans, I will share that we will be hosting a round table discussion this afternoon with the Invisible No More project to talk about the progress made on the recommendations and what remains to be done. As we mark this anniversary, I thank all women veterans. We see them and we hear them.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of tabling, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development: the ninth report, entitled “Amplifying Canada's Africa Strategy”, and the 10th report, entitled “Standing with Democracy and Human Rights Defenders: Strengthening Support at a Critical Time”, by the Subcommittee on International Human Rights. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to each of these two reports.

Mr. Speaker, every year, the Canadian Animal Health Institute hosts the Cutest Pets on Parliament Hill contest. I am thrilled to announce that my cat, Coco, was the first place winner for the cutest cat on the Hill. We got Coco a year ago from the Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue. Axelle Manley and her daughter Scarlett had fostered her for three months. They lost their home in a tragic fire when Scarlett was only four years old, and they never found their three cats. Since then, they have fostered 44 other cats. Because of their kindness, we have our beloved Coco. I want to thank CAHI and congratulate all of the other winners: the cutest dog, Tuukka; the cutest other pet, Nugget; and the best‑dressed pet, Bella. I thank all those who entered pets, everyone who participated in the contest and, especially, everyone who voted for Coco.

moved that Bill S-246, An Act respecting the recognition of wartime service, be read the first time. Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to introduce at first reading Bill S-246, the wartime service recognition act. The bill would provide for the development of a national framework for the recognition of certain military service as wartime service, and a timeline for designation of wartime service if it meets the criteria, going back to the Korean War and for future conflicts. The bill passed unanimously in the other place. It follows decades of advocacy by veterans for recognition of modern wartime service and would mean that future veterans would not need to fight for their own recognition. Canadian Armed Forces members put their life on the line for our freedom, and the bill would make sure they are properly recognized. (Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

Mr. Speaker, last week, I was honoured to join the Soloway Jewish Community Centre of Ottawa as it celebrated its 75th anniversary at the Soloway centre in my riding. I heard heartwarming stories of dances, children's camps and friendships, even marriages, that began there. Photos from the 1950s to today reflected a generous and thriving community that has contributed so much to our city. Speakers at the event emphasized how welcome they feel at the Jewish Community Centre, something that is sadly not always the case everywhere. The deplorable and increasing anti-Semitic incidents, such as the despicable effigies in Montreal this week, make a joyful space like the Soloway centre so much more important. In addition to being a welcoming space for the Jewish community, the Soloway centre also welcomes the broader community. I thank the JCC for all it does to support our city and our neighbours.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important work of Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue. It is a 100% volunteer-run organization that rescues cats in need, cares for them through a network of foster homes and helps them find safe, loving families. For those cats too feral for adoption, the rescue owns a barn where the cats can live safely and be fed under a vet's care. Each year, Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue saves over 750 cats. Foster families play an especially important role in helping cats to heal, socialize and prepare for adoption. Last year, I adopted my own little Coco through Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue. She had been lovingly fostered by Axelle and Scarlette, and we are so grateful. I want to thank all the volunteers, foster families and supporters of Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue for their outstanding service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, we know that mental health and physical health are closely connected. Both are equally important for our well-being, especially for athletes competing at the highest levels. Mental health is key to a balanced life and long-term success in sport. Can the Secretary of State for Sport update the House on what our government is doing to support the mental health of national team athletes and coaches?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an incredible project in my riding, the Ottawa Tool Library. This place functions like any other library, but instead of lending books, it lends tools. Whether someone is tackling a home renovation project or a creative project, or repairing something, this place makes it possible. Through repair cafés, workshops, a tinkering school and the Dr. Phil Tool Hospital, tools are given a second chance, and our community is reminded of the values of sustainability, sharing and helping one another. I would especially like to thank Bettina Vollmerhausen and the many dedicated volunteers who teach people how to build something new, repair something old and discover skills they never knew they had. To everyone at the Ottawa Tool Library, I say thanks, and keep building.

Madam Speaker, I rise to present petition e-6827. In the context of the forthcoming elections in Bangladesh, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to call for cessation of and accountability for human rights violations, political persecution, religiously motivated violence, illegal detentions and extrajudicial killings. The petitioners are asking for internationally monitored free and fair elections with the participation of all political parties. Finally, petitioners call on Canada to support diplomatic and multilateral efforts to restore peace, democratic governance and rule of law in Bangladesh.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of Bill C-223, the keeping children safe act, introduced by my friend and colleague the member for Hamilton Mountain. I will begin by acknowledging the courage of the many survivors, advocates, legal experts and organizations who have spent years bringing these issues forward, often at great personal cost. I also want to acknowledge the work of the hundreds of organizations across Canada that have called for this reform. This is an important bill. It would protect children and families as they navigate through the court system. The bill's central purpose is protection for the survivors of intimate-partner violence and their children as they go through the already complex and emotional process of separation and divorce. This bill allows us to believe survivors and prevent them from being revictimized during the legal process. At its core, the bill asks whether we are truly centring the best interests of the child or whether we are allowing outdated assumptions and systemic blind spots to put children at risk. The answer matters, because family law decisions are not abstract; in fact they shape children's daily lives, determine whom they live with, whom they see and whether they grow up safe. Bill C-223 places the best interests of the child at the heart of all decisions. It specifies that there should be no presumption of shared custody and that decisions must be based on the safety, well-being and lived reality of the child. The bill would require legal advisers to screen for family violence, including coercive control. It would strengthen the court's ability to assess the impact of coercive control on the parent-child relationship. This is critical because coercive control is not always visible in bruises or police reports, but its effects on children are profound and long-lasting. The bill would ensure that children's views and preferences are meaningfully considered, and that they are not automatically dismissed as the product of manipulation. Bill C-223 would give children the opportunity to be heard in an age-appropriate way, with proper safeguards, and it would make safety a paramount consideration in custody decisions. Finally, Bill C-223 would prevent courts from issuing orders that retraumatize children, including forced reunification therapies or sudden reversals of primary residence in the absence of evidence that such measures are safe or necessary. In 2024, Statistics Canada reported that there were only 25,000 child and youth victims of police-reported family violence. We know that these figures only tell part of the story. Many cases of family violence are never reported. Children who have experienced or witnessed family violence carry trauma that shapes their development, their sense of security and their ability to form healthy relationships. When our family courts fail to take their fears seriously, when courts dismiss their disclosures as manipulation, or when children are forced into the care of parents who have harmed them or who have harmed the other parent, we compound that trauma. We teach them that their voices do not matter, that adults will not protect them and that the system designed to serve their best interests has in fact failed them. When I served on the status of women committee, we studied coercive control. We heard testimony from survivors, lawyers, psychologists and frontline workers. Again and again we heard how violence does not end when a relationship ends. In fact in many cases it intensifies, through the courts, through custody disputes and through the manipulation of legal processes themselves. We heard how coercive control operates not only through physical violence but also through fear, surveillance, intimidation and the erosion of autonomy. We heard repeatedly how children are drawn into that control, used as leverage, silenced or forced into situations that are unsafe, in the name of parental rights. During committee testimony, we heard heart-wrenching stories about the harm that forced reunification had on children. For example, we heard from a 17-year-old girl who told us that she was ordered by the court to go to a reunification camp in New York after her father claimed parental alienation. She told us it felt like she had been “judicially trafficked”. Those are her words. Among other things, she and her younger brother were told that their negative memories of their father were not real. They were forced to smile in photos, tell their father that they loved him and show physical affection toward their father under the threat that, if they did not, they would not be allowed to see their mother. When this witness was 16, she ran away to try to go to her mom's house. Her father had the police bring her back. She was ultimately under a no-contact order with her mother for over 500 days. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. We heard of a young woman who, at age 15, was forced into the custody of her father, who sexually abused her. Children told us over and over again that they felt that they had no voice, that nobody believed them and that there was nobody to talk to, especially when, after they finally told someone, their disclosures of abuse were repeated to the abusive parent, who would then use that to further intimidate and victimize them. Under this bill, children would be able to tell their story confidentially to the court without fear. This bill treats children as people with agency, not as property to be divided. Too often, decisions are still influenced by myths and stereotypes, such as the notion that co-parenting is always the best solution, that children who refuse contact have been manipulated, or that a parent, often the mother, who raises safety concerns should be considered unreasonable or uncooperative. Research shows that mothers are twice as likely as fathers to face allegations of parental alienation, even in cases where violence is documented. Protective actions taken to keep a child safe are reframed as hostility. Fear is reframed as non-cooperation, and children's voices are too often dismissed on the assumption that they cannot be trusted. Bill C-223 does not remove discretion from judges; it actually guides it with evidence. The bill does not diminish the importance of parental relationships. In fact, it recognizes that a relationship that is unsafe is not a relationship that is in the best interests of the child. The Standing Committee on the Status of Women heard clearly that if the courts do not understand coercive control, they may repeat it. If they prioritize formal equality over actual safety, they put children at risk. Canada has committed internationally to protecting women and children from violence. The keeping children safe act would build on that commitment by aligning our domestic framework with evidence-based best practices and international human rights obligations. We cannot meet those commitments if our laws remain out of step with what we know. Bill C-223 asks us to listen to children; take violence seriously, even when it is subtle; and ensure that the justice system does not become another tool of harm. This bill seeks to ensure that, if families experience violence, they are not revictimized by the very system that should be protecting them. For these reasons, I am proud to support the keeping children safe act, and I urge all members to do the same.

Madam Speaker, aging is difficult for most people, but for those who have experienced addictions and mental health challenges, including hospitalization and periods of homelessness throughout their lives, it is even more challenging. Recently, I toured the soon-to-open Ottawa Salus 54-unit affordable housing complex in my riding of Ottawa West—Nepean. This federally funded project will provide low-barrier supportive housing to older adults with complex social and health issues. This unique, purpose-built apartment and townhouse project near the City View Curling Club has a variety of bright social and recreation spaces, clinics and other services. It is very impressive, and it will allow residents to age in place in dignity and safety. This is just one tangible example in my riding of how our housing strategy is working and will change lives for the better.

Mr. Speaker, just a couple of weeks ago in my riding, a Jewish woman was stabbed while she was shopping in the kosher section of a grocery store. I have been meeting in living rooms with the Jewish community in my riding, and this is a culmination of what is a deplorable increase in anti-Semitism. I wonder if the secretary of state could reassure my constituents, who are scared to even go out in public, with what this bill would do to improve things for them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible communities of Ambleside and Northwest One in Ottawa West—Nepean. Both of these are celebrating their 50th anniversary. These are more than just condo towers; they are what we call NORCs, naturally occurring retirement communities. Ambleside One and Two and the Northwest One towers, Poulin and Regina, are home to many long-time residents, including some who have lived there since the beginning. These are vibrant communities where residents truly look out for each other. They host Friday night potluck meals; organize yoga, choirs and current affairs discussions; and support the surrounding communities with food drives, environmental action and more. While there are some young families, most of the residents are older adults, and their community spirit combats the social isolation of seniors, helping residents live longer, healthier and more connected lives. Congratulations to Ambleside One and Two and to Northwest One.

Mr. Speaker, throughout history, women have stepped up to serve our country in the Canadian Armed Forces: from the Wrens in World War II to the Persian Gulf War, where women first served in combat roles, to today, with a female chief of the defence staff. Women have come a long way, but it was not always easy. Women veterans still suffer today from health issues, military sexual trauma and other harms that were caused not by our adversaries but by a military culture that did not recognize that we cannot have a fully capable fighting force without full inclusion. We owe it to them to do better. One year ago today, the veterans affairs committee tabled a seminal report called “Invisible No More”. Today, some of the brave women who testified are visiting Parliament to ask that all the recommendations be fully implemented and that June 12 be women veterans appreciation day. To them and all servicewomen, we thank them and we see them.

Mr. Speaker, the people of the country of Georgia are courageously fighting for their freedom, democracy and a European future. Tens of thousands are protesting peacefully despite facing intimidation, violence and mass arrests. In the last two weeks, 500 individuals have been detained, with 70% reporting ill treatment, and over 80 required hospitalization, yet no accountability has been demanded from those responsible for the excessive force. The government is escalating its crackdown, targeting activists at their homes and violating their rights. The ruling Georgian Dream party is proposing amendments to Georgia's law on assemblies that would further restrict peaceful protest. We stand in solidarity with the Georgian people in their fight for human rights and democracy. I call for the immediate release of all detained activists and accountability for abuses. As we celebrate international Human Rights Day, we applaud the courage of the Georgian people.

Madam Speaker, last week, I hosted the meeting of the Global Network of Women Legislators in Defence, Security and Peace Portfolios, or WLID, here in Parliament, where we heard from Ukrainian MPs about being legislators in a time of war, including having an app that tells them when to leave the chamber and go to the bomb shelters. Their courage was inspiring and also reinforces our own determination to support Ukraine. Several years ago, I realized that there were very few women in defence or security portfolios globally, and I established WLID, which began as an informal WhatsApp group. It is now a global network with a secretariat, members on every continent, a website and new co-chairs from Ukraine and Zambia. The network provides a supportive space to share strategies on how to overcome gendered stereotypes and barriers in this sector and share strategies and ideas for legislators. I look forward to seeing the WLID network grow, including members in the House and the other place.

Madam Speaker, today I will be splitting my time with the member for Kingston and the Islands. I want to start by thanking the member for Edmonton Strathcona for bringing up this vitally important issue and also for bringing up the fact that, for 18 hours, it was filibustered in committee by the Conservatives, because I think that says something. People say that abortion rights are not up for discussion in Canada, and they ask why we are even talking about it. This is why we have to talk about it, because American women also did not think that abortion rights were up for discussion. We really thought that. For our mothers, our aunts and those who had to fight for those rights, we thought that the debate was over. Now we look across, and at every opportunity, the Conservatives will avoid, at any measure, a vote on this issue, because they do not want to admit that there is a huge majority in that caucus who actually stand against a woman's right to choose. This is something I think every Canadian woman is extremely concerned about. As such, I thank the member for Edmonton Strathcona for that motion. I would like to start with a personal story. There is a member of my family of that generation that had to fight for these rights, a close member of my family, who at one point found that she was pregnant with a child that was severely handicapped. When she first immigrated to Canada, she worked in a sector with a lot of severely handicapped people, and she was deeply religious, deeply Catholic. When she found herself pregnant, she thought and prayed very much about what the right thing to do was. After going through a process where she made that choice between herself and her faith, she had to go in front of three male doctors and defend her decision, and those doctors decided that she could not have an abortion. This family member was despondent. She already had two young children, two girls, and she did not pass a psychological evaluation, because of the impact of being told, after she had prayed and come to this decision between herself and her husband, that she could not do it. Thankfully, there was a geneticist, a woman and doctor, who helped her and arranged for her to go to the United States, to Seattle, so that she could have autonomy over her own body and her own life choice. That case was one of the cases in the Morgentaler decision, which overturned that draconian abortion law in this country that said a woman had to go in front of a panel of doctors, mostly men, to justify her decision and her autonomy. I am very proud of that woman, that family member of mine. I think that, because of her, women in this country have autonomy over our own bodies. I am so proud of her. I do not want to have to redo this debate, but sadly, we do. When it comes to the reason I ran, the moment I decided that I was going to run for office in this country, I was working internationally. I was working in Africa. I was working in other parts of the world. At one point, the regional coordinator for my project, which was about women in politics, was from sub-Saharan Africa, a young woman from Mali. All of a sudden, in 2010, which was in the Harper years, the government cut funding to any international organization, no matter what other good things it was doing, if it also provided abortion. The government did it with absolutely no warning. In the coordinator's country of Mali, a clinic that had been there for 40 years, which provided all kinds of health services, which she went to as a child and which that community benefited from, was suddenly closed, just because one of the things that clinic provided was abortion. That coordinator got on Skype with me at that time in 2010, and she said, “You Canadian women are hypocrites.” I was stunned. I sort of took a moment, and I asked, “Why would you say that?” She said, “Because I went to Montreal and I studied at McGill. I know Canadian women have reproductive rights, but your government shut down a clinic in my village out of ideology. Now I know that Canadians think that it is not good enough for us African women to also have the same rights that you Canadian women have.” I was ashamed. I was actually so ashamed at that moment to be Canadian and to have my government, at that time the Harper government, do this kind of thing, which was so harmful to so many people, that I decided I had to run for office. I did not win that 2011 election, but I won in 2015. I fought hard the minute I was elected, alongside many women in this chamber, to get our feminist international assistance policy, FIAP, in place, and I was able to come full circle just a little while ago this January. As a result of FIAP, as a result of the fact that we are putting $700 million a year into SRHR, that we are the number one donor to the UNFPA and that, when the Americans pulled back, we stepped up, I went to a clinic in Kinshasa, the country where I worked before I was elected. This clinic offers, among other things, safe abortion services. I met a young girl who was in her twenties. She told me that when she was 16 and she was raped, she had nowhere to go, but then she found out about this clinic. It is because she was able to get a safe abortion in this clinic, she is now planning to go to medical school to become a doctor so that she can help other people. However, that young woman could have been dead, because 10% of maternal deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo are because of unsafe abortions. When we say that we do not want to provide abortion, we do not want to have SRHR or we do not want young women knowing their rights all over the world, we are killing women, because that is 10% of maternal deaths. We are saving lives with this policy by supporting SRHR. I was so proud of those young women. There was a group of marginalized youth who sat in a circle with me and talked about what our funding for this clinic meant to them. It was the young girls, the teenagers, who were saying that they were talking to the traditional leaders. They are talking to the faith leaders, and they are explaining. One young woman said to me, “I understand my rights, and I want to make sure that every young woman understands her rights.” These strong, incredible young women are the future, the new leadership of Africa and of the world, and they are working side-by-side with the older generations to ensure that this is something that is accepted and understood. This is not ideology. This is saving lives. This is giving rights. This is giving autonomy. This is ensuring that we have generations of young women who do not have to go through what my family member went through: the indignity and the injustice of being told, “No, you can't have an abortion.” That woman in my family still prays for that baby. She honestly says to this day, and I think she is watching, that she believes that the little baby, whom she named Jennifer, is in heaven thanking her for saving her from a life of pain. Now, that might not be everyone's choice in this place. I know that there are so many babies born with severe disabilities who are loved, but that is not the point of this discussion. The point of this discussion is that this woman made her choice by her own conscience, and she was overruled. No woman should ever be in this position, whether here in Canada or in other parts of the world, when, after tremendous thought, and with whatever faith she might believe in or not, she comes to a choice about her own body. I will never accept it, and I will stand in the House to the very last day to make sure that nobody on that side is ever going to force a woman to carry a child to term that she does not want. We are saving lives. This debate is absolutely 100% necessary. I thank the member for Edmonton Strathcona for giving us the opportunity to put our words on the record.

Madam Speaker, I am very happy that my hon. colleague raised the issue of what has happened in the United States, because there is an increase in the demeaning objectification of women. Words matter. What they say has led to an eroding of rights of women in the United States. The irony is that a family member of mine had to go to the United States to be able to get an abortion, and now there are women in the United States who have to come to Canada. This is something that we have to stop because it is a risk. It is here. That right-wing rhetoric that the member is talking about is alive and well. We are seeing it in the House today in the way that Conservatives are heckling the women who are standing up for our rights.

Madam Speaker, I think this issue about religion and rights is actually a very important one. This is about supporting a woman's right to choose. Look at the case that I talked about. This was someone who was deeply religious and she made a choice. I think it is not up to anybody, no matter what their faith, to tell another person what they should do, any more than we would tell that person of faith what they should do with their body. The important part here is choice. I did not get elected to be the one to tell a woman what she should do. That should be something between the woman, her doctor and whatever faith or god she might believe in. However, that is her choice and hers alone.

Madam Speaker, this week, I attended the launch of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence at Ottawa City Hall, hosted by GRAN advocates, Interval House of Ottawa and the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women. We joined together to light buildings in purple, including City Hall and the Peace Tower, to symbolize our determination to end violence against women. For the dedicated organizations and volunteers leading these efforts, activism is not limited to 16 days. It is 365 days a year. Our national action plan to end gender-based violence and our feminist international assistance policy provide funding to frontline organizations doing the hard work to support survivors and make real change. At a time when demeaning language and objectification of women is becoming normalized, we stand in solidarity to say that this is not normal. Together, we can end gender-based violence.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a pillar in our community, Wim ten Holder, who passed away on November 1. Ottawans know Wim mostly as an entrepreneur and as the owner of Café WIM in the ByWard Market. He brought a little bit of Dutch gezelligheid and warmth to our community for more than two decades. Everyone who met him was struck by his wit and his charm. Wim was born in the Netherlands in 1932. At the age of 18, he met the love of his life, Iris, and they immigrated to Canada. They were married for more than 67 years and had five children. Iris in fact worked in this place for 25 years in the committees section. Wim was the president of the Netherlands-Canada Society, where he gave joy to many children by playing Sinterklaas, St. Nicholas, every year. Wim was also very well known and respected in his community of Britannia. I ask the House to join me in giving sincere condolences to Wim's family.

Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada, GAC, ministers. With regard to part (a), on September 27, 2023, the Government of Canada publicly announced funding for two development assistance projects, valued at a total of $14 million, in support of Afghan refugees and host-communities impacted by the 2022 flood crisis in Pakistan. Of the total $14 million announced, $10 million in development assistance funding was provided by the Government of Canada and directly received by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, for project implementation efforts within Pakistan. Of the total $14 million announced, $4 million in development assistance funding was provided by the Government of Canada and directly received by the World Health Organization, WHO, for project implementation efforts within Pakistan. None of the $14 million announced by the Government of Canada was provided to or received by other recipients. With regard to part (b), the funds provided to UNHCR by the Government of Canada supported essential services for Afghan refugees and host communities grappling with the flood crisis in Pakistan. The $10 million in development assistance funded a bilateral Government of Canada project entitled “Essential Services to Afghan Refugees and Host Communities in Pakistan”. The Government of Canada allocated the full $10 million in development funding to this project. It is fully administered directly by UNHCR in Pakistan. With regard to part (c), the development funding provided by the Government of Canada to WHO was in support of health services to Afghan refugees and host communities in flood affected areas in Pakistan. The $4 million in development assistance supported the project entitled “Health Assistance for Afghan Refugees and Host Communities in Pakistan”. This project received the full $4 million allocation. It is administered directly by WHO in Pakistan. With regard to part (d), project funds were directly provided by the Government of Canada to UNHCR and WHO for programming delivered to support Afghan refugees and host-communities located within Pakistan. Global Affairs Canada exercises due diligence to oversee and monitor project implementation and delivery to ensure the effective use of Canadian funds for approved purposes. These efforts include, but are not limited to, visiting project implementation sites in Pakistan, meeting with project partners and beneficiaries in Pakistan and requiring that programing partners provide the Government of Canada with project financial and results reporting. In addition, the Government of Canada includes anti-terrorism clauses in its funding agreements with humanitarian and development partners to prevent funds from being diverted. The links referenced are as follows. The Government of Canada news release, NR, project announcement, dated September 27, 2023, is at https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2023/09/canada-announces-funding-to-help-afghan-refugees-and-host-communities-impacted-by-last-years-flooding-in-pakistan.html. Global Affairs Canada’s project browser link for UNHCR implemented project information, last updated in September 2024, is at https://w05.international.gc.ca/projectbrowser-banqueprojets/project-projet/details/p012289001. Global Affairs Canada’s project browser link for WHO implemented project information, last updated in September 2024, is at https://w05.international.gc.ca/projectbrowser-banqueprojets/project-projet/details/p011526001.

Madam Speaker, this Remembrance Week, we do more than remember those who sacrificed for our country; we also remember why they served. My father's family was in the Dutch resistance during World War II. He was just a little boy, but he never forgot the liberation. My father got his first candy from a Canadian soldier. Particularly today, after what happened last night in Amsterdam, it is more important than ever that we learn the lessons of history and never again allow xenophobia and hatred to take hold. We need to defend and protect our pluralism, democracy and shared humanity. For all of those who served, for the women who had to fight just to stand shoulder to shoulder, for indigenous veterans who faced discrimination, for 2SLGBTQI+ veterans who were purged, for Persian Gulf War veterans who are still fighting for recognition, for those who came home with visible and invisible wounds and for those who never came home at all, we honour and thank them. Lest we forget.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of my constituent Josephine Crone. At just 20 years old, Josephine received the life-changing diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Josephine, like so many, is a warrior, a quiet hero whose strength shines through even the darkest days. Her journey mirrors that of thousands of Canadians battling blood cancers. In 2024 alone, an estimated 6,600 Canadians will hear this difficult diagnosis. Last Saturday, I attended the Light the Night walk, where Josephine and others brought faces and stories to these numbers, showing us the courage, hope and heart behind each statistic. I am committed to a future where the golden lights honouring those we have lost continue to inspire unwavering support for patients, survivors and the loved ones who walk beside them in this fight, and where more white lights of survival shine brightly.

Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague and I were on the status of women committee and the women in sport study; we heard horrifying stories of what was happening to children, to young girls, to the survivors. I want to thank her for talking about our committee recommendations. Our government is already acting on many of them, including creating a commission, the Future of Sport in Canada Commission, and the sport integrity framework. How does my hon. colleague think we can work together more, with all parties, to make sure that the voices of these courageous survivors of all the abuse in sport are heard?

Mr. Speaker, today is World Polio Day. Today, we renew our collective resolve for a world where no child suffers from this paralyzing and deadly disease. Through efforts of organizations like Rotary International, we have successfully reduced polio cases by 99% since 1979, with three billion children vaccinated. To guarantee that we meet the objective of completely eradicating polio, Canada has pledged an additional $151 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Let us honour the tireless efforts of the health workers and the 20 million volunteers who have journeyed to the most remote corners of the world, in 200 countries, delivering not just vaccines, but hope. Let the end of polio be not only a goal, but a legacy.

Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to talk about what really matters to Canadians. Since 2015, our government has been making important investments to grow the economy, strengthen Canada's social safety net and support Canadians. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. We reinforced the security and dignity of retirement income by strengthening the CPP and increasing old age security for seniors aged 75 and over. We made generational investments in $10-a-day child care, cutting child care costs by at least half already. We also introduced the Canada carbon rebate to maintain an incentive to reduce pollution while putting more money in the pockets of hard-working Canadians in provinces where the federal fuel charge applies. All of these investments have made life more affordable for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. However, we know that Canadians continue to face challenges while the cost of living remains high. That is why, in budget 2024, the government invested in new measures like the national school food program, which will help an additional 400,000 children get the healthy food they need to learn and grow, and the Canada disability benefit, which will help improve the financial well-being of over 600,000 low-income persons with disabilities. This is also why we continue to invest in the dental care plan, under which two million Canadians have already been approved to get the dental care they need from a dentist or hygienist. We do this so that every generation has a fair shot at receiving the dental care they deserve while making life cost less. We are also helping to make life cost less through our ambitious housing plan. We have committed to building more homes faster, increasing housing affordability, growing the community housing sector and making it easier to rent or buy a home. Our government recently announced a suite of bold reforms to mortgage rules to make mortgages more affordable for Canadians and put home ownership within reach. We are also expanding eligibility for 30-year insured mortgage amortization to all first-time homebuyers and to buyers of new builds. Canadians can count on the government to continue strengthening our social safety net while managing the nation's finances responsibly. In fact, for the past nine months in a row, inflation has been within the Bank of Canada's target range. Inflation fell to 1.6% in September, a 43-month low. Today, the Bank of Canada lowered the interest rate to 3.75%, which is going to help so many Canadians with their mortgage rates, credit cards and other borrowing costs. These are powerful economic proof points. They show that Canada's economy is strong and resilient. They show that our economic plan is fiscally responsible. That is important because it means that we can afford to make investments and in turn make life more affordable for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the numbers speak for themselves. I am very proud to be part of a government that has a plan to ensure that everyone gets a fair chance to succeed and build a good, middle-class life. Ongoing investments like the ones I outlined are making life affordable for Canadians, and investments in economic growth and competitiveness are showing results. Canada has the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, and this is recognized by our AAA credit rating. This shows that our efforts to make life more affordable for Canadians are paying off.

Mr. Speaker, of course, we continue to unequivocally condemn the brutal terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Canada also continues to support Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international humanitarian law. The allegations that UNRWA staff participated in the October 7 attacks were troubling. Following these allegations, the UNRWA immediately and proactively dismissed the employees who were named and co-operated fully with the investigation and review called for by the UN Secretary-General. The UNRWA has also continued to strengthen its neutrality mechanisms. On March 8, 2024, Canada announced that it would resume funding to UNRWA. This decision was taken in light of the serious and significant reviews under way and the steps undertaken by UNRWA to address allegations and reinforce its neutrality mechanisms. Canada had seen the interim report of the investigation being done by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services and was satisfied that there was no significant obstacle to resuming aid as the named employees were no longer work for the agency. Other donors also came to this conclusion shortly thereafter and resumed funding to UNRWA before the ongoing review and study were finished. When resuming funding, Canada and other donors also considered the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the significant need for increased assistance. It is also important to recall that UNRWA provides up to 60% of all humanitarian assistance in Gaza, and its systems are essential for delivery of aid by other partners. Reports that UNRWA is requesting that its employees be shielded from persecution by invoking their diplomatic immunity are false. These media reports conflate the initial investigation into the alleged participation of UNRWA staff in the October 7 attacks with a lawsuit filed in the United States against UNRWA and some of its senior officials. We are aware that an UNRWA staff member was reportedly killed in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon on Monday, September 30. At the time of his death, the UNRWA employee had been on administrative leave without pay since March, following allegations that he had links to Hamas. The employee denied being a member of Hamas, but was nevertheless being investigated by UNRWA's internal investigation unit at the time of his death. Detractors incorrectly asserted the employee was subsequently reinstated. UNRWA reports that throughout the investigation, the employee denied his affiliation to Hamas. The first time that UNRWA received confirmation of his role in Hamas was on Monday, September 30, 2024, when it was confirmed by Hamas. This case underscores UNRWA's diligence in responding to information about alleged activities by staff that are incompatible with their role as UN employees. We acknowledge the other UNRWA employees who have been killed in this crisis and are concerned about the continuing attacks against UNRWA personnel. The work of UN agencies and trusted humanitarian actors in Gaza is fundamental to ensuring that the large number of civilians in need receive aid. Canada continues to be a major funding provider for trusted humanitarian organizations so that they can carry out their important work.

Mr. Speaker, the rapid and unimpeded access of humanitarian relief for the more than two million civilians in Gaza is critical. UNRWA plays a critical role in delivering humanitarian assistance and essential services to Gaza and the West Bank. There are 123 countries that think the same and have signed on this year to a statement of shared commitments to UNRWA. Canada will continue to work with UNRWA and other donors to ensure they implement the 50 recommendations of the review headed by former foreign minister Catherine Colonna. The review also found that UNRWA had sound governance and stronger neutrality mechanisms than other UN organizations. Canada's assistance is subject to our robust enhanced due diligence process to ensure that no funding is diverted. We assess UNRWA to be an indispensable partner in aid delivery in Gaza during this dire humanitarian crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of three unique international development organizations: the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation, the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation and the Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation. For 50 years, these councils have been more than just partners in international development. They have been the architects of change by engaging youth, training educators and strengthening civil society to tackle some of the world's most pressing challenges. I have met some of the people who have benefited from their work. Whether it is using music therapy for healing, solar-powered breast pumps or digital education, their innovative programs are changing lives. Through their work, so many Canadians have been informed, inspired and involved in creating a more just and equitable world. I wish them a happy 50th anniversary.

Madam Speaker, this week we celebrated National Seniors Day. Last weekend, I met with a wonderful group of seniors from my riding at Woodroffe United Church, organized by the Olde Forge Community Resource Centre oasis program. My riding has many buildings where most of the residents are older adults. They call these NORCs, naturally occurring retirement communities. The Olde Forge, with partial funding through the federal government's New Horizons for Seniors program, provides coordinators in these seniors buildings who facilitate social gatherings, food and nutrition events, wellness and physical activities, and anything else the seniors want. These seniors told me that because of this program, they feel less lonely, are healthier and can stay in their homes longer. This pilot project is now in four buildings in my riding, the three Ambleside buildings and the Rosewood. I want to thank all the staff, the volunteers and the participants for contributing to a better community.

Mr. Speaker, today I am wearing a forget-me-not pin to recognize World Alzheimer's Month and to stand with the more than 700,000 Canadians living with dementia, a number projected to rise to 1.7 million by 2050. Dementia costs Canadians over $10 billion annually, but the personal toll on individuals and their families is immeasurable. In 2017, the House unanimously supported the national dementia strategy, and it remains vital that we continue to work to address this growing challenge. I want to thank the Alzheimer Society of Canada for the essential work they do in helping families in our communities and funding research for a cure. I am joined today by colleagues from all parties wearing forget-me-not pins. I wear mine for my oma. Together, we can work toward a future where Alzheimer's and dementia are diseases of the past.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable constituent of mine, Varavadi Monaghan. When she arrived in Canada 30 years ago, the first books her husband, Harry, gave to her were the classic Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. She loved the books so much that she decided to translate them into Thai, her mother language. It took over a year to translate them; it was a true labour of love. It is a fitting tribute in a year that would have been L.M. Montgomery's 150th birthday. Ms. Monaghan is looking forward to travelling to Cavendish, P.E.I., which is the site that inspired the Anne of Green Gables series. The books will be presented to Thai and Canadian dignitaries as a symbol of the cultural bridge between our two countries. This is a testament to the universality and relevance of the stories of our iconic protagonist, Anne. Now, thanks to Varavadi, another generation of children can enjoy these inspiring tales.

Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 25th anniversary of the arrival of the Kosovo refugees who fled the brutal conflict there in 1999. Today, the Canada-Kosovo Parliamentary Friendship Group welcomed a delegation from Kosovo to celebrate the occasion. Twenty-five years after their arrival, we celebrate the invaluable contributions of Kosovo Canadians to our society. They are contributing as doctors, business owners, as members of the Canadian Armed Forces, in music and as cultural leaders, as scientists and so much more. The generosity of those Canadians who welcomed and who helped them has been returned many times over. This anniversary serves as a reminder of our shared humanity and our duty of compassion toward those seeking refuge. We are committed to continuing to support those fleeing war and oppression and to honour the stories of courage and resilience that inspire us to be more inclusive as a society.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the UN voted to establish the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, when 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were taken by Serb forces from a UN safe zone, shot and buried in mass graves. After years of painstaking documentation, in 2004 and 2007 international courts ruled that the crimes committed in Srebrenica constitute genocide. I was working in Sarajevo 25 years ago. Every morning, I passed the mothers of Srebrenica holding photos of their lost sons and begging us for justice, like one mother who searched all of the mass graves for the red rubber boots that her little boy was wearing on that day. Those faces haunt me still. I hope that commemorating these atrocities will bring some peace and some healing.

Madam Speaker, our government has been there since day one for Ukraine. Budget 2024 is yet another step in making sure that Ukraine wins in its fight against Putin's illegal invasion. This budget includes almost $3 billion in additional financing, including for lethal and non-lethal weapons, including funding through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the reconstruction of Ukraine. We will also see how we can use seized Russian assets for the restoration of Ukraine. We have always been there to support Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to table petition e-4758. The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada, particularly IRCC, to develop a list of laws that are known, in repressive regimes such as Russia, to be used to persecute human rights defenders, democracy activists and political dissidents. The petitioners are concerned that such laws, if they are deemed to have a Canadian equivalent, could be used to make someone inadmissible to Canada on the basis of a conviction just for defending human rights. I would like to thank my constituent, Maria Kartasheva, who is a new Canadian citizen, for bringing forward this petition to make sure that what happened to her never happens to anyone else.

Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada ministers. In response to part (a) of the question, since January 1, 2023, Global Affairs Canada has disbursed a total of $49.9 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in support of essential humanitarian services such as education, health care and food assistance to address urgent needs and provide life-saving support. The breakdown is as follows: $1.75 million for an emergency appeal, March 31, 2023; $25 million for the program budget, May 29, 2023; $1.25 million for an emergency appeal, July 7, 2023; $10 million on crisis funding, November 28, 2023; $ 10 million on crisis funding, December 27, 2023; and $1.9 million on the Syria and Lebanon response, May 30, 2023. In response to part (b) of the question, during the pause, no funding was paid to UNRWA. The next regularly scheduled payment for its core programming activities under the multi-year contribution, $100 million over four years, is planned for late April or early May. Following allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in Hamas’s heinous terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, the United Nations, or UN, has put in place several significant processes to address the allegations and reinforce its zero tolerance for terror within the UN, including UNRWA. Canada has reviewed the interim report of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, OIOS, on this matter and looks forward to the final report. Canada commends the independent review of UNRWA that is currently under way, led by Catherine Colonna. While these investigative processes continue, UNRWA has undertaken reform efforts and the Secretary-General has taken steps to enhance oversight and accountability within UNRWA. Canada will continue to work closely with the UN, UNRWA and other donor countries to ensure that UNRWA meets its obligations and can continue its life-saving work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to table petition e-4660, initiated by the remarkable women at the Canadian Center for Women's Empowerment. The petitioners are calling for November 26 to be named as “national economic abuse awareness day”. The petitioners note that economic abuse is a pervasive but often overlooked form of abuse that impacts 95% of women who face intimate partner violence, but it can also happen alone. The petitioners note that economic abuse undermines women's financial independence and amplifies structural barriers, especially for marginalized, gender-diverse and vulnerable communities. The petitioners call for funding, collection of disaggregated data and a national day to raise awareness about economic abuse.

Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn Hamas's brutal terrorist attacks on October 7, which included the killing, maiming and abduction of innocent civilians. Nothing can justify these abhorrent acts. Canada continues to support Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law. At the same time, Canada has been deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its impact on civilians. Since the start of this crisis, our position has been centred on the firm belief that more assistance is needed in Gaza, not less. Canada was the first G7 country to provide aid and is one of the largest donors, with $100 million provided for civilians so far, but much more needs to be done. We have done airdrops, and we are now exploring ways to have a sea corridor to get this vital aid to the innocent civilians. Following allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the heinous October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, the United Nations put in place important procedures to respond to the allegations and enforce its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism within its organizations, including UNRWA. Canada has reviewed the interim report of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight on this matter and awaits the final report with interest. Canada welcomes the ongoing independent UNRWA review, led by Catherine Colonna. As these investigative processes unfold, UNRWA is working on reforms, and the Secretary-General has taken steps to strengthen monitoring and accountability within UNRWA. Canada will continue to work closely with the United Nations, UNRWA and other donor countries to ensure UNRWA meets its obligations and is able to continue its relief efforts. Canada is satisfied that the UN and UNRWA are undertaking a serious process of investigation, action and long-term review. On March 8, Canada announced it would resume its funding to UNRWA. Other donors have done so as well, namely Sweden, Australia and Ireland, and the European Union has proceeded with its disbursements to the agency. We will continue to closely follow the investigation. Civilians' needs for humanitarian assistance are growing by the hour. Famine is projected at any time in Gaza. There is a need for essential supplies and services to reach Palestinian civilians. UNRWA has an important role as a provider of food assistance to over 1.1 million people and is sheltering over a million across 150 emergency shelters, most of which are in UNRWA schools. Each day, UNRWA provides around 23,000 medical consultations, recreation activities to 11,000 children, and psychosocial support to over 9,000 people. The agency represents a lifeline to the vulnerable civilians in Gaza. We assess UNRWA to be an indispensable partner in aid delivery in Gaza at this time of profound humanitarian crisis, and we continue to support the organization's valuable provision of services in other areas of operation across the region.

Mr. Speaker, the international community must continue to provide humanitarian aid to those who so badly need it in Gaza. On January 30, Canada announced $40 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help the most vulnerable Palestinian civilians. This brings Canada's total commitment to $100 million. As is the case for all humanitarian and development funding to the Palestinians, our additional assistance will be subject to a robust, enhanced due diligence process to ensure that no funding gets into the hands of terrorist groups like Hamas. Let me be clear: We are going to continue to remain focused on getting more aid to the innocent civilians in Gaza.

Mr. Speaker, I recently visited the grade 6 social entrepreneurship class at St. Gregory Catholic School in my riding. These smart and creative kids have raised over $700 for the Ottawa Food Bank by making greeting cards and 3-D printed items, such as jewellery and key chains, and selling them on Shopify. Through work-based learning, they use their business skills to address UN sustainable development goal 2, zero hunger. These students, with the guidance of their teacher, Susan Goslin, and mentor, Jeremy McQuigge, are learning skills, which they are applying in order to make a better world. They told me they just want to ensure that everyone goes home to food on their plate. Their social enterprise is called Every Bite Counts. By helping others, including those they may never meet, these inspiring kids understand that, when our neighbours do well, we all do well. These grade 6 students inspire me and give me hope.

Madam Speaker, in 2010, I was working in Africa when one of my colleagues turned to me and said that Canadian women are hypocrites. I was stunned. She went on to say that she had studied at McGill, and she knew Canadian women had reproductive rights, but it was not good enough for African women. I was mortified, and I decided right then that I was going to run for office and to change that policy. Not always in this place do we get to come full circle, but three weeks ago, I was in Kinshasa, where I toured a safe abortion clinic funded by Canada. DRC has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, 10%, because of unsafe abortions. Our commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights is not ideology. It literally saves lives.