Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, last week's 30-hour circus put on by the Conservatives cost Canadian taxpayers nearly $2 million. While I was happy to sit in the House with my colleagues to ensure that the services that Canadians need most were passed and protected, Conservatives spent their night voting against Canadians. Let me tell members one of their most shocking votes against communities such as my riding of …
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Madam Chair, I really appreciate that question. We have been talking about homelessness since I entered politics in 2018. It is important that we can continue to build housing across the country to try to reduce homelessness. I think that my colleague who also voted during the 30‑hour marathon at the end of last week, may know that, on this side of the House, we are prepared to continue supporting…
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Madam Chair, I am very pleased that my colleague was able to tell us about this concrete example from her community. In my speech earlier, I talked about the responsibilities of the federal, provincial and municipal governments. We must all work together to ensure that more housing is built for indigenous communities across the country. Just as my colleague mentioned an example in her community, I…
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Madam Chair, I want to thank the member opposite for his advocacy and the work he does in this House; it is very important. I also think it is important that we continue to work together. I said in my speech that there is a lot of work left to be done and we continue to do that work together. I am open to continue to work with colleagues across the aisle to make sure that we strengthen our advocac…
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Madam Chair, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the member opposite for all the work that she does in this House. I have had the pleasure of getting to know her and her community, the work she does and the advocacy she does for her community in this House. I think she has asked a great question. I would like to mention that since this government has been in office, we have increased our…
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Madam Chair, I would like to thank my colleague on the other side for his question and for the co-operation we are able to have from time to time. Respectfully, I think he is not qualified to ask any questions on this issue, given that his party and his leader, when they were in government, built about 99 homes for indigenous communities. I just finished talking about the fact that there is a lot …
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Madam Chair, it is a privilege for me to speak to our government's commitment to closing the infrastructure gap in first nations, Inuit and Métis communities. Earlier, the Minister of Indigenous Services introduced Bill C-61, an act respecting water, source water, drinking water, waste water and related infrastructure on first nation lands. My riding of London West neighbours and houses members of…
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Mr. Chair, based on what my colleague said, it sounds like he has a commitment to understanding the importance of supporting indigenous communities across Canada. I want to ask the member opposite this. His leader, when he was in charge of housing, had a $300-million first nations housing program that managed to build only 99 houses. Is there more of a commitment to build more housing for indigeno…
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Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the hon. colleague across the aisle, not just for the comments she has made in this debate that we have been having all night, but also for sharing that personal story. It is important that Canadians continue to hear about the impacts of colonization and the impact that the racism that was directed toward indigenous people of this land has had on many communities. …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House to condemn the attacks conducted by Hamas on October 7 and I call on Hamas to release and safely return the Israeli hostages to their loved ones. I condemn the air strike on the Al Ahli Hospital yesterday. What we are witnessing in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe. Over one million people have now been displaced, 3,000 have been killed and a third of them are ch…
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Madam Speaker, the member is a neighbour in London, so I assume she would also know that an investment has been made in the city of London of $74 million to add 2,000 extra homes. We are talking about the things that we have done to make sure that Canadians and Londoners are able to afford their lives, to send their kids to day care and to afford dental care. These are all things that work togethe…
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Davenport. I am thankful for this opportunity to take part in today's conversation and debate. To say Canadians are living in a turbulent world would be an understatement. Right now, it is clear the rising cost of living is one of Canada's most significant economic challenges, and the last three years have been hard. Canadians, like most…
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Madam Speaker, I think those are challenges that our government is continuing to consider, and we are working to find solutions. We are talking about how our government can continue to invest to support Canadians across the country. By investing in housing and child care services, we are ensuring that women can participate in the economy and that we can grow our economy and support Canadians acros…
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Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague that there are many challenges we share as we serve the same city. Just recently, I announced a renovation project in my riding. These are challenges we continue to respond to as a government. On the $74 million that has been invested in the city of London, we can work with the City of London, as colleagues and as MPs, to make sure some of that money also g…
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Mr. Speaker, affordability remains a top priority for Canadians. It remains at the top of Canadians' minds, and it is important that Canadians know that, as a government, we continue not only to listen but to take incremental steps to address their most pressing needs. This summer, I heard from folks in London West that housing remains a top priority. I am happy to say that the Prime Minister was …
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House as our parliamentary work resumes to represent the people of London West. Today I am pleased to speak to the important role that spectrum plays in the Canadian economy and in the daily lives of Canadians. I am pleased to see Bill S-242 draw attention to this important issue, and I look forward to studying this matter. Spectrum is a finite public res…
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Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if I heard a question in my colleague's comments. I will say that, when the pandemic happened, I was a city councillor. One of the first things the City did was shut down and declare a state of emergency. It took us time to get to a place where we could actually respond to the most emergent and the hardest situations our city was experiencing. We have now been on the oth…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for making those really important comments that actually prove we are not out of the woods. When the World Health Organization said that we are not out of the woods with pandemics, it meant it. As he said, there was just an outbreak in his community. People are still catching COVID. People are still catching diseases through super spreaders. It is no…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent presentation. I think he has a brilliant way of expressing himself. It is not that we are proposing new measures. Our situation has been evolving for some time now, in line with the measures that have been brought in to deal with the pandemic and to respond to the crises we are currently facing. We are simply saying that the world has changed, th…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to participate in the debate about making hybrid sittings a permanent fixture in our Standing Orders. I will be sharing my time with the member for Guelph. I think we are in an era of growing uncertainty. COVID-19 was not the first global health crisis, and we know it will not be the last. The World Health Organization has warned us that pandemi…
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Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Winnipeg North. I am grateful for this opportunity to speak today to discuss the ongoing toxic drug overdose crisis. While I do that, my thoughts are on the many people we have lost in London, Ontario, a lot of friends and family, to this overdose crisis, which continues to exact a heartbreaking toll on individuals, families and commun…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to start by saying that, as I stand in the House to speak on behalf of people in London, Ontario who have lost their lives to this crisis, it is tone-deaf for the member opposite to say that we are speaking in rhetoric. It is the Conservatives who are making this a very partisan issue, when we have people from across the country. This is an issue that has no party lines…
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Madam Speaker, I am sorry to have annoyed my colleague opposite for mentioning all the work we are doing to ensure that we deal with this very important crisis affecting the entire country, a crisis that is affecting everyone with children and families. That said, there are always opportunities to do more and to ensure that we do so in areas that have not yet received funding. If earlier I mention…
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Madam Speaker, when I talk about how this is an issue that has no party lines, I think my colleague from London—Fanshawe and I can agree that we have worked together to respond to this crisis when I was a city councillor and even now, as members of Parliament. Not too long ago, my colleague from London—Fanshawe and I were at a wraparound service housing initiative that had been invested in by the …
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Mr. Speaker, I am a strong believer that the right to choose for women should not be politicized, and I think that many Canadians without a doubt can agree with that. However, here we are politicizing how women can access health care and debating choices they have to make. I believe all Canadians deserve to know what the government is doing to protect the right to choose and access to important he…
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Mr. Speaker, on May 5 we recognize the International Day of the Midwife, a day to recognize the essential contributions that midwives make to ensuring safe, quality reproductive and newborn care to pregnant people, mothers and babies everywhere. The Canadian Association of Midwives not only supports midwives in Canada, but also works toward improving sexual and reproductive health, and rights of w…
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to join the debate on Bill C‑47 and highlight our government's efforts to support the middle class, build a strong and prosperous economy, and help Canadians cope with the rising cost of living. The 2023 budget tabled last month by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance proposes, for one, targeted inflation relief for 11 million Canadians and families. T…
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Madam Speaker, I greatly appreciate my colleague's commitment to making sure all Canadians have access to housing, to a home. This government has invested a lot in housing. We can talk about the $40,000 that young people like me can invest today to be able to buy a home. We can talk about the interest that has been removed from student loans so students can have money to invest in a home. We can a…
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Madam Speaker, I have had multiple occasions to talk with my colleague about similar, shared interests and how we are both working to serve Canadians. I do agree that we care about a lot of similar things, including health care. I want to talk about how this budget would help Canadians. This budget would ensure that all Canadians have access to health care, dental care and doctors. We also need to…
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Madam Speaker, it is important to highlight that this budget targets families and young children. There would be dental care for families in need. I just mentioned that this budget really targets families that are struggling, and that is what our government is trying to do right now to support Canadians who are struggling the most. The grocery rebate would go 11 million targeted Canadians to make …
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Mr. Speaker, we know that provincial and territorial programs do not cover dental care needs equally across Canada. Yesterday, as part of the 2023 budget, our government announced that it was committed to moving forward with a transformative investment to provide dental care to Canadians who need it by creating the new Canadian dental care plan. Can the Minister of Health tell us more about the cu…
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Mr. Speaker, after a decade of neglect under the Harper Government, the Canadian auto sector is finally re-emerging as a global leader. When asked about the opposition leader's criticisms of the Volkswagen investment our government has attracted to Canada, the Ontario premier shrugged them off and characterized them as political comments. Even the Conservative premier of Ontario knows that this is…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to request a recorded division.
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Madam Speaker, I just want to start by thanking my hon. colleagues who have spoken in support of the motion. We have not only heard from the House, but we have also heard from community members and have spent a year working on the motion. I appreciate the fact that everybody sees its importance. I have had the honour and privilege of engaging many stakeholders serving members within the disability…
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Mr. Speaker, as we acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of women and girls in our communities today, there is clearly still work to be done to achieve full gender equality. We have seen a recent increase in anti-feminist and violent rhetoric. This rhetoric is dangerous and has a tangible, harmful impact on our communities. Can the Prime Minister enlighten us as to where he stands on the iss…
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Madam Speaker, I wish my colleagues a good afternoon. I am very pleased to rise in the House today to speak on the recently proposed offer to provinces and territories regarding the federal investments in our health care system, an offer that I am pleased to say provincial and territorial premiers signalled their agreement to work on this plan on February 13. I think that is good news, and I want …
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from London—Fanshawe for her question. The question is really important, because this is a conversation we continue to have with different health care providers across the city of London. As I stand in the House today to speak on behalf of London West, our government will continue to ensure that we protect the Canada Health Act and that the money t…
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Madam Speaker, I had a conversation with someone who has been on the front line supporting mental health for young people in the city of Ottawa. As we increase the wages for health care providers, it is important that we talk about supporting the mental health of providers as well. I had conversations with many care providers in London, Ontario, who told me that they need that kind of support. Inv…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for mentioning the mental health advocacy that I continue to do, for people in not only London West but also across the country. I believe that supporting the mental health and well-being of Canadians, especially young Canadians, is really important. I also just talked about how important it is to support the providers as well, and to give resources to care prov…
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Madam Speaker, I think that a health care system that works for all Canadians is a good system. We had the opportunity to hear from all of the provincial leaders, those from Quebec, Ontario and all over. These discussions are ongoing. We want to invest in a health care system that works for everyone. That is why even the provincial leaders decided to come to the table and agreed to work with us. I…
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Mr. Speaker, since the COVID‑19 pandemic, our Canadian athletes have been asking more and more for support and resources for their mental health. Can the Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec tell the House about the initiatives she put in place recently to help Canadian athletes?
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to honour the legacies of Black Canadians, “Ours to tell” is the theme encouraging us to look within our own villages to find Black Canadian trailblazers in our ridings and celebrate them. Many of us know a lot of first, second and third Black Canadians in many fields, but to quote Ben Okri: There is no exhaustion where there is much To be hoped for, much to work toward…
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Mr. Speaker, my constituents in London West and all Canadians have been through a lot this year, whether it is the pandemic, global inflation, the devastating effects of climate change or the growing uncertainty on the world stage. Canadians are looking to their government for both stability and solutions. As we approach this holiday season, can the Prime Minister inform us of the steps the govern…
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Mr. Speaker, the 18th Francophonie Summit in Djerba just wrapped up, but efforts to fight the decline of French here in Canada and around the world are more important than ever. Canada remains a major player and has reiterated its steadfast commitment to ongoing sustainable development in French-speaking areas. Both nationally, with Bill C‑13, and internationally, our government is still a leader …
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Mr. Speaker, today, marks three decades of Canadian global nutrition leadership. That is 30 years of Nutrition International being Canada’s flagship nutrition organization, whose work to eliminate malnutrition worldwide has saved over seven million lives. Ensuring people have not only food but the right nutrition to allow them to survive and then thrive is more important than ever now. In this cha…
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moved: That, in the opinion of the House, the government should continue to work in consultation with representatives of the provincial and territorial governments, the Federal Housing Advocate, Indigenous governing bodies, service providers to people with disabilities, housing providers, and other relevant stakeholders, in upholding a federal framework to improve access to adaptable affordable ho…
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Madam Speaker, I will start by thanking my Bloc Québécois colleague for his question. I really appreciate the passion for affordable housing that he brings to the House. As I said earlier, budget 2022 is built around affordable housing. That has been proven. It is in our report. We have invested a lot of money in the affordable housing system. Once again, as I said earlier, the motion I moved toda…
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Madam Speaker, I equally appreciate the member on the other side, her policies on housing and the work she has done in her community. I am very happy to sit in the House with her. I am calling on the government to repair the units with a lens to including access to non-visible disabilities. We have programs, many programs. In my riding I can mention a number of them that the national housing strat…
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Madam Speaker, inflation is a situation that the whole world is experiencing, and our government has committed and continues to commit to building affordable housing. This motion is an extra layer that seeks to support all the bills we have passed to support Canadians who are in need. Now I am putting forward particular language that supports Canadians with non-visible disabilities. I really hope …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to mark World Cerebral Palsy Day. Cerebral palsy is a permanent disability that affects movement and posture. Its impact can range from a weakness in one hand to almost a complete lack of voluntary movement. There are over 17 million people in the world living with cerebral palsy, and approximately 80,000 of those individuals live in Canada. As we celebrate this day and support…
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