Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, members must check out season two of Northern Tails on YouTube, a televised puppet show that is Yukon-created and Yukon-produced, which premiered last week in Whitehorse. This season, the squirrels are definitely in charge of production. Ground squirrel Scout Perry and roving reporter Michael Jay the fox are helping kids find science on the screen and, in fact, everywhere they go outs…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I know the member was in her home riding of Pickering—Brooklin over the weekend. I wonder if she can describe a bit what this means for her own constituents in Pickering—Brooklin.
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Pickering—Brooklin. I am thankful for this opportunity. Affordability in Canada is a challenge that Canadians face on a daily basis. In the north, daily costs like food, fuel, housing and transportation are all higher, so any effort to improve the lives of Canadians is particularly important for northern residents. That is why I am pleased…
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Mr. Speaker, dance, dansez, dance is the spirit of the upcoming 13th annual Yukon African Music Festival. Who would have believed, in the cold, dark days of early February, that Yukon's wonderful African community would bring light, music, dance and pure joy to chase away the winter blues? As we observe International Development Week and Black History Month, the Yukon African Music Festival, organ…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for drawing that parallel with band-aids and health measures. This measure is a very important solution for the coming years, because it will work like a bridge. With all the other measures we are putting in place to strengthen Canadian sovereignty and the economy, we anticipate that things will be easier for everyone in a few years. The important part for…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for her frequent visits to the north and for her advocacy for the north. However, that is where we will have to part ways. What the member points out is a perceived link between industrial carbon pricing and food prices, which actually does not exist. We are looking forward to building a modern economy, and part of that is sticking with progressive …
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Waterloo for her advocacy. This weekend, I was speaking with many of my constituents, and I think this is a moment when Canadians everywhere, in the north and across the country, are expecting us to work together. In that vein, I am hoping we can all work together in the House to have the bill pass as soon as possible.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this fall season brings fresh momentum, new opportunities and renewed energy to the Yukon. Just last week at Yukon's annual Geoscience meeting, the mood in the room could not have been more positive. Members may ask why. It is because budget 2025 is replete with investments in the north, like the $1-billion Arctic infrastructure fund, the $2-billion critical mineral sovereign fund and…
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Mr. Speaker, this budget is all about affordability and investing in the generations ahead of us. One feature I would just like to point out is automatic tax filing for people on lower income who are not currently accessing benefits like the Canada disability benefit. This includes people who will now be able to access benefits they may never have realized they are eligible for.
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Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to rise today to speak to the 2025 budget implementation act. It is no secret that we are facing a rapidly changing and increasingly uncertain world. In the face of global disruption and uncertainty, Canada's new government is focused on what we can control. This is our plan to transform our economy from one that is reliant on a single trade partner t…
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Mr. Speaker, that is a really important question. I could point out multiple projects, but I think that one of the key aspects is that when we are investing in infrastructure and when we are talking about national building, major projects and projects of national interest, it is all about cultivating indigenous partnership and making sure that we are working in lockstep with indigenous governments…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very happy for the support that we are putting in this budget for Canadian culture and Canadian public media, including CBC/Radio-Canada. This is very important for Canadian heritage and Canadian identity, and I know that veterans will fully support it.
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Mr. Speaker, this is an important question. There are so many examples of how important the investments in the budget are for the Yukon. Let me point out just one example. It is the $1-billion Arctic infrastructure fund. It is about building and expanding transportation assets in the Arctic. It is about airstrips. It is about deepwater ports, all-season roads and sealift infrastructure that would …
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Courtenay—Alberni, who is a dear colleague of mine and a good friend. We have worked together on many issues we have in common. I take note of the issue he raised. I know that friendship centres are also incredibly important in my riding. I will certainly commit to finding out more about this funding and how we can go forward to resolve this problem, ens…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Nunavut for raising serious concerns about funding for Inuit programs and the capacity of hunters and trappers organizations to participate in environmental assessments. She provides continued and very important advocacy for Nunavut. These are valid concerns, and they deserve a clear response. Article 5.7 of the Nunavut agreement sets out the special fea…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member again for her concerns about Inuit programs and hunters and trappers organizations, and for meeting directly with these organizations. These bodies are treaty obligations under the Nunavut land claims agreement and are essential for wildlife management and environmental reviews. Inadequate funding issues did change in March 2025 when Canada signed a renewed 10-year …
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands for asking about Canada's role in affirming Arctic sovereignty and appropriately citing the role of Arctic indigenous residents in protecting it. I am grateful for her sharing the article, which was also sent to me by a constituent of mine. I thank Karen. I think this is a reflection of how invested northerners are in Arctic sovereignty and …
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to have the chance to return some of the compliments. It would obviously take much more than a minute to return much of the esteem I have for the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands and her leadership on climate action for many years, as well as on so many other parliamentary issues. Arctic security and sovereignty are matters for all parties, all levels of government and the pe…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this member's advocacy for the people of Nunavut and, indeed, for the people across the north. I reaffirm this government's commitment to address food insecurity in northern communities on a priority basis. Programs like nutrition north Canada, the harvesters support grant and the community food programs fund, as well as the Inuit child first initiative, provide essential…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, we do indeed recognize the hardships faced by Inuit and by all residents in Nunavut and indeed across the north, where the cost of food and the cost of basic necessities continue to pose real challenges, particularly for families. In Nunavut alone, 42% of children live in poverty. That is the highest rate in Canada. I know that behind these statistics are real lives and real struggles…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is with immense northern pride that I congratulate L'Aurore boréale for being named newspaper of the year at the 2025 francophone press awards of excellence in September. This tremendous honour clearly shows the heart and soul that the newspaper puts into every issue. L'Aurore boréale was also recognized for its magnificent bilingual digital project entitled "The Yukon Celebrates i…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations for his tireless work on this file, including during the last Parliament, and for his advocacy. The piece of legislation before us is an incredibly important one for Yukon first nations. I have heard repeatedly, in my four-plus years of holding the privileged position as a member of Parliame…
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Mr. Speaker, I wish to acknowledge first of all, with respect, that we are gathered on the ancestral lands of the Algonquin Anishinabe people, and that these territories, unceded and unsurrendered, have been a place of meeting and exchange for centuries. I am pleased to speak today to the proposed legislation to establish a commissioner for modern treaty implementation and what the next steps in t…
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Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. Perhaps my colleague has overlooked the fact that the relationship with indigenous partners is part and parcel of Bill C‑5. This partnership is essential for projects in the national interest, and this government has committed to it. I hope that is something that all parties in the House will support.
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Mr. Speaker, that is an important question. Modern treaty partners across the country are looking forward to the passage of the bill. It is important, as it is a way to ensure that there would be accountability. They have been let down many times by many governments on the implementation of modern treaties. We all stand to be accountable for implementation of modern treaties, including the signing…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her excellent speech and her commitment to seeing the legislation supported and passed. I am a little distressed by what I heard from some of my Conservative friends, who have called the bill a distraction. Perhaps they do not realize that this has been called for over many years, really going back to the beginning of modern treaty nations, and that th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, when former senator Ione Christensen departed this world on September 15, the Yukon lost one of its best-loved leaders. A fourth-generation Yukoner, Ione's accomplishments are legion: first woman mayor of Whitehorse, first female commissioner of the Yukon and the first Yukon woman appointed to the Senate. Beyond her political life, Ione loved the Yukon outdoors, rafting and hiking the…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, this is certainly an issue that we will take note of. I look forward to bringing a forthright answer back to my Nunavut colleague.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honour the exceptional achievements of all Yukon graduates from across the territory. I congratulate them. They worked incredibly hard and took on every challenge with courage and determination. They have met the challenges of troubled times. They have shown determination and readiness to contribute to our territory and to our nation. Their academic journey reflects no…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member on his recent election and welcome him to the House. The carbon tax and affordability are two major challenges for our country. I cannot give a specific answer to his question, but he can ask the government for a response. Fighting unaffordability and fighting climate change are two of our government's priorities for the months and years ahead.
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, that is a really important question. Certainly, what I heard over and over again during the recent electoral campaign was concern, anger and even fear about the threats posed by the tariffs and the instability of the current U.S. administration, which poses an ongoing threat to Canada's economic and, indeed, national sovereignty. This is a special moment in Canada's history. I think t…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the first time in the current Parliament with immense gratitude and humility, honoured to again represent the people of the Yukon in the chamber. I will be sharing my time with the member for Mississauga—Erin Mills. I want to sincerely thank the citizens of the Yukon for their trust and confidence in me. I was gratified to receive the support of so many constituents, …
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I will mention again that this government is committed to addressing both the affordability crisis and the climate crisis at the same time. We will tackle these priorities with strength and determination.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Yukon University has officially become the 97th member of Universities Canada. Over the past 60 years, this progressive institution has grown from a vocational training centre to a college, and finally in 2020, it is Canada's first university north of the 60th parallel. Universities Canada is the voice of universities in this country. Yukon U's membership enriches this voice with valu…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, this week, we celebrate the Yukon days on the Hill, an incredible event that brings a vibrant spirit of the north right here to Ottawa. We gathered parliamentarians, first nations chiefs, the grand chief, the AFN regional chief, leaders from the Yukon government, and other distinguished guests from the territory. Yukon days are a unique opportunity to dive into meaningful conversati…
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Mr. Speaker, courage, solidarity, giving and hope are the values that members of the Ukrainian Canadian Association of Yukon, UCAY, are showing as they embark on a heroic journey to deliver medical supplies to the front line of Ukraine's fight against Putin's ruthless and illegal invasion. Four dedicated individuals, Grant Zazula, Lesia Hnatiw, Anastasia Matlashevska and Eileen Melnychuck, will ca…
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Mr. Speaker, World Polio Day reminds us that polio is still a threat for too many people in this world, but thanks to champions like Rotary International, we remain close to our goal of eradicating polio through immunization. Polio vaccinations have reached over 2.5 billion children, bringing hope and health to countless families. At the recent Rotary International conference in Toronto, our gover…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 17th report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, entitled “Challenges to the Sustainability of the Yukon Salmon Stocks”. This study and its report examine an issue, the decline of the Yukon River salmon and how we can restore this ecosystem, that is of enormous importance to my constituents in the Yukon. I tha…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, our government will always protect universal, publicly funded health care, as well as sexual and reproductive rights. These two principles underlie the Pharmacare Act, which received royal assent on October 10. The landmark legislation will establish a framework for a national, publicly funded system for universal drug coverage; very soon, it will ensure that all Canadians from coast …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a momentous day for Canadian health care. Bill C-64, the Pharmacare Act, received royal assent. This landmark legislation will establish a framework for national, publicly funded, single-payer universal drug coverage; it will ensure that Canadians across the country have access to the diabetes medications and contraception they need. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to th…
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Mr. Speaker, as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaches, Yukoners in my riding and Canadians everywhere will be reflecting on the painful history of first nation, Inuit and Métis children being removed from their families and communities, some of them never to return home. For generations, indigenous peoples were stripped of their cultures and languages. Canada must continue to ad…
Read full speech →Private Members’ Business
Madam Speaker, I am also here to speak to Bill S-205, an act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to another act regarding interim release and domestic violence recognizance orders. Bill S-205 proposes amendments to the bail and peace bond provisions of the Criminal Code and the Youth Criminal Justice Act to address intimate partner violence, a cause that all of us in th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this month, Yukon lost one of its most accomplished and best-loved citizens, Rolf Hougen. If we were to walk around downtown Whitehorse, we would see Rolf's impact everywhere in the variety of businesses he built over the 80 years that he lived in Yukon. He also founded the territory's first cable TV company, as well as its first commercial radio station, CKRW. Among many other philan…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate the question. I think it is really very precise in that, if we are to achieve correcting this injustice, then we can stand on firm ground to accept the Ontario court's decision and proceed accordingly.
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Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for this opportunity to rise and speak to Bill C-71. This bill proposes to amend Canada's Citizenship Act and restore citizenship to those individuals who lost it due to previous unconstitutional legislative amendments. I was compelled to participate in this debate after hearing from some of my constituents on this matter. However, I was struck by recent comments made by…
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Mr. Speaker, of course, the judgment of a court can be considered at any level. In this case, a solid, thorough decision made by the Ontario court was accepted and agreed to by the government. That gives reasonable grounds to proceed with what is really correcting an injustice that dates back to the previous Conservative government.
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Mr. Speaker, yes, I heard the same speech. That is simply not true. It is about helping those who lost their citizenship because of a decision made by the previous Conservative government. The bill simply seeks to correct an injustice that has been created. It does not open the door to other tourists. The government is really targeting certain people who have been forgotten and lost their citizens…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my NDP colleague for his comments. I agree with him, and I, too, hope that this legislation will come into force as soon as possible.
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the collegiality shown by my colleague from Kitchener Centre. I would just, without repeating my previous answer, stress that it is important for us all to reflect on the need for progress in this area, including sharing best practices and innovations that come from first nation, Inuit and Métis communities and nations themselves.
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I think the parliamentary secretary has laid out the need for an ongoing commitment that involves exactly that. It is more than just a collaboration; it is truly a partnership, and that takes time. I think that we recognize the urgency, but we also recognize the need to do things right. As long as the conversation keeps going, as long as the commitment is there and we can retain the t…
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