Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, every day since October 7, I have heard from Yukoners, by letter, by phone, on the street and in person, horrified and deeply concerned about the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza. My constituents are calling for a ceasefire, for humanitarian aid to flow, for humanitarian law to be respected, for the targeting of hospitals and medical facilities to stop, for the bombing of civilians to s…
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Madam Speaker, nature is core to Canada's national identity. From our oceans to the St. Elias Mountains and the St. Lawrence River, Canadians take pride in the beauty of our nature, which is also the foundation of our shared well-being and economy. I am proud that Canada is remaining a competitive world leader as the global community transitions to a nature-positive, net-zero economy. Our governme…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-401, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (northern residents deduction). Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to introduce an act to amend the Income Tax Act with a northern residents deduction. This would increase the daily deduction that can be claimed for residing in a certain northern zone, tie that amount to the consumer price index and remove the distinction b…
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Mr. Speaker, across the country, communities need new infrastructure to grow, build more homes and enable economic growth. This is especially true in the north. Investing in our communities also means investing in our airports. Northerners want reliable, safe and affordable service when it comes to air connectivity. Could the Minister of Transport please tell us what the government is doing to ens…
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Mr. Speaker, the 12th annual Arctic Inspiration Prize took place in Whitehorse earlier this month, continuing the celebration of people working on groundbreaking projects from across northern Canada. I congratulate Yukon's Young People's Theatre festival and the Youth Coalition 4 Food Security in the North, which each took home $100,000 to continue their projects. Thay K’i Anint’i received $499,00…
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Mr. Speaker, Illegitimus non carborundum was the defiant motto of the Whitehorse Star, a paper that, this week, published its last edition after serving the Yukon for 124 years. First published from a tent, the Whitehorse Star is a living record of the Yukon's colourful history. Fire and flood, disasters, royal visits and funerals, elections at all levels, first nations' signing of modern treaties…
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Mr. Speaker, the overdose crisis continues to devastate our country, and no region, including the north, has been spared. As a former chief medical officer, I am also deeply concerned by the level of disinformation currently being promulgated by the Conservatives. The study that I proposed is currently in the health committee; it would allow all parties to travel around the country, learn from exp…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to speak in support of the bill my hon. colleague for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford has presented. He has been a champion of this issue for a long time, and I believe that Bill C-277, the national strategy on brain injuries act, is an important piece of legislation that I hope all members of this chamber will be able to support. By the time I finish my remarks in nine or 10…
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Madam Speaker, I want to ask the member about what his views are on the importance of some of the national programs we have rolled out, and continue to roll out, in the last few years. I am talking about dental care and pharmacare, but also the national child care plan, and how they meet the affordability needs of Canadians in this moment.
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Mr. Speaker, the government signed bilateral agreements with all 13 provinces and territories this past March. A few weeks ago, in my riding, three agreements were announced with the territorial governments, to invest a total amount of nearly $86 million to improve health care access and services for the Yukon. Can you elaborate on what this health investment means for those living in the Yukon an…
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Mr. Speaker, today I am honoured to present a petition signed by more than 16,460 Canadians from every province and two territories, including many Yukoners. The petitioners call upon the Minister of Justice to bring forward an amendment to the Criminal Code to set out a specific framework for an advance request for MAID. This would be for individuals who have received a diagnosis of a capacity-di…
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Mr. Speaker, this year, CanNor celebrates 15 years of supporting job creation and economic growth in the territories. Project by project, CanNor's support empowers innovators in our territories. Because of CanNor, 12 indigenous businesswomen in Yukon were able to kick-start or grow their businesses through a microloan program. Thanks to CanNor, the Sakku Investments Corporation, an Inuit business,…
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Mr. Speaker, just this week, Sonjaa Schmidt won gold at the world under-23 cross-country ski championships in Slovenia, the first Canadian woman to bring home the gold at this event. Our small territory continues to punch way above its weight in cross-country ski racing. Thanks to the amazing snow and trails and the excellent coaching, Yukoners regularly reach Canada's national team, even with jus…
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Mr. Speaker, Lucille Hunter was a prospector, business owner, nanny, cook, and the first female honorary member of the Yukon Order of Pioneers for her decades of devotion to mining. She and her husband, Charles, came to the Yukon over the perilous Stikine trail in 1897, one of only a few Black families to make the trek north for gold. Lucille regularly walked over 100 miles from Dawson City to May…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of a substantial number of Yukoners. The petitioners and signatories call on the House of Commons to support Motion No. 86, calling for a citizens' assembly on electoral reform. The petition also states that the Yukon signatories would also like to draw the House's attention to the following: The need for electoral reform continues to be a …
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Madam Speaker, the Yukon may seem cold and remote, but Yukoners are warmly connected to people and events in all parts of the globe. We know that in these hard times there are many Canadians, and so many around the world, who will not have the luxury of celebrating with loved ones. As we celebrate Christmas and other traditions, may we keep those who are dealing with violence and poverty in our he…
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Mr. Speaker, we are watching with horror the tragedies of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Many Yukoners have expressed to me how helpless they feel in such a dire situation, and everyone wants the daily violence to stop. With this sentiment and in the spirit of peace, leaders of our territory's Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities took action. In true Yukon fashion, compassionate and kind,…
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Mr. Speaker, even as my constituents weather high prices and tough economic times, they remain deeply concerned about climate change. That is why Yukoners welcome actions from the government to reduce fossil fuel emissions while conserving energy and reducing costs. Contrary to a common misconception, Yukon-based studies have shown that heat pumps can operate efficiently in very cold climates. The…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that many Canadian families are struggling to make ends meet. This is particularly the case in Yukon, where more than half of families spend over 30% of their income on housing. The Minister of National Revenue recently made an important announcement alongside Ms. Tracy-Anne McPhee, the Yukon Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister of National Revenue inform t…
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Mr. Speaker, since it was imposed upon them, indigenous families and children have experienced racist and discriminatory treatment by Canada's family and children's services. Communities in Yukon and across the nation have always known that self-determination and truth are key to healing and making sure future generations thrive. Thanks to the advocacy of first nations leaders and communities, cal…
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Mr. Speaker, only a few decades ago, polio was a common and much-feared infectious disease. Now we are tantalizingly close to eradicating polio through vaccination. One outstanding polio champion is Rotary International, a key partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which to date has vaccinated 2.5 billion children worldwide. Ramesh Ferris is a Rotarian hero in my riding of the Yukon. …
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Mr. Speaker, northern communities already face higher costs of goods, like food and fuel, than Canadians in the south, and with high inflation, these costs are building even more. Our government is taking action to support the middle class and those working hard to join it. This week, our government announced new measures to reduce costly banking fees for Canadians. Could the President of the Trea…
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Mr. Speaker, just last week, we learned of 15 potential gravesites at the Choutla Residential School grounds in Carcross, Yukon, echoing the stories and whispers of children who never came home. Last Friday, I attended a potlatch to honour Kaska missing and murdered women. The people of Liard First Nation and Watson Lake gathered in a ceremony that included an achingly beautiful fashion show of yo…
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Mr. Speaker, small businesses are the backbone of communities across our country, making up 98% of all businesses and employing two-thirds of Canadian workers, but many Yukon business owners have reached out to me over the past few months outlining their struggles with rising costs while still trying to recover from the pandemic. Could the Minister of Small Business outline how we are continuing t…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-349, An Act to establish National Rabies Awareness Day and to provide for the development of a national strategy for combating rabies in Canada. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise to introduce an act to establish national rabies awareness day and to develop a national strategy for combatting rabies. Rabies is a much-feared and equally devastating disease for bo…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that a significant gap remains for indigenous peoples living in urban, rural and northern areas when it comes to housing. There is an urgent need to act now. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing elaborate on how our government is upholding the right to housing as per UNDRIP's articles 21 and 23, with an emphasis on the for indigenous, by indigenous appr…
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Mr. Speaker, we also have to recognize that we are in an era when there are labour shortages in general all around the country, in all sectors. That is one of the challenges we are seeing with implementation. At the same time, we have set the framework for high-quality education. The other aspect I would briefly point out is that in Yukon, early childhood educators are well paid, and that is a rea…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his comments and his question. Rural-urban equity is very important. I know that is a factor the Yukon government is considering in the implementation of this program. There are always challenges when it comes to recruitment in rural areas. Nevertheless, in general, it works because the needs have been accurately identified so as to ensure appropriate implemen…
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Mr. Speaker, I would point out that dozens of amendments were in fact passed and that there was vigorous discussion, I know, at committee to achieve the best possible legislation and agreement toward that. I also know that really what we are looking at is a framework, and it is up to the implementation and agreements with the provinces and territories to make it work.
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Mr. Speaker, for too long families in Canada have struggled to find high-quality, affordable and inclusive early learning and child care. Bill C-35 is a really important step to changing that once and for all. I am pleased to speak to this bill and to give a bit of a northern flavour. Bill C-35 will replace that unnecessary struggle with access to affordable, high-quality and inclusive early learn…
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to speak to Bill C-294, now in its final stage of consideration in the House of Commons. I am also pleased by the overwhelming support received for this legislative initiative thus far. I want to thank our colleague from Cypress Hills—Grasslands who brought this important initiative to the House that seeks to remove a copyright barrier to interoperability, which woul…
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Mr. Speaker, I could probably comment for an hour on that, but I think a couple of key aspects are that we knew Quebec had set the standard years ago and that this was really the standard to aim for with nationwide early learning and child care. It also brings out the point of what a fantastic investment quality early learning and child care is. It is not just a public health investment, but an ec…
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Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating National Indigenous History Month. Fifty years ago, a delegation of Yukon first nation leaders journeyed to Ottawa to bring their plan for their future, Together Today for Our Children Tomorrow, to present to then prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Yukon first nations have since signed self-governing agreements, marking the beginnin…
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Madam Speaker, given the disproportionate impact that first nations people in Yukon are feeling from the toxic drug crisis, that is a very important question from the hon. member for Nunavut. I am in conversation with Kluane First Nation and many others to help support their needs and their requests, such as on-the-land treatment and more wraparound social supports, including not only mental healt…
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Mr. Speaker, my friend and medical colleague from across the aisle and I can agree on the need for a comprehensive approach, which I spoke to in my speech. Harm reduction, including safe supply, is one of the pillars of that approach. We need to support and scale up safe supply to use it when it is indicated. That is part of the overall approach.
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Madam Speaker, I am splitting my time with the member for Richmond Centre. I am pleased to speak in the House once again on the opioid epidemic in Canada, an issue that has long been close to me personally both as a northern public health physician and as Yukon's former chief medical officer of health. I always appreciate the opportunity to bring the issue to Parliament, so I appreciate the effort…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question, which is very important. I am pleased that we are in the process of implementing bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories, including the Yukon territory, which I represent. I also want to ensure that mental health and addictions services are a priority in these agreements.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question and for her work on the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. I can tell her that there are many targeted measures at the border. For example, $300 million is being invested to enhance the intelligence and investigative capacity of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency to stop the flow of ille…
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Mr. Speaker, I would say a few things. One is that the mass casualty report, to its credit, hugely emphasized prevention and how much more we need to do in prevention. As well, as the member described, opportunities for early intervention are really part of prevention. The other thing is that, as I pointed out earlier in my speech, the red-flag and yellow-flag laws would have that capacity to help…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Outremont. I am pleased today to speak to this legislation, Bill C-21, which speaks to the complexities of responding effectively to the escalating gun violence we are seeing in this country. There is surely no easy solution. In Canada, we continue to justifiably pride ourselves on being a place of peace, but there are fissures in that fee…
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Mr. Speaker, every day in our communities, we see the urgent need for safe and culturally appropriate housing for indigenous women, children and 2SLGBTQI+ people fleeing family and gender-based violence. They need safe shelter and a stable environment wherever they are in the country. Can the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion please tell the House more about the important action we a…
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Mr. Speaker, every day in our communities, we see the urgent need for safe and culturally appropriate housing—
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Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, four more Yukoners in three different communities died from toxic drug overdose. Old Crow is the latest remote Yukon community to declare a substance use emergency. Families and communities everywhere in Canada are grieving, and chances are that everyone is part of at least one. In recent years, we have made progress and saved lives, but we are not where we should be. O…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased today to tell the story of budget 2023 as it pertains to my constituents in the Yukon. This budget is one that aptly reflects the unique circumstances we are living in today. Given the present tough times Canadians face, the budget is restrained while at the same time ambitiously setting the tone for the years and decades to come. After ensuring that we were there to su…
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Madam Speaker, briefly, there are a number of exciting investments in budget 2023 to encourage numerous private, public utility and indigenous investments in critical minerals. I look forward to their implementation over the year and the years to come.
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Madam Speaker, we are all concerned about Canada's security, our armed forces and the need for security in the Arctic. However, we need to recognize that that we have spent billions of dollars to strengthen our armed forces and military posture. We recently heard about the Minister of National Defence's list of achievements. I am very pleased with the progress that has been made.
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Madam Speaker, I also enjoy our time together on the fisheries and oceans committee. We have had direct discussions on this really important subject, which I take to heart. It is important to recognize the many risks that alcohol poses to our health, as well as the place that it has in our society. I certainly look forward to discussing my thoughts on the motion more. It is very good that this mot…
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Mr. Speaker, I am once again pleased to present a just transition petition on behalf of 216 Yukon constituents. The petitioners call upon the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada to enact just transition legislation that reduces emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels and makes significant contributions to emissions reductions in countries in the global south; winds down the fossil fuel…
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Mr. Speaker, born in the year that Canada became a nation, Joe Boyle is Yukon's version of Indiana Jones, with a touch of James Bond. Joseph Boyle came north from Ontario in 1897, found gold and struck it rich. A gold-rush millionaire, “Klondike Joe” went on to launch industrial-scale gold mining in the Yukon. In 1905, he sponsored the legendary Dawson City Nuggets hockey team in their journey by …
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Mr. Speaker, as a joint Canada-U.S. command, NORAD is integral to maintaining peace, stability and sovereignty in our country. Given Russia's arbitrary and brutal invasion of Ukraine and other recent threats to global security, there is intense interest, among my constituents of Yukon and across the north, in our government's commitment to modernizing NORAD while respecting and protecting Arctic s…
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