Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to share good news. The fifth annual Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival is taking place this Saturday, June 20, at Village Square Park in beautiful Stittsville. The festival brings together residents from all over the region to celebrate diversity through cultural performances, food, music and local organizations. It showcases people and cultures that make our community a wonderful place to live, grow and thrive. I especially thank all the volunteers whose dedication over the years and hard work have made the Welcome to Stittsville Multicultural Festival possible each year. I encourage everyone to bring family and friends to enjoy all the festival has to offer. It brings out the best of us, it shows the best of us and it is something we can all be proud of.

Mr. Speaker, the Victoria Cross is the highest military honour Canada awards for acts of extraordinary valour. It was created in 1993, yet has never been awarded. Constituents in my riding are calling for an independent review of military decorations from the Afghanistan mission. The time for action is now. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence inform this House how the government is committed to a fair and transparent process to honour the valour of our veterans?

Mr. Speaker, life changes in a moment. Sometimes that moment means the difference between life and death. Auston Pierce, a beloved son, brother, partner, friend and member of this parliamentary community, suffered a life-threatening injury last Friday. Auston is healing today, thanks to the swift and heroic action of an off-duty Ottawa firefighter, Jason Murray. I encourage all Canadians to learn first aid, because one day, they may be the person in the right place at the right time to save someone's life as Jason did. On behalf of the House, I express our profound gratitude to Jason for being there for Auston in those critical first moments. I am also thankful to all first responders and health care professionals. To Auston, I say Godspeed, dear friend.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today for the third reading of Bill C-225, Bailey's law, an important step forward in Canada's response to intimate partner violence. Before I go further, I would like to acknowledge once again that the bill has been titled “Bailey's law” in honour of Bailey McCourt, a woman from Kelowna, B.C., who was tragically killed by her estranged intimate partner in July of last year. Members of Bailey McCourt's family were present at committee, and their advocacy inspired multiple parts of this bill. It is important that we say survivors' names, and it is important for them, as well as for countless other survivors and families of those who have suffered intimate partner violence, that we continue our efforts to advance this most important work. At its core, the bill responds to a reality that is far too present in communities across this country. Intimate partner violence remains one of the most pervasive and dangerous forms of violence in Canada, and in too many cases, it escalates to lethal outcomes. This is not an abstract policy issue but a lived reality for survivors, families and frontline service providers who see the consequences every day. That is why this legislation matters. What makes Bill C-225 particularly significant is not only its substance but the way it was developed. This is a bill that benefited from serious, sustained and good-faith collaboration between the sponsor of the bill, the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola; the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada; the Minister of Women and Gender Equality; and members across the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. Through that work, the bill was refined in a meaningful way. A total of 18 government amendments and three opposition amendments were adopted at committee stage, reflecting a process that was focused less on partisan positioning and more on ensuring that the legislation is effective, constitutionally sound and responsive to the realities of intimate partner violence. That collaborative approach is something we should take seriously. It demonstrates that when Parliament works constructively, we can improve legislation in a way that better protects victims while maintaining fairness and coherence in criminal law. As amended, Bill C-225 would advance four key pillars. First, it would clarify how the criminal law treats intimate partner homicide in situations involving coercive and controlling conduct. By linking the most serious homicide classification to patterns of coercive control, the bill would ensure that the law better reflects the reality of sustained abuse while also guarding against unintended consequences for survivors who may have acted in response to prolonged violence. Second, it would create a single, comprehensive intimate partner violence offence. Rather than relying on a fragmented set of offences, this approach recognizes the full spectrum of violent conduct that can occur in an intimate relationship, from threats and assault to more serious forms of violence. The bill would also support consistency in charging and clear recognition of patterns of abuse. Third, it would modernize the treatment of seized property under section 490 of the Criminal Code by extending the initial detention period to 180 days. This adjustment reflects a balance between individual rights and the need for an effective and efficient justice system. Fourth, it would strengthen the bail framework by introducing a targeted reverse onus for certain repeat or high-risk intimate partner violence situations, particularly when there is a demonstrated history of prior violence or breach of court-ordered conditions. This would ensure that the courts have the tools necessary to appropriately assess risk while maintaining judicial discretion and charter compliance. Taken together, these amendments reflect a careful balancing exercise, strengthening protections for victims while ensuring the framework remains fair, proportionate and constitutionally sound. Importantly, Bill C-225 does not exist in isolation. It is part of a broader set of reforms that this Parliament has been advancing to address violence, coercive control and systemic gaps in the criminal justice response. For example, Bill C-16, the protecting victims act, takes a broader approach to coercive control, femicide and emerging forms of technology-facilitated violence, including deepfake sexual imagery and sextortion. It reflects a recognition that patterns of abuse are evolving and that the law must evolve with them. Similarly, Bill C-14, the bail and sentencing reform act, would strengthen the response to repeat violent offending, particularly in cases involving sexual violence and serious harm. It would reinforce the principle that bail decisions must reflect public safety and victim protection. When viewed together, these measures form a more coherent and modern framework for addressing intimate partner violence and gender-based violence more broadly. What Bill C-225 demonstrates is that progress is possible when we approach these issues seriously and collaboratively. It is encouraging that despite political differences, members were able to come together in committee to improve this legislation and move it forward in a way that reflects both accountability and fairness. At the same time, we must be clear that no single bill will solve intimate partner violence on its own. Legislative reform is one part of a broader response that must also include prevention, early intervention, housing supports, mental health services and resources for frontline organizations. However, legislation does matter. It sets the tone for how the justice system understands and responds to violence. It signals to survivors that their experiences are recognized. It ensures that offenders are held accountable in a way that reflects the seriousness of the harm caused. That is what Bill C-225 would do. It would strengthen the criminal law's ability to respond to intimate partner violence. It would improve coherence in how offences are prosecuted. It would enhance protection for victims. It would do so in a way that reflects careful committee work and cross-party engagement, so today I want to acknowledge the constructive role played by the sponsor of the bill, and the willingness of members from all parties to engage seriously with amendments that improve the legislation. That kind of work is not always easy in the House, but it is essential. As we move forward, I would encourage all members to continue in that same spirit of collaboration as we consider related reforms, including Bill C-16, which is now before the justice committee and which we hope will be passed as soon as possible, and Bill C-14, which is now in committee study at the Senate and which we hope senators will help advance swiftly. Together, these reforms represent a broader effort to modernize Canada's criminal justice response to violence and exploitation. Ultimately, the objective is not partisan. It is about safety, prevention and ensuring that when violence occurs in the most intimate of relationships, the justice system is equipped to respond effectively and fairly. For those reasons, I am proud to support Bill C-225 at third reading, and I encourage all members of the House to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, Build Canada Homes is Canada's affordable housing builder, and it is already delivering real results. It is working with partners to accelerate the construction of affordable homes across Canada, including right here in Ottawa. In just a few short months, we are already seeing progress, with the fast-tracking of eight shovel-ready projects in growing neighbourhoods. Can the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure please update the House on the momentum that the partnership between Build Canada Homes and the City of Ottawa is delivering?

Mr. Speaker, 42,397 people signed a petition calling on all federal party leaders to seek and maintain top security clearance. With it, leaders can be informed and prepared. Marc Hachey of Carleton is a retired senior RCMP officer who initiated the petition. Throughout his distinguished career, he worked on national security investigations, so he understands the risks we face. The Leader of the Opposition has refused to seek top security clearance. He believes the less he knows about national security, the more effective he can be. Wilful ignorance does not make a leader; trust and intelligence do. This issue is not going away. All federal party leaders, without exception, have an important role to play in national security, and that requires intelligence.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of over 42,000 Canadians, representing every part of this country, east, west, north and south. It is calling on all leaders of federal parties to seek and maintain top security clearance for the protection of our country. This petition was initiated by a retired high-ranking RCMP officer who spent much of his career doing national security investigations. I am honoured to present this petition on behalf of him and 42,000 Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to rise today to speak to Bill C-25, the strong and free elections act. The strong and free elections act proposes targeted priority amendments to the Canada Elections Act that would further protect and secure Canada's elections by mitigating unduly long ballots, foreign interference and deepfakes; protecting nomination and leadership contests; closing channels for foreign funding; bolstering personal security measures; and strengthening federal political party privacy requirements. It gives me great pleasure to speak today about how these changes, as outlined in Bill C-25, would protect our democracy and support Canadians. First, I would like to address the issue of long ballot protest tactics. In my riding of Carleton, we experienced an extraordinarily high number of candidates registered, not seriously to contest the election but to disrupt the process. These tactics create confusion for voters, lengthen ballots, slow down the voting process, place unnecessary strain on election workers and are not cost-free. Ultimately, they make our elections more costly. During the 2025 federal election, the longest ballot committee in my riding of Carleton contributed 85 of the 91 candidates on the ballot. The ballot was so long that adjustments had to be made to voting procedures and vote counting in Carleton. The ballot itself was nearly 97 centimetres long, with two columns of names. Due to the longest ballot committee protest, constituents in Carleton faced unnecessary strain from the ballots, a significant financial burden was put on our local election systems, and election workers dealt with added pressure. However, in the face of the longest ballot committee and its disruptive tactics, I am proud to state that in Carleton there was a staggering turnout of nearly 82% during the last election. That is testimony to the determination of voters in Carleton to vote, often waiting well over an hour. Personally, I waited an hour and a half to cast my ballot. While constituents in Carleton experienced the long ballot, it is also being exercised in other ridings, notably this past week in Terrebonne. It is hindering elections wherever it is taking place. Elections should be accessible and an engaging process for Canadians to take part in. They should not become an ordeal that discourages people from going to the polls or volunteering to serve in our democracy. That is why Bill C-25 would take concrete steps to address this issue. Bill C-25 would prevent official agents from serving more than one candidate at the same time, which is a tactic that has been used to organize and sustain longest ballot committee campaigns. Currently, candidates must collect 100 signatures from electors in the riding to be nominated. However, there are no limits on how many candidates an elector can sign for. This has allowed coordinated efforts to artificially inflate the number of candidates. Bill C-25 would change this and only allow electors to sign one nomination form. Those who attempt to sign multiple forms as part of a coordinated effort to manipulate the ballot could face penalties. These changes are practical, targeted and necessary. They would ensure that the nomination process reflects genuine democratic participation, not coordinated efforts to overwhelm the system. Our elections must remain accessible, but they must also remain fair and functional. Bill C-25 would help strike that balance by protecting the integrity of the ballot and ensuring that voters determine the outcome of our elections. Bill C-25 would also allow us to detect and protect elections from foreign interference, disinformation and other potential threats to our democracy. Bill C-25 would further strengthen and secure Canada's federal elections by ensuring electors are protected at all times against unlawful attempts to influence their vote, not only when elections are called. The bill would also ban sophisticated deepfakes of candidates intended to mislead voters. It would also be against the law to tamper or interfere with computer systems to disrupt an election. All proposed and existing electoral crimes would be deemed illegal, whether or not they take place inside or outside Canada. To combat foreign interference, Bill C-25 would give the commissioner the authority to reach out to other countries, through information-sharing agreements, to investigate suspected instances of foreign electoral interference. Also, the bill would add new privacy policy requirements for all federal political parties and new disclosure requirements in the event of a data breach. This is important because democracy depends on trust in fair and secure elections. If voters believe elections can be influenced by foreign interference or disinformation at home or abroad, it weakens confidence in the system. These measures would ensure that Canadians can make informed decisions based on accurate information. Ultimately, the bill would strengthen the integrity of our elections and ensure that outcomes reflect the informed will of the people. The bill would close potential channels of foreign funding in the electoral process. This would protect nomination and leadership contests from threats, bribery and intimidation. To prevent foreign money from entering our system, Bill C-25 would prevent political parties from accepting anonymous or untraceable contributions from cryptocurrency, prepaid gift cards and money orders for all their activities. This ban would extend the current ban on third parties using foreign funds for partisan activities during nomination contests and general elections to include leadership contests. Bill C-25 would increase the fines that Elections Canada can impose on individuals and parties for violating the Canada Elections Act. The maximum penalty for an individual who breaks the law would rise from $1,500 to $25,000, while an organization's maximum fine would increase from $5,000 to $100,000. Outside the people or parties that are fined, anyone proven to have conspired with them or advised them could also be held accountable. Today I have highlighted the importance of the strong and free elections act, as it would increase the integrity of Canadian democratic processes to ensure that our elections are fair and strong. As elections around the world are being subjected to new and evolving threats, the strong and free elections act would ensure that Canada's election laws continue to be properly enforced. Canada's democracy and electoral system are among the strongest and most stable in the world. The proposed changes under Bill C-25 would serve to further enforce Canada's already strong democracy. Stronger investigative powers for the commissioner of Canada elections would enable more thorough investigations, fairer outcomes and greater accountability, which would reduce the burden on courts. Bill C-25 is about strengthening our democracy, ensuring the fairness of our elections and holding bad actors accountable. The bill would send a strong message. Canada is a resilient democracy. No bad actor, at home or abroad, will be allowed to interfere in our elections. Instead, Bill C-25 would uphold what this Parliament stands for: strong, free and fair elections decided by Canadians and for Canadians. We are the true north, strong and free. That strength and freedom need to always be reflected in our elections and they will always be defended by our government. That is exactly what the strong and free elections act would achieve.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for that very good-faith question. The Prime Minister has made it clear in the budget that we need to spend less on operations in order to invest more. The vast majority of changes in the public service will be through voluntary retirement and attrition. The member knows that very well. She also knows very well that the Leader of the Opposition, the current member for Battle River—Crowfoot, would have made much deeper cuts. I hear frequently from commentators that we are not going far enough. I have consistently stood for the public service. I continue to do so and people can depend on that from the member for Carleton.

Mr. Speaker, we encourage all good-faith candidates to step forward and participate in our democracy. I think it is also very important that all members take every opportunity to improve civic literacy in this country. I would always support a good-faith candidate running, whether they are running for an official party or as an independent. However, there are loopholes that have allowed a long ballot to overwhelm our elections process. For the health of our democracy, we need to close those.

Mr. Speaker, I think that getting democracy right, as with so many other things we deal with in this House, is about striking the right balance. While we protect the rights of candidates to run, we also must protect the rights of voters to vote. I do not have a specific example for the long ballot, but I know that people who have vision disabilities or other disabilities have more difficulty dealing with such a monumentally big ballot. It is not reasonable to expect people to stand in line for multiple hours simply because we have made a process too burdensome. I am confident that Bill C-25 would strike the right balance. We can explore it further in committee—

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour the remarkable life of William Herbert Loewen, an entrepreneur and patron of the arts. Bill passed away in Winnipeg on February 4 at the age of 95. He was predeceased by his equally remarkable wife, Shirley, and is survived by their children, Ann, Howard, Louise, Peter and Jennifer, as well as many loved ones. From modest prairie roots, Bill founded Comcheq Services Limited and built it into Canada’s largest independent payroll service provider. Bill believed deeply in the power of the arts to enrich our spirits. He was a member of the Order of Canada and an honorary member of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the only person ever to receive that distinction. Bill had a profound impact on many lives, including mine when he hired me at the age of 23. Canada is better because of Bill's leadership in business, his love of country, his passion for the arts and the tremendous example of his life.

Mr. Speaker, at the HUMA committee earlier this week, members of the Breakfast Club of Canada and the Coalition for Healthy School Food talked about the real impact of the national school food program on kids and families. When a motion was brought forward to study those impacts, Conservative and Bloc members chose to adjourn debate before it even began. Can the parliamentary secretary for children and youth remind the House of how this program is supporting children and helping families with affordability, and why it matters that we continue to move this work forward?

Mr. Speaker, residents of Carleton have made it very clear that they want real leadership and an economic vision for this country. Budget 2025 cuts taxes for 22 million Canadians, makes permanent the national school food program and invests tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure and major projects across the country. These are actions that will improve the lives of Canadians. Can the Minister of Finance update the House on how the budget implementation act would help strengthen our economy and on why it is being stalled?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to lend my voice in support of Bill C-15, the budget 2025 implementation act. Our new government has been focused on bringing down costs and creating new opportunities for Canadians. We have cut taxes for 22 million middle-class Canadians, saving two-income families up to $840 per year. Through budget 2025, we are creating opportunities for young Canadians to transition into the workforce and launch successful careers by launching a youth climate corps and providing 175,000 placements through Canada summer jobs, the horizontal youth employment and skills strategy, and the student work placement program in 2026-27. Bill C-15 is another important milestone in delivering measures to make life more affordable for Canadians. The bill recognizes that Canadians are concerned about affordability. Paying for essentials depends on having the funds to pay the bills, but also on the timing of when we receive those funds. We know, for example, that digitalization in the financial sector has brought many benefits for consumers, including the immediate transfer of funds. However, at the same time, we know that consumers who remain reliant on legacy financial products and services, including cheques, may be missing out on these benefits and getting left behind. Access to cheque fund rules are now over a decade old and have not kept pace with cost of living increases or technological advances. That is why budget 2025 proposes to amend the Bank Act to raise the first amount of immediately available deposited funds from $100 to $150; remove the timing distinction between funds deposited in person or via other means; make regulations to reduce the number of days banks may hold deposited cheque funds; raise the current value threshold of $1,500, below which shorter cheque hold periods apply; and apply the changes to trust and loan companies. Once again, Bill C-15 would make this change a reality. However, that is not the only way the bill would help improve financial services to help Canadians manage their money. Consumer-driven banking, also known as open banking, refers to a secure framework that lets Canadian individuals and businesses share their financial data with the approved service providers of their choice. This framework would give consumers greater control over their data while promoting a competitive and innovative financial sector that strengthens Canada's position in the global digital economy. In short, the goal of Canada's consumer-driven banking framework is to promote competition and innovation in the financial sector, improve financial outcomes for Canadians and ensure that consumers can share their data securely. In other countries, regulated frameworks have proven effective at achieving these policy goals by empowering consumers, enhancing data accessibility and supporting new financial service providers and business models. At the same time, we know that the absence of such a secure framework means that about nine million Canadians currently share their financial data by providing their confidential banking credentials in a process known as screen scraping. These consumers face increased security, liability and privacy risks that may be left without recourse if something goes wrong. Our consumer-driven banking framework would address these risks by using application programming interfaces, or APIs, to provide more secure communications between entities. Giving Canadians greater control over their financial data opens the door to financial products and greater choice between providers, fostering a more dynamic financial sector and productive economy. Unlocking these new opportunities would lead to improved financial decision-making, lower costs and more tailored products and services for consumers. Bill C-15 would be fundamental in achieving this, as it proposes legislative changes that would complete the consumer-driven banking framework by transferring its governance to the Bank of Canada and by making a legislative amendment to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act that would grant Canadians a right to data mobility, supporting an economy-wide approach to data sharing. All Canadians would be expected to benefit from the consumer-driven banking framework as it would promote competition and reduce risks in the financial services industry by regulating financial data sharing. For consumers, this could mean greater financial inclusion, more informed financial decisions and better management and mitigation of financial stressors. For businesses, it could mean improved access to new forms of financing and reduced administrative burden from better integration and automation of key functions, but lower-income and financially stressed households are expected to benefit the most through access to lower-cost products, clearer choices, and tools to manage debt and reduce financial stress. What is more is that this is not the only way that Bill C-15 would help Canadian financial consumers save and manage their money. We know, for example, that all Canadians would benefit from improvements to the federal credit union framework, since allowing more financial institutions like credit unions to grow would create more competition in the financial sector. Competition drives down fees, improves interest rates on deposits and leads to better customer services, bringing benefits to the diverse regions across Canada that credit unions currently serve. Competition in the sector could also drive efficiency and support economic development and productivity as financial institutions are driven to allocate capital to their most productive uses. That is why budget 2025 proposes to amend the Bank Act, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada Act to support federal credit unions' growth via amalgamation or asset acquisitions, and to make it easier for credit unions to enter the federal framework, including by providing the flexibility for them to continue their existing auto-leasing business on a permanent basis. With these changes included in Bill C-15, we have yet another way it would bring down costs for Canadians and yet another reason to support the bill. The bill also includes provisions that would exempt the Canada disability benefit from being treated as income under the Income Tax Act, helping ensure that Canada disability benefit recipients would keep the full value of their benefits, including other federal income-tested benefits and programs, such as the Canada child benefit. Helping to reduce poverty and increase the financial well-being of low-income persons with disabilities is a key priority in our government's work to build a fairer Canada, and it is yet another reason for parliamentarians to lend their support to Bill C-15. However, it does not stop there. The bill even includes new financial support for those who provide help to those who need help. Personal support workers help Canadians live and age with dignity, and they helped us to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. We as a country owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude. That is why we would introduce a temporary personal support workers tax credit, under which eligible personal support workers employed in the provinces and territories that are not already covered by a bilateral agreement with the federal government, to increase wages for personal support workers. They could claim a refundable tax credit equal to 5% of their eligible earnings, providing support of up to $1,100 per year. This measure to support frontline health care workers would be available for the 2026 to 2030 taxation years and is estimated to cost $1.48 billion over six years, starting in 2025-26. Of this amount, $1.17 billion would be sourced from funding previously committed, but unutilized, to support wage increases for personal support workers. The bottom line is that this tax credit would empower the personal support workers who care for us by putting more of their hard-earned money back in their pockets. That is what this bill is all about. Our government remains focused on empowering Canadians by lowering costs, increasing competition and expanding opportunities—

Mr. Speaker, it was discussed earlier, and my Conservative colleagues have made a big deal about the Prime Minister's not dropping everything and talking to the United States. The Prime Minister is sending a message every day when he is talking to other reliable partners across the world. We are showing the American administration that we are prepared to deal with countries that will work with us in good faith, be reliable partners and provide markets for our goods. The Prime Minister will speak with the administration in due time, when those constructive—

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honour the great work of Habitat for Humanity Canada and, in particular, Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa. By leveraging non-market financing, volunteer labour and donated goods, and by tying mortgage payments to income, Habitat gets families into affordable homes. I have participated in a Habitat build and seen the joy on the faces of the people helping. The greatest thing of all was seeing the smiles on the faces of children when they and their families received keys to their new homes. Safe and affordable home ownership changes lives, and even a child understands that. I want to thank Sara Cooper, the entire Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa team, volunteers and donors for the transformative difference they are making in people's lives. Go, Habitat, go.

Mr. Speaker, today I have the honour to recognize Treat Accessibly. Earlier this month I joined their founder, Rich Padulo, in Stittsville in my riding of Carleton to participate in the vision to make Halloween accessible for children with disabilities. A street in the community was transformed into a Halloween village, and neighbours set up tables at the ends of driveways, enabling children with limited mobility to trick-or-treat without barriers. I want to thank the Padulo family, Rich, Natasha and their daughter Siena, for their work with communities across Canada to bring treats into the streets and create inclusive spaces where everyone can participate in Halloween. Treat Accessibly is a reminder that inclusion is not a barrier but an opportunity. I will continue to show up and be supportive of all organizations like Treat Accessibly to create conditions for all Canadians to thrive.

Mr. Speaker, independence is fundamental to the operations of the RCMP. My former MP, the current leader of the Conservative Party, recklessly criticized the RCMP. His caucus does not want to talk about it, and even a former Conservative minister stated how “grossly imprecise” his comments were. Can the Minister of Public Safety reiterate the importance of the RCMP's independence, which ensures the protection of all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians in my riding of Carleton and across the country can see the generational investment that our government is making in the Canadian Armed Forces. As Canada diversifies its trade relations and expands its military presence around the world, we know that the impact on industries here, at home, is a positive one. Can the minister update the House on recent investments in our national defence?

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize the importance of our rural fairs. From Metcalfe to Richmond and Carp, each one is a proud tradition and a symbol of rural life across Canada. These fairs celebrate our farmers, who feed families, fuel our economy and sustain our communities. I will always stand with them and proudly champion rural fairs and our farmers. Last week I attended the Richmond Fair and was moved by the passion, dedication and community spirit that define my riding of Carleton. I invite everyone to visit the Carp Fair this weekend, from September 25 to September 28, and the Metcalfe Fair from October 2 to October 5 to celebrate agriculture and community together. The pride and spirit of Carleton lives in our rural fairs, and I will continue to champion them here in the House and at home.

Mr. Speaker, we meet here today on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe, and we do so at a moment that calls for both courage and clarity from all of us who serve Canadians. As this is my first speech in the chamber, I want to take a moment to thank the constituency of Carleton, my volunteers, my campaign team, my EDA and especially my family: my wife Donna, who was a remarkable support throughout this process, and my children, Adrienne and Ben. I am determined to leave a strong, sustainable world for them and for their children. Also, I thank my father Emery and my mother Nan, who are not here to witness this moment but who for years and decades prepared me for this moment. From the earliest days of Confederation, this country's story has been one of resilience, ingenuity and overcoming extraordinary challenges together. Today, as the world faces a period of transition in global trade, energy markets and climate action, Canadians are once again choosing to meet this challenge with ambition. In the energy sector, the ambition is clear. Our allies are looking to Canada for energy they can trust that is reliable, secure and increasingly lower in emissions. The world's need for secure, responsibly produced energy has never been greater, and neither has our opportunity to shape what that means for decades to come. The Prime Minister has been unequivocal: Our goal is to secure Canada's place as an energy superpower, drawing on our resources, our people and our capacity for innovation to meet the future head-on. This means not just maintaining our leadership in energy production, but leading in sustainability, technology and responsible climate action. Creating energy security is a responsibility, as is climate action. The goal before us is net zero by 2050. It is a shared objective among industry and provinces. Forward-looking Canadian energy companies are already advancing innovative pathways to reach net zero, including the pathways plus carbon capture and storage initiative, which the Major Projects Office is looking at now. What unites us from government to industry and from coast to coast to coast is a shared determination to ensure that Canada remains a leader as the world transforms. Net zero by 2050 is not just a target; it is a commitment to future generations of workers, to local communities and to our partners and allies, which want climate responsibility alongside energy security. We know, as the Prime Minister himself emphasized recently, that the path to net zero means investing in technologies and solutions that reduce emissions while supporting jobs and prosperity right across the country. Canada is preparing to advance this with a climate competitiveness strategy to ensure that our climate action is ambitious and effective and benefits Canadian jobs and competitiveness. A key lesson of recent years is that top-down approaches can only go so far. This government is committed to working in close partnership with industry, provinces, indigenous peoples and communities, not imposing solutions, but enabling the innovation and investment already under way across Canada's energy sector. The Prime Minister has been clear: We are stronger when we work with industry, not against it. Canadians have made it clear they want a pragmatic, effective approach that ensures both environmental progress and economic opportunity. The message is already guiding the work of our new Major Projects Office, launched to help unlock the potential of major investments in next-generation energy, infrastructure and innovation. By streamlining assessments and fostering partnerships, this office will make Canada a global destination for responsible resource investment, including in the clean technologies that are reshaping the sector. We are advancing a stable, predictable framework, not by building more barriers, but by providing clarity and speed. Together, the Major Projects Office and our climate policies create an environment where industry investors, indigenous peoples and indeed all Canadians can innovate for the long haul. Our focus is not on static limits, but on enabling pathways for companies and communities to reduce emissions while growing prosperity. We believe the best way forward is one that draws on Canadians' strengths, world-class expertise, advanced technologies and meaningful collaboration. As we prepare to release a new climate competitiveness strategy, Canadians can expect an approach that supports industries and workers as partners on a path to net zero. That is not just climate leadership. It is a competitive advantage as international buyers increasingly seek out cleaner energy. The world is shifting. Allies are looking for energy partners that can deliver reliability and security, but also demonstrate real progress on emissions. Canada is one of a small number of countries with the credibility and capability to deliver both. Recent investments, such as LNG Canada and major new infrastructure projects, prove that with the right frameworks, Canada can attract billions of dollars in investment, create thousands of good jobs and deliver some of the cleanest energy on the planet. Canada's path to energy leadership also depends on reconciliation and inclusion. That is why our government has established the Indigenous Advisory Council for the Major Projects Office. It is to ensure that indigenous people are partners at every stage from planning to ownership and that major projects deliver real, lasting benefits for our communities. We cannot and will not meet our energy and climate goals without meaningfully including indigenous voices and respecting their rights. This is both a moral duty and a source of strength for Canada. Canadians want to know how we will turn today's opportunities into progress and shared prosperity. They want to know how we can provide energy security for our own families and for our allies, especially in an era of global uncertainty. The answer is not to pit prosperity against climate responsibility, but to insist, as the Prime Minister has, that Canada can and must lead on both fronts. That means investing in our workers, accelerating innovation, reducing emissions sector by sector and forging partnerships at home and abroad. As we prepare to bring forward the climate competitiveness strategy, our message is clear: Canada's ambition is to be the partner of choice. We will deliver energy that our allies can count on. This is the Canadian way, building on our strengths, solving problems together and aiming higher. Let us show the world that Canada's energy future is one of progress, partnership and pride.

Mr. Speaker, time and time again, the Liberal government has supported ordinary Canadians and is making life more affordable. We are in an energy transition. It is happening around the world. It is in the interests of Canadians and Canadian industry that we not be laggards in this energy transition. Being laggards will cost us more and will mean we miss out the economic opportunities right before us.

Mr. Speaker, one thing I respect about about this government is that it has a vision for the future that includes sustainable development and clean energy, but we realize where we are today, and we need to power the economy. We need economic activity sufficient enough to support the programs Canadians depend on right now. LNG is a fossil fuel, yes, but it is better than some, and we are going to continue the work to get to even cleaner forms—

Mr. Speaker, Canadians made it clear in the last campaign that they expect us to deliver real housing solutions to get more homes built faster and to bring down the cost of housing so that young people, families, the most vulnerable and those along the housing continuum can access housing that meets their needs. Can the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure please tell this House about the government's recently announced plan to deliver affordable housing to Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member opposite for demonstrating so fully why the Liberal Party was re-elected as government for Canada. Canadians are reasonable people. They believe in facts, science and a government that seeks to make their lives better. With regret, what I heard there was a great deal of nonsense. Talking about health care, I am not sure whether the member should have run for provincial parliament rather than the federal Parliament.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the people of Carleton for the confidence they have placed in me. I will never take the honour of representing them for granted. I also wish to thank the hundreds of volunteers who believed that together we could. From Stittsville to Constance Bay, Riverside South to Metcalfe, Greely to Richmond, Manotick to Osgoode, and all points in between, together we did. Now it is time to embrace every moment in the House and in all ridings to build a future in which all Canadians can thrive in the true north strong and free.