Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I can advise that I have been in contact with officials in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley region since December of last year. I have attended meetings with a number of my counterparts there, and we will be taking active steps with Abbotsford to talk about flood mitigation strategies.
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Mr. Speaker, affordability starts with opportunity, and that means making sure every Canadian can get a good-paying career. Our plan is working. Just last month in Alberta alone, nearly 42,000 good, full-time careers were created. That is more people earning paycheques, putting money back in the economy and getting ahead. At a moment when Canadians are focused on affordability, it is time for Cons…
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Mr. Speaker, we are building big in this country, and that means building more homes. While the Conservatives belittle what has been done so far, it is time to check some facts. Calgary is a recognized national leader in terms of fast-tracking housing projects using federal program funding like the housing accelerator fund and is building affordable, inclusive and resilient communities. If the Con…
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have spent the last two months going on and on talking about food banks, but they really need to listen to them. I was in Edmonton last weekend. I met with people on the ground at food banks, and they were praising the Prime Minister's announcement and saying what a huge benefit it would be to people actually on the ground in ridings in Alberta, including Conservativ…
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Mr. Speaker, the world has changed, but it is pretty clear, after the Conservative convention this weekend, that the Leader of the Opposition has not. Conservatives keep going back to the same old attacks, demonizing diversity and denying climate change, but we have a plan. We are focused on what Canadians actually care about: supporting families and building Canada in a changing world. That is wh…
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Mr. Speaker, this morning the Prime Minister introduced the new Canada groceries and essentials benefit. I look forward to returning to Alberta this weekend and sharing with my constituents that a family of four can receive up to almost $1,900 to help pay for groceries and other essentials. This is the kind of support Canadians are looking for. As Canadians, we look after each other. We are asking…
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Mr. Speaker, the industrial carbon tax has next to zero impact on the cost of food. School food programs, on the other hand, lower food costs for many families, but the Conservatives voted against them, just like they voted against child care, dental care and affordable housing. Day after day, we hear the Conservatives talk about making life more affordable for Canadians. Why do they keep voting a…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the first progress report on the Building a Green Prairie Economy Act. This report is part of the legacy of the late Hon. Jim Carr, who sponsored the Building a Green Prairie Economy Act, which is the foundation for the framework.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Winnipeg South Centre for his continued support as we advance the legacy his father set in motion for a stronger prairie economy. The prairie partnership initiative is a new, coordinated approach that gives significant prairie projects a clear pathway through the federal system so that they can move from ambition to action. By aligning federal expertise …
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Mr. Speaker, we have cut taxes for 22 million Canadians. We are building affordable homes. We are making it easier for young people to buy homes. We are creating thousands of jobs by investing in our economy. The easiest way for Conservatives to make life more affordable for Canadians is to support our plan in budget 2025.
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Mr. Speaker, budget 2025 delivers a stronger Alberta economy by backing workers, industries and innovators. It supports jobs and Alberta's economic edge. Edmonton Chamber of Commerce CEO Doug Griffiths said it is “a clear commitment to driving economic growth and job creation.” Conservatives cannot stand up for Alberta if they will not listen to our business community.
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Mr. Speaker, as a fellow Albertan, I know families want more than just to get by; they want good jobs, stable incomes and a fair shot at building a better life. That is exactly what we are focused on. Last year, the Prairies development agency helped create more than 9,000 jobs in Alberta. Budget 2025 will keep that momentum going. The Conservatives can support it and help grow Alberta's economy, …
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives keep talking and talking about affordability, but when it comes voting, they oppose the very measures that create jobs and strengthen local economies. We are delivering real results: thousands of new jobs, real investments in prairie communities and stronger paycheques for Alberta families. If the Conservatives actually care about helping families make ends meet, the…
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Mr. Speaker, one thing is clear: Investing in housing is one of the most effective ways to tackle food insecurity. In the last six months in my home riding of Edmonton Centre, I have announced over $400 million in infrastructure investments and affordable housing. We are not asking young people to make sacrifices or Canadians to make sacrifices; we are asking the Conservatives to support our gener…
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Mr. Speaker, as I said, one of the biggest drivers of food insecurity is the cost of housing. That is why we are focused on getting more homes built. That is how we make life affordable for Canadians. We are starting to see progress. Projects are breaking ground, rents are starting to level off and more families are moving into homes they can afford. The Conservatives can criticize all they want, …
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Mr. Speaker, we are living in a new reality where natural disasters are more frequent and more severe. I am actively working with provinces and territories, indigenous partners and other stakeholders on how we can strengthen coordination and capacity. Throughout the summer, I met with first responders, local officials and members of the Canadian Armed Forces to hear their first-hand experiences of…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the first responders, local officials and members of the Canadian Armed Forces whose work on the front lines saved lives and protected communities. We were there for Newfoundland and Labradorians as they faced these historic wildfires. We also supported Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia. In true Canadian form, the provinces and territories stepped up to h…
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question and for his deep concern for the people of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The wildfire season has hit earlier and harder than usual, and Canadians are stepping up to support those affected. That is why we have partnered with Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Red Cross to match every single individual donation made to their wildlife appeals. Eve…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. Minister of Indigenous Services. I want to begin by thanking the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre for bringing this important and timely debate forward. Like many Canadians, I have seen the devastating images coming out of Manitoba and Saskatchewan: thick smoke, orange skies, whole communities forced to evacuate and families unsure whether they w…
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Mr. Speaker, with respect to the member's question regarding evacuees, he can tell them that the federal government has their backs, that we will be there to support them and that, in fact, the Red Cross and other humanitarian task forces in these situations are on the ground, assisting evacuees when there are difficulties with accessing accommodation. I might add one other thing. The problem with…
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Mr. Speaker, I can indeed advise that there were two squadrons from Trenton that were deployed, one with respect to the Mathias Colomb evacuation and the other with respect to the Cross Lake one, and I would again at this point in time like to thank all of the forces members for helping evacuate members of those communities under very challenging and, as I have indicated before, unpredictable situ…
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Mr. Speaker, I can advise that, indeed, our department will be looking at all kinds of different mechanisms for dealing with responses to emergency situations like wildfires and floods. We are going to be doing that because we know that every time a crisis happens, we learn from that crisis. We learn and we take lessons; we take those lessons to our local, provincial and indigenous counterparts, a…
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Mr. Speaker, I am monitoring the wildfire situation around the clock, and I am in close communication with my provincial counterparts. The Canadian Armed Forces is evacuating first nations and others who are affected by the wildfires. Leaving a home under these circumstances is incredibly difficult, and our government will continue to support and protect all those who are affected by wildfires. Th…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise for the first time in this House. Our hearts go out to all of the communities that are affected by wildfires from coast to coast to coast. Last night, the Prime Minister and I received a request from the Province of Manitoba seeking airlift evacuation support for two northwestern Manitoba first nations communities, and of course we immediately agreed to that support. There are …
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