Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, seniors in my riding are being told they no longer qualify for the Canadian dental care plan because they supposedly have access to private insurance, even when that so-called access is only theoretical, unaffordable or based on plans they opted out of decades ago. Some have already had treatment approved and completed and are now being told they may have to pay the money back. Why is…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the illegal war waged by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu in the Middle East is inflicting devastating consequences on civilians, especially children. The humanitarian and environmental tolls are immense, and the economic fallout is global. It is driving up gas and fertilizer prices, disrupting critical supplies, like helium used in MRIs, and threatening pharmaceutical supply chain…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, public health experts across Canada are clear that supervised consumption sites save lives and connect people to treatment, recovery and support, and yet, in Ontario, the Conservative government is cutting supervised consumption sites. In Alberta, the Conservative government is closing Calgary's only such service, despite the fact that thousands of overdoses have been reversed there w…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour today to table a petition on behalf of Vancouver Islanders who are deeply upset and concerned about the cutting of the world-class ghost gear fund. They cite that ghost gear is abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear that is among the deadliest sources of plastic pollution. The petitioners note that ghost gear kills fish, marine mammals, seabirds and turtles; damages…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, we would be hard-pressed to find another member of Parliament that advocates more for the livestock and agriculture industry than that member. I wanted to state that here. Agriculture is not a partisan issue, and this member has been a champion of that. I want to say how important the conversation around the indexing of British pensions here in Canada is when we have any discussion on…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to speak to Bill C-13, legislation that would implement the protocol on the accession of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. At its core, the bill would update Canadian legislation so the United Kingdom can formally join the CPTPP trade agreement so Canada c…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, because the Liberal fisheries minister has failed to explain the Pacific salmon allocation policy review, misinformation is spreading across the west coast. Recreational fishing is essential to many Vancouver Island communities, which are uncertain about their future, and that confusion is fuelling division and racism. This review was directed by the courts to update an outdated polic…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, as I outlined at the beginning, we of course support trade, and we put conditions on how we support trade. It cannot be a blank cheque from the government. We also believe in reciprocity. We outlined, regarding the pork producers and the beef producers, that it is not reciprocal. These countries are getting access to our market, but we are not getting the same access to their markets.…
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Mr. Speaker, like I said earlier, U.K. pensioners living in the United States, Israel, Turkey, the Philippines and the European Union are actually not penalized like this. Their pensions are not frozen. They are indexed, just like our pensions are for Canadians who are retiring abroad. However, for some reason, Canada has not been able to get an agreement with the U.K. The Prime Minister supposedl…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from the Bloc raises a really important point. It is something I hopefully addressed, for the most part, in my speech, but he is absolutely right. This exposes Canada when it comes to the environment and when it comes to sovereignty here at home. We were able to get those ISDS, or investor-state dispute settlement, provisions removed from CUSMA. It should be something we …
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, we can ask coastal communities how the Liberals' regimes are playing out. If a spill were to happen today, nothing has changed. It would be municipalities, conservation groups and first nations caught holding the bag. Promises and statements like that do not protect coastal communities. The Transportation Safety Board said that Canada is not properly prepared for marine emergencies, i…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am here again tonight to once again remind the House and, of course, the Liberal government about a massive gap in our emergency preparedness framework: the lack of a standing federal plan to prevent, prepare for and actively respond to marine debris spills. To begin, I want to recognize some of the environmental champions who have been calling attention to the urgency of this issue…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise to present a petition from Canadians committed to advancing peace and human rights, especially given the conflict right now in the Middle East. The petitioners note that Canada pledged itself to these principles with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. They highlight that justice, equality and freedom are essential to preventing conflict while a …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to table a petition that was collected by the National Union of Public and General Employees. The petition first highlights that wildland and forest firefighters across Canada perform life-threatening public safety duties, including wildfire suppression and evacuation. They protect communities, ecosystems, property and critical infrastructure during increasingly severe…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the bureau of pensions advocates is about to lose half of its workforce. The Liberal government is sunsetting a program that is meant to address wait times for Canada's RCMP and military veterans. This is important for veterans who are appealing benefits that have been denied. In fact, the bureau has had an 89% success rate for cases that have been heard improving benefits. Greg Har…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to table a petition from Canadians on Vancouver Island, from Victoria and Courtenay to Port Alberni and Parksville. They are all calling on the federal government to take leadership on brain injury awareness, prevention and treatment. The petitioners note that brain injuries can occur in many ways, from accidents and sporting events to illnesses, strokes and overdoses, a…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to table a petition on behalf of residents from Port Alberni, Parksville, Qualicum and Courtenay in my riding who are concerned about rising inequality, austerity and the erosion of public services. These petitioners note that while corporate profits continue to reach record highs, more Canadians are struggling to afford the basics of life. They warn that austerity…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by Canadian military and RCMP veterans who are calling on the Government of Canada to eliminate the so-called marriage after 60 clause, a discriminatory provision of the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act that denies survivor pension benefits to spouses and partners of military and RCMP veterans who marry after the age of 60. This outdated pol…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, in this place, there is a responsibility to provide background in evidence when a member starts making claims that a whole province would be—
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, our health care system is already stretched, yet the Liberal government piles on needless paperwork. The College of Family Physicians warns that the disability tax credit form is worsening the strain on family doctors and limiting access to the Canada disability benefit. Instead of fixing the problem, budget 2025 sets aside $10 million to help people navigate a broken system. Province…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, here we are today, on the fourth anniversary of the war that Russia implemented on Ukraine, and what did we hear from a Conservative? A Conservative got up and stated that “the program for bogus refugee claimants” costs the same as the transfer to the whole province of Saskatchewan at $1.6 billion a year. Basically, the member is insinuating that every single immigrant and every singl…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, nowhere in the world has the free market solved an affordable housing crisis. Let us look at the Netherlands, with 34% non-market housing; Denmark, 21%; Britain, 16%; and France, 17%. Here in Canada, we are now at 3.4% non-market housing. Nothing in this bill sets targets on non-market housing. My colleague had a good idea around removing the GST on housing. Instead, why do we not tak…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to table a petition on behalf of residents from Tofino, Ucluelet, Port Alberni and the Oceanside region in my riding of Courtenay—Alberni who are deeply concerned about the shortage of community recreation facilities in our region and across Canada. Petitioners stress that recreation centres are vital spaces for people of all ages to gather, stay healthy and build stro…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we keep asking the Liberal government when pharmacare will expand, and we cannot get a straight answer from the Minister of Health. British Columbia's pharmacare agreement starts next week, because New Democrats pushed for it and because the B.C. NDP moved quickly. Families in other provinces are still waiting because the Liberal government is not negotiating. This means access to lif…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister says he is committed to pharmacare, but today only three provinces and one territory are covered. That is about 17% of all Canadians. A commitment to pharmacare should mean access for Canadians no matter where they live. Right now, access to medicine depends on one's postal code. It is not nation building when we give only certain provinces and territories access to…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table a certified petition on behalf of residents from Port Alberni on Vancouver Island who are calling on the federal government to fund more shore power at the Port Alberni loading docks. The petitioners describe living with the relentless noise and air pollution caused by ships running diesel generators while they are berthed, sometimes continuously day and night fo…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to speak to Bill C-244. It is a bill that delivers real accountability and takes a proactive approach to preventing marine pollution and abandoned vessels. I would first like to thank my colleague, the member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, for bringing this bill forward, which shows great leadership. The first thing the bill does is…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition today from Canadians and Vancouver Islanders who are deeply concerned about ghost gear, which is abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear. It is among the deadliest sources of plastic pollution. These petitioners note that ghost gear kills fish; impacts wild Pacific salmon, marine mammals, seabirds and turtles; damages habitats; creates microplastics; and…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, we hear Conservatives talk about how Canada is too big and the transition is too bold, but we can look to Norway, where it is cold, where they travel long distances, and they have had huge success, so geography should not be an excuse. What we need is the Conservatives to support a Canadian auto strategy that protects workers, supports tackling climate change and builds vehicles her…
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Madam Speaker, we have seen the impact that Donald Trump's tariffs have had on auto and forestry. We are seeing layoffs at CAMI. We have seen jobs lost in communities on Vancouver Island, whether it be in Crofton or Chemainus, temporary or permanent. The government has been slow in getting income supports and relief out to workers. When will the government scale up income supports for those worker…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Canada is in a mental health crisis and young people are being hit hardest, yet counselling, therapy and treatment still depend on workplace benefits or the ability to pay in a two-tier system. The PBO confirmed that bringing mental health care under the Canada Health Act and achieving parity with physical health care through Bill C-201 would cost just 1.5% of total public health spen…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, this is a highly partisan motion, and the response was highly partisan as well. As New Democrats, we recognize, and I think everybody in the House recognizes, that there is a rise in extortion, that there is a rise in organized crime, that everybody has a right to feel safe in this country and that we need to do more. The Conservatives continue to make assertions that mandatory minimu…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Alberta's Bill 11 is American-style two-tier medicine. It allows doctors to bill privately while also billing the public system, and it allows private insurance for medically necessary care. This breaks the promise of Canadian medicare, creating one system for the wealthy and one where the rest of us are left waiting even longer. The minister said she would look into it, but it has be…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I appreciate my colleague talking about the record amount of funding invested in wild salmon and its success. I have a lot of respect for him, but now is not the time to take our foot off the gas. The answer tonight does not give coastal communities what they need, which is certainty. The Pacific salmon strategy initiative is set to expire in just over a month, and we still do not h…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, tonight I am here on behalf of Pacific salmon. The Pacific salmon strategy initiative, the main federal program supporting wild salmon restoration, habitat protection, science and rebuilding on the west coast, sunsets at the end of March. It was not renewed in the budget, and there is still no confirmation of renewal. This puts the single-largest federal investment in wild salmon re…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour today to table a petition on behalf of Vancouver Islanders and British Columbians. They highlight that wealth inequality in Canada is rising, with more Canadians struggling to afford the basics of life while corporate profits continue to break records. They highlight that austerity measures very often exasperate inequality. The federal government is planning austerity …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This is not to discredit my esteemed colleague on her petition, but she did mention a member of the House. Maybe it is best if she highlights the member's riding instead.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I have to disagree about the importance of the implementation of this commissioner to hold government to account. Often, treaties have been signed and those agreements have not been implemented. It has been uneven, inconsistent and ignored. We heard that this morning from Chief John Jack from Huu-ay-aht First Nations and Chief Wilfred Cootes from Uchucklesaht. They are calling for the…
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Mr. Speaker, we heard again this morning about the uneven, inconsistent and sometimes ignored implementation of the treaty process. We have heard from the nations wanting this treaty commissioner to absolutely ensure that treaty implementation happens. Now, we hear Conservatives say, “Well, that is a waste of money.” However, what is costly is not implementing a treaty because, when treaties are i…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise to present a petition from Canadians who are calling for urgent federal leadership on brain injury awareness, prevention and treatment. The petitioners note that brain injuries can occur in many ways, from accidents to illness and strokes, and often result in serious physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural effects. They further point out that brain injur…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, when we are talking about food costs, we have to look at the corporate profits. I know big grocery stores are making big profits. Where I live, in coastal British Columbia, when it comes to fish and independent fish harvesters, a lot of the quota licences are held by a handful of fishers. We call them slipper skippers or armchair fishers because they hold the licences and then lease…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me today in expressing solidarity with the Nuu-chah-nulth people of Tseshaht First Nation after two incidents of racist vandalism at the “Every Child Matters” orange bridge in Port Alberni in just one week. Swastikas and hateful slurs defaced this important site of remembrance. This was not random vandalism. It was an attack on survivors, on indigenous famili…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, when the previous Liberal government brought together the top executives of the big grocery chains that have been price gouging Canadians since the pandemic, they showed up with no plan. The grocery executives offered nothing but pictures of their weekly sale flyers and were held to no accountable commitments. The meeting was all for show, and while the government pat itself on the …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I am glad that this motion has come forward to inspire the conversation around the veterans in our country. First, I will highlight that clearly everyone in the House, and all Canadians, agree that no veteran should be living on the streets of this country. Any man or woman who served this country should be prioritized when it comes to housing. They should not be left out on the stree…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to speak to the closure of the Crofton mill on Vancouver Island and what it exposes about the state of Canada's forest sector and the Liberal government's failure to act when forestry workers need help most. Today, February 3, the first round of layoffs at Crofton takes effect. Workers are emptying lockers and families are losing paycheques. Mortgages, rent and grocery …
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, feelings are not enough. The layoffs are happening today. I am urging the government not to abandon the families and workers at Crofton. Forestry workers do not need more reassurance; they need action. If the government is serious about preventing further job losses and supporting workers who have already lost their jobs, it must deliver real, sector-specific relief now, including sof…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked about grocery store prices doubling. Well, guess what else doubled: margins from the big grocery stores. They are posting record profits. My colleague talked about the Liberals' bringing the big grocery stores together to have a conversation, but nothing has happened. This requires government intervention and an excess profit tax. Does my colleague agree that there…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to table a petition on behalf of Canadians deeply concerned about the worsening mental health and substance use crisis across our country, a crisis that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Petitioners note that too many Canadians are unable to access timely mental health or substance use supports. They point out that when care is not availab…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, we all want small, medium and large businesses to win. We all want that, but when the only winners, when it comes to groceries and food prices, are the big corporations, and the only losers are everyday people across this country, something has to be done. The member highlighted and claimed that Canada has the highest grocery prices in the G7. Guess what else we have? We have the lowe…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats agree with any supports to help people with the cost of living, but one thing we have never heard from the Liberals and will never hear from Conservatives is about the runaway, out-of-control corporate greed. We are seeing big grocery stores post record profits. There is no mechanism so that the big grocery stores do not increase prices the day before this benefit comes …
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