Lianne Rood

Madam Speaker, Thanksgiving is a time to slow down and give thanks for the blessings that sustain us and for the people whose work makes those blessings real. When we gather around our table and take in the spread before us, we can thank a farmer. The food we share comes from the steady hands and careful stewardship of farming families like those of Middlesex—London. Our communities are blessed with fertile land and have long taken pride in feeding Canada and the world. As a third-generation farmer, I know the quiet honour of this calling. It is early mornings and long seasons, skills passed from grandparents to parents to children, and a commitment to stewardship that does not waver. Farmers are innovators, teachers, fixers and leaders. They carry forward a tradition that keeps our communities strong and our country fed. From my family, I wish all members a happy Thanksgiving. May our tables be full, our company warm and our gratitude deep. To all the farm families out there, I thank them for keeping Canada going. Their work is a gift to this nation, and their perseverance is a source of hope for us all.

Mr. Speaker, harvest is here and families in London and across rural Middlesex are being squeezed. Diesel is nearly double what it was last year. Combines use hundreds of litres a day. Farmers say the year looks bleak. One in three households in Middlesex—London is food-insecure. Grocery prices keep climbing because fuel, fertilizer and trucking costs get passed down the line. After years of Liberal taxes, carbon taxes and anti-development laws, work pays less and life costs more. Manufacturers, truckers and farm families pay first. Conservatives would scrap the industrial carbon tax on fertilizer and fuel, repeal the laws that block Canadian energy and housing, and deliver the fastest permits and lowest taxes, so that we can grow food, build homes and create jobs here at home. Conservatives would save Canadians money. Our economic action plan would put paycheques and affordability first. Canadians in London and rural Canada deserve a country where they can actually afford to live.

Mr. Speaker, I am excited to welcome everyone to Middlesex—London this summer for the Canadian Plowing Championships in Strathroy. As the member of Parliament for this area, I am proud to extend a warm southwestern Ontario welcome to all of the competitors, families and visitors who have come from across Canada to take part in this national event. This championship is a wonderful celebration of the skill, precision and innovation of Canadian farmers. Whether someone is a returning competitor or attending for the first time, they will enjoy exciting plowing competitions, hands-on exhibits and demonstrations of the latest agriculture techniques, all in the spirit of our rural community and hospitality. I want to thank the volunteers, organizers and board members whose dedication makes this event possible. Welcome to Strathroy. I hope everyone has a fantastic time at the Canadian Plowing Championships this summer.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the only G7 leader and Canada is the only G20 country that is currently in a recession. Full-time workers are living in RVs because they cannot afford homes. Families are spending over 120% of their income on food and rent, and two in five Canadians are struggling to put food on their tables, all while a record 2.2 million Canadians are having to rely on food banks. The recession is not global forces; it is Liberal choices. Will the Prime Minister reverse his costly policies so Canadians can afford to live?

Mr. Speaker, Liberal claims of success are completely detached from reality. Canadians are crowdfunding their way through this cost of living crisis, and the Prime Minister has blown nearly $1 million on luxury inflight catering on just 14 flights, including $175,000 on one single flight. That bill could feed a family in Middlesex—London for 55 years. Canadians cannot afford groceries, so will the Prime Minister stop his outrageous luxury lifestyle, on the taxpayer's dime, and reverse his policy so Canadians can afford to live again?