Lisa Hepfner

Mr. Speaker, representatives of Breast Cancer Canada are on Parliament Hill today for the organization's awareness month. There were 31,000 Canadians diagnosed this year alone. One in eight women faces this battle. We all know many who have survived and many who have not. Most impressive in my world is my friend Kim MacDonald, also here today for the awareness advocacy. Kim is now 10 years cancer-free. She recovered, but Kim has never stopped speaking up for everyone else affected by breast cancer. She uses her platform as a popular Weather Network personality to talk about her journey. She travels to conferences to cover various breakthroughs, and she raises money for more research. There is progress, but we know there are still gaps in cancer care across this country. We need a national approach. We should wear the pink ribbon this month, donate, and support the bill I will sponsor when it passes in the Senate, an act to establish a national framework for women’s health in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, so I spent much of the summer checking in on businesses on Hamilton Mountain to see how they are managing the unfair U.S. tariffs that have upended their business models. One particular highlight was my visit to Niko Apparel Systems with owner Joe Camillo. The factory floor has 66 advanced machines for designing and sewing niche market sports jerseys. One employee, Olga, proudly described how she juggles six different threads at a time while sewing jerseys for local hockey, cycling or lacrosse teams, or referee jerseys for Ron Foxcroft. These are jerseys designed and made on Hamilton Mountain with Canadian materials. Hamilton businesses are fiercely proud to be Canadian. The U.S. tariffs are a threat, but thanks to the regional tariff response initiative, our government is helping businesses such as Niko expand and adapt despite these trying economic times. Niko has been on the mountain for 30 years. We want to see it continue for decades to come.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, entitled “The Effects of Influencers and Social Media Content on Children and Adolescents”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report. While I have the floor, I move: That the House do now proceed to orders of the day.