Rebecca Chartrand

Mr. Speaker, I do not get the fake outrage, because when we think about the voting on the Conservative side, we know they have voted against every measure to support Manitobans. For example, there was the groceries and essentials benefit. We are putting money back in the pockets of Canadians with the child tax benefits, dental care and pharmacare. We are helping Canadians where it matters most, and the member opposite continues to vote against every single measure.

Mr. Speaker, qujannamiik to my beautiful colleague for her tireless advocacy. There is so much to celebrate during National Indigenous History Month. For the first time in history, there are two first nation female ministers in cabinet, a growing indigenous caucus and opportunities to move beyond community benefit agreements to revenue sharing with indigenous people through major projects. Together, we are reducing barriers and accelerating regulatory processes in the north. Together, we are reducing all of the challenges in the north, hand in hand, and building Canada strong.

Mr. Speaker, I represent some of the poorest communities in this country, so when the member opposite tries to lecture me on affordability, I have to ask: Why does he vote against every single measure that is supporting Manitobans, including affordable child care, grocery rebates, automatic tax filing and cutting taxes at the pump? He needs to get onside and start voting and working for Manitobans.

Mr. Speaker, we are working with northerners on solving all the issues in the north, including affordability, and we will continue to do so. I am happy to work with the member opposite on finding some solutions.

Mr. Speaker, we know that a food subsidy alone will not solve the food insecurity issue. That is why we have been working to engage 124 of the nutrition north communities to ensure that we work with them to find the solutions for their communities. What we are working toward is moving from a food subsidy to a food economy. That means a whole-of-government approach. I continue looking forward to working with the member opposite to find solutions.

Mr. Speaker, I am so happy to be on this side of the House. Canadians voted for this new government because we have a plan and that plan is working. I do not know why the member opposite has voted against every measure that is supporting Manitobans: affordable child care, cutting taxes at the pump, automatic tax filing, and the groceries and essentials benefit that came out last Friday, which is supporting so many citizens in his riding. He needs to get on board and start supporting what we are doing on this side of the House.

Mr. Speaker, did the member vote for the measures that would support this person in his riding? Did he vote to support Red Seal training? Did he vote to support the reduction of taxes at the pump or the creation of a national school food program? These are the measures our government is taking to support Canadians, and Manitobans in his riding, but he continues to vote against them.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians voted in this new government to get results, and that is what we are doing. The member opposite voted against every measure we are taking to support Manitobans. We are investing in housing, infrastructure and aerospace. In fact, I just met with students from the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, Local 254. They are so excited about our Red Seal program and are working hard to get that $5,000 bonus. I do not understand why the member opposite keeps voting against these measures.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians sent the new Liberal government here to get things done, and that is what we are doing. The Manitobans I am talking to want to talk about affordable child care; grocery rebates; automatic tax filings, which remove barriers for northern remote communities; cutting taxes at the pump; and creating a national school food program, so children do not go hungry. The member opposite needs to stop misinforming Canadians and recognize what we are actually doing.

Mr. Speaker, right now in Ottawa, leaders, survivors, families and frontline workers are gathering for the third national summit on missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people. They are coming together under a powerful theme: “from principles to policy, from resolution to action.” Tomorrow, May 5, is Red Dress Day. Across this country, we are going to see red dresses in windows, in trees and on Parliament Hill, each one representing a life that was taken, a voice that was silenced or a family that was forever changed. This is not symbolic alone; it is a call to action. The violence that indigenous women face is not random; it is systemic. It is rooted in policies, institutions and decisions, both past and present. That is why I want to speak to Bill S-228. Bill S-228 is a Criminal Code amendment that makes something unmistakably clear: that forced and coerced sterilization is a crime. It defines sterilization without consent as an act that wounds or maims, making it prosecutable as aggravated assault. Let us be clear about what that means. It means that what happened to indigenous women in hospitals and medical systems, often without their full, informed consent, is not just unethical. It is violence, and not historical violence. Reports have confirmed that forced and coerced sterilization has continued into modern times within our own health care system. When we talk about MMIWG, we must understand that it is all connected. The national inquiry called the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls a genocide, not because of one issue but because of a pattern, a system that has, for generations, devalued indigenous women's lives, controlled indigenous women's bodies and failed to protect indigenous women. I wholeheartedly support Bill S-228, and I thank members for bringing it forward to the House.

Mr. Speaker, the Port of Churchill plus project is a transformative opportunity to connect Manitoba and western Canadian exports to the world. While early stages mean more work is ahead, the federal government has invested $320 million since 2017, and we are looking to invest another $150 million, as the member knows, to the Port of Churchill and the Hudson Bay Railway. This is to grow northern trade. It will also invest in lowering costs for farmers, stabilizing supply chains and supporting good jobs. This is how we are making Manitoba a global Arctic gateway once again.

Mr. Speaker, I do not know who that Manitoba MP is talking to, but when you look at what we are doing here, we have up to 100,000 new Red Seal workers, the Port of Churchill plus project is moving forward, and there are critical mineral jobs in Thompson and stronger trade corridors for Manitoba. What exactly is the member opposite against? Are you against good jobs, stronger supply chains—

Mr. Speaker, Canadians sent this new Liberal government here to get things done, and that is exactly what we are doing. Canadians in Conservative ridings want to see us working together. They do not want excuses. They do not want slogans. They want results. The member opposite has voted against everything that will actually help Manitobans, including affordable child care, grocery rebates, automatic tax filing, cutting taxes at the pump and creating a national food program so children do not go hungry. I do not understand what he is against.

Mr. Speaker, what Manitobans want, especially young people, is a job. They want opportunity, and that is what the government is delivering. The spring budget delivers real momentum for Manitobans. We are seeing infrastructure investments that keep the province moving in the right direction, from transportation upgrades to community facilities. We are expanding Red Seal training. The member opposite continues to deny what we are delivering on. They need to get on the side that we are on, which is delivering on affordability.

Mr. Speaker, we are investing so Manitobans can step into good jobs. What is she not seeing here? We are strengthening Manitoba's aerospace sector. We are advancing the economic wealth fund. We are investing $6 billion in the trades so young people can get jobs. The member opposite continues to downplay this work when these measures are directly supporting Manitobans.

Mr. Speaker, we are making life more affordable in the north, not just in big cities but across northern indigenous communities. We have cut taxes for 22 million Canadians so that northern families can keep more in their pocket. The permanent national school food program is saving families $800 a year. We are also cutting costs for jet fuel, which is going to impact communities throughout north of 60. We are tackling food costs and building all-season infrastructure in the north and the Arctic. We are building for all of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, we are making life more affordable, not just in big cities but across northern and indigenous communities. We have cut taxes for 22 million Canadians so northern families can keep more on their table. The permanent national school food program is saving families around $800 a year, and we are tackling food costs by building an all-season infrastructure road through the Arctic. We are building the nation and building scalable affordability. We are also reforming nutrition north.

Mr. Speaker, let me start by welcoming the member for Nunavut to this side of the House. I also want to acknowledge her strong advocacy for the north. We know that a subsidy alone will not solve the food insecurity issue in the north. That is why we are looking at moving from a food subsidy to a food economy in the north. This year alone, we have $200 million supporting the evolution of nutrition north. We are concluding regional engagements at the end of the month with a food sovereignty summit. I look forward to working with my colleague to—

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support Bill C-20, not only as the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, but also as a first nations woman and the first to have this portfolio. However, this is not about me; it is about the communities of the north that really need to be the problem-solvers of the issues they are dealing with on a day-to-day basis, including housing. It is also about the communities I come from, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski. When we think about the generations of northern and indigenous women who have carried their families, languages, nations and communities through hardships and hope and we think about this moment, there is real meaning and opportunity in this bill. When we think about a house, it is more than four walls and a roof; it is the backbone of health, safety, opportunity and identity. When families sleep at night, sometimes they are concerned about overcrowding. This can be exhausting when elders do not have a place to consider home as they are aging. They want to age on the lands that raised them. They want to see that children have space to study and dream and that communities can thrive. In the north and the Arctic, people have waited far too long for basic conditions most of us in the south take for granted. When we think about moving forward from an Inuit Nunangat perspective, more than half of Inuit live in crowded housing, and in Nunavut the rate is even higher. The realities of building in the north are unlike anywhere else in Canada. There are high construction, operation and maintenance costs; short building seasons; and supply chains that rely on sealift, winter roads and air. When timing slips in the north, it is not just a minor inconvenience; it can push a project into the next season and the cost increases significantly. The delays that this puts on families are exhausting. This is why the Build Canada Homes act matters. This legislation would transform Build Canada Homes into a Crown corporation, which would give it the independence and tools to build more homes faster and more efficiently. The bill would strengthen federal capacity to partner with northern indigenous communities, which can build faster and at scale. We want to ensure that we use public land more effectively and use modern construction methods that fit northern realities. Build Canada Homes would help scale off-site and modular construction, which are approaches that can improve speed and predictability when weather and short seasons make on-site building difficult. It would also help bundle projects so that smaller and remote communities are not left behind. It would back Canadian lumber, Canadian steel and Canadian workers; strengthen domestic supply chains; create good jobs; and build more of what we need here at home and in the north. We are not starting from zero. Since launching in September 2025, Build Canada Homes has already advanced six direct-build projects and secured partnerships representing more than 7,500 homes. Last month, Canada, Nunavut and NTI signed an agreement in principle to deliver 750 new homes across the territory, including public, affordable and supportive housing. Importantly for Nunavut's short season, a portion will use factory-built components to reduce delays and deliver homes more predictably, and 25 of those homes will be delivered through an Inuit-led model, reflecting the Inuit Nunangat policy and the right of Inuit to design and deliver housing solutions that work for them and their communities. That is the kind of partnership this bill would make possible. It is practical, community-led and rooted in indigenous leadership and northern realities. It is the kind of partnership the House should be proud of. This bill also supports the government's broader housing agenda, which is grounded in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis partners, so that housing reflects indigenous priorities and builds long-term capacity. As Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, I see housing as foundational to everything else, including health, education, economic participation and community well-being. I also see it as a connection to sovereignty. Arctic sovereignty is not only about maps. It is about people: whether families can choose to stay where they grew up, workers can live where opportunities are and communities can thrive on lands for generations yet to come. The bill is an opportunity to match urgency with capacity and to replace delay with delivery. I urge all members of this House to support the bill. The north has waited far too long. With the legislation, we could help build a future where northern and indigenous families are no longer waiting for housing, but they are helping to shape it, they are building it and they are finally calling it home.