Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, across British Columbia, workers and communities know how important the forestry sector is to our economy. As Canada's forest ministers met this week in Langford on beautiful Vancouver Island to discuss the future of forestry, workers face unjustified U.S. softwood lumber tariffs and conditions that will require us to make our forestry sector more competitive. Can the Minister of Industry update the House on how our government is working with provinces and territories to strengthen the sector and support forestry workers from coast to coast to coast?

Mr. Speaker, wild Pacific salmon are a part of who we are for everyone who calls British Columbia or Yukon home. Climate change and habitat loss are already putting additional pressure on this threatened species. We have a responsibility to help this species rebuild. Can the Minister of Fisheries tell us what this government is doing to help protect wild salmon populations for everyone in British Columbia and along the west coast?

Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to speak as the member of Parliament for Victoria in support of the clean coasts act, put forward by my colleague, the hon. member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country. Those of us who live in and represent coastal communities know that the ocean is our lifeline but also our responsibility. Even before being elected to the House, I heard from people in my community daily about the negative effects of derelict vessels in our waterways. After every storm, we see more and more vessels that have fallen into disrepair and been abandoned by irresponsible owners for others to deal with. These so-called “dead boats” do not just serve as an eyesore for our community; they pose serious safety and environmental risks, often with no one around to be held accountable. There is not one perfect solution to this issue, but I commend my colleague for putting forward Bill C-244, which would take important steps in the right direction. The bill would target the irresponsible transfer of vessel ownership. In Victoria, I hear of these instances far too often. An owner sells a rotting hull for a dollar, sometimes less, to somebody who they know cannot maintain it, effectively washing their hands of the environmental liability of responsibly disposing of that vessel. By prohibiting the transfer of vessels to those who lack the resources or the intent to actually maintain them, we would help stop the cycle of abandoned and wrecked vessels before they end up on our beaches and in our marinas. We would be demanding accountability at the point of sale, not just when the taxpayer is forced to foot the bill for a clean-up or removal of a derelict vessel, and not simply relying on the goodwill of local organizations and hard-working volunteers. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the often thankless work by organizations in my riding, such as the Cadboro Bay Dead Boats Society, the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, the Veins of Life Watershed Society, and the Dead Boats Disposal Society, as well as others who have given their time and energy to address this issue, often taking on personal costs and liability. I would also like to thank the Canadian Coast Guard's western region and Transport Canada for their role in environmental response but acknowledge that they do not have the capacity or the mandate to single-handedly shoulder this burden. As always, we also wish to express our thanks and our appreciation to the Lekwungen-speaking peoples of southern—

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to continue. I want to start again by expressing the thanks and appreciation that everybody in my community has to the Lekwungen-speaking peoples of southern Vancouver Island, the Songhees, Esquimalt and W̱SÁNEĆ nations, whose stewardship of and care for the lands and waters that we live on today since time immemorial sets a high bar for our governments and communities to achieve today. The bill before us proposes important amendments to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to ensure that no person or ship can “allow the disposal” of substances in our waters. This is about proactive stewardship. It ensures that negligence is no longer a legal defence for polluting our marine ecosystems. The Salish Sea, which surrounds my region and my riding, is an intricate ecosystem, home to species such as the southern resident killer whale and the chinook salmon. These species are put at risk when pollutants are introduced in our waterways, and we have a duty to act. The clean coasts act is a common-sense, preventative measure. It would protect our blue economy, save millions in future salvage costs and honour our commitment to maintaining the health, beauty and accessibility of the B.C. coast and all of Canada's coasts for everyone. I sincerely thank my colleague the hon. member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country for bringing this bill forward, and I urge all members of the House to support this important piece of legislation to keep our coasts clean, to keep owners accountable and to keep our oceans thriving.

Mr. Speaker, I understand what a challenge the extortion crisis is in my colleague's community, and I understand the passion that he brings to this issue speaking on behalf of his community members today. My colleagues on this side of the aisle, especially those of us from British Columbia, have spoken extensively about the extortion crisis. We understand what a challenge this is in many communities across the country. That is why we have spoken with the Premier of British Columbia, cabinet ministers from British Columbia, mayors from municipalities affected most directly in the Lower Mainland, law enforcement officials and chiefs of police. The messages we have received from all those different levels of government and all those different stakeholders are very consistent. We have been told that law enforcement needs more tools, more resources, more cross-border and inter-jurisdictional coordination, and for the House to pass Bill C-2 and Bill C-14. Will the member agree with just about every other public official on this issue?

Madam Speaker, it is a bit like living through an episode of The Twilight Zone to hear the opposition talk about carbon pricing in this country. Being from British Columbia, I know that the first consumer price on carbon in North America was introduced in British Columbia in 2007 by a right-of-centre government that some members of the opposition benches supported at the time. There is no historical memory opposite of the reality of climate change and climate policy in this country. There is nary an honest word that the opposition has to share on this topic. For a new member of the House such as myself, it is deeply disillusioning. I wonder whether my hon. colleague from Kingston and the Islands would elaborate on the government's approach to combatting climate change.

Madam Speaker, I think we should all in this chamber sympathize because our Conservative colleagues are having a bad week. The polling clearly shows Canadians are rallying behind the leadership of the Prime Minister. The polling clearly shows most Canadians do not have confidence in the Leader of the Opposition. To add insult to injury, just today the last Conservative to serve as prime minister was in the House, reminding our colleagues opposite of that vanishing sensation of winning an election. My sympathies are with them, but I think it is intolerable to hear our Conservative colleagues working so hard to divide Canadians. As we heard just a few minutes ago, they are dividing rural Canada from urban Canada as though many of our ridings do not straddle both, as though the members in this chamber do not have an obligation to represent all of our constituents and as though urban MPs do not know and love rural Canada. My question for my hon. colleague from Winnipeg is whether he would agree that the reason Canadians are supporting the Prime Minister at this time is that he is deeply committed to bringing Canadians together, as he did when he announced last year that the consumer price on carbon would be removed because it was divisive. It was divisive because Conservatives had been attacking it relentlessly for years. The Prime Minister wants to bring Canadians together. Does my colleague agree?

Madam Speaker, it is again disappointing to hear that the leading strategy of the opposition party is nothing less than pitting Canadians against each other, trying to convince rural Canadians and Canadians from across the prairie provinces that the government does not care about them. The insistence by opposition members that only they speak for real Canadians is one of the core divisive pieces of our politics. It is shameful. The members should, in fact, apologize to the House. They should apologize to my hon. colleague. I will ask my colleague from St. Paul's whether she would like to elaborate on the way in which affordability challenges related to food are an issue that many Canadians face, Canadians in cities and Canadians in rural Canada, and how the government is addressing those needs while bringing the country together.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for Cumberland—Colchester for the touching and personal remarks she shared with all of us in the chamber today. I also represent a riding that has a significant number of Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence properties. While the hon. member opposite's point is taken that many members, I am sure, do have an idea of what we might do in our ridings with some of those properties, I would suggest that the merit of my colleague's motion is to have a systematic review of all of those properties across Canada so that, instead of an ad hoc process where individual MPs are putting forward their own favourite projects, we might actually have a more broad, wide-reaching and systematic assessment of the properties that the federal government could use to better effect for Canadians, and in this case, for veterans. Would my colleague care to comment?

Mr. Speaker, I was greatly encouraged to hear the member refer to the need for us to maintain robust and effective climate and environmental policies in this country. I could not agree more. I think it is fair to say that many Canadians, at least for the last 35 years or so, have not associated the Conservative Party with a strong environmental record, although there is a rich lineage of Conservative environmental policy going back before that. Could the member share with the House what his party supports in terms of measures to support a clean environment, reduce our emissions and improve the health of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, in 2011, the Harper Conservative government created the conditions for Driver Inc., an illegal scheme where trucking companies misclassify drivers as independent contractors to avoid paying payroll taxes. This has hurt workers, distorted competition in the market and deprived the federal government of important revenue that it should be able to use to invest in Canadians. In budget 2025, our new Liberal government took action to end this scheme. Can the Secretary of State for the CRA please inform the House of the measures our government has taken to end Driver Inc.?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the passing of one of Canada's great military historians, my stepfather, Donald Edmund Graves. Don served as a military historian with the Government of Canada before later founding his own firm and advising governments, private organizations and filmmakers in Britain and North America. He was the author or editor of nearly two dozen books on many topics, but his greatest passion was the War of 1812. As Canada's leading expert on that conflict, which defined our country so early on, Don advised the U.S., Canadian and British governments for the war's bicentennial celebrations in 2012. From Don, I learned a love of history and strategy, as well as deep respect for the women and men who wear Canada's uniform. I also gained a lifelong appreciation for the importance of good friends, country living and a family dog. It is fitting that such a great military historian died on Remembrance Day, and today I extend my condolences to Don's son, Matthew, and his extended family, friends and colleagues in the military history community. His contributions will be missed but never forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's drawing such focused attention to the fiscal disaster that the previous Progressive Conservative government left to the Liberals in the 1990s, which necessitated the very challenging fiscal decisions that were made at that time. That is clear; that is the historical record, and the member seems well aware of that challenge. In the context of our colleagues' concerns about the level of federal spending over the last couple of years, I would encourage them to be a bit more specific in terms of what they would have chosen not to spend on. Would it be the Canada child benefit that the Conservative Party would not have supported and not have spent money on? Would it be $10-a-day child care? Would it be the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion? Would it be national defence spending such that Canada would meet its 2% NATO target? Would it be CERB, which rescued Canadians from the effect of the pandemic, or the other pandemic supports that the government provided? What would you not have spent?

Mr. Speaker, everybody agrees that the government has a responsibility to continue to reduce crime in this country. We have heard from several Conservative colleagues just this morning about the high rates of crime, in particular in the province of Saskatchewan. Indeed, unfortunately Saskatchewan does have the highest crime rate of any province in Canada, according to data released by Statistics Canada earlier this year. To that end, I wonder whether the member has spoken with his colleagues in the Government of Saskatchewan, who have been in power for nearly 20 years, about what they are doing to address crime in their province. More to the point, Conservatives are keen to talk down this country at every available opportunity. In doing so, they miss the good news. Crime is down in Saskatchewan by 5% over the previous year and nationwide by 4%. Will Conservatives help maintain that trend by supporting the government's bail and sentencing reforms?

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague, who is also from B.C., omitted the good news that the crime severity index in our province has decreased by 11% year over year, according to Stats Canada. At the heart of the Conservatives' complaints about this matter is the fact that Canadians fundamentally chose our party to form government. Are Canadians confident that the government will reduce crime? That is the member's question. Evidently, based on the election seven months ago, the answer to that question is yes. If Conservatives were serious about the question of confidence, then they would not be playing games in this chamber on confidence motions; their House leader would not be hiding behind those curtains, pretending his voting app is not working; and Conservative MPs would not be making flimsy excuses for why they do not show up to vote non-confidence in the government. At the end of the day, Conservative members are asking whether Canadians have confidence in the government. The real question is whether Conservatives are prepared to accept the confidence Canadians have expressed in the government, our vision for the future and our efforts to resolve these challenges.

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to present petition e-6770, signed by over 2,000 Canadians in solidarity with survivors and victims of intimate partner violence. I present this petition on behalf of B.C. resident and survivor Carrie Wiebe, in memory of Bailey McCourt, who was tragically killed in an act of heinous violence by her ex-partner earlier this year. The reality is that across Canada, one woman is murdered by an intimate partner every six days. The intimate partner violence prevention and enforcement act would introduce evidence-based and life-saving reforms to prevent and protect against intimate partner violence. I gratefully recognize the ongoing work the government is already doing with recent announcements on bail reform legislation that supports the basis of this petition. The petitioners call for bail reform, restriction of legal name changes for IPV offenders, a requirement for criminal record checks for marriage licences, and court-ordered treatment programs and monitoring of high-risk offenders. The act further calls for the establishment of a specialized IPV enforcement unit, a fatality review committee and an independent IPV commissioner to enhance oversight and accountability. The petitioners call upon this House to honour the memory of these women and to prevent further tragedies by considering the intimate partner violence prevention and enforcement act without delay.

Mr. Speaker, I have been listening to many of our colleagues opposite speak today, and the frustration of many of the Conservative members is palpable. After 10 years of their sitting in opposition, there are numerous issues in which they are more or less in alignment with the government, yet for their own purposes they will get up and attempt to find differences or to criticize the government, when ultimately we are both in agreement with the best way to move forward for Canada and Canadians, whether on the question of free trade, which has been a core Conservative principle for decades, and this government is consistent with that vision; resource extraction and economic growth, which is the Prime Minister's overwhelming focus and which the Conservatives insist to us they also support; or investing in infrastructure, such as roads, rails, highways and ports. Will the Conservatives just acknowledge that they support the government's agenda to grow the economy strong?

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member correctly noted in her speech that high-trust societies are typically more safe and more prosperous. It is indeed the type of society that works the best, and one which Canada and all members of the chamber should aspire to be. I wonder if the member would comment on whether or not she thinks it contributes to producing a high-trust society in Canada to support groups of people who blockade the national capital and call for the overthrow of the federal government. Does lying and calling for the incarceration of former prime ministers increase trust in our society? Does calling law enforcement and the leadership of the RCMP “despicable” increase trust in Canadian society?

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague opposite for his remarks and for expressing sentiments that many Canadians share. We have challenges in our cities that require focused attention and require policy revisions, and that is what the government is taking on board. That is exactly the set of commitments that has already been announced and will be released in legislation forthcoming this week. Does the member agree that one of the changes being called for by stakeholders across the country to address some of these challenges has to do with reforming our bail system? This means that people who are repeat violent offenders or repeat chronic offenders will no longer be on our streets creating some of the urban disorder that is ultimately leading to some of the challenges and social disruptions that the member is concerned about.

Mr. Speaker, it is frustrating to hear my hon. colleague, who is also from British Columbia, repeating some of the selective amnesia of his fellow members on the other side of the aisle around just how much development has happened in our province over recent years. Despite the member's assertions otherwise, there have been at least four major energy projects, including two major pipelines; a major LNG facility, which I know the member knows well; and the Site C dam have all been constructed in B.C., with a value that the Vancouver Board of Trade estimates at around $80 billion for British Columbia's economy. Notwithstanding, the issue I question the member on is whether he will accept the view of coastal first nations in our province, who have said very clearly just in the last week that they do not support a project from Alberta that is as yet completely unspecified being built to the B.C. coast. The member is clear and correct in his assertion of first nations' rights and title. He is deeply experienced on this file. Will he respect the rights and title of coastal first nations in B.C.?

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Pickering—Brooklin. Kwe kwe, ulaakut and tanshi. Let me start by acknowledging that Canada's Parliament is located on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people, whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial. I am pleased to speak today about the proposed commissioner for modern treaty implementation act and to highlight some of the key points contained in this legislation as well as the roles and responsibilities of the newly proposed agent of Parliament. For 50 years, modern treaties have been fundamental to our work to advance reconciliation with indigenous peoples. They promote strong and sustainable indigenous communities and help make sure that indigenous peoples can decide what is best for their future. The Government of Canada is continuing to work on fulfilling its obligations under modern treaties and building and maintaining true nation-to-nation, government-to-government and Inuit-Crown relationships with modern treaty partners. Though we have made important progress like developing Canada's collaborative modern treaty implementation policy, there is still much more to do. For more than 20 years, modern treaty partners have been calling for more oversight to address persistent modern treaty implementation issues and to hold the federal government accountable to Parliament for its modern treaty responsibilities. That is exactly why, in May 2024, at the intergovernmental leaders' forum, the government announced its intention to create a new agent of Parliament: the commissioner for modern treaty implementation. After this long-overdue announcement was made, many indigenous partners and groups voiced their support. Eva Clayton, president of the Nisga'a Lisims Government and one of the co-chairs of the Land Claims Agreements Coalition, stated on CTV News that the commissioner “will give a focus on areas that the Canadian government needs to address in order to ensure that the spirit and intent of each of our agreements are fulfilled”. She added, “Because we know that once our agreements are fully implemented, it will make life better for our people, our community members, which in turn will have a positive impact on all Canadians.” There would be many benefits to having a commissioner fulfilling this role. Most importantly, the commissioner would shine a light on areas where the Government of Canada is not successfully addressing ongoing structural modern treaty implementation issues. The commissioner's role was codeveloped with modern treaty partners to make sure there would be independent, credible, effective and sustainable oversight of modern treaty implementation. It was specifically designed to hold the federal government accountable to Parliament for implementing its modern treaty obligations and to make sure the federal government acts in ways that strengthen its relationships with its modern treaty partners. By providing independent oversight, the commissioner would help improve the implementation of modern treaties at the federal level and improve awareness, understanding and action across the federal public service. The bottom line is that the commissioner would support Canada in being a better modern treaty partner. As my colleagues have mentioned on the floor of the House, the commissioner would be a new agent of Parliament, similar to the Auditor General and the Privacy Commissioner. This means they would have a direct reporting relationship to Parliament. The scope of the commissioner would cover all federal activities related to implementing modern treaties. This would include the implementation of modern treaties themselves as well as any associated self-government agreement or other arrangement related to modern treaties. It is important to note that the commissioner's mandate would only be focused on federal activities related to the implementation of these modern treaties. It would not include activities of provincial, territorial or indigenous governments. The commissioner's main job would be to look at what government departments are doing to carry out modern treaties and to give advice on whether their actions follow three key principles: first, strengthening the relationships between the Government of Canada and modern treaty partners; second, fulfilling the Government of Canada's obligations under, and achieving the objectives of, modern treaties; and third, upholding the honour of the Crown through the timely and effective implementation of modern treaties. The core functions of the commissioner would be to perform reviews and performance audits. Reviews are a fit-for-purpose tool meant to provide the commissioner with the means to identify ongoing, systemic issues affecting modern treaty implementation. They would allow the commissioner to look deeper into these issues, identify their underlying causes and thoroughly examine how federal decisions are made and implemented. A review could focus on a specific program or activity within a single organization, or it could be more expansive and capture a systemic, cross-cutting issue across multiple federal government departments. For each review, the commissioner would work closely with modern treaty partners to determine the terms, procedures and methodology to be followed. The commissioner would also be empowered to conduct performance audits. These performance audits would be conducted based on national, widely accepted auditing standards that are the same as those followed by the Auditor General. When a review or performance audit is completed, the final report would be submitted to the Speakers of the Senate and House of Commons for tabling. This is the most direct and effective way of holding the government accountable for its actions. At the end of each year, the commissioner would send a report to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. This report would include what the office of the commissioner did throughout the year, as well as the findings and recommendations outlined in any reports published in that year. This would also be tabled in Parliament. In addition to reviews and audits, the commissioner would also be authorized to provide briefings on their work to any minister or modern treaty partner as they consider appropriate, or with any committee designated or established by Parliament, at the committee’s request. When it comes to the appointment process for the commissioner, they must hold the confidence of modern treaty partners and of Parliament. The commissioner would be appointed through a Governor in Council appointment process. This means a cabinet order. Before that order is given, however, there are a few steps that must be taken. First, modern treaty partners would be consulted. This would be an integral part of the appointment process. Then consultations would take place with the leader of every recognized party in the Senate and the House of Commons. Like the Auditor General, the appointment requires a resolution from the Senate and the House of Commons. Only after that can the commissioner be appointed. The commissioner would be appointed for a term not exceeding seven years, with the possibility of reappointment for one additional term. They could be removed only by the Governor in Council on address of the House and the Senate. This is critical to protecting the commissioner’s independence and maintaining their ability to complete their mandate. I would like to emphasize that this entire appointment process, along with this entire initiative, was codeveloped with modern treaty partners. Based on feedback from codevelopment sessions in the development of the oversight body proposal, we learned that partners wanted to make sure that the commissioner would have the necessary knowledge of modern treaties to fulfill their mandate. What we have accomplished with modern treaty partners in the past proves that so much is possible when we work together. We know that the Government of Canada values its modern treaty relationships and is committed to fully and effectively implementing these agreements. As we learn from our past mistakes, we are listening and growing. Together, we are addressing challenges faced by modern treaty partners across Canada. The commissioner’s oversight would support modern treaty implementation and, in turn, support self-determination, decision-making and economic growth for indigenous communities. Above all, the commissioner would help build trust, transparency and accountability as we work toward building a better democracy in this country. Meegwetch. Qujannamiik. Marsee.

Mr. Speaker, I find myself confused by the Conservatives' position on this matter. They say very vocally that they support the implementation of modern treaties and they say they support the recognition and implementation of indigenous rights in this country, yet they are vociferously objecting to the establishment of an agent of Parliament who would be mandated to track the government's progress toward implementing those very modern treaties. It is a confusing position, and I encourage the Conservatives to go back to the drawing board and try again.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. It is an excellent question and an important one that speaks to the vital role that independent agents of Parliament play within our political system. They are not answerable to any government. They are answerable to this body, the Parliament of Canada. That is the source of their authority, and that is precisely why their role is so important. It means that very often, they will tell governments things that they do not want to hear. Certainly our Conservative colleagues will remember that from the decade when Mr. Harper was in power. Many reports of the agents of Parliament criticized that government, and rightly so because that is their function. The modern treaty commissioner is a role that the government will heed and, indeed, I expect that role will have criticisms of government because that is the function we expect in the exercise of their duties.

Mr. Speaker, indeed, just in the last week, I and many other British Columbians have been embarrassed at the travesty of the shambolic conduct of Conservatives in the province of British Columbia with respect to the question of reconciliation and indigenous rights and title. We have seen overt and unabashed residential school denialism. We have seen a flagrant attempt to whitewash history. We have seen patent disrespect heaped upon first nations in British Columbia and elsewhere across the country by all kinds of individuals closely aligned with the B.C. Conservative Party and the Conservative Party of Canada. This is a debate that is being had by precisely one party in the House. There is no debate on this side of the aisle. We understand the legacies of residential schools. We heed the calls of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and we are determined to do better in the future and move forward in a good way.

Mr. Speaker, I am very encouraged to have heard both the hon. member and his Conservative colleague who spoke earlier refer to the impacts of climate change in their addresses before the House. It is a refreshing change. We hear a great deal of criticism from our Conservative colleagues about, more or less, every climate change and emissions reduction policy that the government has undertaken. I would love to hear from the member what suggestions he would put forward for how, in his community, in his riding and in Atlantic Canada, we could implement policies that would address the root cause of climate change and improve adaptation to climate change in a way that the member would find acceptable.

Madam Speaker, my colleague and I represent ridings on opposite sides of the country, and there is a lot of space between Newfoundland and Vancouver Island, and my riding of Victoria. I understand that the member may not be entirely familiar with what we have lived through in British Columbia over the last 10 years. I will share that we have seen a huge amount of economic development, growth and resource extraction in our province. We have seen the government support not only the construction of a new pipeline to tidewater but also new LNG projects in our province. We have seen investments in mines and infrastructure. We have seen a 400% increase in the number of oil tankers that pass my riding of Victoria every day from the port of Burnaby, where the TMX pipeline ends. I invite the member to actually come to British Columbia and see that this narrative that the Conservative Party is propagating is incorrect.

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. I am pleased to rise today to speak to the motion submitted by the member for Battle River—Crowfoot. To succeed in a more competitive world, Canada must define and invest in its competitive strengths. This includes our energy sector, which remains a major driver of our economy and jobs across the country. In 2023, oil and gas accounted for 7.7% of Canada's GDP and $160 billion in exports. We also have proven reserves of over 1.7 billion barrels of oil, most of which are found in Canada's oil sands. At the same time, for Canada to prosper we must find ways to reduce emissions from oil and gas and lay the foundation for a low-carbon economy. Building a competitive low-carbon economy is not just an environmental imperative; it is an economic one. The global energy system is changing at an unprecedented speed, and countries that can produce energy while driving down emissions will be the ones that succeed in the decades ahead. While Canada's energy resources have helped support our economic prosperity, oil and gas production accounts for 30% of our overall greenhouse gas emissions as a nation. While Canada's emissions across the economy have fallen by 8.5% since 2005, emissions from oil and gas have increased by nearly 7% over the same period of time. This contrast underscores the scale of this challenge. If other sectors are doing their part, Canada's biggest-emitting industry must do so as well. The good news is that Canadian companies are stepping up, with innovative clean technology companies working with the energy sector through initiatives like the Clean Resource Innovation Network, which received $227 million from the strategic innovation fund. These collaborations help make our energy sector more sustainable by decreasing emissions. Clean technologies will be central to that effort, providing solutions that reduce environmental impact, boost resource efficiency and support economic growth. Adopting clean technology is a strategic choice that, when commercialized and adopted at scale, will enable our industries to support the achievement of Canada's climate targets. No single solution will deliver all the reductions we need, but taken together, they can lower emissions, improve efficiency and support good jobs. Canada is a world leader in clean tech and is home to several companies developing innovative clean technology solutions that are important for decreasing emissions from the oil and gas sector. This includes methane detection and measurement, nuclear fusion, geothermal energy, long-duration energy storage, and carbon capture and storage. These and other technologies have the potential to better manage our resources while working to eliminate scope 1 and scope 2 emissions. Canada's strengths position us to lead in developing, deploying and exporting the solutions needed to reduce emissions not just from oil and gas but across all heavy industries. The government is committed to becoming a world leader in carbon removal and sequestration technology, but industry itself recognizes what is at stake and has committed to developing carbon capture utilization and storage technologies as a key tool for reducing the environmental impacts of the energy sector and meeting its obligations. The Pathways Alliance was recently identified by the government as being on track for consideration as a project of national interest. This industry group represents 95% of Canada's oil sands production and has proposed a vast carbon transportation and storage network to cut its emissions by 22 million tonnes per year by 2030. This reflects the scale of change required and represents an opportunity to lower emissions and grow Canada's clean tech sector. Another area in which the oil and gas sector must curb its emissions is with respect to methane. In 2023, 45% of Canada's total methane emissions originated from the oil and gas sector. Methane mitigation is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to reduce emissions. Canadian companies are already global leaders in this space, from designing sensors and satellites to detect emissions to developing the software and analytical methods to process the data, providing the service to repair leaks, and designing and manufacturing the equipment to reduce or capture vented and flared gas. Many of these reductions can generate revenues that help fund GHG mitigation efforts. This creates good jobs at home and gives us an edge in international markets from Europe to Asia that demand cleaner energy. Failure to meet evolving international standards could severely restrict Canada's access to these crucial markets in future. By acting swiftly and effectively to reduce methane emissions, Canada's energy industry can enhance its competitiveness, secure access to global markets and diversify its energy exports from traditional reliance on the United States. This strategic shift is vital from both an economic and an environmental perspective. The government is committed to helping the oil and gas sector succeed in its commitments to decarbonize. Our actions include methane regulations implemented by the federal and provincial governments, which have spurred an internationally recognized ecosystem of innovation and a robust methane mitigation industry here at home. Leading Canadian clean technology firms have gained international success because of our government's efforts on methane. Federal, provincial and territorial carbon pricing systems for industry play a key role in driving clean technology. The government is committed to improving the federal system and actively working with provincial and territorial governments to ensure that carbon markets continue to function well and to ensure that they establish a long-term signal to lock in future investments. The Canada growth fund plays a pivotal role in accelerating emissions reduction in Canada's oil and gas sector by addressing one of the main barriers to large-scale investment: market and policy uncertainty around future carbon prices through carbon contracts for difference. The clean technology, clean hydrogen, clean electricity, and carbon capture, utilization and storage investment tax credits implemented by our government will play an important role in driving investments, including in the oil and gas sector. To further support this goal, the government will ensure that the full value of the CCUS investment tax credit is extended to 2035. In short, clean tech is the key to unlocking emissions reduction in the oil and gas sector. It will allow us to reconcile two vital imperatives: cutting our emissions and sustaining our prosperity. Our government will continue to work with industry, provinces, territories, indigenous partners and communities to drive down emissions, foster innovation and build a low-carbon economy that is competitive, resilient and sustainable. Canada can position itself as a global leader in responsible energy production and clean technology development. We can and we must. This is not just about reducing emissions; it is also about building the economy of the future, one that sustains prosperity, meets our climate commitments and ensures that Canadian workers, communities and businesses have the tools they need to thrive.

Madam Speaker, there are a number of tools that the Government of Canada has introduced to ensure that people in the business and industry sectors have the signals and the regulatory framework necessary to drive down their emissions. One of the most important tools is the industrial price on carbon. This is the cornerstone of how it is that heavy emitters in this country, very much including the oil and gas sector, would have the price incentive to clean up their business model to reduce how much pollution they produce in the course of their operations. This government and the Prime Minister have committed to maintaining and strengthening the industrial price on carbon alongside new measures that will be introduced in the coming session.

Madam Speaker, as the member for Carleton said earlier in his remarks, the world is in the midst of a clean-energy transition. This is a revolution in the way human beings produce the energy that we need to live our lives, and it is well under way across this planet. When I hear concerns about stranded assets and when I hear concerns about making poor investments, what my mind goes to and what the conversation in my province of British Columbia goes to is the risk of sinking billions and billions of dollars of investment into what is ultimately the 20th century's form of energy, which will not be profitable over the long term in this century. When the government is supporting major projects or other projects, it is doing so not with a vision to the energy future of the past but with its eyes clearly set on the horizon of the clean energy future of tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, as a fellow member from Vancouver Island, I share the concerns about the crime that is affecting many of our communities, but under the previous Conservative government, many of the criminal justice reforms that were passed have since been struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada, so I wonder if the member could share with the House what measures or due diligence she and her colleagues have taken to ensure that these Conservative reforms are constitutional.

Mr. Speaker, my thanks go to the hon. member opposite for bringing attention, and her passion, to this very important and indeed deeply touching issue. I wish to bring to the member's attention, in case she is not yet aware, a petition that has been moved by the loved ones of Bailey McCourt from Kelowna, whom the member referenced. This tragic story, which occurred this summer in British Columbia, my home province, touched many of us and has rippled out widely across our communities. In that context, it is my great privilege to be the parliamentary sponsor for a petition that Bailey's loved ones have brought forward. It calls for a number of revisions to the Criminal Code to address some of the shortcomings and gaps that may have contributed to the tragic loss of her life at the hands of her former partner. Some of those proposed changes include requiring the disclosure of a criminal record to one's partner upon receiving a marriage licence, as well as a variety of other measures that I trust the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada will take up in this session.

Madam Speaker, I must say it is disappointing to hear our Conservative colleagues yet again attacking this government's environmental record, including policies that are vital to us in the real west, living on the Pacific coast in British Columbia, who have seen full well the government's commitment to both environmental protection and energy extraction. However, we know the Conservatives are not entirely opposed to environmental policy, because they love recycling. Currently, they are in the process of recycling their leaders. The current Leader of the Opposition is also the former leader of the opposition, having been judged and rejected by the Canadian public in 2019. The former member for Carleton is in the process of being recycled, though I do not know if this is upcycling for the people of Battle River—Crowfoot. My question for the hon. member opposite is this: Will he stand up and stand with this government's commitment to both growing Canada's energy sector, our energy economy, and protecting our environment?

Mr. Speaker, as a fellow member from British Columbia, I wonder if the hon. member for Cloverdale—Langley City would recognize the significant investments in infrastructure and fossil fuel development that have happened in our province in the last 10 years: not only the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion but also LNG Canada, the largest private sector investment in this country's history, of $40 billion, and the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Contrary to the hon. member's statements, there has been a lot of growth and investment in this sector. Will the member acknowledge it?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member opposite on his election. I look forward to working with him in this chamber. However, like we did from many of his colleagues, we heard in his maiden speech more hyperbole and exaggeration than actual fact or analysis of the reality of this country after a number of very difficult years due to major, historically world altering circumstances. The member suggested that Canadians deserve honesty and respect, and I could not agree more. I wonder whether the member would agree that one way to show honesty and respect to Canadians would be to acknowledge that, in the election that we just had, his party was found wanting, his party's leader lost his seat and Canadians chose the Liberal Party to form the Government of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say hello to you and all my colleagues in the House. It is a great honour for me to be here today. I am very proud to have the opportunity to represent my community of Victoria. First and foremost, I thank my wife, Carolyn, and our daughter, Eleanor, without whom I would not be the person I am today. I love them both more than I can say, and I am so grateful for their support and sacrifice as we undertake this new political journey together. My gratitude and love extend to all my many Greaves, Thomson, Mendez and Cornford relations spread across Canada and around the world. I am indebted to all of them, and I know that they join me in thinking of our loved ones who are no longer with us but would be so very excited today: my grandparents, Wilf and Peggy; my Abuela Maria; and my mother, Sherry, whose son I am so proud to be. I also owe a debt of gratitude to the incredible team of Liberals in Victoria. Not only did the members of the Victoria EDA give so much time, energy and passion to our recent campaign, but, for many years, they also did the hard, unglamorous and often unrecognized work of maintaining a functioning organization. Victoria Liberals kept the lights on, the engine warm and the bank account full over the two decades since our party last won this seat. That hard work was recognized last year with the award for the best Liberal riding association in British Columbia, and it set up our campaign for unprecedented success. Led by my extraordinary campaign manager, adviser and friend, Naomi Devine, I am proud to say that our efforts resulted in the second most votes of any candidate in B.C. and the most votes for any Liberal candidate west of Ontario. I also thank the voters of Victoria, without whose support I would not be here today. They have sent me to Ottawa to support a strong Liberal government and to represent our west coast and island values, interests and priorities. Indeed, being all the way to one side of this great country, we know a few things about being far from Ottawa. I commit to ensuring that the voices of my constituents on southern Vancouver Island are heard and respected in Parliament. Victorians and Vancouver Islanders are proud Canadians who want to build up an even stronger Canada. Unlike some, we do not threaten to dismember our country to score cheap political points. In Victoria, we believe in a strong, free and united Canada. Governing this remarkable country is hard and requires common ground, common sense and common adherence to some basic truths. Truths are not always easy to accept, but that is the point. They are true regardless of how we may feel about them, and our success or failure hinges on whether we can come to terms with them. As some of my hon. colleagues opposite have been fond of saying in the past, facts do not care about our feelings. Fact: Canada is one of the oldest and most successful constitutional democracies in the world. Our tradition of parliamentary government reaches back well before Confederation, evolving through generations of change, struggle and hard-won progress. I am deeply honoured to carry that legacy forward. Before there was a Parliament, before there was a Canada, this land was home to vibrant and self-governing indigenous nations. Their cultures, languages and legal systems shaped these territories for millennia before the expansion of colonialism brought profound harms that continue to shape the lives of indigenous peoples to this day. Our shared history includes settlement, immigration, trade, conflict and transformation. It has made Canada a diverse and peaceful country, one admired around the world. However, that story is incomplete if we fail to acknowledge that the prosperity many of us enjoy was built unevenly and, too often, at the expense of others. I am grateful for the stewardship of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples on whose traditional territories Victoria is built; this is where my family is so fortunate to reside. Ours is a country where pride in our past must walk hand in hand with the courage to face its shadows so that we may build a future worthy of all who call this land home today. That includes the founding agreement between the French and English peoples, which is the basis of the Confederation and sets us apart in the world. Bilingualism and multiculturalism are at the heart of Canada. I am the proud son of a Canadian mother and a Dominican father, the grandson of an English-Canadian grandfather and a French-Canadian grandmother, and the product of a history of peoples in Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. As an academic and professor who has lived and worked across Canada and around the world, I have seen how fortunate we are and understand the work it takes to build a just society and maintain a robust democracy. We are bound to our past, not defined by its mistakes but guided by its lessons: resilience, progress and a deep well of national purpose. I want to be clear: Canada will never be another country's 51st state. We are not a footnote in anyone else's story. We are a sovereign nation with a voice, a vision and a vital role to play in the world, and we are stronger than those within our borders who would seek to divide us for their own political gain. They have tried before and failed. They may try again, but they will fail again, because Canadians are rightly proud of what we have built and clear-eyed about what we must still do together. One thing we must do together is combat climate change. Climate change is not a debate; it is a fact: undeniable, unrelenting and already shaping the lives of Canadians from coast to coast to coast. In my riding of Victoria, we do not have the luxury of denial. As a coastal island community, we are surrounded by the evidence of rising sea levels, intensifying storms, smoke-choked skies—

Mr. Speaker, as a coastal community, we in Victoria are surrounded by the evidence of climate change: rising sea levels, intensifying storms, smoke-choked skies and forests devoured by wildfires. We live it. We breathe it. We see the damage mounting with every passing season. As I speak, the province of Manitoba is under a state of emergency, and I extend my sympathies to the people being evacuated from their homes and to their representatives in the House. Tomorrow, it could be anywhere. The climate crisis is not a future threat. It is a present reality. It is costing us more than just our natural spaces. It is taking our livelihoods, our health and, if we fail to act, our children's future. I am proud to stand with a Liberal government that understands what is at stake. That is why we are acting with urgency and ambition. We will draw on the wisdom of indigenous knowledge, the strength of modern technology and the power of a united Canada to protect more lands, more waters and more of the natural infrastructure that sustains us. We have an opportunity to lead the world in sustainable economic growth and to leave our children a country worth not only inheriting but celebrating. Canada truly has the power to be the strongest economy in the G7. By investing in our resources, our skills and our people, we can show economic leadership in sustainable ways. Canada is an energy superpower, which is clear to those of us in the west because Canadian oil moves through the Trans Mountain pipeline and goes to market on tankers that sail past my riding every day. In fact, under the Liberal government, Alberta oil output is at record levels while it maintains some of the highest standards for oil production in the world. Despite the opposition's rhetoric, our government takes Canadian jobs seriously. Today, we are supporting jobs while preparing our economy for the energy system of the future. That means scaling up clean technology and renewable energy projects and building the national west-to-east infrastructure to support them. Our platform is clear: A prosperous future must also be a sustainable one. However, sustainable growth is not just about GDP or emissions targets. It is about ensuring that no community is left behind. In Victoria, the toxic opioid crisis has pushed entire blocks of our downtown core, such as Pandora Avenue, to the brink. A vibrant part of our city has been hollowed out by a national drug crisis that continues to take lives and dignity at a staggering pace. People in the grip of addiction are dying in plain sight. Some are beyond the reach of help; others are begging for it. This is not just a housing crisis. It is a drug crisis, a mental health crisis and a call to action for improved national coordination. We must offer real solutions that restore safety and dignity, both for those living on the streets and for the communities around them. That too is what economic leadership looks like. As a proud—

Mr. Speaker, the impacts that Abbotsford experienced from extreme weather events and natural disasters show the vulnerability of British Columbian communities, and communities from coast to coast to coast, to the effects of climate change. The natural disasters and climate-related impacts in 2021 alone cost British Columbia between 3% and 5% of our GDP. That is exactly why we cannot afford to not take action on climate change and why the government is committed to continuing to invest in critical infrastructure and adaptation that will prevent such disasters in the future.

Mr. Speaker, the priorities that I have been sent here to Ottawa to advocate for by my community are very clear. As a community, we have deep concerns about the state of critical infrastructure across Victoria and across the south island. We need to invest in infrastructure that will make us more resilient in the face of climate impacts and extreme weather events, as well as the kind of infrastructure that will help us to actually reduce our emissions, such as more dense and sustainable housing built with Canadian materials and public transit so that people can get to work without driving their vehicles. That is how we are going to tackle climate change every day.