Zoe Royer

Mr. Speaker, Anmore and Belcarra sit at the very edge of metropolitan Vancouver. On one side are hundreds of acres of remote forest and on the other side, over three million people. These two villages are a critical first line of defence against wildfire reaching B.C'.s urban Lower Mainland. On August 5, that risk became real when a fire broke out in Anmore. The Sasamat volunteer fire department, Port Moody Fire Rescue, metro Vancouver and the BC Wildfire Service responded quickly to contain it. I am working very closely with Anmore, Belcarra, metro Vancouver and my federal colleagues to advance the fire infrastructure these communities desperately need, because we are only as strong as our weakest link and in an emergency, seconds save lives. I thank the first responders across Canada who protect our communities from wildfire. Their service and commitment are deeply appreciated.

Mr. Speaker, over the past three weeks in Port Moody—Coquitlam, I have been truly inspired by remarkable young people. I met students at the Youth Leadership Society of B.C.'s Model UN, the HanaTV youth press corps and the Steps Together Foundation public speaking contest, young people who were debating human rights and diplomacy, learning journalism and finding the courage to use their voices. I also had the honour of meeting members of the 754 Phoenix Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets and hearing the remarkable Port Moody Youth Symphony Orchestra. These opportunities do not happen by accident. They are built by founders, mentors, families and leaders in every field who pour their hearts into helping young people grow and lead. This gives me great hope for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the following reports: the Canada-China Legislative Association 25th bilateral meeting, in Ottawa, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia, from December 1 to 3, 2025; as well as the Canada-China Legislative Association co-chairs' annual visit to China, in Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China, from March 16 to 20, 2026.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Bill C-16, because safety in Canada is not a privilege, but a fundamental right. Intimate partner violence isolates people in fear and in silence. It erodes dignity and weakens communities, and it calls on every single one of us to respond with clarity and resolve. We are also seeing a rise in harassment, including online. Too many people are experiencing it, especially women. Each of us deserves to feel safe at home, at work and in public life. Bill C-16 would move us forward. It would reinforce something fundamental, which is that in Canada, safety, dignity and respect must be upheld for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a British Columbian to express my deepest sympathy for the people of Tumbler Ridge. Innocent lives were lost in an unimaginable tragedy that has shaken a small and deeply connected community to its core. To the families, friends, classmates, teachers and first responders, I say that they carry a heavy burden of grief that is almost impossible to bear. Nothing can replace the beautiful lives that were taken. They matter, and they will never be forgotten. In this country, when tragedy strikes one community, it touches us all. Canadians do not turn away. We draw closer. We stand together. We support and love one another. That is who we are, and that is what it means to be Canadian.