Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I think the member probably should have had some prepared comments, because everything he just spouted was basically wrong. There is no carbon tax in Nova Scotia yet and there is no price on pollution in Nova Scotia yet. How can he be speaking to constituents in Halifax and Dartmouth about the impact of something that does not exist? However, I will move along. It is hard to dot an …
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Madam Speaker, emissions are coming down. The economy and the environment do go hand in hand. Climate change is a huge issue but a massive opportunity. I will take no lessons from the member and the party across the way.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I agree with the member that we have enormous opportunity here in Canada. We are seeing the things we have done since 2015 come to fruition. We have said from the start that the economy and the environment go hand in hand, and we are seeing partnerships working in a cleaner, greener Canada. Budget 2023 is making targeted and responsible investments to build a stronger economic futur…
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Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness and deep appreciation that I rise to honour and remember my dear friend Dr. John O'Connor, better known in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour as Dr. Jake. A former high school quarterback, paddler, skier and runner, one would be hard-pressed to find a sport that Jake did not enjoy. In fact, late in his life, we would still see him jogging by our house each day. Jake began his m…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, it is always an honour to rise on behalf of the good people of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, in Nova Scotia. I certainly appreciate the opportunity to discuss Bill C-280 with my esteemed colleagues here in the House today. We will undoubtedly hear more about the merits of this bill from our colleagues. For my part, I will focus on offering an overview on the changes it would bring to our …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as a 57-year-old Nova Scotian, I can say that 20 or 30 years ago, if one wanted to do incredible things in the science or clean-technology world, one had to leave Atlantic Canada. One had to go to the big spots like Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, or to other countries. We are doing incredible things in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour right now in clean energy. We are doing things in technol…
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Madam Speaker, I do not think there has ever been a government that has invested more into health care in Canada while understanding that health care contributions to the provinces should be held with some strings attached to work as a partner. Yes, the delivery of health care has always been provincial, but we see the importance of being an equal partner and working with provinces and territories…
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Madam Speaker, as the member said, we work together at the national defence committee. This is a member whom I work very well with. A lot has been said by Conservatives talking about this “coalition”. When I talk to Canadians, people in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, and ask them what they think about cooperating with an opposition party, they say they sent us to Ottawa to work with all the parties to do…
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Madam Speaker, before I begin, I want to say that I may be standing on the floor of the House of Commons, but my heart is back home with my fellow Nova Scotians. As we all know in this House, today marks the third anniversary of a brutal tragedy, where a gunman took 22 beautiful lives. They will never be forgotten. It is no secret that the past few years have brought unprecedented challenges, from…
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Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to rise in honour of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour's Marie Jones. In her forties, while raising multiple children, Marie attended Dalhousie University in the Master of Arts program, focusing on education. Her cutting-edge research focused on how the testing and streaming of students at that time was prejudiced against children living in poverty. Unfortunately, just before she…
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Mr. Speaker, yet another day, another Conservative stands up and pretends to care about seniors. Just in case that member forgets how many times the official opposition has forgotten about seniors and voted against them, let me remind him. On GIS for single seniors, the Conservatives voted against an increase. They voted against increasing the OAS for those 75 and over. They voted against providin…
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Mr. Speaker, we welcome the new standards released by the Health Standards Organization and the Canadian Standards Association, which are the result of extensive consultations across the country. We have provided up to $4 billion to support the provinces and territories in their efforts to improve long-term care in their jurisdictions. With this important step taken, we look forward to seeing a bi…
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Mr. Speaker, every day the Conservatives stand up and pretend to care about seniors. Day in and day out, month in and month out, and year in and year out since 2015, they have stood to vote against everything we have done for seniors in this country. For seven years and three months, they cannot stand up every year and vote against the things we do for seniors and then pretend to care about senior…
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Mr. Speaker, after seven years and three months, we have been able to make significant progress for seniors. Members should not take my word for it. They should take that member's word for it. The Conservative member for King—Vaughan, just last week, highlighted at committee how poverty rates dramatically decreased since we formed government in 2015. When we came into government, we made a decisio…
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Mr. Speaker, we recognize the challenges seniors are facing, and our government has been there for them. In fact, our government is helping seniors who are struggling by doubling the GST tax credit and by providing dental and rental support. We have also increased the OAS for seniors aged 75 and over. On this side of the House, we will continue to be there for all Canadians, including seniors and …
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Mr. Speaker, we recognize the challenge that seniors are facing, and our government has been there for them from day one. While the party opposite has had nothing for seniors in any of its campaign platforms, our government is helping seniors who are struggling by doubling the GST tax credit and providing dental and rental support. We are increasing the OAS for seniors over 75. We will take no les…
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Madam Speaker, I find it so ironic when Conservatives stand up day in, day out and pretend to care about seniors. However, day in, day out and year in, year out, they vote against everything we put forward for seniors. I have just a selection of them. The GIS top-up of $947 annually for 900,000 single seniors was voted against. Enhancing the CPP by 50% for future retirees was voted against, as was…
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Madam Speaker, we recognize the challenges seniors are facing, and our government has been there for them. In fact, the only thing tripling is the misinformation from the party across the aisle. Unlike the party opposite, which has opposed every single measure to support seniors and gives reckless advice to invest in crypto, the government is helping seniors who are struggling. We have doubled the…
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP knows that older seniors are more likely to outlive their savings. They are more likely to be unable to work, be widowed and have increased health care needs. This increase helps seniors over 75, of which 50% have a severe disability, 59% are women and 40% are widows. Last fall, we doubled the GST tax credit for seniors 65 and over, which will put an extra $225 back in their p…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to speak to Bill S-223, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking in human organs). The bill proposes much-needed reforms that would seek to end the illicit trade in organs, a trade that preys upon human suffering and desperation. Organ trafficking is a transnational and global challenge that frequently involves t…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to rise today to celebrate the 36th Speaker of the House of Commons and my dear friend, the Hon. Geoff Regan, serving more than 20 years as the member of Parliament for Halifax West; the former minister of fisheries and oceans; the first Speaker from Nova Scotia in 98 years; a teller of dad jokes; a karaoke superstar; a compassionate, smart human being; and very funny. …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, it is always an honour to rise on behalf of the good people of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, the greatest riding in the country. I want to take a quick moment to thank the member for Vancouver Centre for this very important private member's bill, this very important piece of legislation. I am glad to hear that many of the folks in this room who have been speaking tonight are in support of…
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Mr. Speaker, it is that time of the year. I am talking about a special day for kindness and generosity, and boy, could we not use a little more of that these days? This Tuesday, November 29, is a special day. After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it is Giving Tuesday, a global movement of generosity. For Giving Tuesday, I am encouraging everyone to perform random acts of kindness. They could help a…
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Mr. Speaker, day in and day out, the Conservatives stand up and profess to support seniors. However, year after year, since we came into government in 2015, they have voted against everything we have done for seniors. That dog will not bark. Canadian seniors know who has their backs, and it is not the Conservative Party of Canada.
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Mr. Speaker, several provinces and territories have successfully allocated the vast majority of their available funding, but some provinces have yet to allocate over 50% of the federal funding earmarked for their jurisdictions. Canadians from coast to coast to coast have benefited from the significant infrastructure investments that our government continues to make. Since 2016, we have invested in…
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Madam Speaker, we recognize the challenges that seniors are facing, and our government has been there for them. The member is right: Seniors are smarter. Seniors voted in this government because we have had their backs since day one in 2015. Our government is helping seniors who are struggling by doubling the GST tax credit, with the money going into bank accounts today. I can tell members that th…
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Madam Speaker, this issue is very important to those of us on this side of the House. I would be pleased to have a sidebar conversation with the member about this exact case so we can make sure that we solve this issue, which is important to the member.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for her work on the environment committee. What piqued my interest is when she talked about working across the aisle and trying to do better things for Canadians and the environment by working with the opposition. I would ask her to consider this. How can we look across the aisle and work with the opposition when on a daily basis we get such a kickback eve…
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Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives spend time focusing on slogans, we are focused on helping seniors. The only thing tripling is the misinformation spread by the leader of this opposition party. I can say first-hand that home heating oil is expensive, and that is why we are delivering funding to help folks make the switch to efficient and more affordable ways of heating their homes. It is why we…
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Mr. Speaker, every time a Conservative gets up in this House and talks about and pretends to care about seniors in Canada, I think back to when they were in government and they forced seniors to work an extra two years before they could get their pension benefits, benefits they worked hard for and contributed to for decades. Then I think to when we took power in 2015. The party across the aisle ha…
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Mr. Speaker, as I rise, Nova Scotia is remembering and honouring a wonderful human being: Dartmouth’s John Young. From an early age, John understood the importance of getting involved in politics, that the power of politics was about doing good and taking care of others. After graduating law school, he spent four years working alongside Liberal cabinet minister Allan MacEachen and had what he call…
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Mr. Speaker, people across Atlantic Canada and into eastern Quebec have just experienced what is likely the worst system to have ever hit our shores. The images are burned into our memories forever: homes and loved ones swept into the sea; communities physically torn apart. Lives have been lost, but through this darkness stories continue to emerge of neighbours helping neighbours and incredible ac…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I am rising today to speak about how hurricane Fiona has impacted my home region of Atlantic Canada and how our government is supporting Atlantic Canada through what may be the worst storm we have seen in our history. My heart goes out to the loved ones, friends and communities of those who have been lost due to this terrible storm. I want to recognize those who have lost their home…
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Madam Speaker, the member has one of the most beautiful ridings in all of Canada. I have spent an awful lot of time on the south shore of Nova Scotia. The federal government responds to requests from provinces, and the provinces make requests of the federal government. The ministers that I mentioned in my speech moved at the speed of light to get those requests filled. Boots are on the ground. I c…
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Madam Speaker, the hon. member's riding has a long title and I wrote it down. I listened to her speech very closely, and I spoke about using politics within speeches during crises like hurricane Fiona. She made suggestions and came up with ideas, so I want to single out the member for Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, because her speech was the least partisan and least political speech that I hav…
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Madam Speaker, it is no secret in the House that if we asked every member whether housing is one of the number one issues in the country, they would say it absolutely is. We need to come forward with a large amount of affordable housing. We need all types of housing stock. That is not necessarily related to the conversation we are having tonight about the crisis in Atlantic Canada, so I want to ta…
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Madam Speaker, over the weekend we celebrated National Sickle Cell Awareness Day in Canada, and today I am rising in honour of those affected by sickle cell disease and to honour the incredible organizations and volunteers who work so hard to support people living with it. When I first joined Senator Jane Cordy and sponsored Bill S-211, the National Sickle Cell Awareness Day Act, I had the honour …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I am rising today to present a petition on behalf of my constituents in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. They are calling on the government to enact just transition legislation that would continue to reduce emissions while creating more green jobs and strengthening workers' rights. I want to take a moment, publicly, to thank my constituents for their advocacy.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, we are one of the only countries in the world to have implemented a humanitarian stream to welcome even more Afghan refugees based on their particular vulnerabilities. Individuals are referred by designated partners that are trained and experienced in assessing vulnerability and operating in situations of mass displacements and humanitarian hardship. Our referral partners include th…
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Madam Speaker, I do want to thank the member for coming here at close to midnight tonight. I begrudgingly say that the member has been finding a way to grow on me over the last seven, eight, nine, 10 months, which I thought several years ago would probably never be possible. I want to thank him for the work that he does. I do get a kick out of him every now and again. I have found in the most rece…
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Madam Speaker, Canada has zero tolerance for all forms of sexual misconduct and sexual violence, including sexual exploitation, abuse, sexual harassment and all forms of gender-based violence. We are deeply concerned with the power dynamics that allow for any form of sexual misconduct to occur, and we stand strong in our unwavering commitment to respond to these acts and continue working toward th…
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Madam Speaker, following the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan last summer, the government initially committed to resettling 20,000 vulnerable Afghan refugees. We have now increased that commitment and will bring at least 40,000 Afghans to Canada. On July 23, 2021, the Government of Canada announced special immigration measures for individuals with a significant and/or enduring relationship with …
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Madam Speaker, my friend called me the member for Halifax. There will be opportunities, when we are all back in the House, for the member for Halifax to maybe stroll across the aisle and have this question asked of him by the member from B.C. This is a day where we need to be speaking about the Standing Orders, and we need to stop the delay tactics. The Bloc learned from the best, the best delay t…
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Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak again today on Bill C-14, a bill that we have already spoken on and have already sent away to committee. We find ourselves, or at least some of us in the House, speaking to Bill C-14. In this bill, the government proposed to update the grandfather clause in the seat allocation formula. That was to ensure that no province would ever have few…
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Madam Speaker, I did forget, despite the many times that I reminded myself, that I will be splitting my time with the member for Sault Ste. Marie. As I was saying, this updated clause speaks to the heart of the concerns that we have heard from Canadians. It would ensure that all provinces would continue to have a strong voice in this House of Commons. Specifically, it would ensure that Quebec does…
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Madam Speaker, this member speaks an awful lot in the House and I rarely enjoy what he has to say, but I have to say that the one time in every Parliament when we get a chance to speak on the Standing Orders is when that member is the most important. That is when that member speaks very intelligently and has an awful lot to say. During his speech earlier, he had an awful lot of suggestions that I …
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Madam Speaker, I sat on a committee with the member. He is a fabulous human being, and I want to thank him for all the work he does on behalf of Quebec. I personally love Quebec. I have been to Quebec City and Montreal, and they are absolutely beautiful. It is such an integral part of Canada. This request has come before the House and has been agreed to. It is supposed to be before committee right…
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Madam Speaker, the member represents a large community. He used the terms “break week” and “break weekend”, but I do not remember a time when the member got a break week or a break weekend. I know how difficult and all-consuming it is for the member, as well as members in Newfoundland, northern Canadian regions and rural communities, to properly represent their constituents. I know the member does…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, it is paddling and rowing season in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. Folks from all walks of life are getting their canoes and their kayaks out and heading out onto the incredible lakes and waterways. There is a reason why Dartmouth is called the “City of Lakes”. We are home to the world's very best competition course, historic Lake Banook. In fact, this beautiful lake will host incredible c…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I find it so ironic when Conservatives stand up in the House and pretend to support seniors. Since 2016, they have voted against nearly every single measure that our government has proposed for seniors. To give an example, there was the GIS top-up benefit of $947 annually for the most vulnerable single seniors, the majority of whom are women, and they voted against it.
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