Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time today with the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Before I begin, I also wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation. It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to rise tonight for this important debate and to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of my riding of Kana…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I know many of us in this House cherish what this program does on the ground in our communities for youth. I would say to my colleague that MP input on this program is vital to its success. Our on-the-ground understanding as MPs of what is needed in our communities is really important to its success and to youth. While the number of positions in some of our youth programs in CSJ hav…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I think it is important to recognize that when we look at our electricity needs and look at the investments being made in this budget, we are investing in clean, green energy and technologies. If we look to cloud computing, AI and the use and rise of technology and 5G networks as examples, the energy being consumed in the world, not even in this country, is multiplying. We need to e…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I think it is important to recognize where we are in these economic times and recognize that budget 2023 is a responsible fiscal plan for the challenging times we are in. I think we are making smart investments in Canada's future. As I highlighted in my remarks today, the future is clean. It is clean, green technologies that are powering us into the future. That creates a future for…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge, as was shared, that members work closely together on the status of women committee. We have been doing some great work, most recently on a human trafficking study last week. I want to acknowledge that budget 2023 includes $160 million for women's organizations. That will support the important work necessary to ensure women are safe across the country, wh…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to rise today in support of budget 2023. I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Whitby. As we all know, the Canadian economy has come a long way. Recovering from the pandemic, we have delivered the strongest economic growth in the G7. Canada has recovered 126% of the jobs that were first lost in the pandemic. Almost one million more Canadians are work…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the second petition I would like to present today is signed by 644 of my constituents, on Canada's democratic process. The petitioners are a group of passionate high school students from Earl of March Secondary School and these young people believe that youth possess the knowledge and experience to take part in the most important responsibility in a democracy and that is voting in ele…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions from constituents in my riding. The first petition was signed by 25 constituents in my riding of Kanata—Carleton. They would like to see the federal government do more to protect consumers, and as a result, want to see consumers reflected in important policy, regulatory and legislated decisions. To that end, the petitioners are calling on the gove…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, of course the tragic events in Nova Scotia nearly three years ago devastated the nation. Our government is working hard to ensure that every woman has the support she needs and a place to sleep each and every night. We continue to make investments to ensure that this is the case, including in the budget just announced the other day, with $160 million, starting this year, for women's…
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Madam Speaker, on this day, I am thinking of Emma Wakelin, a trans woman who shared that “It feels like every day we awake to a new law being proposed to strip us of our human rights, or more violence that extinguishes yet another trans life.” As the trans community members face attacks against their identity, dignity and existence, we, as a government, will continue to stand with them today and e…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to rise today to welcome the Kanata-Carleton Youth Council to the House of Commons. It is an honour to welcome our youth prime minister, Jacqueline Carson; and fellow members, Kosar, Yalda, Santiago, Natalia, Dominic and Gray. Not only are these youth our future; they are our leaders today. Like many young people, the youth council members care deeply about the issues th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today is International Women's Day. I am proud to be part of a government that has made, and continues to make, meaningful strides toward gender equality each and every day. This is a government that has legislated pay equity, adopted Canada's first-ever federal 2SLGBTQI+ action plan, and introduced a national child care framework. This is a government that continues to work with surv…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, Nelnah Bessie John School is a school of just five students. It is located in remote Yukon on the traditional territory of the White River First Nation, part of Canada’s most westerly community. The five students of the school have a deep love for hockey, so they turned to social media to raise funds to see their first-ever NHL game live and in person. I am proud to share that these s…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and the incredible women and girls who have discovered their love for and pursued careers in science and technology. I am sending my love to all of these women, including the many who work in companies like Nokia, Ericsson and Ciena in my riding of Kanata—Carleton. These women continue to inspire new gener…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour a long-standing volunteer in my community of Kanata—Carleton, Cheryl Gingras. Cheryl has volunteered in dozens of roles in multiple organizations and communities her entire adult life. She is a devoted community organizer, communicator and contributor in helping shape women's policies. Her leadership through our local Liberal women's clubs has been nothing short…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, I rise to commend the incredible initiative of my Kanata—Carleton youth council, an inspiring group of 20 high school students who work to make a positive difference in our community. To commemorate the ongoing 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, these students are stepping up and taking action. Together, the youth council members are raising donations of toys, hygien…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, for many men, the awareness of gender-based violence hits close to home when they have a daughter or when they reflect on the women in their lives, but women and girls cannot wait that long. This week, as part of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, our government provided roughly $600,000 to White Ribbon. With this support, White Ribbon can continue calling men an…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we realize and know on this side of the House that it is a difficult time for families. That is why, most recently, we launched the national action plan to end gender-based violence. This is a joint federal-provincial-territorial agreement moving forward to ensure that we are there for women and gender-diverse people as they are seeking help and getting out of abusive situations.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this morning, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth launched Canada's first youth-focused gender-based violence awareness campaign, “It's Not Just”. “It's Not Just” is a call for each of us to speak up when we see gender-based violence in any form. Gender-based violence is more than just physical and sexual violence. Emotional, financial and cyber violence can be just a…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, last week I had the pleasure of joining the Minister of Public Services and Procurement in Kanata to announce $1.7 million in federal funding for BluWave-ai, a clean-tech company in my riding of Kanata—Carleton. BluWave-ai is leveraging artificial intelligence to help utility companies add renewable energy sources to their electricity grid. Our federal funding will help it build and c…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Since 2015, our government has taken action across the board to address gender-based violence, from strengthening the Criminal Code, to creating dedicated housing for women and children escaping violence, to developing our new national action plan and so much more. These actions have helped more than 1…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this weekend I was honoured to march alongside Iranian Canadians as they demanded justice, justice for PS752, justice for Mahsa Amini and justice for victims of the Iranian regime's human rights violations. Canada shares in their calls for justice. Last week, our government announced another round of sanctions against the Iranian regime, targeting IRGC commanders, state-affiliated wea…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, for so long, provinces and territories have been working to combat gender-based violence in their own respective ways. Now we have come to a shared vision of how to combat this devastating issue, an issue exacerbated by the pandemic. Today I am proud to share the launch of Canada’s first-ever national action plan to end gender-based violence, here in the House of Commons. The national…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, every Saturday, in neighbourhoods in Canada and around the world, runners, walkers and joggers alike participate in Parkrun, a free, five-kilometre community event for people of all ages, abilities and fitness levels. Parkruns are volunteer led, free to join and open to all. Since 2004, Parkruns have been held around the world, and park runners often participate in local Parkruns whil…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, yesterday was an exciting day in Ottawa, municipal election day. Today, we woke up with a new mayor-elect and new city council, including 11 new councillors. I am incredibly proud of my friend Mark Sutcliffe, who is our new mayor for Ottawa, with his vision, his campaign and his dedication to making our city the best possible place. The energy of countless volunteers who rallied aroun…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, on Monday, Nokia Canada announced its intention to redevelop its 26-acre campus in the Kanata North technology park into a sustainable, accessible mixed-use corporate, residential and commercial hub. The new R and D hub will help secure Canada's position as a global leader in the green digital future by broadening expertise in 5G, cybersecurity and AI. Kanata is already home to one …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we know that speculative investments in real estate are contributing to pushing housing prices higher. That is why we have legislated an annual 1% tax on the value of non-resident, non-Canadian-owned residential real estate, and a two-year ban on foreign investment in Canadian residential properties. We have also committed to reviewing the tax treatment of real estate investment tru…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely outraged and furious. The anti-feminist hashtag used by the leader of the Conservative Party is a portal to some of the darkest, most hateful material on the Internet. Users of the hashtag support terrorizing women, banning homosexuality and legalizing rape. It is not a common hashtag. It is the hashtag of a dark Internet subculture. Its use by the Leader of the Opposi…
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Mr. Speaker, our message is clear: The right to an abortion and access to abortion go hand in hand. Every person in our country should have access to safe, equitable and consistent health care services. In Canada, universal access to abortion is guaranteed under the Canada Health Act. We will continue to advocate for a woman's right to choose.
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, over the weekend the best little fair in Canada returned for its 159th rendition. Thousands of participants, young and old, joined in the fun and fairground festivities at the four-day-long Carp Fair. However, this year’s festivities featured a special event and the first of its kind in Carp Fair history. From 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, the lights were dimmed, the music was hushed,…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, this week is Gender Equality Week, a week to celebrate equal rights and equal opportunities for all Canadians. Despite historic progress, women and gender-diverse Canadians continue to face barriers to their success and inclusion. From introducing equal pay legislation to building a national early learning and child care system and implementing Canada's first-ever 2SLGBTQI+ action pla…
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Mr. Speaker, a warm smile is the universal language of kindness. Have members ever met someone whose smile just pulled them in, whose smile radiated kindness? I rise today to recognize my constituent and team member Joanne Sass-Williams, as she begins her retirement next week. Joanne has one of those smiles, instantly earning trust and comforting those around her. Her quiet confidence, giant heart…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I recently met with Nicki Lyons-MacFarlane, chair of the Imprint Youth Association in Fredericton. They shared with me how the pandemic has put a strain on gender-affirming care, and wait-lists to access trans health care services are growing. Sadly, for many trans and diverse-gender Canadians, the pandemic has made it difficult to safely access gender-affirming clothing and items as …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest risk factors in a violent intimate relationship is gun ownership. Just by virtue of having a gun in the home, the lethality of intimate partner violence increases by 500%. A femicide occurs every two and a half days in our country. It routinely follows documented incidents of intimate partner violence, and it disproportionately affects indigenous women and women li…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, I am deeply proud of the deep telecom history and innovation in my riding of Kanata—Carleton. The decision to prohibit Huawei and ZTE from accessing and developing within Canada's 5G networks is the right decision, as 5G is a critical piece of Canada's digital infrastructure. As 5G technology becomes more prevalent, our government must be stringent about which trusted partners have …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, menstrual products are a basic need and essential to upholding the sexual and reproductive health and rights of Canadians. They ensure that people who menstruate can continue to participate in school, in work and in their communities. However, period stigma still exists, and it creates barriers for Canadians every day. That is why, as part of budget 2022, our government has allocate…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is Infertility Awareness Week here in Canada, a time to normalize and destigmatize the conversation about infertility. Many Canadians face challenges on their path to parenthood. In fact, one in six Canadians experiences infertility. It can affect anyone, irrespective of age or gender. For many who are struggling to conceive, it is often a hidden and emotionally devastating struggl…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak today on this important private member's bill. I want to thank my colleague across the aisle, the member for Calgary Nose Hill, for bringing the bill to the House of Commons. How Canadians use money and make payments is changing, thanks to the emergence of new digital technology. Bill C-249 seeks to understand the benefits of cryptocurrenci…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, in 2003, Eugene Melnyk purchased our beloved Ottawa Senators franchise. In doing so, he lifted the franchise out of possible bankruptcy. He brought jobs and economic growth to my riding of Kanata—Carleton, and he fought to keep those jobs in Kanata, despite proposals to move the franchise elsewhere. Above all, he made the Senators a beloved staple in our city. He helped cultivate a lo…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Kanata Carleton Indo-Canadians Association on their first Holi celebration event and extend my sincere thanks to Nagmani Sharma for the kind invitation. Last weekend, Indo-Canadians from across Kanata—Carleton gathered at their local community centre, danced, sang and celebrated the start of the highly anticipated spring season. This year's festival …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I share the news that we have lost a cherished member of our Kanata hockey community. Brad Joyal, loving husband to Victoria for 18 years and dad to Sydney, Ryder and Pyper, passed away suddenly on February 17 at the young age of 52. Brad was a long-standing volunteer with the Kanata Girls Hockey Association and the Kanata Minor Hockey Association, hav…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, although it is an honour today to rise in the House of Commons to discuss and debate imposing the Emergencies Act, I do so with a heavy heart. I am fiercely proud to be Canadian. I love our country and everything about it. That is why I am here today. It is a big part of why I ran and had the courage to put my name on a ballot, and that is why I must use my voice today as we take th…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, it is important to note that no level of government can direct a police force. We do not, nor should we, have these powers. The failure of the Ottawa Police Service to shut down this occupation quickly at the beginning will, I am sure, be the subject of further analysis, but that is not the debate today. The Emergencies Act was enacted due to the inability of provincial and municipa…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, on the financial measures that are being put in place, I believe we have broadened the scope of Canada's anti-money laundering and terrorist financing rules so they cover crowdfunding platforms and their payment service providers, including digital assets such as cryptocurrencies. The government is issuing this order, effective last week, so Canadian financial institutions are able …
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the lack of a question. I am happy to speak to his comment. My point is we are all here with Canadians' best interests at heart. That is why we should be here. It is our job to govern with their best interests at heart. I believe this should not be a partisan issue. This should be about the safety and security of Canadians. I believe that is what we are trying…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, it is very hard to hear the translation with the talking that is happening across the way.
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question. As I said earlier, this is a critical, and arguably the most important, debate that we have had here in the House. I am honoured to be a part of it. I know that we all have Canadians' best interests at heart. I have heard from countless residents over the past three weeks about the impact that this occupation and the threats across the country have had. I …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, Canadians dispose of three million tonnes of plastic waste each year. This waste pollutes Canada's rivers, lakes and oceans. As data shows the serious impact of single-use plastics on our environment, all Canadians can appreciate efforts at every level of government to transition to sustainable alternatives. In my past role as deputy mayor and city councillor here in Ottawa, I worked …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, our city and our democracy are under siege. I spent the weekend speaking with residents and hearing first-hand about the harm that the current occupation is having on them and their families. Our mayor has declared a state of emergency, citing the serious danger and threats to the safety and security of residents here in Ottawa. Women, especially women of colour, are afraid to ventu…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, today, I would like to recognize the inspiring young people of Kanata—Carleton, who have been writing to me about the issues that matter to them. I received many letters with insightful questions. Grade six student, Suzie Rigby from Katimavik Elementary School asked great questions about reconciliation. The students of Mr. Gianfransco and Mr. Kappel's classes at Earl of March Second…
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