Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona. COVID-19 has been a tragic time for many, especially for the people working and living in for-profit long-term care homes. In fact, during the first wave, 82% of COVID deaths in Canada happened in long-term care. Over 12,000 long-term care residents and workers have died in Canada since the start of the pandemic. …
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Madam Speaker, it is important to point out that we knew there were issues in for-profit long-term care facilities long before the pandemic and we refused to act. What it resulted in was thousands of people losing their lives. This is unacceptable. It seems that the federal government can find billions of dollars for pipelines and for helping its corporate friends while turning a blind eye to offs…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleagues, particularly from the New Democratic Party, whose wisdom and power today pierce my heart and give me hope. It is my pleasure to speak on my private member's, Bill C-232, the climate emergency action act. We have international commitments to fight the climate emergency and to uphold human rights. This includes the UN Convention on Climate Change, t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, this past month, two men from Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba died while in custody at Stony Mountain federal penitentiary. My condolences go out to the loved ones of Dwayne Simard and William Ahmo. We need immediate action to ensure that no more lives will be taken at the hands of this colonial justice system. With the support of Chief Henderson, the families and the community are …
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Mr. Speaker, last Thursday we heard very sad news that another indigenous woman had been murdered in the city of Winnipeg. She was loved and cherished by her family, community and friends. I send my love and sympathies. Government inaction is costing the lives of women, girls and 2SLGBTQ2IA individuals. Her life mattered and her life was of value. How many more sisters have to be stolen before the…
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Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague that many persons with disabilities are unable to live in dignity. We know that persons with disabilities often live in poverty, which becomes more pronounced in BIPOC communities, and we know that there is a direct correlation between poverty and mental health. However, every time I have asked members of the Conservative Party if they are willing to suppor…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to make remarks on the use of the very ableist and possessive language my colleague used when speaking about “our” indigenous and disabled people. I want to remind her that we are sovereign, independent individuals capable of making our own decisions and owned by nobody. In her arguments, the member used the term “self-determination”. I agree that indigenous and disabled people…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, Via Rail workers are really struggling right now. We know workers throughout the tourism industry are really struggling right now. Does my hon. colleague believe that one of the solutions, as we see the pandemic persist, would be to put in place a guaranteed livable basic income, particularly for those who are working in tourism and the travel industry, which has been completely gutte…
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Mr. Speaker, throughout the pandemic, front-line organizations in Winnipeg Centre and across the country have used additional COVID funding to provide life-saving services for low-income families, unsheltered individuals and women experiencing violence. However, on March 31 this funding will expire. We are not out of the pandemic, and people continue to need help. Organizations are demanding answe…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I just want to point out that I found the hon. member's sky-is-falling mockery really disrespectful, particularly with the Liberals' non-vaccine rollout that is currently happening, and with people losing work and their homes at this point. We know this is true for the tourism industry, where workers have lost income and people do not even know what is going to happen with the EI bene…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned about my colleague's brush-off and minimization of the current crisis of murdered and missing indigenous women and girls. My question, however, is this: Does the member feel that the UN genocide convention also applies in real time in Canada to the forced sterilization of women that is occurring right now, as stated in article II(d), “imposing measures intended to …
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Mr. Speaker, today our community is mourning another life lost to a fire that broke out in an encampment. The government's failure to uphold the right to affordable, accessible social housing is costing lives. In fact, a PBO report released last week noted that 9,000 indigenous households are in core housing need and that investments are critical. The federal government needs to step up and act no…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I think we can agree that Bill C-15 is certainly imperfect and is going to require some amendments. For example, we know in Canada that that there is a growing white nationalist movement here and abroad. We hear in the news about issues of ongoing racism in policing, and issues with health care, where people are literally dying in hospitals as a result of racism. Let us not forget the…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to be here today to speak about this very important matter. On Sunday, I was honoured to join my fellow Manitobans for the annual Manitoba Women's Memorial March, which began in Vancouver 30 years ago. It is a march against violence, bringing awareness about the crisis of murdered and missing indigenous women and girls and two-spirit people across the country. This march…
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Madam Speaker, we have an organization of families of murdered and missing indigenous women and girls that is composed of people with lived experience, family members and organizations. We do not lack for ideas or solidarity in the city of Winnipeg when it comes to fighting against violence against indigenous women and girls. What we lack is the political will and support to end this crisis. It is…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, we had the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, with at least 200 calls for justice. That is a start. We actually stopped talking and put in place a national action plan and responded to the 231 calls for justice. That is a start. We also know that women's organizations are grossly underfunded, which is terribly concerning considering that during th…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, that is certainly a very good recommendation by my colleague. It is also important to recognize that women, girls and 2S people from Canada are trafficked throughout the world. I do heed his call. It is a fine suggestion.
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, on January 28, 1988, the Supreme Court handed down its landmark judgment in R. v. Morgentaler, which held that the abortion provision in the Criminal Code violated a woman's right under section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to security of the person. I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the powerful women in my riding who advanced the rights of w…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague talked about having a bold agenda, and the NDP has actually been doing that in real time. I wonder if the member supports Bill C-213, the pharmacare bill we put forward; Motion No. 46, which would guarantee a livable income and dental care; and certainly Bill C-232, my private member's bill that supports a bold climate agenda. It is a climate action emergency framewo…
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Madam Speaker, small businesses have been hit really hard during the pandemic and many will not survive. In my riding of Winnipeg Centre, business owners have literally remortgaged their houses to try to keep their employees employed and their businesses open. The government has failed grossly in providing adequate support for small businesses to ensure they can survive the pandemic. Would my hon.…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my fellow Manitoban for his comments. The member talked a little about trying to assist people during the pandemic, but we know, certainly in the province of Manitoba, that there are many people who have been left behind. I have seniors residing at Lions Place who did not get proper support even prior to the pandemic, and are worried now about ending up on the st…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I would like to start by congratulating my colleague, the member for Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, for putting forward her first private member's bill, Bill C-215. The climate emergency is the greatest existential threat of our time, and we are running out of time. Executive director Inger Andersen of the UN Environment Programme stated, “The science is clear that if we keep ex…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, during the pandemic there was a lot of rhetoric around having to get back to work with respect to being in the House of Commons, a push back against the hybrid sittings. For me, I was busy working. I have had a number of urgent matters to deal with in my riding during the pandemic. Being at home, in Winnipeg Centre, allowed me to get back to work with the people who I serve there. Doe…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, last week, the independent investigation unit of Manitoba cleared the police officer involved in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Eishia Hudson of any charges. The police officer was not questioned, provided a statement and that was the end of it. Police violence without consequence in Canada is a norm: Rodney Levi, Chantel Moore and others, all resulting in deaths. How many deaths o…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I agree with my hon. colleague as I really did enjoy the five-minute question and comment period. My question relates to women in politics. We have had to adjust very quickly during the pandemic, including doing things like remote voting and holding online committee meetings and even online question period. Does the member think that keeping some of the procedures we have put in place…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and with deep love, I honour my grandmother. I adored my grandmother, a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp and a woman of courage who gave up my father into hiding during the war, which saved his life. It was a fortunate choice, a choice that graced me with having him as a father. He was the only surviving child on both sides…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for sharing the very dire situation he is experiencing in his riding right now. I share his concerns. I am equally off-put by the partisanship I am seeing defending incompetence. In today's news, the paper said that for the next four weeks, Canada's vaccine deliveries would be cut in half with up to 400,000 doses delayed, according to Major-General Dany For…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, like my hon. colleague, I too am losing faith in the government. However, he spoke about indigenous communities, and I just want to remind him part of the reason we are in this crisis in indigenous communities is because of willful human rights violations, lack of access to clean drinking water and housing. Every time the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague and also the Canadian Armed Forces for the work they have done, as well as the truth telling from Major-General Dany Fortin. Thank goodness we have somebody telling the truth. CTV News stated: For the next four weeks, Canada’s vaccine deliveries will be cut in half with up to 400,000 doses delayed, according to Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, who is le…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, although my hon. colleague speaks about nobody being left behind, in my riding of Winnipeg Centre, we currently have cases of trench fever, a disease of extreme poverty, occurring in the middle of a pandemic. I would also like to remind him of other people who have been left behind, such as students, disabled persons and seniors in long-term care homes. Let us not forget the governm…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I really appreciate my colleague's comments regarding the people who are being impacted by the pandemic. One example is flight attendants. We know many are out of work. Through no fault of their own, people are losing their jobs right now, and their livelihoods and lives are currently at risk. Does my hon. colleague support putting in place a guaranteed livable basic income for impa…
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Mr. Speaker, happy new year. I know my hon. colleague spoke a lot about work. I, too, support the ability for Canadians to get jobs; however, we know that a lot of people are unable to work. I will give an example: 70% of adults with severe intellectual disabilities who are unable to work live in poverty. Seniors are unable to work and live in poverty. Many students who were unable to work as a re…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to wish my hon. colleague a happy new year. He spoke a lot about debt. I want to speak with him about people who have been left behind: people with disabilities, seniors, students, and indigenous people. Although, like the member, we need to certainly watch spending, I do not think it should be on the backs of people. I want to ask the member about paying for the debt. …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, prior to Christmas, cases of trench fever were found in my riding. This is a disease of extreme poverty. That is abhorrent, and it is a result of the long-standing lack of investment. Our front-line organizations have the ability to address the needs of our community but often lack the resources to respond and provide care for individuals in need. We need help now. Will the government…
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