Alexandra Mendes

[Global Warming, October 15th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I admire my colleague's passion and, above all, her enthusiasm when she talks about her community.

I would also like to congratulate my community, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, on its efforts. For instance, Brossard was the first municipality to ban plastic shopping bags. Many other municipalities are now following our lead.

I would also like to appeal to my colleague to be realistic. I am sure that, as she suggested, the minister would have liked to reply eagerly and enthusiastically that she wants to do more and do it faster. Still, we have to be realistic. Not everyone thinks the same way. My colleague is well aware of that. We have all seen how varied the opinions have been during our debates in the House. How can we balance all these viewpoints and create some momentum to make the shift to a greener society and try to stop global warming?

I would like to hear the member's thoughts on that.

[National Defence Act, September 21st, 2018]

No, he did not.

[Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, September 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, today we are celebrating an historic trade agreement negotiated by our government. Today is the first anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union.

Exports and imports account for 60% of Canada's GDP. That is why progressive free trade agreements such as CETA are so important.

Canada's competitiveness depends on opening new markets around the world and making them accessible to small and medium enterprises in particular.

CETA helps develop potential trade links between Canada and the European Union. We recently learned that container traffic at the ports of Montreal and Hamilton has increased by 20% over last year. That is very encouraging news.

We put the interests of the middle class at the centre of our trade agreements, and Canadian businesses are benefiting from unprecedented access to half a billion consumers in Europe.

I invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating the first anniversary of CETA.

[Latin American Heritage Month Act, June 13th, 2018]

Madam Speaker, I want to begin by commending my Latino brothers from Brazil and what I share with them. I am not of Latin American origin, but of Portuguese origin. I would also like to remind the House that on the government side, we all support this bill. We would be happy to see it return to the Senate to become law as soon as possible.

However, I would also like to remind the House that during the first hour of debate, my colleague from Honoré-Mercier delivered a very passionate speech with all his heart. He himself is Latin American and he explained why he believed that this bill deserved our full support. I think that on our side, we do not have much to add to what our colleague from Honoré-Mercier already said.

I represent a riding where there are roughly 5,000 people of Latin American origin. Over the years they moved to Brossard—Saint-Lambert and they have brought a lot to our community. I could take the same approach as my colleagues and start naming them all, but I doubt that I would have enough time to name all those who deserve to be recognized by their fellow Canadians.

I think all these months that we recognize in the House and designate as specific heritage months are extremely important to their respective communities because they celebrate our contributions to Canada. This is not just about what we receive, though we receive so much; it is also about our tremendous cultural contributions, which go well beyond food, dancing, and music. Culture also encompasses our values, our cultural wealth. The passage of time has made us who we are, has made us the peoples we are. That centuries-long past is what led us to choose immigration.

It is not always an easy path. I am not just talking about those who are driven to exile. I am talking about those who choose immigration, often, but not always, for economic reasons.

The choice to immigrate comes from a place of wanting to do better in life as well as from a desire to share and discover new horizons. I think the Latin American community is an extraordinary example of that. Not only did these people come here seeking a better life for themselves and their families, but also, they came to share a new perspective on life, a more relaxed, less rigid way of managing our time, for example. That is something I certainly believe in. They inspire us to really enjoy time with friends and family, to enjoy a less structured, less North American life. Those are the kinds of cultural features we share to create a friendlier, more easy-going culture.

We bring all these things with us when we immigrate, and they mean so much. That is why it is important to designate months to celebrate the heritage of Canada's various communities.

I am obviously very proud of the fact that, this month, in fact today, we are celebrating the first Portuguese heritage month on the Hill. We celebrated Italian heritage month and there are months when Jewish heritage is celebrated. We have a tremendous number of things to share and to give to our constituents.

The richness and diversity of what makes us such a dynamic and vibrant country often surprises those who visit Canada. I think that the one thing that really surprises tourists is how we have achieved diversity in harmony and succeeded in integrating it as part of our core Canadian values, such as freedom, justice, and order, and also the values of friendliness, sociability, and solidarity.

These are all elements that we should celebrate when we have months to highlight the heritage of each of our communities. I believe that much has already been said of the very important contribution of the Latin American community. Passing this bill is not really something we would think of opposing. It is quite natural that we want to completely support the memory of the senator, and we also believe that diversity enriches Canada. As our Prime Minister said, we are enriched by our diversity and we celebrate it. I believe that that is something the Liberal Party of Canada will always support. None of my caucus colleagues would even think of doubting the value of what it can contribute.

We have already covered a few months on the calendar, and there are a few left to celebrate all the other cultures that have helped make Canadian such a vibrant patchwork, with all of its cultures, influences, and characteristics. I am very pleased to support this bill and to finalize it so that it can be sent back to the Senate for royal assent as quickly as possible, so that we will be able to celebrate Latin American heritage month this October 2018.

I think that the entire Latin American community will be very happy and pleased that we are recognizing this community, and it will also be very proud of its rich culture. This culture includes not only the most recent aspects of Latin culture, but also all of the indigenous cultures that inspired present-day Latin American cultures.

Once again, I want to reiterate the support of government members for this bill. We will be very happy to see it sent back to the Senate as quickly as possible. I thank the House for finally giving me the opportunity to speak. I hope that we will be ready to vote very soon.

[Status of Women, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, refocusing Canada's international assistance on the most vulnerable, especially women and girls, is not just about words or simple rebranding. It takes commitment and concrete actions.

Could the Prime Minister tell the House what progress was made at the G7 summit with respect to education for women and girls?

[Portugal Day, June 7th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on June 10, the Portuguese diaspora around the world celebrates Portugal Day. Among the many things we celebrate, the culture and language that have shaped us are what brings us all together.

I would like to take a moment to pay tribute to the several thousand Portuguese who settled in Canada and who brought with them suitcases filled with much more than just wine or natas.

More than anything, a Portuguese person who lives abroad is someone who exports their Portuguese identity and way of life to the world.

The contributions that Portuguese people make in the countries that welcome them are well known and generally very appreciated. As a member of this big family that is our diaspora, I wish us all a bom Dia de Portugal.

[Pensions, June 4th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about.

Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.

Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?

[Insurance Brokers Association of Canada, May 29th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, today, we welcome over 60 members from the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada. They are visiting Parliament Hill from communities across Canada.

IBAC is the national voice of over 38,000 property and casualty insurance brokers across the country and a strong advocate for insurance consumers.

As owners of small businesses in practically every town and village in Canada, insurance brokers create jobs and support the local economy. They are also community leaders who make a difference in the communities where they live and work.

Brokers are in Ottawa today to discuss various issues, including the Bank Act, as well as the important role of insurance brokers in raising public awareness of natural disasters.

We have a great appreciation for their expertise and how they protect insurance interests and consumers, as well as for their contribution to Canada's public policy.

I want to thank them for providing Canadians with good and sound advice for so many years.

[Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House today to warmly congratulate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their third child.

A new baby is always a reason to feel joyful and hopeful. I am certain that my colleagues will join me in wishing the new Cambridge baby a life of purpose, compassion, and fulfillment.

To Her Majesty, the Queen of Canada, our warmest congratulations on the arrival of her sixth great-grandchild.

I am delighted to join the millions of people who are welcoming this news with the joy that every baby around the world could hope for when a new life begins.

With renewed best wishes to Their Royal Highnesses, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, on the birth of their new brother.

[Animal Welfare, March 29th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, some of my Liberal colleagues and I are passionate about animal welfare. During our awareness sessions, we have discussed the transportation of animals to slaughter and the sometimes atrocious conditions in which they are transported.

However, we were heartened to learn that it is possible to do much better.

Last fall we met with Luckhart Transport, a family-owned company from Ontario. It has voluntarily upgraded its trailers to ensure the humane transportation of livestock. Six years ago, Angie Luckhart and her family decided to change their business model to ensure the humane handling of animals. This meant that Luckhart had to be innovative in retrofitting existing trailers with better designs to include onboard water, ventilation systems, and ramps that would be easier to climb, all for the benefit of animals, as well as keeping up with how other countries were handling livestock.

Luckhart is an exemplary Canadian company that has embraced what technology has to offer to better the transportation of livestock.

I congratulate Angie and her entire team.