Elgin Street Mission  Mr. Speaker, for the past 31 years the Elgin Street Mission has served my community of Sudbury. The mission provides two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, 365 days a year. Over the past year the number of meals has grown by 1,000 per month. With 90,000 meals being served yearly, as well as providing clothing, showers, and laundry facilities, the mission is a necessity for our community.

Telecommunications  Mr. Speaker, now more than ever Canadians rely on access to affordable and reliable high-speed Internet, which keeps us connected with loved ones and allows us to learn online. It also improves access to essential services and creates opportunity for our businesses to grow. Could the Prime Minister update the House on achieving our government's goal of connecting 98% of Canadians by 2026 and 100% of Canadians by 2030?

Pension Protection Act  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to participate in the debate on Bill C-228. We are studying this bill at third reading in the House after it was examined by the Standing Committee on Finance. As reported back to the House by the committee, Bill C-228 would amend the treatment of pension claims in proceedings under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, or BIA, and the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, the CCAA.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Madam Speaker, we all know that the diversification of export markets for our agricultural products is crucial for the development of the sector and that the Indo-Pacific region has high growth potential. Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food tell the House about the most recent initiative to facilitate our agriculture exports to that region?

Regional Economic Development  Madam Speaker, yesterday's fall economic statement showed that this government has a strong and concrete plan to help Canadians by investing in workers and jobs. FedDev Ontario has been working with small businesses across southern Ontario to provide support that will help them grow.

Education Workers in Ontario  Madam Speaker, today in my riding of Sudbury, education workers will be bravely standing up to the provincial Ford government to fight for their legal rights to collective bargaining guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Ford government’s use of the notwithstanding clause is unconscionable.

PoliticsNOW  Mr. Speaker, October marks Women’s History Month. In honour of this, I want to highlight the important work being done by PoliticsNOW, an organization in my riding of Sudbury. PoliticsNOW empowers and supports women to become political leaders in communities across northern Ontario.

Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, we know Canadians are feeling the rising cost of living, particularly through higher food prices and rent. While inflation is a global challenge, we are helping families weather its impact by working to put more money back in the pockets of Canadians. The Liberal Party of Canada and NDP's supply and confidence agreement committed to launching a national dental care program, and the agreement identified launching a new dental care program for low-income Canadians as the first priority action under the health care stream of the agreement.

Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, this is a first step toward developing a full comprehensive dental program, but we felt it was important to take this first step as Canadians who are vulnerable require it. I want to share some statistics that have recently come out over the needs that are just so important and why we are taking steps.

Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, I too heard the same things from constituents in my riding as I was meeting with them. Making life more affordable for families across the country includes making oral health care accessible for all. Dental care, I am sure my colleague will agree, is an important part of overall health, yet in Canada one-third of the population cannot afford it.

Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. We are working very closely with all of our partners, including the provinces and territories. As members know, every Canadian deserves good care, because that is key to their overall well-being. Our government is on track to keep its promise on dental care.

Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 2  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to talk about proposed Bill C-31, an act respecting cost of living relief measures related to dental care and rental housing. As announced by the Prime Minister on September 13, 2022, our government has committed to bringing forward measures that should make life more affordable for those who need it the most.

Northern Ontario Black Economic Empowerment Program  Madam Speaker, thanks to a $1.1-million investment from FedNor, the office of the northern Ontario Black economic empowerment program, or NOBEEP, officially opened its doors this summer in downtown Sudbury. NOBEEP develops and delivers support programs for Black entrepreneurs, which serves to address a gap in the northern Ontario entrepreneurship support system.

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, across Canada and around the world today, young people are taking to the streets to demand climate justice. These leaders of tomorrow are clearly expressing their hopes for the future, a future in which we all take responsibility for the damage we have done to our natural world and the climate costs we have imposed on future generations.

Child Care  Mr. Speaker, we know that the Canada-wide early learning and child care system is getting up and running from coast to coast to coast. Families in my home town of Sudbury are already seeing the benefits of the transformative investments that Canada and the provinces are making together.