Government Business No. 26—Amendments to the Standing Orders  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his very interesting speech. I agree with him on several points, but not all of them. Speaking of being in agreement, there's nothing I love more than being in the House to deliver my speeches. As my colleague just demonstrated this evening, it is certainly much more exciting when we can add emotions to our words to express our feelings and our concerns.

Forest Fires in Nova Scotia  Madam Speaker, this week has been an unprecedented challenge for Nova Scotians. Our thoughts are with those affected by the ongoing forest fires, the largest and most extensive in our history. I wish to send a special thanks to the firefighters, first responders and volunteers for their efforts during this difficult time.

Veteran Homelessness Program  Mr. Speaker, veterans and their families deserve a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why I am so pleased that the newly announced veteran homelessness program will provide comprehensive support to veterans experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. A total of $79.1 million in funding will be available by way of two streams.

An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for the excellent work she does on veterans affairs. I really want to answer this. Looking at B.C., I talked about how in the B.C. schools, they could not get any lands. In the bill, there are guarantees that they would be consulted, which is important.

An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, I certainly thank my colleague for his question, but also for his leadership within his party on official languages. There is no doubt that he does exceptional work. We thank him and the community across Canada thanks him for his work. I have to say that it is too bad that he was not in the House at the time.

An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, I am extremely pleased to respond to my colleague. I must say that I am a bit surprised. I expected a question about immigration, considering that tomorrow is an opposition day and we are going to discuss demographic weight. Bill C‑13 settles this issue, and that is very impressive.

An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C‑13 on the modernization of the Official Languages Act. As members know, this is a historic moment. It has been a long time since we have reviewed this legislation, 35 years to be exact. As the member for Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, I want to tell my colleagues that I did all of my schooling in English because there was no French school.

National Volunteer Week  Madam Speaker, last week was National Volunteer Week and I want to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers for the hard work, dedication, commitment and difference they make in our communities. Too often we underestimate the hard work, long hours and free time the 24 million Canadian volunteers give to our communities.

Budget Implementation Act, 2023, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, as the member for Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, I am pleased to rise to speak to Bill C-47, budget implementation act, 2023, No. 1. I want to start, first, by explaining that Canada has probably been the most successful country coming out of COVID in the last two years.

Women and Gender Equality  Madam Speaker, as I said before, the women who came forward and disclosed their experiences in Merlo-Davidson did so with incredible courage. Our government is committed to ensuring all veterans and members get access to the benefits they are entitled to. In the case of the Merlo-Davidson settlement, the minister has told staff to review the OVO's recommendation to ensure that all pension adjustments have been properly applied and that we are being as generous as possible under the legislation.

Women and Gender Equality  Madam Speaker, signing up to serve with the Canadian flag on one's shoulder comes with risks, but being at risk of sexual misconduct should not be one of them. There is simply no excuse or justification for that, either in the armed forces, in the RCMP or in any workplace. Our government is fully committed to eliminating the workplace violence, harassment and discrimination in any form.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, what she is sharing is really important. We have seen, during the pandemic, some large corporations making humongous profits, and that conversation needs to be had. We need to find ways to ensure that these corporations are sharing their wealth with Canadians. Our government has focused on the most vulnerable, and we will continue to focus on the most vulnerable.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, eligibility is very important. That is why we should be talking about it. We are now saying that people have to meet all the criteria. That puts the onus on the individuals applying, but also on the public service to make sure the criteria are being respected. We are going to work closely to support Canadians.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. He always has very good questions. In my speech, I explained why we prioritized seniors 75 and older. However, my colleague did not mention that doubling the GST credit gave 50% of seniors more money. We have also indexed old age security, the Canada pension plan and the guaranteed income supplement to ensure that people can continue to enjoy the money they have today.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his suggestion. It is all about timing. I had this planned for halfway through my speech, but I will make sure that he has his opportunity. I will be sharing my time with the member for Elmwood—Transcona on this very important motion, which we as Canadians need to be discussing.