Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas.
Since this is my first speech in the House, I would first like to acknowledge the voters of La Prairie—Atateken and thank them for putting their trust in me. I very humbly accept the role they have given me. I am committed to representing them to the best of my ability and to reporting on their concerns as accurately as I can here in the House of Commons. Although La Prairie—Atateken is a great place to live, there are still many challenges to ensuring that our communities develop harmoniously.
I would like to take a few seconds to extend my warmest thanks to everyone who volunteered for my election campaign. Many of these friends and volunteers gave countless hours for the Liberal cause. I owe my victory to them, because it literally took the efforts of an entire team to have any hope of winning. Of all those volunteers, I will just single out one today. My son, Paul Ramsay-Vejlens, worked by my side for the 35 days of the campaign. It is a joy to raise our children, but it is no less a joy to be supported by them in turn.
La Prairie—Atateken is within unyielded first nation land. I recognize that the Kanien’kehà:ka nation is the steward of the lands and waters in our riding. First to settle this land, the Mohawks have made Kahnawake a vibrant place with a rich cultural legacy. Kahnawake is a proud community where the words resilience, perenniality and self-determination resonate loudly.
In addition to Kahnawake, La Prairie—Atateken is a large riding comprising seven cities: Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Constant, Delson, Candiac, La Prairie, Saint-Philippe and Saint-Mathieu.
Together, we embrace the principle of meaningful reconciliation with our indigenous neighbours that is rooted in a social and economic reality.
The history of our riding is bound up with major projects that brought people together and shaped our sense of community. In the 19th century, the construction of the Lachine Canal, the use of steamboats between Montreal and its south shore, and the opening of the very first railway in Canada, which linked La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, turned La Prairie into a prime hub for trade between Montreal and New England. Proximity strengthened those ties over the years.
In 1860, the opening of the Victoria Bridge further to the east relocated the transit point to Longueuil and slowed my region's economic development, but the construction of the Honoré Mercier Bridge on Kahnawake territory in 1934 and of the Champlain Bridge in 1962 stimulated the local economy, bringing in a growing wave of new residents who could now get to work in Montreal quickly.
In fact, the riding's population has increased fivefold since 1960, which is not without consequences today, as we will see later. This population explosion has nevertheless taken place while preserving a significant amount of agricultural land, giving our territory a mix of both urban and rural character, as a place where residents can always count on a nearby supply of farm products.
I am providing this historical background to show how, throughout its history, La Prairie—Atateken experienced spectacular growth whenever the authorities believed in its vitality and invested in its infrastructure. Today, when co-operation with the United States is under threat, what comes to mind is another, even older piece of infrastructure. In the 16th century, when the Jesuits were granted the seigneury of La Prairie and came to settle in the region, farmers quickly joined them. They did so because there was a mill where they could grind their grain, but above all because, very early on, a high palisade made of ash, cedar and pine stakes was erected to protect them from enemies, in this case an army of mercenaries from New England. With the introduction of the recent tariffs, our country is once again facing an attack from our American neighbours, this time in the form of an economic war.
Once again, the people of La Prairie—Atateken, along with the rest of the country, will stand strong and protect our sovereignty. We will protect our economic interests. We will protect our agriculture, our language, our culture, our schools and our health care system. Above all, we will protect our institutions, the rule of law and our democratic values, which are at the heart of our identity.
The time has come once again to take decisive action. At a time when U.S. tariffs are posing a serious threat to our economy, we must act on several fronts, of course. In particular, I would like to mention the major project to build 500,000 homes a year, including several thousand in my riding, which will be launched quickly to help our economy recover.
On the campaign trail, I heard time and again how hard it is to find housing, much less affordable housing. The housing shortage is driving up prices, and our young people are struggling to buy their first home. The government recognizes this problem and wants to take action. We need housing to house Canadians.
The affordability bill will exempt first-time homebuyers from paying GST on new homes, saving them up to $50,000. This measure will definitely help get new affordable housing built using local materials such as lumber, aluminum and steel.
Housing construction meets an urgent need while providing a major economic stimulus, both for the construction and modular home industry and for primary industries such as the lumber, aluminum and steel industries. This is a strategic move that will help create good, well-paying jobs while addressing the housing shortage and stabilizing prices. It will kill two birds with one stone. Incidentally, expanding the housing stock will also help get seasonal labour programs back on track. Without them, many economic sectors, including agricultural businesses in La Prairie, would struggle to function.
Our government is serious about the economic health of Canadians who are already struggling. Even though the government has succeeded in bringing inflation below 2%, it is being proactive and showing leadership without waiting for the effects of tariffs to be felt. To do that, the government is lowering taxes for 22 million Canadians by up to $800 per household. That is on top of other measures that are already in place. For example, over the next five years, until 2031, $9.8 billion will be paid to Quebec to fund the child care program, which will enable many families to earn additional income. Needless to say, child care is crucial for single-parent families and, until recently, it has contributed to the financial empowerment of many women.
There are also the 4.8 million Canadians aged 18 to 64, who recently joined the ranks of those who may be eligible for free dental care. Again, those are substantial savings.
Since 2016, our government has been funding the Canada child benefit, the same benefit that was criticized by our Conservative colleagues. Depending on family income, that can mean up to $7,437 per year for each child under the age of six and up to $6,275 per year for each child between the ages of six and 17. The Liberal Party is reducing child poverty.
The strategy of this government has two prongs. On one hand, this government will foster investment and preserve jobs in spite of the unpredictable climate blowing from the south. To invest in infrastructure is a strategy that will benefit Canadian workers and families. The electors of La Prairie—Atateken have no problem understanding this because this is how their economy was built. On the other hand, this government is making sure nobody is left behind by protecting the buying power of Canadians.
Although we are facing many challenges, the intelligence, skills and enthusiasm of the people in La Prairie—Atateken give me a lot of hope for the future.
