Thank you so much, Mr. Chair. Thank you to each committee member.
It's certainly an exciting day. We've been waiting for this for an awfully long time. Thank you for being all ears at least for the first five minutes. Let me tell you what a strange feeling it is to be on this side of the desk and not on that side of the desk.
Again, I'm extremely excited for the study of Bill C-241. I love to call it the fair travelling tradesperson's bill. What's neat and unique about this is that I don't know anyone around this table who doesn't have trades shortages, labour shortages, in their ridings. We've been hearing it for a number of years now. Quite frankly, it's only getting worse.
It brings me great pride to say that I have met with numerous trades folks, from the carpenters to the sheet metal workers, from masons, crane operators and electricians to water, plumbing and gas fitters. You name it, and I've probably met with them. I have yet to find one union and/or non-unionized group that doesn't completely endorse this private member's bill.
To really simplify it, if I'm a businessman today and I leave Windsor and fly to Calgary, I can write off my airplane flight, I can write off my hotel, and I can write off my meals. There's no cap on how many times I can fly to Calgary to get business done every year. Unfortunately, for our union and non-union skilled trades folks, the ones who are expected to travel across Canada to build our roads, to build our bridges, to ensure their electrical grid is solid and to work in our mines for our critical minerals, they can't do that today. This bill is the fairest way that we can get them to get moving.
If we look across Canada, yes, there's a major labour shortage, but we also have folks such as the incredible folks who are down at the Gordie Howe international bridge, which will be the largest and the busiest international bridge in North America when it's completed. Of those folks, 54% are not local to the area. They've come in from out of town. In 2024 or 2025, depending on when the bridge is completed, they're going to need a home. I'm quite certain that there are many projects from coast to coast to coast for which these incredibly skilled trades workers could fill those voids and could fill those gaps. It's time to give the skilled trades workers, the skilled trades force, all of the tools—pardon the pun—they need to travel across the country and build our country and our infrastructure.
I guess it's as simple as this. I don't know of anyone around this table—committee members, we as members of Parliament—who can't write off their own expenses. If it's good enough for the folks who are around this table, then certainly it's good enough for our trades folks.
With that, Mr. Chair, I only used three and a half minutes because I truthfully want to dive into the questions. It's a very simple bill. I'm looking forward to entertaining questions.
Thank you.