Congratulations to you, Mr. Speaker. You are now our ambassador both inside and outside these walls. For that, I admire you, and I challenge you to hold our Parliament to one of the greatest parliaments in Canadian history. It will not be easy, but you have my full support. I pledge this to you. If I make the grave mistake in the pursuit of heckling across the aisle, I will ensure that it is done in the most stealthy of fashions so you will never know it was me.
I am here and ultimately humbled, at the age of 34, to have been elected both provincially and federally. Of that I can be proud. However, what I am most proud of are two very smart, thoughtful, and generous little girls, Molly and Lily Jeneroux. These are my girls and my reason for being here. I recognize this is a world where we need people to put service before self and I am proud of who they are at the ages of six and eight, but I cannot wait to meet them as they grow into what I am certain will be remarkable young women.
Speaking of remarkable young women, I am also incredibly lucky to have the most beautiful, thoughtful and most kind person in love with me, my partner in life and all things, and soon to be Dr. Elizabeth Clement.
I also want to recognize the former member of Parliament for my region, James Rajotte. He is a man of great principles and dedication to our country. I am deeply honoured and humbled to be following him in this chair. He is a man who knows how to work hard, and that is a trait I plan to carry forward to represent our nation's best constituents, those from my home in Edmonton Riverbend.
However, this is where I would like to stop talking about me. Quite frankly, there are much more important things to talk about. I would like to focus this time—my time—to speak on what the Speech from the Throne means to our future generations. I thought it might be interesting because, quite simply, I get both excited and scared for our future leaders. I am excited because I truly feel there is nothing they cannot accomplish, but also scared because we are a country that is admired by so many in this world for its freedom and prosperity. It is the decisions we do not make today that could put all that at risk.
However, we are only a generation away from losing this way of life that we have worked so hard to achieve. I want our future generations to have a better life, a successful life. Let us take the message forward together. Deep down, we all have a dream for what Canada can become in the next 20 to 50 years, but we need to take responsibility for that dream. I challenge our future generations to make their dreams for our country a reality. I challenge them to say “yes” to their dreams, not to settle for mediocrity, and to work hard. Things in this life are not easy. They are hard. Do what is hard. Trust me that it will be worth the work.
There are many distractions in this world: Facebook, Twitter, social media. However, for our future generations, they should focus on their goals and dreams. They are responsible to our country to do just that.
Our future generations are certain to face many difficult challenges in the years to come. However, I want them to remember, each and every day, to embrace the Canada they want to see. There will be thousands of people lined up around each and every corner to tell them no, but they should not listen. I want our future generations to push themselves to do better, to be better for this world, and to be better for us. It is hard to push oneself, but that is the point: do what is hard. Their integrity and their honour are what define them. They should never let anyone tell them they cannot do something. If they want something, work hard. It is honestly that simple. I want our future generations to remember these words, as what we do inside this chamber for all of them is not something anyone of us should ever forget.
I want to focus my remaining comments on my home province of Alberta.
I have grown up in a province that has taken action, a province that does a lot of the heavy lifting for the economy, but a province that is under attack both by its own NDP government and the federal Liberal government. I am fearful for our future there. If people do not believe me, the very decision to remove the responsibilities for the west and roll them into a minister from Toronto does not sit well with everyday Albertans. There are decisions like giving up on pipelines and tankers on the west coast. I ask members to please not take these decisions lightly. These decisions impact the lives and futures of many. I also ask members to please not make a political decision. The west is truly Canada's land of opportunity during economic hardships and we can be that way again.
We need a government that will join with us across the aisle and fight to ensure we have the jobs, the people, and ultimately the support to bring forward the next era of the golden west. We have been the strongest economic region in North America for the past 10 years. For the men and women who have lost their jobs in the oil patch, this Conservative team is here for them. For the farmers feeling threatened in their way of life, this Conservative team is here for them. For the working moms and dads who are now bracing for the burden of more debt, I pledge to them that this Conservative team is here for them.
I will be bold and I will make this promise on behalf of the 99 incredible Conservative MPs. We will all be here to fight with every last breath we take while we are here.
However, our time is limited here and I want to ensure we are all here considering our future leaders. I want all members of this chamber to ensure we are making the best decisions in here that will enhance their way of life. Decisions being made here already are being based more on political ideology and electioneering, more so than thinking of our daughters, sons, grandkids, and my kids.
With references to marijuana, CBC funding, and electoral reform all outnumbering jobs in the Speech from the Throne, I am concerned and downright disappointed that the Liberal government has already failed Canadians, not giving any opportunity or chance to enhance our way of life.
Finally, I would like to end with the challenge to the members on the government side to work hard as we build on what our forefathers have left before us. It will not be easy, but this job should not be easy. Future generations are watching and future generations rely on the very decisions we make.
We are all humans put together to make up the House of Commons. We will forever be bonded together. Let us not forget that. It takes courage to work together. I want our country to do better and be better because I was here. Quite simply, that is why I am here as the member of Parliament for Edmonton Riverbend.
I move:
That the motion be amended by adding, after the words “tax burden for Canadians”, the words “and back away from its undemocratic plan to scrap Canada's current voting system without consulting Canadians in a referendum first, as most democratic minded governments, such as the Governments of British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have done”.