Debates of Dec. 8th, 2015

The House resumed from December 7 consideration of the motion for an address to His Excellency the Governor General in reply to his speech at the opening of the session.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to continue the speech I started yesterday evening.

I will also make sure that community and social clubs and organizations get the support they need so they can keep making a positive contribution to our communities.

I want local organizations in my riding, such as the Daughters of Isabella, the Knights of Columbus, Afeas, women farmers, Scouts, and sports, cultural, and community organizations, to know that I will always be available to help and support them. Quality of life in our communities depends on local people working hard to create active, united and welcoming places to live.

I will also ensure that the government addresses agricultural issues, such as problems with managing milk protein coming into Canada. On this as on matters facing rural municipalities, the throne speech was silent. It made no mention of agriculture even though the problem is urgent and agriculture is both a key economic sector and vital to our national food security.

I will work tirelessly to hold the government to account for all the decisions it makes, because if there is one thing I learned during my time as mayor, it is that people want to be represented by officials who keep their promises, while also remaining within budget. They want a government that respects taxpayers' ability to pay, a government that has the tools and means to keep its citizens safe, and a government that works hard to create conditions favourable to the development of our communities.

That said, I have to admit that I am skeptical about the government's plan, if there is one, and I fear that in order to keep its promises, which seem a little unrealistic to me, it is going to have to increase the tax burden on Canadians, make cuts to essential services, or increase the debt, forcing us into recurring deficits. However, since I am a good sport, I will give the government a chance. It will be judged on the results it achieves.

A few weeks ago, I was honoured and privileged to be given the trust of my party's leader and to be appointed deputy critic in support of my colleague the hon. member for Durham, the critic for public safety and emergency preparedness. Again, there are a number of concerns in this area.

First, the fight against ISIS is currently one of the world's biggest security issues. However, while all of our allies are mobilizing, the government seems to be trivializing the situation, as evidenced the day after the election, when the Prime Minister announced the immediate withdrawal of our fighter jets from the coalition fight. I will continually ask the government to be accountable and to assure us that there are no flaws in its plan and that its soft military approach will not jeopardize our national security.

The same goes for welcoming Syrian refugees. The hon. member for Durham and I have already begun to scrutinize this file to ensure that the refugees are integrated properly and that security measures are not overlooked in order to allow the government to meet its deadline.

In the coming months and years, I will be continually working on this file because it will take several months and even years, not just the next few weeks as the government is suggesting, to integrate these refugees.

In terms of public safety, I really want to know how the government is going to go about keeping its promise to legalize and regulate marijuana, which I vigorously oppose. As the father of three wonderful teenagers and the former principal of one of the largest secondary schools in Quebec, I am truly convinced that the legalization of marijuana is not in any way a positive move for our country.

At a time when we are trying to cut health care costs by promoting healthy lifestyle choices, downplaying the effects of drugs and proposing they be legalized is not the solution. It would be a first for a G7 country to go down that road. I hope that when the Prime Minister says that “Canada is back”, he is not using this type of initiative to supposedly enhance Canada's image.

When will the government explain how it intends to proceed on this file? Canadians will have many questions for the government.

In closing, I would like to remind the government that Canadians want a government that is doing something about the economy, a government that will not offload deficits onto future generations, a government that manages the public purse responsibly and takes into account taxpayers' ability to pay, a government that is aware of environmental issues, and a government that keeps the public safe and works with our allies to eliminate the terrorist threat jeopardizing our safety.

This is a major challenge, and the opposition will be here, standing strong, over the next four years in order to ensure that the decisions that are made here are what is best for all Canadians.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments from the member.

In concluding his speech, he talked about holding the government accountable for expenditures in regard to deficits. I am wondering what, in his opinion, has changed. When the Conservatives were in government, they had nothing but deficits, and that is the truth of the matter.

I wonder if he could explain why the Conservatives seem to have changed their attitude toward deficits. When they are in opposition, they seemed to be more concerned about deficits. Whereas when they were in government, they did not care about deficits because all they had were deficits.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think that my colleague opposite needs a crash course in economics.

When the Conservative government decided to create a deficit, there was a global economic crisis. Meanwhile, the government opposite is creating deficits when the economy is doing well.

The former Conservative government does not need any lessons in economics, and I hope that the government opposite acts responsibly and does not offload a deficit onto future generations when our economy is doing well and we have money in the bank.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I can certainly appreciate when members on the government side throw arrows at the previous government's record. Liberals do not seem to understand, and I think the member does, that eventually history repeats itself.

Liberal governments have spent profusely—deficit spending—which eventually caught up to them. Economic growth was put at risk because they cut provincial transfers to provinces.

The previous government took a different way. Right now, there is no recession. Economic growth is not as strong as we would like, but the government is proposing to spend a lot of money.

I would ask the member if he thinks, in view of the fact that the Liberals have said they will spend at least $10 billion, possibly more, that is the right way for Canada to go.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, that is clearly not the right way to go.

I firmly believe that Canadians did not vote in the last election thinking that it would be a great idea to create deficits when the economy is doing well.

I still believe that we need to tighten our belts. We need to be careful about our spending. Canadians are the ones who know what is best for them. A bigger government is not good for our economy. It is in everyone's best interest to give as much money as we can back to taxpayers.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my Conservative colleague on his first speech in the House of Commons. Congratulations. It was an excellent speech.

I also want to take a moment to thank the people of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie for putting their trust in me a second time. It is a great honour.

This is just our second day back to work in the House after the Liberal government was elected, and the Minister of Finance is already having to backtrack on his promises.

They told us that the tax changes would not cost anything. They wanted to play Robin Hood. Now it is clear that they thought they could use magic. The tax cut that will benefit only the wealthiest among the middle class will end up costing $1.2 billion, even though it was not supposed to cost a thing, and that is on top of their proposed $10-billion deficit.

What does my colleague think about the Liberal government's backtracking on taxes?

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to salute my colleague, with whom I had a few squabbles during the election campaign. However, I am extremely proud of the question he is asking me.

I completely agree with him. I think that the party in power right now told some lies to the public during the election campaign. We are already hearing the same old tune: a party gets elected and things are not as they were originally promised.

The Liberals need to step up. They claim to want to be a non-partisan government that works for Canadians. I urge them to do their homework and stop suggesting all kinds of things to the public, to stop assuring them that public finances are healthy, and to avoid deficits. I think that even the $2-billion figure is way out of date.

The government needs to maintain a zero deficit, so that Canadians do not end up passing this burden on to future generations.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, as this is my first speech in the House, I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan for the trust they have placed in me.

I want to give particular thanks to my parents. Today, my father is celebrating his 60th birthday. “Happy birthday, Pop”.

Also, I especially thank my wife, Rebecca, and our children, Gianna and Judah, for their love and support. I think that practising speeches with my two-year-old heckling me about her desire for a snack is pretty good practice for speaking in the House. Judah was born less than two weeks before the campaign started and so it has been a busy time for our family. My wife, Rebecca, has already sacrificed far more than I have to make this possible.

I am very conscious as I stand here today of the sacrifices that were made by my parents and grandparents to give us the best they could in life. In that vein, I will start my speech by talking about the experience of my maternal grandmother, the greatest influence on my life outside of my parents, and someone whose experience is particularly relevant to one of the debates we are having.

My grandmother was a refugee. She was born in Germany in 1930, the daughter of a Jewish father and a gentile mother. Hitler came to power in 1933 when she was three years old. She and her mother left Germany for South America in 1948 when she was 18, after a childhood that, frankly, was not a childhood at all. She met my grandfather in Ecuador, a Canadian engineer who was working for Syncrude, which explains how they ended up in Alberta.

All members in the House from all parties are deeply moved by the plight of refugees, myself in particular because of my family's experience. Therefore, out of genuine concern for those affected by the unfolding tragedy in Syria and Iraq, and also out of concern for our own national well-being, we must ask the current government hard questions about its refugee policy.

How will the Liberals ensure that the most vulnerable refugees, members of religious and ethnic minority communities who often cannot get access to refugee camps, are actually included?

How is the government going to ensure that it is only victims of violence and not perpetrators of violence who are coming to Canada? Profiling on the basis of gender and sexual orientation is not a reliable way to screen out extremists.

Most essentially, given the proportions of the current unfolding crisis, how is the government proposing to deal with the root cause, the ongoing civil war, and the emergence and growth of Daesh? People on the ground, members of diaspora communities, and all Canadians want to understand what the government is actually thinking here and why.

The Liberals say that sending fighter jets is not the best thing and that Canada can instead contribute in other ways. Really? Of course, Canada can contribute in other ways, but our bombing mission against Daesh has been extremely effective at reducing the amount of territory it controls. This sort of mission is, after all, the reason we have an air force, to protect ourselves and to project our values, and to use military force to protect innocent women, children, and men.

Now is a good time to re-ask a question that was asked and not answered in the lead-up to the election. If not now against Daesh, then what possible case is there in which the current government would ever authorize military action?

The Liberals say that they are withdrawing from the bombing mission because it was an election promise, but they have not been shy about breaking other election promises. They promised that 25,000 government-sponsored refugees would arrive before the end of the year. However, now they will only be admitting 10,000, and most them will be privately sponsored. Their justification for breaking this promise was that they wanted to get it right. It is no small irony, in light of many of the comments made during the campaign, that getting it right meant abandoning their refugee targets and coming close to adopting ours.

However, if getting it right was the justification for shelving the government's refugee promise, we would humbly suggest that the Liberals also get it right in the fight against Daesh and stand behind an effective military mission that actually defends the defenceless.

We need to be welcoming refugees in a responsible and effective manner. What refugees in the region want, even more than to come to Canada, is to have a country that is livable again.

What is the real reason for the government's planned non-response to an unfolding problem of violence against the innocent? It has yet to give any explanation for its planned withdrawal other than the clearly very thin arguments already mentioned. I do not think its response would have satisfied my grandmother or any other refugee of past or present conflicts. I do not think it will satisfy the 25,000 we may eventually take, and it certainly will not satisfy the millions who will be left behind.

At the root of this practical question is a moral question, a question about the kind of people we are and about whose lives we think are worth fighting for. Neville Chamberlain, the arch defender of appeasement, said in 1938:

How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is, that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas-masks here, because of a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing...

“People faraway of whom we know nothing”. At the time, my grandmother was just eight years old.

On this side of the House we believe that the lives of the people of Iraq and Syria matter. The lives of the 25,000 we may eventually take and of the millions who will be left behind matter. It is not important how far away they are, they share a common humanity with each of us. What is implicit and consistent across many different contexts in the statements of the appeasers, the non-interventionists, and of those mealy-mouthed inbetweeners who pursue the same policies without giving their reasons is the implication that those in the immediate path of an evil power do not matter enough for us to bother getting involved. Even if, to our shame, we wish to look away, the menace still spreads.

After World War II many people said of the Holocaust “if only we had known, we would have done more”. When it comes to Daesh, we know. We have genocide in progress, live broadcast over the Internet. We would not be worthy of the name civilization if we chose to do nothing about it. No good person likes a fight but the lives and security of Yazidis, Christians, Kurds, Turkmen, Shia Muslims, and other groups in the path of Daesh, the 25,000 we may eventually take, and the millions left behind are worth fighting for.

It is a great honour to serve in the Parliament of such a great nation. I quoted Neville Chamberlain on his case for disengagement so I will balance that out with a quote from Winston Churchill who said, “The price of greatness is responsibility”. I urge the government to take that seriously. We are and we remain a great nation, a nation that need not come back because it never left. When it comes to doing its part, we are a nation that has never before turned away from responsibility.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we just went through a fairly lengthy campaign and during that campaign Canadians were told by the leader of the Liberal Party that if his party formed government it would pull the F-18s out of the situation overseas. There is a second progressive party inside the House of Commons and I understand that its approach to what was taking place was similar to the Liberal Party's approach. An overwhelming majority of Canadians see that Canada can and should play a role. Where they differ from the Conservative Party is that the Conservatives believe that the F-18 is and has to be a role for the Canadian Forces.

Would the member not agree that, if a promise is made during a national election campaign in which an individual is rewarded with a majority government, it is expected that the individual would fulfill that promise and that promise was to pull the F-18s out? Would the member not agree that the Prime Minister should fulfill the commitment he made to Canadians on October 19?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it would seem that the member has different expectations of the Minister of Foreign Affairs than he does of the Minister of Finance or the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

We heard yesterday that the government is not planning on following through with its promise with respect to deficits and it is not planning on following through with its promise with respect to refugee numbers. The government was wrong on those things during the campaign and it is wrong now. I am happy to defend, on a principle basis, the arguments that I have made.

If the hon. member wants to govern based on the polls, he only needs to look at the public opinion polls on this issue, because a majority of Canadians on this particular issue definitely side with us.

With respect to the bomber mission, we need to fight Daesh. To stop it, we must fight it. It is great to be behind the lines providing training as that is an important part of it, but if we are not willing to step up and fight for what is right, then we are not taking the responsibility we should.

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague on being elected and on his first speech. That first speech is always a bit unnerving, as is answering questions afterward.

More people have been joining ISIS, or ISIL, in the past few years. The more bombs we drop, the more terrorists there are. Naturally, people get mad when bombs are dropped on them, so more and more of them join the terrorists.

A few years ago, the Conservative minister went to Iraq with my former colleague, Paul Dewar. Iraq was asking for humanitarian aid, not military assistance, but military assistance was what we provided.

The logic is hard to follow. People ask for humanitarian aid, but we give them military assistance, which helps to swell the terrorists' ranks.

Does my colleague follow that logic?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me correct the record. The foreign minister for the Kurdish government was in Canada less than two weeks ago and was very clear about his belief that the bombing mission is very important, that the air support provided by western nations is important for helping protect Kurdish and other allied forces on the ground.

It is strange logic to say that, because ISIS has managed to recruit fighters at the same time as bombing has happened, we should stop bombing and then hopefully recruitment will stop. Let me be clear that the bombing mission has significantly reduced the amount of territory it controls.

The goal here is to defeat Daesh. That is what we are trying to do, and Canada needs to be part of taking responsibility for that. Once it is defeated, there will be no more recruits.

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Oakville North—Burlington.

Before I deliver my maiden speech for this parliamentary session, I would like to congratulate you on your recent appointment as Deputy Speaker of the House. I know that you will be a positive force for this chamber and for the work we do for our constituents across Canada. I am sure the constituents of Simcoe North are proud to see you in the chair.

I also want to thank the residents of Surrey—Newton for once again putting their trust and faith in me to represent them in the House of Commons as their member of Parliament. I proudly served as a member of Parliament from 2006 to 2011. I am honoured to be back and to be able to work hard on behalf of my constituents for the next four years.

I also want to pay tribute to my late father, Sardar Hardial Singh Dhaliwal, who passed away on September 28, three weeks prior to election night. I want to thank the health care professionals and support staff at Fraser Health for their compassionate care. My father, Hardial Singh Dhaliwal, and my mother, Amarjit Kaur Dhaliwal, are the reason I can stand here today as a proud Canadian serving as a member of Parliament in the name of public service. I say to my mom and dad, “I love you.”

The Speech from the Throne is a clear signal to Canada and the world that this government is taking a different approach to governance. The release of mandate letters for every minister was an early sign that this government is not afraid of public scrutiny. We believe we must earn the trust of Canadians. Never before have such detailed policy agendas been released for every Canadian to read. We have an ambitious road ahead, and we want Canadians to be able to hold us accountable.

The Speech from the Throne further demonstrates the trust this government puts in Canadians. This government's key message to the country is this: together, through open collaboration, Canada has no limits.

I want to highlight two key themes that demonstrate the Liberal government's new approach: democratic reform and collaborative governance.

Let me begin with democratic reform. Changing the culture of Ottawa means that we must do things differently to live up to the expectations of Canadians. The Speech from the Throne detailed a number of initiatives in support of this goal.

Senate reform will ensure that the red chamber is no longer a place that hosts patronage appointments. The Prime Minister will be advised by a new advisory board that will look for candidates based on merit. The Senate's sober second thought will once again be about the greater good, not partisan game playing.

This government will also proceed on electoral reform. The 2015 campaign will be the last conducted under the first-past-the-post electoral system, which is an exciting step toward modernizing future elections.

Last, but just as important, the way Ottawa functions will change dramatically. This Liberal government will end the use of taxpayer dollars for partisan advertising, and it will promote more open debate and free votes in the House of Commons, so that all members of Parliament can best represent their constituents.

These are real changes that will help restore the public's faith in our political institutions, traditions, and most importantly, the representatives they send to Ottawa.

The second thing that sent a very loud message to Canadians was the path toward collaborative government. This was another change by our Prime Minister, to value other voices in the spirit of working together.

We will be governing on the belief that a strong and growing middle class is central to a healthy economy. Consideration for the lives of Canada's middle class, and those working hard to join it, guides our key priorities. Implementing middle class tax cuts, introducing the new Canada child care benefits, investing heavily in public transit and green infrastructure, and strengthening employment insurance are all designed to ensure most Canadians have a fair and real chance to succeed.

We are also beginning a new era of working together with the provinces, the territorial governments, and the municipalities across the country. This means that we are going to be talking regularly with the premiers through first ministers meetings and frequently consulting with the municipal leaders on infrastructure investment. Our government is not going to operate as an island. We cannot do this alone.

We recognize that diversity is our strength and working together is our future. Our government is renewing a nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous people. It is launching a national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and it will be strengthening our first nations' education.

We will also be changing the immigration system to strengthen families and create economic opportunities for new Canadians and small businesses alike.

Our government recognizes that Canada's place in the world is founded upon engagement. When our Prime Minister states that Canada is back, we are taking real steps to demonstrate this internationally. Countries from across the globe are already taking notice, and they are happy that their partnerships with Canada will be fostered and strengthened by our government.

In conclusion, I would like to send a message to my constituents in Surrey—Newton. These two themes of openness and collaboration are also backed at the local level. This means that I always have, and will remain, highly accessible to the people of Surrey—Newton, and my staff is working hard every day to address key issues and concerns. Most importantly, I will always put my constituents' voices ahead of all other considerations. This has been the foundation of my history as an MP, and now it is strengthened by serving under our Prime Minister, who recognizes that working for our constituents as a number one priority is key to him and to all of us and to all Canadians, who have elected 338 of us to represent them.

I am truly humbled to be back, representing the amazing riding of Surrey—Newton. I would like to again thank the people of Surrey—Newton for giving me this opportunity. I would also like to thank all the volunteers and the team that worked so hard for my election. I would also like to congratulate the other three candidates who put their names forward but were not able to make it to the House of Commons.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Speaker, I just want to convey my condolences to the member for Surrey—Newton. We all draw strength from our parents, and I am sorry to hear about the passing of his father.

As a fellow British Columbian, I am very happy to ask this question. This gentleman actually wanted to run provincially a few years ago under Premier Christy Clark's Liberal government. Premier Clark has mentioned that one of the biggest priorities of British Columbia to enhance the wealth and prosperity of all British Columbians is to secure a new softwood lumber agreement. The member has said that he takes great pride in the fact that the government has made its mandate letters open. In none of the mandate letters is there any mention of a softwood lumber agreement. Either it is not on the government's radar or there was an omission.

I would simply ask the member this. Will he work with all members of Parliament, particularly from British Columbia where securing a softwood lumber agreement is vital to the interest of British Columbia, to make representations to the ministers of the crown, establishing that securing a new softwood lumber agreement is vital to the interests and prosperity of British Columbians?

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member from British Columbia for his will to work together with other members from British Columbia to ensure that British Columbia is represented well here in Ottawa.

I want to remind the member that when I was in the House of Commons in the last term I was a member of the international trade committee and had an opportunity to travel across the globe. The Liberal government believes in free trade and free trade agreements. I am certain that the Minister of International Trade will work hard to put British Columbians in a place they deserve, and I will work hard with other members of the British Columbia team to secure the best that British Columbia deserves.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Madam Speaker, I congratulate my colleague on his speech and thank him for it.

Throne speeches are always an interesting read because of all the things they include. They are also interesting because of the things they leave out. The new Liberal government's throne speech left a few things out, including three words, two concepts: “social housing” and “poverty”. The only mention of poverty in the Liberal government's throne speech had to do with fighting poverty abroad, as though poor people here in Canada and Quebec had suddenly disappeared.

Can my colleague give us some specifics about the plan to help poor families in Quebec and British Columbia and across Canada?

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member for his second day in the House and for putting this question forward.

I am certain that the member is very well aware that this government is going to put $125 billion in infrastructure, green infrastructure, and that a certain amount of dollars is reserved for social housing.

When it comes to poverty, this government is going to help middle-class families and also bring in child care benefits for families that need these the most, which will help poverty disappear. I am as committed as the member on the other side to bringing everyone to prosperity.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak today for the first time in the House of Commons. It is an honour and a privilege to be the very first member of Parliament for Oakville North—Burlington, and I thank my constituents for the trust they have placed in me.

I would like to thank the member for Milton for representing the Halton riding, which is now part of my riding. I would also like to recognize my colleague from Oakville, who has joined me here today.

I congratulate my colleagues on all sides of the House for their election, particularly those like me, who are here for the very first time. I look forward to working with them over the years.

I am hopeful that a new era of respect and civility will dawn in this Parliament and that the democratic reforms that will be coming forward will go a long way to making this a truly great Parliament. In my riding, residents share my desire for respect for all points of view.

I would like to thank my son, Fraser, without whom I would not be standing here, not only for all that he has done to work alongside me from when he was very young, but also because I have always looked to him as the future of my community and country. I have been inspired to take a longer vision of issues so that I can ensure that he has a clean environment and a healthy and vibrant community and country in which to raise his own children someday.

To the rest of my family, Taylor, Jill, Rob, Bayley, Betty, and Mitchell, and to my wonderful friends, I give thanks for their love and support. Those no longer here, my mom and especially my dad, and Max Khan, remain in my heart always.

This government was given a clear mandate to make real change happen, and happen in a way that includes Canadians, all levels of government, business, our indigenous people, and other stakeholders. Already, we are seeing collaboration in a way that is inspiring Canadians. This level of co-operation will be needed to tackle the complex issues that we will be dealing with over the coming years.

I have always said that what is good for the environment is good for the economy and for our health. Taking action on climate change and our environment by investing in clean technology and working in partnership to reduce our carbon footprint will make Canada a leader in the world. Listening to the Governor General read the Speech from the Throne, I was delighted to hear him talk about how a clean environment and strong economy go hand in hand.

Examples in my community include the Burlington Chamber of Commerce, whose climate change adaptation strategy for Canada, which called on the federal government to develop and implement a national strategy on climate change adaption, was adopted this year by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Oakville Hydro jumped into renewable energy. Why? It did so because it is good for the bottom line. Leadership from the federal government will motivate other levels of government, businesses, and individual Canadians, who need to be partners in this journey, to tackle climate change.

Oakville North—Burlington is largely an urban riding, but it is blessed with abundant green space. It has extensive trails, Bronte Creek Provincial Park, and Glenorchy Conservation Area. The preservation of this green space and the growth of our urban tree canopy is of great importance to residents.

Many in my riding are young families, who will benefit the most from our tax cut for the middle class and the new Canada child benefit. I am a proud advocate for public transit and alternative means of transportation, both walking and, of course, cycling. Moving people away from single occupancy automobile use is good for everyone. Our investment in public transit will help to make the kind of behavioural change that we must make going forward. Many in my riding commute, and public transit will get people home faster and allow families in my riding to spend more time together.

I know only too well from my work on the Oakville Town Council that municipal governments need a federal partner on infrastructure projects. They need one that will work with them to invest in our communities, protect our assets, and grow our economy.

In 2012, I met two teenagers from my riding, Emma and Julia Mogus, who founded Books With No Bounds. Their dream was to send 500 books to their brothers and sisters in the north. Their passion for youth in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation inspired me to mentor them, and today they have sent close to 100,000 books, school supplies, and other necessities to first nations youth. As I heard the Governor General talk about working with first nations so that every first nations child receives a quality education, I knew that Emma and Julia shared my hope for the future of our friends in Fort Severn and all NAN communities.

I look forward to today's announcement by the minister on our missing and murdered indigenous women.

Our young people, like Emma, Julia, and so many more, are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are leaders today. Moreover, our seniors built this country and bring a wealth of wisdom, and our veterans have served our great country so that I can stand here today to speak in this institution. We need to work side by side, each one of us, to move our country forward.

I represent a riding that is growing. We are proud of the diversity that growth brings. Youth, seniors, all cultures and religions, those with varying intellectual and physical abilities, those who are new to Canada, new to Oakville and Burlington, and those who grew up here all share one thing: our desire to be the best we can be, not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren.

One in five young people suffers from mental health issues. We lack the resources to deal with this and we need to remove the stigma.

We have an epidemic of autism in our country, and we must recognize that doing nothing is not an option.

People living with devastating diseases, such as ALS, like my friend Tim Robertson, face not only emotional and physical challenges, but also financial hardship for them and their family, and these can be devastating.

There will be opportunities to look at ways to help these people. We must explore all options. Our work with our provincial partners to negotiate a new health accord will be critical, particularly with an aging population.

I am proud of the work of the Halton InterFaith Council, Terra Firma Halton, our Halton regional chair, the mayors of Oakville and Burlington and their respective councils, the Halton Multicultural Council, the Oakville Community Foundation, and too many others to name, which have shown leadership in welcoming Syrian refugees to our community.

As a former municipal councillor, our commitment to investments in public transit, green infrastructure, and social infrastructure is most welcome. I have seen first-hand the challenges that municipalities face on these issues. Oakville North—Burlington is a caring, compassionate community, one that values helping others. The need for affordable housing has never been greater. I look forward to working with Halton region and groups like Habitat for Humanity Halton, so that everyone in our community is able to have a safe and affordable place to live. With our investment in social infrastructure and by working with stakeholders and our provincial and municipal partners, we can work to end the cycle of poverty. We need to ensure that our young people can afford to stay in our communities and not be forced to move away.

I have had the pleasure of working with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793 and LIUNA. I applaud the important role they will play in training our young people and providing them with the skills they need to succeed in a changing workplace.

We face a skills shortage in Canada. This is another area where we need to work in partnership with the provinces and stakeholders, such as the operating engineers and LIUNA.

Small and medium-sized businesses are the drivers of our Canadian economy, and the Burlington Oakville chambers of commerce are their voice in our communities. I have had the great pleasure of working with the Oakville chamber on a number of issues, and I look forward to growing my relationship with the Burlington chamber. Both the Burlington and Oakville chambers are leaders in mental health in the workplace, which is an issue they recognize as not only important for their employees, but also good for business and good for our community.

While physically located outside the boundaries of Oakville North—Burlington, Ford of Canada's assembly plant and head office in Oakville are of vital importance to Oakville, the surrounding area, and Ontario. Ford of Canada makes a significant investment in our community. Its employees, through Unifor Local 707, are one of the largest contributors to the United Way and, through the United Way, to groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton, and so many others that make a difference in the lives of Halton residents.

Our National Day of Mourning, organized by a Ford employee, Tim Batke, through the Oakville District Labour Council, ensures that our community not only remember those who died in the workplace, but also reminds everyone about the importance of workplace safety.

As I stand here today, I think of those who came before, in the House, including in particular, Jack Burghardt, the former member of Parliament for London West for whom I worked here in Ottawa and whose values and beliefs about respect, fairness, and public service guide me to this day.

I am proud to be part of this 42nd Parliament that will make a real change happen for Canadians, particularly those I represent. I will take Terry Fox' words to heart, as I always do: “anything's possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.”

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the new member for Oakville North—Burlington, for her speech. I was paying attention, and I want her to know that my riding has very similar concerns to her riding. Oshawa has a big automotive industry as part of our community, and it has been part of our history.

One of the concerns I have is that in the auto industry, as the member knows, we have to be competitive with northern U.S. states. There was absolutely nothing in the Speech from the Throne for manufacturing, and nothing for the auto sector.

Ontario has lost over 300,000 manufacturing jobs. Manufacturers would say that one of the reasons is the high energy rates, which the member's provincial partners have raised to the highest industrial rates for electricity in North America. The member's party wants to put in new payroll taxes and introduce a carbon tax that will make us less competitive.

When will the member's party be putting forth a strategy, an auto action plan, to offset some of these anti-competitive policies that are putting jobs at risk?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Madam Speaker, the member is absolutely right that the auto industry is as important to his riding as it is to our area.

I look forward to our government working in partnership with the auto manufacturers, the auto parts manufacturers, and others, to ensure that these industries can succeed. I am looking forward to working with my colleague from Oakville to ensure that Ford Canada remains viable. It is very important to me.

I look forward to hearing from the member, and working with him as well, to see how we can best make this happen.

[Brigitte Sansoucy, NDP, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am very proud to be able to say “Madam Speaker” and I applaud your appointment to the position. I would like to take a moment to thank the voters of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot for putting their trust in me. When you arrive in this honourable place, you realize what a privilege it is to be a member of the House of Commons and to represent them.

Speaking of the duty of representation, I want to thank my colleague for talking about the importance of the environment for our communities. Like my colleague, I also worked at the municipal level for six years. I was a city councillor in Saint-Hyacinthe and chair of the environmental advisory committee. My experience taught me that achieving positive environmental results requires a clear action plan.

I want to ask my colleague whether her government plans to set clear objectives to fight climate change.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am sure the hon. member enjoyed her time on municipal council as much as I did.

I am very proud to be part of this government, which is recognizing the importance of dealing with climate change and the environment. It was one of the reasons that I put my name forward to run for federal politics.

I am proud of where I see our government going, and I look forward to working with the hon. member to deal with climate change to ensure that our environment is healthy and vibrant for future generations.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Madam Speaker, congratulations on your recent appointment.

With respect to some of the commitments the member mentioned were in the throne speech, I look forward to seeing the government following through on them. Of course, there were some great commitments in the red book in 1993, and a government with 13 years that did not follow through on them.

For the benefit of Canadians, could the member explain how her government is going to be different from the Liberal government of the nineties and how it will keep its promises?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Madam Speaker, I, too, will join in congratulating you. It is wonderful to see a woman sitting in the Speaker's chair.

I like to look forward; I do not like to look backwards, and I expect our government to be looking forward.