Debates of Dec. 8th, 2015

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Madam Speaker, I rise in the House with a heavy heart and with mixed feelings. While I am very proud to sit in the House, I am also aware of the House and its history, one which has been terrible at times for many of my people. It has made decisions that were not to the benefit of all Canadians.

I think of our first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, God bless his soul, who imprisoned indigenous peoples, stole our children, and stole our languages. There was Mackenzie King, who imprisoned Japanese Canadians.

This House, though, has made many great decisions, like giving the vote to women. In the living memory of my indigenous relatives, it has made them citizens of this country. It started tearing down the abuses of the Indian Act.

The decisions of this House will affect each and every one of us today and into the future.

There has been much history made with the election of this Parliament. For instance, November 16, the day I chose for my swearing-in ceremony, is an infamous day. Over 130 years ago, Louis Riel was hanged for his values. He was killed by the Canadian government while he was fighting for justice and against the trampling of the human rights of his people, the indigenous people of the northwest. My ancestors fought and died with Riel, and with Gabriel Dumont, the Métis general.

In 1869, 1871, and 1885, we suffered at Red Pheasant First Nation, where my people are from, with the largest mass hanging in Canadian history. There were ten men from our community. My great-great-great grandfather, Joseph Ouellette, died at the Battle of Batoche at 93 years old, yelling out the word “justice”.

Riel is a father of Confederation. I am very proud, and it is an emotional moment to have the opportunity to stand in the people's House. Riel was elected three times to this chamber but was never able to take his seat, upon pain of death. For my family and my people, it is a symbolic and literal closing of a moment in Canadian history.

I would like to acknowledge that we are here on the traditional territory of the Algonquin people. I will even go further.

We are here on unceded, traditional Algonquin territory. It is a meeting place for all Algonquin, Iroquois, Huron and Cree peoples, it is the land of the Métis, but it is also the national capital of all Canadians and of all those who come from all over the world.

I am very pleased with the Speech from the Throne, but I hope it will go further.

I have heard parties talk and talk about the middle class, and I thought I would tell the House about the needs of my riding, my community, Winnipeg Centre. It is the poorest in the country. Last month, 63,000 people used Winnipeg Harvest, and most of those people live in Winnipeg Centre. Of the people in Winnipeg Centre who used Winnipeg Harvest, 42% are children. They are our most vulnerable. The people of my riding have been ignored for far too long, and we are not complaining with our bellies full.

There are those in the House who might blame the poor, ignore them, or tell them they have not worked hard enough, that it is their fault they have not succeeded in life. Last year, while participating in the CEO Sleepout for homelessness in Winnipeg, I came across a young man, 18 years old. He had been in 77 different foster families throughout his life. Is anyone here going to say that is justice in our country? Is that a country with human rights? Is that gentleman going to be successful in his life? Will he feel loved?

Some might say that child and family services is not a federal responsibility, but under section 35 of the Constitution, it certainly is. First nations people are a federal responsibility, and we should never shirk that responsibility.

By the age of 15, 24% of all first nations children in Manitoba will have been in the care of the state. Eighty-nine per cent of all children in Manitoba are not taken into the care of the state because of abuse, but because of negligence, the inability of parents to provide good housing and good food for their children. These are issues related to poverty. There are 11,000 children in the care of the state in Manitoba, and 8,000 of those children are first nations. If Ontario had the same numbers, it would be over 140,000 children.

In Quebec, that same percentage would translate into 90,000 children being in foster care, as wards of the state.

Of the 11,000 children in the care of the state in Manitoba, only 11% have allegations of abuse and of that, only 11% were actually substantiated abuse.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has just finished looking at the issues surrounding residential schools, yet we continue to maintain such a system today, day after day, through our own ignorance and through our own lack of understanding of what is really going on in this country.

We make decisions in this House. We make decisions that are important. A mother in my riding is looking after her three children in a rooming house, a one-bedroom apartment that is smaller than the office that I have on this Hill. When I was canvassing during the election, I walked up to the second floor and there was a man sniffing gas in the apartment above. What is going to be the future of those three young children? Who will be their role models? Who will be mentors in their lives? This I do not know because I do not know if we have the ability to find solutions in the way we conduct our affairs in the House, if we will be able to help those people. How do we break that negative cycle?

My riding is composed of 20% indigenous people and 20% Filipino people who have issues with language skills. When they become Canadian citizens, they cannot see if they will have access to the training that they require in order to get past their survival jobs. They are important. There are 4% of Muslim people in my riding. For too long now, they have been demonized and ask me when will it stop.

The dream that is in Canada is unrealized. While we listen to each other in the House concerning the rhetoric about securing a future through hard work and through education, that path to success is slipping through the fingers of many of our fellow citizens. There was a time when a strong back and strong arms could support a family.

I met a young aboriginal man named John. He is a good person who lives downtown in my riding and he wants to do well, but he has never had anyone in his life say “I believe in you”. John is a big guy. He is dark. He has been in prison. He has had addiction issues, but today he has a partner, kids, and goes to post-secondary school, but it seems that is not enough. He asked me why the police always stop him, why he feels that others are afraid of him when he walks down the street. If John is listening to me, I know he will succeed. I know he can do it. I believe in him.

We must be collectively tired of being fearful of others. I will no longer have fear. I will no longer be afraid. I hope we will make decisions in the House that are based on our intelligence and not listen to the fearmongering that is far too prevalent in our society. The obligation that we have to each other is deeper and higher in our roles as parliamentarians. It is moral. It is an issue of social justice.

As members of Parliament, we should be able to look back in 20 or 30 years' time and say the actions we took in this chamber were important and this was a turning point because the people we represent in our individual ridings across Canada, this is not just their future, it is our future, the future of our communities, our country, our nation, and the world.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations for being in that chair again. It is always an honour to have you keeping us under control.

I would like to congratulate the member for Winnipeg Centre for his election and share with him that I have had the honour and privilege for many years of working with the Métis peoples of Alberta. I developed an aboriginal peoples guide to safe drinking water. I bent over backwards, not just to talk about the rights and interests of first nations peoples, but also the Métis.

Could the member speak to how he sees that under the new government the Métis peoples will receive equal recognition that has always been required under the Constitution and does he see that in addressing the needs of vulnerable people, what specifically is he going to be looking for in the government delivering programs on behalf of the Métis peoples of Canada?

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, I am not speaking on behalf of the government, just as a member of the governing party, so my views might not represent exactly what the minister might be planning, but I will advocate on behalf of the Métis nation in this country who have been ignored for far too long.

I truly believe they are a federal responsibility, and they negotiated a treaty in 1869 for the foundation and the founding of Manitoba. For me, this represents the ideal of what this country could have been and what it should have been. By creed nor colour should we be judged, but what we actually bring: a society based on merit. For me, this ideal comes back to giving pride back to people who deserve pride most of all because they are the indigenous peoples of this country.

I do not have any specific measures to address what the member has raised. I simply say that I am very committed to ensuring that justice is served and that people's voices are heard, and I will do so whether it is within this House, outside in the lobby, in the foyer, in the minister's office, in my constituency office, or travelling around this country to all the communities.

[TJ Harvey, Liberal, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, first I would like to congratulate you on your appointment. I would also like to congratulate my fellow colleague for Winnipeg Centre on his election.

One of my first duties as the newly elected member for Tobique—Mactaquac was to meet with Mr. Brian Barton and Mr. Allison McCain, two representatives of the Carleton County Refugee Committee. It is with a great sense of pride that I share with this House today that this New Brunswick based committee, working with the celebrated Carleton County Multicultural Association as well as the Catholic Church of Saint John Diocese, has successfully raised the funds to bring five or six refugee families to my riding of Tobique—Mactaquac.

I would ask my esteemed colleague to elaborate on our government's commitment to unite us as a country, seeing that we are strong because of our differences and not in spite of them.

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I was told a prophecy by an elder of mine who is Cree, Winston Wuttunee. He said that indigenous people will not simply stand up by themselves, but it will be through the help of all people. They may be non-indigenous, often what people sometimes call white or Euro-Canadians, and also newcomers. It would be our strength of standing together. We would actually be able to move forward, by working together. This was a prophecy that was told to him by an elder who was told by an elder before that, so it is a prophecy that is over 150 years old.

I can simply say is that I sincerely welcome the newcomers to this country, because I believe we will actually be much stronger and I will learn much from them.

At the same time, we have so many needs in this country that we have to address here and now. That is why I am very pleased with the child benefits, which would lift 315,000 children out of poverty, whether they are indigenous or non-indigenous.

That is something concrete, real. On November 26, 1988, this House unanimously voted to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000, and we have not done so. We have not moved on that issue. I hope sincerely that we will be able to do that in a good way, so that the mother in my riding who lives below the man who is sniffing gas will be able to offer better lodgings to her children so they all have a better future, improving all our lives.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honour to rise today as the new member for the new riding of Calgary Rocky Ridge.

I would like to start by thanking my family for the overwhelming support they have demonstrated for the huge change that public life will mean for us. I thank them very much.

I congratulate the newly elected members and re-elected members. I also thank the volunteers who put countless hours toward our successful campaign in Calgary Rocky Ridge.

In response to the newly elected government's Speech from the Throne, and in light of my responsibilities as deputy critic for the Treasury Board, I would like to speak to our democratic institutions, public finances, jobs, foreign policy, and trade.

The government has proposed measures that I believe will be harmful to the residents of Calgary Rocky Ridge and to Canada as a whole. I encourage the Liberals to reconsider any attempt to abolish the first past the post system and to rethink proposed tax increases. I also encourage them to reduce barriers to trade and employment, and to re-evaluate the decision to abandon the combat mission against ISIS.

Canadians enjoy free and fair elections with rules they understand. Under our present system, we know that we cast one vote at one location for one candidate. However, the government wants to abolish this cornerstone of Westminster-style government in favour of preferential ballots or possibly proportional representation. This is puzzling when one considers just how well the system has served Canada for the past 148 years, including some 85 years of Liberal government.

No system is perfect. In a large and diverse country like Canada, voters are often divided over the question of who should form the government. The Westminster style of first past the post voting is an ideal system for ensuring that a workable government can be formed even in times of division. First past the post is both fair and simple. The candidate with the most votes wins. Under preferential voting, a candidate who is no one's first choice may win, because he or she received the most second or third choices. The ranking system is harder to understand and will result in the election of members who no one truly supports.

More complicated systems also mean more explanation and more bureaucracy to administer. Imagine what even more advertising and electoral education will cost. Imagine the extra hours and expense of counting, recounting, and redistributing votes. It makes more sense to keep our current system.

In addition to its simplicity and familiarity, our present system allows for decisive and accountable government. In stark contrast, preferential ballots could lead to one-party government with less accountability. Our current system not only protects Canadians from one-party rule, it allows decisive majority governments with clear mandates from voters, and allows strong and effective oppositions to hold these government to account.

Proportional representation would lead to more minority government, more frequent elections, and more gridlock. Is this really what Canadians want? It would not appear so. As a colleague mentioned yesterday in the House, whenever the question of changing the voting system has been put directly to Canadian voters in a referendum, they have rejected it.

In Calgary Rocky Ridge, I knocked on thousands of doors. Not one single voter asked for this reform. Not one single voter even raised the issue. Changing the way we choose our government is simply not a priority for ordinary Canadians who are more interested in jobs than in potentially rigging a system for a governing party to stay in power indefinitely.

Simply put, the voting system is not broken. It does not need fixing. I daresay, the Liberal Party has historically been its principle beneficiary. I encourage the new government to refocus its efforts on eliminating electoral fraud and increasing public engagement.

Moving to my next topic, Canada is truly fortunate to have access to vast reserves of energy. To benefit from this abundance, we must get this energy to both internal markets and world markets. Unfortunately, the new government appears determined to put up regulatory barriers to moving our oil and gas products. A ban on tanker traffic along British Columbia's northern coast would prevent oil and gas from reaching the Pacific Rim market.

The top priority of voters in Calgary Rocky Ridge is employment. When I knocked on those doors, the voters could not understand why any party at a time like this would intentionally obstruct Canada's economic engine. They are afraid for their jobs.

I would like to also announce that I intend to split my time with the member for Calgary. I am sorry for not being clear about that from the outset.

Along with the government's plan on the restriction of tanker traffic, it plans to introduce carbon pricing and a moratorium on transit. This would destroy jobs across Canada, from Atlantic Canadians working in Fort McMurray to Ontarians who manufacture extraction equipment, to British Columbia port workers at oil and gas terminals, to countless workers from Alberta and Saskatchewan whose jobs depend directly on oil and gas. Everyone loses when production stops for lack of transportation.

Blocking oil sands transportation also means less royalty revenue, less income and sales tax revenue due to lost jobs, less equalization funding, and higher expenses through employment insurance claims. The government is already promising to run deficits. It cannot afford to shut down a major source of revenue while increasing its expenses.

This brings me to the topic of the government's proposed new taxes. The government plans to raise taxes on the top-earning Canadians by 4%. However, it over-estimates how much tax revenue this hike would bring in. According to a recent C.D. Howe report, the tax hike would generate less than $1 billion in revenue. This would leave a $4 billion shortfall in the government's estimates, and it would also likely cost the provinces $1.4 billion in lost revenue. When combined with the provincial rates, this tax hike would put the highest marginal tax rate at well over 50% in some provinces. The highest-earning Canadians may choose to work less, rely more on investment income, or relocate.

Speaking of job-killing taxes, the new government plans to expand the Canada pension plan, thus increasing payroll deductions and employer contributions. This would make it more expensive for employers to hire workers, thus stopping job creation.

The government also plans to make it harder for Canadians to save for themselves. The new government is threatening to reduce the tax-free savings account contribution limit, contrary to popular demand. According to a recent survey, 53% of Canadians want to keep the TFSA limit where it is, while only 19% want to reduce it. I encourage the new government to rethink its planned tax grabs and trust Canadians to make their own savings decisions.

Turning from revenue concerns to foreign affairs, the new government says it wants to draw closer to the United States and our allies in fighting terror. This announcement is somewhat confusing, since the government is eliminating the combat role of the Canadian Armed Forces in the fight against ISIS, even as our French, British, and German allies are preparing to send additional forces.

By only providing humanitarian aid, the government is addressing symptoms while leaving the disease intact. When people are attacked by terrorists who burn men alive, capture women and children and force them into sexual slavery, and systemically exterminate religious minorities, they become refugees by fleeing their homes; but helping refugees flee without also helping fight the perpetrators does not solve the problem. I urge the new government to recommit combat forces to fight ISIS, to save lives, and to help solve the refugee crisis by eliminating its source.

On a more positive note, the new government has a unique opportunity to implement the single greatest trade agreement of our time, the trans-Pacific partnership. The TPP will benefit all regions of Canada. It will grant our businesses access to 40% of the global economy, with more than 800 million customers. It will modernize the trade rules for the Pacific Rim and create tens of thousands of jobs for Canadians. I encourage the new government to protect Canada's long-term economic interests and implement this treaty.

I look forward to serving the people of Calgary Rocky Ridge as their representative in the 42nd Parliament. I am humbled by the confidence they have shown in me by electing me. I will zealously defend our democratic institutions. I will promote job creating measures like pipeline construction, international trade, and lower taxes. I will stand for Canada as an important and reliable ally in the fight against international terror. To do this, I will co-operate with my opposition colleagues. I will gladly work with the government when it introduces sound policy, and I will vigorously oppose it when it proposes harmful new measures.

[Fayçal El-Khoury, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your election. I congratulate all members in this House.

I would like to ask my colleague what he thinks about the efforts made by our Prime Minister and this government in order to rebuild the image and the reputation of Canada at the international level.

I was a consultant in international affairs, and for the last 10 years under the previous government, I felt that Canada's reputation was always below ground. We need to exert all efforts in order to re-establish and rebuild this image and reputation. That will enhance and encourage trade, and that will stimulate our Canadian economy.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that the new Prime Minister has already done additional damage to our reputation by making one of his first acts as our Prime Minister the announcement of the withdrawal of our armed forces from the conflict with ISIS.

He is cutting against the grain of the rest of our alliance. He has withdrawn his help to the United States while claiming to want to restore relations with that country. That is not the act of a friend. We are running against the grain with our British, French, and German allies as well.

I am concerned about the reputation of Canada, definitely. I do not see that the government, so far, in its early actions, has done anything to improve Canada's standing in the world; quite the contrary.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member for Calgary Rocky Ridge on his impassioned speech. I was struck by his defence of our current voting system, the first past the post.

I would like to just start out by pointing out that most members in this hon. House were elected on a platform of bringing in some form of electoral change. I was struck particularly by his mention of a decisive majority government. That may be true in this chamber, but I would like to point out that in the 2015 election that we just had, and in the 2011 federal election, both majority governments were elected by only 39% of voters. That is a proportion of the people who actually bothered to show up at the polls.

I would just like to hear the hon. member's comments on how he can reflect upon that case with what he was proposing.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your election.

Canadians are often divided on whom they would like to choose as a new government. Not all Canadians vote for the same party, and thank goodness for that. We do not want one party ruling Canada. We want choices for the voters. There is no question about that.

In defence of the Westminster system, it allows for effective government. It allows a government to be formed even in times of division. Our country, over the last 148 years, has done so well. We have accomplished so much as a country. This is one of the finest places in the world to live. We have been very well served by the Westminster-style Parliament.

I see no reason to change, particularly when, in a lengthy campaign, going to thousands and thousands of doors, I did not hear one single voter ask me to go to Ottawa and change the electoral system.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

We are going to go to resuming debate, but before we do, I just want to express thanks for the co-operation of all hon. members, in these early days, for those of us chair occupants attempting to recognize members, new faces for most of us, and locating you on the chart. I appreciate the members' patience with that. We will continue to endeavour to do our best. When members shout out the name, we can usually pin it down pretty quickly. We appreciate that.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Bow River.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to stand here today. We also have to take note and keep in mind when the Chair changes. As I was rapidly making notes to change to “Madam Speaker”, you showed up and I came back to “Mr. Speaker”, so we have to pay attention on this side as well.

Bonjour to my 337 new friends and colleagues, and I congratulate them on their election.

It was 1959 when my parents brought our family to this particular location and said that we needed to see where the people are who make decisions for us, that we needed to see that they are just like us, regular folks, and we needed to understand that. It is with great honour that I stand here in remembrance of the day that I was here with my parents in 1959. It was also a much different time, because we walked around on the grounds of the prime minister's house at 24 Sussex Drive. It was wide open and a public space, as the Governor General's home is today.

There is another thing that I notice. In the gallery, we have many students who come to view the procedures on a daily basis. I work with a program called “Encounters With Canada”. I would encourage people who have children or grandchildren in the age range of 15 to 17 to have them participate in this great program. It happens 30 weeks of the year. The member for Calgary Nose Hill is a person who learned about politics. She attended the program in high school and is now a representative. There are others in this House who also have done so. If members get the opportunity to be asked to speak to that group, please support that program. About 3,000 students a year come through there. They learn about Canada and about what we do here

As I am humbled to represent the residents of the warm and friendly new riding of Bow River, I promise to work hard on their behalf to the best of my abilities. I thank those volunteers who helped in the campaign. I thank my family—my wife, my children, and my grandchildren—who were out campaigning with me, door knocking, and driving cars for me. It was a great experience for our family.

I would like to address the Speech from the Throne that officially opened the 42nd Parliament. Trade, infrastructure, and environment are topics that were touched upon.

People who have been in this country for many years, as I have been, have had opportunities to see great agricultural areas. In the Annapolis Valley, tremendous apples are grown. In Nova Scotia, people are into vineyards and there is a wine industry growing. In the red, rich soils of Prince Edward Island, potatoes are grown; and there are the green fields and dairy farms around the St. Lawrence River. Have they been to Leamington, Ontario? There are the largest greenhouses in Canada for the agriculture products grown there. There are the golden wheat fields of the Prairies and the canola fields. There are the vineyards of the Okanagan, and many more agriculture products are grown.

What does this have to do with trade? Agriculture in our country is newer in some areas, and there is lots of it. However, in my area there was an explorer by the name of John Palliser, who in 1840 came through southern Alberta for the British government, the area I am in, and said that it was a desert and that there should be no inhabitation of this area. He wrote a report to the government on that basis. The aboriginal people probably thought that was a little weird, if they could understand what he was talking about. However, it was a false assumption.

In this area now we have ranchers and farmers. The ranchers have huge ranches, township size. They are incredibly efficient and modern, with technologically oriented, professional people who work with the soil. The Canadian farmers and ranchers, I believe, are the best in the world. Bow River is part of this region with many of these people. It also has many villages, hamlets, towns, and small cities, like Chestermere, the newest city in Alberta, and Brooks, The City of 100 Hellos. Many members may not realize that Brooks is probably one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada, out there on the Prairies. It is also home to a world heritage site, Dinosaur Provincial Park. Most of the world's dinosaur fossils have been found in this location, more than any other place in the world.

Bow River is the location of many large irrigation projects in Canada. Irrigation farmers have tripled the amount of land being farmed, but they have not increased the amount of water they use from when they started. They have increased threefold in efficiency. What other industry sector can say that? The irrigation systems in southern Alberta are recognized as the most advanced in the world in the efficient use of water and the increase to food production per acre.

The types of niche crops in this region have increased significantly. Sugar beets were one of the first. My grandfather was involved in bringing the sugar beet industry to southern Alberta. There are potatoes and hemp. Ninety per cent of the hemp that is grown in Canada is grown in this constituency. There is also the famous Taber sweet corn. Those are just some of the examples of niche crops grown in our country.

Food processors in production across Canada have tremendous facilities. Some of the largest in Canada are located in the Bow River riding. For example, the JBS-Lakeside beef plant in Brooks is capable of processing 4,500 head a day. Where is the beef? I know where the beef is in my riding.

These industries in Bow River rely on exports. It is a critical part of these industries that makes them sustainable. Predictions would suggest that this will be even more important in the future. In the next 30 years, it is predicted that there will be a billion more people on this planet, but more interesting is the prediction that there will be three billion more people living in cities. I do not think the farmers' markets are going to make up the difference for food supply.

Food demand is going to increase significantly, especially when 15% of the food is now directed to biofuels. It is an interesting thing to do with food. There are only seven countries in the world exporting more food than they actually need in their own countries. These countries have sufficient rainfall and river floes to grow more food than needed for their own use. They have highly advanced agricultural industries, and that is what is in my riding.

The Canadian agriculture sector needs export trade to sustain its business. There will be a need in the world for Canada's food. We know why export trade agreements are critical to the agriculture sector and the whole Canadian economy. We can feed our own citizens and others in the world.

This region has significant resources. Coal was discovered by early settlers along the banks of the Bow River. Natural gas was discovered by the early settlers in the village of Tilley when they first drilled water wells and hit gas instead. There are still natural gas co-ops in this constituency today. Oil was discovered a few years later. There are the natural resources of sun hours in big sky country and wind.

Do people know many hundreds of tonnes of coal it takes to produce the steel for one power-generating windmill blade? Do people know which long time, first world country is now producing an increased amount of coal for the production of wind-generating mills? That is a lot of coal being produced somewhere in a first world country, but not this one.

Infrastructure includes roads, bridges, rails, pipelines, and ports. We need to maintain, repair, replace, and build infrastructure to be able to move product to internal and export markets.

Bow River is at the centre of the Canadian Badlands. It is also the location of Lake Newell, the largest manmade lake in Alberta and rated as one of the best sailing venues in western Canada. Surprised to find that on the Prairies? As an old windsurfing sailor, it is fantastic. Tourism is important to be moving people in our country. We need infrastructure.

I know that cities demand rapid transit, for example, but if rural infrastructure fails, how are food products and exports moved to market? There are many small communities in rural Canada that cannot compete with the cities in the grant funding lottery. They do not have the means to have engineered, shovel-ready projects on the shelf, with internal grant writers to fill out applications, as the big cities do.

With 8¢ on the dollar returned to municipalities of tax money that leaves these communities, we need a different system for infrastructure in rural Alberta for products to continue to be moved to market. The infrastructure in 60% of the country is in rural municipalities and not in the big cities. We need a different way to fund it. It is critical to rural ridings to have that.

In conclusion, I believe we need strong export trade agreements for the agriculture sector to be sustainable, to feed our citizens, and to feed others in the world. I believe we need infrastructure to move products to market and to support the many smaller communities in rural Canada. I believe we have thousands of incredible environmentalists, the people who work with the soil.

I have appreciated the opportunity to address this incredible body of dedicated, elected Canadian citizens.

[Pat Finnigan, Liberal, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague on the other side of the House.

Two years ago, the previous government closed an agricultural research centre in my riding. It conducted applied research for farmers, which allowed them to plant new crops that were suitable for our region.

Does my hon. colleague believe that closing that institution was a good thing? Given the new opportunities for trade with Europe, should we invest in a new institution, or at least in applied research?

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in our constituency, we have a research station that specializes in hydroponics for tomatoes and green peppers. It is a leading research facility in the world. Anything that supports the tremendous farmers, ranchers, and agriculture research moves us forward, because we have some of the leading producers on the ground. Anything that supports them supports the Canadian economy, and I support that.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome my colleague to the House. He took some of my riding, so he definitely deserves to be here.

In the throne speech on Friday, one of the things that really struck me as being absent was agriculture. It is something that I think is absolutely vital, not only to our rural communities across the country but to our Canadian economy.

My esteemed colleague touched on it a little, but I would like him to address a little more on why agriculture should be a priority of the new Liberal government, and how it is disappointing that it is not a priority.

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the part of the riding that he donated to me. I am sure it is probably the best part. Maybe soon, some of those citizens will quit looking for the member and recognize that I am their MP.

It is a phenomenal part. No matter what we do in this world, what conveniences we have, how much technology we have, or how grand we build things, if we do not eat, it will not happen. Agriculture is therefore critical to our economy in the sense of providing food that is healthy for our citizens. When we have the capability as one of seven countries to produce it for other parts of the world, it is a phenomenal part of our economy and a contribution to humanity.

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the member on his first speech. Prairie people are the best. I grew up in Edmonton and spent many years in western Manitoba, in Brandon, the farming country, and I have a great deal of respect for the folks who go out and work the land.

I am also concerned, though, because I personally have feelings about the sovereignty of our food supply, its quality, and its security. Could the member address what may be some gaps between the provisions of the trans-Pacific partnership that his party supports and those values that keep our rural communities alive and well?

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, one of the challenges, in the sense of all of the different varieties and sectors that we have in our agricultural communities, is can we meet all the demands and resolve all the questions in a trade agreement? I am proud of the number of trade agreements that have been negotiated over the years.

One of the factors that I have heard this is the dairy industry. Having met with dairy people, they were very concerned about what might be in this agreement. Dairy people in our country are some of the hardest working people. They work the longest hours. They are tremendous people. They live in rural areas and they support their communities. Therefore, it was a concern to me about how they would respond to this. They said that what they had seen so far, they agreed that this agreement would work for them.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time today with the hon. member for Brampton East.

As this is the first time I am rising in the House, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the people of Ottawa West—Nepean for placing their confidence and trust in me to be their representative. I will continue to listen to the views of all the residents in Ottawa West—Nepean and to bring their ideas into the decision-making process in the House.

I would also like to thank my family, whose support and encouragement made it possible for me to be here: my parents, Herman and Maria Vandenbeld, who immigrated from the Netherlands to start a new life in Canada, as so many others have; my sister, Melinda; my loving husband, Don Dransfield, and my stepdaughter Courtney, who are here watching me today.

I would like to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on the assumption of your role in the chair, and I congratulate all the hon. members for their election, especially the 196 other hon. members who, like me, are newly elected. I look forward to working with all members, from all sides of the House, to bring a fresh perspective and will work hard to improve the lives of Canadians.

Today, I would like to touch on a few highlights from the Speech from the Throne that matter to the people of Ottawa West—Nepean.

First, I would like to speak to our government's commitment to more open, transparent, and inclusive government. We have committed to making every vote count and consulting broadly with Canadians so that 2015 will be the last election using the anachronistic first past the post electoral system.

However, this is not the end of it. We will also ensure that hon. members are able to be more effective once we are elected to this place. Through more free votes, strengthening committees, and ending the use of omnibus bills and prorogation, we will promote more dialogue and debate, which will lead to better policy-making.

A democratic country's greatest assets are its people, its ideas, its knowledge and its experience. We will respect and listen to public servants, scientists, diplomats, and all Canadians.

I am proud to represent many public servants in my constituency. The Speech from the Throne commits to more open, transparent and collaborative government. We will respect the independence and professionalism of public servants and listen to scientists, experts, stakeholders, and all those affected by government policy when making decisions. We will base our decisions on evidence and facts and we will govern for all Canadians.

I represent a riding that is incredibly diverse. One in three residents was not born in Canada. We have many seniors. Over 10% of the population is over the age of 65. There is also a growing number of young families with children. There is a large income disparity, with some of the richest and poorest neighbourhoods in the country. It is a vibrant and welcoming community where people understand that if our neighbours do well, we all do well. That is why I am proud of the commitments in the Speech from the Throne to cut taxes to the middle class, to enhance the Canada pension plan to provide seniors with a more secure retirement, and to strengthen the employment insurance system.

The investments that our government will make in social infrastructure, green technology, and growing the economy will help to close the gap between the rich and the poor and ensure that every Canadian has an equal chance to succeed.

I am especially pleased with our commitment to creating more opportunities for young Canadians and providing a new Canada child benefit that would raise over 315,000 children out of poverty.

My parents are immigrants. They came here from the Netherlands in the 1960s. My sister and I had the opportunity to succeed, to go to university, and to find good jobs. I want every child in Canada to have the same opportunities for success that I did.

Canada has always been a welcoming country. People have come here from all over the world to seek peace, prosperity, and to make their homes here. Those who were born here, whose ancestors were here, have always welcomed the newcomers. We have built bridges and sought to understand one another. This is even more important in difficult times. This is the reason that Canada is strong.

I am proud of our government's commitment to more inclusivity, to gender parity, to welcoming refugees and supporting family reunification of immigrants, and to real reconciliation with first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

I am proud that the cabinet has 50% women and men, but we need to do more.

Too many women face violence in Canada simply because they are women. The fact that over 1,200 aboriginal women and girls are missing or murdered is a stain on our national fabric. That is why I am pleased that our government announced a national public inquiry. However, that is only the first step. We have a long way to go to achieve full gender parity in Canada. I am encouraged by the recent remarks made by the new Minister of Status of Women regarding improvements to the material well-being of women and children.

Just as Canada is committed to human rights and equality at home, we will be renewing our commitment to the most vulnerable in the world. The Speech from the Throne refers to development assistance to the world's poorest people, and a renewed commitment to the peacekeeping operations of the United Nations.

As a civilian who has taken part in such peacekeeping operations, I know first hand how vital a role Canada can play in conflict prevention, post-conflict reconstruction, and support for both military and civilian peacekeeping operations. I especially look forward to Canada being a global champion for the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which states that women must be involved in all stages of peace negotiations and peacekeeping efforts.

We must also remember that early and rapid intervention can often prevent conflicts from escalating and that Canada is in an ideal position to invest in democratic governance institutions in failed and fragile states. We have much work ahead of us to rebuild our international development and aid mechanisms, but such challenges also provide opportunity for innovative thinking and for building on other successful global models.

Having worked for agencies of the United Nations for many years, I was heartened last week to see that the UNHCR referred to Canada as an international model with respect to the resettlement of Syrian refugees. Like many Canadians, I am proud that we will be taking in 25,000 Syrian refugees by February. However, I am more overwhelmed by the generosity and goodness of the people of Ottawa West—Nepean who have been coming to me in large numbers asking how they can help. I was especially moved by how many established immigrant groups were reaching out to help the new arrivals. It is this kind of community spirit that makes Canada one of the most remarkable and unique countries in the world. It is this coming together of Canadians toward a single goal that makes the impossible possible. When I see the outpouring of support by ordinary people to help those in need, I have never been more proud to be a Canadian.

Canada is once again taking a leadership role in the world. Climate change is probably the key issue on which our children and grandchildren will judge us. I am encouraged by the leadership role that our Prime Minister and minister have taken at the talks in Paris, and by the commitment in the Speech from the Throne to invest in clean technology and reduce carbon pollution. Canada really is back.

In this, my first speech in Parliament, I wish to put on the record the reasons that I am here and for whom I plan to work during the coming years.

I am here for Flaminia, a 12-year old girl whose parents fled the Congo as refugees seeking a new life in Canada. She is growing up in public housing in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in my riding as one of six children in her family. She is among 14% of my constituents for whom French is their first language. Flaminia wants to be a journalist when she grows up. I want to make sure that is possible for her.

I am here for Vesna. She is 79 years old and still looking after her 55-year old autistic son who has been on a waiting list for housing for 15 years. I want to ensure that our investments in social infrastructure will help her to know that her son will be able to live independently once she is no longer able to care for him.

I am here for Roland. He is an engineer who lost his job at Nortel and has been working part time as a French instructor.

I want every Canadian to have the opportunity to use their skills and contribute fully to our economy.

I have many more such stories. However, my time today is short.

I am optimistic that this 42nd Parliament will work collaboratively to listen to Canadians and build on the commitments in the Speech from the Throne to improve our communities and our country.

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it is good to see you back in the chair.

I listened with interest to my hon. friend's questions. I have been hearing this theme from more than one Liberal member of Parliament, in their hostility—perhaps that is too strong a word—to the first-past-the-post system and their argument that it was clearly stated in the election campaign.

Interestingly enough, the Liberal candidate in my riding did not advertise that, nor were there any communications about that issue in the entire campaign. Perhaps it was different in the rest of the country.

As has been pointed out before, this is a major fundamental change the Liberals are proposing, whether it be a proportional system, a ranked ballot, etc. Would the hon. member be open to having a referendum on the major changes they are proposing once we have done the entirety of the study? If not, why not, for something this major and substantive?

Looking back, we have had a history of doing referendums and consulting the people. Would the Liberals be open to consulting the people about a major change to Canada's electoral system?

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the reason our government is committed to consulting with Canadians regarding the kind of electoral system they would choose.

The first-past-the-post system, if we look around the world, is never used as a best practice internationally. In fact, the bottom 10 countries globally that have the lowest number of women elected are all first-past-the-post systems.

During the election campaign, I met many people who felt that, with the current system, they could not vote for their first choice, because they wanted to vote strategically.

I believe that people should have more choice in voting, not less. People should have the opportunity to vote for who they want. This is precisely why we are going to start by consulting Canadians and making sure we have broad consultation on the electoral system that Canadians will choose for themselves.

[Arnold Chan, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to congratulate the new member for Ottawa West—Nepean. I want to welcome her to the House and let her know that she is filling some very big shoes, given who the previous member was for Ottawa West—Nepean. I want to pay tribute to the hon. John Baird for his tremendous service in this House. I know that the present member will make the same kind of contribution as the previous member did.

In looking at the biography of the hon. member, I see she has been an expert in the area of international development. I would like her thoughts on what would be the necessary investment or things that we need to do to rehabilitate Canada's role internationally, particularly in the area of international development.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for that question and for his kind words about me and my predecessor. I would also like to pay tribute to other predecessors in this role: Marlene Catterall, David Daubney, and many others whose shoes I plan to fill.

With regard to international development, I believe that we have an opportunity now to look at global best practices and what other countries are doing, both in terms of how we structure our aid mechanisms and also in terms of where Canada can provide the best expertise, whether that be geographic or in particular areas such as governance.

We have an opportunity, particularly because we have changed the model recently, to make sure that Canada is helping the world's most vulnerable but also preventing conflict in the first place and working with failed and fragile states. That is something our government is committed to.

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate you on your new position, which is actually not all that new to you, since you have already worked in that capacity.

I would like to know what my colleague thinks about this. In the throne speech, the Liberal government talks a lot about helping families, but there is no mention of how it is going to help families get universal access to affordable day care. That would help many women enter the labour market, something that is not always easy, even in 2015. It could also help young women to get involved in politics, for example.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud that the Canada child benefit will help nine out of ten families and will raise over 300,000 children out of poverty.

In addition, in the infrastructure funding we will be providing money for social infrastructure, which will also include things like housing, child care, and other things. All families, including families with children, will benefit from our middle-class tax cut.