Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform you that I will be sharing my time with the member of Parliament for Peterborough—Kawartha.
I would like to begin by congratulating you, Mr. Speaker, on your appointment as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. I would also like to offer my sincere congratulations to my colleagues on their election.
It is a great honour and privilege for me to take the floor of the House of Commons for the first time to represent the riding of Nickel Belt. I thank the constituents of Nickel Belt and greater Sudbury for their support. I would like to acknowledge the unconditional support that I have received from my wife, my children, my parents, my family, my friends, and the many volunteers who supported me.
Born and raised in Nickel Belt, I understand the challenges and opportunities of small rural communities, and I believe in the people of Nickel Belt, Northern Ontario. I come from a family of public servants. My father and my uncle both served as MPs in this distinguished House. As a business person and community advocate for people with disabilities, I have a passion for enhancing the quality of life in all my surroundings.
Since I was elected, I have had the opportunity to travel the roads of the big, beautiful riding of Nickel Belt, which covers 30,000 km. I am proud of the priorities announced by my government in the throne speech.
As chair of the Northern Ontario Liberal caucus, I look forward to working with my colleagues to address priorities and issues all over northern Ontario. My caucus will have an active role in supporting and advocating the government's agenda on many fronts.
It has been a pleasure to have already met with the 6 mayors and over 20 councillors, as well as first nations chiefs, and many community and business leaders all across my riding. A few of the priorities have been identified.
Infrastructure investment is much-needed in northern Ontario to attract private sector investment in the future. Small municipalities like West Nipissing, French River, Markstay-Warren, Killarney, and organized townships like Gogama and Cartier struggle with funding, engineering reports, and development proposals.
The Greater Sudbury municipality has shovel-ready projects like the Maley Drive extension, with provincial and municipal funding. Widening to four lanes is important on Municipal Road 35 from Azilda and Chelmsford. I look forward to advocating for these projects.
In addition, we need to look at widening Highway 144 to Timmins to four lanes. We also need to look at the Trans-Canada Highway between North Bay and Thunder Bay.
Regarding some of the priorities on social housing investment, I have already met with several community and business partners that have shovel-ready projects and are ready today to invest millions in our economy to create seniors, affordable, and social housing complexes in partnership with our local municipalities. These projects are in Chelmsford, Valley East, Capreol and West Nipissing, and are ready to meet the needs of an aging population.
On broadband Internet, we need to ensure that most Canadians have access to quality high speed Internet. Rural municipalities across Canada and northern Ontario need to be part of an expanded fibre optic network. The survival of rural Canada depends on infrastructure investment in high speed fibre optics.
I will work closely with the dedicated staff of FedNor and local development agencies. I was part of 12 chambers of commerce across Ontario in my previous employment. We need to strengthen investments already made in northern Ontario by FedNor. We need to look at expanding FedNor's role in broadband, innovation, and research investment in order to position northern Ontario and Canada as a world leader in the mining and supply services sector.
The Canadian mining industry is a major employer. Approximately 380,000 people across Canada work in mining. Mining is the largest private sector employer of aboriginal people in Canada on a proportional basis. Canada has one of the largest mining supply sectors globally, with more than 3,400 companies. It enjoys the highest wages in all industrial sectors in Canada, with average annual pay exceeding $110,000.
As an economic engine, according to statistics from 2013, mining contributed $54 billion to Canada's gross domestic product. The industry accounts for nearly 20% of the value of Canadian goods and exports. Canada's value of mineral production is nearly $43 billion.
My colleague, the member of Parliament for Sudbury, and I visited the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation or CEMI, the Vale Living with Lakes Centre, NORCAT, MIRARCO, and Laurentian University, Collège Boréal, and Cambrian College, which are prime examples of the endless possibilities when investing in research and innovative technologies. I have also visited the Blue Sky Agency with my colleague from Nipissing—Timiskaming to look at the possibility of having more broadband across our ridings in northern Ontario.
We are committed to restoring the dialogue with our first nation communities. This is an important matter that I intend to be devoted to as a proud citizen of the Mattawa/North Bay Algonquin First Nation community, where Parliament is located. In the riding of Nickel Belt, I am developing a strong relationship with our first nation chiefs in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, Mattagami, and Wahnapitae first nations.
I have also had the privilege of welcoming families of Syrian refugees in the Greater Sudbury Airport. The community support is incredible. Our Prime Minister has provided leadership. The families are sponsored by St. Andrew's church and the Catholic Capreol-Valley Refugee Sponsorship Group. The efforts of many other groups, such as West Nipissing's Neighbours Without Borders, continue in the hopes of welcoming more Syrian families.
We also need to reinstate a federal immigration office in Sudbury. I assure members that northern Ontario will embrace more immigration to support our communities and meet the staffing needs of the local business community.
Let us not forget our veterans, which our government has committed to take care of, and offer the services they deserve. I am proud to have 11 Royal Canadian Legion branches in Nickel Belt and Greater Sudbury. We urgently need to invest in our veterans and utilize this opportunity to ensure that we deliver PTSD services that are world class.
What sets the riding of Nickel Belt and Greater Sudbury apart is that it is made up of many small but unique communities, most of them rural, each with its own beauty and charm. The riding is also home to over 300 lakes. It is really something.
I have met people from every community, and they shared their concerns and priorities with me. They have been heard, and I intend to focus my attention on issues that are close to my heart, such as the mining industry, science and technology, improved Internet access in the community, and infrastructure needs.
Our government intends to support CBC/Radio-Canada, which plays a key role in the development and growth of our communities. In 1970, my father presented a petition, here in House, signed by 20,000 people, to establish a CBC/Radio-Canada television station in Sudbury, northern Ontario. We need to continue our efforts and encourage the promotion and use of Canada's official languages. Linguistic duality is an asset for all Canadians.
I am proud of the great work that is being done by many cultural organizations, such as the Café-Heritage in Chelmsford and the Ontario Arts Council, as well as many others, particularly when it comes to the 400th anniversary celebrations of the French presence in Ontario. This reminds us that it is our responsibility to build a safe society in which all artists can flourish and develop their diversity, knowledge and determination.
I am a team player. Therefore, I understand the importance of knowing the needs, the dreams, aspirations, and expectations of my colleagues and the constituents of Nickle Belt and Greater Sudbury. I am thankful for this opportunity and I look forward to working with all members.