Debates of Feb. 13th, 2018

Fisheries Act

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I will comment on what we found as fact when we started to look at the proposed changes. I am not denying that Canadians are concerned with fisheries and the protection of them and fish habitat. I gave the government full opportunity to prove what was being said and the members could not. There was no proof of loss of harm. It was a campaign stunt that worked. I give the Liberals credit for that, but that was all it was, a campaign issue. No proof of lost protection has ever been presented to me when I asked an Order Paper question or to the committee when we asked the question multiple times of multiple witnesses. When they were questioned, they were not able to provide any proof of loss of protection.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with my hon. colleague from Winnipeg North.

For countless generations, our fisheries have been an indelible part of a rural and coastal life, including in certain indigenous communities, and in my community of South Shore—St. Margarets. However, changes to the Fisheries Act in 2012 and 2013 weakened the government's ability to protect fish and the habitat they depend on. Today, I am proud to support amendments to the act that, together, would restore lost protections and incorporate modern safeguards into legislation.

The proposed amendments are part of the government's broader view of environmental and regulatory processes that cover several key areas. For my part, I would like to address proposed changes to restore our ability to protect fish and fish habitat.

As a member of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, we heard time and again that habitat had to be protected. Therefore, let me begin by providing some context into why these changes are so important.

Our fisheries sector and recreational fishing provides jobs for 72,000 Canadians, who help add $13 billion to our economy every year. Moreover, we respect and recognize the fishing rights of the indigenous peoples of Canada. Fisheries also contribute to the food security of coastal communities on all three coasts, as well as in freshwater areas.

However, the sustainability of our fisheries is under threat from various forces. One key threat is the degradation of fish habitat. Developments near water, for example, can disturb the ground and lead to erosion or increased sediment in water. This, in turn, can affect a myriad of things that support our aquatic food chains, including water chemistry, spawning beds, and vegetation that fish depend on for survival. Other threats include building dams and stream crossings, and extracting water. These activities, if not planned carefully, can alter the flow of water in a stream, lake, or river. This, too, can affect habitat or cause the death of fish.

More than 40 years ago, Parliament recognized these threats and acted. Parliament amended the Fisheries Act in 1977 to include protection for fish and fish habitat, and not just those connected to commercial, recreational, and aboriginal fisheries. In 1977, the amendments made had the foresight to protect all fish and fish habitat. Other amendments protected fish against the death of fish by means other than fishing.

Unfortunately, these sensible protections were undermined by omnibus bills introduced in 2012 and 2013. In addition, a reduced capacity at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans affected the department's ability to do its job properly. Put together, the results were much weaker protection for fish and their habitat.

Canadians, including indigenous peoples, industry, and environmental groups, told us they were concerned about these changes and how they were made. This government promised to review the changes made previously, restore lost protections, and introduce modern safeguards into the Fisheries Act. With the amendments to the act proposed today, that is exactly what we are doing.

Let me recap how we have arrived today with the bill before the House.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans plays a significant role in the protection of our fisheries. It does this, in part, by assessing infrastructure and development projects that could affect our fishery resources. Indeed, over the next decade, the department expects to review some $600 billion in development proposals. For that reason, as part of the government's review of environmental and regulatory processes, we committed to examining changes made to the Fisheries Act in 2012 and 2013.

In 2016, as members may recall, the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans reviewed the impact of those controversial changes. In addition, the department consulted extensively with Canadians across the country, both face-to-face and online. Throughout that process, we paid particular attention to indigenous peoples. In total, we held more than 170 meetings with indigenous groups, and we will continue to engage with them as the bill moves forward.

In addition to input from the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans and indigenous groups, the bill is informed by expert reports and consultations with the provinces and territories, industry, environmental groups, and other stakeholders, as well as individual Canadians. Previous recommendations from the Auditor General of Canada were also considered.

Throughout this process, the message was clear. Canada needs to restore the strong habitat protection measures that were in place until 2012. I want to assure the House that the government has heard this message. Today, we are acting to restore lost protections and introduce modern safeguards that will help ensure future generations can benefit from the fishery.

Let me summarize some of the specific changes that are proposed.

The new and amended act would restore protections for all fish and fish habitats, rather than only giving protection to fish that would be part of commercial, recreational and aboriginal fisheries. It would restore provisions that prohibited harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat. It would restore a prohibition against causing the death of fish by means other than fishing. It would provide the authority to develop new tools to allow flexibility for how the department would regulates projects, which includes tools to manage large-scale activities, activities in ecologically significant areas, and smaller routine development activities. Furthermore, it would improve transparency through an online registry that would release information on project decisions to the public.

These and other proposed amendments will strengthen the legal foundation for effective management of fish and their habitat by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

More than four decades ago, the House passed legislation that, in hindsight, was visionary. Long before the expression “sustainable development” was commonplace, our predecessors acted to protect all fish and their habitat. Six years ago, however, we lost those protections, which has put social, environmental, economic, and cultural values at risk.

With the bill before the House today, we have an opportunity to restore what was lost. For the sake of much-needed protections to fish and their habitat, as well as the integrity of the House, I encourage all hon. members to join me in supporting the bill, for now and for future generations that will benefit from a sustainable fisheries.

[Ken McDonald, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for the work she does sitting beside me on the fisheries and oceans committee, and for representing the people of Nova Scotia well.

I know she was here when the last speaker said there was no evidence given for lost protections and that no one could answer the question. I think she might say they did not give the witnesses a chance to answer the questions because most times the members cut them off. Could she speak to the value of the information we heard from the witnesses in bringing the bill forward?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his work on the fisheries and oceans committee. He is right. We heard countless testimony from a number of groups about the problems caused by the elimination of the protections for fish and fish habitat. We heard from environmental groups. We heard from fishery groups. We heard from community groups.

Perhaps one of the reasons why my hon. colleague from across the way said there was no proof was because the Conservatives cut the scientists and closed the offices, which meant there was no enforcement. Therefore, it was really hard to collect the data that was needed to ensure we were going forward in the right direction.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked about the need to make changes to reflect what the Conservative government did six years ago when it deregulated the industry and removed the protections we needed for future generations. Could she expand on what she sees as the real strength to this, not just for the present but for future generations, our children, their grandchildren, and so on?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, when the protections to fish and fish habitat were eliminated in the omnibus bills in 2012 and 2013, the previous government used a sledgehammer when it could have used tweezers. There were problems with the act. There is no question there were problems with the agricultural communities that had to deal with drainage ditches and the protection of fish. However, those could have been addressed in a much simpler fashion.

The new legislation and the new codes of practice will allow people to know the guidelines in advance. It is a more streamlined process. It will be a much easier process for everyone, recognizing we had a good fishery before 2012. With these changes, we will have a good fishery for all future generations.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague from South Shore—St. Margarets has also championed another bill we are working on in the House right now, Bill C-64, which deals with derelict vessels, and I thank her for that.

She happened to mention that we had a good fishery in 2012 and we will have a good fishery again. I think of the historical nature of the Fisheries Act, which came into being in 1868. Let us consider what we have lost. We had an abundant fishery, when we consider the Atlantic coast and the great Newfoundland cod fishery, which maintained communities in Newfoundland and Labrador and much of Atlantic Canada for generations. By the early 1990s, that fishery was destroyed.

Rebuilding fisheries is one of the things I am pleased about with respect to this legislation. It changed the focus to restoration of fisheries. I wonder if the hon. member has any comments on that aspect.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for her advocacy on behalf of our fisheries. We recognize that they sustain so many of our coastal communities.

My colleague is right. This legislation is not just about protecting fish and fish habitat. It is about growing fish habitat and making sure that it is sustainable in the long term. We need to make sure that we do not just sustain our fishery but have an abundance in our fishery, and this legislation would go a long way toward making sure that this happens.

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

Mr. Speaker, what a pleasure it is to rise and speak to this very important piece of legislation. I am going to talk about the commitment the government made to the fishing industry as a whole, about why this is such valuable legislation, and maybe even a bit about the process.

I believe that the minister and his staff have done a fantastic job in presenting the House with legislation that I would have thought all members would be supporting. It was a very thorough process. In 2016, the minister responsible asked the standing committee to review some changes brought in through the back door of a budget bill when Stephen Harper was prime minister, back in 2012. I sat in opposition during that period of time.

There were a number of changes to 70 different pieces of legislation, this being one of them. What we found was that the changes to the fisheries were quite negative. The reaction of different stakeholders and Canadians as a whole was one of disappointment. They wanted to know, first, why the government was making those changes, because it was generally felt that they were not in the best interest of the industry as a whole, and second, why the government decided to make those changes through the back door in a piece of budget legislation, when they had absolutely nothing to do with the budget.

From what I understand, the current minister asked the standing committee to review the 2012 approach of changing the legislation and to come up with some recommendations. There were over two dozen recommendations brought forward by the standing committee. The minister did not leave it at that. There were two sessions of online communications to the public as a whole. There were well over 100 different meetings with different stakeholders, always with special attention to indigenous people, especially on matters such as this.

The minister has been very thorough in terms of ensuring that what we have today is good, sound, well-supported legislation. I would challenge my Conservative friends across the way to rethink some of their positions on this piece of legislation. Not only does it address many of the problems created by the 2012 budget, but it also advances the whole framework of why we have this legislation, which I believe is really important.

It is all about proper management, control of the fisheries, and conservation and protection of fish and fish habitat. From my perspective, that is what the legislation is all about. The changes advanced by the minister are a positive reflection of what Canadians and stakeholders have said to the government over the last year and a half, in terms of trying to better understand the types of changes that are necessary.

The other piece of good news is that two promises, two commitments made to Canadians in the last election would be kept by the passage of this legislation. One of them was in regard to the 2012 budget. We made a commitment back then to make those changes, and this legislation does just that. At the same time, the Prime Minister made a commitment that we would bring forward legislation that would further expand the issue of fish and the protection of fish and fish habitat. Once again, that is something that is done in this legislation.

In going through the bill, there is one area I want to emphasize. From my perspective, it captures the essence of what the legislation would really do. It would:

provide measures for the protection of fish and fish habitat with respect to works, undertakings or activities that may result in the death of fish or the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat, including in ecologically significant areas, as well as measures relating to the modernization of the regulatory framework such as authorization of projects, establishment of standards and codes of practice, creation of fish habitat banks by a proponent of a project and establishment of a public registry;

That captures a lot of what this legislation is attempting to do. I would reflect on the legislation as a whole, and we have heard others comment on it. The fishing industry in Canada contributes in many different ways. One could look at it from a heritage perspective, whether it is the Inuit or indigenous people as a whole, and the meaning behind fishing as an industry or a lifestyle in the many different coastal regions.

We have heard from many members of Parliament from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. We understand and appreciate our northern coast, and let us not forget our inland fishing industry. We have had members stand up and provide comment on that issue as well.

In many ways, we are talking about tens of thousands of direct, good-quality, middle-class jobs. These jobs have been there in the past, and if we manage this wonderful, valuable resource, they will continue to be there into the future. If we continue to look at ways in which we can do better, have a greener economy, and incorporate different forms of technology, I believe we can increase the overall economic impact of our fishing industry.

Over the years, Canadians have benefited both socially and economically. Is it too much to ask of legislators to look at what took place 40 years ago, which was referred to earlier? One could look at many of the environmental terms we use today or the idea of sustainable development. One could look at the fishing industry and some of the legislation that was first brought in dealing with environmental types of issues. This is one of the areas of debate that have occurred for decades inside the House of Commons.

There is nothing wrong with the Government of Canada making a statement through this legislation to recognize the importance of fish habitat and empower the minister, whoever he or she may be, whether today or in the future, to better protect fish habitat. I would suggest that this is very progressive in its nature as legislation.

I am pleased to hear the comments thus far from the leader of the Green Party and from the New Democrats. Both parties seem to support the legislation. I am not perfectly clear on how the Conservatives will be voting, but I get the sense that they are not going to be supporting it. Maybe during questions and answers we might get some clarification on that. If the Conservatives want to be in touch with what Canadians really think is important on issues such as this, they would be better off to appreciate that the preservation or promotion of fish habitat, looking after it not only for today but for tomorrow, is a positive thing.

The Conservatives should be onside with the government on this. What the government is saying, through the many members of Parliament who have spoken whether it is here or in caucus, is that this is good legislation. It is all about the preservation or our fish and fish habitat. That is a good thing.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I see that the intent of this bill is to enhance Canada's fish stocks and avoid unnecessary negative impacts to industries that rely on access to water, but one thing I do not see in this bill that I would have liked to see is some protection for the industries that depend on access to water.

Members may be aware that in my riding, the Coast Guard did not shut down the shipping channel and as a result of its escorting tankers, ice floes crushed the border crossing. I have been unable to get anyone on the government side to act to reopen the border. Industries on both sides that need access to that waterway are being impacted. I did not see anything in the bill that might address that. I wonder if the parliamentary secretary could comment.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to be sensitive to the question, but I do not know the specific background to that issue. However, I can say that the government has brought forward legislation which, as a whole, is being very well received by all of the different stakeholders and Canadians. The government has also reinforced it by providing a substantial amount of money. We are talking about a quarter of a billion dollars, hundreds of millions of dollars. Not only are we creating good, solid legislation to support the industry, but we are also ensuring that the financial resources will be available to enforce and protect.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons will have three minutes and 30 seconds remaining in questions and comments when the House next resumes debate on this bill.

Canadian Olympic Athletes

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate all our Canadian athletes who are participating in the Olympics. I am so proud that we have three Hamiltonians representing us: Laura Fortino, Sarah Nurse, and Nick Poloniato.

Nick was a standout football player who suffered a broken leg, but he did not let that crush his love for sport. He found the bobsled. Then there is Sarah Nurse. Sarah, at the age of five, dreamed of playing on the Canadian women's hockey team, and today that dream has been realized. Then we have Laura Fortino. Laura Fortino's discipline and commitment are second to none. She is a true role model for all. We will never forget the 2014 Sochi games when she assisted in that overtime goal that brought home the gold for the Canadian women's hockey team.

I want to congratulate all athletes and their families on a job very well done. We are going to be cheering them on from here. Go Canada go.

Poverty Reduction

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, It is my privilege to highlight the vigorous leadership of the community of Medicine Hat on helping those in need. Thrive is a Medicine Hat and region strategy to end poverty and increase well-being by 2030. Together as a community we are building access to resources and services to assist those in need with such things as food and income security, transportation access, and housing.

As evidenced by our community's approach on ending homelessness, Medicine Hat is known for using innovation to address social issues. For example, Thrive launched Help Seeker, an app that is dedicated to connecting those in need with services near them in real time. Thrive is bringing the community together by removing barriers to access services that will not only lift people out of poverty, but will prevent them from falling into it in the first place. The best part is there is no values test required for this program, as anyone in need qualifies.

I salute our great community leaders whose hard work brought Thrive into focus to ensure everyone in southern Alberta is better off by addressing poverty and increasing well-being.

Bibi Nasib Kaur

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to express my feelings regarding a woman who inspired me to be strong and never let adversity hold me back.

One month ago, I lost a very special person in my life, my grandmother, Bibi Nasib Kaur, who was born in 1919.

I would like to pay tribute to her in the presence of my colleagues because one of the proudest moments in her life was when I became an MP. She could not believe it. She was born and grew up in an era when women could not find work outside the home, let alone become parliamentarians.

It is rare these days to still see people born in that year, but Bibi Nasib Kaur was a very strong woman, both mentally and physically. She lived through very difficult times. She saw the world change, but no matter what she had to face, she remained unwavering. She was afraid of no one and refused to be intimidated. She would not let herself get pushed around, and she would not be taught how to think or act.

Especially today, when women are carving the way for equality, she is inspirational. I will miss my Bibi.

Lunar New Year

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's rich multicultural mosaic has brought us vibrant cultural celebrations from every corner of the globe. In the world today, over 1.5 billion people celebrate the lunar new year. This year, 2018, is the year of the dog. With the faces of the world spread across Canada, many Canadians are celebrating the lunar new year with colourful cultural performances, meaningful practices, and delicious food in their own communities.

I was delighted to attend a number of fabulous lunar new year events in metro Toronto. The leader of the NDP, Jagmeet Singh, also joined in the celebration.

In Vancouver East, community leaders have organized the 45th annual Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Parade, which will be held on February 18. It will feature traditional lion dancing, multicultural dance troupes, marching bands, martial arts performances, and indigenous drummers.

Together let us all celebrate our families, our heritage, and our diversity.

Gong Hey Fat Choy. Gong Xi Gong XI.

Reesor Siding Strike

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, February 10, 2018, marked the 55th anniversary of the terrible tragedy that happened in a community not too far from my hometown of Kapuskasing called Reesor Siding. Eleven union workers were shot during the Reesor Siding strike of 1963, and three of them lost their lives during a confrontation which happened that very night.

The 1963 Reesor Siding strike was one of the most significant and tragic labour disputes in the history of Canada. The strike by lumber and sawmill workers at the Spruce Falls Power and Paper Company tore apart the communities in the region.

I invite all members of the House to learn more about this strike, but mostly, I invite my colleagues to remember the tragedy that happened and to remember Fernand Drouin, and brothers Irenée and Joseph Fortier, who lost their lives while fighting for better working conditions.

Even after half a century, it is regrettable that health and safety in some workplaces in Canada remain an aspiration rather than a reality.

Lunar New Year

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure and honour that I extend greetings to my House colleagues and Canadians from coast to coast to coast on the occasion of the lunar new year at the end of this week. It is the tradition of Canadians with Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese heritage to celebrate this wondrous occasion, and I invite all Canadians to celebrate together.

This lunar new year is the year of the dog, an animal that is renowned for its loyalty, honesty, and justness, qualities that I strive to achieve every day in representing the people of Richmond Centre. I encourage all members of the House to reflect upon those very important traits of the dog in the service of their communities and their constituents in the year ahead.

On behalf of my beautiful riding of Richmond Centre, I wish each and every Canadian a happy lunar new year.

Gong Hey Fat Choy.

Black History Month

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Black History Month provides members of Parliament with the opportunity to thank some of our most remarkable community leaders. They are people like Pat Moore.

Pat has been helping people in the Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park communities for decades. People in my riding know Pat has been a tireless supporter of women, children, and youth services. She has been a staunch advocate for programming for women who have experienced physical and emotional abuse, and has been a leader in efforts to financially empower women.

Pat also remains a key leader in the co-operative housing movement in Toronto. She is vice-president of the Thorncliffe Park Tenants Association, advocating for residents. For more than 30 years, she has worked with TNO, the Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office in Thorncliffe Park.

Of course, there are days that when I see her coming, I get a little nervous knowing she will have work for me to do. However, she always stands out as a figure whose commitment and dedication to our community are worthy of championing during Black History Month.

I thank Pat for all she has done, and all she continues to contribute to Don Valley West.

Doris McLean

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to pay tribute on the passing of Yukon elder Doris McLean, who was a great mentor to me when I was president of the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre.

McLean was a pioneer in indigenous self-government and the revitalization of first nation language and culture. As chief of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation from 1988 to 1992, she helped to finalize Yukon's Umbrella Final Agreement modern treaty in 1990, giving her people self-government.

In the 1970s, she established the Skookum Jim/Keish Tlingit Dancers, which would eventually evolve into the nationally celebrated Dakhká Khwáan Dancers. She would serve as the group's founding elder. Her daughter Marilyn Jensen is one of its most prominent members.

Throughout her career of service, she would also serve as the first Canadian female indigenous sergeant-at-arms for the Yukon Legislative Assembly.

Doris McLean's wisdom, storytelling, and sense of humour will be missed by us all.

Kwänaschis.

Canada Summer Jobs Program

[Mark Warawa, Conservative, Langley—Aldergrove, BC]

Mr. Speaker, constituents in my riding were shocked that the Prime Minister bullied them. He bullied organizations and businesses that use Canada summer jobs funding to hire Canadian students. He told funding applicants that they had to sign his new attestation form confirming that their core values were his core values.

The Prime Minister's decision to force his values test on Canadians is inappropriate and wrong. It is an attack on our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and it is already hurting Canadian communities. Roughly half the applicants from my riding of Langley—Aldergrove were impacted by this heavy-handed decision. This summer, students will not get the jobs they were counting on to help pay for their tuition. The homeless will not get the help they need. The disabled and seniors will not get the help they need. The environment will not get the help it needs.

This new values test is hurting Canada. The Prime Minister needs to apologize and stop his intolerant discrimination.

Fisheries

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in my riding, fishing is one of our most important industries. Our tasty cold-water fish can be found on the plates of happy consumers around the world.

Cape Breton's fishing communities are very happy with the trade agreements our government is working hard on to reduce duties on our international fish exports, making these products more affordable to all and putting more money in our fishers' pockets.

Another good news story for our fisheries I would like to state in the House is the recent announcement the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard made last week in Vancouver. The minister's amendments to the Fisheries Act protect our much valued fish habitats, have more indigenous involvement, and most importantly, maintain the fabric of our communities by keeping the fishing enterprises family owned and operated.

I would like to welcome to Ottawa today fisheries representatives from the Atlantic region and Gaspé area, including John Couture of Cape Breton, and his delegation, to discuss these positive changes to this very important industry.

Bike Race Across Lac Saint-Jean

[Richard Hébert, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Lac Saint-Jean bike race will be held from February 15 to 17. This event, a finalist in the 2017 Canadian Tourism Awards, is a way for many of my constituents and tourists to discover the beauty of Lac Saint-Jean in the winter by bicycling a 32 kilometre snowy ice trail.

This event boosts the region's tourism and economy. I would like to thank everyone involved in organizing it, directly or indirectly. Good luck to all the adventurers from around the world who will be participating in this unique event.

Chris Stockwell

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week, we lost former Ontario MPP Chris Stockwell. Stockwell was always feisty, colourful, and determined.

As a municipal councillor in Etobicoke, as a Progressive Conservative MPP, as a provincial cabinet minister, Chris Stockwell was truly one of a kind. He even did a stint as the speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in what some saw as a somewhat ironic turn, but it meant that the workload for the speaker was a little bit lighter. He was a maverick and a rebel.

Throughout his career in serving the public, Stockwell's fierce independence was on full display, and he became well known for his penchant for performance and irreverent sense of humour. Chris was a personality. His booming voice and character filled any room. We always knew if Chris was there.

Stockwell always believed in speaking his mind and fighting for what he believed. For this, he garnered the respect of friends and opponents alike. His contribution to our province will be long remembered, as will his fierce determination and character.

Arts Council of Surrey

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

Mr. Speaker, for over 50 years, the Arts Council of Surrey has given local artists a platform and opportunity to showcase their skills and abilities.

At my constituency office in Surrey—Newton, I am proud to display amazing drawings and paintings by local residents. Their talent and commitment in promoting culture represents Surrey at its best and I am proud to showcase their works to the hundreds of constituents that visit my office every week.

I thank the Arts Council of Surrey for continuing to promote literary, visual, and performing arts in our community of Surrey.