Debates of April 23rd, 2018

Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to speak to Bill C-74 and budget 2018 today. This plan will help increase growth in urban communities in Pontiac and our rural communities, and will make them more prosperous. I feel engaged and inspired by the potential to make our country more equal for Canadian men and women. I am very proud of our government and this bill. This plan is based on the principles of growth, reconciliation, advancement, and equality. I would like to talk about some of budget's many initiatives that are particularly important to Pontiac.

I want to start with the assistance that workers will receive through the Canada workers benefit. There are many low-income workers in the riding of Pontiac, especially in the rural areas, but also in our communities in Gatineau. For example, in 2014, the average salary in the RMC of Pontiac was $32,556 per year. In the RMC of la Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, the average yearly salary was $28,603. Some people in our riding are really struggling. The Gatineau valley has the highest level of low-income families, at 14.4%.

I was so pleased when I saw that the government introduced in the budget the Canada workers benefit, which will take effect in 2019. Thanks to this benefit, low-income workers who earn $15,000 a year will have nearly $500 more in their pockets. That is important for the people in my riding of Pontiac. The Canada Revenue Agency will automatically establish eligibility, which will ensure that 300,000 additional low-income workers receive the Canada workers benefit.

Seasonal workers are another important issue. In Pontiac, many people work in the outfitting, forestry, and ecotourism sectors. Many municipal officials in the Pontiac area approached me about the shortcomings they have seen in the employment insurance system. I am thinking in particular of the mayor of Montcerf-Lytton, Alain Fortin, and the Gatineau Valley council of mayors. Our government listened to what they had to say, and it will invest $230 million over two years to improve the situation of seasonal workers who depend on employment insurance in the off-season. The terms and conditions will be presented in the coming months following discussions with the provinces. Simply put, this measure responds directly to the needs and requests of people in the Pontiac region who work in the forestry, outfitting, and tourism sectors.

Another very important issue in my riding is Phoenix. I am personally very concerned about the Phoenix pay system and so are many people in my riding. It affects far too many residents of Pontiac. No one should have to worry about being paid incorrectly or not at all. As members know, our government inherited the Phoenix pay system, a project that was poorly managed from the outset, before we took office. The previous government demonstrated a lack of governance and oversight, failed to allocate adequate technical and human resources, and used a poor change management strategy, which led to problems with the launch of the Phoenix pay system.

Nevertheless, we understand the urgency and the magnitude of the problem, and we know that it is up to us to fix it. Our government is doing everything in its power to ensure that federal employees are always paid on time. We have already taken a number of measures, such as steadily increasing the number of employees who process pay transactions.

The federal government has hired approximately 561 employees in recent months to make the Phoenix pay system work better. In budget 2018, I was pleased to see that our government is continuing to allocate resources to resolve this problem. Budget 2018 proposes an investment of $431 million to continue to address the problems with Phoenix, including the hiring of additional employees to support the system. The government is also proposing to invest $16 million over two years to work on the next steps of implementing a new pay system with the help of experts, federal public sector unions, and technology providers.

I hope that our government will finally be able to resolve this problem. When I knock on my constituents' doors, they ask me to do something about this. I will be there for them, and I will continue to work to resolve the problems with the Phoenix pay system.

With respect to official languages, as I am sure everyone knows, Pontiac is a very bilingual region. Both the francophone and the anglophone communities have a lot of cultural activities going on. I was pleased to see that the 2018 budget includes $400 million in new funding over five years to support the 2018-23 action plan for official languages. That includes funding for English and French community newspapers and radio stations in minority communities. There will also be money to provide better access to official language services for anglophone communities in Quebec as well as funding for local cultural activities, which are very important in ridings like Pontiac.

On the issue of environment and conservation, earlier this year, as the media reported significantly, 116 of our parliamentary colleagues signed a letter that I had the privilege of drafting, sent it to the finance minister and to the Prime Minister, and urged them to deliver a budget that would allow us to achieve our commitments under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to protect 17% of our terrestrial land mass and 10% of our ocean by 2020. I was so proud of members opposite, members from our party, and senators.

These are really important commitments. This is one of the issues that most motivated me to run for office. I was so proud of the finance minister, the Prime Minister, and our government for making the decision to invest a historic amount of $1.3 billion over five years to conserve Canada's ecosystems, landscapes, and biodiversity. This budget, on this measure alone, is an incredible victory for all of Canada.

In addition to thanking the Prime Minister, I would like to thank a number of people in our community of Pontiac, in particular Alison Woodley and Éric Hébert-Daly from CPAWS, who worked so hard on this issue. This achievement is theirs as well.

I would also like to thank all the parks and wildlife officials working in the federal civil service, who, for so many years, desperately needed this kind of investment. It really is a big boost, and I would like to thank them for working so hard on this issue for so many years. We all know that conserving our environmental heritage is an issue that transcends partisan politics. Canadians believe in it, and we have stepped up to do it.

On infrastructure, I was so pleased when the federal government announced that it would increase its portion of financial support for rural infrastructure projects up to 60%. This would allow communities of fewer than 5,000 people to tap into an extra percentage of funding from the federal government so that we can move beyond the formula of one-third, one-third, one-third, where municipalities have to pay one third of the cost. For small municipalities in the Pontiac, that kind of contribution is crucially important.

I want to give credit where it is due, to our infrastructure minister, who made that decision and is now working with the provinces so that our small municipalities do not get left behind in terms of infrastructure investments.

Regarding the Internet, when I knock on doors in the Pontiac, this is the number one topic. This is what people want fixed. It is an infrastructure issue for sure, but it is also an issue of democracy and socio-economic development. I am absolutely convinced that we are going in the right direction.

I would like to highlight the fact that we have doubled down on our $500 million over five years. The connect to innovate program has already delivered results in the Pontiac, but this budget brought forward something more: $100 million over five years to update to the next generation of broadband Internet services in rural regions, using new satellite technologies. This is good news, and I am looking forward to making more announcements like the $6.7 million that was just announced in the Gatineau valley. There is more good news to come about the Internet in Pontiac, and I look forward to working hard.

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, at different times throughout my colleague's speech, he mentioned that he was proud of, or pleased with, the budget. I would like to ask my colleague if he is proud of the fact that during the campaign the Liberals promised vociferously that they would never introduce omnibus legislation, use time allocation, or go beyond $10 billion in deficit, and yet here we have an $18-billion deficit in the budget. Worse than that, just today we found out from the Parliamentary Budget Officer that it is not $18 billion; it is $22 billion. Between February and today, we have increased our deficit by $4 billion.

Let us think of the amount of money that is going out the window each year just to pay the interest. Currently, we spend $26 billion a year on interest, and by 2021 that will be $33 billion, with no plan to balance the budget. Is he proud of that?

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will answer in a very Pontiac manner. The riding of Pontiac, where the average median income in a number of major sections hovers around $30,000 a year, desperately needs investment. Our government committed to investing, and that is one of the biggest reasons why this riding went Liberal in the last election. The simple fact of the matter is that for 10 years Pontiac was starved of federal investment. Voters in Pontiac know that the debt-to-GDP ratio is declining very rapidly. This is managed investment that is absolutely going to help pick up jobs and help support families. When the Canada child benefit comes every month to the many thousands of families that desperately need help, the single mothers and the single fathers, the families living on the edge in the Pontiac, boy, are they happy that we are making those investments.

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I really want to commend my colleague from Pontiac. I had the privilege of chairing the national capital region caucus, which embraces his riding. It is a very beautiful place, but as he mentioned in his speech, there are a lot of needs, and there are a lot of folks who are on the edge, so to speak.

I want to ask him specifically about the Canada child benefit. Recently, I came across a constituent in tears in my riding, who said to me that without the Canada child benefit, she, a single mother of two, would not be receiving an additional $9,000 a year of tax-free support. We are trying as best we can to help eliminate the scourge of poverty. We are trying to reach up and meet the sustainable development goals, one of which is to leave no one behind. That is something very important. I believe that only a foolish society would let people slip further and further behind.

I want to ask my colleague how he feels about the Canada child benefit in the context of his beautiful riding of Pontiac and its needs.

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my learned colleague has been a mentor to me over many years.

The simple fact is that Pontiac families desperately need the Canada child benefit. Specifically, 23,190 children are being supported, and there are 12,600-odd payments. The average payment is $540, tax-free. At the end of the day, yes, this is about poverty alleviation, and we are doing a great job on that, but it is about more than just that, more than our families. This is about supporting small businesses across the Pontiac. What does a family in need do when they get those monthly payments? They go straight to the grocery store, the sports equipment store, or the bookstore, and they invest for their families. That is what makes our small-town economies roll.

At the end of the day, the Pontiac needs support. That is what they said time and time again, and they are not going to stop saying it, because we are a region with many rural communities in need. I am not going to stop defending them until the day of the next election, and hopefully thereafter, because this is just too great an opportunity to make a difference in families' lives.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Before we resume debate and go to the hon. member for Sarnia--Lambton, I will let her know that we have only about three or four minutes before we have to interrupt for the usual statements by members. She will have the remaining time when the House next gets back to debate on the question.

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

Mr. Speaker, I guess I should consider myself lucky to be speaking to the budget bill, Bill C-74. I say that because many of my colleagues will not have the opportunity to do that. The Liberal government has once again shut down debate, and this is an important bill.

It is bad enough that the government was planning to spend $18 billion in deficit this year, but we have found out from the Parliamentary Budget Officer that now it is going to be $22 billion. It seems to me that we should take more than one day for each $5.5 billion of Canadian taxpayer money that is going to be spent by the government. I am very disheartened that the Liberal government would once again shut down debate.

In the small amount of time I have, I want to cover a few things: infrastructure, some issues with the border, health, seniors, and a number of my concerns about the tax changes that have been announced.

With respect to infrastructure, the Liberal government was elected on a promise that it would run tiny deficits and put money into infrastructure in municipalities. Here we are, and it has not spent even 40% of the money that has been pledged. On top of that, the government took $15 billion away from municipalities to put it into an infrastructure bank that is not going to build roads and bridges in communities like mine.

I had a project in my community that was going to create 3,000 well-paying jobs. It was called the oversized load corridor project. I discussed this project with the Minister of Infrastructure for nearly three years. He said the government was in support of the project. The province was in support. The municipality was in support. I needed $6 million from the federal government in infrastructure money to create 3,000 well-paying jobs in Sarnia—Lambton. The government told me to wait for the trade corridor funding, which was coming. Then it put the Minister of Transport in charge of that fund, and I have just found out that he will not give $6 million of infrastructure money to Sarnia—Lambton to create 3,000 Canadian jobs.

I am not sure what kind of priorities the government has when it cannot fund 3,000 jobs with just $6 million. It spent $10 million to put an ice rink on Parliament Hill, which created zero long-term Canadian jobs. When it comes to infrastructure spending, I certainly think there is a big problem.

The Sombra ferry in my riding is a border crossing. The other thing I would say with respect to infrastructure is that the government seems to be able to put hundreds of millions of dollars in the budget to support illegal immigrants, but it cannot put $2 million in the budget to restore the border crossing at the Sombra ferry. Once again, I feel that the Liberal government's priorities are terrible.

In the words that have been said so often in this chamber, “never has a government spent so much to accomplish so little.”

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. member for Sarnia—Lambton will have seven minutes remaining in her remarks when the House next gets back to the question.

Now we will go to statements by members. The hon. member for Montcalm.

Bill 99 on Quebec Self-Determination

[Luc Thériault, Québec debout, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Groupe parlementaire québécois applauds the Superior Court's decision to recognize Quebec's Bill 99 and the Quebec nation's right to self-determination as legitimate.

In a democracy, a 50% plus 1 vote is what it takes to make a choice. That is the cornerstone of the democratic values that guide this House. Some members have a flexible notion of democracy. As a party to the legal challenge against Bill 99, the federal government, regardless of the party in power, proved that it does not mind taking a heavy-handed approach if it feels that doing so is in its interest. Certain Quebec MPs from the two governing parties have shown that they are willing to betray their own people's rights if their leader tells them to.

That is why we, as democratic Quebeckers, must remain vigilant. We do not have the luxury of taking our rights for granted when the government challenges our freedom of choice in court.

2018 Liberal National Convention

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is a shame that you could not be with us in Nova Scotia for our convention. You would have seen the warm welcome we received as well as the new convention centre. You could have heard the mayor of Halifax talk about his city, heard the four premiers of the Atlantic provinces talk about their partnership, and seen all the networking that took place among Liberals.

It is very important. We had presenters and panels. We had Gerald Butts with David Axelrod, who spoke strategically. We had James Curleigh, who spoke about turning moments into momentum. We had Sophie Trudeau give a passionate speech. We had our Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, give a dynamic speech.

We talked about the middle class. We talked about the people trying to join the middle class. We talked about veterans. We talked about seniors. We talked about youth. It was an outstanding conference.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. member knows that he is not supposed to use the given names of other hon. members.

The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable.

Agriculture

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, from tax reform and the rail crisis to the Canada food guide and labelling, from pulse crops and selling wheat to Italy to compensation for concessions on supply management, when it comes to agriculture, the Liberal government has failed on every count.

It is very clear to Canadians that the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food holds absolutely no sway with his cabinet colleagues on issues that matter to farmers. People are beginning to speak up, and a movement is taking shape.

Agriculture is about more than just overalls and the smell of spring. Agriculture is the heart of Canada. It is our lifeblood. It is what nourishes us, whether we live in the Plateau in Montreal or in Thetford Mines, Quebec. Agriculture is about the families in our villages that support local hardware stores, car dealerships, and restaurants.

I am pleased to be hosting the next generation of farmers in Ottawa today. These young folks are passionate about their calling and proud to help grow Canada's economy. To Sabrina, Dany, Anthony, Vincent and Mathieu, and the rest of the next generation of farmers, on behalf of my colleagues, I want to say thank you for believing in Canadian agriculture. They must not lose hope, for in the near future, a Conservative government will be there to ensure that agriculture returns to its rightful place.

Keith Ashfield

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, a true gentleman and a humble, hard worker, the hon. Keith Ashfield served the Fredericton region for 16 years at the provincial and federal levels. He was a champion for New Brunswick. Keith passed away Sunday morning.

Keith was elected to the New Brunswick legislature in 1999, where he served as deputy speaker and as minister of natural resources and energy. In 2008, Keith was elected as member of Parliament for Fredericton. During his seven years in Ottawa, he held several cabinet portfolios, including minister of fisheries and oceans, and minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. A dedicated and effective voice for our community, Keith recently launched his return to politics, securing the nomination for his party provincially for the upcoming election. Our region is fortunate to have been served by such a classy and gracious individual.

On behalf of our community, I share my deepest condolences with his wife Judy, children Seth and Tara, and his entire family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all at this time. We thank Keith for his dedication and service to our community, our province, and our country.

Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, illness affects us all, directly or indirectly. In our neighbourhood of Vieux-Longueuil, our neighbour Marianne Simard knocked on our door to tell us about her scant 15 weeks of EI sickness benefits.

Marianne's story is particularly striking because she is fighting cancer and trying to make life easier for all those who will one day be diagnosed with cancer. There are plenty of stories like Marianne's, including that of Marie-Hélène Dubé, the woman behind the “15 weeks to heal is not enough!” movement. She will continue to collect more stories and accounts because one in two Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer one day.

In 2016, the government promised to review the program. Two years later nothing has been done. How can we expect someone with cancer to heal in 15 weeks when the average treatment takes 52 weeks? I invite all those who want to help Marianne, Marie-Hélène, and my team to join us in forcing the government to keep its promise. Together we can continue to put pressure on the government and right this wrong.

Missing Canadian

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Jesse Galganov, a wonderful young man from my riding who has been missing since last fall. Jesse was headed to medical school, but first chose to go on a trip to discover the world. He disappeared while hiking the Santa Cruz trail in Huarrez, Peru, and despite his parents Alisa and Todd's herculean efforts, he has yet to be found.

I call upon the Peruvian authorities to do everything they can to assist Jesse's parents. This includes directing the Peruvian police to fully co-operate with the private search and rescue experts they have hired, to work with the Canadian government in the investigation, and to provide skilled resources as necessary.

I would also like to thank the Prime Minister for meeting with Jesse's father in Peru just two weeks ago. The hearts and prayers of all Canadians are with Alisa and Todd and their family. If anyone has any information about Jesse, please email [email protected].

Sauveur Champagne

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute today to an extraordinary man, Sauveur Champagne. Throughout his life he shaped his family, physical, and social environment.

From a young age, and together with his brothers and friends, he cleared and worked on the land, and built and repaired the buildings and tools he needed on his farm, thus carving out his part of the country. He was a loving husband, an understanding, devoted and attentive father and grandfather, who helped solve all of life's problems, large and small.

Mr. Champagne was involved in every municipal, regional, and provincial organization where he could make a difference. He founded social institutions that help people in our community live in dignity, such as the Lotbinière Caregivers' Association.

As a tribute to Sauveur Champagne for his incredible sense of community, his constant dedication to his family and friends, and all the help he gave to strangers who crossed his path without expecting anything in return, let us remember his motto, “Save someone and one day you, too, will be saved.”

You will never be forgotten, Sauveur Champagne.

Community Runs

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I know that you like to run, so I am asking you to reach out to the communities across our country to get out running this summer. We started the race season in April, on Easter, with the Beaches Easter Run with the member for Beaches—East York. It is a great way to get out and start the day.

I am looking forward to the race season in our community. We are going to have two races in Tommy Thompson Park with MEC. One is going to take place on June 24 and the other on September 9. I will be at both of them, and I am hoping to see the community out too.

I will be at the Pride and Remembrance Run on June 23. In Withrow Park, we are going to be having the Kids' Run for Nature, a family friendly run, on June 10. It was started by two elementary school kids from my area, Jasmine and Jett. It raises funds for the World Wildlife Fund. It is an amazing time out.

There is more. I am inviting the community to join me for weekly runs. People can find out all the details on my Facebook page and website.

Shakespeare by the Sea

[Andy Fillmore, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions]

I stand before the House to call
On members, and good folk of our city,
To celebrate twenty-five years in all
Of Shakespeare by the Sea theatre company.
In a battery at Point Pleasant Park
On Canada Day, the curtain first rose,
A tradition began, and left its mark
And shapes a fame which annually grows.
Many plays, old and new, have given voice
To Halifax as a rich dramatic feast,
Presenting a varied cultural choice
The largest outdoor theatre in the east.
Performance of quality always will be
The legacy of Shakespeare by the Sea.

Lethbridge Hurricanes

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on winning a spot in the WHL playoffs. Lethbridge could not be more proud. Their hard work, team spirit, and many hours of practice and competition have brought them to this point.

They are two games into the battle against the Swift Current Broncos, and as they enter game three, we are looking forward to cheering them on from home. Together they will test the bounds of their grit, determination, and drive, and I am confident that they will come out on top.

I have a bit of love from their Lethbridge family to them:

“Go 'Canes!” “We love you guys!” “Beat them at home and take it to 'em late in the series!” “We believe in you.” “Good luck guys!” “Just win baby!” “You've got this boys!” “We're behind you.” “Play your game and believe!” “Couldn't be more proud!” “Rock 'em like a hurricane!” “Go Canes Go!”

Canada-France Interparliamentary Association

[Denis Paradis, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as president of the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association, it gives me great pleasure this week to welcome the French delegation of our association, chaired by MP Annie Chapelier, with the co-chairs of the friendship groups, Senator Claudine Lepage and MP Jean-Luc Lagleize.

As the two key players in the international Francophonie, Canada and France are inseparable friends. We share many values. We have many things in common, such as culture, civil law, ways of thinking and doing things, and especially language. As Yves Duteil said in his song La langue de chez nous:

It is a beautiful language with splendid words
Whose history can be traced in its variations
Where we feel the music and smell the herbs
Goat's cheese and wheat bread
...
It tells us that in that far-off country of snow
It faced the winds blowing from all directions
To impose its words even in the schools
And that our own language is still spoken there
...
And from Île d'Orléans to Contrescarpe
Listening to the people of this country sing
It sounds like the wind moving over a harp
And composing a whole symphony
...

A warm welcome to our colleagues from France.

Organ Donation

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, following the devastating crash a little more than two weeks ago, we learned that the Humboldt Broncos Logan Boulet had signed his organ donor card. Since then, Canadians across the country have come together, and organ donation rates have increased dramatically. Canadians come together in times of tragedy to care for one another. Because of Logan's heroic decision to become an organ donor, he saved the lives of six people who desperately needed a transplant.

While 90% of Canadians say that organ donation is important, only 20% agree to become organ donors. Greater Sudbury and Sturgeon Falls, in Nickel Belt, rank third and sixteenth in terms of number of registered donors in Ontario. I urge all Canadians to go to their provincial tissue and organ donation website to register. By registering to become an organ donor, you may become a hero to someone in need.

Thank you. Meegwetch.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

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

Mr. Speaker, early this morning, Canadians were delighted to learn of the birth of a third child to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Kensington Palace has announced that the royal baby, a boy, was born at 6:01 this morning, weighing a healthy eight pounds, 11 ounces. The little prince is now fifth in the line of succession to the Canadian throne, and is Her Majesty the Queen's sixth great-grandchild.

The Duke and Duchess and their children visited Canada most recently in the autumn of 2016, touring British Columbia and Yukon. We look forward to having them return to Canada with the newest member of their family soon.

On behalf of Canada's official opposition, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and wish their family great happiness in the future.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House today to warmly congratulate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their third child.

A new baby is always a reason to feel joyful and hopeful. I am certain that my colleagues will join me in wishing the new Cambridge baby a life of purpose, compassion, and fulfillment.

To Her Majesty, the Queen of Canada, our warmest congratulations on the arrival of her sixth great-grandchild.

I am delighted to join the millions of people who are welcoming this news with the joy that every baby around the world could hope for when a new life begins.

With renewed best wishes to Their Royal Highnesses, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, on the birth of their new brother.

Events in Windsor—Tecumseh

[Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it was another inspiring weekend in Windsor—Tecumseh.

I salute Sho event studio, fostering local arts, Kim Kristy and Pat Jefflyn of Canadian Arts Productions in making a film about civil rights activists Viola Desmond and Harriet Tubman, based on the original stage work of Leslie McCurdy, daughter of the late MP, Howard McCurdy, a distinguished trailblazer to whom my colleague from Windsor West recently paid tribute.

The Essex Region Conservation Authority's Earth Day celebration reinforced the work it and its foundation do all year long. It is clear, when speaking to people at varied events, that we know our natural environment—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I apologize but I am afraid we are having another problem.

I will ask the hon. member for Windsor—Tecumseh to redo her statement if she does not mind.