Debates of Dec. 2nd, 2021

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today. I will be sharing my time with the member for Hastings—Lennox and Addington. We are very excited to be here in the House.

If you will indulge me for a couple of minutes, there are a couple of people I need to thank, but first let me recognize that the member for Hastings—Lennox and Addington is the cousin of the mayor of the town of Innisfil, one of the towns I represent. Mayor Lynn Dollin will, I think, be watching tonight.

There are so many people to thank. This is the first time I have been able to rise, in debate, in the House of Commons in the 44th Parliament. This is the third time the people of Barrie—Innisfil have sent me here to be their representative. I am very humbled by this. Since 2006, I have served publicly, first as a city councillor for nine years in the city of Barrie, and now for six years as the member of Parliament for Barrie—Innisfil. I am very, very honoured and humbled to be that member.

No one can do this without a team, a big team of not just campaign volunteers, but also friends and families. I would like to acknowledge a few of them right now, if I can, such as Rob Decker, who was my campaign manager, who worked with a group of people that really organized terrifically during the campaign. Then there were Robin McClennan and some of my “big sign guys”, as I call them: Al, Richard, John, Kevin, Barry and, of course, my dad, who has been there since the start of my being here politically. There were numerous “little sign people”. There has not been an election that I have been involved with since 2015 where I have had more signs placed. There were more requests coming in and it was just awfully difficult to keep up with them.

Of course, it has been a hell of a 20 months, frankly. My constituency staff have been there consistently on the front lines, dealing with issues related to the pandemic. I really want to acknowledge them: Susan, Sara, Brandon and Jennifer, and former staff Rhea, Andrea and Chelsea, and of course my family. There is no way any of us could have placed ourselves in this symbol of democracy to work on behalf of the people we represent, not just within our ridings but across this country, if not for the strong support of family. I thank my mom Doreen, my dad Jean-Guy, my sister Cathy, my sister Linda and, of course, my family: my wife Leanne and my four kids. They have been there since the beginning, not just of my previous career as a firefighter but also of my current career as the member of Parliament for Barrie—Innisfil. I cannot do this without them, particularly my wife, Leanne.

Oftentimes, when we run locally within our ridings, we fail to recognize those people who run against us, but I want to recognize them: Lisa-Marie Wilson, who ran for the Liberal Party, and Aleesha Gostkowski, who ran for the New Democratic Party. I also want to acknowledge Corrado Brancato, who ran for the People's Party. I want to acknowledge them, because it is difficult to run and put one's name on a ballot.

Shortly after the election, I sat down with Aleesha Gostkowski of the NDP. I had a coffee with her. We talked about the issues that came up during the election. On many of the issues we talked about, we found we had similar concerns. Those issues were housing affordability, housing attainability and food security for people who are finding it hard right now because of the financial pressures they are facing. I would add one more, which would be energy security.

Right now, we are seeing the cost of everything go up and an inflation crisis that is impacting broadly many people in my constituency, particularly in the area of affordable housing. Rents have been increasing. It is becoming harder and harder for people not just to put a roof over their head, but also to maintain a roof over their head, and no more so than with young people. There is a housing crisis that is happening in this country that we have not seen in several generations.

It is not just housing. It is the cost of everything. The cost of the necessities of life is going up as a result of what we are seeing with these inflationary pressures. Gas, food, heat and hydro are all going up, and it is becoming increasingly difficult. The anxiety that exists today among the people I represent, affordability anxiety, is real. I know that throughout the course of the speeches in response to the Speech from the Throne, we have heard about that, not just from the opposition side but from the government side as well.

The House of Commons is a place where we come as the people's voices. I have been receiving, and I am sure my colleagues have, numerous emails about the affordability crisis that is happening and how it is directly impacting people. I will make them short, but it is important to read them into the record to hear that it is not just me talking about this. These are, through me, the people I represent.

A young man named Justin emailed me. He said, “People my age are” for lack of a better word, it is unparliamentary, but he said “screwed when it comes to housing. We are done for. We will be paying rent of $3,000 a month or more forever, unable to save anything for a home and barely making ends meet.”

“I was distressed when I found out that developers are buying up detached houses with the aim of renting them at inflationary prices,” wrote Sherry.

“I see Barrie is now the highest rent in the country. I am a homeowner. I know that rent is tied to the value of the house, but this is getting out of hand. There are many people in my age group, 25-35 and lower, whose dreams of owning a home have been dashed with the current situation,” wrote Sean.

Speaking about the first-time homebuyers assistance, Greg wrote, “It is awfully difficult to access and it is time for a little non-partisan politics for the benefit of the country.”

Kim wrote to me, “I have been trying to help two friends look for different places to rent in Simcoe County, and I cannot believe how difficult it has been for both of them. This is a serious issue.”

This one is particularly troubling. Steph and Christie wrote, “We are a family of seven. Rent was $800 a month just two months ago, but the landlord sold the house to a new owner and now our rent is over $1,500 a month.”

This is the kind of stuff that is happening not just in the riding of Barrie—Innisfil but right across the country. People are anxious. They are worried about affordability and how they are going to pay not just to put a roof over their head, but for the necessities of life.

In the throne speech, little mention is made of the issue of agriculture. There was nothing of any substance in agriculture. In the large rural area I represent, the producers are concerned about the increasing costs, not just of the products they need to farm but also of heating, dryers, barns, etc., and in particular the impact the carbon tax is having on those.

There is very little mention of guns and gangs. I know we have been talking about that over the course of the last week, the difficulties that are going on and how there is not enough being done to deal with that issue.

There is nothing about the military. One of the things that concerned me as well is that there is nothing about veterans either.

As I said at the outset, it has been a hell of an 18 months. We have really been focusing on the expense side of the ledger through the different supports and programs that have been put in place, but we need to start looking at the revenue side of the ledger and how we are going to pay for this. The only way we are going to pay for this is through the power of the Canadian economy, and it will be led by business: the people they employ, the products they produce and the services they provide in every sector and every region of this country. It does not need big government intervention. We have to be competitive both domestically and internationally, and big government intervention will not allow for that to happen. We need to be focused and tactical in our approach to the way the economic recovery will happen.

Lastly, as I conclude, this Christmas season businesses need our support more than ever. They have been devastated over the last 20 months, and I encourage everyone, not just in Barrie—Innisfil but right across this country, to make sure they shop local and support local as well.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, let me start off by echoing the statement the member just made. Let us shop local and encourage our constituents to recognize the difficult times that our businesses have had to endure over the last 18 months. One of the ways we can support them is to shop local.

There is another thing we can do collectively here in the House. We understand now that Bill C-2 will be going to committee, and I am hopeful and optimistic that we will see it come out of committee and ultimately get the support that is necessary to see it pass, because it too would support small businesses.

My question is more related to the issue of housing. We have seen over the years the amounts of money being invested in social housing, and they have been historic. There has been a housing strategy too, something that has never happened before in the history of Canada, at least for the last number of generations.

I am wondering what specific initiative the member believes would make a difference, from his perspective, because there are a number of initiatives already in place that are having an impact.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is an important question, because we have seen asset valuations increase directly as a result of governments and banks printing money. It is indisputable at this point.

I have spoken to local realtors, the Ontario Real Estate Association and the Canadian Construction Association. All of them say to organizations that we need to move to increase the supply. We need to make sure that houses are being built free of any regulatory burdens and make sure there is ample supply in the marketplace to ensure that young people can afford not just rent, but also the opportunity of home ownership.

There are lots of things that all three levels of government can do, and we need to make sure we work together. That is why were sent here, and I believe this election, by its result, showed that Canadians want us to work together to solve these problems of great magnitude.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed my colleague's speech. I appreciate and find it interesting that he is from Quebec. I wonder if we share any other concerns.

This week, my colleague from Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia proposed that we form a special task force of American, Canadian, Quebec and indigenous police officers with the goal of curbing firearms trafficking.

Also this week, some 50 firearms were seized on their way from Akwesasne to Cornwall. Today, an 80-year-old woman was killed, apparently murdered, because spent cartridges were found next to her in Coaticook.

What does my colleague think of the idea of forming a special task force to stop illegal firearms at the border?

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I was born in Montreal, and I am from a francophone family. My father, Jean‑Guy Brassard, is a real francophone. Montreal is where all my relatives live, on the French side.

It is a tough question. The issue of guns and gangs is an issue of guns and gangs. It is not an issue of law-abiding firearms owners. They are not running around the streets of Montreal, Vancouver or Toronto shooting up the place.

The issue of guns coming into the country illegally needs to be addressed. In our platform we talked about guns and gangs and how to address them, such as giving more resources to police forces across the country and setting up special task forces. Those are the things we need to do, not go after law-abiding firearms owners, who are the most responsible and have the strictest gun laws in the world.

Illegal guns and illegal gangs are the problem in this country, and it is time the government and all parliamentarians get serious about dealing with that issue.

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciated the member's constituency stories in particular. I always like to hear from constituents.

A lot of what I am hearing from constituents in my riding is about the concerns in our long-term care homes, both for their loved ones in care homes and for the workers. I am wondering if the member could share his thoughts about the importance of putting into place national standards to better support those in long-term care homes.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, nobody understands the issue of long-term care facilities more than I do. We went through the situation at Roberta Place. That is in my riding.

All levels of government have a role to play, understanding that this is a provincial responsibility. However, we can work with the provincial governments to make sure that we have the type of standards that look after seniors in long-term care homes. Long-term care homes are getting better and are really doing a good job of protecting their seniors. My mother-in-law is in Roberta Place right now, and I feel extremely comfortable that she is there because of the staff and the people who are looking after her.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Before we move on to the next speaker, I want to remind members that the shorter the questions and answers, the more members get to participate. We keep running out of time.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Hastings—Lennox and Addington.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you humbled by the enormous responsibility entrusted to me by the voters of Hastings—Lennox and Addington. In an ideal world, the people who are responsible for making this moment possible would be here with me. Though they are not here, they are certainly not forgotten.

There were dozens of volunteers and friends who put their lives on hold during our campaign. I want them to know that I count them as my political family. I will be forever grateful for their efforts and am so thankful to have them as part of my circle of trust.

I want to thank my husband Tadum for believing in me and standing beside me. Our life is beautifully chaotic, and I appreciate him for being able to support me and make it possible for me to be here.

I also want to say that I am so incredibly proud of daughters, Tori and Reese, my volleyball player and hockey player. They always strive to be authentic and genuine. To my two sisters and their families, the village of support to help with the girls is so appreciated.

Next I want to thank my parents, Daryl and Carol Ann Kramp.

My mom has taught me to be fearless, respectful and responsible. She is an incredible role model, and I certainly know where I get my energy from.

My father has earned a tremendous amount of respect here in Ottawa, and the impact he has made in my riding over the years is remarkable. My dad and I share something very unique to Canadian politics. My father is our current MPP for Hastings—Lennox and Addington, while I now hold the federal seat. He is my political mentor, and more importantly he is my dad. May I follow his lead but mark my own path moving forward.

To the people of Hastings—Lennox and Addington, know that I will remain laser-focused on the task that has been given to me: holding the government accountable. I will be more than just a critic. I will propose solutions while representing my constituents, and I will never stop being an advocate for our riding. There are those who have grown tired of politics, and I hope to inspire them and restore their faith in this great institution.

Last Tuesday, the Governor General read the Speech from the Throne, the document that sets out the government's agenda and vision for the upcoming session. Unfortunately for the people of Hastings—Lennox and Addington, as well as other rural ridings across this great country, the speech did not appear to include them. Whether it is rural broadband Internet, the agricultural sector or rebuilding main street, the government has signalled that these issues are not areas of concern for it.

There is no plan to lower inflation, nor to address labour shortages and supply chains. There is no plan to ease the financial burdens of struggling business owners. The current government loves to talk about money. It talks about the amount of money promised, committed or spent, but the results are just not there. We have more consultants, more studies, more bureaucracy, more debt and more disappointment. Accountability and transparency matter. In my opinion, we are experiencing the most corrupt and divisive government in history. This matters and we need to do better.

Too many Canadians are suffering from depression, anxiety and burnout. Canada's mental health crisis has deepened. Mental health is health, and we should be collectively supporting it in a non-partisan manner. For those personally affected, please reach out. Surely the six people who may be the pallbearers at someone's funeral would rather lift them up now in their time of need. We send our love to Matt.

Allow me now to address the outlook for our agricultural sector. It is bleak. The farmers and livestock and dairy producers who are found in every corner of Hastings—Lennox and Addington are once again an afterthought of the government. In a nearly 3,000-word document, our agricultural sector was mentioned one single, solitary time. Let me be clear: Our united Conservative caucus knows it is farmers, like those found in Stirling and Napanee, who feed Canadians from coast to coast to coast. It is high time the members on the other side of the House recognized this fact.

I was pleased that the throne speech spoke to the issue of reconciliation with Canada's first people. I have the good fortune to count the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte among my communities.

During my very first week as a member of Parliament, the people of Tyendinaga voted to ratify a partial land claim returning 300 acres to the Mohawk territory. In the spirit of reconciliation, I call on the government to settle the remaining land claims expeditiously, with fairness to all concerned.

As shadow minister for seniors, I would like to now focus on an area that is very close to the hearts of many Canadians. With this Speech from the Throne, the Liberal government has sent a chilling message to Canada's most vulnerable. With only a single mention in passing, the government chose to completely ignore some very serious issues. There was no mention of combatting social isolation, no mention of cracking down on elder abuse, no mention of improving access to palliative care and no mention of fixing the rising costs of critical goods such as groceries and medicine. This is a troubling trend.

During the previous Parliament, members of this place from every party and every province were receiving frantic phone calls, emails and letters from seniors in their ridings. The complaints were nearly identical: The GIS had been severely reduced or, in many cases, completely eliminated after the July recalculation period. Seniors who depended on the guaranteed income supplement to pay for food to eat, a bed to sleep in and medicine to live had their financial safety net torn out from underneath them overnight. The people who built this country suddenly found themselves abandoned by it as a result of poor communication from the government.

Realizing the very serious consequences of such a sudden and unforeseen reduction in disposable income, my colleague, the member for Battlefords—Lloydminster, quickly took action and sent a letter to the then minister of seniors asking her to address the situation. She never received a response.

Not only are seniors' dollars not going as far as before, but they now have fewer to start off with. On top of this, many seniors are embarrassed to come forward. They are embarrassed to go to food banks or to ask for help. Traditionally, seniors and our country have been self-reliant. This is becoming increasingly difficult. On page 14 of the 2021 federal budget are the words, “We owe our elders a great debt. This is a partial repayment.” What the government has done in the intervening months is not only a spectacular failure to partially repay our elders, but rather it has increased the debt we owe to them. I know the government does not have the best track record on balancing budgets, but as a former financial adviser I can assure the government that it is not difficult to figure out that its policies have added to the debt it owes our seniors, not repaid it.

Being elected as a member of Parliament to represent the people of Hastings—Lennox and Addington, or anywhere across this great nation, is a privilege. We must never forget the people who sent us here and we must never stop fighting for them. It is my sincere and perhaps naive belief that every person who comes through the doors of this chamber has the intent to make our country a better place to live for ourselves, our children and our seniors. I grew up having so much pride in Canada being a self-reliant, resilient and resourceful nation. I ask members to join me in wanting to earn this back. Let us work together to give our young leaders the tools and resources to continue to make this country strong and free.

We all have a different approach as to what progress looks like, but it is that personal drive, that core tenet of public service, that unites all of us. This is what makes this place such a profound and powerful institution. Regardless of people's paths in life, they should do it to the absolute best of their ability. They must never stop learning, improving and making a difference.

In closing, I was fortunate to learn a great deal from an amazing parliamentarian. That knowledge and relationship shaped me into who I am today and is why I am here. The growth I was able to achieve learning from one parliamentarian was profound, and I cannot wait to see what learning from 337 others will do.

I thank my mom and dad for their kind words of wisdom: we should always believe in ourselves and always keep our doors open. Things do not happen unless we make them happen. We should be kind, love life and seek happiness along the way. God bless.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the member and I share something in common. Her father is an MLA and she is an MP. My daughter is an MLA in the Manitoba Legislature and I am an MP. As I am very proud of my daughter, I am sure the member's father is exceptionally proud of her.

One of the things that we share in common, again, is that my daughter is a very powerful advocate for seniors, as I see the member opposite also wants to be. I have talked to my daughter about the need for different levels of government to work together. I am sure the member can appreciate the importance of different levels of government working together.

Would the member not agree that on the issue of seniors it is important that we recognize what both levels of government could do? We can work together to make a positive difference and have a more positive impact for seniors no matter where they live in our great country.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly applaud the member for the relationship and special bond he has with his daughter. Both of them are serving the public.

There is no question that the importance of the coordination between different levels of government is integral. I served 15 years in municipal government. I can see the relationships and importance of working with municipal, provincial and federal levels. That is how things happen. The beauty of collaboration and co-operation is the spirit of democracy.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Hastings—Lennox and Addington. It is always nice to hear from new colleagues in the House.

I, too, want to ask a question about seniors, because we also care about that issue in the Bloc Québécois. I heard her talk about the guaranteed income supplement, which has been reduced since July. I absolutely agree on that. However, the Bloc Québécois has been calling for an increase to old age security since 2019, because seniors' purchasing power has been declining for several years. Benefits have not increased to keep pace with the average industrial wage.

I would like to know if my colleague agrees with us that it would take at least a $110-per-month increase to do that.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is no question that seniors are the backbone for where we have come as a nation. We need to support our seniors. There needs to be a dialogue.

Our seniors need to have the dignity of being comfortable and not worrying about whether they can put food on the table, support their families or have the same quality of life they were accustomed to.

I also raised in my speech how intimidating it can be to admit that there could be trouble or concern. Taking away the barriers and making people feel comfortable is important.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to also congratulate the member. Like a few of us here today, I also have the honour of following in a parent's footsteps. As she may know, my mother was the former member for London—Fanshawe. I have learned so much from her, and I continue to learn so much from her. I also appreciate that parentage and that lineage.

I want to ask a question along the same lines as my colleagues have asked about protecting our seniors. Some of the seniors in my riding have come forward. They are dealing with the clawback on their GIS because of the money they received from the CERB. It has left them at a point where they cannot afford their rent. They are being forced into homelessness.

Could the member tell me if she and her party would support the NDP's push for the government to change that clawback of the GIS?

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is no question that there are scores of seniors who, as a result of the government's poor rollout of the CERB, are finding themselves in a really difficult situation. They are being stripped of their OAS and GIS. It is through no fault of their own.

I would certainly agree that the government needs to reverse the decision, and we need to allow seniors to collect what they have earned. We need to lead by example. We need to show them. We need to win on these issues together. Seniors do not need to be a political football.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is great to join the debate in the 44th Parliament. I will be splitting my time with the member for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill.

First, I want to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your election to the chair. We worked closely in the past on the Standing Committee on Health. I know you will do a good job.

I also would like to thank the people of Brampton South for once again putting their trust in me for the third time. Representing them is the greatest honour of my life. I commit to them to continue to be their strong voice and represent Brampton's best interests in Ottawa.

Behind each 338 members of Parliament is a strong team of volunteers who get us elected. I have an amazing team of volunteers and I could not have done it without their unwavering support.

Of course, a big thanks to my family. I know they are already proud of the work we are doing here. They are the real force behind me. I want to thank my son Akash, who is always supporting me, especially on the campaign trail. He is always there by my side.

It is an honour to address the House on behalf of residents of Brampton South to speak in support of the throne speech, which introduced our government's vision for the future of our country. I will be speaking about the priorities of the residents in my riding, as these priorities are reflected in this speech.

I have spoken to hundreds of residents in my community over the last few months and they are optimistic that we are coming through this pandemic. Businesses in Brampton are bouncing back. They know their government is ready to lead us through this recovery, tackle the challenges ahead of us and to build an economy that works for everyone.

The vision outlined in the Speech from the Throne delivered last week is the plan to finish the fight against COVID-19, make home ownership achievable, make life more affordable, confront public safety challenges and take strong climate action, while creating jobs and growing the economy.

Vaccination remains the most important tool in fighting COVID-19. This is the only way we can end this pandemic. Almost 90% of those aged 12 and over have received at least one dose, and our government is continuing to encourage uptake. We have mandated vaccines for civil servants and federally regulated workers. As of this Tuesday, all travellers taking planes and trains must be vaccinated.

Many of us see this decision as the right step. I heard international experts saying that they wished to had the same system in their country. This will help our economy to reopen, but also protect our health care system and essential workers.

Peel Region, especially Brampton, was one of the hardest hit communities in the country at the peak of the pandemic, with over 400 new cases a day at its highest point. We are a community of essential workers. They continued to go to their jobs every day so others could stay home. We are also a very diverse community, with over 100 different languages spoken at home.

I want to thank Dr. Lawrence Loh and his team at Peel public health, all the front-line health care workers in Brampton, the testing and vaccine clinics as well as all the multicultural community partners, faith leaders and service organizations that helped in the vaccination efforts. Thanks to their outreach efforts, working through language barriers and complicated work schedules, we are now one of the most vaccinated communities in Canada.

We are coming through this global health crisis. Our government will be there to work with the provinces to deliver the changes needed to improve health care. This includes mental health and addiction, long-term care and addressing and delivering vaccine boosters, and vaccine doses for children.

For most Canadians, housing is the single biggest portion of their monthly budgets. Whether it is through rent or a mortgage payment on a recently purchased home throughout Brampton and the GTA as well as many parts of Canada. it is a cost that is becoming unaffordable.

It is an issue I regularly hear about from my constituents. This is why our government has a plan to address this rising cost. Our government will do this by working with the municipalities to help them increase supply, with the housing accelerator fund, providing more support to first-time buyers and implementing an innovative rent-to-own program that will help Canadians obtain home ownership.

All members of the House agree we need to build more housing and build it faster.

Our government has a clear record on lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. Thousands of families in Brampton South have benefited from the Canada child benefit introduced by our government over the years.

In my riding, child care is also one of the most expensive costs for families with young children. In Brampton, it is not uncommon to find costs as high as $1,500 or even $2,000 a month per child in many cases. We are a community of essential workers, many of whom do not have the option of working from home. This high cost is unaffordable for too many people. One parent, usually the mother, will decide to leave the workforce. This is not because she wants to, but because finding child care is impossible. At the status of women committee during the last Parliament, I frequently heard how important this was and how affordable child care options needed to be expanded. Affordable child care is the priority I have heard at the doors often in my riding. Our government's $10-a-day child care plan will save families in Brampton over $9,200 a year in 2022. That is a future year of tuition payment for the child or a year of groceries. By 2026, Brampton families are going to save almost $16,000. This is a big number. The difference that our government's child care program can make in the life of a young family is significant. Our federal plan will allow many women to remain in the workforce and will increase economic output in Brampton and across Ontario once the new deal is signed.

I was also reassured to see that our government is taking action on keeping our communities safe. We have taken action to ban and restrict access to firearms and will continue to work with municipalities and law enforcement on fighting gun violence. However, as many residents know, the leading reason for 911 calls in Peel is for domestic and intimate partner violence. Every hour, Peel police receive two calls on average, mostly from women. Sadly, we see many instances of gender-based violence from coast to coast. Many of them are women of colour, those who are racialized or are indigenous. This is unacceptable. It was important for me to see that our government is taking this issue seriously by continuing to provide funding to shelters and women's centres as well. As with the commitment to address gender-based violence with the 10-year national action plan, this plan will account for women of all colours, abilities, ages and backgrounds.

I had the pleasure to speak with the middle school students earlier this year. The single greatest issue they are talking to me about is climate change. Climate change is real and we see the horrible consequences in British Columbia, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Climate change is not up for debate; it is a reality. Our government has a plan that will get us to net-zero emissions by 2050. We will invest in the green technology sector so we can create good, clean jobs for the future.

Brampton seniors remember the devastating floods in Brampton in the fifties and sixties. By investing in disaster mitigation projects like the Brampton Riverwalk project in the past, they are committed to working with the municipalities on green and sustainable infrastructure projects.

Our government is addressing both the infrastructure needs of our communities and fighting climate change. One of the biggest announcements that I participated in last year was when the City of Brampton received $400 million from the Canada Infrastructure Bank to fully transition our transit fleet of 450 buses to electric vehicles by 2027. This is a real example of helping cities across the country to be leaders in the climate fight. I am looking forward to continuing this work over the coming years.

We need to build a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous nation for future generations. As a mother, this is what I want to leave for my children and future generations. I am asking all members of Parliament to support the values of this speech so that we can work together to build a better Canada.

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there was a lot of material in our colleague's speech. One of the things she referred to was planned federal investments in mental health. This is something that affects us all, and we are all sensitive to it.

However, can the member explain to me how mental health falls under the federal government's jurisdiction?

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member on his election.

This is an issue I care very much about, and I know that the member shares that passion.

If the provinces are in agreement that these areas need to be improved, then they should welcome the strategy. Overwhelmingly, we hear from constituents who want to see national action. We are prepared to work with the provinces and make sure that this happens. It is an important issue, and I look forward to working with members to improve the lives of Canadians.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to work with the member, and we have discussed a fair amount today about seniors.

I would ask the member what her thoughts are when we know that the inflationary rates are so high that the cost of living for many of these seniors means that the amount they bring compared to their expenses has become very unbalanced. I would like to know what the member's solution is and how this government will provide for seniors in the future.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's passion on this issue. We have worked closely in the past, and I share her passion for seniors.

In this pandemic, seniors have been hit very hard, especially in long-term care. Seniors' issues are very close to me and our government. During this pandemic, in my riding, one of the nursing homes had the Canadian Armed Forces step in to support the seniors living there. Since then, our government supported long-term care with improvements in ventilation in my riding along with many other actions across the country.

I know that we need to do more. I look forward to working with members and, yes, seniors deserve a better life.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as a mother, I want to thank the hon. member for her words.

We do not hear enough of this in the chamber. However, I certainly hear a lot in my riding about mothers who work essential, frontline work with non-traditional hours. I thank the member's constituents for their essential, frontline work during this COVID pandemic.

Those frontline workers who work non-traditional hours rely on family members, such as mothers, sisters, brothers and fathers to help with their child care. However, too many in my riding cannot get visitor visas for their family members to come over to help them with their child care needs and to help them with emotional and physical support.

Can the member share what we can do or what the government can do to get those visas moving?

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that the previous Liberal government was in the process of implementing a child care program, but we needed the remaining provinces and territories, including Ontario, to sign the agreement. This agreement will help young families in Brampton and all across the country to save money and help women enter the workforce. Our government will continue to pursue this until every Canadian family with young children has access to affordable, quality care. The Province of B.C. signed the agreement, and families in B.C. are already benefiting from it, which is great news.

I look forward to working with the member. I hope that Ontario will sign the agreement soon so that Bramptonians and young families, especially mothers, can get the benefit from this on the issue of child care.

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be standing in the House of Commons as the newly elected member of Parliament for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, located on lands covered by Treaty 13 and the Williams Treaties. Over several centuries, it has been traversed by many first nations and is currently home to indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island.

I am very honoured to be here to work for all residents of Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill. I am committed to respectfully listening to all stated viewpoints and concerns from my constituents and my fellow members of Parliament to fully consider them and address them to the best of my abilities.

I would not be sitting here today without the support of my family and, of course, the hundreds of community members who spent years with me knocking on doors and making phone calls.

My husband of 27 years, Peter, has been unwavering in his support of my pursuit to serve, even though it has turned our lives upside down. Our six children, Peter Jr., Chris, Kyle, Tristan, Nadiya and Kristina, have all been supportive of my foray into politics in different ways. However, I want to call out, in particular, our youngest daughter Kristina, who stepped outside of her comfort zone, which is working with horses, to come out and canvass door to door with me.

My parents Kate and Tom Taylor have inspired and supported me since my birth, but never more than during this past election, when at age 86 they worked tirelessly making phone calls, putting up signs, preparing food and providing me with much-needed emotional support. My sisters Theresa and India have been at my side since I first ran for the nomination in 2019, despite their own personal challenges. My brother John, already stretched as the mayor of Newmarket, came out countless times to canvass door to door with me, and always provided invaluable advice.

As everyone can see, I have a large and supportive family of which I am very proud.

I am also proud of the residents of Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill and Canadians across our great country. They have shown how they work together through difficult times.

Today, I want to focus my response to the Speech from the Throne on women. Why the focus on women today? Because this year is the 100th anniversary of the election of the first woman to our Parliament, Agnes Campbell MacPhail. Because this week, we are in the midst of 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, as 32 years ago, on December 6, 14 women were killed at the École Polytechnique in Montreal simply because they were women. Because today women are still discriminated against and under-represented in elected office and leadership positions in my community, across Canada and in this great House of the people.

The issues that our government has focused on in the Speech from the Throne are of immense importance to all Canadians. However, they are of particular importance to women, as women have felt the negative impacts of the challenges we currently face more severely than men.

In the Speech from the Throne, our government is rightly focused on ending this fight against COVID-19. This is the most important step we can take to continue rebuilding our economy and in helping women.

Let us not forget that women were 12 times more likely than men to leave the workplace during this pandemic. Women are disproportionately represented in those sectors hardest hit during this pandemic: hospitality, tourism and small retail operations.

Women, who represent the majority of personal support workers and nurses, have been on the front line during this pandemic. They have been working tirelessly and bearing the brunt of the anger and anxiety that people have felt throughout this stressful time. Likewise, women have experienced domestic violence more often throughout this pandemic, and the people who work to help them, the majority of whom are female, have been overwhelmed by the demands on shelters and services to help victims.

Women have most acutely experienced mental health challenges during this pandemic as we still carry the greatest responsibility for the care of our children and our elders, both groups that have themselves struggled with mental health throughout this pandemic. The toll the pandemic has taken on our mental health can often be overlooked in light of the terrible economic and other health consequences it has caused, but it is no less significant.

This pandemic has taught us many things. One of the most important is that we need to view every policy through a feminist lens, which is something our government is committed to doing. Our government's actions encouraging all Canadians to get vaccinated and to follow public health recommendations and travel measures will work to contain new variants, such as omicron, and end this pandemic.

In addition to this, we must also directly address the economic challenges we face as a result of the pandemic. While Canada's economy is recovering well due to our government's support for workers and small businesses, the global health crisis has led to global pressures on the cost of living. The Speech from the Throne focuses on two areas to address rising costs: child care and housing.

In my riding, parents are faced with some of the highest child care costs in the province, with average fees coming in at just under $1,600 a month. For a young family with more than one child, it is the equivalent of a second mortgage. Our government's bold, accessible and affordable universal child care and early-learning program will not only reduce costs for young families, but will result in greater workforce participation and productivity, producing significant economic benefits across our great country.

As the women's commissioner at the University of Toronto, I remember working with the National Action Committee on the Status of Women and fighting for a national child care program. This had been recommended in the Royal Commission Report on the status of women in 1971. Yes, we have been advocating for universal child care for 50 years. It is about time. It is an incredible honour to be here in the House and to see this finally come to fruition. It is the fulfilment of countless years of work from men and women, and is a significant accomplishment for this government.

The Speech from the Throne also outlines the important work our government will continue to do on increasing housing availability and affordability. It is an area of great concern for all Canadians trying to find affordable homes and for everyone who believes that all people should have a place to call home in a country as wealthy as Canada.

Once again, women are more likely to struggle to find an affordable home. Women are more likely to live in poverty, either as seniors living alone or as mothers raising a family. Lone-parent families headed by women are three times more likely to live in poverty than those headed by men. Of course, women living with disabilities, indigenous women and women in racialized communities experience even greater poverty and challenges in finding adequate affordable housing.

New Canadians and immigrants also have an incredibly hard time finding housing, and I want to recognize the work of two women. Fariha Shabazy and Sajida Habib are working tirelessly in my riding to settle newcomer families, including Afghan families, into affordable housing.

I am also pleased to see that our government has listened to the voices of Canadians on the need for increased mental health resources and supports. There are so many groups offering support for mental health in my riding, including Home on the Hill in Richmond Hill, CMHA York Region, the women's shelters and shelters such as Yellow Brick House and 360° Kids. I will continue to advocate here in Parliament to ensure they can deliver much-needed supports.

As I raise the issue of empowering women and protecting community health, I would be remiss if I left out the connection between these aspects of our lives and the very urgent climate crisis we are facing. Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill is fortunate to contain parts of Ontario's greenbelt and the beautiful Oak Ridges Moraine. These contain fragile ecosystems that we must work to protect and preserve for years to come.

In the Speech from the Throne, our government laid out how we will be taking bolder climate action and focusing on innovation and green jobs. I have heard from many in my riding who have innovative ideas to help create more resilient infrastructure. In this work, as in every other program our federal government is undertaking, we must work with the indigenous people with whom we share the land.

The path to reconciliation, truth and justice is ongoing, and there is much more to be done. I was so pleased to see our Governor General, a strong indigenous woman, deliver this throne speech and to hear part of it spoken in an indigenous language, Inuktitut, as well as our two official languages of French and English.

I am grateful to be embarking on the road ahead as a parliamentarian, and I am looking forward to working respectfully and cooperatively with all parliamentarians in the House to deliver on the priorities set forward in this Speech from the Throne and help my constituents and all Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome the member opposite to the House.

She mentioned violence against women and gender-based violence as an issue. As the former chair of the status of women, in 2016 we authored a report with 45 recommendations for the government to be able to eliminate gender-based violence in Canada, so it is disturbing to me that in the throne speech Liberals are still talking about coming with a plan and there is still no funding attached to it, after six years.

Could the member indicate why the government is taking so long to do something that is so important?

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government has been taking action. I have been working and speaking to staff at shelters and networks that have been helping women in our riding. I know that the money that has been put into these institutions to help these women to meet the challenges during the pandemic is much appreciated.

There are different initiatives. I was just talking to staff at Blue Door, an organization that addresses homelessness and helps build homes. They are talking about working with initiatives from the rapid housing initiative with the women's shelters to build townhouses that will provide transitional housing.

We are doing a lot and I know our government cares deeply about this issue. I thank the member for her concern and work on it.