Mr. Speaker, this week, 400 community leaders from across Canada, including municipal governments, indigenous communities and community organizations, are gathered in Halifax for the Livable Cities Forum. Hosted by ICLEI Canada and the Halifax Regional Municipality, the forum’s purpose is clear: to accelerate climate action in our communities by working together through creative and ambitious partnerships. Together, delegates are exploring solutions to the challenges our communities are facing all across Canada: safeguarding against climate impacts, building long-term climate financing and building affordable housing and transformative energy infrastructure.
Bringing this conference to Halifax was an initiative I was proud to be a part of in my past role. While I am sad to miss this event, I am honoured to celebrate it with my new colleagues here in the House of Commons. Building a Canada that is resilient, net-zero and equitable is only possible when diverse voices come together and are heard, something our government recognizes and values.
I commend the work of all those involved and wish them—