Debates of May 28th, 2025

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the people of Newmarket—Aurora for entrusting me to be their voice in Ottawa. I thank my campaign team, who gave this mission 18 months of relentless effort. We knocked on 100,000 doors to earn our neighbours' trust. I thank my family, especially my husband Matthijs, for standing beside me with his wise counsel, and my three beautiful children, Matthijs, Martina and Isabella, for their endless cheering on of mami.

As I entered the chamber for the first time as a member of Parliament, I felt a deep sense of humility. I never knew that this would be possible for someone like me. My family came to Canada with nothing but the clothes in our suitcases, but those suitcases were stolen, and so we carried our belongings in garbage bags. It did not matter, because we had arrived in Canada, and being Canadian was and always will be a privilege. My parents worked two and sometimes three jobs. I cared for my younger brothers while my parents worked. We all watched the sun come down day after day while we waited for mom and dad to come home. We saved every penny we could. We budgeted and budgeted some more, because if people want to change their circumstances, they budget. One day, we had just enough to buy our first home in beautiful Aurora, Ontario.

What breaks my heart is knowing that today, that path, the one my parents walked, is almost gone. Last fall, I met a grandmother in Aurora. Her story sounded like ours, with long days, night shifts, sacrifice and budgeting. When she told me her story, she looked at her grandchildren beside her and said that they will not have the same opportunities that she had, and they were born in Canada. That should stop us; it should move us.

For that grandmother, looking at her grandchildren with fear, I ask this: Where is the budget? Where is the urgency to meet this moment? Everywhere I go in Newmarket and Aurora, I hear it. On front porches, in parking lots, in elevators and checkout lines, people are tired of waiting for a home they can afford, for a permit that never seems to come, for a safe street, for a family doctor or for a government that understands one simple truth: that their time is not a limitless resource. Young people are growing older while giving up on their dreams. Our seniors have already given so much and they are running out of time, yet Parliament has been shut down since December, so for almost six months. Just as we return, we prepare to adjourn again until September. For our young people and our seniors, I ask this: Where is the urgency to meet this moment?

During the campaign, I met an individual in Newmarket who refused to believe that there was a crime crisis in our community. In fact, as he walked out of his home, looking up and down at the street, he asked where the crime was and said that he did not see any crime on his street, yet, a couple of doors down, a woman who was working in her front lawn had had her car stolen that morning. She was at risk of losing her job because she could not get to it. Crime will not wait until Parliament reconvenes in the fall; it demands action now.

For the victims of all forms of crime, and for our police, I ask this: Where is the legislation to repeal catch-and-release bail laws? Where is the legislation to end human trafficking? Where is the legislation to crack down on intimate partner violence? Where is the urgency to meet this moment?

I met a Canadian entrepreneur in Aurora who is bright, driven and successful. He built three businesses in the U.S. but only one here at home in Canada. He told me something that stopped me. He said that in the U.S., he gets his permits, his financing and his approvals in days. In Canada, it takes months or sometimes years. This is unacceptable, because he is a man who wants to build here and who believes in this country, but we are making it harder for him to do it.

Government members say they want investment, jobs and economic independence from the United States, but their actions do not meet their ambition, and the Liberal legacy continues to sabotage our economic self-reliance. Somewhere along the way, bureaucracy took the place of common sense. Our GDP is struggling, our productivity is down, our purchasing power is crumbling and the unemployment rate is rising as a result of Liberal policies.

Let me be clear, and the Prime Minister knows this well: In investment banking, if a person does not know their numbers, they get fired. In commercial banking, if a person does not have a budget, they do not get the loan. In private equity, if a person does not have a plan, they do not get the investment. If a business owner has money to invest in Canada today, they will not wait until the fall; the investment will go elsewhere, and once it is gone, it is gone for good. For the entrepreneurs and risk-takers, I ask this: Where is the plan to unleash the Canadian economy? Where is the urgency to meet this moment?

If I could deliver one message from the people of Newmarket—Aurora, it is this: We want a government that moves with the urgency of a parent trying to provide a future for her children, with the urgency of a Canadian entrepreneur trying to keep the lights on, or with the urgency of a paramedic trying to provide a lifeline to a patient.

My neighbours in Newmarket—Aurora elected me to work the long days to restore the promise that working hard will grant a person a great life in a beautiful home on a safe street. Canadians feel the urgency. I feel the urgency. We feel the urgency. We cannot ask Canadians to wait while we rest. Let us meet this moment with the urgency it deserves, not someday, not afer the break, but now.

[John-Paul Danko, Liberal, Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it was inspiring to hear the story from the member opposite about her experience immigrating to Canada. It is a story that is so familiar to so many families throughout this great country.

I congratulate the member on her election to Parliament. I have had the pleasure of serving with her husband in my capacity as a board member for the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

My question is about what I heard when I was campaigning at doors, which is a renewed passion and pride in Canada and in being Canadian. I heard it most clearly from new immigrants and immigrant families, newcomers to Canada who are so proud to be part of our great country. My question is this: If the member's parents are still with us, what do they think about her election to Parliament and the amazing contributions she is making?

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when I was running to be a member of Parliament, I was recalling my early days here in Canada and called my mom to ask her a question. I said, “Mom, did you rely on any government programs when we came to Canada? What did you need, because you came with three young children?” She said to me, “All we needed was opportunity. All we needed was a job so that we could work hard, work long days and provide a future for our children.”

Today, that opportunity is gone. It is no longer possible to just work hard, earn a decent living and build a beautiful home and a beautiful future for our children. This is what Canadians bring up at the doors today.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the new member's speech, and I congratulate her on her election to the House of Commons and welcome her to this chamber. She represents a suburban riding that I imagine has much in common with my own.

I wonder if she could talk a bit about some of the things she heard at the door during the campaign. She knocked on 100,000 doors during her campaign, I understand, and she probably heard a lot of stories from many Canadians who are frustrated over what has become of this country in the last nine and a half years and over the erosion of the promise of Canada that has taken place in that time period.

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as I was door knocking in Newmarket, Doug, a sweet senior in my riding, opened the door and invited me in to share some of his concerns. As we were talking, he said to me that when he was a little boy, his father taught him to work hard: that if he wanted something, he needed to work hard and give it his all and he would have it. Doug was sitting in his living room and said, “I gave it my all. I worked hard my entire life, and I am sitting here in my living room struggling to make ends meet.” That is unacceptable. Canadians, including seniors, are looking for opportunity. They want an affordable life.

[Patrick Bonin, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with more than $8 billion in damage reported by the Insurance Bureau of Canada, last year was, I believe, a record year in terms of catastrophic climate change impacts in Canada. Despite that, I still do not hear my colleagues in the official opposition asking any questions about what must be done to address climate change. On the contrary, I hear more about pipelines and oil and gas. I must admit that this worries me, but I will try to see if there are any points on which we might agree.

I talked about the $800 million that Quebeckers paid for the Liberals to send cheques to Canadians during the election campaign. That is $800 million from which they have not received one single penny back.

I would like to know whether—

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The hon. member for Newmarket—Aurora can give a brief answer.

[Sandra Cobena, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my team and I knocked on 100,000 doors, and the priorities at the doors were very clear: affordability, crime and unleashing our economy. When a young mother is choosing between rent and groceries, she does not need a promise to consider her needs in the fall; she needs action today. We have just returned and are about to adjourn. This is unacceptable.

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the people of Montmorency—Charlevoix. I did so yesterday in my first question in the House, but I want to take the time to do it again today. They elected a Conservative Party that has their interests at heart, and I will represent their interests with great honour and respect. I want them to know that I care a lot about this work.

I am proud to rise in the House to speak to the Speech from the Throne in this 45th Parliament and to defend the interests of Montmorency—Charlevoix here in Ottawa. My riding is one of the founding ridings of Quebec and Canada. It is made up of 29 municipalities and certain parts of the greater Quebec City area, including the Beauport and Charlesbourg regions. There is much at stake. Every region has its own realities, as important and as different as they may be. I am committed to being a voice for the workers in my region. I am also committed to working hard to represent them to the best of my abilities.

One of the primary issues I raised is access to home ownership, which we have talked about today. I think being able to buy a first home is a major issue, especially for young people. The prices keep going up. For last year alone, in Quebec, the purchase price of homes increased by 10%, 9.2% to be exact. The Speech from the Throne, which is ultimately the Liberal plan for the next few years, proposes eliminating taxes on the purchase of a first home. Although the Conservatives fully agree with cutting taxes, this is still not enough in my opinion. If a young couple that bought a first condo now wants to buy a first home, that tax credit will not help them very much.

Here is another situation that is very common in my riding. Companies find that they have to buy houses or housing units to house the workers who come to help them operate their businesses. This measure will be of no use to such businesses in Île d'Orléans, Baie-Saint-Paul or La Malbaie, which are trying to attract workers and families. Unfortunately, these families cannot find a place to live at a reasonable price. Today, I would like to talk about organizations like Maison Mère Baie-Saint-Paul, which turned a former religious convent into a public space and a place for local businesses to set up shop. The organization also turned a significant portion of the convent into housing to attract foreign workers to support local businesses. The Coopérative de développement immobilier de Charlevoix was created to build affordable rental housing to help employers attract workers. We see the same thing in Côte-de-Beaupré, which has a special development program to build affordable housing in partnership with the Côte-de-Beaupré municipal housing and development offices. This kind of innovation helps attract workers and supports our businesses.

The topic of worker housing brings me to another debate, the debate around immigration. Canada is a welcoming, inspiring country and it is definitely respected around the world. It is a great place to live. We have a great quality of life and we are happy to be here. We are an inspiration, the envy of the world. This reality attracts people from all over the world for different reasons. However, we know that we can no longer take in everyone. We need to set priorities and hold on to the foreign workers who come to support our economy. In Charlevoix—Montmorency, this is vital. The Conservatives were clear throughout the campaign: In many regions, foreign workers are essential. For many businesses, their survival depends on it. The Conservatives will always stand up in the House to protect foreign workers and ensure that their businesses receive the support they need for solid economic development.

Supply management was also briefly mentioned. I look forward to seeing whether the government will walk the talk in the years ahead. It has to move beyond words and on to action. For the Conservatives and for me, supply management is non-negotiable.

There is another glaring problem, especially at the tip of Montmorency and throughout Charlevoix, and that is cell coverage. It is unacceptable that, in 2025, people are unable to have a conversation with someone without constantly being cut off for lack of cell coverage.

Let us be clear: Cell coverage helps local economies grow and helps businesses. However, it is also a matter of public safety. I am therefore committed to working actively on this file and supporting the development of the cell network in Montmorency—Charlevoix. I will represent that interest, because it is an extremely important one.

Yesterday, I asked the Prime Minister a question about the French language, because in the throne speech, there is a vague mention, a brief and rather hollow sentence. I think it is extremely important that we go beyond simply recognizing that the French language needs to be protected. It also needs to be promoted. Château-Richer, in my riding, is where the first French colony was founded. That led to the development of Quebec and Canada as we know them today. Our French language is the founding language of Canada. It is important that we not only protect it, but that we promote it so that it can thrive and be spoken across the country.

Health is another issue that I believe was the elephant in the room when the Speech from the Throne was read. Physical health, mental health, and the health of a society require concrete action. That means working to improve the health of Canadians, promoting physical activity and taking action to promote health. We need to make sure that people understand that they can take charge of their health and take action to prevent illness.

We are experiencing the biggest crisis of inactivity in human history. It seems to me that today very little importance is given to this truly crucial issue. There is growing scientific evidence demonstrating the importance of physical activity. I do not understand why no concrete action has been taken and why massive investments are not being made to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases. I do not understand why the government does not invest in prevention instead of always waiting for disease to strike, which ultimately costs more.

Recent studies show that 50% of cancer cases are directly linked to obesity. As we know, one in three Canadians will be obese by 2030. It is the leading cause of death in this country. Studies also show that we could reduce that number by nearly half. However, no action is being taken to promote sport and physical activity in our beautiful country.

Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Canada. Once again, all the foundations tell us that physical activity is the best way to prevent this type of disease, which, in recent years, has been the second leading cause of death among Canadians.

When we look at the top 10 causes of death in this country, it is pretty straightforward. When we consult medical associations and associations that deal with diseases, they always say that physical activity is the first or second solution to solve most problems. However, muscle strength exercises, VO2 training and healthy lifestyle habits are rarely promoted.

In a world where sedentary lifestyles are increasingly common and our hospitals are buckling under the strain, I would have expected the throne speech to include at least a brief mention of this issue. It is not complicated: Things are getting worse. Sports are consistently underfunded, and this year the department was scrapped. Sports are now represented by a secretary of state. If we want to help the provinces support their hospitals, giving them money is fine. However, I think it is high time we take the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” to heart and find other ways to promote healthy lifestyles.

I could spend all day talking about Montmorency—Charlevoix and my intentions and interests, especially those that affect my constituents and are important to them. However, I think I will end my speech by inviting everyone to come and experience Montmorency—Charlevoix, to come and experience it and, most importantly, to come and see our region's bounty and the great potential it holds.

I will end my speech today by inviting Canadians to come visit me and share in the rich experiences that tourism has to offer, including cultural tourism, sport tourism and our incredible festivals. I invite my colleagues to come and enjoy the legendary festival Le Festif!, an international music festival, and stay at Club Med or Manoir Richelieu. I invite them to come enjoy the beautiful colours of our region. I promise they will want to pick up a paintbrush. For an outstanding rodeo experience, they can check out the Rodéo Mont-Sainte-Anne, or the Rallye de Charlevoix, the world's only green, zero-emission rally. If they want to explore local products, Île d'Orléans is the place to go. Ste-Brigitte-de-Laval has the youngest population in Quebec.

I invite everyone to come experience history, and I want all of my colleagues to join me in being part of it.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments made by the member.

Having said that, there is a great deal of expectation amongst parliamentarians, given what we have witnessed with President Trump and the whole tariffs and trade issue. There is concern for industries throughout Canada, and the feeling is that we need to have parliamentarians not only working together to develop that one Canadian economy, as one solution, but also taking on other initiatives.

To what degree would the member opposite agree that, at times, we need to put partisanship aside so we can work on the collective interests of Canadians? This was clearly demonstrated in the last election. They want us to protect our economic trade relationships so that Canada can ultimately get the best deal we can as a sovereign nation.

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Winnipeg North asked a very good question.

The Conservative Party has been very clear since the beginning of this 45th Parliament that we will support common-sense, logical ideas. We want to see facts and plans. We are not just going to give the nod to ideas and empty words. We will support concrete action. If concrete actions are on the table, the Conservative Party of Canada and I will support them.

All we have heard so far is ideas and slogans. There is still no clear plan, because there is still no budget, and there is not going to be one until September or October.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague.

I really love his region. He spoke about some of the tourist attractions in his riding. I would invite him to visit Isle‑aux‑Coudres, which is home to the Hôtel du Capitaine, a fantastic hotel in his region. It is really lovely.

Our colleague talked about French earlier. I have a rather simple question for him. Does he agree that judges should have to be bilingual in order to be appointed to the Supreme Court? Does he agree with us on that?

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, there is a wonderful hotel on Isle‑aux‑Coudres. I will get there one day. I hope I get a warm welcome.

French certainly is extremely important. We must defend and promote it. That being said, at no time during my election campaign did anyone tell me that they think judges should be bilingual. What people told me is that they want us to promote French across Canada and, above all, to speak French here in Parliament in Ottawa, to ask questions in French, to answer questions in French and to perfectly represent our beautiful language.

That is what I pledge to do for the next few years.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague from Montmorency—Charlevoix on his excellent first speech in the House of Commons.

He represents a new generation. He is obviously younger than me. My colleague lived through the last 10 years of the Trudeau government. He has experienced its repercussions, as have his friends, the 30- to 40-year-old generation.

I would like him to comment on how he feels about home ownership these days and what impact the Trudeau government's decisions have had on his generation.

What can we do for the future?

[Gabriel Hardy, Conservative, Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my mentor, the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, for that excellent question.

This is a very striking reality that I am hearing about at every door I knock on. Young families are telling me how difficult it is to get into the housing market and how saving up for a down payment, which has doubled in recent years, is a major obstacle to buying their first home. They talk to me about access to housing. They also talk to me about how house prices are skyrocketing, particularly in Baie‑Saint‑Paul and La Malbaie.

This is because people are starting to go to those places to buy second homes, which tend to be fairly luxurious cottages. This is driving up property prices in the region. Ultimately, locals are unable to buy property in their region or to settle there because houses are too expensive. It has even become a problem for companies trying to attract talent, because the new hires end up struggling to find affordable housing.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there was more applause from the other side than my own, but it is early on. That was some Jeb Bush-level begging for applause, and I apologise to my colleagues, but it is good to be back.

I should say that I am splitting my time.

I am hoping the Speaker will indulge me while I offer a few thank yous. First, I would like to thank the residents of St. Catharines, who have entrusted me for a fourth time to represent them in this place. It has been an honour of a lifetime to be in this place, to represent their views and to try to make our little corner of Niagara a little better. Though I may not see eye to eye with my constituents all the time, I will hear them, I will bring their voices and I will do my very best every single day.

I would like to thank the members of my core campaign team, and I wrote their names down because I am bound to forget someone. I give Alice, Yasmine, Sarah, Garrett, Sam, Ramy, Luca and Sadie my thanks for all their work during the campaign.

I want to say a special thank you to Cassandra Almeida, who has been with me for seven years, by my side, typically at my Hill office here in Ottawa. She has been an incredible adviser and is never afraid to tell me I am wrong, like many members of the opposition. She is usually right, and she has been there all this time. As has happened to so many of us who have advisers who have become friends, I have been very lucky to have her over these past seven years, so my thanks go to Cassandra.

I thank all the volunteers and supporters. It was an incredible five weeks through the election, and we saw so many new faces helping us go door to door in St. Catharines.

I also want to say a quick thank you to our former colleague Vance Badawey. Though I congratulate his opponent in Niagara Centre on a win, Vance has been a public servant in Niagara for over a quarter century and has worked incredibly hard on big files like protecting the Great Lakes and building infrastructure in Niagara. I know he will continue to be a champion for our region.

Most importantly, I want to say my thanks to Hannah and Ethan, my daughter and son. Though they are happy Dad won, they are the ones who sacrifice. They are the ones who deal with Dad's being away during these times and during the campaign. They are the ones who do not get to see Dad. I know that so many in this place have a similar experience, but it is always important to say thank you to family.

It is on the subject of my son that I will start my speech. Sometimes kids come to us with a question we are really not prepared for. My son asked, “Dad, is Donald Trump a threat to Canada?” I was not ready for that from an eight-year-old kid, who would probably want me to tell my colleagues that he is almost nine.

I think it shows the level of anxiety for Canadians, including residents of St. Catharines, that these are the conversations happening around dinner tables at family gatherings, which kids hear. The anxiety that Canadians feel, that Niagara residents feel, is something that was repeated back to me by my own son. I told him that it should not be for kids his age to worry about these things, but it is something we are hearing. It is something that I heard at the doors, from door to door: concern from residents.

From our riding, it is about a ten-minute drive to the border. I have family in the United States; so many members do. It is not unusual for Niagara residents to head over the border to grab a bite to eat or to see friends and family, and there is a threat to our very sovereignty.

I was happy to hear in the throne speech that the continuation of our relationship, which we must continue to work on, needs to be rooted in respect and the common interests between sovereign nations. We hear statements from the President of the United States that concern Canadians, but I think Canadians know that the Prime Minister and members of the House are going to stand up for Canada's interests and sovereignty. It is something worth fighting for and it is something that will continue.

However, it is not just us in this place. I want to thank Canadians, both my constituents and those across the country. It is truly incredible to witness what we have seen, these little acts of dissent, like putting an item back on a shelf and not buying something that is made in the U.S. I sometimes go to the grocery store and see an item turned around, and see people looking at where it is from and putting it back. I will walk past produce, and the American version is virtually untouched, as people are buying Canadian. They are looking for a Canadian flag, and though it may be a few dollars here and there, those acts of dissent are costing the American economy hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars.

It is being felt in the United States. We are hearing governors and senators tell Canadians not to worry and to come to the United States, that they are not as bad as we think they are, but Canadians will continue to fight and stand up for the country that they believe in. It has been the silver lining of this dark cloud to see Canadians come together to celebrate the flag, celebrate the country and celebrate who we are.

It has also been good to see the Prime Minister, cabinet and the government getting to work right away. First off will be a middle-class tax cut that will benefit 22 million Canadians and that will see a dual-income family save $840 per year. We know things are tough. We have been hearing that door to door, and this is something reliable, a quick action, that Canadians will see on July 1.

The item I am looking forward to, and I know the Prime Minister has promised this, is legislation with respect to one Canadian economy. We have seen the premiers working hard on the renewed interest in taking down provincial trade barriers, but the federal government needs to lead by example. I am happy to see the federal government removing whatever remaining federal trade barriers exist.

We have heard that it is costing the Canadian economy $200 billion. The classic example we see in Niagara is that it is easier to get a bottle of wine from Argentina than it is to get a bottle of wine from a different part of the country. We see the same thing in British Columbia. British Columbians cannot find a Niagara bottle of wine, but can much more easily buy a bottle of wine from Chile. That is not something we should be engaging in, and I look forward to seeing the premiers work together with the federal government to break down these trade barriers.

It is not just a matter of one piece of legislation. There are hundreds if not thousands of pieces of regulation that lead to these barriers across the country. We need to get to work, and the government is getting to work right away to ensure that we have a strong economy and that we fulfill the commitments that we made to Canadians.

I do not believe I have much time left, but I would like to briefly discuss the housing crisis and the importance of building more affordable homes. I know the Prime Minister has made the commitment, and I look forward to it, to seeing more homes get built and to using ideas that we learned after the Second World War. Let us get factory and modular homes built and get more affordable houses built so we can see young people get into the houses they deserve and worked hard for.

I believe my time is up. I have enjoyed this opportunity and look forward to many other days of debate in the future.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Clarke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member for St. Catharines talked a bit in his speech about the removal of interprovincial trade barriers, the federal ones, to be specific. There has not been any degree of specificity as to which of them will be there. Will they be the ones that remain, such as the exemptions remaining in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, or will the government be removing additional ones beyond the Canadian Free Trade Agreement?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Northumberland—Clarke and I have been working together off and on for 20 years, since we first started as articling students at a law firm in St. Catharines many years ago.

I look forward to the legislation. I look forward to seeing what the government will be doing to get those provisions to come down and, most importantly, to seeing cabinet work with premiers to take down trade barriers across the country. We need to see them come down. Something I was surprised to hear a lot at the doors is that Canadians are worried about this. It is something we need to take action on, and I am glad action is being taken on it as quickly as it is.

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to come back to the matter of creating one economy out of 13.

The House has recognized on two occasions that Quebec is a distinct nation. The first was when the symbolic motion was adopted in 2006. The second was during the 2019-21 Parliament. The government officially and constitutionally recognized that we are a distinct nation. It voted for that. However, the government seems to think that that distinction should not apply when it comes to Quebec having its own economic model. Being a distinct nation does not mean anything if, in the end, we have to extinguish, stifle and eliminate what makes us economically distinct.

Are our new colleagues opposite reneging on their past vote for recognizing Quebec as a distinct nation?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this is all the Bloc has. I will be honest in that I have not spoken to a Quebec business person recently, but they want Ontario businesses buying their products, and they want Alberta residents buying their products. I want to see Quebec aluminum used in Canadian products. I want to see Niagara wine purchased in Quebec. These are things that the Bloc is apparently against.

The Bloc wants to see as many barriers as possible to prevent the growth of Quebec business. It is absolutely shocking, but this is all the Bloc Québécois has in this place. It does not want to see economic growth. It just wants to see more barriers and more problems for Quebec businesses, which is unsurprising, but here we are.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, one of the very first initiatives that the Prime Minister took was to decrease the tax bracket, which is literally putting hundreds of millions of dollars into the pockets of Canadians as a direct result. I am wondering if my colleague could provide his thoughts on just how important that was to do. I think it really sets the stage of a new government, and a government that wants to be there to make sure that affordability is being addressed.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member for Winnipeg North's words in this place, which are bountiful.

This is a commitment that we made to Canadians. It is a strong commitment to show Canadians that we understand what they are going through and to provide some relief to them. Things have gotten more expensive. Global inflation still remains a problem, but Canada can step up. We have made this commitment. Canada's new government and the Prime Minister acted quickly, and we will see that relief on July 1.

[Ned Kuruc, Conservative, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by congratulating all the members in the House on their successful election. It is an honour to rise here today and deliver my first speech in the House as the first Conservative member for Hamilton East—Stoney Creek. An unprecedented 32,000 people in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek believed in me, our Conservative Party and our leader, Pierre Poilievre. I would like to thank all the people of Hamilton East—Stoney Creek for putting their trust in me. It is an honour and a privilege to bring their voice to Ottawa.

Most importantly, I would like to thank my wife for simply everything, for standing by my side during every step of this journey and for her never-ending support and belief in me. She has helped shape me into who I am today. I am incredibly thankful for her love and support. I would also like to thank my children, Vonn, Ilija and my princess, Ivanna. They were my biggest motivation and inspiration to take on this journey, to do my part to make sure that they and everyone else's children had the same opportunities that generations before them had. Daddy loves them.

I would like to thank my first campaign managers and friends, Ken Audziss and Ian Thompson, and my current campaign manager and friend, Jonathan Stathakos, who joined my team in 2021 as a young kid by clicking a Facebook ad. Together, we made history.

To Grant MacLean and Jennifer Devolin, their experience is the steady hand we needed during turbulent times. To Connor Fraser, Drashko Zdero, Jora Purwall, Akal Purwall, my brother Rob Kuruc, the core team and the hundreds of volunteers, I thank them for all they have done. To Vince Valleri, Paul Russamano, Vesel Sobot, Nicica Miskovic and Novica Miskovic, I thank them for believing in freedom. To Bob Bratina, the former Liberal MP from Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, I thank him for always putting the people of our community first, especially when he recognized that the Liberal government was wrong. I thank him for his support and his endorsement.

To my colleagues from Niagara West and Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North, I thank them for their guidance and for being my political big brothers. I want to thank the Conservative campus clubs from U of T, TMU and Redeemer, as well as all the youth who helped me on this journey. They made all the difference because they had the most to fight for: their future. I give special thanks to Mariuz, Joanna, Juliet and Hanna Kurjanowiz. Their hard work and dedication was unmatched.

I am proud to call Hamilton East—Stoney Creek and Winona my home. It is where I was born and raised by two loving parents, who had come to Canada from the former Yugoslavia in 1967, seeking a better life. It is where I was christened at the St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Cathedral on Nash Road, attended Memorial Elementary School and graduated from Orchard Park Secondary School.

Today, my wife and I are raising our children in the very same home where I grew up, surrounded by the same community that shaped who I am today. I am proud to have made history as the first member of Parliament of Serbian heritage. It is an honour and a privilege to represent my Serbian community in the House of Commons.

To the people of Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, often referred to as Steeltown, my door will always be open regardless of who they voted for. I am here for them.

The Prime Minister recently asked during an interview, how much steel do we use anyway? I am proud to share that Hamilton steel is used far and wide across this great country and around the world. In fact, it is actually used in this building. The girders above us were manufactured right outside my riding by the Walters Group. Hamilton helped build the House of Commons.

After the government's throne speech, I must say I am deeply disappointed. The Liberals campaigned on how Canada was in a crisis and the Prime Minister's resume would fix it. The reality is that we came back to Parliament with the same ministers, no budget and the Liberals ready to go on summer break just after they prorogued for six months. If the Liberals do not have a plan, they could just keep using our Conservative one.

Conservatives are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work for Canadians. On this side of the House, Conservatives have a plan to make Canada affordable, safe, self-reliant and united. We must get the cost of living down, and we will continue to demand a budget that reveals the true deficit and lowers spending, taxes and inflation.

We must unleash our construction sector to get homes built by cutting taxes and red tape for buyers and builders. We must restore the dream of home ownership that the Liberals destroyed. We want homes where kids can play outside, seniors can walk in safety and our cars do not disappear overnight.

We must restore economic independence by unleashing our businesses and our resources. We all want a permanent end to tariffs with the U.S., and we will work with the government to make that happen. We also need to focus on making our own economy more independent and self-reliant. The government must remove the laws, taxes and rules blocking mines, pipelines, LNG plants and hydro dams to reduce our dependence on the U.S.

We must bring safety to our streets by locking up dangerous offenders and securing our borders. We will fight to end catch-and-release bail and to push for treatment to combat addiction. We must get immigration under control after a decade of Liberal mismanagement. Canadians are very welcoming, but our health care, housing and job markets are now overflowing because population growth has been too fast.

These priorities represent our goals, and Conservatives will fight to deliver them.

By the end, the poll aggregators gave Conservatives a 1% chance of winning in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, but we knew that people wanted change, and that is why I am standing here today. Over the last few weeks, I have been asked what the secret was to winning. My response has always been that it was hard work, but today I have a secret to share with the House. It is the Serbian word inat, which Google defines as a stubborn defiance fuelled by pride and passion. Simply put, my team and I would not take no or not winning as an answer.

It is that same mentality that brought my parents to a country that offered freedom and opportunity for them and their future children. My father Ilija Kuruc, who herded sheep as a child in a Serbian village called Strmica, and my late mother lvanka Kuruc, who grew up in a house with a straw roof in a tiny Croatian village called Ledenik, left their humble beginnings for Canada, the land of opportunity. This is where they were able to achieve their dreams and allow me to achieve mine. It is because of Canada and hard work that my family's story was able to go from the village to Parliament in one generation.

Pierre Poilievre instilled in me that we are the servants and not the masters. I stand here ready to serve. I love this country. God bless Canada.

[The Speaker, Francis Scarpaleggia]

The House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 6:30 p.m.)