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.