Mr. Speaker, it is a great honour and immense privilege to rise in this chamber as the elected member of Parliament for Long Range Mountains, which is a region of breathtaking beauty and unwavering resilience.
I will repeat this morning that I stand not only as a representative of my constituents, but as the first Conservative woman ever elected in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador. I say that again not for my own sake, but for what it means to so many others. As a mother of four with three daughters, I think of them in this moment. I think of all the young women across Newfoundland and Labrador in small towns and coastal communities who are watching our politics and wondering if there is a place for them here. My message to them is clear: Yes, there is. They belong here. This chamber needs their voice and our country needs their leadership. I hope that my presence here opens the door just a little wider for each and every one of them.
This historic opportunity is also one rooted in legacy. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have always had a fierce sense of place and pride. We know that Ottawa can feel far away, not just in geography but in priorities. The last Conservative to represent the majority of the Long Range Mountains riding as it looks today in the House was Jack Marshall, a man of great integrity, compassion and conviction. He once said that the voice of Newfoundland must never be quiet in Ottawa, and those words still ring true today. I intend to raise that voice clearly, consistently and passionately every day that I serve here, and I will do so with the full weight of responsibility that comes with representing the people of Long Range Mountains.
However, I did not get here alone; no one does. I want to thank the incredible team of volunteers who gave everything they had to our campaign. They knocked on doors regardless of weather conditions, drove long distances and brought joy and purpose to every single moment of this journey. It was their belief in me that made all the difference. I bring with me not just a Conservative voice, but a mother's voice, a rural voice and a Newfoundlander's voice.
My riding spans the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula all the way down to Port aux Basques, and it is home to some of the most beautiful rural communities in this country, places like The Beaches, Burnt Islands, Reidville, Bird Cove, Conche and Hawke's Bay. These communities are proud, resilient and full of heart, but far too many of them are facing decline. We see it in the closed up fish plants, the boarded up and abandoned businesses, and the crumbling roads. We feel it with the rising cost of living, with fewer kids in schools and with fewer young families putting down roots. We hear it in the voices of residents who are worried about the future of their communities. The heart of the communities is still strong, but the next generation is slipping away.
There were so many memorable moments during my campaign that I will never forget. One day, while in Port Saunders, I spoke with a young man who was a harvester with the 4R shrimp fleet. He has poured his heart and future into the fishing industry, and he shared his frustrations with policies that made no sense to someone who actually works on the water. He said something that struck me. He said, “I need you to do more than hear me. I need you to really feel what I am going through.” What he was really saying is that his voice, like so many in our coastal communities, is falling on deaf ears. He is not being heard, and he is certainly not being understood.
He is right. To truly represent him, I cannot just listen. I have to understand the weight of what he is carrying and bring that into this House with the urgency and respect it deserves. However, in light of all these frustrations, I come to this House with hope for a better future and a deep belief in what Newfoundland and Labrador can become.
We have what it takes to build a province that is affordable and self-reliant, a province where families are not forced to leave to build a life, a province that stands tall on its own two feet. The opportunities are right in front of us, especially in our natural resource sector. From our offshore energy and our forestry to our mining opportunities and our fisheries, we are rich in potential, but that potential must be harnessed in a way that puts our people first, creates jobs at home and keeps the benefits in Newfoundland and Labrador, where they belong.
Throughout my career in real estate, I have seen first-hand the growing pressure on supply in our housing market, leading to higher prices, especially in places like Corner Brook, and as prices go up, young families are being pushed out. What we need is a government focused on policy that brings costs down so that construction can be fired up. We have the skills, we have the tradespeople and we have the communities ready to grow, but we need federal policies that make it easier to build, not harder. In Newfoundland and Labrador, that means policy focused on rebuilding our rural communities, not writing them off. That is how we create homes, create jobs and create hope.
At this time, instead of more of the same, we need change. We also need smart, common-sense leadership that unlocks opportunities, and need leadership of vision and commitment. It is time for policies that reflect the strength and resilience of our people and that will give our young people a reason to stay, build and thrive at home.
Newfoundland and Labrador does not need to be managed by more control from Ottawa. We need leadership that unburdens our hard-working people so they can go further and reach higher. We need the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to have the opportunities to stay in the communities they love.
Recently, I had the immense privilege of returning to my old high school, not just as a former student but as a mom, to play volleyball with my own kids in the same gym I grew up in. Every time I walk those halls, I see the graduation photos of past years. I see the faces of people who were once full of hope for the future, and I know how that many of them had to move away to Fort McMurray, to Ontario or to the mainland in search of jobs and opportunities that simply were not available back home. That is a loss not just for their families but for our province.
This has given me perspective on the deep privilege it is to live in my home community. I want that for all the young people living in my riding and in Newfoundland and Labrador. We can build an economy that allows our children to grow up and stay close to the communities they love. We can ensure that no one is forced to choose between opportunity and home.
I did not run because I thought it would be easy; I ran because it is necessary. As a Conservative, I believe in unlocking the immense potential in the communities in my riding. I believe in responsibility. I believe in hard work. I also believe in community.
In conclusion, I thank my family, especially my husband Dwayne and our four children, Bree, Paige, Emma and William, for their patience, their support and their sacrifices. As many working mothers know, the balance is not always easy. People often ask me how I will manage a political career—