Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Mégantic—L'Érable—Lotbinière.
It is an honour and a privilege to rise in this House and deliver my first remarks as a newly elected member of Parliament for the riding of Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt. Please allow me a few minutes to acknowledge the individuals who helped me make this possible. First, I would like to thank all the constituents of Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt for their support and for putting their trust in me. A heartfelt “thank you” goes to the incredible volunteers who, under the direction of my campaign manager, Diane Suski, worked tirelessly to get me here today. I was overwhelmed by the support from family, friends and even people I had never met. From all regions of the riding, they believed in hope and change. Their hard work was instrumental to the success of the campaign.
My wonderful wife of 35 years, Sylvie, makes me the best version of myself. If not for her and her love and support, I would not be standing in this place today. My thanks go to Sylvie. My three children, Shanel, Jesse and Carly, make me the proudest dad on earth. I love them all. Their generation and the next generation are the reasons I decided to participate in this election. I believe that becoming a member of Parliament for the Conservative Party of Canada will enable me to make a difference.
I am very proud to be francophone. It is a culture that must be preserved. There are over one million francophones outside the beautiful province of Quebec. I encourage Quebec to think about solutions rather than separation. Canadian unity is as important as ever.
My great-grandparents, Joe and Azilda Bélanger, left Saint-André-Avellin in search of a better life in Ontario in 1886. Azilda was the first pioneer woman to settle in the village of Rayside, which is now part of the city of Sudbury and was renamed Azilda in her honour in 1901. L'écho d'un peuple, the theatrical extravaganza that retells the story of 400 years of French culture, paid tribute to her in one of the scenes. I still live on the same land that was cleared by my grandfather.
For those who are not familiar with the geography of the riding, let me say this: It is big. It stretches from West Nipissing north to Mattagami, south to the French River and then west along the Trans-Canada Highway to the edge of the town of Spanish and the entirety of beautiful Manitoulin Island.
The people in my riding are as diverse as its geography. We have people from all backgrounds, starting with the proud indigenous people. Their knowledge and traditions are a crucial part of our communities. I look forward to developing strong relationships with them.
Like many other Canadian communities, many residents of our riding are descendants of European immigrants, families just like mine, hard-working Franco-Ontarians who came to Canada generations ago in search of a better life.
The people of northern Ontario are skilled and resourceful people who work in the industries that drive Canada's economy. Forestry, mining and the support services that supply these industries are some of the major drivers of the economy in northern Ontario. However, many might be surprised to learn that northern Ontario has a significant agricultural industry as well. There are approximately 700 farming operations in the area, ranging from cattle and dairy to cash crop operations that produce high-quality products for Canadians. We also have a thriving tourism industry that draws tens of thousands of people every year from around the world to enjoy the beauty and majesty of our land. We have camping, hiking, snowmobiling, fishing and hunting. Our region is also home to some of the best fall agricultural fairs in the country.
I will now turn to the Bloc Québécois opposition motion. Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt is a region where affordability is no longer a distant political concern, but rather a daily crisis that hits families at the gas pump, in the grocery store and in their monthly heating bills.
We are here today to debate a Bloc Québécois motion that raises real concerns about fairness, transparency and the use of taxpayers' money. While we do not share the goals of the Bloc Québécois, I do believe that we can agree on one thing: Regardless of their province, Canadian taxpayers deserve a government that respects their contributions and treats them fairly. This is not about fairness or principles; it is simply a matter of policy.
I would also like to remind the House that, even before I was a member of Parliament, I remember that the Bloc Québécois voted against all Conservative opposition motions to repeal the carbon tax. The people in my riding will not accept that either.
The Bloc Québécois will realize that the province of Quebec has done very well with Canadian taxpayers. Every year, the Government of Quebec already receives $29 billion in transfer payments from the rest of Canada. It receives $13.6 billion through equalization, $11.9 billion through health transfers and $3.8 billion through Canada social transfers.
Canadians are generous and compassionate people who believe in sharing the wealth of our great country. However, this Bloc Québécois motion is nothing more than theatrics and will only serve to divide Canadians at a time when we should be coming together. I guess that is their goal. This is what happens when politicians focus more on appearances than results.
In Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt, people are not asking for more bureaucracy, more cheques or more discount games. Let us start building a government that works for everyone, in every province, with the same respect and the same accountability. I thank the House for its attention.