Bob Bratina

[Committees of the House, June 16th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, three reports of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. The ninth report is entitled “Supplementary Estimates (A), 2021-22”. The committee has considered the estimates referred by the House and reports the same.

The 10th report is entitled “Food Security in Northern and Isolated Communities: Ensuring Equitable Access to Adequate and Healthy Food for All”, and the 11th report is entitled “Collaborative Approaches to Enforcement of Laws in Indigenous Communities".

The committee worked remarkably well in difficult circumstances. It heard amazing testimony from a tremendous panel of witnesses for each of our studies, and of course, the hard-working staff and analysts are to be congratulated for helping to prepare these very important reports.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to the 10th and 11th reports.

[Croatia, May 28th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, my father came from Croatia to Canada as a seven year old in 1929. The characteristics he gained from his upbringing ensured his success in Canada: hard work, self reliance and love of family.

Croatia is an ancient nation, but Sunday marks the 30th anniversary of statehood, celebrating the day its first multi-party parliament passed the constitutional recognition of Croatian sovereignty and independence.

In 2019, I had the honour of attending the official state visit of the Croatian President to Canada and the Prime Minister's reception for her in Hamilton. Before that, I had welcomed the Speaker of its parliament and other members to the House.

On Saturday, I will be joining His Excellency, Ambassador Vice Skracic to see the colours of the Croatian flag projected onto Niagara Falls. We all anxiously await the end of the pandemic so Canadians can discover one of the most beautiful vacation destinations in the world, our beautiful homeland, Lijepa naša domovino.

[Canadian Coast Guard, May 11th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, with Canada's most capable icebreaker, the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent set to retire in 2030, it is critical that the Coast Guard has the capacity it needs to continue to provide support in the north. To meet this need, it is imperative that construction of new vessels begin as soon as possible.

Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard update the House on how her efforts to expand the Coast Guard fleet are going?

[Privilege, May 5th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order with regard to the previous vote.

I have been having technical issues with my device. I had originally cast my intended vote, but, subsequently, I received a message saying that there was only about a minute left and that my vote had not been submitted. In panic form, I went back to my device and cast a vote, which, unfortunately, was opposite to my intention, and it was recorded.

I am pretty sure that I am not able to ask the House at this point to change it, but I do want to publicly state that I have the highest respect for the chief of staff of the Prime Minister. My intention was not to vote with the Conservatives, and I apologize for that.

Once again, I inadvertently cast the wrong vote during—

[April 28th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I want to point out that in Hamilton the first new flour mill in 75 years was built in the province of Ontario with major federal government assistance. Parrish & Heimbecker built that new mill. How can my friends from western Canada state that this government is not interested in, or ignores, the agricultural sector? They are pretty happy with us in this part of the world.

[Housing, April 27th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, my start in politics was as a downtown Hamilton city councillor. It became immediately apparent to me that there was an affordable housing crisis. The problem dated back to a time when social housing and administration costs were downloaded by the provincial government. I personally met with constituents who were struggling to find housing, and those who were housed were often living in dilapidated unsafe units. This experience stayed with me.

Today I am proud to be part of a government that is making historic investments in housing across our country. Yesterday, we announced that Hamilton would receive $145 million to repair and renovate over six thousand units of social housing. This is further to the $97 million that will be used to create 1,942 units. These investments are city-changing, and are an example of how municipalities, provinces and the federal government can work together to change lives for the better.

[Committees of the House, April 26th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs in relation to Bill C-15, an act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.

[Petitions, April 16th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present petition e-3205, which has 2,003 signatories.

The petitioners note the federal government is planning to restrict public access to the Hamilton and Burlington piers through the use of physical barriers. These piers are an important part of our community. The area has been open to public use for decades and the area is a unifying space for the Hamilton and Burlington communities.

The petitioners, citizens and residents of Canada, in association with Save Our Pier Hamilton Beach Community, call upon the Government of Canada to maintain responsible public access to the Hamilton and Burlington piers without the use of barriers in a similar manner to the accessibility found in comparable municipal public spaces.

[Committees of the House, March 26th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, entitled “Main Estimates 2021-22: Vote 1 under Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Votes 1, 5, 10 and L15 under Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, Votes 1, 5 and 10 under Department of Indigenous Services.”

[Committees of the House, March 11th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour on this day of commemoration to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, entitled “COVID-19 and Indigenous Peoples: From Crisis towards Meaningful Change”. I want to thank each member of the committee, from all parties, for working as a team to produce this report.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.