Eva Nassif

[Citizens from Vimy, June 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, recognizing the accomplishments of deserving constituents enhances our community spirit. Today, I am proud to honour two individuals from Vimy.

Marie-Ève Gauthier, an early childhood educator, won the 2015 Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education at the Centre de la petite enfance du Pic Bois. The award recognizes contributions in care for ages 0 to 5.

Samuel San Vachon, a talented young musician, has been selected to join the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. After years of rigorous training and development, he will be travelling across the country, and around the world, to play for thousands of people.

I would like to congratulate them on their achievements and for exhibiting excellence in their personal and professional affairs. They are an inspiration for us all.

[Armenian Genocide Memorial Day, May 17th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to meet several leaders in the Armenian community, including Bishop Abgar Hovakimian of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He has been a vigorous advocate for the well-being of the Armenian people here in Canada and abroad, and he has raised many people's awareness of the violence that Armenians still face today.

April 24 is Armenian Genocide Memorial Day, a day of remembrance and mourning for the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide. We must honour this day and protect our Armenian brothers and sisters.

As Canadians, we should stand against violence and injustice wherever it is found. Reckless bloodshed is still commonplace in this world and the pursuit of peaceful resolutions to end atrocities and elicit stability requires dedicated actors.

[Citizenship Act, May 17th, 2016]

I was not in my seat. I was entering the House when you started reading the motion.

[Status of Women, May 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, our government believes in gender equality. Gender-based Analysis Plus is one of the tools used by the government to foster this equality.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women tell the House why this analysis is important to our efforts to end gender discrimination?

[Business of Supply, April 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Justice took it upon herself to go see the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, who confirmed that the minister followed the rules.

If the member does not trust the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, who does he trust?

[Battle of Vimy Ridge, April 15th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the annual commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge took place last Saturday, April 9.

Near the village of Vimy, in 1917, regiments from all across Canada fought together and triumphed as Canadians, thereby contributing to the birth of our Canadian identity. We commemorate the bravery and courage of the 3,600 soldiers who died that day, and we will continue to build the free and peaceful society they gave their lives for.

As my constituents are residents of the newly formed riding of Vimy in Laval, we carry with us a constant reminder of this great Canadian victory and its everlasting impression on our heritage and place in the world. We are forever grateful and in debt to the veterans who served.

[International Women's Day, March 8th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on International Women's Day we pay tribute to women around the world.

Women are our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters. They formed the foundation of our society in the darkest periods of history. Today, we celebrate all their past and ongoing contributions.

On this day I would like to highlight my own mother not for one special accomplishment but for a lifetime of compassion, hard work, and perseverance. She was solely responsible for raising a family during troubling times and imbued her children with the values that would guide them through their ambitions. She exemplified the unshakable characteristics that strong women can have, characteristics that woman in Vimy and all of Canada exhibit daily as they help empower our children and all women.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, February 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to shine as a beacon of hope for Syrian refugees.

The newly formed riding of Vimy in Laval, which I proudly represent, has welcomed with open arms many grateful families seeking to escape conflict from half a world away. I was honoured to personally greet some of them at the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport on New Year's Day, and hope to welcome many more to a new life of peace and stability.

His Holiness Pope Francis has ordained His Excellency Antoine Nassif as a new bishop for the Syrian Catholic community. The induction ceremony will be held this Saturday in Vimy. This demonstrates the importance of the Syrian community in Laval. Canada's contribution to this humanitarian crisis has not gone unnoticed, and I am very happy to work with Bishop Nassif in order to help the Syrian community in Vimy.

[Health, January 27th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues know, today is Bell Canada's Let's Talk Day. This initiative began six years ago to raise awareness about mental health. Canadians know that it is just as important to take care of our mental health as our physical health.

Can the Minister of Health give us an update on the government's commitment to improving Canadians' mental health?