Joe Peschisolido

[Orthodox Christmas, February 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, January 6, I joined the parishioners at the Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox church to celebrate Orthodox Christmas Eve.

It was a beautiful ceremony led by the Very Reverend Michael Fourik, who kindly introduced me to some of the teachings of the Russian Orthodox faith. He also generously allowed me to bring greetings to the church community. It was a great honour and humbling experience.

I would also like to thank Sergei Poversky and his lovely family for inviting me to their Christmas Eve celebration. The Poversky family are proud members of the vibrant and substantial Russian Canadian community in Steveston—East Richmond.

The Russian Canadian community continues to contribute to the vitality and strength of our great country.

[Church Fundraiser, December 5th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, on November 10, parishioners from St. Monica's Roman Catholic Church hosted an evening of music and prayers to raise funds for a new, larger church building for the growing faith community at neighbouring St. Paul Roman Catholic Parish. The music provided by the youth choir, Psalm Ninety Eight music ministry, and Father Rob Galea, was both inspiring and edifying.

This event would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of two communities united by a common goal. I want to thank everyone who helped organize this event and invited me to take part in the festivities.

I would also like to wish all my friends at the St. Paul and Saint Monica's parishes a very joyous and merry Christmas.

[Health, November 6th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, on October 21, the health minister and I were invited to the Pacific Autism Family Network Hub in Richmond.

Our tour of their facility was both eye-opening and heartwarming.

This centre is a one-stop shop for special programs, support services, and specialized resources for families affected by autism spectrum disorder and related disorders.

Created through the vision of Sergio and Wendy Cocchia, and many others, the Hub is the first of its kind in North America.

I am grateful to Sergio, Wendy, and everyone at the centre for the warm welcome they gave me and for everything they do for so many families. I wish them every success with their expansion plans, which will allow them to extend their specialized services to more families across British Columbia.

[Love Letters to Canada Exhibit, October 24th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, on October 11, Trinity Western University in Richmond invited me to attend a student exhibit called Love Letters to Canada.

This exhibit showcased the gratitude and love for Canada of three students: Cecilia from China, Adriana from Mexico, and Sushil from India. The students expressed their appreciation for the quality of life and the focus on family, faith, and social justice that we Canadians may enjoy in our everyday lives.

I want to thank the president of Trinity Western University, Bob Kuhn, as well as Rebecca Swaim, Katherine Sayson, and everyone else at Trinity Western for inviting me and sharing such a beautiful and edifying afternoon.

[Yom Kippur, October 3rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, at sunset on Friday, Jewish communities around the world gathered to observe the beginning of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is a day of introspection, prayer, and forgiveness as friends and family gather to reflect on the year gone by and the promise of the year to come.

This year, I was invited by the Chabad of Richmond to observe Yom Kippur. I would like to thank Rabbi Baitelman and the whole congregation for allowing me to share in such a beautiful ceremony. It was truly an opportunity for personal reflection and self-awareness.

[The Environment, September 18th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, we know Canadians care about our pristine coastline. Our government's oceans protection plan delivers on this issue. As the member of Parliament for Steveston—Richmond East, I am very proud of these historic measures.

Could the Minister of Transport inform the House and Canadians on our new ocean protection plan provisions?

[Canadian Coast Guard, June 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the men and women of the Canadian Coast Guard work hard every day to ensure the safety of Canadians, mariners, and the marine environment. Our government knows how much British Columbians value the Sea Island dive team, and I am extremely pleased that it will remain in Richmond at the Sea Island base.

With last summer's reopening of the Kitsilano coast guard station and the announcement of the historic oceans protection plan, the waters in and around Metro Vancouver are safer than ever. With new investments of nearly $3 billion in its core operations, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard will continue delivering critical services to Canadians, services that save lives, protect the marine environment, create jobs, and drive sustainable economic growth.

[Richmond Youth Honour Choir, June 16th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give a shout-out to the Richmond Youth Honour Choir, which represents some of the best young singers in British Columbia.

Under the direction of Heidi Epp, with the assistance of Molly Bushell, the Richmond Youth Honour Choir sings all styles of music from Bach to Broadway musicals. It recently premiered its own commission, “Listen to the Music”, which it was very excited to share with Canadians in Ottawa in honour of Canada's birthday and the 150th anniversary celebrations.

They recently toured Japan where they performed for the Emperor, and in Richmond's sister city, Wakayama. They also performed at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Their holiday harmonies concert is an annual favourite for locals.

I wish to congratulate the Richmond Youth Honour Choir on their 15th anniversary and wish them continuing success.

[Japanese Community in Steveston, June 12th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, last month, through the efforts of Richmond's sister city of Wakayama, Japan, and people like Steveston's own Jim Kojima, one of the world's largest tall ships, the majestic Kaiwo Maru, arrived in Steveston Harbour.

Many of Steveston's early Japanese settlers came from Wakayama in the late 1880s. They formed the Japanese Fishermen's Benevolent Society, and together they built a hospital, school, and martial arts centre. Today the Japanese community is a strong and tangible presence in Steveston, proud of their Japanese heritage, yet fiercely Canadian.

I wish to thank the Japanese community for their many contributions to Steveston and salute Jim Kojima for his dedication and commitment to preserving Steveston's Japanese history and culture.

[Transportation Modernization Act, June 5th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, we are a vast country, and as a government we tend to focus on the big cities. Though not exactly in my riding of Steveston—Richmond East, YVR is a little north. The focus tends to be exclusively on YVR, but that ought not to be the case. By increasing the limits on international funding, the bill allows the smaller centres, like Kelowna, Prince Rupert, all over B.C., and all across the country, the opportunity to expand and develop as hubs. They give choice for folks to travel wherever they want to go. I think this is a welcomed improvement on our transportation system.