Karina Gould

[Mental Health, May 5th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak during Mental Health Week. Brian Hansell, a father from my riding, founded the Paul Hansell Foundation in memory of his son.

The Paul Hansell Foundation looks to break down barriers and establish a proactive and preventive dialogue that puts mental health on an equal footing with all other forms of health. The conversation plate initiative was created to get people talking about all aspects of mental health.

Today, the foundation will celebrate the official conversation plate launch at Assumption Catholic Secondary School in Burlington. Assumption students will be performing their play Beneath Our Skin, which sheds light on difficult mental wellness issues.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to make my own conversation plate, and I am proud to take the lead on a conversation thread here in the House.

I congratulate Brian, the foundation, and Assumption students on this important issue, and look forward to sharing this plate and this conversation with my colleagues.

[Criminal Code, May 2nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin my comment with something that the previous speaker mentioned. He said that he appreciated the tone and the level of respect that this debate has taken.

My hon. colleague began by saying that she was not going to offend anyone, or that she hoped not to. However, it is incredibly important to recognize that this issue is deeply personal. It is something that affects many different people. Therefore, to put medical assistance in dying in the way that it was painted, I think is deeply offensive to many of my constituents and people across this country. There is a certain level of respect that needs to be offered to those individuals who are seeking this assistance. They are at a point where they are suffering so immeasurably and so severely that we need to respect that decision and ensure their voices are being heard. That is what this bill addresses. It is important to remember that there are many safeguards within this bill that protect vulnerable individuals.

Because she talked about choices and rights, I am wondering what my colleague would say to someone who is suffering so immeasurably that this is the choice that he or she would make.

[International Trade, April 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, the government is committed to consulting widely on the dairy industry, as well as the agricultural sector in Canada more broadly.

We promised during the course of the election campaign and after that we would study the TPP, and this is precisely what we are doing.

The Minister of International Trade wrote to her colleagues in the House to ask that the trade committee carefully study the agreement. The House committee on international trade has already begun this important work, which allows parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact of the TPP on their regions and on the future of the country.

As mentioned, the government supports free trade, but we are serious about wanting to consult and hear the views of Canadians and parliamentarians on the merits of the TPP and whether this is a good agreement for Canada before determining next steps.

We look forward to giving updates to the House as these consultations progress.

[International Trade, April 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.

Canada's economic growth as a trading nation is directly linked to international trade. The government strongly supports free trade as a way to open markets to Canadian goods and services, grow Canadian businesses, and create good-paying middle-class jobs.

The scope of the trans-Pacific partnership is significant. To restate the oft-quoted figures, the TPP encompasses 800 million people in 12 countries, with a combined GDP of $28 trillion U.S., covering nearly 40% of the world's economy. It is also an agreement that was negotiated by the previous government.

Our pledge to Canadians is to ensure they are fully consulted on the outcomes of the TPP. Our job is to carefully review the text and continue to consult with Canadians. The government wants to ensure that Canadians can have a good look at the TPP and that they can ask questions and express their views on whether the agreement is in the best interests of Canadians.

With this in mind, the Minister of International Trade is undertaking an extensive consultation process to offer Canadians the opportunity to provide their views on the agreement and Canada's participation in it before the government makes a decision on whether to ratify it.

Let me be clear: signing the TPP is only a first step and does not equal ratification, nor does it bring it into force for Canada. Signing preserves Canada's status as an originating partner in the agreement, with all the rights and powers that go with it. It also allows our government to pursue our consultations and allow parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact on their regions and on the future of this country.

The Minister of International Trade is also working closely with colleagues whose portfolios are also implicated by the TPP to engage Canadian stakeholders and hear what they have to say. This is a whole-of-government effort. The Minister of Agriculture has been busy engaging with agriculture stakeholders on the TPP. The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development is doing the same with stakeholders from his portfolio. As well, other relevant ministers are also undertaking the same kind of work. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade is also engaging Canadians.

Since November, the government has held over 250 interactions with over 400 different stakeholders to discuss the trans-Pacific partnership. The government is committed to a full and open parliamentary debate. In addition, the House Standing Committee on International Trade is currently studying the TPP and holding consultations with Canadians across the country. The committee was in Calgary today. The House committee is accepting submissions from all interested parties, and those who have views to share are encouraged to participate.

We recognize the immense value and contributions of farmers, processors, retailers, and producers who bring their products to market. As mentioned, the government supports free trade, but this government is also committed to being fully transparent and hearing the views of Canadians on the merits of the TPP. The government pledged to take a responsible approach to examining the details of the trans-Pacific partnership.

As part of this ongoing consultation, the Minister of Agriculture and Minister of International Trade have met with dairy stakeholders, including farmers and their representatives. The TPP was discussed, and we heard their views about the agreement.

Global Affairs Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada officials have also met stakeholders across the dairy value chain, including unions, processors, and retailers. We are following through on that. Should Canada decide to ratify the agreement, we will work with the affected sectors.

The government's engagement with Canadians will continue in the weeks and months to come and will include businesses, labour, farmers, civil society, academics, and youth. The government's TPP engagement has already touched many areas of Canada, with recent stops in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Edmonton, Halifax, Oakville, Windsor, Winnipeg, and Regina.

Some Canadians support the TPP, while others have concerns. The Government of Canada remains in listening mode on the TPP and welcomes views on the agreement. Members of Parliament will also have the opportunity to make their views known in this House.

[Lorraine Hamilton, April 19th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Lorraine Hamilton, a constituent in my riding of Burlington, who yesterday received the Ordre de la Pléiade, an internationally recognized honour.

This award recognizes and celebrates individuals who have made remarkable contributions to francophone culture and the French language in their communities and beyond.

Lorraine is a proud Canadian who values our French and English traditions and shares her passion for knowledge and learning with others.

Through her work at Collège Boréal in Hamilton, Lorraine supports and encourages new Canadians in fulfilling their dreams by embracing our two official languages and gives them the tools they need to begin their new lives in Canada.

I want to personally congratulate Lorraine on her efforts and this special recognition. Bravo, Lorraine.

[International Development, April 13th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the individual from Bangladesh for being here and discussing this important issue with colleagues across the floor of the House to see what Canada can do to promote the human rights of people all across the world. I thank the member very much for this question.

[The Budget, April 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Edmonton for her question and for her concerns and for the issues that we share. They are issues that are relevant not only in Burlington but across Canada.

One of the things that is important to note is this is the first of four budgets in the cycle. We have an entire mandate. We have four years. Although the previous government tried to take Rome down in a day, it takes more than a day to build it back up.

We are working together. The Minister of Health is negotiating with and working with her provincial colleagues to see how we can renegotiate the Canada health accord and hopefully talk about issues that are important for my constituents, for me, and for everyone in the House, such as pharmacare and home care.

[The Budget, April 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that some promises are going to be delivered right away. On July 1, 2017, the guaranteed income supplement is going to be increased by 10% for low-income seniors. The Canada child benefit and the tax cut for the middle class are measures that have already come into force.

This budget is about investing, growing the middle class, and putting Canada back on a path toward growth.

My colleagues on the other side tend to forget that the past 10 years saw some of the lowest growth in Canadian history since the Great Depression. We have a plan to get Canada back on track, to expand the middle class, and to expand opportunities for all of us so that we can all be stronger together.

[The Budget, April 12th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great honour to rise in the House today to express my support for budget 2016.

Over the past three weeks, my office in Burlington has seen over 250 people visit the community volunteer income tax program that we are hosting. The program helps low-income Canadians file their taxes. I was glad to see an additional $4 million in the budget to expand this excellent program, which enables low-income earners to receive the benefits for which they qualify. This might come as surprise to many who often think of Burlington as a wealthy community, and in many ways we are.

We have a beautiful, vibrant, safe community. However, we also have many people who are struggling with the high cost of living. In the year leading up to the election, my team and I knocked on over 44,000 doors. What struck me when I asked the people in my community about issues they cared about most was that, for the majority, it had to do with making ends meet; social issues, such as opportunities for youth, retirement security, affordable housing; the environment, and climate change. Importantly, Canadian values, such as our generosity and inclusiveness and our good international citizenship, were at the top of the list.

In my nomination speech, I spoke of several of the issues that propelled me to seek office and serve my community and my country. These are issues such as affordable and quality child care, affordable housing for seniors and newcomers, efficient and reliable transportation and transit, a focus on fostering an innovative global-oriented economy to ensure dignified jobs, support for sustainable local farming practices, a balanced approach to global affairs, and restoring funding and respect to our research facilities and environmental agencies across the country, particularly in relation to our great lakes and fresh water, as well as having a thoughtful and consensual plan when it comes to managing our natural resources.

I am proud that budget 2016 recognizes each of these issues and demonstrates that this government will be both a partner for provinces, territories, and municipalities, and a true leader for Canadians.

While there are many parts of this budget that I would like to speak to, since I only have 10 minutes, let me focus on five areas that are particularly important for my community of Burlington: seniors, youth, infrastructure, our innovation agenda, and equality.

Let me begin with our deliverables to seniors.

As members may know, my riding of Burlington has a large, vibrant seniors population. We have an active seniors centre with over 3,000 members, which the Prime Minister had the opportunity to visit around this time last year. If there was one issue that I heard at the door, it was with respect to seniors.

In the region of Halton, there are over 4,000 people on the waiting list for affordable housing. Our commitment to renew the subsidies for federal housing, build more affordable rental housing, and provide over $200 million for affordable seniors housing will have a meaningful impact on helping seniors in my community live in dignity.

I have met many seniors who rely on OAS and GIS and who have been struggling to make ends meet. Our increase to the GIS by 10% will have a tangible, positive impact to improve the bottom line and the quality of life for many low-income seniors in Burlington. I am proud that our government has fulfilled its promise to make their lives a little better.

This next issue bridges generations, and I am encouraged to see it highlighted in the budget: enhancing the Canada pension plan. From business leaders to organized labour, seniors groups and youth, I have had many conversations about the importance of pension enhancement. While I encourage all Canadians to save for retirement and encourage organizations to develop pension plans for their employees, sometimes there just is not any money left over to put away. The CPP is a well-managed fund and could make a real impact toward a dignified and secure retirement for all Canadians. I applaud the Minister of Finance for taking on this challenge and working with his provincial and territorial colleagues to provide secure retirements for future generations of Canadians.

This budget also highlights our government's commitment to youth and our desire to build a robust economy that will provide quality opportunities for our young Canadians. After completing high school, many of the young people in my community head off to universities and colleges across Canada. The youth employment strategy and the Canada summer jobs program will help create jobs in Burlington, so that when students come home for the summer, they can find good jobs in their hometown that may lead to opportunities after graduation. A young, vibrant workforce is essential in my riding of Burlington, and many ridings across Canada, to support the aging demographic while also continuing to build for the future.

A good education is fundamental to joining today's workforce. The Canada student grants program is an asset for those embarking on post-secondary studies. It is long overdue that these amounts be raised to reflect the rising costs and to keep debt loads manageable for our young people to get a toehold into a successful adult life. This budget is a strong reflection of the issues raised by so many young people I have spoken to in Burlington.

Importantly, budget 2016 recognizes the existential need for physical infrastructure improvements and additions.

In the summer of 2014, Burlington experienced unprecedented levels of rain, which overwhelmed our sewage systems and resulted in a major flood that affected over 4,000 homes. The reality of climate change and increase in extreme weather literally flooded into our homes. I welcome the $2 billion commitment to a new clean water and waste water fund.

My riding, like many in the GTA, is no stranger to congestion. There are solutions, and widening all roads is not the only one. We must invest in and expand our public transit systems. The new public transit infrastructure fund would help shorten commute times and reduce air pollution. Not only will this be better for the environment, but getting people where they need to go in a timely and efficient manner will improve our physical and mental health as well as our collective productivity, which leads me to what is Burlington's best-kept secret: our innovative and varied manufacturing sector.

I have had the distinct honour of touring a number of companies that are thriving and rising to the challenges of a competitive global marketplace. I want to see them grow and continue to prosper. They create good jobs and add value to our local communities. However, they can do more, and this budget aims to support their ambitions and add new successful enterprises to their ranks.

By providing the National Research Council's IRAP with additional funding, this government will help the small and medium-sized companies in my riding innovate and grow. The new high-impact firm initiative will assist firms in furthering their global competitiveness. Our plan to foster a clean growth economy will provide new opportunities to the next generation of entrepreneurs. I am heartened to see the importance placed on all aspects of the manufacturing sector, including the auto sector, in the recent budget.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention two additional items in this budget that are important for me: the increased funding for shelters for victims of violence and the additional funding for status of women.

President Obama recently said that a country should be judged by how it treats its women. While we still have work to do in this country, having a feminist Prime Minister, a gender-balanced cabinet, and a commitment to equality is a good starting point.

Our commitment of $500 million over the next five years toward a national framework for child care and early learning is another important step toward gender equality.

I am proud to support budget 2016, as it responds to many of the issues I heard from my constituents at their doorways. This budget lays out the plan to put our country back on a path toward growth and social inclusion, and it reaffirms the values generations of Canadians have cherished as the foundations of our national identity.

It is clear that these issues are intertwined. Skills, training, and experience develop our young people, but we need to ensure that young people have the opportunities to excel. We will achieve this by fostering a robust environment and economy by providing the infrastructure—social, green, and physical—for all Canadians to thrive at every stage of life in an inclusive society that is based on equality for all. Yes, this sounds like my Canada.

I have met thousands of people in my community and across Canada. The ingenuity, the resilience, and the possibilities the people of our country take hold of every day never cease to amaze me.

Another prime minister by the name of Trudeau once said, “The Canadian ideal which we have tried to live, with varying degrees of success and failure for a hundred years, is really an act of defiance against the history of mankind.” In Canada, we work to overcome our challenges peacefully and to create a fair society. It is my hope that we will continue to defy history.

For the individuals and families, the parents and seniors who have come to our community volunteer income tax clinic, the measures in this budget will make a meaningful impact on their lives.

A fair society is a strong society, and that is good for us all.

Budget 2016 speaks to our present and to our future, a future that is focused on creating the opportunity for all Canadians to reach their full potential. I encourage my colleagues in this place to join me in supporting this budget and the opportunities that lie ahead.

[International Development, February 26th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Surrey Centre for his dedication to this file.

We all join in expressing Canada's sympathy to the people of Fiji who are dealing with the devastating impacts of Cyclone Winston.

Canada has made an initial contribution through the emergency disaster assistance fund to support the Red Cross's emergency relief operation in Fiji. We are providing emergency shelter and essential relief items to approximately 5,000 affected people. We are in regular contact with officials in Fiji to ensure that their current needs are being addressed and are prepared to support a larger appeal when the longer-term needs are better known.