Maryam Monsef

[The Senate, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians mandated us to provide real change to the Senate without opening up the Constitution.

I was pleased to announce at the beginning of December, with the House leader, the implementation of a new merit-based assessment process that is public, made available online. In a few months, for the first time ever, Canadians will be able to apply to become senators. That is real change.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to point out that about 100 years ago this week the women in Manitoba fought and won the right to vote. We are in another stage of moving forward on revolutionary historic changes that will enhance our existing system.

The way we intend to go about that is through establishing an all-party parliamentary committee that will study this issue in great detail, and engage in a meaningful, thorough conversation with Canadians from coast to coast to coast before arriving at any conclusions.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his service to my ancestral land and would like to remind him that the government is committed to addressing poverty.

Our middle-class tax cut is one example. Our initiative around providing a new benefit plan for families with children will lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. Our infrastructure investments are intended to create jobs. Surely we can all agree that creating good jobs is the most effective way to lead people out of poverty.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, here we are in the new year with somewhat the same question from the member.

What I have heard clearly from Canadians is that there is a range of differing opinions. We intend to respect the intelligence of Canadians by engaging in a thorough and meaningful conversation across the country.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Nickel Belt for sharing his time with me. I really appreciate it.

It is with a great deal of pride and humility that I stand for the first time on debate in the House of Commons on this traditional territory of the Algonquin peoples. It is a moment that will be forever marked in my memory.

I would like to begin by thanking the people of Peterborough--Kawartha for the trust and support they have shown me. I intend to honour that trust with hard work, a commitment to listening to all perspectives, and a determination to act on the needs of the people of my riding.

I came to this place after a long journey. I was born on the other side of the world in a place rather different from Canada. It was a place at war, where human rights were not respected, where educating women was not allowed, and where the concept of a 31-year-old parliamentarian and cabinet minister was unthinkable.

I embarked on this journey with the most courageous person I know, my mother, who along with my two sisters gave us everything she knew and loved and set out on a journey with the sole purpose of seeking a better life for her daughters. Our journey brought us to Peterborough, Ontario, where I found myself, an 11-year-old girl, in a strange land, with no language, with no understanding of the culture I was to live in, and with no friends. It was a journey that was made possible by the kindness of the people of Peterborough--Kawartha who sheltered us, who helped us enrol in school, who invited us to special events, who eased our loneliness, and nurtured us. I stand here a proud product of everything Peterborough does best, and I am committed to repaying that kindness through service to my community.

The list of those who have helped me arrive at this place is long, but I would like to thank my family, especially my mother and my sisters, my brother-in-law, and my six-year-old niece, Leila, the love of my life.

I would also like to thank my campaign family, a team of hundreds of women and men, young at heart, political veterans, and first-timers to the process, who worked tirelessly to make today possible.

I am also here because the Prime Minister presented a coherent plan for real change and provided Canadians with a positive alternative to the politics of division. The Speech from the Throne enunciates a clear path for achieving these objectives. As Minister for Democratic Institutions, I intend to seek change that would create a more open and transparent government. In that role I look forward to working with all members of the House to strengthen and modernize our democratic institutions.

In approaching this task I intend to be guided by a number or key principles: first, that the reforms we eventually choose must be designed to address the interests of all Canadians and go far beyond simply addressing the interests of the political parties we represent; second, that our reforms encourage participation among those who have felt marginalized in the past, including young people, people economically disadvantaged, minorities, and so many others; and third, that reform needs to address people who feel that their voice does not matter, people who feel that their concerns are ignored and that their hopes and aspirations do not matter. Democratic reform must include these people and it must work to ensure that in the not too distant future the membership of the House of Commons better reflects the makeup of Canadian society.

Finally, I wish to address the nature of debate in the House. It does need to represent partisan opinion but with an aim to reach a nonpartisan consensus that reflects the interests of Canadians, and not political parties. The discussion needs to be inclusive, with equal voice given to organized groups and individuals, with opportunities to engage settlers and indigenous peoples, urban and rural Canada, French and English Canada, with input from experts and academics and individuals and their lived stories, with participation from those who know this place well and Canadians for whom political participation may be new.

It is very important that the debate needs to be civil. It is imperative that we disagree without being disagreeable, that we seek not to drown out the voices of those who oppose us, but to engage in meaningful and respectful discussion. This principle is not just about the debates on democratic reform, but must be applied to all political debate in the House.

It is why I wholeheartedly support the Speaker's determination to stop heckling. When I witness it, I am troubled. I am taken back and reminded of the devastating impacts of taunting and bullying in our schools and the anti-bullying initiatives implemented across the country. Bullying is bullying, whether in the schoolyard or in the House. I intend to take a personal pledge not to participate in heckling and urge other members to join me. Our time here is a gift. We must use it responsibly, productively, and respectfully.

In closing, I wish to repeat a commitment that I made to the people of Peterborough—Kawartha and now would like to make to Canadians generally, that I will work hard, that I will be their voice in Parliament, that I will listen and always be open to reasoned arguments and respectful dialogue.

[Democratic Reform, December 11th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it is essential that we begin a conversation with Canadians and parliamentarians about how we will bring our voting system into the 21st century. That is why we are bringing forward historic changes to the electoral system. We will engage Canadians in an open and transparent dialogue, and those in the House. The government has no intention of prejudicing that debate. We have every interest that all voices be heard.

I hope all my colleagues across the aisle will join us in this effort.

[Democratic Reform, December 11th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, if we want Canadians to trust that their votes really matter, we must be willing, as members of Parliament, to set aside party preoccupations and undertake a serious examination of the way elections work.

We want to explore this issue in the right way. That means that, before taking action, we are going to engage in a thoughtful and thorough process about the various electoral reform options available. Unlike the previous government, we have every interest in making sure that the voices of Canadians are heard throughout this process.

[Democratic Reform, December 11th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, as I have been clear in this House all week, we will convene an all-party committee to review the process and to ensure that it is a collaborative one and a thoughtful one. We believe decisions on this issue deserve to be approached in such a manner, and I look forward to working with my colleagues opposite to make sure that the next electoral system we introduce makes sure that every vote counts.

[Democratic Institutions, December 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians entrusted us with a mission to restore the integrity in our electoral process, to restore fairness, and to ensure that every vote counts. We will deliver on that process, and we have committed to engaging the people of our country, young and young at heart, in this engagement process.

[Democratic Institutions, December 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, we firmly believe that a decision on an issue as important as this deserves a thoughtful and comprehensive process. We will not prejudge the outcome of this process. Early in the new year, I will work with the House leader to convene an all-party parliamentary committee to assess all possible options and move forward.