Matthew Green

[Member for Elmwood—Transcona, February 29th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour a distinguished NDP colleague, the steadfast servant of Elmwood—Transcona. As the hon. member steps down from his parliamentary seat, we reflect on a remarkable tenure, a tenure defined by a commitment to his constituents, a passionate advocacy for workers' rights and a relentless pursuit of justice, defined best by his prairie brand of democratic socialism.

The always honourable member's proud roots in Winnipeg, deeply entwined with his family's legacy of public service, laid a foundation for his principled approach to governance.

He brought to the House and our caucus a rare combination of intellectual depth and practical wisdom, shaped by his background as an electrician and proud member of IBEW Local 2085.

His voice in Parliament has been one of reason, compassion and solidarity, especially for those on the margins of society.

My brother has always been more than just a friend and a colleague, and his presence here will be profoundly missed.

I thank him for his service and—

[Health, February 27th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, personal support workers are the backbone of our senior care system. They relieve young families worried about how they will take care of both their children and their parents. However, despite everything they do, many of these workers cannot retire with the dignity they deserve. For three years, the Liberal government has promised SEIU and other health care units help with building their retirement savings. It is a $50-million commitment, yet not a single dollar has flowed to these workers. New Democrats demand better for our care workers.

Will the Liberal government honour its commitment and release the funds these health care workers deserve before the fiscal year ends?

[Government Business No. 35—Extension of Sitting Hours and Conduct of Extended Proceedings, February 26th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order to add to the conversation on procedure, I think there are some instances where MPs do in fact want to be shown on the record as abstaining. Some people may not have the information to make one decision or the other.

I have seen anecdotal information that on the government side a few of its mavericks every now and again, 0.5% of the time, rather than taking the parliamentary walk or having the flu, will go ahead and click “abstain” officially. Therefore I wonder whether abstention is not an official position within the Standing Orders, the rules of the House.

[Government Business No. 35—Extension of Sitting Hours and Conduct of Extended Proceedings, February 26th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I have an observation: When folks are tuned into ParlVU, it is very clear who is voting here and who shows up as a little picture. However, I am seeking advice and direction. It is already public and broadcasting; does that then not make it fair play for us to reference things that are already made available to the public in that space?

We certainly look to you and to the Table for wisdom, but given the hybrid nature of the way in which we engage with the voting, I should state for the record that it is very clear that indeed people can see who rises from their seat and who is presented as a little profile picture on the television.

[Criminal Code, February 16th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I will take this opportunity to help the member understand my question. It is clear he did not. What I said was the legislation covered transit operators, and I wondered if he would take the consideration to all transit workers, which would include the people who are cleaning up in stations or anybody who is around the system. This gives him an opportunity perhaps to better understand my question and reflect on a more adequate answer.

[Criminal Code, February 16th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, it is clear New Democrats always support the notion that all workers should be safe. The member from the Conservative caucus has gone on at length about this bill. I do not feel the need to recapitulate his arguments. I am not clear this will necessarily be a deterrent, but nevertheless here we are. We do have to make sure our first responders are adequately protected.

I believe all workers deserve to be protected. This House visited Bill C-46 back in 2015, and it was particular to transit operators. I am wondering if the hon. member would agree there needs to be a revisiting of that piece of legislation to include all transit workers in order to provide the same consideration for safety in the workplace for frontline workers, not just first responders.

[Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act, February 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I have heard the arguments from our Conservative counterparts, always talking about the state of women-owned businesses. What they seem to fail to recognize is that this sector of the care economy also depends on many female workers, yet this member of the Conservative Party talked about a wage spiral, as though inflating wages, increasing the wages of workers, is somehow a bad thing.

Is it his economic theory that this sector depends on the exploitation of women workers in order to provide affordable child care?

[Public Services and Procurement, February 16th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, the government has given 32 different contracts totalling $60 million to the same consultants, GC Strategies, for the useless ArriveCAN app. Liberals simply cannot keep themselves from helping themselves, while Canadians can barely pay the bills. At a time when we should be investing in the skills and knowledge of our public service, Liberals would rather hand over millions to private consultants.

Why is the Liberal government giving money to its rich friends instead of investing in the valuable work of our federal public service?

[Klyde Broox, February 1st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Black History Month, let us honour the legacy of our recently departed brother, Klyde Broox, who ascended to our ancestors on January 20, 2024. Klyde Broox, a.k.a. Durm-1, was a beacon of literary brilliance and activism. Born in Jamaica and making Hamilton his home, Broox's journey from an award-winning dub poet to an international literary figure is a testament to the power of words to inspire change.

His accolades, including the Nathan Brissett Poetry Prize, the James Michener Fellowship and the Hamilton Arts Award, barely scratch the surface of his impact. Through works like Poemstorm and My Best Friend Is White, he challenged us to confront complex racial dynamics with honesty and empathy, and he did so by bridging divides and celebrating our shared humanity. In fact, more laudable than all of his formal accolades in life, Klyde's contribution was capturing contemporary oral Black history.

Rest in power, my brother.

[Foreign Affairs, January 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw it, because they are tired of the broken promises.

What will it take for the Liberal government to listen, to start protecting Palestinian lives in Gaza and to combat Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate here in Canada?