Madam Speaker, I rise in humility, humbled by the confidence my constituents and neighbours placed in me to be here today to carry on the working-class values of Hamilton Centre that were brought to this House by my predecessor, the always honourable Mr. David Christopherson. He exemplified the nobility of public service, which I hope to emulate and pursue in my work in this House.
I rise in gratitude to the dozens of grassroots volunteers who organized hundreds of door knockings, went door to door, street to street and neighbourhood to neighbourhood talking to my neighbours in Hamilton Centre. Without them I would not have the privilege to serve in this duty, and for that I am forever grateful.
I rise to share the sentiments of the leaders we heard here today talk about the importance of being a parent in this House. I rise to give thanks and gratitude to my incredible spouse, who has been there from day one to support me. I thank all the spouses of members of this House, who sacrifice and bear the brunt at home so we can be here.
I rise for my son, who is three years old and is excited to see daddy's new place of work. The most sacred time in my day starts around seven o'clock when I put my son down to sleep. I read him bedtime stories that try to imbue him with the characteristics for the person I want to see him grow up to be and teach him the values I want to see him grow up with.
My son's name is Langston. In his namesake, I am reminded of the poem Dream Deferred. In the words of the throne speech, we have heard the aspirations expressed to the government. We have heard them before, as we did in 2015. The question is whether this is also going to be a dream deferred.
We have heard today many people talk about the divisive nature of our society right now. Some would try to frame it as it being about east versus west. I would agree there is division in this country, but it is not a geographic division. It is between the ultra-wealthy and the working class.
I rise as a former city councillor, a very proud city councillor in Hamilton. I represented Ward 3. I would often say that my ward is to Hamilton what Hamilton is to the rest of the country. When times were good, our steel sector literally built this country. The working-class people had enough to provide for their families. They had benefits and pensions that they could rely on. However, through some of our free trade deals, we saw these jobs shipped overseas to districts that had lax environmental regulations and lower wages.
We have seen a bit of a resurgence in our city. We have also recently seen the erosion of our manufacturing sector with the loss of a company like Hamilton Specialty Bar, which was bankrupted by Bain Capital. Generations of workers are left without the opportunity to provide their families with good benefits and pensions. I stand here for those workers.
I stand here today for the water protectors in our city. They are protecting and holding accountable the degradation of our Hamilton harbour through a recent spill that happened.
I stand here today for the youth, for Fridays for Future and the students who campaign on the urgency of climate change. These youth will not accept words. These youth want action now.
I stand here today for organizations like the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, an organization I am very proud to represent. It stands on the front lines against the rise of growing white supremacy and far-right organizing in our city. I am here for the Disability Justice Network of Ontario, which is fighting for the most vulnerable in this country. I am here for groups like SACHA, the sexual assault centre, which is fighting for women.
I have heard the conciliatory comments across the way about collaboration. I would put it to the Liberals that if we want to close that division, that profound inequality that we see in this country, we only have to look to the wealthiest 87 families who, from 2012 to 2016, amassed $800 million in wealth. Those families have more wealth than the 12 million lowest-earning Canadians. We have to fight back against the commodification of our housing markets, the commodification and financialization of every aspect of our lives.
It is in the spirit of co-operation and conciliation with my friends across the way that I would like to move a subamendment to the throne speech. I move:
That the amendment be amended by:
(a) replacing the words “tax relief for Canadians with a path to a balanced budget”, with the words “making Canada's millionaires, billionaires, and biggest corporations pay their fair share, ensuring that we can fund critical services and make needed investments for the long term”;
(b) adding, after the word “potential”, the words “including building half a million affordable homes and expanding healthcare to include a universal public pharmacare program and a national dental care program”;
(c) adding, after the words “climate change”, the words “with a bold plan including stronger targets and eliminating subsidies to big polluters who are already profitable, (v) addressing the rising cost of living by taking on the big telecom companies to bring down the high cost of phone and internet services that families and small businesses need”;
(d) replacing the words “regimes in Moscow and Beijing, and protecting Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic”, with the words “climate crisis and the rise of the far-right extremist leaders”;
(e) replacing the words “with traditional allies such as NATO, Ukraine and Israel”, with the words “for multilateralism, peace and justice”;
(f) replacing the words “strengthening the relationship with our largest trading partners”, with the words “ensuring that any future trade deal is fair for workers, people and our environment”;
(g) deleting all of the words after the words “unity crisis, which requires” and substituting the following: “(i) taking immediate action to ensure Indigenous communities have clean drinking water, and access to healthcare and support; (ii) respecting provincial jurisdiction and supporting a strengthened Quebec within a united Canada; (iii) helping workers, particularly those in Western Canada, struggling to make ends meet within a rapidly changing global economy; (iv) restoring confidence in our national institutions, starting by bringing ethics and accountability to the federal government and making sure that the government listens to people and not just to the wealthy and the well-connected.”
