House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2025, with 41% of the vote.
Government Business No. 16—Proceedings on Bill C‑11 June 13th, 2022
Madam Speaker, that was a great presentation.
When we are looking at doing something so significant, I am curious to know why there is a rush. As somebody who comes from a journalism background and who also was an online content creator, I know how important it is to make sure things are done properly.
What would be the ramifications of not rushing it through and making sure it is done well as opposed to done fast?
Government Business No. 16—Proceedings on Bill C‑11 June 13th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, I joined the ranks of journalism, as well. I know it well and went on to be an online content creator and know what it can do. I am sorry I am not speaking in French. I am working on that.
I am actually really curious, because my office has received hundreds of emails opposed to Bill C-11 from very concerned people. Has his office also received the same concerns, and how does he respond to his constituents?
COVID-19 Mandates June 7th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, if we want our country to recover mentally and financially, we need to support our tourism sector. We hear the Liberals tell us the pandemic is not over and people are dying from COVID, but why are they not talking about the people who are dying from stress-induced diseases after losing their businesses, their jobs and their livelihoods because of the unnecessary restrictions?
Independent duty-free shops located at land borders are in a crisis, and they need help now. Before COVID, the average wait time at a land border was 45 seconds per vehicle. Today, it can be as long as 38 minutes. Every second counts to move people and help our tourism sector recover.
Today I implore the Liberal government to immediately step up and help our land border crossings and all the locally owned tourism businesses that benefit from them. The Liberal government has two options. Number one is to create further debt for both business owners and Canadians and provide more loans so they can survive. Number two is to do the right thing and lift restrictions and barriers such as the ArriveCAN app, restore travel confidence and show the world Canada is open for business.
Tourism Industry June 3rd, 2022
Madam Speaker, we have extreme labour shortages. We have ridiculous delays at the airport and at Service Canada. We have a deep divide in this country that has prevented family and friends from maybe ever speaking again. There is one thing that can stop all of this: The government can drop the mandates and lift the ridiculous travel restrictions.
Experts from across every sector agree, except for the Prime Minister. He tells us we are still in a pandemic, yet every province and every other country, except China and North Korea, have lifted these restrictions. Other than wanting extreme control, what is the reason for punishing Canadians and our tourism industry?
Passports May 31st, 2022
Mr. Speaker, “send your complaints to your MP” is the proposed solution to the outrageous passport delays by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
Canadians expect service from Service Canada, yet we know that 11 of 35 passport offices have chronic lineup problems and people are waiting for hours on hold and often get disconnected after waiting. This is not service. This lack of accountability and lack of preparation is unacceptable.
When will the minister stop telling Canadians they are doing a great job and actually acknowledge the severity of this issue and serve Canadians?
Air Transportation May 30th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, Sandra recently experienced the mismanagement of Toronto Pearson International Airport first-hand. She waited on the tarmac. The lines were long and confusing to navigate. The CBSA officers were stressed, passengers were angry and agitated, and nobody knew what to do or where to go. She said it was embarrassing, as a Canadian, having new people come to our country and this being their first experience and impression. This week is Tourism Week, but we need to do better to welcome tourists.
Will the Liberal government restore travel confidence, help with airport delays and vote to drop the mandates?
National Tourism Week May 30th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, if we want to know how much we need something, simply take it away. That is what happened this past week in my riding of Peterborough—Kawartha, in Ontario, when we lost our power. I want to take a minute to thank all the hydro workers, both local and from all over, who came to restore power.
It is also what has happened in the last two years to our tourism sector. When we lost tourism, we lost human connection. It is responsible not only for one in 10 jobs, but for memories.
As shadow minister for tourism, I am excited to work in the all-party caucus. We have a lot of work to do, and I know every member in here believes in tourism because it impacts every single one of our ridings. We have a lot to be enthusiastic about, but we have a lot of work to do. It is my job to be critical and to put pressure where pressure needs to be applied.
It is time to open up Canada for business, it is time to drop the mandates and it is time to support the industry that needs us so much. Happy National Tourism Week. Canada is the best of the best, and I am so honoured to represent it.
Airline Industry May 16th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, wait times at Pearson International Airport are abysmal, and the Minister of Transport had the audacity to blame travellers. Those were his words.
Blaming the customer for failed operations is never okay. The rules and restrictions are ridiculous and out of date. The ArriveCAN app is a mess and again we see zero accountability from the Liberals. Tourism needs to recover for both our economy and our mental health. What is the Liberals' plan to manage these out-of-control wait times other than to blame Canadians?
Mental Illness and Addiction May 16th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, imagine people driving the streets searching desperately for their child. Imagine them waiting for a call late in the night telling them that their son or daughter has been found dead. It is a pain many of us cannot imagine.
A couple of weeks ago, I hosted a very informal round table in my riding of Peterborough—Kawartha, listening to parents who have a child struggling with addiction or who have lost a child to addiction. These are some of the quotes that deeply resonated with me: “Stop assuming I am a bad mom“; “No one told me what to do”; “I was waiting to be told how to fix it, but it is not about fixing them.”
I chose to run for politics to bring better awareness and treatment for mental illness and addiction. The reality is that recovery centres are desperately needed, especially in my riding of Peterborough—Kawartha, but so is a social shift to understanding that addiction is treating pain.
I urge everyone in this House to replace judgment with empathy. I urge the government to hold true to its election commitment and invest the $4.5 billion it promised for the Canada mental health transfer.
Business of Supply May 12th, 2022
Madam Speaker, what I heard in the member's speech was that we have to be prepared. That is the key when we look at protecting our democracy and when we want to help people, other nations and, in this particular case, the people of China. How important is this committee to being prepared?
What we have always seen from the government on the other side is a lack of preparedness, a lack of a plan, a lack of knowing what to do. How important is this committee for being prepared?