Neil Ellis

[Committees of the House, May 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, entitled “A Seamless Transition to Civilian Life For All Veterans: It's Time For Action”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109 the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Employment Insurance, March 2nd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the EI working while on claim pilot project has been a success for Canadians receiving parental and caregiving benefits, allowing those EI recipients to return to work without jeopardizing their benefits. Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development please tell the House how budget 2018 would expand on this project's success?

[Brain Cancer Research, February 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to applaud the courage and resilience of a remarkable family from the Bay of Quinte that has faced unimaginable loss not once, but twice. The Grouchy family lost their beloved daughter Holly in 2005, at age 11. The same aggressive brain tumour also claimed the life of their beautiful daughter Katie this past October, at age 20, yet they have remained tireless advocates for others affected by this devastating disease.

Throughout their journey, the Grouchy family has raised public awareness and much-needed funding for brain cancer research. Their story has inspired an outpouring of support, including generous donations to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research. Gord, I am sure my hon. colleagues know, also lost his battle to brain cancer last year.

I encourage my honourable colleagues, and all Canadians, to champion this cause so that the groundbreaking research needed to expand treatment options and improve outcomes can continue.

[Petitions, February 2nd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present electronic petition 1283 from Wayne Reil, in my riding of Bay of Quinte. It is a petition about childhood cancer.

Childhood cancer is the number one killer of our children. It kills more than asthma, diabetes, or cystic fibrosis. Children are dying daily, and nowhere near enough is being done. The current amount of funding put toward research for childhood cancer is 4%, and that is not enough.

[Committees of the House, December 13th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, entitled “Comparative Study of Services to Veterans in Other Jurisdictions”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish a merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and everyone in the House.

[Community Service, December 8th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to spotlight a few organizations in my riding of the Bay of Quinte that serve our community with very special holiday programs.

To date, the Gleaner's Foodbank and Christmas sharing program has helped over 1,300 families enjoy nutritious and tasty food with a holiday basket; the Salivation Army's coats for folks program gave out more than 760 clothing items for winter; the Trenton VON Christmas for seniors program connected volunteers with seniors who needed assistance with holiday shopping or preparations; and toy drives by Belleville's Professional Fire Fighters Association and the Kinsmen Club of Quinte West helped over 700 families provide holiday gifts for their children.

I remind my hon. colleagues and all Canadians that the needs of our most vulnerable community members do not disappear when the holiday season ends, and ask that we remain generous all year long. Whether it is food, funds, or the volunteering of time, our donations, no matter how small, can make all the difference.

I wish everyone a happy holiday.

[Committees of the House, December 1st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (B) 2017-18”.

[Veterans, November 9th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, as MP for the Bay of Quinte, I would like to recognize all our Canadian veterans, past and present.

My riding is home to one of the largest veteran populations in the country. Men and women arrive to serve and many stay to contribute dynamically to our region in their post-service years.

When I became MP, it was an honour to hire a veteran on my team. A veteran's empathy, expertise, and eagerness to build solutions are valuable tools that raise the standard of service we can offer to our veterans' community.

I would like to commend all employers in the Bay of Quinte riding that have also embraced hiring a veteran. I call on each of my hon. colleagues to hire veterans in their offices. Likewise, let us encourage all other Canadian employers to follow our example and that of my community.

It is Veterans Week. Hire a veteran. It is our best chance to turn our words into action and show everyone how much we value our Canadian veterans.

[Health, October 20th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, according to the Conference Board of Canada, tobacco use in Canada costs the Canadian economy billions of dollars each year. We also know that cigarette smoking is still the leading cause of premature death in Canada.

What is the Minister of Health doing to address tobacco addiction and the use of tobacco in our country?

[Youth, October 6th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, today I have a message of encouragement to the youngest members of the Bay of Quinte area. When we are young, it can be hard to find ways to be heard and to connect with others who share our unique vision of the world. However, the insights and fresh perspectives of the young are the world's best hope for the future. I have witnessed first-hand the energy, passion, and commitment of young people in this country and continue to be inspired.

I am especially proud of the Bay of Quinte region for organizing their first ever youth summit held this past Friday. The Youth-2-Youth Summit succeeded in engaging over 150 young people with local dignitaries, community agencies, and business professionals on priority issues to our region. Youth summit members are ready to make positive differences in our community by stepping up their involvement. We have a lot to learn from the youth of today.

I encourage all young Canadians to help us find solutions and dismantle roadblocks that hinder forward momentum or positive change in their lives and those of others. Continue to dream big, speak up, and be the agents of change.