Pam Damoff

[Health, May 15th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, we of course mourn the death of any young person who came in contact with the drinks. I do take exception, though, to the hon. member saying that we are somehow influenced by the industry, because we are not.

The Canada food guide is a very good example of where we looked at the best evidence and came up with a policy, came up with a food guide that would make Canadians the healthiest in the world. We take the health and safety of Canadians very seriously.

[Oakville Blades, May 14th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of every hockey season, in rinks across the country, Junior A hockey players lace up their skates and compete for a chance to win the RBC Cup. From over 130 teams who began the season, only five remain. One of those teams is my Oakville Blades.

Fans of the Blades know that this year has been a special one. The season started off with a streak that saw the Blades win 18 of 19, catapulting them to first place. Backstopped by league leading goaltender Will Barber and led on the offensive end by Spencer Kersten, the Blades made quick work of their regional competition, sweeping the Buckland Cup and then capturing the Dudley-Hewitt Cup.

The Blades now find themselves in Brooks, Alberta, competing for the national championship. As the tournament heats up, there is only one thing left to say: Go, Blades, go.

[Williams Syndrome Awareness Month, May 10th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, May is Williams Syndrome Awareness Month. Williams syndrome is a genetic condition that remains virtually unknown. Medical, developmental and learning challenges typically occur alongside unique abilities, such as advanced verbal and communication skills, highly social personalities and a passion for music.

Those abilities describe my friend, Karina Scali. Karina lives with Williams syndrome and has been selected again this year to participate in the Lifting Lives Music Camp in Nashville, designed for young people with Williams syndrome. The Academy of Country Music was so impressed by the song her group wrote a few years ago that it invited the group to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.

Karina received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work in our community.

I ask members to join me in raising awareness of Williams syndrome so all individuals with Williams syndrome will have the support they need to live healthy, self-directed, productive and fulfilling lives like Karina does.

[Status of Women, May 9th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, women, and women alone, should be the ones making decisions about their own bodies. That is why we stood up for safe access to abortion at home and abroad, from supporting groups like Planned Parenthood to increasing access to Plan B and Mifegymiso. It should concern all Canadians that the Leader of the Opposition only won the Conservative leadership thanks to the same anti-choice activists protesting today. Unlike the Conservatives—

[Health, May 9th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, our government is deeply committed to addressing HIV and AIDS. We are investing $87 million annually to tackle HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne illnesses.

If there is an issue in the province of Saskatchewan, as the member has indicated, I would be happy to have her come forward and speak to me, and I will take it forward to Health Canada.

[The Environment, May 3rd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent a community where so many of my constituents, in addition to their advocacy on environmental issues, make environmentally conscious choices in their day-to-day lives, such as reducing their usage of plastic or driving zero-emission vehicles. We know more Canadians are choosing to drive zero-emission vehicles as an increasing number of models become available and prices decline.

Regrettably, last year the Conservatives in Ontario cancelled the electric and hydrogen vehicle incentive program, and a number of my constituents reached out to me to share their disappointment and frustration.

Fortunately, our government is taking action. It has proposed strategic investments to help more Canadians choose zero-emission vehicles, including $300 million over three years to introduce a new federal purchase incentive, which came into effect May 1, of up to $5,000 for electric battery or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles with a retail price of less than $45,000.

[National Suicide Prevention Action Plan, May 2nd, 2019]

Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak about the government's support for Motion No. 174, introduced by the member for Timmins—James Bay. Put simply, there are few things more devastating to a family and community than suicide, as we have heard today from other hon. members and yourself, Madam Speaker.

It affects Canadians from all walks of life and in all corners of our land. Every single day, it takes 11 of them from us. That is about 4,000 Canadians lost to suicide every year: our mums and dads, sons and daughters, friends, neighbours, teachers and caregivers. We also know that all too often stigma prevents people from seeking or offering help. At the most difficult moment in their lives, people need help and hope. We can and must do better, which is why addressing mental health and suicide are among our government's top priorities.

I know how important this motion is to people who have been working for years to raise awareness, like Michele Sparling, whose “Shine Out! Shout Out!” hockey tournament supports programming for youth mental health and suicide prevention, and Brian Hansell, who started his convoplate initiative in memory of his son Paul after Paul died by suicide while a student at Brock. I cannot speak this afternoon without remembering my friend, David Sheridan, who died by suicide, and his family's courage in speaking out.

I am sorry, Madam Speaker.

They know middle-aged men are at risk, yet no one talks about it.

Today, I stand before you to reaffirm our commitment to addressing this challenge head-on. I would also like to shed some light on the many initiatives, investments and partnerships we are currently undertaking, including the federal framework for suicide prevention, which will align with Motion No. 174. This is one issue where I can confidently state that I know everyone in this House shares the same goal of saving lives. Led by a Prime Minister who has courageously shared his own family's experience with mental illness, our government is taking bold and unprecedented action to bring mental health to the forefront.

Two years ago, our government made the largest investment in Canadian history in mental health and addiction services, a groundbreaking $5 billion. This funding is going to those who need it most, including youth, early interventions and culturally appropriate services for indigenous peoples.

In 2016, we released the federal framework for suicide prevention, with the goal of raising awareness, fighting stigma and saving lives. Its purpose is to better coordinate our government's efforts to prevent suicide, while complementing and supporting the important work being done by others.

What does this really look like? It is connecting people to resources like a pan-Canadian suicide prevention service that offers crisis support by calling, texting or chatting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in English and French. Budget 2019 is supporting this crucial service by investing $25 million over five years.

The impact of suicide is not spread equally across our nation. Indigenous communities are disproportionately affected, including many where the suicide rate, heartbreakingly, is many times the national average. We know that colonization and cultural breakdown have had a devastating impact on these communities, with their lingering effects still claiming lives. In the spirit of reconciliation, our government is working closely with first nations and the Inuit to prevent suicide and save lives. We are investing more than $425 million each year in community programming to address the mental wellness needs of first nations and Inuit communities. These investments are used to provide essential services to address ongoing crises, improve on-the-land activities and enhance culturally appropriate substance use treatment.

Another group all too often affected by suicide are those who have already made so many sacrifices for us: members of the armed forces and veterans. That is why we have a plan to address it with the Canadian Armed Forces—Veterans Affairs Canada joint suicide prevention strategy, released in 2017.

Public safety officers and first responders have some of the highest rates of suicide in the country. Our public safety officers work incredibly hard to keep us safe, and their work can take a toll on their mental health. That is why I am proud to see our government introduce “Supporting Canada's Public Safety Personnel: An Action Plan on Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries”. Our government is committed to providing national leadership to support the mental health of public safety personnel by providing coordination, facilitating collaboration, sharing best practices and funding cutting-edge research.

We need to be informed by the voices of people with lived experience, like those we have heard today, and we will continue to work to prevent suicide. This may be a long, difficult path, but it is one we are committed to walking, hand in hand with indigenous organizations, other governments, community groups and people most affected by suicide.

Together, we can ensure that all Canadians get the help they need. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can save lives.

[Health, May 2nd, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, having lost my grandmother to breast cancer, this is something I take quite personally. I know the minister does put the health and safety of Canadians as a top priority.

The Canadian task force on preventive health care is an independent arm's-length panel of 15 experts to develop clinical practice guidelines. While our government provided support to the task force, its decision was made totally independently. As such, these are not official government guidelines.

[Ban on Shark Fin Importation and Exportation Act, May 1st, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the practice involves removing the fins of the shark and throwing the rest of the shark back into the water to suffocate or bleed to death.

I next approached my good friend and fellow councillor Max Khan to ask for his support as a seconder of the motion. As was Max's style, he did not hesitate to say yes, and so began my personal journey to protect the sharks, and by extension, our oceans. On Monday, July 4, 2011, in a unanimous vote, Oakville became the second municipality in Canada to ban shark fin soup in the community. The chamber was filled with supporters that night, and I was incredibly proud of the community's efforts to move this issue forward.

As I said at the time, given the devastating rate at which sharks are being slaughtered solely for their fins, many species face extinction within a decade. Since sharks are so important to our marine ecosystems, it seemed logical that Oakville should take a leadership role in this instance. This was another way Oakville could demonstrate its commitment to environmental sustainability. In addition to banning the possession, sale, distribution and consumption of shark fins, our motion also called on the federal government to introduce regulations to ban the importation of shark fins, cartilage and all derivative products in Canada.

At the time, I had the privilege of meeting filmmaker and conservationist Rob Stewart, who had just released the groundbreaking film Sharkwater. We lost Rob in 2017 when he died doing what he loved while filming his sequel, Sharkwater: Extinction. What a legacy for Rob and his work if this Parliament could pass this bill before we rise in June.

After watching Sharkwater, I realized that what I knew about sharks was all wrong. Most of what I knew about sharks came from one movie. In fact, now that I have mentioned it, members likely hear that ominous music playing in their heads. It was Jaws, a blockbuster movie that made all of us fear sharks and view them as a menace. Rob Stewart dispelled those myths, but it was one of the reasons sharks were able to be exploited the way they had been.

If people visit the Sharkwater website, they can learn a lot about sharks, about how sharks are the perfect predator, formed by 450 million years of evolution, having lived longer than the dinosaurs and surviving five major extinctions, about how they formed life as we know it and keep the oceans, our planet's life force, healthy. It explains that we exist, in part, because sharks did, and still do.

Up to 150 million sharks are killed every year. Scientists know that regional populations of large sharks have all but disappeared in places like the North Atlantic, where their numbers are estimated to be down by 95%. At the current rate, some species of sharks could face extinction.

Oceans are our largest ecosystem, which is already threatened by global warming, pollution, plastics, habitat destruction and overfishing. We take our oceans for granted, yet we are witnessing the destruction of our marine ecosystem by humans. Sharks play a critical role in the health of our oceans. As the predator at the top of the food chain, they are crucial to keeping other species in balance and maintaining the overall health of the waters. They are at the top of the food chain on two-thirds of the world's surface.

The Sharkwater website also states that one study in the U.S. indicates that the elimination of sharks resulted in the destruction of the shellfish industry in waters off the mid-Atlantic states of the United States due to the unchecked population of cownose rays, whose mainstay is scallops. Studies in Belize have shown reef systems falling into extreme decline when the sharks have been overfished, destroying an entire ecosystem. The downstream effects are frightening. The spike in the grouper population due to the elimination of sharks resulted in the decimation of the parrotfish population, which could no longer perform its important role of keeping the coral algae free.

Canadians care deeply about our oceans. Many gain their livelihood because of the oceans. Indigenous people have been the stewards of our oceans and waters for thousands of years.

Shark finning has been banned in Canadian waters since 1994, but Canadians might be surprised to learn that the importation of shark fins is still permitted. Canadians might also be surprised to learn that according to the United Nations, Canada is the largest importer of shark fins outside East Asia. Bill S-238 would change that.

I know that Wendy Perkins and others are watching this tonight. To them I want to say thanks for their commitment to this issue year after year. I thank Wendy for challenging me to bring this forward in Oakville and for continuing to champion the issue.

It is truly an honour for me to be here in the House of Commons to speak in favour of an issue that I first brought to the Oakville council, and on that note, I want to remember my late friend Max Khan, who supported me in all things, including on the issue of ending shark finning.

Finally, I want to thank my good friend, the member for Beaches—East York, who had attempted to deal with the issue of shark finning in his private member's bill. He is one of the most passionate advocates for animal welfare, and I want to thank him for his leadership and commitment.

As Rob Stewart said, “The animal we fear the most is the one we can't live without.” We have the power to protect our oceans. We can honour the memory of one of Canada's finest filmmakers and environmentalists.

This bill passed in the Senate last year, and I am pleased to support the bill in the House. I encourage all members to work together to see this bill receive royal assent prior to the House rising in June.

[Ban on Shark Fin Importation and Exportation Act, May 1st, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed my pleasure to speak today to Bill S-238, the ban on shark fin importation and exportation act. I want to start by commending my colleague from Port Moody—Coquitlam for his passion and determination on this issue and for bringing the bill to the House of Commons.

I know that this is a bill he has tried to bring forward in the past. In fact, five private member's bills have been introduced in this place that would have banned the trade in shark fins, and it is my sincere hope that 2019 is the year we are finally successful. I give my commitment to the hon. member that I will do everything I can to strongly advocate for the passage of this bill.

It was shortly after I was elected to Oakville town council that I first learned about the critical role sharks play in the health of our oceans and the marine ecosystem. I had a call from Oakville resident Wendy Perkins asking me to bring forward a motion to Oakville town council to ban shark fin soup.

Former Ontario provincial member Phil Gilles had successfully encouraged the Brantford city council to pass this motion, and Wendy wanted Oakville to follow suit. I educated myself on the issue and found out that sharks are apex predators. They are crucial to maintaining marine biodiversity.

Even after years of education and awareness on the issue, millions of sharks lose their fins to shark fin soup every year. Consumption of this luxury dish has led to overfishing of many vulnerable shark species as well as to the inhumane practice of finning. The practice involves removing the fin of the shark—