House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2019, with 41% of the vote.
Natural Resources May 3rd, 2019
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Trans Mountain pipeline, we are focused on getting the process right and doing this in the right way. We have informed communities engaged in the phase III consultations that we have until June 18 to bring the consultations to a respectful conclusion and make a decision on TMX.
The Conservatives voted to de-fund and shelve the TMX process. We know we owe it to Canadians to get this process right.
Natural Resources May 3rd, 2019
Mr. Speaker, as the member very well knows, we have approved the Line 3 replacement project for the pipeline, and we support Keystone XL.
We are also making sure that we are moving forward in the right way on TMX, something the Conservatives do not understand. The rule of law is something they do not respect. Meaningful engagement with indigenous peoples is something they never even think about.
For us, making sure that we move forward in the right way and in a responsible way is what Canadians expect.
Eye Level Oratacular Speech Contest May 3rd, 2019
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today in the House to talk about an incredible young girl from my riding of Sudbury.
Daniela Grottoli, a grade 5 student at R. L. Beattie Public School, took part in the Eye Level Oratacular speech contest and won one of four gold medals in North America.
This year's subject was about one thing she could change in the world. Originally, her speech was to be about gender parity, but while she was at the grocery store, she was inspired by another subject. She decided to talk about eliminating hunger. She said, “It is sad to think of even one child going to bed hungry. To know millions will is heartbreaking. We need to do better. Everybody deserves to eat.” I could not agree with her more.
Daniela's public-speaking journey is far from done as she has been invited to take part in the Eye Level Model UN Camp in South Korea this August.
Not only does Daniela make Sudbury proud, she makes Canada proud. I agree with her that we need to do better to eliminate hunger.
Sudbury Lady Wolves Hockey Team April 9th, 2019
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a proud father and former coach to congratulate the Sudbury Lady Wolves Midget AA hockey team for winning the gold medal at the Ontario provincial championships this past weekend. The Lady Wolves finished the tournament with a perfect 6-0 record, besting the Stoney Creek Sabres in the finals.
However, the Lady Wolves had already punched their ticket to participate at the national championships as the hosts of the Esso Cup. From April 21 to 27, the Sudbury Lady Wolves will be hosting the Stoney Creek Sabres, the St. Albert Slash of the Pacific Region, the Saskatoon Stars of the West Region and the Halifax Fire of the Atlantic Region.
The team that will represent Quebec at the Esso Cup will be revealed this weekend.
I thank the coaching staff for a great season and the girls for making us so proud.
Go, Wolves, go.
Yukon's Mount Wood April 5th, 2019
Madam Speaker, Pascale Marceau was born and raised in my riding of Sudbury. Last month, Pascale was the first woman documented to summit Mount Wood in Yukon, Canada's sixth-highest peak at nearly 16,000 feet, in a winter ascent. She embarked on this daring exploit through the Royal Canadian Geographical Society flag expedition.
The fate of Pascale and her partner's climb was threatened by high winds and a storm on the horizon. Through it all, the now Canmore resident was able to circumvent all the obstacles as she remained calm and persisted to finally reach the top and make history. She will now go down in the books as the first woman to summit a major subarctic peak in winter. What an accomplishment.
Pascale, I congratulate you on your perseverance and the passion you have shown with this daring exploit. You have inspired many young people from Sudbury and across Canada, who try to push the limits and achieve the impossible.
Thank you, Pascale, for being an outstanding role model.
Swimming Scholarship March 22nd, 2019
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the fantastic achievements of a young person from my riding of Sudbury.
After attending Collège Notre-Dame and graduating in June 2018, Nina Kucheran received an NCAA Division I scholarship to attend Florida State University and swim for their varsity team.
With the support of her family, Nina began swimming at the age of five at the Nickel District Pool before joining the Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club. In August 2018, Nina earned two silver medals representing Canada at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Fiji.
Physical activity is a big part of Canadian culture. Nina's hard work and intense passion can inspire us all. Our community is proud of Nina, and we are excited to see what amazing things she does next.
I wish her great success as she competes at the 2019 women's swimming and diving national championships in Austin, Texas.
Not only does Nina make Sudbury proud, but she makes Canada proud.
Women and Girls in Science February 22nd, 2019
Madam Speaker, on Monday, February 11, I had the pleasure of attending the International Day of Women and Girls in Science at Laurentian University.
Participants were invited to a symposium on women and girls in science and the opportunities available to them.
This was a great event to have in Sudbury. We had multiple amazing women who were guest speakers at the event, such as Nadia Mykytczuk, a professor at Laurentian University; Theresa Nyabeze, an engineer at Vale; and Emily Jago, who is an ambassador for Fast and Female. This is just to name a few of the many successful women who inspire us every day.
We have made a lot of progress toward achieving gender parity in the workplace, but we still have a lot of work to do. In 2018, women's participation rate in Canada's labour force was 61% compared to 70% for men.
Let us continue to inspire girls in STEM disciplines and work toward gender parity in the workforce.
La Francophonie November 26th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, November 15 was a sad day for Franco-Ontarians, as Doug Ford's Conservative government cancelled plans to build a French-language university and eliminated the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner. Once again, the community is rallying and standing up for itself.
When I was a high school student in Kapuskasing, I went to Queen's Park to demand that a French-language college be built in Sudbury. We won. When I was a law student at the University of Ottawa in 1997, I took part in the big protest to save the Montfort Hospital from being shut down by the Mike Harris Conservatives. We won. Next week, on December 1, I will once again take part in a protest to assert my rights as a francophone in this province, and we are going to win.
To my anglophone friends, first, I thank them for their support. We are not seeking more than anybody else. We only want our official language to be treated as equal to the other official language in our bilingual country.
In closing, I would like to share a quotation with my Franco-Ontarian sisters and brothers. In the words of the late Michel Gratton, author of a book on the Montfort crisis, “Have courage. Our cause is just.”
Minerals Sector November 20th, 2018
Mr. Speaker, as the member for Sudbury, an area rich in mining history, I am pleased to highlight the importance of the minerals sector in Canada. This is a global industry and Canada is an undisputed leader.
In 2017 alone, Canadian mines produced over 60 minerals and metals worth nearly $44 billion, and the broader minerals sector directly employed more than 420,000 people. This is the second highest proportional employer of indigenous peoples among the natural resources sector.
That is why we are working diligently with provinces and territories, indigenous communities and industry from coast to coast to develop a Canadian minerals and metals plan.
The plan will outline a new vision, ambitious goals and clear actions, enabling Canada to remain a global mining leader while reflecting today's realities: climate change, sustainable development, social acceptability, advancing reconciliation with first nations and a transition to a modern economy.
I ask all hon. members to join me in recognizing the importance of Canada's minerals sector for our economy and to communities across our country.
Movember November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, today, Friday, November 2, is the second day of the Movember campaign.
The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness of prostate cancer, testicular cancer, men's mental health and men's suicide prevention. These are important issues for everyone, considering that one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. In addition, three out of four deaths by suicide are men, which results in eight men who die every single day by suicide in this country.
Clearly, we need to get these issues out in the open in order to break the stigma. I urge all my colleagues to take part in this campaign to raise awareness of men's health issues.