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Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was countries.

Last in Parliament September 2021, as Liberal MP for Kitchener Centre (Ontario)

Lost his last election, in 2021, with 16% of the vote.

Statements in the House

James Dynerowicz May 11th, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of Sergeant Robert James Dynerowicz, a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, who passed away last month during the exercise Rugged Bear, while preparing to defend our country.

In life, Sergeant Dynerowicz was a hero who served our country in two deployments to Afghanistan. However, he was more than a soldier. He was an outdoorsman, a compassionate family member and friend, and a man who is remembered for his leadership, his mentorship, and his kindness. His loss will be felt by the entire community.

I would ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sincerest sympathies and deepest condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones at this extremely difficult time.

Nutrition International April 11th, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the 25th anniversary of Micronutrient Initiative, an organization respected around the world for its efforts to eliminate malnutrition.

The organization has changed its name this year to Nutrition International to better reflect its expanded role as a development partner and advocate for nutrition.

I am also pleased to congratulate a constituent of mine, Kathy Zador, who was recently awarded the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers for founding FibroMoves, a warm-water pool rehabilitation program intended to help fibromyalgia sufferers, and for teaching the program voluntarily for the past 10 years.

Please join me in congratulating Nutrition International and Kathy for their successes and in wishing them many more in the future.

Operation UNIFIER March 20th, 2017

Mr. Chair, I wholeheartedly agree that we should strengthen Minsk. We had problems with the Minsk I agreement. When Minsk II emerged, especially with the trilateral contact group and with the influence of the Normandy Four, it was very durable. It is a process that I believe, and I think the Canadian government believes, will lead to a lasting peace.

The situation in Ukraine requires, initially, security and stability, which we are providing with Operation Unifier. It also requires political involvement. Our political involvement in supporting the peace process with the Minsk II agreements, with the packages of measures that have emerged, especially with the influence of the Normandy Four, are a necessary part of finding a solution in Ukraine.

Operation UNIFIER March 20th, 2017

Mr. Chair, I would also like to thank my hon. friend for his collegiality and his mentorship on the trip. He was a voice of great intelligence, as part of his previous career as a journalist and his knowledge of the area.

One of the things the OSCE representatives also mentioned during that trip was the difficulty they were having in that region. As I mentioned in my remarks, one of the reasons they were having difficulties was the amount of land mines there. Because of our participation in sending ordinance equipment to help with the situation in the region, especially in Donbass, Canada is stepping up in a very constructive way to provide security on the ground to ensure aid can be deployed in a reasonable manner.

Operation UNIFIER March 20th, 2017

Mr. Chair, I am proud to rise today to speak in favour of our government's extension of Operation Unifier. In the face of ongoing Russian military aggression and illegal occupation, our government remains steadfast in Canada's commitment to the Ukrainian people. Our special relationship with Ukraine is bolstered by a shared vision, one in which the Ukrainian people have succeeded in their work to build a more secure, stable, and prosperous country, and one in which Ukraine is free from Russian aggression. We have been among the strongest international supporters of Ukraine's efforts to restore stability and to implement democratic and economic reforms. Canada was also one of the first countries to impose sanctions on the Russian government after its illegal invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014. The current government has continued to uphold this tough stance on Russia when it expanded sanctions against specific Russian officials. These officials include the so-called elected representatives to the Duma from Crimea, individuals who have absolutely no business being there. Furthermore, since January 2014, the Government of Canada has announced over $700 million in assistance to Ukraine.

This effort to support Ukraine through this important period of transition is a non-partisan commitment, and I would like to take a moment to thank the previous government for its work on this very important file. As we work to support Ukraine, military assistance will remain a key component of our country's commitment to Ukraine across development, security, democracy, and humanitarian aid.

For those who may not be familiar with Operation Unifier, I would like to take a moment to talk about what Canada's contribution to military aid in Ukraine looks like. Operation Unifier is a multinational joint support mission, which currently includes approximately 200 Canadian Armed Forces personnel. Canada's main focus is on tactical soldier training. As of December 2016, the Canadian Armed Forces has provided more than 3,200 training opportunities to UAF soldiers and officers on Operation Unifier. Many of the Canadians deployed are veterans of the war in Afghanistan and are now involved in training UAF personnel, including some coming directly from the front line in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass. The impact of the training efforts of these Canadian soldiers has been commendable, and I would like to take a moment to recognize and thank these soldiers who are hard at work for Canada, helping to build a better, more stable, and more secure world.

There are those who would dismiss the notion that Canada is undertaking a training role, as if that role were unimportant. I would like to draw down into one specific training element that our forces will be assisting with. Canadian forces will be training Ukrainian forces on explosive ordinance disposal and improvised explosive device disposal training. This might seem like a small thing to some, but it is a critically important skill. Let me provide some context. According to the 2016 annual report from the Landmine Monitor, Ukrainian government forces claim that they are forced to deal with the deployment of land mines and other illegal devices in Ukraine. Someone other than the Ukrainian government is deploying land mines in Ukrainian territory. Let me quote from the report:

In November 2015, an officer from the General Staff informed soldiers that separatist NSAGs were using landmines attached to fish hooks and fishing lines to snag the clothing of soldiers as they moved through wooded areas, thereby detonating nearby mines.

Numerous reports from the past few years have indicated that land mines and other illegal devices have had devastating consequences upon the civilian population in Ukraine as well. In March 2015, it was reported that over the previous year at least 42 children had been killed and 109 more were injured by mines in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine alone. Given Canada's proud history of supporting the eradication of land mines, it is extremely fitting and important that we engage in these kinds of training activities.

I am proud of our government's commitment to engage on the world stage, from its commitment of $650 million to assist with a global initiative to make up for the funding cuts to newborn and maternal health that have come from the recent global gag order to our contributions to the fifth Replenishment Conference on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. That is why I am so proud we have chosen to extend our contribution to Operation Unifier for an additional two years.

Waterloo March 7th, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome the University of Waterloo to Parliament Hill. The University of Waterloo is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.

The university is here today to celebrate its history of disruptive innovation and entrepreneurship.

It is well versed on the subject, as it is once again ranked Canada's most innovative university, a title it has held for 25 years straight.

I invite all my colleagues to join us in the parliamentary dining room this evening to meet these leaders in Canadian innovation.

Also, I would like to take a moment to welcome representatives from the Waterloo Regional Police Service, who are on Parliament Hill today along with their colleagues from across the country.

I am sure that all members join me in thanking all police officers for their hard work in keeping our communities safe.

Bring on the Sunshine Festival February 15th, 2017

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the work of the Bring on the Sunshine festival, a grassroots event that fosters a positive and creative space within our community for people of African descent to explore identity and heritage through the arts, while celebrating African culture and identity within a Canadian context.

Bring on the Sunshine showcases artisans and musicians, and acts as an opportunity for our community to come together in celebration during Black History Month. There is something for everyone to enjoy, from live music and drumming workshops to freshly prepared food.

We thank the organizers, community donors, officials, and volunteers who have once again come together to put on this amazing event. The festival is on Family Day, February 20, and I would like to invite all my colleagues and indeed all Canadians to come to Kitchener this Monday to celebrate.

Science December 6th, 2016

Mr. Speaker, our government supports science research. We know that scientific expertise must inform decision-making.

Could the Minister of Science update the House on the ways she is ensuring that science and evidence make it to the cabinet table?

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2 December 5th, 2016

Mr. Speaker, the only thing I can say is that if we look at the economic indicators in the world right now, we know that long-term bond rates are very low in parts of the world. We know that inflation is at 1%. We know the lower bond rate is close to 0%. This is the right time in our country's history to look at the infrastructure projects out there that are important not only for our communities but also for a nation-building exercise. After highlighting those statistics, I am sure that the hon. member would agree with me that now is the best time in our history to make sure that we make those infrastructure investments for the benefit of all Canadians.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2 December 5th, 2016

Mr. Speaker, I also thank my hon. friend for the work he does in his riding. He has been a great mentor and adviser since I was elected, and so I want to thank him personally.

One of the things I did not get to in my remarks was the importance of the arts and culture community, not only in my riding, where it is very strong, but also in Canada. We know, from the latest analysis by the Conference Board of Canada, that the arts and culture community in Canada provides $84.6 billion worth of economic benefits to Canada. That represents 1.1 million jobs. Arts and culture are a very important part of the Canadian fabric, not only as an economic multiplier but also as a social multiplier that keeps us all together. Also, as a final statistic, the arts and culture community adds 7.4% to our collective GDP.