Soraya Martinez Ferrada

[Indigenous Affairs, June 5th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, indigenous tourism is a pillar of the government's tourism growth strategy, and Canada has the potential to become a leader in the world when it comes to authentic indigenous tourism. That is why NACCA will be delivering new funding to support large, scaled-up indigenous tourism projects. It will enable indigenous communities to scale up their projects and grow their own economy.

While Conservatives have always looked down on indigenous communities, we will continue to support indigenous tourism growth through an indigenous-led process.

[Public Safety, June 3rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am an MP from Montreal and I am very happy to see that my colleague is interested in what is happening there. I am the member for Hochelaga, where there is a homelessness crisis. We are working to address it every day.

On our side of the House, we are putting in place programs that the Conservatives consistently vote against. If they really want to look after the most vulnerable people in our society, they can start by voting in favour of the programs we are putting forward.

[Pharmacare Act, May 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, according to the Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances, every dollar invested in contraception saves the Quebec government $90 in health care costs.

Not all forms of contraception are available at this time. For example, IUDs are not covered by pharmacare. I would like to ask my esteemed colleague what she thinks about increasing access.

It is not a matter of jurisdiction, but rather it is about saying that we will work with Quebec. We want to ensure that all women in Quebec do not have to choose between paying for contraception and paying for groceries. They do not have to choose.

[Pharmacare Act, May 30th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I am also from Quebec and I fully respect Quebec's jurisdictions.

I have a question for my colleague. Does he not know that, right now in Quebec, IUD fittings, for example, are not covered by insurance? Women have to pay every month for their method of contraception, which costs between $20 and $30. Many women choose not to take contraceptives.

Why not simply join a program that will give all women free access to their choice of contraception?

[Housing, May 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, let us put the math aside and steer the discussion to something they love to talk about: common sense.

Building a house involves certain essentials called infrastructure, like water, electricity, sidewalks and roads. However, one of the areas that Conservatives want to cut back on is infrastructure, which municipalities need so they can build housing.

Again, there is plan one, which provides for three million housing units, and plan zero, which provides for zero housing.

[Housing, May 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I think my Conservative friends really need to learn some math.

Zero is a lot less than 179 agreements with municipalities across the country, 200,000 is less than 240,000, and zero housing units is still zero.

Their plan is zero. That simply does not work.

[Housing, May 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to go over some math concepts today.

There is a basic concept in math called magnitude. The number one is smaller than the number 10. Therefore, six is smaller than thousands. One plan is much greater than zero plans.

The only thing the party across the way wants to do is make cuts to infrastructure and insult mayors. That builds zero housing units.

[Housing, May 30th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. One thing my colleague and I agree on is that, on this side of the House, and I include him in that, we truly believe that a government must address homelessness and must work on fighting chronic homelessness. The people across the way do not believe that.

The housing plan has given more money to the municipalities to help them put a roof over the heads of everyone who needs it. We will continue to work with the municipalities on that, instead of insulting mayors.

[Regional Economic Development, May 28th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pontiac for her question. I am very anxious to know what the Quebec Conservatives are saying to their colleague from New Brunswick Southwest, who wants to wipe out the regional economic development agencies.

Every dollar they invest generates more than four dollars in investments. Unlike the Conservatives, we believe in investing in economic growth and job creation. They just want to make cuts. Even provincial Conservatives are terrified of their austerity plan.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, May 23rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am the minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, or CED. If there is one sector that CED has assisted in every region, including the regions of Quebec, it is agriculture. We supported agricultural processing and farm businesses in making the green transition to ensure that they also contribute to achieving net-zero emissions. CED is active in all regions of Quebec. We will continue to be there to help them through this transition.