Stella Ambler

[Petitions, December 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition signed by many constituents calling for tougher laws for those convicted of impaired driving causing death, and a redefinition of impaired driving causing death as vehicular manslaughter.

[Business of Supply, November 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for recognizing that this is a non-partisan issue. It is clear that both sides of the House agree that the proposal submitted by the Thalidomide Victims Association must be reviewed. I know the minister is reviewing the proposal. I have no doubt that the meetings will be constructive and thorough, that the minister will be discussing all options to be put on the table and that the commitment is there to provide the respect and dignity to people who have suffered for almost 50 years.

I would like to point out, as well, that in terms of funding for research in initiatives into reproductive, maternal, child, and youth health, this government has put $840 million into research for these initiatives since coming to office in 2006. This shows a commitment to ensuring that the health of Canadians is a priority.

[Business of Supply, November 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member opposite that the minister will be meeting with the Thalidomide Victims Association. I expect the meetings to be productive and very co-operative in nature. Co-operation is the key to ensuring that the meeting is successful and that all options and solutions are put on the table. We are talking about a group of people who have suffered greatly and who have lived a lifetime of perseverance and, in some cases, a lifetime of pain. This tragedy needs to be addressed.

I am particularly proud that this government and that our health minister will be meeting with the victims' association and finding solutions together.

[Business of Supply, November 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Mississauga East—Cooksville.

This tragic event from the 1960s reminds us all, as parliamentarians, why we need to take drug safety so seriously. Nothing can ever undo the pain and suffering inflicted upon the victims of the thalidomide tragedy. However, we can work both to ensure these mistakes never happen again and to support those who are most in need.

That is why I am pleased to stand in support of this motion before the House today. I also look forward to hearing about the constructive discussions that the Minister of Health and the Thalidomide Victims Association of Canada will be having in a meeting to be held shortly. I understand the minister is currently reviewing the proposal put forward by the association and will be working with the victims to determine how best they can be supported going forward.

I will be focusing my remarks today on the supports that Canada today places on maternal health to support mothers in bearing healthy children.

The health and well-being of women and children are issues that this government cares very deeply about, as do I as a mother. A healthy start to life is fundamental in promoting and protecting the health of Canadians. The thalidomide tragedy not only demonstrates what can happen when governments do not place a strong enough emphasis on drug safety, but also why mothers need all of our support to have healthy children.

The prenatal period is a critical one for all women, and this government continues to work with our partners to support healthy and safe pregnancies and healthy babies. Our government's efforts are wide reaching, and include national guidelines for maternity and newborn care, prenatal and infant nutrition guidelines, safe-sleep awareness and low-risk drinking guidelines in pregnancy.

Working closely with a wide range of partners, the government strives to protect expectant mothers and new mothers, and provide them with the information they need to help them care for themselves and their newborns. This government recognizes the importance of investing in and supporting new moms early. That is why we invest over $112 million annually to nearly 285,000 vulnerable children and their families each year.

One of our most far-reaching and successful programs focusing on the prenatal period is the Canada prenatal nutrition program. We invest over $27 million annually to support 279 projects across Canada, serving over 59,000 participants each year. The focus of this program is to meet the needs of prenatal and early post-partum women facing conditions of risk, including teenage pregnancy, poverty, geographic or social isolation, tobacco or substance use and family violence. This program provides access to a wide range of services to pregnant and recently post-partum women, and often assists them in accessing other important services such as housing, shelters and counselling supports.

It is worth mentioning that this program has enabled communities to leverage over $16 million annually in additional support to provide greater access to supports for pregnant women and new mothers. This support includes funding, volunteerism and in-kind resources from provincial, territorial, municipal and community partners. We know this program has a positive impact on the health and well-being of mothers and their infants. Participants with high levels of engagement in its services were noted as 40% more likely to give up alcohol, more than twice as likely to increase their use of vitamin supplements, four times more likely to breastfeed longer and less likely to have pre-term or small-for-gestational age babies.

Specifically with respect to aboriginal maternal and child health, our government is also investing over $150 million this year alone to support community-based maternal health and child development programming and services in their communities. This includes Canada prenatal nutrition programming on reserve, the aboriginal head start program, the brighter futures program, the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder program and the children's oral health initiative.

Together, these programs and services are supporting first nations and Inuit children and their families to reach their full developmental and lifetime potential. Improving the health of first nations and Inuit people is a shared undertaking among federal, provincial and territorial governments, and aboriginal partners. Our government remains committed to working with partners to improve the health outcomes of all aboriginal peoples.

The government also plays an important role in ensuring health providers and policy makers have the information they need on the overall health of women and infants. Through the Canadian prenatal surveillance system, the Public Health Agency of Canada monitors and reports on maternal, fetal and infant health in Canada. This work is done in collaboration with leading health professionals from across the country: Canadian researchers, public health practitioners and other stakeholder organizations.

The agency works with these stakeholders to ensure that the information provided meets the needs of our health care community and allows important partners, such as the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, to use these data to develop policies, programs and guidelines to improve the health of Canadian women and children.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the government health research arm, also strives to create new scientific knowledge aimed toward improving health and more effective health services and products.

Our government has invested over $840 million since coming to office in 2006 to support research related to reproductive, maternal, child and youth health challenges. For example, we have established the Canadian Neonatal Network to facilitate collaborative research and a project led by Dr. Shoo Lee to reduce infant mortality and the length of stay needed in neonatal intensive care units. This project has developed innovative tools to reduce hospital acquired infection and severe intestinal infection by 30%.

We also have a number of research projects on the horizon that are directly related to newborn and children's health. These projects range from pre-term birth and child and youth mental health, to analyzing the origins of certain childhood diseases.

Another related area where the government has placed a great deal of effort and investment is early childhood development. Two key federal programs focusing on early child development are the community action program for children and aboriginal head start, as I mentioned earlier.

The community action plan for children provides over $53 million in annual funding to community-based groups and coalitions to develop and deliver comprehensive and culturally appropriate prevention and early intervention programs. These programs promote the health and social development of vulnerable children from birth to six years of age, as well as their families, facing conditions of risk, including poverty, geographic and social isolation, teenage parents, tobacco and substance use, and family violence.

The aboriginal head start on reserve program and the aboriginal head start in urban and northern communities program, with funding of $49 million and over $29 million a year, respectively, provide early intervention strategies to address health promotion, nutrition, parental involvement, social support and education. The focus of these programs both on and off reserve is to provide aboriginal children with a good start in life so they are ready to meet the challenges of starting school and coping with life's challenges with confidence.

There is a growing body of evidence that reveals the far-reaching effects of these types of programs beyond early child development. Every dollar spent in supporting a healthy start in these early years will reduce the long-term costs associated with health care, addiction, crime, unemployment and welfare. As well, it will lead Canadian children to become better educated, well adjusted and more productive adults.

Our public health efforts in maternal health are effective, and come as a result of many years of investment in health promotion and prevention activities.

I think this entire chamber and, indeed, all Canadians are today seized with the tragic events that happened in the 1960s with respect to thalidomide and its victims. In addition to supporting the motion before the House today and working with victims to determine what supports can be offered, our government is working to ensure that tragedies like this never happen again, and that new mothers continue to receive the support they need.

[Business of Supply, November 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the member for Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing could give us her thoughts on the Minister of Health's comments yesterday about co-operation and meeting with the thalidomide victims association. Does the member think this is a positive step in the right direction? What are the kinds of items that she would like to see discussed in those very co-operative meetings?

[National Defence, November 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to make a significant contribution to the coalition campaign against ISIL. I understand that our planes have flown at least 80 sorties and, along with our coalition allies, have significantly degraded the military capacity of this terrorist group.

Can the Minister of National Defence please update the House as to the latest activities of the Canadian Armed Forces as a part of Operation Impact?

[Justice, November 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians, we can be proud of the fact that we are a welcoming nation and home to many newcomers who seek safety, security and protection. Although Canada is a generous and tolerant country, our openness does not extend to barbaric cultural practices that seek to harm women and girls.

Can the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration please tell the House what our government is doing to end barbaric cultural practices from happening on Canadian soil?

[Taxation, November 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, under our family tax cut plan, all families with children will receive more money in their pockets, where it belongs.

Low and middle-income families will receive two-thirds of the overall benefits to spend on their priorities. For example, Sandra has a two-income household with her husband John. She earns $96,000 a year. John makes $24,000 a year. Because of the Prime Minister's announcement, through the family tax credit, Sandra and John will earn an additional $3,000 in tax relief.

Our Conservative government is fulfilling its promise to balance the federal budget, and we are proud to be in a position to fulfill our promise to help Canadian families balance theirs.

[National Defence, October 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, to fulfill the St. Andrew's Society and the Sons of Scotland's vision of a Scottish regiment in Hamilton, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders stood up in 1903. Since then, this storied regiment has represented its Scottish roots, the city of Hamilton, and indeed Canada in a manner fitting of the very men and women who serve among its ranks.

Would the Minister of Public Works and Government Services please share a few reflections on this storied regiment and on Corporal Nathan Cirillo?

[Canadian Cement Industry, October 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome senior leaders from the Canadian cement industry to Ottawa today, including Holcim Canada from my riding of Mississauga South.

The cement industry is a vital contributor to Canada's economy, to infrastructure and to our communities. Cement and concrete are literally the foundation upon which modern societies are built. Virtually all construction projects need concrete, which is the second most-consumed commodity in the world, second only to water. The Canadian cement and concrete industry generates more than $8 billion in annual sales, contributing some $2.9 billion to the country's GDP. It employs nearly 27,000 Canadians, including 175 jobs at Holcim's Mississauga Lakeshore plant and quarry.

I extend my thanks to Holcim for providing these local jobs and for its commitment to provide them in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.