Yvonne Jones

[Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 19th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer, celebrate the progress made against the disease and support those who are impacted by it. Every year nearly 28,000 Canadians are diagnosed with breast cancer and thousands more are living with the disease. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian women.

I am so fortunate to be a two-time survivor of breast cancer. First diagnosed at the age of 42, I know the importance for Canadian women to have the opportunity to be tested at the age of 40 and not have to wait until 50. I have advocated for the age reduction in Canada many times over the years. I am so pleased that this past June, the Government of Canada announced up to $500,000 in additional funding for the Canadian task force to help update the breast cancer screening guidelines in Canada.

I encourage all women to get regular mammography testing. It can save their lives.

[National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 28th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This day of reflection and remembrance is an opportunity to walk together with indigenous peoples toward healing and reconciliation in Canada.

We must begin by acknowledging the painful history that has brought us to where we are today.

For centuries, indigenous peoples endured colonization, the residential school system, and the loss of their land, language and culture. It is a history we must continue to confront head on, unlike the combative and aggressive words used by the leader of the Conservatives, when he said, “Canada's aboriginals need to learn the value of hard work more than they need compensation for the abuse suffered in residential schools.” Those are the cold, harsh views that have set back progress of indigenous peoples for generations.

We must never forget the atrocities of residential schools and their generational trauma that still linger in this country. Let us stand united in our commitment to truth, to reconciliation and to a better Canada for all people.

[Petitions, June 14th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be back in the House of Commons and able to stand and represent the constituents of Labrador.

I am presenting a petition today on behalf of over 3,500 residents in Newfoundland and Labrador calling on the Government of Canada to designate 5 Wing Goose Bay a dedicated SAR air base and to include a designated SAR Cormorant helicopter as part of the Department of National Defence's NORAD modernization commitment, which would be assigned to the 5 Wing air base in support of search and rescue for Labrador and adjacent northern areas of Canada.

I want to thank my colleague from Avalon for accepting this petition on my behalf when I was away, and all my colleagues in Newfoundland and Labrador on both sides of the House for their support of search and rescue in Labrador.

I also want to acknowledge the family that started this petition. Jeanette and Dwight Russell lost their son Marc and his friend Joey tragically at sea and recognize the need for enhanced search and rescue services in the Labrador region.

[Member for Labrador, June 13th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I thank everybody for the warm welcome. I am excited to be back in the House of Commons, back to work as the member of Parliament for Labrador and the Parliamentary Secretary to two amazing, the Ministers of Natural Resources and Northern Affairs.

I thank my colleagues, constituents, staff, family and friends for all their support and encouragement and patience as I successfully battled breast cancer for the second time.

Those who sent messages and prayers lifted me up, and their positive spirit was felt on every step of this journey.

I want to express my deep gratitude to the Newfoundland and Labrador health care teams. They never relent in their quest for a cure and they never relent in their service and commitment to their patients. The health care system in our province of Newfoundland and Labrador remains strong, despite challenges, because of the dedicated people who work in our health care system.

I remind all Canadians of the significant progress that has been made in cancer research in our country and how important it is to support the cause for a cure. I encourage women to get regular mammography testing and wellness screening. I am proof that early detection can save lives but we must all do our part.

During this journey to good health, Labradorians were always in my heart. On June 24, at the Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Labrador, I will be ringing the bell of hope to celebrate this huge victory over cancer. I hope that all other Canadians will have the opportunity to ring that bell of hope.

[Natural Resources, October 7th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, I want to point out for my colleague that when one wants to fight climate change, it means one needs to invest to make it happen. When one looks at a comprehensive plan like we have as a government to address climate change, it considers projects like the TMX. It is focused on reducing the amount of oil that is being shipped by rail. It enables Canadians to secure a full value for its oil resources. Going forward, we will continue to focus on the best climate change measures we can implement to reduce emissions and fall in line with our net-zero commitments.

[Natural Resources, October 7th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, I think it is important for my colleague to remember that, if one really wants to address climate change, it means making bold moves and bold investments. When we consider projects such as the TMX—

[Muriel Andersen, October 7th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, shortly after celebrating her 105th birthday, a well-known and respected Inuk elder from Makkovik, Labrador, Ms. Muriel Andersen, passed away peacefully.

She was born on Dunn Island, Labrador, in 1917. She endured a lot in her life, living through two world wars and two pandemics and surviving residential schools. Ms. Andersen lost her husband at a young age and was left to raise her children on her own. She is the matriarch of a long line of Labradorians. Her family includes six children, 21 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and 28 great-great-grandchildren.

She will be remembered as a strong, hard-working woman who loved to help others. She is truly a daughter of Labrador, and we thank her for her tremendous contributions over 105 years to the people of Labrador.

May she rest in peace.

[Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 1, October 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from my colleague but I want to correct him on something. If he is referring to the dental bill that came forward in the House by the former member for St. John's East, I did support that motion. I wanted to correct that for the record.

I also want to say that I support the bill that is here today. I supported the motion at the time because I know the need for dental care in the riding that I represent and in many other northern and rural ridings across Canada. I know how important it is for families to have that kind of treatment for their children, and I am happy to support the bill that is before us today.

[Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 1, October 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to seniors that is a really good question. I think we have all had to deal with this over the last few months.

First of all, for any seniors who are under the threshold, in terms of what their supplementary allowances provide them in Canada based on their incomes, it did not change. While there was extra money paid out and extra benefits paid out, most of the people who were impacted were people who had other smaller pensions coming in from the side, so their cumulative income reached a different threshold level with that bump in payment.

What I can say is that very few seniors in this country who are dependent upon supplementary benefits have any room at all to make adjustments in their budgets. Their incomes are very fixed and they have very little room in terms of other escalating costs that may be happening in their lives. I think increasing the GST for many of these people will be a tremendous help for them, going forward.

[Cost of Living Relief Act, No. 1, October 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, in order to provide the HST or GST supplement to Canadians, they have to be qualified for it. That means they have to be under certain income thresholds in order to be eligible. Obviously, the real place to go is to check with the CRA as to what their last income tax earnings were. It will be based on that.

What I can say is that, from our projections, this will be able to support about 11 million Canadians with regard to additional income under the GST program.