Our Lady of Lebanon Parish  Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to rise with overwhelming pride to share news of a significant and historic celebration. The Lebanese Maronite Catholics at Our Lady of Lebanon parish will officially launch the celebrations of the opening of our new church and Cedar Event Centre in Halifax West.

Income Tax Act  Madam Speaker, it is always a pleasure, a great honour and a privilege to rise here in the House on behalf of the people of Halifax West. It is always a privilege, a pleasure and an honour to rise here on behalf of the residents of Halifax West. I am pleased to rise today to debate Bill C-241, an act to amend the Income Tax Act, deduction of travel expenses for tradespersons.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my colleague. I listened intently to what he said and there are a number of items we agree with. We were all elected to Parliament to represent our constituents and to work collaboratively through partnership to make lives better for Canadians.

Tourism Industry  Mr. Speaker, the past two years have been hard on main streets across Atlantic Canada. Due to COVID, our community hubs have been forced to close or to be open for reduced hours. These closures have been especially hard on businesses in the arts and tourism sectors. Could the minister responsible for ACOA tell this House what the government is doing for Atlantic Canada's main streets as pandemic restrictions start to ease?

Francophonie Month  Mr. Speaker, every March, we come together to celebrate Francophonie Month. I invite everyone to celebrate the diversity and richness of the Francophonie and to show our solidarity as an important part of the global Francophonie. In my home city of Halifax, local organizations will be hosting many activities and presentations throughout the month of March to showcase the richness of our local French-speaking community and contribute to its development.

Emergencies Act  Madam Speaker, I have listened to my hon. colleague ask questions for the last couple of days and I really appreciate her interjections. I am part of the governing party, but I am certainly not in government. I definitely value bringing that forward, and I will take it back to my colleagues.

Emergencies Act  Madam Speaker, in my remarks, I specifically said that the Ottawa interim police chief concluded that without the act, the police would not have been able to do what they did. Again, former Ottawa police chief Charles Bordeleau said that invoking the Emergencies Act allowed them to set up a perimeter, allowed police to deny entry to those trying to join the protest, allowed for the banning of bringing children and minors into the designated zone, allowed for the quick seizure of money and assets involved with sustaining the occupation, allowed for vehicles to be towed and allowed for the immediate swearing in of officers from outside Ontario as police officers, among other things.

Emergencies Act  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. Unfortunately, I think it was necessary to invoke this act. The specific measures set out in the Emergencies Act are limited, subject to many checks and balances, and guaranteed by Parliament, hence this debate. The measures also have to be consistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Emergencies Act  Madam Speaker, this evening I will be sharing my time with the member for Winnipeg South. It is an honour and a privilege to represent the residents of Halifax West in the House of Commons. I recall the day of my swearing-in ceremony 15 weeks ago, walking along Wellington Street, taking in the architectural, national and symbolic elements of the buildings and looking at the multitude of people and the joy and excitement of all people, visitors and residents alike.

National Flag of Canada Day  Mr. Speaker, today I proudly salute the national flag of Canada. It was 57 years ago that our beloved flag was raised on Parliament Hill for the first time. This enduring symbol represents our core national values of democracy and justice. In my life, and in my time in public service, I have seen the high regard Canadians and people around the globe have for our flag.

COVID-19 Economic Measures  Madam Speaker, across the country, businesses are gradually reopening, and they want to improve their ability to guarantee the safest environment possible for their customers. We know that ventilation that replaces indoor air with outdoor air is an important tool for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Nova Scotia Heritage Day  Mr. Speaker, the third Monday in February is a statutory holiday established to celebrate the remarkable people, places and events that have contributed to making Nova Scotia what is today. To mark the 10th anniversary of the Landscape of Grand-Pré becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site, we will honour the rich, exceptional heritage of this traditional agricultural settlement, which is still in use today and was founded by the Acadians.

Black History Month  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Black History Month. It is an occasion to celebrate, show appreciation and recognize the accomplishments of Black Canadians throughout our history to building a better Canada. They include trailblazers of yesterday, among them boxer, activist and Nova Scotia sergeant-at-arms Buddy Daye, and civil rights pioneer and Nova Scotia businesswoman Viola Desmond; and the change-makers of today, including the inspiring women who joined me at the minister's Black women's round table in Halifax in November.

Health  Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Finance delivered an economic and fiscal update that shares our plan for Canada's recovery. My constituents in Halifax West want a strong, green and inclusive recovery. At the same time, however, we are seeing a new variant that reminds us that the fight against COVID-19 is not over yet.

Women's Participation in Public Life  Mr. Speaker, as the first woman to represent my community in the House, I recently reflected on the importance of women's participation in public life. We began this week by reflecting on the tragedy of the École Polytechnique massacre. Each year, this moment of mourning and reflection brings back hard memories and the pit I felt in my stomach when I first heard the news that day as a law student surrounded by my female peers.