Petitions  Mr. Speaker, like my colleague from British Columbia, I have a petition in regard to navigable waters. As members may recall, the Conservative government stripped away environmental regulations that were covered by the Navigable Waters Protection Act, leaving hundreds of rivers and lakes vulnerable.

Public Services and Procurement  Mr. Speaker, the phoenix shows no signs of rising from the ashes. The problems continue. Now we learn there is no way to assess whether programs to prioritize the hiring of Canada's veterans are working. The government knew about this. It made promises, but still cannot claim an increased number of veterans in the public service because it has no way of knowing if, or how many, veterans have been hired.

Housing  Madam Speaker, no veteran should ever be homeless, yet thousands are currently at risk. According to their new national housing strategy, the Liberals do not seem to think this problem deserves to be taken seriously. Their so-called strategy makes only passing reference to homeless veterans.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by a number of constituents along the Thames River. They are very concerned about the fact the Conservative government stripped the environmental legislation that covered in the navigable waters act and made many rivers vulnerable, including the Thames River, which is a significant heritage river and is the place where many species at risk thrive.

Universal Children's Day  Mr. Speaker, today, November 20, is Universal Children's Day. In 1954, the day was set aside by the United Nations to promote international awareness of children's issues and to remind us of our obligation to improve child welfare worldwide. Universal Children's Day offers the opportunity to advocate, inspire, promote, and celebrate children's rights.

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, the current government has repeatedly promised to bring back veterans' pensions, yet it continues to deny that it owes a sacred obligation to our veterans. In fact, the Liberals hired the same lawyers as the Conservatives before them, and have taken these veterans right back to court.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from a number of Londoners who are concerned about and wish to protect the Thames River system. As you will recall, Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government stripped environmental regulations covered in the navigable waters act, leaving hundreds of rivers, streams, and lakes very vulnerable.

Remembrance Day  Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise in the House today on behalf of New Democrats to honour the bravery and loyalty of the men and women who have fought for the freedoms we cherish as Canadians. This week we remember the service and sacrifice of all those who have served. We remember those who put their lives on the line for our country and did not return home, and we remember those who did return but were forever changed.

Nokee Kwe  Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work done by Nokee Kwe in my community of London. Nokee Kwe, in its innovative way, supports indigenous women in their transition to employment and education. It is devoted to finding solutions to employment and learning barriers through positive voice, a program in which participants learn about social and digital media, photography, and writing.

Veterans Affairs  Madam Speaker, I too, am absolutely convinced of the parliamentary secretary's integrity and her desire to help veterans and their families, but I have some concerns along the lines of what is happening to veterans and their families. We still have veterans who are desperately ill and need help with their mental health issues.

Veterans Affairs  Madam Speaker, last spring, I asked the minister about the infrastructure bank and the fact that it would result in user fees and tolls on Canadians. It is an important issue for a vast majority of Canadians, who deserve a real answer. I hope the Liberals will, despite previous practice, be honest with the people they serve, just as they promised when they came to power.

Transportation Modernization Act  Mr. Speaker, I am very leery and concerned about joint ventures. If he is talking about the infrastructure bank, I have profound concerns in that direction. We have experienced P3s in Ontario. They are more expensive, they are slow, and they do not provide the kinds of services that are intended.

Transportation Modernization Act  Mr. Speaker, I have been around this place for 12 years, and I am tired of tiny steps. I want something substantive and meaningful that is going to work for the travelling public of our country. In terms of the passenger bill of rights in the airline industry, it needs to be better and stronger.

Transportation Modernization Act  Mr. Speaker, once again this Parliament has been presented with a poorly and hastily crafted omnibus bill that would undermine workers' fundamental rights to privacy and protect the rights of investors. It is hard to see any difference in policy between the current government and the one that went before.

Transportation Modernization Act  Mr. Speaker, I have been listening carefully to the debate about whether or not this is an omnibus bill, because omnibus bills are something we should choose to avoid in this place. The bill amends 13 other pieces of legislation. If this is not an omnibus bill, what would he call it?