Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, reliable access to drinking water and wastewater treatment is vital to the well-being of our communities and an important issue for our indigenous communities. Our government is committed to renewing the relationship with indigenous peoples and providing the infrastructure they need to prosper.

Government Appointments  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today as a Franco-Ontarian. The Minister of Justice introduced significant reforms to the judicial appointment process. Her reform promotes diversity, gender balance, and bilingualism. I am pleased to see that five of the eight judges who were appointed in eastern Ontario are perfectly bilingual.

100th Anniversary of Gogama  Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the residents of Gogama, who are celebrating their town’s 100th anniversary. Gogama, a hidden treasure in northeastern Ontario, is a beautiful community that offers plenty of outdoor activities. People go there for the fishing, the hunting, the bike trails, and, last but not least, the campfires.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day  Mr. Speaker, I have celebrated Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day since my childhood days in the small communities of Chelmsford, Verner, and Field. I proudly recognize my ancestors, Nickel Belt pioneers such as my great-grandfather Pierre Aubin, from Saint-Donat, Quebec, who immigrated to Field, Ontario, in 1860.

Tourism Week  Mr. Speaker, tourism is critical for job creation and is an important economic driver for Canada. To recognize Tourism Week, I want to invite all Canadians to come to Greater Sudbury/Nickel Belt to experience all the wonders. Northern Ontario's best attraction is the great outdoors.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, last June, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women released its report on gender-based analysis plus and made 21 recommendations related to improvement, performance, training, and supervision. Seeing as this is Gender-Based Analysis Plus awareness week, will the Minister of Status of Women tell the House what the government is doing to step up the implementation of GBA+ within federal departments?

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues who participated in the debate on developing a national seniors' strategy, as well as those who contributed to it. This is very important for our aging population, and we need to take action. I thank all of the organizations in the riding of Nickel Belt that provided me with a great deal of information and that have stayed involved by sending me their objectives and suggestions of the concrete measures that need to be taken to develop a national strategy.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, no, I do not.

Mining Industry  Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to honour Canada's mining and exploration industry, which plays a vital role in creating good jobs and supporting middle-class families, urban, rural, and northern regions, as well as indigenous communities. Mineral development is a transformative industry advancing sustainable development and cutting-edge technology.

Mining Industry  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada understands how important mining exploration companies are to supporting middle-class families and indigenous communities and to building a clean, green economy. Can the Minister of Natural Resources tell the House about what the federal government is doing to ensure that Canada remains a top destination for exploration and mining?

Railway Safety Act  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to speak to issues surrounding Bill C-322, an act to amend the Railway Safety Act in relation to road crossings. While the government recognizes the complexity of railways and municipalities having to coexist, I would like to explain why the government cannot support the bill.

Land Line Telephone Service  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition from the community of St. Charles in the riding of Nickel Belt. This petition requests that the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development engage with Bell Canada to find a solution for the St. Charles community's unreliable land-line telephone service, considering the poor coverage of the area for cell mobiles.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for the hard work he and his party have done for seniors since he has been in Parliament. He brings up an important point. Part of the motion is establishing and empowering the Seniors Council. It is important to provide feedback, and I would encourage the member to provide the feedback, provide situations that we could look at that are related to this issue.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question. We worked with a number of national partners and organizations, as well as with the provinces, to determine what benefits a national seniors' strategy could have. We also reviewed the services that the federal government offers seniors.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question and for her hard work on palliative care. It is so important to the Canadian senior population across Canada. Budget 2016 has looked at infrastructure dollars related to seniors homes, affordable housing, and is also looking at the need for palliative service.