Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, this country stands on free speech, this country stands by science, and this government stands by free speech and science, so people have the right make their views known out in the open. They are allowed to protest. They are allowed to mention their views, and it is this government's duty to act on science and research and data.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I am very confident. Our Prime Minister spoke several times with the previous president of the United States, with the current president of the United States, and trade commissioners. I just met with the premier of British Columbia, the newly minted one and the previous premier, and both have been very satisfied with the federal government's efforts in this matter.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, my colleague from British Columbia is right. Port Alberni has been a booming town and a valley where the forestry sector was very strong. It was very diversified. It has struggled, and we need to do more to help that industry grow. I know a lot of pulp and paper mills have also closed, and it is a place that is struggling to merge with the new emerging markets, but a lot can be done.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, it is impossible to overstate the importance of the softwood lumber industry to our country, the Canadian economy, and the many communities that depend upon it. There are more than 600 softwood lumber mills in Canada. Many of them are in remote or indigenous areas and communities, including in my riding of Surrey Centre.

Small Business Week  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Small Business Week. As a small business owner, I know first hand the hard work and sacrifices required to start and grow a business. Small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy, accounting for 30% of our GDP and employing over eight million Canadians, including many in Surrey.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the situation in Myanmar is devastating. The Rohingya people are suffering the sort of violence and horrors that should be relegated to our history books. Thousands of women and children have been attacked, killed, and forced out of their homes. Will the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs update the House on what actions Canada is taking to prevent these horrible acts against the Rohingya people?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Surrey Centre, I have seen first-hand how important highly skilled newcomers are to Canada's economy. Like many communities across Canada, Surrey is attracting more foreign international students, experienced professionals, and skilled newcomers who help meet Canada's labour market needs, contribute to economic growth, and drive innovation.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, we have had town halls on climate change. We have had consultations, more than any other government has ever had. My caucus members from British Columbia have had hundreds of meetings with their constituents. Thousands of people have attended those. The safety and security of our maritime coastlines for our commodities to get to market is a primary concern, and we have done that in balance.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the oceans protection plan does just that. It is spending $1.5 billion to have more radar stations along the coast, to have more sensitivity and noise monitoring of vessels that are going past killer whale pods, ensuring that their inhabited areas are protected. We are doing that while we are increasing the ability to take commodities to tidewater and open markets, so we are doing it in a balanced way.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might be remiss. The previous government did make decisions almost solely based on political decisions, without any regard to scientific evidence. Our government does it based on scientific evidence. In this case, it has protected the integrity of the independent scientific evidence, and it is based solely on it that all the decisions have been made.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I will continue on, and we will see at the end if my colleague is still concerned about the topic. We are going to ensure the Canadian Coast Guard has the tools it needs to save lives and better protect our waterways. That means more vessels, an enhanced search and rescue capability, more rescue stations, better communications gear, and more towing capacity so that the Canadian Coast Guard is able to respond more quickly and effectively.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise in the House to address the motion. As a British Columbian, and someone who cares about our coasts, our environment, and our economy, I would like to talk about the implications for our coastlines of natural resource projects, such as the one being discussed today.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, we owe a great duty to those who have given so much in service for all Canadians. Canada's veterans and their families deserve our care, compassion, and respect. As the Lower Mainland grows rapidly, more and more veterans call Surrey home. Could the Minister of Veterans Affairs update the House about the government's efforts to ensure that veterans across the country get the services they need when and where they need them?

Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, the PBO has the right to give his opinion on whether he thinks it will help him or not. In the scope of what I have seen of having it under the Speaker it is well-suited and it will strengthen. He has the right to his own opinion and I will leave it at that.

Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, constituents in my riding are happy that we are creating better transit and more transit and getting them to and from work faster. That is the goal that saves them hours a day and dozens of hours a week. That is a bigger monetary benefit to them than the discontinuance of the tax credit.