Regional Economic Development  Mr. Speaker, in my home province of Nova Scotia, nearly 20% of people identify as living with a disability. That is why programs such as Easter Seals Nova Scotia are crucial. In delivering vocational and life skills programs, it plays an important role in ensuring all members of the community have an equal chance at success.

Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship  Mr. Speaker, our government believes in Atlantic Canada. We are 32 members strong, working together for our region. Just last week, the Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship, known as COVE, officially launched in my riding of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. COVE is an incredible facility for applied innovation in the oceans sector.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for her kind words for the members of the environment committee. We did sit for hours and hours to debate the bill. We moved many amendments and worked very hard at trying to make the bill better. The minister spoke about how important it was that good projects get the go ahead.

Social Development  Madam Speaker, by any measure, Canada is one of the world's most charitable countries. In 2016, we ranked fourth in the World Giving Index, and last year, more than 80% of Canadians aged 15 or older donated their time or money to a charitable or non-profit organization. Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development please tell the House how this government is recognizing our country's giving spirit?

Fraser Peter Hutchinson  Mr. Speaker, Canada has a proud tradition of brave men and women fighting for their country, and I am honoured to recognize one of Nova Scotia's finest veterans, the late Fraser Peter Hutchinson. Mr. Hutchinson served in the defence of France in World War II, where he was wounded and captured.

Health  Mr. Speaker, on April 2, we will celebrate the 11th annual World Autism Awareness Day. On this day, Canada will join the international community, hundreds of thousands of families and caregivers, and communities around the world that will wear blue in recognition of people living with autism.

Purple Day  Mr. Speaker, today is Purple Day, a day dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy. Each year over 15,000 Canadians are diagnosed with epilepsy, but due to the stigma surrounding it many people are reluctant to seek care. That is one of the reasons why a good friend of ours, Nova Scotia's Cassidy Megan, created Purple Day, to help people with epilepsy know that they are not alone and to help others understand more about the disorder.

The Budget  Madam Speaker, I know we are going to run out of time, but I would like to share my time with the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. I understand we will probably run out of time at 5:15 p.m. I am, however, delighted to start my speech today on budget 2018. This was a great news budget for all Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

HMCS Sackville  Mr. Speaker, as Canada's oldest warship and the only remaining flower-class corvette, HMCS Sackville is an important part of Royal Canadian Navy history. Declared a national historic site in 1988, it serves as a naval memorial, honouring Canadian sailors who died in the Battle of the Atlantic, and a museum ship that hosts thousands of visitors at Halifax harbour each year.

Mental Health  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind everyone in the House and across Canada that today is Bell Let's Talk day. This is a great time to let folks know that we are listening and that we support them. We know that in any given year, one in five people in the country will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.

Canadian Heritage  Mr. Speaker, 100 years ago in Halifax Harbour, on December 6, 1917, two ships known as the Imo and the Mont-Blanc collided. The explosion that ensued left nearly 2,000 dead, 9,000 injured, and 25,000 homeless. The Mi'kmaq village of Turtle Grove near Shannon Park, Dartmouth, was completely levelled.

National Sickle Cell Awareness Day Act  Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my fellow members in the House for showing strong support for Bill S-211, an act respecting national sickle cell awareness day, including the member across the way who just spoke. When all parties work together for the good of all Canadians, we have the ability to accomplish so much in this place.

Order of Canada  Mr. Speaker, established in 1967 to highlight the contributions of incredible Canadians, the Order of Canada is our country's highest civilian honour. It is why I am fiercely proud to recognize an individual who has worked tirelessly to build and strengthen his community, Nova Scotia, and all of Canada.

National Sickle Cell Awareness Day  Madam Speaker, we are behind on deciding to designate June 19 as world sickle cell day or Canada's sickle cell day. We should have done this back in 2006 or 2008 when the UN declared it, but there is no time like the present. I hope and expect that next June 19 will be the first national sickle cell awareness day in Canada.

National Sickle Cell Awareness Day  Madam Speaker, we met with the Nova Scotia group and, at that time, its focus was on the awareness bill. That is where it wanted to put the emphasis. A fair bit of research is going on for sickle cell. Putting more focus on sickle cell specifically would drive more research toward finding a cure.