Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Madam Chair, I want to thank my hon. colleague, not only for her intervention but for sharing her thoughts as somebody who lived in Winnipeg for a long time and knows the history of racism we deal with as indigenous people and certainly indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people in the city of Winnipeg.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of working with my hon. colleague on the status of women committee. We are just finishing a study on the connection between resource extraction and increased violence against indigenous women and girls. I am very proud that everybody on that committee committed to that study in response to addressing violence against indigenous women.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Mr. Speaker, I have been working with my colleague across the way to respond to the crisis occurring in our communities, but he just said something of concern to me, which is that he is open to establishing an ombudsperson. Call for justice 1.7 specifically calls for that. This is something indigenous women, girls and families are calling for.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Mr. Speaker, I have worked a lot with my hon. colleague in Winnipeg. Velma's House was a needed investment. I just found out this morning that a woman froze to death in a bus shack, under blankets. We are in a critical emergency. I appreciated what the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations shared the other day, that this is no time to boast about investments, because we are not doing enough.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Madam Chair, I wanted to acknowledge that in Ottawa today we have the chief of Long Plain First Nation, Kyra Wilson, and the family of Morgan Harris. I am glad to hear my hon. colleague speak about how we are going to work together across party lines to get justice for the families on their terms and in response to what they are saying they need for justice.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Madam Chair, I agree with my hon. colleague. We need those monies to be given to families in our communities to use the way they need for justice. We have put out 231 calls to action. In the 2022 budget, there were zero budgetary allocations for MMIWG2S. That is wrong. We need immediate resources.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Madam Chair, I think that, in this case, it is very clear. There has been, as a result, and for very good reason, a relationship of distrust that has developed over time. In this particular case, out of respect for the families, I believe it is in the best interest of the Winnipeg city police to call for an independent investigation with support and access to the information required to assess whether it is feasible to complete a search successfully.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Madam Chair, I do not think it is difficult. There are 231 calls for justice that clearly lay out a plan forward. The asks are very simple right now. I have been calling for the police to call for an independent investigation and provide the support and information necessary with respect to the feasibility of a search.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Madam Chair, in light of what is going on, at the very least there needs to be an immediate moratorium on the utilization of Prairie Green Landfill until this can be resolved. In honour of what the children are going through, and the families who are looking for loved ones, we need to give them that justice.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Madam Chair, the letter continues: “They deserve to be remembered for who they are rather than the way they passed on. It breaks me to see our women fall through the cracks of society over and over again. Throughout my teens, I've watched and I've heard the horror stories of indigenous women going missing and many never found, and when they're found, they're found deceased in the most horrible, gruesome ways, and all you can do is cry and hope your loved ones aren't next.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Madam Chair, today I am going to share the words of Cambria Harris, daughter of Morgan Harris. We talk so much here and now it is time to listen to what families and survivors want. “My name is Cambria Harris. My spirit name is West Flying Sparrow Woman. I'm a member of Long Plain First Nation but I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Child Care  Mr. Speaker, for decades advocates have called to nationalize early learning and child care. However, we still do not have legislation in place that ensures long-term protected funding for child care that prioritizes the expansion of non-profit and public service delivery. Families deserve access to high-quality, affordable child care now.

École polytechnique de Montréal  Madam Speaker, I rise on this solemn occasion to commemorate a horrific tragedy, the memory of the École Polytechnique massacre, which took place on this day 33 years ago. It is still etched in the minds of millions of people who will never forget this act of femicide. Let me begin by paying tribute to the women who were murdered on December 6, 1989: Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, Annie Turcotte and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz.

Request for Emergency Debate  Mr. Speaker, I am here to give notice under Standing Order 52(2) that I will be seeking leave today, Monday, December 5, 2022, to propose an emergency debate regarding missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people. Last week, the Winnipeg Police Service announced charges against an alleged serial killer for the murder of Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran and one other loved one who is still being identified.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, another three indigenous women were murdered by an alleged serial killer in Winnipeg, and police are not going to look for their remains, which they believe are in the Brady landfill. Imagine hearing that about one's relative. While the government stalls in providing resources, indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people continue to be murdered, because we are a target.