Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, advancing gender equality is one of our most important priorities. From appointing the first gender-balanced federal cabinet and the first federal minister fully dedicated to gender equality, the government continues to introduce new measures and key investments that underscore our ongoing commitment.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, as we get set to celebrate the contributions and achievements of women on International Women's Day, I am pleased to say that our government is taking concrete actions toward gender equality by putting gender at the heart of decision-making by legislating gender-based analysis plus, recognizing the important role of Status of Women Canada by making it a full department, and investing $100 million for a strong, sustainable women's movement.

International Women's Day  Mr. Speaker, next week we will celebrate International Women's Day. It is an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate women's contributions to our country and the progress we have made toward achieving gender equality. This year's theme is #Myfeminism. It highlights the importance of our own actions to end gender bias, gender stereotypes, and all forms of gender-based violence.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member knows full well that we introduced interim principles, which we used to assess the Kinder Morgan pipeline project. Additional consultation efforts were made with indigenous people, environmental groups, and the industry itself. We felt, and I think the nation felt, that it would not be fair to start from square one.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, we are investing record amounts of money in science, and I am sure issues like that have been and will continue to be studied. I once again point to the oceans protection plan and the $1.5 billion, a record investment in protecting our ocean environment. I think the hon. member will be pleased with some of the things that are going to be in the budget this afternoon.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, to reiterate, we had 14 months of consultation with indigenous people, environmental groups, industry, and others because we wanted to get this right. We know that the previous government undermined confidence in the system, and I think we have the balance right. I was the environment commissioner for my home province of Manitoba, and I made my living by doing environmental assessments.

Impact Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on Bill C-69, an act to enact the impact assessment act and the Canadian energy regulator act, to amend the Navigation Protection Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts. This important piece of legislation fulfills some of our earliest campaign promises from the 2015 election: restore credibility to environmental assessments, modernize and rebuild trust in the National Energy Board, conduct a wholesale review of the previous government's amendments to the Fisheries Act and the elimination of the Navigable Waters Protection Act with the intent to restore lost protections and incorporate more modern safeguards.

Status of Women  Madam Speaker, the hon. member mentioned the word “action”, and we know action is needed if we are to create a safe, inclusive society for all Canadians, including on post-secondary campuses. There is some great work being done across the country by grassroots organizations and post-secondary institutions.

Status of Women  Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for all of her efforts to combat gender-based violence, and her very fine work on the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. The hon. member would acknowledge that our government has made a strong commitment to ensuring that all women and girls can live lives free of violence.

Indigenous Affairs  Madam Speaker, again, the Government of Canada is actively working to stop the racialized and sexualized violence experienced by indigenous women and girls in this country. As the Prime Minister said in the House on October 4, we continue to be committed to doing everything we can to work with indigenous communities, to protect our sisters, our daughters, our cousins, our nieces, our aunts, and our grandmothers.

Indigenous Affairs  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to answer the question from my hon. colleague and I would like to acknowledge that I do so on the traditional territory of the Algonquin people. Our government is committed to ending the ongoing national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

Olympic Curling Trials  Mr. Speaker, this week in our nation's capital, the Olympic curling trials are under way. Known as the Roar of the Rings, 18 of the best teams in the country will compete to represent Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. Curling has always been important to me and my family.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, female genital mutilation is an abhorrent and unacceptable practice, and it is against the law. Canada has and will continue to make efforts to prevent and address FGM, and through our gender-based violence strategy, front-line service providers will have the resources to better respond to the needs of survivors of gender-based violence, including survivors of female genital mutilation.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Vimy for that question. Eliminating gender-based violence is critical to allowing women and girls to reach their full potential, and to achieving gender equality. It is also why we are working to empower women in all aspects of Canadian life.

Status of Women  Madam Speaker, again, this government is working in many ways to prevent and address gender inequality and tackle issues like gender-based violence. This includes the women's program at Status of Women Canada by engaging stakeholders at the national, regional, and local levels as they carry out projects that directly impact the lives of women and girls.