Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act  Mr. Speaker, I live in a province where the Liberals spent billions of our dollars to buy a bitumen-exporting pipeline and are spending billions more to increase its exporting capacity, so I very much understand his concerns. I recognize what the Bloc has done on climate change.

Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act  Mr. Speaker, like any early stage of a technology that is being adopted, we still have more advances that can be done. The technology with respect to zero-emission vehicles is growing rapidly. A lot of car companies are now starting to throw considerable financial weight into this, and I think we are going to see in short order a huge improvement not only in battery life but also in battery charge capacity.

Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act  Mr. Speaker, I need to save my forehead from that kind of pain, but in all seriousness, to the member's point, it is important to underline that with any early adaptation of a technology there will always be growing pains. We saw it at the turn of the last century when people were transitioning from horses and buggies to the first petrol-powered cars.

Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act  Mr. Speaker, environment and climate change are issues that consistently rank as top concerns for the constituents of my riding in Cowichan—Malahat—Langford. That is why I am pleased to have this short opportunity to intervene and give some of my thoughts on the bill that is before us, Bill C-12.

Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act  Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary said that the Liberals were open to considering some amendments at committee. Opposition members would like to see just what kind of considerations the Liberals are concerned about here. We have already been public about the need for a 2025 milestone target, about clearer and stronger accountability on progress reporting, the assessment reporting, emissions reduction planning.

Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act  Mr. Speaker, like the member, I also hold out great hope for the work the environment committee has to do on this bill. There are some significant improvements that need to be made to the wording. I want to ask the member about the importance of following up these words with action.

Canadian Armed Forces Members Day Act  moved for leave to introduce Bill C-292, An Act to establish Canadian Armed Forces Members Day. Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to introduce my private member's bill, the Canadian Armed Forces members day act. I would like to acknowledge and thank the member for North Island—Powell River for seconding the bill as our party's critic for Veterans Affairs.

Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act  Madam Speaker, Bill C-12 illustrates quite clearly why the committee stage is such an important part of the legislative process. Bill C-12 is a good start, but like any first draft, it does need some revisions. Would the member agree that when this bill gets to committee, there should be some strengthening in the language around putting in a real target for the year 2025 but also making sure the proposed advisory committee has a very specific role in setting targets and reviewing the kinds of assessments we are putting in place for all of this?

Opioids  Mr. Speaker, last week another overdose advisory was issued in the Cowichan Valley by Island Health. Again, members of my community are at increased risk of overdose and death because of toxic street drugs. We have lost 498 people in B.C. in the first three months of 2021, a 48% increase from the same time last year.

House debate  Madam Speaker, when it comes to collective bargaining, the one great bargaining chip that unions have in the power imbalance that is usually in effect with their employers is the ability to withhold their labour. This is something that unions have used for centuries to gain collective rights and powers for workers.

Proceedings on a Bill entitled An Act to Provide for the Resumption and Continuation of Operations at the Port of Montreal  Madam Speaker, one thing has to be very clear. When it comes to workers and unions, their only real power is the right to withhold their labour when it comes to situations like this. The government is choosing this draconian step and removing that one key power that workers have.

Soil Conservation Act  moved for leave to introduce Bill C-290, An Act respecting soil conservation and soil health. Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud not only as the member of Parliament for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, but also the NDP critic for agriculture and agri-food, to introduce this private member's bill.

Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic  Madam Speaker, allow me, as a British Columbian, to really express solidarity with what the people of Ontario are going through. I have heard the interviews with critical care nurses and ICU doctors and it is really devastating to hear the strain they are going through and the incredibly difficult decisions they are having to make.

Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague. There are a lot of lessons we are going to have to learn from this experience and I hope that we take them to heart, unlike the lessons that we should have learned from the outbreak of SARS in the early part of this century. I wanted to ask a question in terms of the lessons we can learn from the experience in our long-term care homes.

Government Response to COVID-19 Pandemic  Mr. Speaker, I very much agree with my colleague from the neighbouring riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith about the comparison with Australia. My in-laws all live in Tasmania, and when we are on Zoom calls with them we look with envy as they are able to travel to restaurants and enjoy a semi-normal life.