Terry Fox Run  Mr. Speaker, after losing his leg to osteogenic sarcoma, Terry Fox embarked on a cross-country Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research. Today, the Terry Fox Run is the largest single-day cancer fundraiser in the world, raising over $750 million for cancer research to date.

Points of Order  Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order to do with decorum in this House. I asked a question of the Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women today, and in spite of the fact that he stands right in front of me, I could not hear his answer. In 1982, Margaret Mitchell stood in this House and was heckled when she talked about violence against women.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, far too many Canadians still face violence every day simply because of their gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. Our status of women committee, of which I am vice-chair, studied this issue, and I think we would all agree it is time for us to take action.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in relation to Bill C-23, an act respecting the pre-clearance of persons and goods in Canada and the United States. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House, with amendments.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, I addressed a lot of my colleague's comments in my speech, but there is certainly a perception that things like consent, or no means no, will allow women to have confidence to come forward knowing that their concerns will be taken seriously by the justice system.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, it was actually the status of women committee that did the study. We had an abundance of testimony that all forms of violent and degrading sexual images of women contribute to sexual assault. It was not just limited to pornography. In fact, one witness testified that she had gone through over 300 studies on the issue and verified that whether it is a bus shelter ad or a music video, regardless of where violent and degrading images are seen, there is an impact on sexual assault.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely correct that it is difficult for many women to access the legal system. In our study on violence against young women and girls, we saw that many of the challenges facing them are under provincial jurisdiction. Things like the availability of legal aid, training for crown prosecutors, and training for police officers fall under provincial jurisdiction.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Yorkton—Melville. I am pleased to speak in support of Bill C-51, and will focus my remarks on proposed amendments to the Criminal Code that pertain to sexual assault. In light of testimony we heard at our status of women committee during our recent work on violence against women, this is extremely welcome legislation.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, as a former municipal councillor, I recognize there are limited costs within a municipality, especially when it comes to policing, fire, and EMS. With regard to the legislation, I know law enforcement agencies have been asking for additional tools and are looking for ways to better keep their communities safe.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, even having this discussion has allowed the public to become far more aware about the dangers, particularly with drug-impaired driving. A number of people knew there were dangers with alcohol-impaired driving, but they did not recognize they also should not drive a vehicle when they were under the influence of drugs.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, in drafting this new legislative power, the government did consider the potential for racial profiling. We strongly oppose such behaviour in any circumstance. Mandatory alcohol screening is being proposed to keep all Canadians safe. It would not give police any additional powers that the police do not already have under common and provincial law to stop drivers at random to determine their sobriety.

Criminal Code  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-46, legislation that I know is important to the residents and law enforcement officers in Oakville North—Burlington and across Canada. Impaired driving is a serious crime that kills and injures thousands of Canadians every year.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the work of reconciliation with our indigenous peoples is one of the most critical issues facing Canada today. In my riding of Oakville North—Burlington, I recently hosted a free screening of We Were Children. The film portrays the profound impact of residential schools and forces us to take a long, painful look at our nation's past.

Public Service Labour Relations Act  Mr. Speaker, on this issue, the two sides of the House have a fundamental disagreement on the best way to proceed with the formation of a union and a fair and balanced approach to unionization. Giving the union the choice of which method to use is consistent with what our government has proposed in various legislation on labour relations.

Public Service Labour Relations Act  Mr. Speaker, as a member of the public safety committee, the bill received extensive consultation. We had considerable discussion on it. It then went to the Senate for further consultation. Then it came back to the government. I am quite pleased with what we have before us today.