Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the ability to work with her in her riding on all of the things she cares about. I also thank her because, in my comments I said that thanking people was dangerous, and I now realize I forgot some of my best coaches, such as Cynthia Wesley-Es

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the push on electoral reform. I think we are learning, as we choose our leaders and so many things on ranked ballots, that it is a good way to start in municipal politics. I have always thought, on electoral reform, that we have to start by hav

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Mr. Speaker, I hope the future will bring opportunities to improve civic literacy as well as physical and mental health literacy. The ability to ascertain the truth is very important. It is foundational for every young person. It is important to truly hear people's concerns and,

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Mr. Speaker, with your help, I think we have to make sure that teachers will feel that they can bring their students in here again and not just come to pick up bad habits. I also think that we all do the country a great service by getting into the grade five classrooms and puttin

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Mr. Speaker, I thank my member of Parliament in Georgian Bay. There will be many more trips on the Georgian Bay, and I will continue to conspire with the member for his wise advice.

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Mr. Speaker, as I rise in the House for the last time, I want to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin people. I hope that territorial recognition will soon be included at the opening of the House every day. Some membe

Gender-Based Violence  Mr. Speaker, gender-based violence is not a women's issue. Sally Armstrong urges us, “Stop making this a women's problem. It isn't. It's a men's problem.” Ten years after the horrific attack at École Polytechnique, the Hon. Margaret McCain, at a ceremony on December 6 at the Wome

Persons Day  Mr. Speaker, this morning, on this Persons Day, I walked over to the truly powerful Famous Five statue in front of the Senate building to reflect on the progress made since these pioneering women fought to have women declared as persons. I think they would be proud. There is no

Public Services and Procurement  Mr. Speaker, since 2018, our government has been working with British Columbia on the litigation against big pharma and those that enabled it, including a specific class action lawsuit against McKinsey. If it is certified, we intend to officially become part of that lawsuit. Cana

Health  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her tireless advocacy. It is essential that we take bold action to help people stop smoking, and to help young people live healthy, tobacco-free lives. Canada has recently made cigarette health warnings unavoidable by becoming the first countr

Health  Mr. Speaker, it is shameful that the opposition leader is so committed to an outdated, discredited and illogical bumper-sticker drug policy. His fearmongering will increase stigma and cost lives. The supervised consumption sites he wants to close have prevented over 46,000 overd

Health  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Vancouver Granville for his determined advocacy on this issue. It is so important to listen to the families and loved ones with lived and living experience, such as those of Moms Stop the Harm. It is so disappointing that the Conservative Party

Justice  Mr. Speaker, once again, the opposition is behind the times. Since 2018, we have been working with British Columbia on the litigation against big pharma and those who enabled it, and we were part of the Purdue settlement in June 2022. At our request, B.C. also amended its legisla

Health  Mr. Speaker, yet again the failed Conservative policies surface. Without harm reduction, people do not live long enough to get to treatment. Polarizing the difference between treatment and harm reduction is really unhelpful. We need all aspects of internationally accepted drug po

Health  Mr. Speaker, I think every member of the House understands that the increase in opioid deaths is because of the extraordinarily toxic drug supply that came in after the reduction of deaths in 2019 in British Columbia, so this is hugely important. The exemption we have approved in