Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, today is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. This day marks the anniversary of the death in 1989 of 14 young women at L'École polytechnique de Montréal who were murdered simply because they were women. Can the Minister of

Holidays Act  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support this bill, which would raise the profile of Remembrance Day and make it a national legal holiday on par with Canada Day and Victoria Day. When I think about the immense sacrifice that those we celebrate on Remembrance Day have made, this is

St. Francis Xavier University  Mr. Speaker, tomorrow at my alma mater, St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, 1,000 students will be initiated into Atlantic Canada's own fellowship of the ring. Like Gollum, they are waiting to get their hands on their precious to signify the completion of th

National Sickle Cell Awareness Day Act  Mr. Speaker, instead of cutting my speech in half, I will try to trim it down and focus on some submissions that I think add something new to the debate. Before I begin, I would like to thank Senator Jane Cordy for her tremendous work in bringing the bill forward in the Senate,

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Mr. Speaker, that is an important question. No, I am not concerned. In fact, I have significant experience working on an international dispute resolution practice group for a major national Canadian law firm. Not primarily, but a major part of my practice did focus on investor-st

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Mr. Speaker, of course there will be a dispute resolution mechanism put in place and arbitrations between investors and the states in question. I will not deny that is part of the process. What we need to have, if we are to engage with the world community, is a fair and neutral

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act  Mr. Speaker, I cannot tell members how excited I was when I saw that job creation in Central Nova was going to be on the docket for debate today, which is what international trade is all about. Whether we are talking about the agrifood producers in the Musquodoboit Valley, the f

Remembrance Day  Mr. Speaker, on Remembrance Day, I think of the sacrifices of those Canadians who fought to protect the world's vulnerable and ensure our rights and freedoms at home. My own grandfather, Earl Fraser, served as a paratrooper in the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and later as a

Indigenous Affairs  Madam Speaker, October is Mi’kmaq History Month in Nova Scotia, where we recognize the history and heritage of the Mi’kmaq people in our region. As I look forward to opening the Pictou Landing administration centre next Friday, I recognize as well Dan Christmas, appointee to th

Immigration to Atlantic Canada  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to the issue of immigration in Atlantic Canada. This could very possibly be the most significant issue impacting the Atlantic region, not just in this Parliament but potentially for an entire generation. I would like to take some time to thank

National Strategy for Safe Disposal of Lamps Containing Mercury Act  Mr. Speaker, let me begin by saying how pleased I am to rise to speak to Bill C-238, which my friend and colleague from Dartmouth—Cole Harbour has referred to as his bright idea. The bill is important because it promotes a healthy environment and a strong economy at the same tim

International Day of the Girl  Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of serving on the Standing Committee for the Status of Women, and I want to invite all Canadians to celebrate the International Day of the Girl on October 11. Each year on this special day, we celebrate the hope and inspiration that girls and youn

Points of Order  Mr. Speaker, while I appreciate the hon. member for Niagara Falls drawing attention to my advocacy for Atlantic Canada, the suggestion that I do so alone is blatantly false when I am proud to stand alongside 31 other—

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I would thank the member for reaching out to me on this and continuing the conversation that we have been proactively starting with indigenous leaders across our entire country. The Nova Scotia caucus met for the very first time with the Nova Scotia first nation chie

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I find the question bizarre. We have a question about the opposition's motion and why we would not amend it to suit their purposes. The motion on the floor specifically refers to a custom in respect of replacing Justice Cromwell's seat on the Supreme Court of Canada.