SoVote

Jun/6/24 2:16:06 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, I rise wishing I could speak to happy occasions, knowing that June is National Indigenous History Month. Sadly, I stand to give rise to the despair that still exists. There are too many of us who are being lost to alcohol abuse. There are too many that I represent in Nunavut, and those indigenous peoples outside of Nunavut, who are affected by alcoholism. There are too many of us losing to alcohol. I am told, for instance, that $16.7 billion goes towards national health burdens such as addressing diseases, disorders and cancers due to alcoholism. We know, in Ottawa, that the Inuit population has reached about 5,000. Unfortunately, Inuit are disproportionately represented when it comes to substance-related deaths. I am aware that the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction works in partnership with Ottawa Public Health and Inuit service providers. They recommend implementing the “Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health” report to address issues. I remind my fellow Inuit to stand strong, to help and love each other, even during the hardest of times. They can ask for help and make sure to have a hopeful future.

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Context: House Hansard - 326 - Jun/6/24

Mr. Alain Therrien (La Prairie, BQ)

Jun/6/24 2:29:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, now is the time for action. While public concerns are growing, what has been done here in Ottawa since the report was released? What has the government put in place or announced to address the fact that some members here in the House are collaborating with foreign powers? Nothing at all has been done. It is still in the starting blocks. When we point out that our democracy is under threat, the response we get is about interest rates and the Bank of Canada. What a joke. Does the government take democracy seriously?

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Context: House Hansard - 326 - Jun/6/24

Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Lac-Saint-Jean, BQ)

Jun/6/24 2:41:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, here is another quote from the director of the Centre d'appui aux communautés immigrantes de Montréal, who said, “Maybe we need a more balanced distribution of asylum seekers among all Canadian provinces.” She is right. It is deeply unfair that she and community organizations in Quebec end up shouldering this burden. It is unfair that people like her are forced to say no to families who have no resources and need help because Ottawa has abandoned them. Enough talk. When will the government take action?

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Context: House Hansard - 326 - Jun/6/24

Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)

Jun/6/24 2:59:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while Ottawa drags its feet, the processor Saladexpress in Châteauguay—Lacolle has just shut down its operations. When workers arrived this morning, the doors were locked. This means that a lot of our growers found out just this morning, after the planting season, that they had lost their one and only buyer. This comes on the heels of a disastrous season in 2023 and repeated natural disasters. Unless Ottawa wakes up and adapts to climate change, one in 10 businesses will close within the year. Is the minister finally going to launch AgriRecovery? We need a date.

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Context: House Hansard - 326 - Jun/6/24

Mr. Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, NDP)

Jun/6/24 6:23:35 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-277

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by saying that I am joined in Ottawa today by two very special individuals: Janelle from my riding of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, with whom I started this conversation all the way back in 2018, and Michelle from Brain Injury Canada. The bill was not solely my idea. It has had many authors, and many people have been involved in mounting a campaign to bring it to where it is today. I am so heartened by the speeches I have heard from colleagues right across the House, and I really want to take time to recognize those individuals. They are the Liberal member for Yukon, the Conservative member for Regina—Lewvan, the Bloc member for Montcalm, the NDP member for Courtenay—Alberni, the Liberal member for Kingston and the Islands, the Conservative member for Kelowna—Lake Country, the Bloc member for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, the NDP member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, the Conservative member for Kenora and my New Democratic colleague from Nanaimo—Ladysmith. I thank each of them for sharing their personal stories and the stories from their ridings. I really think that helped illustrate what a pan-Canadian issue this is. Especially at this time of year, the House of Commons can become quite a partisan place. On an issue such as this, where we had members from all parties speak in support of the bill and share personal stories, it is really a moment for me to personally reflect on and be thankful for. I thank all those members. I hope that, next week, when we come to a vote, the bill will receive unanimous support to be sent to the health committee. I do not want to repeat a lot of things, because I think I outlined a lot of this in my introductory speech. In Canada, the societal consequences of brain injuries are quite profound. To my Bloc colleagues, who have always been stalwarts for provincial jurisdiction, I want to say this: I believe the bill respects provincial jurisdiction. I am fortunate to come from a province where the New Democratic Party is in government. I do not want to intrude on its obvious jurisdiction over health. My goal with Bill C-277 is to recognize that this issue is bigger than any one province or territory can handle on its own, just by virtue of the stark statistics we are dealing with. This is really just an effort to break out of the siloed approach to problems that are affecting people in every single province. We are trying to coordinate a strategy where we make use of best practices, find out ways we can educate the population and develop awareness, prevention and treatment plans. People from every single province have spoken up about the bill, and they have related their personal lived experiences. We have people from Quebec, from the Maritimes, from my home province of B.C., from the Prairies and from up in the territories. There is an incredible campaign being mounted in support of the bill, and I really want to recognize those people's efforts; they are the ones who have spoken to other MPs and to the government, which has brought us to the point where it looks as though a successful vote is possible. I will say this to my colleagues: Let us get this bill to committee, hear from witnesses and see if there are ways we can improve the language. I remain open to that. My ultimate goal here is not just for myself personally; it is for the people who are attaching real importance to this, because a brain injury is such a dominating feature in their lives. They are looking to us to lead, to pay attention to an issue that affects so many Canadians and really affects their quality of life. I thank all the individuals with lived experience who have shown the courage to share their personal stories. I thank the organizations that do the important work of raising awareness every single day. I thank the numerous city councils from across Canada that have spoken up and urged MPs to support the bill. With that, I thank my colleagues for lending their support to the bill. I look forward to it coming to a vote so that we can get it to the Standing Committee on Health.

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