About three weeks ago, the residents of Orléans were awoken by an enormous jolt. The walls and windows of their homes were shaking and, a few moments later, the near constant sound of emergency responders racing somewhere in the distance.

On February 13, a home under construction in a new subdivision exploded, and it destroyed four homes and damaged many more. The explosion could be felt for kilometres, and I’ve read that it was heard as far away as the village of Vars.

I’d like to thank the emergency responders in the city of Ottawa for their quick and decisive actions that morning. Two people were rescued from the rubble with serious injuries and several others were hospitalized, including children. Residents of nearly 30 households were displaced for several days. When you see the images of destruction, it’s hard to understand how nobody lost their life.

I’d like commend my city councillor, Catherine Kitts. She and her team were on site right away ensuring residents were being taken care of, that neighbours were being provided the information they needed to ensure that those displaced had somewhere to sleep and receive a hot meal.

There will be several important lessons to be learned from what happened: lessons for home builders in securing their sites, lessons for first responders, and lessons for this government and the lack of supports to help those who no longer have a home to move into.

My question is for the minister of mental health.

When people, especially young people, can’t get the help they need, they turn to our emergency departments. But we know that these Conservatives have underspent on our health care by almost $6 billion, and emergency workers, as we know, are struggling.

The tragic story of Gord Lewis and the not-criminally-responsible verdict for his son has to be the most unimaginable consequence of your underfunding. The Lewis family shared that Jonny went to 10 emergency rooms seeking help in the 36 hours before Gord was killed.

In light of these tragedies, why are you closing your wallets and closing your hearts to people who are suffering?