SoVote

Ms. Joanne Thompson (St. John's East, Lib.)

Nov/30/21 4:53:32 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is with a deep sense of pride that I stand for the first time in the House as the newly elected member for St. John's East. I would like to begin by congratulating you on your election, and I will take this opportunity to congratulate all my colleagues. We have a critical job in front of us to serve the people of our diverse ridings all across this incredible country, and I am humbled to work among such committed representatives. I owe the people of St. John's East a debt of gratitude for placing their trust in me. I am humbled by their support and am committed to delivering results by representing their voices, priorities and concerns. I thank my campaign team and the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to secure my win. To my family, in particular my husband Pat, my three children Paddy, Conor and Mara, and their loved ones, with all my love I give my thanks. St. John's East, perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, represents a diverse cross-section of what makes Newfoundland and Labrador so unique. It is a thriving urban business hub just 10 minutes from vibrant rural communities, with colourful row houses in the shadows of business towers and a growing tech industry alongside our vast natural resources. However, I must also note that alongside those who live with socio-economic ease, there are individuals who struggle for the most basic necessities of life. I am an entrepreneur and registered nurse who worked on the front lines of the pandemic, leading a team in the delivery of health, social and housing supports at a street level community health centre. I say with urgency and conviction to my colleagues that never in my lifetime has so much depended on Parliament to deliver results for all Canadians. The Speech from the Throne for the opening session of this 44th Parliament reflects the pillars that were clearly outlined in our platform. It is with great pride and humility that I provide a response to the Speech from the Throne. I worked on the front lines during the first three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, and alongside my team, I witnessed the courage, compassion and care that was demonstrated through a shared commitment to a greater good. We ensured support to persons who could not shelter in place or afford food, clothing and other essentials. To build a healthier today and tomorrow, we must first finish the fight against COVID-19. With omicron as a World Health Organization variant of concern, we must all continue to follow public health guidelines. In my home province of Newfoundland and Labrador, over 84% of adults are double vaccinated, and on November 25, the first doses were administered to our province's children. Simply put, it was a day that brought a deep sense of relief for many parents. This, alongside a standardized vaccine passport, has assisted in keeping outbreaks contained and positive cases comparatively low. We know that no one is safe until all are safe, and to this end, Canada will continue to work with all provinces and global partners to ensure fair and equitable access to vaccines. As we finish the fight against COVID-19, grow a more resilient economy and tackle the rising cost of living, we have a plan that includes $10-a-day child care, transitioning to net zero and a robust housing strategy. These are all issues that I heard as key priorities when I was on the doorsteps and on the phone with people in St. John's East. No family should have to struggle with paying for high-quality child care space versus the cost of food or housing, an issue we know continues to disproportionately impact women. As a mother of three, when we started our family business I felt first-hand the real challenge of child care costs and the impact they have on a family and the availability for work-life expectations. We can no longer deny the effects of climate change, and as a government we have moved beyond conversations surrounding climate change to real, bold action. One of my sons lives in British Columbia, and like many parents across the country, I watch with sorrow over the devastation, loss and pain of so families. In my home province, just this past week we witnessed a catastrophic storm on the island's west and southwest coasts. Extreme weather events have become far too common. This underscores the urgency of the transition to net zero. We can and must do this while also supporting workers. The Liberal Government of Canada's robust housing strategy supports housing needs across a continuum. From homelessness as an entry level through transition and supportive housing, to housing availability and support for first-time homebuyers, we are ensuring there is a real opportunity for more Canadians, especially young Canadians, to become homeowners. This past Friday, alongside my colleague for St. John's South—Mount Pearl, Minister Seamus O'Regan, I proudly attended the opening of the Memorial University of Newfoundland's—

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Context: House Hansard - 7 - Nov/30/21

Ms. Joanne Thompson

Nov/30/21 4:59:56 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I proudly attended the opening of the Memorial University of Newfoundland's core science building, a home for research and a laboratory teaching space that combines the faculties of science, engineering and applied science in a facility that prioritizes collaboration and co-production. This government has supported innovation, education and partnerships that are creating and delivering on greener solutions. Strengthening and supporting access to health care is a cause close to my heart. I have worked to build a multidisciplinary primary health care team, and defined outcome metrics are critical to the evaluation of our system. I am proud of the public health supports for seniors, veterans, persons with disabilities, vulnerable persons and those who have faced and continue to face discrimination. This government is committed to supporting access to and supports for mental health and addiction treatments. Senior care and long-term care are priorities. Support for health information systems that allow for the use of data for quality, safety and performance gains is a priority for “improving data collection across health systems to inform future decisions and get the best possible results.” The most frequent requests made to my office are immigration-related, and great work is being done in this area. On October 28, more than 100 Afghan refugees arrived in St. John's, made possible through federal government support. This government continues to increase immigration levels and reduce wait times, support family reunification and deliver on a world-leading refugee resettlement program. This government understands that safer communities require action to strengthen gun control. Simply put, assault-style weapons have no place on our streets and in our communities. We also need to continue to invest in the empowerment of Black and racialized Canadians and indigenous peoples. All Canadians need to be safe. We must ban conversion therapy and respect and celebrate our diversity and unique cultures. Reconciliation will require a whole-of-government approach. I will requote what my colleague just stated: “Reconciliation is not a single act, nor does it have an end date. It is a lifelong journey of healing, respect and understanding.” In closing, I echo this government's call for unity and collaboration to strengthen, rebuild and move our country forward with compassion, courage and determination.

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Context: House Hansard - 7 - Nov/30/21

Ms. Joanne Thompson

Nov/30/21 5:03:52 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, that is an incredibly important question. Clearly, we all have a responsibility to ensure the rights of all Canadians, especially indigenous people, and that all have access to clean drinking water, housing and safe communities. This is absolutely an urgent matter, and I certainly will continue to work to ensure that we move along the path of reconciliation and that it is indigenous-led.

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Context: House Hansard - 7 - Nov/30/21

Ms. Joanne Thompson

Nov/30/21 5:05:20 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I did not reference this in my speech and I am not at all concerned that it was not part of the Speech from the Throne. During the election, the platform and conversations I had with the Prime Minister indicated that transitioning to a green economy was central to the working relationship between the provincial government in Newfoundland and Labrador and the federal government. We are seeing that in the rapid advancement of amazing projects within the community. We are also seeing it in the work that is being done in partnership with oil and gas to begin to move to net zero, and in the real work that is happening to build industries now so that we can meet timelines in the future and create much greener technologies.

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Context: House Hansard - 7 - Nov/30/21

Ms. Joanne Thompson

Nov/30/21 5:07:09 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, COVID-19 changed how businesses moved forward and how files were able to move through government offices. We are seeing the results of that now. We are also seeing shifts in border entry, in the flow back and forth of physical goods and in people being able to respond to work needs in Canada. It is a complex problem, but it is not a Liberal-made problem.

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