- Member of Parliament
- Caucus Chair
- NDP
- Cowichan—Malahat—Langford
- British Columbia
- Voting Attendance: 66%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $140,733.69
- Government Page
- May/7/24 10:08:48 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as the NDP's agriculture critic, and someone who has enjoyed working with Canada's organic sector, I am pleased to rise today to table e-petition 4909 on behalf of the petitioners.
The petitioners recognize that a transition to a more resilient food system and supply chain is needed to adapt to a changing climate, other foreseen disturbances and geopolitical instability to protect Canada's domestic food supply. They recognize that organic food and farming is a model for success in this transformation with documented benefits for the economy, public health and the environment. They recognize that organic production contributes to biodiversity and soil health, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, resilience to extreme weather events and a fulfillment of key government objectives. They recognize that ambitious policies and investments in organic by other countries have been successful in making organic food more affordable, available, diversified and competitive. They recognize that Canada currently has no strategic policy to develop organic food in farming.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to give Canadians better and more affordable access to the foods they want by establishing bold policies and programs that would encourage growth in the domestic supply of organic to meet the market opportunity, which has multiple economic, environmental, social and health benefits for Canadians, and to meaningfully recognize and incentivize sustainable, resilient food systems, such as organic, across all departments that relate to Canadian food policy.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present a petition on behalf of the amazing and hard-working volunteer fire departments in my riding, namely, those of Port Renfrew, Mesachie Lake, Honeymoon Bay, Lake Cowichan, Youbou, Sahtlam, North Cowichan, Duncan, Cowichan Bay, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Thetis Island, Malahat, Highlands and the City of Langford.
I am presenting this petition on their behalf because they recognize that volunteer firefighters account for 71% of Canada's total firefighting essential first responders. They also recognize that not only do these essential volunteers put their lives on the line and give their time, training and efforts to Canadians, but they also allow the cities and municipalities to keep property taxes lower than if paid services were required.
Therefore, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Bill C-310 and enact amendments to the Income Tax Act in order to increase the amount of tax credits for volunteer firefighting and search and rescue volunteer services from $3,000 to $10,000.
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Mr. Speaker, it is a big honour for me to table this petition today. The petitioners recognize that there are approximately 165,000 new cases of brain injury annually in Canada, and that health and community service providers require more education regarding the intersection of brain injury, mental health and addiction.
They note that there have been over 21,000 hospitalizations for opioid-related poisonings that have resulted in hypoxic brain injuries between January 2016 and June 2020 in Canada, an estimated 60% of brain injury survivors suffer from anxiety or depression, their suicide risk increases by 400%, and they face a 200% increase in risk of struggling with addictions after sustaining a brain injury.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling on the government to support my bill, Bill C-277, to develop a national strategy to support and improve brain injury awareness, prevention and treatment, as well as the rehabilitation and recovery of persons living with a brain injury.
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- Feb/15/23 4:16:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in the second petition, petitioners recognize that disability financial support payments in Canada are currently far below the official poverty line. They also recognize that 1.5 million disabled Canadians currently suffer every single day in a state of legislated poverty, and they recognize that the government continues to allow the wealthy, well-connected and multinational corporations to horde billions in offshore accounts, or forgo taxes and fair prices for our country's resources.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to end the current practice of legislated poverty of Canadians living with disabilities and establish a federal disability benefit of $2,200 a month.
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- Feb/15/23 4:15:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to table today.
In the first petition, petitioners recognize that it has been 77 years since the first use of nuclear weapons, which demonstrated their awesome power, yet we remain today under constant threat of warfare that could result in devastation from which the world would never recover. They also recognize that the Government of Canada has published statements saying that it is committed to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.
They also note that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons has been signed by 86 countries, and ratified by 66, but not by Canada, and they recognize that, as a non-nuclear state, Canada is in the best position to comply with the articles of the TPNW and to guide its allies in other nations towards a world free from nuclear weapons.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to sign and commit to ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and to urge allies and other nations to follow suit.
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- Feb/14/23 10:12:41 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today from petitioners recognizing that some companies based in Canada are contributing to human rights abuse and environmental damage around the world, and that the people who protest the abuses and defend their rights are often harassed, attacked or killed, especially indigenous people, women and marginalized groups.
The petitioners are calling upon the House of Commons to adopt human rights and environmental due diligence legislation that would require companies to prevent adverse human rights impacts and environmental damage throughout their global operations and supply chains, that would result in meaningful consequences for companies that fail to carry out and report on adequate due diligence and that would establish, importantly, a legal right for people who have been harmed to seek justice in Canadian courts.
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- Feb/13/23 3:34:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present e-petition 4190, which was actively promoted by singer Jann Arden and signed by more than 36,000 people across Canada, making it the third-highest petition of this Parliament. The petition is to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
The petitioners recognize that banning the export of live horses for slaughter is in the Minister of Minister of Agriculture's mandate letter from the Prime Minister and in the Liberals' 2021 election campaign commitment. They recognize that horses are flown from Canada to Japan in cramped wooden crates in journeys that can commonly take more than 24 hours. They recognize that horses panic easily, have strong flight or fight instincts and have extremely sensitive hearing. They also recognize that since 2010, the NDP has introduced three private members' bills to ban the export of live horses for slaughter.
Therefore, the petitioners call on the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food to halt the export of live horses for slaughter.
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- Nov/3/22 1:15:26 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in the second petition I have, the undersigned recognize that companies based in Canada are contributing to human rights abuses and environmental damage around the world. The people who protect against these abuses and defend their rights are often harassed, attacked or killed. Indigenous people, women and marginalized groups are especially under threat, and Canada encourages but does not require companies to prevent such harms in their global operations and supply chains.
The petitioners are calling on the House of Commons to adopt Bill C-262, which is an example of human rights and environmental due diligence legislation that would require companies to prevent adverse human rights impacts, require them to do their due diligence and require meaningful consequences for companies that fail to carry this out and report on adequate due diligence.
I am pleased to table both of these petitions today.
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- Oct/4/22 10:14:07 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, in this second petition, the petitioners recognize that disability financial support payments in Canada are currently far below the official poverty line and that 1.5 million disabled Canadians currently suffer every single day in a state of legislated poverty. Therefore, the petitioners are calling upon the government to end this practice of legislated poverty and ensure that a federal disability benefit of $2,200 per month is implemented.
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Madam Speaker, it is great to be back in the House with my colleagues. The petition I am tabling today is quite timely, given that the House is going to debate Bill C-22. The petition, which was started by Jeff Leggat, a constituent of mine in Duncan, refers to the fact that far too many Canadians with disabilities are living below the poverty line. There are about 1.5 million Canadians who are living in a state of legislated poverty. The petitioners who have taken the time to sign this e-petition are calling upon the government to end this current practice and ensure that Canadians living with disabilities have a federal disability benefit of $2,200 per month.
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- Jun/22/22 4:44:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise and present a petition wherein the petitioners are calling upon the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada to enact just transition legislation. They want to see this legislation reduce emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels by the year 2030, wind down the fossil fuel industry, related infrastructure and fossil fuel subsidies, and transition to a decarbonized economy. They want to see it create good, green jobs and drive inclusive workforce development. They also want to see it protect and strengthen human rights and worker rights, and respect indigenous rights, sovereignty and knowledge. Finally, they want the legislation to be paid for by increasing taxes on the wealthiest and corporations, and financing through a public national bank.
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- Jun/6/22 3:25:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in the second petition, the petitioners are calling upon the government to address the climate emergency by having the Government of Canada enact just transition legislation. They want this legislation to do the following: reduce emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels by 2030, wind down the fossil fuel industry and make strong investments in clean energy infrastructure, create new public institutions, create good green jobs and drive an inclusive workforce development.
The petitioners are hoping the Government of Canada will include these measures and others in just transition legislation.
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- Jun/6/22 3:23:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I pleased to present two petitions today.
The first petition is from Single Seniors for Tax Fairness. They recognize that the current income tax system for seniors gives couples numerous ways to lower their taxes while singles get none. They note that senior couples can split their pension income and that senior singles have no such benefit. They pay higher taxes, and they often forfeit the age amount tax credit and endure OAS clawbacks.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to offer tax benefits to single seniors that are equal to those now in place for senior couples, which would include offering a reduction of 30% on their income to be taxed and allowing single seniors to transfer their RRSP, RRIF and TFSA to a beneficiary of their choice.
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