- Member of Parliament
- Member of Parliament
- NDP
- Nanaimo—Ladysmith
- British Columbia
- Voting Attendance: 66%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $144,270.93
- Government Page
- May/2/23 8:28:39 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, as always, that was a powerful and heartfelt speech. I learn daily from my colleague, the member for Edmonton Griesbach, from his wealth of knowledge. It is always so powerful.
While we are talking tonight about this important topic, I think about my friend, Lisa Marie Young, who went missing almost 21 years ago. Lisa Marie Young was a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and was 21 at the time. She brought an amazing light into every room she entered.
Her friends, family and loved ones continue to search for her. They put on annual marches and continue to put signs on lawns and any green space they can find. They have billboards and coordinated searches for Lisa Marie, and still, to this day, they have no answers.
Will the member share what the government needs to do to implement solutions and actions today so that no more indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people go missing and, if they do go missing, ensure that their families and loved ones have the answers they need and deserve?
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- Apr/18/23 11:34:30 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am happy to rise today to discuss this important topic and to talk about some of the ways in which we are seeing not only successes in the budget but also, of course, some serious gaps.
I would like to reiterate some of the wins in the budget that were just now mentioned by my colleague for Courtenay—Alberni. We have seen the largest expansion of health care in decades, and because of this expansion, we will see dental care for children under 18, seniors and people living with a disability. They are all getting access to vital dental care. This is something that has been missing for so long, and people are in real need.
We are seeing an increase of funding being allocated to child care. As a single parent, and after speaking to so many others in our community, I completely understand the essential need for increased child care across the country.
We also saw another doubling of the GST rebate, which is now labelled as a grocery rebate. This is the second time that we are seeing money going back into the pockets of those who need it most as a result of the work of the NDP, which applied pressure on the Liberals, and the result is this rebate. This is good news.
We have also seen that this budget includes the permanent 1.5% increase in tax for banks and insurance. However, this is nowhere near enough. We need to see a wealth tax, which is something we have talked about many times in the House, with the top 1%, who are making over $10 million, paying more on their taxes as an excess profit tax. We also need to see those tax loopholes being closed. These are all mechanisms where we could see the profits, which are earned off the backs of everyday people who are working so hard, being reinvested back into people.
This is not the budget that an NDP government would have put forward, but there are some wins, as I have said, and some serious gaps. My hope is that all members of Parliament can agree on one thing, and that is that people are struggling. We need to see a budget that prioritizes building an equitable and healthy community all across Canada, which does not leave people behind.
We are also in a climate crisis. We need to see timely actions being implemented today for the generations of both today and tomorrow. It is vital that all in the House make decisions today that benefit people and our environment, and it is time for the Liberals to start putting people before profits within the budget.
An area I want to take a moment to talk about is housing. Specifically, we did see in this budget $4 billion for a co-developed urban, rural and northern indigenous strategy, and there is an importance in us seeing housing that is for indigenous, by indigenous. There is no question that this $4 billion is insufficient to meet the actual need, but it is a step in the right direction.
Members of the Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith recently reached out with some updated stats. They shared that, in 2021, one in five indigenous people in Canada, which is 18.8%, was living in low-income housing. The indigenous population living in large urban centres has grown, from 2016 to 2021, by 12.5%. Organizations such as this incredible friendship centre provide essential services and a space for so many indigenous people, Inuit, first nations and Métis to come together to access the supports they need.
I am always happy to hear from the executive director of the Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Grace Elliott Nielsen, to hear more about the needs, and it is clear that housing for those both on and off reserve is essential and needs to be prioritized. This need is great, and it is due to the impacts of colonialism and continued racism of indigenous people. Funding for affordable housing for indigenous people who are increasingly living in urban centres is essential. The funding that we see in the budget is a start, but realistically, it is a drop in the bucket to begin addressing this crisis and the current status of housing for indigenous people.
It is clear, based on this budget, that the Liberals are not taking the action required to address the housing crisis being experienced by constituents in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith and across the country. In the last budget, we did see a move in the right direction, as a result of the pressure applied by the NDP, with 150 affordable housing units. However, in this budget, there is barely a mention of how we are going to move forward to address this crisis.
We are seeing the impacts of this on seniors in my riding, who have worked tirelessly their whole lives to contribute to the community and who are now unsure where they are going to live. They talk to me about the stress and uncertainty of not knowing where they are going to lay their head at night. This is a time where they should be comfortable and enjoying their lives. It is heartbreaking.
Families are unable to afford housing. I was talking with frontline service providers last week about children being taken from their families for the sole reason that their parents or caregivers could not find a safe, affordable place to live. I also heard from service providers about women who were fleeing or attempting to flee domestic abuse, and who were forced to stay in that situation because they had nowhere to go. This is a dire situation, and it needs to be addressed.
Last summer, I hosted a round table, along with the MP for Vancouver East and the NDP critic for housing. We had first nations chiefs, Métis leaders, leaders of local indigenous friendship centres, those from non-profits and community housing advocates. They all came together to discuss the impacts of the financialization of housing in our community.
As a result of this gathering, we had 15 signatures on a letter that went to the Liberal Minister of Housing. It was sent last October, and we have yet to receive a response. There has not even been a response to the constituents in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith about what actions would be taken to address the financialization of housing and to address this crisis, which so many are experiencing. I am unsure how that is justified.
For too long consecutive Conservative and Liberal governments have allowed large corporations and rich investors to use our housing as a stock market, even incentivizing such behaviour through tax loopholes that continue today. This is why the NDP housing critic was in Nanaimo just a few days ago, and we were talking about this issue again.
I want to move on because my time is passing by quickly, and there are many other areas I would like to speak to. On mental health and toxic substances, despite it being evident that so many of our loved ones are dying in a toxic substance crisis. There is a dire need for mental health supports, but there have been no further announcements on mental health in this budget, despite the grand promise of the Canada mental health transfer in the 2021 campaign.
People in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith are asking where the funds are that were promised by the Liberal government, and why they are not seeing these funds being transferred, funds that could make real changes in our communities to support people at a time when we need it most.
The toxic substance crisis has killed 80 people in Nanaimo in the last year alone. These individuals are somebody's brother, sister, neighbour or friend. All were tragic losses that could have been avoided if we had implemented the recommendations being put forward by public health experts, including on-demand treatment, access to safer supply, housing and mental health transfers. All of these things are tangible items that would help begin saving lives in this toxic substance crisis.
On the Canada disability benefit, I had another constituent come by my community office last week asking about the status of this promised national disability benefit. I had to, again, share with him that, unfortunately, we are not seeing the funds in this budget that would go directly to those living with disabilities. We are seeing funds being allocated for continued consultation around this issue.
I have a really hard time wrapping my head around why it took just four days for the Liberals to bail out big banks at a time when they needed it, and how long has it taken for us to understand how to best provide for the basic human needs of those living with disabilities. If the Liberals are going to be dragging their heels on this much-needed funding, I hope that we would see some funds going to those with disabilities to support them in the interim while it is sorted out.
There are also gaps in addressing the environment. I will stop now, but I am happy to answer any questions.
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Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I heard the member refer quite a few times to the calls to action as recommendations. I want to make very clear that these are calls to action.
I began reflecting, when I heard that, that perhaps this may be the root of why we are seeing such a lengthy delay in the government's implementation of the calls to action and, in particular, why it has taken seven years to establish a national council for reconciliation. It may be why indigenous communities continue to not have access to clean drinking water or affordable housing, as just a few examples.
It has taken seven years to get to a starting point for moving toward these calls to action, and I am wondering if the member could clarify how he will begin moving forward at a much quicker speed to have them implemented.
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be here for this debate and to speak in support of an overdue action plan to establish a national council for reconciliation.
We know that the lack of action by the government has resulted in many different outcomes. One, for example, is the overrepresentation of indigenous children and youth in care. We can all agree that the current government has broken several promises it made to indigenous people.
Can the member clarify which sections of law or government policy he believes should be a priority for the national council for reconciliation to review to ensure the voices of indigenous peoples are heard and acted upon?
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- May/30/22 9:07:34 p.m.
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Madam Chair, in the wake of the MV Zim Kingston cargo spill last year, we heard countless stories of the government failing to collaborate with indigenous communities and local experts.
Can the government commit that the expanded oceans protection plan will include an integrated and timely response that works in collaboration with these groups?
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- May/30/22 9:05:35 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am hearing from first nations that are worried about this transition taking place without a robust consultation and the resources they need to support their communities.
Can the minister point to concrete steps that the government has taken to fund a just transition for these communities, and if there are none, when will we see them?
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for bringing forward this bill today. It is an honour to rise today to speak to Bill C-251. I know that the member for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame cares deeply about this issue and many others. As someone who was born in Newfoundland and now lives proudly in Nanaimo—Ladysmith on Vancouver Island, I can say Canada's coastal communities and marine ecosystems are a true passion of mine. As the country with the longest coastline in the world, we are particularly interconnected to our oceans. The way in which we treat our oceans and the marine environments impacts all Canadians.
This bill recognizes a really important part of the current state of many of our fisheries. On all of our coasts, our fisheries and marine ecosystems are facing an emergency. Cod populations have struggled to recover in the Atlantic for decades since the 1992 moratorium. Just last year, the government announced closures of 60% of the salmon fisheries on the west coast. Successive Liberal and Conservative governments have failed to implement sustainable recovery plans for depleted fish populations. Workers who rely on our fisheries are worried about their futures, and Canadians across the country are scared that we have squandered our incredible natural resources beyond the point of recovery.
In many coastal communities, there are concerns about the role of pinnipeds with respect to fish populations. This bill proposes to take steps to address gaps in the scientific literature around pinniped populations across Canada and their role in marine ecosystems. It is abundantly clear that across Canada's marine ecosystems, we failed to invest in data and monitoring efforts. I believe that this legislation could help to highlight the shortfalls of data around pinniped populations in Canada. Across the board, we must continue to invest in this kind of monitoring, especially as we are increasingly seeing more fish populations struggling.
The bill also calls upon the federal government to provide stronger supports for indigenous and remote communities that have relied on the commercial seal harvest. New Democrats have long supported a seal harvest that supports the rights of the first nations, Inuit and other groups to engage in traditional and commercial seal harvesting. It is one that is sustainable, with zero tolerance for any inhumane practices.
In many cases, pinnipeds have been used as a convenient scapegoat by politicians when their promises of fish stock recoveries have failed. Brian Tobin, just as one example, a former minister of fisheries and oceans, remarked in 1995 that the cod moratorium needed to be extended due to predation by harp seals, conveniently deflecting away from decades of fisheries mismanagement by Liberal and Conservative governments in Ottawa. We need to do better, and that starts by recognizing that human causes are the key drivers of the state of our fish populations today.
This issue does not have a simple fix. A 2018 report from the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans highlighted the testimony of DFO research scientist John Brattey. He underscored the scientific consensus around the decline of northern cod, saying that in this case, pinniped predation was not found to be a significant driver of northern cod in the period between 1985 and 2007. This is a trend that has not changed.
He also highlighted that capelin availability and fishing efforts were far more important in driving the northern cod population, and that climate change, poor management and the inability to protect our marine ecosystems were the root causes of our challenges. To that end, it is extremely worrying to see that, since 2015, capelin stocks have declined by an estimated 70% in this region. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet that will solve this crisis, and the federal government has consistently failed to act on the issues we know are driving fish declines.
Our solutions need to recognize that the only way we can address this crisis is by taking bold action that recognizes the complexities of our marine ecosystems. Most pinnipeds are described as opportunistic feeders, which means that as specific fish stocks decline, pinnipeds will look for other food supplies that are in greater abundance. When we look at managing only one part of our ecosystem, such as that of pinnipeds, we struggle to imagine a prosperous and abundant ecosystem. We often imagine the bare minimum needed to keep specific populations going for just another few years. After decades of decline, it is understandable that we cannot imagine a more sustainable future at this point, but that is exactly what we need to do in order to leave a more sustainable future for generations to come.
Single-species management policies ignore the interconnection within our ecosystem and often see our oceans' value exclusively as what can be extracted from them. We see pinnipeds as a problem because they get in the way of our ability to take more fish out of the ocean. Managing pinnipeds to reduce fish mortality does not take into account the species that rely on pinnipeds, like transient killer whales. Along the west coast, we have only recently started to see the recovery of this incredible population, and the science has clearly stated that it is in large part due to the recovery of pinniped populations. I think most Canadians would agree that targeting specific species without considering the entire ecosystem could end in irreversible consequences.
One of the other concerns we have is that this legislation calls for management regardless of the availability of the market to support a sustainable hunt. As we have seen in Newfoundland and Labrador, the commercial seal harvest now represents no more than 1% of the labour force and an increasingly small percentage of the province's GDP. Moreover, the bill's language on establishing acceptable levels based on biomass and historical levels is far too vague, and I do not think we could reasonably be able to determine a scientific consensus on what that would mean in practical terms.
One of my biggest concerns in this legislation is around the proposal to promote the use of an antipredator device to protect infrastructure and fish populations. In recent years, Canada has taken steps to ensure that we are moving to more humane solutions. Importantly, we have seen international partners like the United States set out policies that they will not allow imports of seafood in areas where marine mammals are being harmed by fisheries. The possibility that this legislation might threaten our seafood exports to our largest foreign market is deeply troubling.
As I conclude my thoughts, one area that is incredibly vital to put front and centre in these discussions is the importance of seal harvesting for many indigenous communities, especially Inuit communities. While many Canadians remember the heated debates through the 1970s, 1980s and beyond on seal harvesting in Newfoundland and Labrador and the international media spotlight that this received, Inuits have been one of the largest participants in a sustainable seal harvest in Canada. However, their story and experience have been largely ignored. While not targeting Inuits directly, international campaigns against sealing have had an enormous impact on Inuits' ability to support their families and earn a livelihood.
It was an absolute pleasure to recently watch filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-Baril's documentary Angry Inuk. The film really centres the story of this international debate on Inuit culture, traditions and livelihoods. It highlights the economic and social costs that resulted from Inuits no longer being able to access markets for seal products. As seal product bans were put in place, Inuit communities suffered. Inuits are still living with decisions made without consideration of the impacts on them to this day, and the impacts are felt through long-term food insecurity and some of the highest suicide rates in the country, to name just two. The film also underscores the beauty of the traditions around seal harvesting and the community that these activities foster. As we work forward through reconciliation, we need to recognize the immense cost that colonialism has had on indigenous communities and ensure that indigenous people reclaim their traditions.
Once again, I would like to applaud the member for raising an important issue with this private member's bill. This is an important issue across the country. I know that if we work together across party lines, we can help build stronger marine ecosystems where all species are prospering and where traditional seal harvesting is done sustainably and supports indigenous communities. There is much work to be done, and I look forward to working with the member across the way as we move forward.
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- Mar/31/22 3:10:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Tla-o-qui-aht member Lisa Marie Young was 21 when she went missing in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith. It has been 20 years, and still Lisa's loved ones have no answers. Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals continue to go missing or be murdered.
Indigenous women are at least 4.5 times more likely to be murdered than non-indigenous women. How many lives need to be lost for the Liberals to set timelines and real resources to address this crisis?
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- Feb/21/22 8:32:59 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, unfortunately, one thing that many of us can agree on is that we are here today because of the failure of many levels of government. As we all saw, when this convoy was coming in, the police opened their arms to it despite the fact that it had a clearly stated goal of overturning our democratically elected government. On the other hand, we can look at the experiences of those in indigenous nations, such as that of a woman on Wet'suwet'en territory who recently had her door knocked down with axes and chainsaws and was pulled out of her home.
Can the member speak to the differing treatment that has been given to those in the convoy versus those who are defending their land? Can we find a way to come together now that we are in this position?
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's response, but the actions of the government over the last six years speak loudly. It is clear we are not getting the results we need. The climate crisis is growing worse as the government continues to miss its targets.
On this side of the House, NDP members have put forward bold legislation to ensure Canada is supporting indigenous communities with meaningful investments while standing up to the climate crisis.
For example, my colleague's bill, Bill C-245, would ensure the Canada Infrastructure Bank prioritizes indigenous and northern communities in the fight against climate change. Similarly, my colleague's motion, Motion No. 1, calls on the government to develop a green new deal for Canada. The motion demands the government invest in a net-zero future with reconciliation at the forefront.
Does the member opposite agree we need to rethink our approach to the climate crisis and ensure indigenous communities get the investments they deserve?
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- Feb/10/22 6:39:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to rise again this evening to discuss the devastating flooding we saw this fall in British Columbia. I know there is a lot of work still to be done to repair infrastructure and to rebuild from this extreme flooding situation.
For many people across the country, last year's forest fires and flooding were a wake-up call that we are living with the consequences of the climate crisis. This is a human-caused emergency, and we are paying the price for years of climate inaction.
In my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, first nations communities felt the impacts of flooding most acutely. When I spoke to Chief Roxanne Harris last fall, she expressed her frustration and the difficulty she had in connecting with timely federal supports in order to ensure that Stz'uminus First Nation was able to get the support it needed. The lack of timely supports meant the flood damage turned to mould damage, putting people's health at risk. This mould could have been avoided if the required supports had been made available immediately.
While it is critical that we take lessons from last year's flooding, for too many first nations communities this was not an isolated event. It has put a spotlight on the decades-long failure of the federal government to support first nations infrastructure. As the climate crisis is worsening, we know that infrastructure that is already pushed to its limits will not be able to keep up with this crisis.
Chief Wyse of Snuneymuxw First Nation highlighted that flooding is a yearly reality in his community. Each year, community members are forced to vacate their homes due to flooding. They are still in the process of trying to secure funding for upgrades to the infrastructure along the riverbank, but this is not a new issue; it is a crisis the community feels every year.
Both Stz'uminus and Snuneymuxw have highlighted that their sacred burial sites are being eroded each year. This is shameful. No community members in Canada should be forced to flee their homes each year or worry about the integrity of the land in which their loved ones are laid to rest, but that is the reality for too many indigenous communities.
While the Liberal government talks a lot about support for indigenous communities, we are not seeing the urgent investment in indigenous infrastructure across the country that we need. Whether it is on Vancouver Island with flood mitigation infrastructure, Kashechewan First Nation in northern Ontario, where hundreds of people need to evacuate each year, or Iqaluit, which has continued to struggle to ensure the community has access to clean drinking water, we must radically rethink how we ensure communities get the support they need as the climate emergency becomes more severe.
As a member of Parliament, one of the most frustrating things I find is that when first nations are looking for support, the federal government seems to only be able to provide dead ends. So many of the programs the government likes to point to have been closed for years because demand for support was so high and the funding provided by the government did not meet communities' needs.
Indigenous communities across Canada have been at the forefront of the climate emergency and have been sounding alarm bells about how the federal government is failing to address the climate emergency. We have seen, time and again, that indigenous peoples' knowledge and their connection to land have been ignored or minimized when they raise serious concerns about our rapidly changing climate. This is especially troubling, as the history of colonization has been one of forced relocation of indigenous communities to some of the land most at risk to climate change. Failing to learn from Canada's history only serves to extend Canada's shameful colonial history.
My question to the government is this: How much worse does the climate crisis need to become before we create a meaningful climate action plan that is created in true partnership with indigenous communities, such as Stz'uminus, Snuneymuxw, Lyackson and Snaw-naw-as?
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- Dec/1/21 5:29:03 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the acknowledgement of the lack of commitment to follow through with our promises made to indigenous people. I surely hope that we can work together to develop better solutions for our indigenous communities.
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- Dec/1/21 5:13:45 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time today with the member for Edmonton Griesbach.
I would first like to take a moment to acknowledge that my riding in Nanaimo—Ladysmith is located on the traditional territories of the Stz'uminus, Snuneymuxw, Snaw-Naw-As and the Lyackson First Nations.
As my first speech in the chamber, I would like to give heartfelt thanks to the people of Nanaimo—Ladysmith for putting their trust in me. Serving them as their member of Parliament is a true honour. I want to give special thanks to my friends, dedicated campaign team and volunteers who worked tirelessly to get me here today. They really did. I wanted to also thank my NDP colleagues for their endless support, day after day, and the member for Burnaby South, who I watch inspire new generations to get involved in the political process. I endeavour to do the same.
I would also like to thank my predecessor, Paul Manly, who worked hard to represent Nanaimo—Ladysmith prior to my being elected. I am grateful for MLA and minister of mental health and addictions, Sheila Malcolmson, and my predecessor Jean Crowder, who both paved the way for me to be here today with all members. Most important, I would like to thank my family and especially my two amazing children, Makayla and Wyatt. There are so many more I would like to thank, but with so little time, I will only say that I am here today because of the support of so many, and I want to thank them.
My riding in Nanaimo—Ladysmith is a beautiful island riding located on the west coast of British Columbia. While I am happy to be here today working on behalf of the people of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, the difficulties being faced by my constituents, as for too many Canadians, are immense. There are many critical issues with which Nanaimo—Ladysmith is dealing. With the time I have, I will focus on just a few of these, but over the coming weeks and months, as we are here together, I hope to talk about and act on the many important issues impacting the constituents of Nanaimo—Ladysmith.
People in Nanaimo—Ladysmith are struggling to find a place to call home. I am hearing from young families that have little hope of ever purchasing their first home, hard-working members of my riding who have lost their homes as a result of job insecurity and seniors, living off low income, struggling to pay rent. I see first-hand the impacts of unaffordable and inaccessible housing in my riding. I am often asked by my constituents, “When did we forget that housing is a basic human right, not a financial commodity for investors.”
I think of a constituent in my riding who talked to me about her recent renoviction from her home. She was left with two options: rent at double the price or become homeless. This constituent's income remained fixed, while her rent doubled, and she is not alone. Constituents in my riding are asking when the government will live up to its promises to provide safe and truly affordable housing to Canadians in the communities where they live and work.
I hear daily in my riding stories of people unable to make ends meet as a result of the cost of living and housing. Nobody should have to choose between having food in their fridge or a roof over their heads.
As the costs of housing continue to increase, so does the number of people in my riding experiencing homelessness. In Nanaimo's 2020 point-in-time count, for example, that was completed prior to the COVID lockdown, homelessness had increased almost 150% in the previous four years, and the COVID pandemic has just made this situation worse. Almost one-third of the unhoused population counted identified as being first nations, Métis or of indigenous ancestry. Now more than ever, we need to work alongside indigenous communities to develop housing for indigenous people and with indigenous people.
We know the overrepresentation of indigenous people among Nanaimo—Ladysmith's unhoused population is the result of over 150 years of systemic racism. The ongoing discovery of unmarked graves of indigenous children is but one example of the attempted genocide of indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, acts of racism continue today. Just one example in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith is the continued overrepresentation of indigenous youth and children in the foster care system. A history of stripping indigenous people of their land, culture, language and community has taken its toll, and such racist acts continue today.
Thankfully, there are organizations in my riding doing great work. For example, Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre in my riding is one of them. It has been providing essential services to urban indigenous people for over 50 years, picking up the pieces as a result of federal inaction for too long. The calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission need to be more than just words on paper. Despite the promises made to indigenous people, the government is still taking indigenous children to court and failing to ensure indigenous communities have access to safe drinking water. It has yet to implement the calls for justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
People in Nanaimo—Ladysmith are seeing first-hand the impacts of the climate crisis. Through the summer, British Columbians faced some of the worst drought conditions and hottest days ever recorded in the province's history. From one extreme to the next, British Columbia is now experiencing some of the worst flooding ever seen. Those most impacted by flooding in Nanaimo—Ladysmith are the indigenous nations. The challenges already faced by the first nations in my riding have only been compounded by the rising waters. Homes that were already insufficient in number and in much need of repair now also have significant flood damages.
Inadequate and delayed supports are not what these nations or other British Columbians impacted by the floods need from the government. I am hearing loud and clear from the constituents of Nanaimo—Ladysmith that if we are going to protect the planet, not just for people today but for the next generation, we must act now. We need to do whatever it takes to limit the impacts of the climate crisis, to build more resilient communities and to transition to a clean energy future where workers are not left behind.
We know the Liberal government spends over $4.8 billion each year on subsidies to fossil fuel companies. We need to end these subsidies now, and instead invest these billions in just, sustainable, renewable energy sources. We must have the courage to act today to fight the climate crisis. We need our actions to match the scale and urgency of this crisis. Too many young people, including my own children, tell me that they are fearful for their futures. We need to do better; all our futures depend on it.
While constituents in Nanaimo—Ladysmith feel the impacts of the climate crisis and a housing crisis, my riding is also suffering through an opioid crisis. Too many family members, friends and neighbours have tragically lost their lives in the opioid crisis. How many more lives need to be lost before we start taking this opioid crisis seriously? Not only was there no mention of the opioid crisis in the throne speech, but ongoing inaction has resulted in over 1,500 deaths in British Columbia and 39 in Nanaimo alone. Constituents in Nanaimo—Ladysmith want and deserve action on the opioid crisis now.
As a coastal member of Parliament and my party's critic for fisheries and oceans, I am deeply concerned about the wild salmon population and the effect the recent flooding has had on it. The Liberals' speech failed to promise the critical investment and awareness that is desperately needed to save this species, which is in critical shape. I will continue to push the government for this help, and will work with first nations communities, provinces and territories to address this crisis.
Again, while this is by no means an exhaustive list of the issues I have heard on the doorsteps in Nanaimo—Ladysmith, I am committed to working as hard as I can for the people in my communities across Nanaimo—Ladysmith and all communities across Canada. This Parliament should be larger than the sum of its parts, and I want to see us act like it. We are facing such critical challenges and need to work together to overcome them.
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- Nov/30/21 6:05:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member. Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith has been providing essential services to urban indigenous people for over 50 years. Since COVID, the Tillicum Lelum staff have seen a shift in the supports required to meet the needs of community members. Their youth safe house, for example, has seen increased numbers and an increased complexity of needs, and for the young moms program, numbers have been increasing. Day after day, Tillicum Lelum staff are seeing low-income families who need and deserve affordable, safe and accessible housing.
Could the member clarify to the constituents of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, including those accessing vital services from Tillicum Lelum, when the government will do what is needed to ensure everyone has a place to call home?
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- Nov/26/21 11:47:18 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, indigenous communities across Canada continue to be at the forefront of the climate crisis. The ongoing flooding in B.C. has devastated first nations communities that are waiting for help to clean up and a plan to face future climate events. This week I asked the government to listen to and work with indigenous leaders, such as Chief Roxanne Harris from Stz'uminus First Nation. Stz'uminus First Nation and others have not received the support they need.
When will the government follow through with its promises?
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- Nov/26/21 11:03:47 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, November 25 marked the beginning of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
During these 16 days, I think of my friend Lisa Marie Young, who tragically went missing in 2002. A member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, she was only 21 when she disappeared. Lisa Marie will always be remembered for the joy she brought to everyone around her. I am truly sorry her mother, Marlene Jo-Anne Young, did not get the answers she deserved before her passing in 2017. I want to acknowledge the continued perseverance of Lisa Marie's family and friends, her aunt Carol Frank and her friend Cindy, to find answers.
I ask the government to immediately implement the calls to justice of the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and for 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, to work to build communities where everyone is safe from gender-based violence.
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- Nov/24/21 9:06:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your new role as Chair.
I would like to again thank the constituents of Nanaimo—Ladysmith for putting their trust in me as their newly elected member of Parliament.
The devastating flooding in B.C. has been a painful reminder that we are living with the consequences of the human-caused climate crisis. Indigenous communities across Canada continue to be at the forefront of the climate crisis. Shamefully, first nations feel the impacts all too frequently being at the back of the line for federal funding for cleanups and infrastructure. Chief Roxanne Harris and the Stz'uminus First Nation in my riding have felt these impacts from the flooding first-hand, and the delays in funding have only made matters worse.
Is my colleague ready to listen to indigenous leaders such as Chief Harris, and to work alongside indigenous communities to get them the urgent support they need to combat the worsening climate crisis?
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