- Member of Parliament
- Member of Parliament
- NDP
- Port Moody—Coquitlam
- British Columbia
- Voting Attendance: 67%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $129,260.13
- Government Page
- Oct/6/23 11:50:06 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, accessible transit is critical for people living with disabilities, but in this country transit is underfunded so it is not meeting accessibility demands. In my community this means that the transit authority is pushing people into taxis that do not meet their needs. Because the Liberals are holding back federal transit funding until 2026, Canadians with disabilities are being left behind.
Will the minister immediately release the public transit funding that has been promised and bring equity to transit?
81 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/16/23 3:16:52 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP and I heard from B.C. municipal leaders about the need for more reliable and affordable public transit in metro Vancouver. The mayors have a strong plan for necessary transit expansions, but the Liberal government is putting that plan at risk by delaying promised funding until 2026. Commuters are the ones who pay when the Liberals delay. Workers, students, seniors and people living with disabilities deserve timely, accessible transit now.
Why are the Liberals holding back this crucial funding from communities?
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/9/23 12:16:35 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, although I see that the member had a prepared speech, I want to reiterate the fact that if capital investments are being made in transit infrastructure, the operating funds need to be assigned at the same time.
I want to revisit the safety aspect. Will the government support the ATU's call for a Canada national transit safety task force to deal with the surge in violence on transit?
71 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/9/23 12:09:26 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am here tonight to speak to operational funding for transit in Canada because it is essential.
Transit allows people to have reliable and efficient service. Maintaining the capital assets and upgrading infrastructure such as buses, trains and stations, as well as investing in new technologies and equipment, are certainly important for transit, but for those to function, operational funds are needed. Communities across the country are looking for the government to step up and show leadership with operational funding for transit. Without sufficient funding, transit systems can become outdated and overcrowded, which leads to delays, breakdowns and reduced accessibility for passengers.
I want to share a story from my community, which happened just recently, where transit has not had the operating funds to keep its equipment fully accessible. A resident in my riding recently tweeted that they were stuck at a transit station because the shuttle bus was broken and the wheelchair lift was not functioning. The resident was then forced to get onto a transit bus, and that, too, had a broken ramp. This is about not having the operating funds to maintain the product.
I also want to talk about the fact that so many residents in my communities of Port Moody, Coquitlam, Anmore and Belcarra are looking for simple bathrooms in transit stations. With no operating funds, the transit authorities have not built the bathrooms required because they cannot afford to keep them operational. This is a human rights issue. There should be bathrooms at transit stations.
In addition to improving these services, operational funds are critical for ensuring that transit remains accessible. Riders rely on public transit as their primary mode of transportation, and without adequate funding, fares are becoming prohibitively expensive, especially in these times times when there is so much inflation and we know that folks are struggling to pay the bills at home.
Next week, the TransLink mayors are coming in from the Lower Mainland in Vancouver, and the TransLink Mayors’ Council is also asking Ottawa to step up with necessary transit funding for operations. This will also help us meet our climate goals.
As we see the approach of the TransLink Mayors’ Council coming from B.C., I just want to raise tonight that we need operational funds for safety as well. We all know that there has been quite a few horrific stories recently of people who have died or have been severely hurt on transit. This is something that needs to be addressed, and it needs to be addressed with operational funding. Security and the ability to have conductors on buses and trains are very important.
Lastly, operational funding plays an important role in supporting the growth and development of Canadian communities. Transit systems provide access to jobs, education, health care and other essential services, and help to connect people across different regions and municipalities. By investing in transit, government can stimulate economic growth, improve quality of life and create more resilient communities. Why does the government continue to fail Canadians by avoiding the steady, reliable and meaningful transit operational funds communities have been asking for?
521 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/28/23 2:49:33 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, public transit is how Canadians get to work, how students get to school and how caregivers travel between communities, yet since the pandemic, a financial crisis has meant cuts to public transit across the country. This hurts people and the climate. The Liberals have failed to be a reliable partner when it comes to funding this essential service. They must fix it now.
Will the Minister of Finance secure permanent operational funding for public transit in today's budget?
81 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/7/23 10:21:49 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, this morning I had representatives from CLC in my office talking about the just transition and talking about the need to make sure there are workers at the table for these conversations. They are worried about climate change. They are worried about climate change for the sake of their children and grandchildren.
Can the member expand on the impacts of climate change and tell us what he is hearing across the country?
74 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Sep/26/22 8:18:08 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, the member talked about the vital telecommunications and other infrastructure losses, as well as the need to proactively move on the energy transition, so my question is about the energy transition. What does the Bloc feel is the barrier for the government to start moving on the energy transition and stop investing in fossil fuel expansion projects?
59 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
