- Member of Parliament
- Member of Parliament
- Conservative
- Hastings—Lennox and Addington
- Ontario
- Voting Attendance: 66%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $121,555.68
- Government Page
- Dec/2/21 5:53:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is no question that there are scores of seniors who, as a result of the government's poor rollout of the CERB, are finding themselves in a really difficult situation. They are being stripped of their OAS and GIS. It is through no fault of their own.
I would certainly agree that the government needs to reverse the decision, and we need to allow seniors to collect what they have earned. We need to lead by example. We need to show them. We need to win on these issues together. Seniors do not need to be a political football.
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- Dec/2/21 5:51:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is no question that seniors are the backbone for where we have come as a nation. We need to support our seniors. There needs to be a dialogue.
Our seniors need to have the dignity of being comfortable and not worrying about whether they can put food on the table, support their families or have the same quality of life they were accustomed to.
I also raised in my speech how intimidating it can be to admit that there could be trouble or concern. Taking away the barriers and making people feel comfortable is important.
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- Dec/2/21 5:50:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I certainly applaud the member for the relationship and special bond he has with his daughter. Both of them are serving the public.
There is no question that the importance of the coordination between different levels of government is integral. I served 15 years in municipal government. I can see the relationships and importance of working with municipal, provincial and federal levels. That is how things happen. The beauty of collaboration and co-operation is the spirit of democracy.
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- Dec/2/21 5:39:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I stand before you humbled by the enormous responsibility entrusted to me by the voters of Hastings—Lennox and Addington. In an ideal world, the people who are responsible for making this moment possible would be here with me. Though they are not here, they are certainly not forgotten.
There were dozens of volunteers and friends who put their lives on hold during our campaign. I want them to know that I count them as my political family. I will be forever grateful for their efforts and am so thankful to have them as part of my circle of trust.
I want to thank my husband Tadum for believing in me and standing beside me. Our life is beautifully chaotic, and I appreciate him for being able to support me and make it possible for me to be here.
I also want to say that I am so incredibly proud of daughters, Tori and Reese, my volleyball player and hockey player. They always strive to be authentic and genuine. To my two sisters and their families, the village of support to help with the girls is so appreciated.
Next I want to thank my parents, Daryl and Carol Ann Kramp.
My mom has taught me to be fearless, respectful and responsible. She is an incredible role model, and I certainly know where I get my energy from.
My father has earned a tremendous amount of respect here in Ottawa, and the impact he has made in my riding over the years is remarkable. My dad and I share something very unique to Canadian politics. My father is our current MPP for Hastings—Lennox and Addington, while I now hold the federal seat. He is my political mentor, and more importantly he is my dad. May I follow his lead but mark my own path moving forward.
To the people of Hastings—Lennox and Addington, know that I will remain laser-focused on the task that has been given to me: holding the government accountable. I will be more than just a critic. I will propose solutions while representing my constituents, and I will never stop being an advocate for our riding. There are those who have grown tired of politics, and I hope to inspire them and restore their faith in this great institution.
Last Tuesday, the Governor General read the Speech from the Throne, the document that sets out the government's agenda and vision for the upcoming session. Unfortunately for the people of Hastings—Lennox and Addington, as well as other rural ridings across this great country, the speech did not appear to include them. Whether it is rural broadband Internet, the agricultural sector or rebuilding main street, the government has signalled that these issues are not areas of concern for it.
There is no plan to lower inflation, nor to address labour shortages and supply chains. There is no plan to ease the financial burdens of struggling business owners. The current government loves to talk about money. It talks about the amount of money promised, committed or spent, but the results are just not there. We have more consultants, more studies, more bureaucracy, more debt and more disappointment. Accountability and transparency matter. In my opinion, we are experiencing the most corrupt and divisive government in history. This matters and we need to do better.
Too many Canadians are suffering from depression, anxiety and burnout. Canada's mental health crisis has deepened. Mental health is health, and we should be collectively supporting it in a non-partisan manner. For those personally affected, please reach out. Surely the six people who may be the pallbearers at someone's funeral would rather lift them up now in their time of need. We send our love to Matt.
Allow me now to address the outlook for our agricultural sector. It is bleak. The farmers and livestock and dairy producers who are found in every corner of Hastings—Lennox and Addington are once again an afterthought of the government. In a nearly 3,000-word document, our agricultural sector was mentioned one single, solitary time. Let me be clear: Our united Conservative caucus knows it is farmers, like those found in Stirling and Napanee, who feed Canadians from coast to coast to coast. It is high time the members on the other side of the House recognized this fact.
I was pleased that the throne speech spoke to the issue of reconciliation with Canada's first people. I have the good fortune to count the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte among my communities.
During my very first week as a member of Parliament, the people of Tyendinaga voted to ratify a partial land claim returning 300 acres to the Mohawk territory. In the spirit of reconciliation, I call on the government to settle the remaining land claims expeditiously, with fairness to all concerned.
As shadow minister for seniors, I would like to now focus on an area that is very close to the hearts of many Canadians. With this Speech from the Throne, the Liberal government has sent a chilling message to Canada's most vulnerable. With only a single mention in passing, the government chose to completely ignore some very serious issues. There was no mention of combatting social isolation, no mention of cracking down on elder abuse, no mention of improving access to palliative care and no mention of fixing the rising costs of critical goods such as groceries and medicine. This is a troubling trend.
During the previous Parliament, members of this place from every party and every province were receiving frantic phone calls, emails and letters from seniors in their ridings. The complaints were nearly identical: The GIS had been severely reduced or, in many cases, completely eliminated after the July recalculation period. Seniors who depended on the guaranteed income supplement to pay for food to eat, a bed to sleep in and medicine to live had their financial safety net torn out from underneath them overnight. The people who built this country suddenly found themselves abandoned by it as a result of poor communication from the government.
Realizing the very serious consequences of such a sudden and unforeseen reduction in disposable income, my colleague, the member for Battlefords—Lloydminster, quickly took action and sent a letter to the then minister of seniors asking her to address the situation. She never received a response.
Not only are seniors' dollars not going as far as before, but they now have fewer to start off with. On top of this, many seniors are embarrassed to come forward. They are embarrassed to go to food banks or to ask for help. Traditionally, seniors and our country have been self-reliant. This is becoming increasingly difficult. On page 14 of the 2021 federal budget are the words, “We owe our elders a great debt. This is a partial repayment.” What the government has done in the intervening months is not only a spectacular failure to partially repay our elders, but rather it has increased the debt we owe to them. I know the government does not have the best track record on balancing budgets, but as a former financial adviser I can assure the government that it is not difficult to figure out that its policies have added to the debt it owes our seniors, not repaid it.
Being elected as a member of Parliament to represent the people of Hastings—Lennox and Addington, or anywhere across this great nation, is a privilege. We must never forget the people who sent us here and we must never stop fighting for them. It is my sincere and perhaps naive belief that every person who comes through the doors of this chamber has the intent to make our country a better place to live for ourselves, our children and our seniors. I grew up having so much pride in Canada being a self-reliant, resilient and resourceful nation. I ask members to join me in wanting to earn this back. Let us work together to give our young leaders the tools and resources to continue to make this country strong and free.
We all have a different approach as to what progress looks like, but it is that personal drive, that core tenet of public service, that unites all of us. This is what makes this place such a profound and powerful institution. Regardless of people's paths in life, they should do it to the absolute best of their ability. They must never stop learning, improving and making a difference.
In closing, I was fortunate to learn a great deal from an amazing parliamentarian. That knowledge and relationship shaped me into who I am today and is why I am here. The growth I was able to achieve learning from one parliamentarian was profound, and I cannot wait to see what learning from 337 others will do.
I thank my mom and dad for their kind words of wisdom: we should always believe in ourselves and always keep our doors open. Things do not happen unless we make them happen. We should be kind, love life and seek happiness along the way. God bless.
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- Nov/23/21 3:21:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my family, the volunteers and the good people of Hastings—Lennox and Addington for granting me this great responsibility in sending me to this House.
The Liberal government has presided over record inflation. Sadly, this is crippling Canadian businesses, families and farms. Hastings—Lennox and Addington is not exempt from this. Out-of-control inflation, debt and the cost of living caused by the irresponsible Liberal government is unacceptable.
Many businesses, families and seniors in the communities in my riding are struggling and are on the brink of bankruptcy. They need meaningful leadership. They need help. Canadians deserve to know when the government will finally listen and take concrete action against this cost of living crisis.
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