- Member of Parliament
- Member of the Subcommittee on Review of Parliament’s involvement with associations and recognized Interparliamentary groups
Deputy House leader of the New Democratic Party
- NDP
- London—Fanshawe
- Ontario
- Voting Attendance: 66%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $131,911.16
- Government Page
- May/31/24 12:17:11 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the second petition I want to present today is in relation to animals being used for the defence department training exercises. Typically, piglets are used and are being killed. They are being stabbed, mutilated, exposed to radiation and chemical nerve agents for training purposes.
There are alternative ways that the Canadian Armed Forces can do their necessary medical exercises, and therefore, with this petition, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the Minister of National Defence to end the use of animals in military medical training.
90 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/29/24 2:51:59 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, report after report has shown that women who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces are not safe, and consecutive governments have failed to act urgently. Shamefully, a new report has revealed that 5% of women have been sexually attacked at their military colleges in the last 12 months. Justice Arbour was clear that now is the time to end the toxic culture that exists within these colleges. Women deserve a safe place to train and learn.
When will the Prime Minister act to protect the women who are the future generation of the Canadian Armed Forces?
98 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/5/24 6:25:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, across the country, close to 600 PSAC workers are on strike.
The Non-Public Funds workers have actually been on strike for 22 days. They are the too often unrecognized figures, the workers within our defence community. The employees of the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services serve those who serve. They staff our Canex stores, feed our soldiers and support them with financial services and countless other essential supports.
At a time of unprecedented cost of living increases facing military families, we cannot forget that 40% of CFMWS workers are military family members. Those military family members have faced unnecessary burdens from the Liberal government. They are often underpaid and under-employed. They have dipped into their own pockets so many times to support our women and men in uniform, and they are proud to do so. They are proud to do this work.
Many are facing a rent spike this year to on-base housing. When military family members join the workforce, they are in a precarious position. Relocation and, at times, remote postings severely limit their employment opportunities. They need to be protected from employers that seek to take advantage of them.
However, that is not what they get from the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services. These workers are paid drastically less than their public servant counterparts. They are not being offered a national pay grid. They face serious workplace safety concerns as well. At the bargaining table, they are not asking for much: basic protections, a national pay grid and recognition of their essential role in our national defence.
I joined these workers on the picket line last week, and I heard from members that are struggling to make ends meet. When I asked the Minister of Defence about the strike last week, he said, “We support a resolution of this labour dispute at the table, and we will continue to support both sides coming back to the table.”
It is this minister’s department that has left the bargaining table and refused to return. Shortly after I was at the picket line, the employer served a trespassing notice to striking workers on the line. During the winter months, the employer has now demanded that workers remove the trailer they have on site by tomorrow. This trailer is being used for its washroom facilities and for workers to go back and get warm. It is February. It is cold out. This trailer helps to keep them safe. As an employer, the government should be aware of and concerned about that. Instead, the employer has said that, if they do not get rid of the trailer by tomorrow, the government would get rid of it at the workers' expense.
These workers are tired of the minister’s lack of awareness of not only their issues, but also their basic function under his mandate. When workers wrote to their local Liberal MPs asking for support, they were told that the minister does not believe they are even within his mandate.
The minister cannot plead ignorance here much longer. Long before this strike, I told the minister, over and over again, about the plight of the Non-Public Funds workers. When he was first nominated to this post, I told him about their concerns. I outlined them for him. When he and his department officials appeared before the Standing Committee on National Defence, I repeatedly told them about the concerns facing the Non-Public Funds workers.
I want to give the government one more opportunity here. Will it tell the employer to get back to the table, bargain in good faith and support the workers who serve those who serve?
618 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/31/23 10:05:52 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition that speaks to people's concern over the federal defence department's training exercises and their use of over 1,800 piglets, which have been killed, stabbed, mutilated and exposed to radiation or chemical nerve agents. The undersigned on this petition call upon the Minister of National Defence to end the use of animals in military medical training.
67 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/5/23 10:16:26 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I am honoured to stand in this place and present a petition.
The petitioners are concerned that, as part of federal defence department training exercises, over 1,800 piglets have been killed after being stabbed, mutilated and exposed to radiation and chemical nerve agents.
The petitioners also point out that 77% of NATO nations no longer use animals for military medical training. The petitioners call on the Government of Canada and the Minister of National Defence to end the use of animals in military medical training.
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Apr/5/22 11:49:57 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, when my hon. colleague spoke, she addressed the sexual misconduct crisis in the military. I sat on the status of women committee when we heard testimony from the incredibly brave, strong women who came forward.
Two per cent is a huge increase, but certainly there are increases to military spending that could happen in terms of support for women: for those survivors of sexual misconduct in the military. Where would the member like to see some of those increases to military spending go for supporting those women?
89 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
