National Strategy to Reduce Food Waste and Combat Food Insecurity  Madam Speaker, I am happy to rise today to speak to Motion No. 110, a national strategy to reduce food waste and combat food insecurity. We know that people across Canada, too many in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, are struggling to make ends meet and to keep a roof over their

National Strategy to Reduce Food Waste and Combat Food Insecurity  Madam Speaker, I wanted to share that there is a program in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith that may be of interest to the member. It is the Loaves & Fishes Community Food Bank. It provides food security to many who do not have access to food. It also provides this incredible

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Mr. Speaker, we see that corporate landlords are increasing renovictions. Rents are being increased, and corporate landlords are swooping in and buying up affordable homes. However, I do not hear from the Conservatives often about the importance of having rent protections in plac

Grocery Industry  Madam Speaker, rent is going up faster than Canadians can afford, with families relying on credit cards more and more to buy food and necessities. In my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, rent went up over 9% last year alone. People cannot cut back any more than they already are, and

The Barsby Bulldogs  Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to highlight an incredible team in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith: the John Barsby Secondary School football team, or what locals know as the Barsby Bulldogs. The Barsby Bulldogs is a team full of dedicated and skilled players, winnin

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Madam Speaker, when we talk about the importance of people being able to make ends meet, there are two things in this bill that stand out for me. One is around the pregnancy loss leave, which would establish a new paid leave for workers in federally regulated sectors who experien

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Madam Speaker, we know, and the member most certainly knows better than I do, as I live in British Columbia, that many people in Quebec cannot afford groceries, while the grocery giants and CEOs continue to bring in billions of dollars in profits. It is a very unfair situation.

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023  Madam Speaker, as we know, indigenous people across Canada are disproportionately impacted by the housing crisis. I know my colleagues, the MP for Nunavut and the MP for Vancouver East, have done tremendous work pushing for funding in the for indigenous, by indigenous housing str

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I have two very simple questions for the member after having listened to her speech. I wonder whether she could share how many more people have to die before the Conservatives start listening to health experts, step out of the way, and allow health experts to pro

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his never-ending advocacy and support, and bringing forward the voices of experts in field and families. Prior to becoming a member of Parliament, I worked in mental health and addictions, working directly with youth, families and those wh

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to acknowledge and offer my condolences to all those who have lost loved ones to the toxic substance crisis. In particular, I lost my own cousin Peter in his twenties as a result of the toxic substance crisis. I really would like for us to be tal

The Economy  Mr. Speaker, as the cost of living continues to soar, more people in Nanaimo—Ladysmith are barely scraping by. Rent is up. Groceries are up. The number of households living below the poverty line continues to rise. Instead of helping those who need it, the Liberals are handing $

Fisheries and Oceans  Mr. Speaker, despite Liberal promises to get open-net fish farms full of Atlantic salmon out of west coast waters, the minister sits idly by. To make matters worse, consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments have been muzzling scientists, whose findings show the extent of t

Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, one thing I was reflecting on while we were talking about the budget today is the national school food program that is being implemented in the budget. I was a school board trustee and also worked in the school district. I am a single parent with two children. An iss

Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, because of the work of the NDP and the collective voices of so many advocating across Canada, we are seeing some real solutions being implemented, many of them mentioned by the member, including dental care, free birth control, diabetes medication