The Coast Salish languages are precious

Mr. Speaker, I hope I did not do too much damage to the language of the W_SÁNEC people to say, “honour, thank you”, and thanks to the Algonquin people on whose territory we are now taking place in debate today. I want to recognize indigenous languages, particularly the hard work that ...

Nurses often go underappreciated for their life-saving work across the country

Elizabeth May Mr. Speaker, today begins National Nursing Week. Every year at this time we celebrate and thank the hard-working nurses of Canada. This week was chosen because on May 12, 1820, Florence Nightingale was born. If Florence Nightingale had been a man, she would not be remembered as the “Lady with the Lamp”. She ...

Water is sacred

Mr. Speaker, today is World Water Day, and as the National Geographic advises us, we are in a water crisis where the crisis is too much water in some places and not enough in others. Studies by scientists have shown that between 1995 and 2015, 90% of all weather-related events, such as extreme weather events, ...

Statement in memory of Constable Pierre Lozier

Elizabeth May Mr. Speaker, I often think of this place as being a family. Regardless of political party, we are all here together and supported by amazing people. We had a death in the family on January 14. We lost one of those who truly does stand on guard for us. Constable Pierre Lozier, a ...

HoC Statement on anniversary of the Quebec Mosque Shooting

Elizabeth May Saanich Mr. Speaker, I thank you and my colleagues. As my colleague from the Bloc Québécois said, we are in this together. We must never forget this dark episode in our history, when six Canadians were gunned down and 19 others were injured. I want to express my love and solidarity for our ...

On the 28th Anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre

In response to statement from the Minister of Status of Women Elizabeth May Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all of my colleagues. Today remains a day of tragedy, a day of immense sadness, for today marks the 28th anniversary of a terrible tragedy in this country. It is almost unbelievable that it has been ...

An Official Apology to LGBTQ2 Canadians

Elizabeth May Mr. Speaker, what wonderful speeches from my friend from Repentigny and from all the other leaders and party representatives in the House. I am honoured to speak today. I would like to thank our Prime Minister for the official apology he made today. He is a great man, and the day of heartfelt ...

HoC Statement on Remembrance Day: Our prayer is always for peace

Elizabeth May Mr. Speaker, I thank all my colleagues this morning for this moment of remembrance. We will all be in our ridings on Remembrance Day attending events with our communities. As the hon. Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has so beautifully conjured for us the event he will attend in his riding, ...

Stand up for Parliament Hill security guards

Elizabeth May Mr. Speaker, last week we stood together in a moment of silence in memory of the tragic event of October 22, 2014. We never had a public inquiry in this country as to the breakdown of security that allowed an armed man into this building. However, without any inquiry we do know that ...

We are in a time of climate emergency

Mr. Speaker, in his last letter to Canadians, read into this record by the hon. member for Ajax, Arnold Chan left us with these words: Climate change is undeniably the focus of attention today, as it should be. The recent flooding in Texas, hurricane in the Caribbean and Florida, violent monsoon rains in Bangladesh and ...