Tatiana Auguste, Terrebonne
Linked statement
“I want the House to pass this bill. It helps provinces and territories work together and use scientific research to better forecast floods and droughts.”
“Madam Speaker, I would like to thank all my colleagues who took part in the debate on this bill at each reading and in committee. When we introduce a bill in the House, we do it because we have an idea, a belief and, above all, a desire to make things better. However, as the parliamentary process unfolds, we learn something fundamental: No legislative initiative moves forward on its own. Every bill involves discussions, research, evidence, sometimes difficult questions and, most importantly, people who choose to put their expertise to work for the common good. That is precisely what I saw as Bill C-241 made its way through the legislative process. As that process comes to an end today, I want to take a moment to recognize the work that has been done and the contributions that have helped to move this initiative forward. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Professor John Pomeroy of the University of Saskatchewan. His expertise and contributions helped inform our thinking and improved our understanding of the opportunities available to Canada to strengthen its forecasting capabilities. His involvement underscores the importance of dialogue between the scientific community and public decision-makers, because scientific knowledge is especially valuable when it can help inform decisions that directly affect Canadians’ lives. I would also like to thank the chair and members of the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as all the witnesses who took part in its study of this bill. Their contributions helped deepen our understanding of the issues at stake, raise important questions and examine the different facets of this initiative. I would especially like to acknowledge the contribution of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, which reminded us how important it is to take the realities faced by farmers into account in our deliberations. These discussions served as an important reminder of a fundamental principle: Behind every public policy, there are people, industries and communities whose needs must be heard. This goes to show why committee work is so valuable. It is not simply about examining legislation; it is about testing our ideas against the realities on the ground, listening to diverse perspectives and working to improve the proposals before us. This process also reminded me why dialogue and collaboration play such an important role in our democracy. We do not always share the same views on how to achieve our goals, and that is to be expected, but we all have a responsibility to consider proposals carefully, ask the right questions and look for solutions that meet Canadians’ needs. I would like to thank the members from all parties who contributed to the discussion on Bill C-241. Their questions, observations and different perspectives are an integral part of our parliamentary work. As the member for Terrebonne, I am especially mindful of the trust that people place in us when they ask us to represent them. This trust comes with a responsibility, that of looking beyond immediate concerns and thinking about the challenges that our communities may face not only today, but also tomorrow. Bill C-241 does just that. It encourages us to look at how we can capitalize on existing knowledge, skills and resources to improve flood and drought forecasting in Canada. It also encourages us to consider how all of the provinces and territories could work together and truly put each one’s knowledge to good use. It proposes an approach based on assessing needs, consulting with relevant partners and improving coordination. Most importantly, it reminds us that the decisions we make today must also take into account the needs of tomorrow. As this stage draws to a close, what I will remember is the valuable collective effort that went into this initiative. I will remember the scientists and organizations who got involved and the parliamentarians who put in the work for the common purpose of better understanding the challenges facing our country. I will take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the people who gave us food for thought, including Professor Pomeroy, whom I mentioned earlier, the insurance experts who told us about the challenges that a lot of people are facing, and the agriculture stakeholders who talked to me about their struggles with droughts and floods. I sincerely thank them for all the work they did. As I see it, Bill C‑241, is not the end of the road, but the beginning of a journey.”
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank all my colleagues who took part in the debate on this bill at each reading and in committee. When we introduce a bill in the House, we do it because we have an idea, a belief and, above all, a desire to make things better. However, as the parliamentary process unfolds, we learn something fundamental: No legislative initiative moves forward on its own. Every bill involves discussions, research, evidence, sometimes difficult questions and, most importantly, people who choose to put their expertise to work for the common good. That is precisely what I saw as Bill C-241 made its way through the legislative process. As that process comes to an end today, I want to take a moment to recognize the work that has been done and the contributions that have helped to move this initiative forward. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Professor John Pomeroy of the University of Saskatchewan. His expertise and contributions helped inform our thinking and improved our understanding of the opportunities available to Canada to strengthen its forecasting capabilities. His involvement underscores the importance of dialogue between the scientific community and public decision-makers, because scientific knowledge is especially valuable when it can help inform decisions that directly affect Canadians’ lives. I would also like to thank the chair and members of the Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as all the witnesses who took part in its study of this bill. Their contributions helped deepen our understanding of the issues at stake, raise important questions and examine the different facets of this initiative. I would especially like to acknowledge the contribution of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, which reminded us how important it is to take the realities faced by farmers into account in our deliberations. These discussions served as an important reminder of a fundamental principle: Behind every public policy, there are people, industries and communities whose needs must be heard. This goes to show why committee work is so valuable. It is not simply about examining legislation; it is about testing our ideas against the realities on the ground, listening to diverse perspectives and working to improve the proposals before us. This process also reminded me why dialogue and collaboration play such an important role in our democracy. We do not always share the same views on how to achieve our goals, and that is to be expected, but we all have a responsibility to consider proposals carefully, ask the right questions and look for solutions that meet Canadians’ needs. I would like to thank the members from all parties who contributed to the discussion on Bill C-241. Their questions, observations and different perspectives are an integral part of our parliamentary work. As the member for Terrebonne, I am especially mindful of the trust that people place in us when they ask us to represent them. This trust comes with a responsibility, that of looking beyond immediate concerns and thinking about the challenges that our communities may face not only today, but also tomorrow. Bill C-241 does just that. It encourages us to look at how we can capitalize on existing knowledge, skills and resources to improve flood and drought forecasting in Canada. It also encourages us to consider how all of the provinces and territories could work together and truly put each one’s knowledge to good use. It proposes an approach based on assessing needs, consulting with relevant partners and improving coordination. Most importantly, it reminds us that the decisions we make today must also take into account the needs of tomorrow. As this stage draws to a close, what I will remember is the valuable collective effort that went into this initiative. I will remember the scientists and organizations who got involved and the parliamentarians who put in the work for the common purpose of better understanding the challenges facing our country. I will take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the people who gave us food for thought, including Professor Pomeroy, whom I mentioned earlier, the insurance experts who told us about the challenges that a lot of people are facing, and the agriculture stakeholders who talked to me about their struggles with droughts and floods. I sincerely thank them for all the work they did. As I see it, Bill C‑241, is not the end of the road, but the beginning of a journey.