Jessica Fancy · TranslatePolitics.ca

Oral Questions

Employment

2026-06-12

“I am very happy when young people work in my riding during the summer. The government should spend money on a program that makes this happen. There are lots of these jobs in my riding. I would like the minister to say nice things about this program.”

Oral Questions

Employment

2026-06-11

“I want to cheer for a program that was announced in my riding. I hope it will make more jobs. Jobs are good.”

Government Orders

Protecting Victims Act

2026-06-09

“I agree prevention is important. Organizations in my riding are doing good preventive work. They deserve support.”

“I think this bill will help women and children. I'm glad the government is passing many crime bills. Unsung heroes are helping women who are failed by the system.”

“I'm challenging the statement saying programs are being cut. I say programs are not being cut, they are just being 'reinvigorated'. I'm saying we will keep spending money in our future budgets.”

“I don't want to answer your question. I want to say many groups like this bill. I hope listing groups makes my bill look good.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize that it is same piece of paper that the member has stood up and read from tonight, asking the exact same question about one little piece of an amendment on a huge proactive bill. I would like to tell him about all the people and organizations that we have heard from. I was a member of FEWO with the member across the way when we heard from the hundreds of victims and hundreds of different witnesses. On child protection, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and other organizations are in favour of this bill. On victims' rights, we have the Domestic Violence Prevention Society, Humane Canada and Niki Sharma, the attorney general for B.C. I could go on. There are the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Canadian Police Association. I can go on all night.

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“I'm listing bad things to get you to support my bill. I talked to people in my riding. This bill will fix everything. I really want this bill to pass. I'm upset the Conservatives are delaying it.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to show strong support for Bill C-16, the protecting victims act. This legislation represents one of the most significant updates to Canada's criminal justice system in generations. It reflects a clear understanding that our laws must evolve to meet the realities that Canadians are facing today, realities that include rising intimate partner violence cases, online exploitation, coercive control and gender-based violence and growing concerns about public confidence in the justice system. At its heart, Bill C-16 is about protection. It is about protecting women, children and survivors and ensuring that victims are treated with dignity, compassion and fairness throughout the justice process. Across Canada and certainly in my province of Nova Scotia, we are witnessing a growing crisis of gender-based and intimate partner violence. Women continue to be harmed, controlled, terrorized and, too often, killed by intimate partners. In 2024, 187 women were violently killed in Canada. That is nearly one woman every two days. These are not isolated incidents. These tragedies occur in large cities, urban neighbourhoods and rural communities, like my riding of South Shore—St. Margarets. We know these realities all too well. While our communities are strong, compassionate and deeply connected, rural communities like mine also face unique barriers when it comes to escaping violence and accessing support. Survivors may live far away from shelters or counselling services. Transportation can be limited. Accessing legal support might require hours of travel. In smaller communities, anonymity can be difficult, and many victims fear not being believed or fear retaliation if they come forward. I have had conversations with frontline organizations in my riding, advocates, survivors and service providers throughout South Shore—St. Margarets. We have made one thing abundantly clear: Our systems must do more to protect victims before violence escalates. This is exactly what Bill C-16 seeks to do. One of the most important aspects of this legislation is the recognition of coercive and controlling behaviour. For years, survivors and advocates have been telling us that abuse is not always physical. It can be emotional. Abuse can be psychological. Abuse can be financial and it can be technical. It can involve intimidation, surveillance, isolation, threats, humiliation, manipulation and fear. We know that coercive control is one of the strongest predictors of lethal violence. Bill C-16 would create a new Criminal Code offence prohibiting patterns of coercive and controlling conduct towards intimate partners. This would allow intervention before violence becomes deadly. “Before” is the key piece that matters, because too often the justice system will react after someone has already been seriously harmed. Organizations throughout South Shore—St. Margarets understand these realities intimately. Be the Peace Institute in my riding has done extraordinarily exceptional work in helping young people and communities build healthier relationships and prevent cycles of violence before they begin. Second Story Women's Centre, where I was a director before becoming a parliamentarian, continues to provide advocacy, education and support for women navigating violence, inequalities and trauma. The Thriving Twogether Society has become an important community voice in Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby and Queen's County, focused on well-being, trauma-informed care and strengthening supports for survivors and their families. Harbour House, a women's shelter in my riding, continues to provide essential shelter and outreach services for women and children fleeing violence in our communities. These organizations have long understood what this legislation now recognizes in law: Violence is only physical, and intervention must happen earlier. Bill C-16 would also modernize Canada's laws to address the very real challenges posed by technology-enabled abuse. Remember, I said “technical” earlier. Predators are increasingly using online platforms to exploit women and children. We talk about deepfakes. Before becoming a parliamentarian, I was a teacher, educator and principal, and members can think about some of the cases I had to deal with and talk to parents and survivors about. Deepfake technology is being weaponized to create non-consensual sexual images. For a young girl in the classroom or a young child, members can imagine the trauma for them, their families and these small-knit communities. Children are being targeted through sextortion, online luring and exploitation. Police reported that child sexual exploitation offences are now dramatically higher than they were just over a decade ago. Parents across Canada are deeply concerned, and rightly so. In response, Bill C-16 would strengthen protections against child exploitation, expand offences related to online luring and sextortion, criminalize sexual deepfakes and reinforce some of these mandatory penalties for serious child sexual offences. Our laws must keep pace with technological predators. Another critical pillar within this legislation is strengthening victims' rights. Too many victims continue to be retraumatized by the justice system. They feel uninformed, ignored, excluded or treated as though they are simply witnesses to their own trauma rather than people deserving dignity and respect. Bill C-16 would strengthen the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights by affirming that victims' rights would be treated with respect, courtesy, compassion and fairness. It would that ensure that victims receive information proactively, it would strengthen access to testimonial aids and it would recognize victims' interests in a timely resolution of proceedings. These changes matter, because justice delayed is often justice denied, especially for survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence. Many Canadians have watched serious criminal cases collapse due to court delays. How can people get help and move on when these delays in court make them relive their trauma or when perpetrators change lawyers time and time again, restarting proceedings and restarting that trauma? Victims are forced to relive trauma for years sometimes, only to see these proceedings stayed before accountability is ever reached. That undermines confidence in our justice system. Bill C-16 would take practical steps to address these delays while fully respecting charter rights and judicial independence. The proposed legislation would require courts to consider alternatives before imposing stays of proceedings. It would streamline procedures in sexual offence trials. It would also improve efficiency in many of our complex cases. It would help ensure that serious offences are heard on their merits rather than collapsing because of these procedural delays. This is about balancing fairness with accountability, which is something our government stands for. I am wondering why, at report stage, Conservatives are voting down these amendments and this bill. The justice committee heard from dozens of witnesses and reviewed more than 100 amendments. We heard from survivors, advocates—

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Government Orders

Build Canada Homes Act

2026-06-09

“I'm defending this housing bill. I talked earlier about a big housing project near Bridgewater. Why are people who don't like the bill not talking to all the groups involved? Why aren't they helping get the project started?”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, as a former municipal councillor, the example that I used in my speech today in regard to our municipality and district in Lunenburg and my town of Bridgewater is how people were trying to put together a larger supportive housing complex just outside of the town of Bridgewater, but they did not have the waste-water system. Therefore, they are working with the town. They are working with the municipality and collating a larger project that is going to help over 3,000 people in my riding, so these partnerships are key. I would ask members who are negating this legislation whether they have sat down with all the different key players and stakeholders. What are they doing, as their representative, to help make these plans to get these shovels in the ground?

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“I'm in the same kind of riding as you. Our government is new. Give us time. We need to pass this bill. It will unlock everything. I've had many announcements and shovels in the ground. I talked to forestry people. I want to build more.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we have been experiencing similarities with our ridings. Although I am in a coastal community, we still have small-town pride. I would like to say to my colleague that we have been with our new government for only a year. We have been laying infrastructure. We are trying to pass this bill that would help unlock everything and get those shovels in the ground. In my own riding, I have had multiple announcements and multiple shovels in the ground. I have talked to the people in my forestry sector. My colleague wants to talk about lack of support in the forestry sector. I have talked with Derek Nighbor of the Forest Products Association of Canada regarding how I can work with my local mills and my local prefab people and build those partnerships together to get more shovels in the ground for private, non-market and co-operative housing.

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“I'm filling time by quoting someone who likes the bill. I want more government housing programs.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk to my colleague from Ontario about Carolyn Whitzman. I was a member of HUMA, where we had this on our desk to study. I want to read something that she said about Build Canada Homes and how it needs the independence of a Crown corporation. She said that it had been clear from the start that it was merging the existing Canada Lands Company into it. The real question here was affordability, targets and what this kind of economic and social return was expected to generate, and how we needed these plans for a national housing strategy. She was a huge proponent of this. Therefore, I would like to remind my colleague that we have people who are doing the work and I would love to see the responsiveness of our minister in this.

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“I support Bill C-20. This bill will create a new government program to build more housing. The government should spend $13 billion on housing. This will help my constituents. The government should do more to help rural areas like my riding. The government should spend money on infrastructure and transportation too. The government should spend money to create jobs.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Bill C‑20, the Build Canada Homes act. I do so as the proud member of Parliament for South Shore—St. Margarets. Any day we get to rise on behalf of our constituents is always a great day. I want to talk today about our housing crisis and how it is not just theoretical. It is something that I hear about every single day from residents, businesses and my community leaders. Across our communities, all the way from Shag Harbour to Tantallon in my riding, there is a message that is clear. We need more housing, not someday, not eventually, but right now. In South Shore—St. Margarets, the challenge is not just affordability but also availability. Most of what we have talked about today is between those two things. I would like to talk about our responsiveness to both affordability and availability. We have employers that are looking to hire in South Shore—St. Margarets but are unable to attract workers because sometimes there is no place for them to live. We also need the infrastructure to support that. We have young families who want to stay in the community but cannot afford a home. We have seniors who want to age in place, in community, but have limited options. We have growing communities that are being held back, not by a lack of opportunities but by a lack of housing supply. This is not just a housing issue. It is an economic issue, a workforce issue and also a community sustainability issue. I do not want to sound like a negative Nelly. I would like to talk now about why Bill C‑20 matters. This legislation would transform Build Canada Homes into a Crown corporation, as we have been discussing today in the House, giving it the independence, flexibility and tools needed to actually deliver housing at the scale required. This is about action. Build Canada Homes would not just fund projects one at a time. It would act as a builder, a partner and a catalyst, working alongside municipalities, provinces, indigenous communities, non-profit organizations, co-operatives and the private sector, an opportunity that is also backed by $13 billion in initial funding to get the work moving. I want to speak directly about what I have been hearing from the people in my riding. I have met with developers, builders, tradespeople and community housing organizations, and they are all aligned on one thing: They are ready to build, but they need the conditions to do it. They need access to land, in some cases. They need financing that works in today's market. Perhaps most importantly, they need infrastructure to support growth. Without infrastructure, homes cannot be built. In South Shore—St. Margarets, we are already seeing the kind of collaboration that makes housing possible. A strong example of this partnership in my riding is between the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg and the Town of Bridgewater. They have led a joint venture with their wastewater system, and this is exactly the kind of forward-looking investment we need. I was very proud to be one of the only members of Parliament right now to have one of those announcements in our larger announcements just a couple of months ago. When municipalities work together, they expand core infrastructure like water and wastewater systems, and they unlock the ability to build housing to scale. These are foundational investments, and for too long, there has been a bottleneck. We have seen this as a government, and our new government is here to respond. Build Canada Homes recognizes this. It understands that if we want homes built, we must also support those systems that make these homes possible. Another reason this legislation matters to people in my rural riding in Nova Scotia is that it recognizes the diversity in housing needs. Housing affordability in South Shore—St. Margarets does not look the same as in many other areas, in urban centres. This is why Build Canada Homes uses both a place-based and an income-based definition of affordability, ensuring that housing reflects the realities of local incomes. This matters because homes must actually be affordable to the people who live and work in our communities, not because they are on some type of abstract national average. I was also very impressed with, and helped host, one of our round tables with our minister last summer as he was going all over the nation listening and learning, and now, through this legislation, responding. I met with the developers and the whole spectrum of builders at these round tables who gave their concerns, the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly, in response to the minister having these consultations. Rural communities are often overlooked in national housing strategies, but we know that they are essential to Canada's economy, culture and identity. From forestry, to fisheries, to tourism, to small business, rural regions like ours are vital. However, without housing how do we sustain that vitality? The recognition of rural needs through Bill C-20 includes support for infrastructure, transportation considerations and community revitalization. It is an important step forward. This legislation is also about partnership, and in South Shore—St. Margarets partnership is how we get things done. We are seeing municipalities collaborate. We are seeing non-profits and co-operatives step forward. I was recently at an announcement for shovels in the ground for an eight-unit co-operative shared housing unit in the small town of Liverpool. Although there are only eight units, that is huge in our small rural and coastal communities. We are also seeing leaders come together to think bigger and aggregate projects to create scale. That type of collaboration is exactly what Build Canada Homes is designed to support, because when communities align with federal resources and private sector capacity, we can move forward from ideas to construction and from plans to actual homes. We also want to highlight some of these economic opportunities in this approach. Build Canada Homes is more than just housing. It is about building Canadian capacity. It is about Canadian workers, Canadian materials and Canadian expertise. For South Shore—St. Margarets, that means opportunities for tradespeople. It means opportunities connected to our forestry sector and supply chains. Our colleagues have just talked about the lack of support for the forestry sector. I have met with multiple different lumber mills in my riding and some of our prefab manufacturers on how they are working specifically within our supply chain locally to get these homes built. It means good jobs that support families in our region. It is like having multi-generational families like Freeman Lumber in my riding working together with others like Lloyoll Prefabs, Walls and CLATTCO Construction in my riding on a common goal, which is to get roofs over people's heads. At a time when global uncertainty is increasing, investing in Canadian industry is solving problems with respect to our housing shortage. This is the right approach. Innovation is key. I want to address directly the idea that this legislation creates unnecessary bureaucracy. Respectfully, I disagree. This legislation is about streamlining, not adding layers. Build Canada Homes brings expertise, financing tools and partnerships together under one organization with a clear goal. The housing crisis did not emerge overnight and will not be solved overnight. What Canadians expect of us is progress. They expect us to work together. They expect us to take bold, practical steps. Bill C-20 is one of those steps. For the young family in Bridgewater who is working and looking for their first home, for the nurse who is considering a job on the South Shore but is unable to find housing and for the senior in Lunenburg who wants to stay close to their community, this bill matters.

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Government Orders

Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2

2026-06-01

“We need to pass this bill right now to help people in my riding. You're just complaining instead of debating.”

“We're debating the bill like we're supposed to. The Territorial Lands Act mostly stays the same, we're just adding some protections for Canada's security and stuff. And the amendments will help indigenous people too.”

“I want to associate myself with an industry group that likes our budget. The budget spends more of other peoples' money on the mining industry and I think that will buy us their support.”

“I'm filling time with kind words about northern development. This minor amendment gives the government more power over mining rights and indigenous communities. It won't hurt investment, only help it! These small changes are transformational for the whole north. The government is doing good work and partnering with indigenous people.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by saying that I am going to be sharing my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. This afternoon, I would like to talk about the Territorial Lands Act, the amendments to the act, economic development and nation building in the north, as vice-chair for the rural caucus. I am rising to speak to the proposed amendments to the Territorial Lands Act that are contained in Bill C-31. At the outset, I want to be very clear. Changes to this initial act are necessary. They would strengthen Canada's sovereignty, security and economic future, while deepening our partnership with the Inuit and supporting northern and rural communities across the country. I am speaking as vice-chair of our national rural caucus, and I want to underline something that is very fundamental. Rural, remote and northern Canada is very much a part of the country's nation building and where it is actually happening. We will be there to allow it to continue to happen. Today, we are finally making some of these communities feel like they are finally at the table. I am going to focus on how these amendments would support indigenous self-determination and responsible economic development, as well as long-term nation building in the north. In terms of a changing global economy, the global economy, as we know, is rapidly evolving. Countries are competing for secure supply chains of critical minerals, minerals essential to clean energy, advanced manufacturing and national security. Canada, particularly northern and rural Canada, has an enormous opportunity here. With that opportunity comes responsibility. As competition intensifies, Canada must ensure that its natural resources are developed responsibly and strategically, and in a way that aligns with our national interests. That includes making sure that our rules reflect some of today's realities, hence the amendment. Nunavut and rural Canada are at the centre of nation building. The Arctic is more important than ever to our sovereignty, economic growth and national security. Nunavut is at the heart of our future here up north. I want to be honest about something. Projects that will define Canada's next century, like our critical minerals, energy corridors, ports in the north, roads and infrastructure, are not being built in downtown cores. They are being built in rural, remote and northern communities. For far too long, these communities powered our economy without a full voice in shaping that. That, with this amendment, is changing, and it must continue to change. Mining is already the cornerstone of Nunavut's economy. It creates good-paying jobs, supports local businesses, builds infrastructure and strengthens communities. In 2025, mineral production in Nunavut was projected at $3.74 billion, demonstrating that importance not only to the territory but to Canada as a whole. For rural and northern Canadians, this is what economic inclusion looks like. It looks like jobs close to home. It looks like infrastructure that lasts generations. It looks like communities that are growing and thriving. Why do these types of amendments matter? Canada's free entry system remains an important strength. It has supported exploration and investment for decades. Today, there is a gap. The current system does not allow Canada to act when mineral rights could be used in ways that conflict with some of our national interests, whether related to economic security, sovereignty or critical infrastructure. Bill C-31 would address this gap. It would introduce a targeted national interest safeguard, which would allow the Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs, to act in specific cases. Examples of this include cancelling existing mineral rights when necessary, preventing new rights in sensitive areas and temporarily closing lands to protect some of these strategic priorities. Examples also include ensuring notification and fair consideration of compensation. This is not about overreach; this is about responsibility. In terms of strengthening our investments through this amendment, and I want to address this directly, it would not hurt investment, but strengthen it, because a free entry system would remain in place, as it always has. These measures would be targeted, limited and only used in exceptional circumstances where national interests are at stake. In fact, they would also provide something that investors value deeply: certainty. They would make clear that Canada has strong rules, a stable framework and the ability to protect strategic assets. For rural and northern economies, that certainty is essential. It ensures that investment continues, that projects move forward and that communities benefit. The bill is part of a broader effort to support nation building, especially where it is actually taking place. I would like to remind everybody again that nation building in Canada today is happening in rural, remote and northern regions. It is happening in our energy corridors, our mining developments and our ports and transportation hubs. It is happening with clean energy infrastructure. I have a clean energy project in my riding right now in South Shore—St. Margarets, our Mersey wind project, which is a new direct competitor for Nova Scotia Power. It is a larger-scale clean energy project in our area, which we have not seen before in Nova Scotia. There are also projects like the Kivalliq hydro-fibre link. There are also projects like the Grays Bay road and port project. This is also about Iqaluit's hydro project. These are transformative projects, and when we look at transformational things, they do not happen overnight. They do not happen within one year. They do not happen within two years. These are transformational projects of which, over the next decade, we are going to really see the benefits and reap the rewards. They connect with communities, and they create jobs. These projects also help strengthen sovereignty and reduce emissions. Importantly, they ensure that rural and indigenous communities are not just participants, but leaders and partners in Canada's economic future. The amendments to Bill C-31 would also help ensure that mineral tenure does not interfere with these nation-building projects. In terms of indigenous partnerships, like how we were talking before about having indigenous people at the table as leaders, I would like to talk about indigenous partnerships and the devolution processes. The legislation is also grounded in respect for Inuit self-determination, for modern treaties and also for indigenous leadership, so engagement has taken place with the Government of Nunavut, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and indigenous partners alike. These amendments would support a broader path toward Nunavut's devolution: the historic transfer of land and resource decision-making to the Nunavummiut. This is also about ensuring that decisions are made closer to home by the people most affected. We are forward-thinking, so we are also looking at safeguards for some of these processes. There would also be a forward-thinking measure in this amendment. It would ensure that Canada's resources are developed responsibly, strategic infrastructure can move forward, Inuit priorities are respected, rural and northern communities benefit fully, and our sovereignty and security are protected. This is about preventing risk while also unlocking opportunity. In conclusion, we are at a turning point. Global demand is rising, competition is intensifying and Canada has what the world needs, but success also depends on getting it right. It depends on recognizing that rural, northern and indigenous communities are not on the margins of our economy, but at the centre.

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“I'm talking a lot to fill time, and to make you look bad for wanting to spend less. I want the government to spend more of other people's money on industries I like.”

“I want to change the subject to Quebec now. Maybe talking about Quebec's economy will distract from how we limited debate.”

Statements by Members

Writer from South Shore—St. Margarets

2026-06-01

“I want to brag that someone in my riding won an award. This looks good for me.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable achievement by a talented writer in my riding of South Shore—St. Margarets. Darcy Rhyno from Little Harbour has been honoured in the Canadian chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers awards, earning three distinctions for his outstanding storytelling. First, he received bronze for the best service story for his piece highlighting a geocaching project that brings African Canadian history to life in Shelburne County. He earned silver for the best Canadian story for his exploration of Anticosti Island. Finally, he won a bronze for the best international story for his travel feature on cycling around Lake Constance in Europe. These awards are a testament not only to Darcy's talents, but to his ability to share meaningful stories. His work helps shine a light on history, culture and place, and it also reflects the creativity and excellence found in our region.

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Oral Questions

Northern Affairs

2026-05-29

“I'm filling time with kind words and saying nothing anyone could pin down later. I want taxpayers to spend more money on my preferred programs.”

Government Orders

Business of Supply

2026-05-28

“I'm filling time with kind words and saying nothing anyone could pin down later. I want to cheer for a program that spends money in my riding.”

Official Hansard

Mr. Chair, I think it is very condescending when someone asks a question and then turns their back and walks away before hearing the answer. I will be splitting my time this evening with the hon. member for Winnipeg North. As I rise tonight to speak to the Minister of Immigration about an issue that is vital to what we feel is the long-term strength, resilience and sustainability of our country, I would like to talk about the importance of rural and regional immigration. Before I do, I want to share a quick side story about my mother, who immigrated to Canada when she was 10 years old. At the ripe age of 64, last year, she got her citizenship, and I was actually the first person she ever voted for as an immigrant here in Canada. Back to rural and remote communities, they are the backbone of a lot of key sectors, like agriculture, natural resources, health care, tourism and small businesses, yet many of these communities are facing serious demographic challenges. Declining populations, aging workforces and persistent labour shortages are placing real pressure on local economies and essential services. Without thoughtful action, these pressures risk undermining not only community vitality but economic growth and national cohesion. Rural immigration is not simply about population growth. It is about community survival, in some cases. It is about economic sustainability, and it is about ensuring that families can continue to build their futures in every region of this country from coast to coast to coast. In my own region of South Shore—St. Margarets in Nova Scotia, the neighbour riding to the minister's, we have seen first-hand the positive impact that newcomers have in our communities. New Canadians are helping businesses grow. They are supporting local industry, volunteering in our communities, enrolling in our schools and bringing new energy and ideas to rural Nova Scotia. That is why targeted immigration pathways, like our minister has mentioned tonight, especially for rural and remote regions, are so important. They are not simply about filling jobs, though that is critical. They are also about building complete, thriving communities. When newcomers arrive in rural areas, they contribute as entrepreneurs, health care providers, skilled tradespeople and our neighbours. They enrol their children in local schools, support small businesses and strengthen the social fabric that keeps our communities vital. However, we know that attracting newcomers to rural Canada is only one part of that equation. Retention is equally important. That is why our regional levels plan, developed in close collaboration with municipalities, provinces, employers and community organizations, plays a key role. These plans must address housing availability, access services, language training, employment opportunities for spouses and pathways to permanent residency. When we get these elements right, newcomers who come here not only stay in our rural areas but thrive and put down roots. I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge the minister's hard work in this area. The minister has made a real effort to listen to members from all sides of the House. She shows a willingness to engage, to hear diverse perspectives, as we have heard tonight, and to collaborate on solutions when others try to weaponize immigration in our country, solutions that are essential when it comes to building immigration programs that are truly meeting the needs of Canadians. In my role as vice-chair of our national rural caucus, I have had the opportunity to see this first-hand. The minister has taken the time to attend our meetings and to hear directly from other members of Parliament who represent rural and remote communities throughout the country. We have shared the realities faced by our constituents, staffing shortages in hospitals and long-term care homes, the challenges facing farmers and processors, and the need for small towns to grow and renew these populations. More importantly, not only has the minister listened, but she has taken those insights very seriously. Programs designed to support regional immigration reflect, in many ways, that ongoing dialogue. They recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach sometimes does not work in a country as vast and diverse as Canada. Instead, we need flexible, community-driven models that empower local leaders to help shape immigration pathways that align with specific needs. The success of rural immigration programs also depends on this continued partnership: municipal governments, chambers of commerce, etc. As we look ahead, there is an opportunity to build on existing initiatives and expand what is working. This includes scaling successful pilot programs, improving pathways for international students in rural institutions and ensuring that smaller communities have the resources they need to participate fully in immigration programs. In closing, I would like to thank the minister for her willingness to work with us at rural caucus and her lifelong dedication to immigration, previously as a provincial minister in our wonderful province of Nova Scotia and as a strong constituency member of Parliament for Halifax West. I would also like to give a shout-out to her parliamentary secretary, who is also working steadfastly building partnerships, programs and supports for those immigrating to Canada and for communities that look to immigrants to help fill those work spaces. In terms of my question for our minister tonight, I would love to give the minister the opportunity to tell Canadians about this government's core missions.

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