Sean Casey

“Charlottetown has a new school called Green Gables Elementary. I want to congratulate the students, teachers, and community who will be part of it.”

“Mr. Speaker, there are few stories more closely associated with Prince Edward Island than Anne of Green Gables. It is fitting, then, that a new school, Green Gables Elementary, in Charlottetown’s East Royalty area will carry that connection forward for another generation of island students. Lucy Maud Montgomery’s stories have introduced millions of readers around the world to the beauty, character and spirit of Prince Edward Island. That legacy lives on today, not only in our books and tourism, but in our schools, in our communities and most importantly in the young Islanders who are growing up there. I want to congratulate the students, educators and community members who will make Green Gables Elementary a part of Charlottetown’s future. May it be a place where generations of young Islanders learn, grow and perhaps find a little of their Anne Shirley spirit.”

“I want to ask my colleague two questions. How does this bill help the ferry between Wood Islands and Nova Scotia? And how does it help dairy farmers?”

“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the speech this evening by my colleague from the riding just directly across the Hillsborough River from Charlottetown. I want to ask him a couple of questions that are directly related to his own experience before coming to Parliament, and also something that is critical for his riding. Where does he see the opportunities in this legislation with respect to that critical transportation link between Wood Islands and Caribou, Nova Scotia? Second, based on his decades of experience in the dairy farming industry, where are the opportunities presented by this legislation in that industry?”

• Little substance
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  Question or comment in debate

  Signal 44 of 100

  Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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“A business leader once told me that every government department should focus on economic competitiveness. I want the parliamentary secretary to explain how this bill helps our economy stay competitive.”

“Mr. Speaker, back in January 2023, I had the honour of being invited to an event where the special guest was the executive chairman of Maple Leaf Foods, Michael McCain, a very well-known businessman and philanthropist. It was a meeting of Liberal members of Parliament who were interested in business and economic growth. At one point in the meeting, Mr. McCain was asked, “If you had one piece of advice for the Government of Canada, what would it be?” I forget a lot of what happened in the meeting, but I remember his answer to that question. It was that every single federal government department, every single Crown corporation and everything that is affiliated with the Government of Canada should have in their mission statement the word “competitiveness”. I invite the parliamentary secretary to reflect on that and how it aligns with what we are doing in Bill C-39.”

• Off topic
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  Question or comment in debate

  Relevance 49 of 100

  None of this question addressed the preceding speech or the topic under debate.

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• Little substance
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  Question or comment in debate

  Signal 13 of 100

  Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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“Former NHL player Forbes Kennedy has died. He played over 600 NHL games and coached young athletes in Prince Edward Island. I send my condolences to his family and friends.”

“Mr. Speaker, last week, a funeral took place at the Eastlink Centre hockey arena for a true Prince Edward Island legend, Forbes Kennedy. Raised in Charlottetown, Forbie built an extraordinary career in professional hockey, playing more than 600 games in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, the Detroit Red Wings, the Boston Bruins, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Known for his toughness, determination and fierce loyalty to his teammates, he earned the respect of players and fans across North America. Beyond the rink, Islanders knew him as someone who never forgot where he came from. Forbes Kennedy represented the grit, humility and work ethic that Islanders value so deeply. He coached generations of young athletes and remained an important figure in our province’s rich hockey and baseball history. I offer sincere condolences to Forbes’s family, friends, former teammates and all those mourning his loss. May his memory continue to inspire, both on and off the ice.”

In response to a question from Blake Richards

“We did not cut $4.2 billion from veterans. That number changed because we now pay market rates for medical cannabis. Veterans still get the same amount of cannabis. I want the member to admit this and stop trying to make people angry with false claims.”

“Madam Speaker, Oxford University Press chose the word of the year in 2025. That word was “rage bait”, and that speech was exhibit A. When the member claims there has been $4.2 billion cut from the Veterans Affairs budget, he knows better. He knows that the $4.2 billion is an actuarial calculation that simply states the present value of a future obligation for medical cannabis, which is now being reimbursed to veterans at the market rate. There are no cutbacks. The same amount of cannabis is being distributed, only now the price that is being paid is the market rate. That is what is reflected in the $4 billion. Rage baiting is when one takes that and misconstrues it into something they know full well it is not. Is the member ready now to stand up and acknowledge that is in fact the case and stop the rage baiting?”

• Personal attack
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  Question or comment in debate

  Respect 83 of 100

  This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “he knows better”.

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“May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. I want to recognize the 90,000 Canadians living with MS and thank the people who care for them and research the disease. MS Canada is asking for $15 million for research to help find a cure.”

“Mr. Speaker, May is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, a time to recognize the strength and resilience of the nearly 90,000 Canadians living with MS, including many in my home province of Prince Edward Island. This week on Parliament Hill, representatives from MS Canada met with members of Parliament to advocate for a $15-million investment in MS research. This funding would help Canada continue to work alongside international research partners toward what so many families are hoping for, a cure. To everyone living with MS, along with the caregivers, researchers, advocates and organizations such as MS Canada, I thank them for their leadership and their perseverance. Together, we will keep pushing for better treatments, stronger supports and, ultimately, a world free of MS.”

“I do not support this bill. The Conservatives are using it to scare religious groups. Veterans Affairs Canada does not offer or push medically assisted dying on veterans. When one worker wrongly brought it up in the past, they were fired, and our staff are trained never to do it.”

“Mr. Speaker, medical assistance in dying is deeply personal. It is also exceptionally complicated, with ethical, religious, constitutional and political elements. Members should make no mistake: Bill C-260 is the most recent instalment in the Conservative pattern of repeatedly sowing fear among communities of faith. During last year’s election campaign, many Canadians bought into the Conservative messaging that the Liberals planned to remove charitable status for faith-based organizations. This, of course, was not true and has never come to pass, but the fear stoked by it mobilized voters and donors. The mission was accomplished, I suppose. Off the success of that misinformation campaign, we witnessed the drawn-out spectacle of the debate with respect to the exemption for religious speech as hate speech, where logic and precedent had no place, only fear, hyperbole and, yes, fundraising. Communities of faith deserve better. They deserve respect. They can handle the truth. They can appreciate and understand nuance. Today, then, is the latest attempt to use anecdotes and either anonymous or unverified accusations to build a case designed with fear in mind and faith communities as the target. Members should make no mistake: Bill C-260 is a solution in search of a problem. Nowhere is this more true than in the allegations we just heard with respect to veterans. As the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, I can assure the House and all Canadians that the very foundation of Veterans Affairs Canada, its purpose, is to honour and commemorate those who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and to ensure that they receive the support they need after leaving the military. Veterans have dedicated their lives to serving our nation, sometimes at great personal sacrifice. Canada owes them respect and care, as well as a commitment to help them live in dignity after their service ends. It must be understood that medical assistance in dying was never a Veterans Affairs Canada program or service, and that employees were never directed or encouraged to discuss the subject with veterans. It has never been that way. It will never be that way. In 2022, when it was brought to the department’s attention that a Veterans Affairs employee spoke inappropriately about medical assistance in dying, VAC immediately apologized to the veterans involved, launched a comprehensive investigation and put safeguards in place to prevent something similar from ever happening again, including but not limited to robust training and unambiguous expectations of conduct. Simply put, MAID is not and never will be a policy of Veterans Affairs Canada. The investigation reviewed over 400,000 files dating back to 2016. It found that the inappropriate statements were not indicative of a systemic problem; rather, they were isolated incidents involving a single employee who raised the issue four separate times. That person is no longer employed at Veterans Affairs Canada. If someone seeks advice on or assistance with medical assistance in dying, employees are trained to refer them to their primary care provider, as they do with respect to any other request for medical guidance. These measures, communicated clearly in writing and supported by ongoing training, reinforce VAC’s commitment to providing veterans and their families with high-quality, respectful and appropriate support while maintaining strict boundaries regarding medical assistance in dying. Understanding the concerns, circumstances, needs and wishes of individual veterans allows VAC staff to then advise them on all of the benefits, services and programs for which they may be eligible. Frontline staff also receives training on how to de-escalate difficult situations with clients and report significant incidents that require further attention. This ensures that any inappropriate comments are dealt with immediately. Training for employees who interact with veterans and their families includes official courses and structured on-the-job training. Discussions and consultations with subject matter experts will help to reinforce the knowledge and skills of Veterans Affairs Canada employees as they carry out their duties. The department also sends regular reminders to frontline staff to ensure that expectations are clearly understood. What is more, Veterans Affairs Canada provides additional on-the-job training specifically for case managers. These employees work directly, one-on-one, with veterans and their families to assess their needs and objectives, identify challenges and develop plans to help them access the information and services they need. Before interacting with clients, case managers must pass an intensive seven-week course. This practical, interactive learning experience allows them to learn while working with active, real-life cases as opposed to scenarios. The result is that case managers can hit the ground running, delivering services to veterans in as timely a manner as possible. Despite all of this, there are still moments when a veteran may raise the issue of medical assistance in dying. VAC officials are trained to explain the implications of such a decision on their families. If a veteran has chosen to pursue medical assistance in dying with their primary care provider and shares this information with a member of the veteran service team, VAC staff can support the veteran in navigating benefits and services that are available. Support can include resource coordination and navigation, such as connecting a veteran and their family to community resources, mental health practitioners, grief counsellors, pastoral outreach or other local resources. It also includes a broad range of supports to help veterans and their families adjust to life after service. If there are veterans who need help, I encourage them to contact Veterans Affairs Canada. One of Veterans Affairs Canada’s core priorities is, and always will be, to provide practical and compassionate services to ensure that veterans have access to services tailored to their specific needs. These services include programs designed to promote physical health and well-being, as well as rehabilitation services. Medical costs, as well as compensation for service-related illnesses or injuries, may be covered by Veterans Affairs Canada. I can assure members that every interaction with veterans is designed to help them thrive in life after service. Frontline staff at Veterans Affairs Canada undergo rigorous training to ensure they can guide clients to all the services, benefits, and programs to which they may be entitled. High-quality compassionate support is a foundational part of the covenant our nation has with those who have worn the uniform. Ensuring that those who have served are served well is and always will be an unwavering commitment of this government.”