Wade Chang

“I want the minister to explain how this bill protects workers' rights, helps workers and employers negotiate better deals, and keeps the government from stepping in unless it truly has to.”

“Mr. Speaker, workers and unions in my riding have emphasized the importance of protecting workers’ rights and ensuring their voices are heard at the bargaining table. Our government shares this commitment and believes meaningful collective bargaining leads to better agreements. This is why we are giving workers and employers more time to negotiate and greater support to resolve disputes. Could the minister explain how Bill C-39 will protect workers’ rights, strengthen collective bargaining and ensure government intervention is reserved for exceptional circumstances?”

“October is Cyber Security Awareness Month. Scammers are using new tools like artificial intelligence to trick people. I am urging Canadians to be careful online by checking links before clicking them, protecting their personal information, and reporting scams.”

“Mr. Speaker, imagine getting a phone call from someone who sounds just like a family member, only to find out it is a scam. With artificial intelligence, scammers are finding new ways to trick Canadians. October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, which highlights the need to be careful about the links we open and the information we share online. Fortinet Canada, a proud Burnaby company, has launched a “P.A.U.S.E. and Fortify Your Online Defence” campaign. It offers free cybersecurity resources for students, educators, businesses and families. The advice is very simple: Before clicking a link, take a moment to check the website address, be careful about sharing personal information and report anything suspicious. More than 400,000 students across Canada have access to this free cybersecurity curriculum through their schools. These schemes can happen to anyone in Canada. Canadians need to know what to look out for and where to get help if they become victims. Knowing when to stop, check and ask questions can make the difference in protecting seniors, young people, newcomers and all Canadians from online scams.”

“I support flexible work options for public servants when it makes sense for their jobs. It helps workers who have long commutes, disabilities, or family to care for, while still getting results for Canadians. I will keep speaking up for them.”

“Mr. Speaker, public servants are Canadians serving Canadians. This summer, I met with public servants and their families in Burnaby Central. I heard about long commutes, caregiving and balancing work and family. I also heard about something important: pride in their work. Those conversations highlighted the potential value of flexible work arrangements. Where operationally appropriate, they can support caregivers, people with disabilities and those facing long commutes, while helping reduce unnecessary travel and emissions. Our government has a responsibility to ensure that Canada’s public service is productive, accountable and delivering results. A strong public service is built around effective service to Canadians. Flexible work can be one tool when it supports operational needs and helps deliver results. As parliamentarians, our role is to set direction and understand how that direction is experienced by the people who carry it forward. I will continue to bring their perspectives to this House.”

“The Burnaby Hospice Society has cared for people for 40 years. Hospice care helped my mother and my family when she was dying. I want to thank the staff, volunteers, and donors who support people at the end of their lives.”

“Mr. Speaker, this year, the Burnaby Hospice Society celebrates 40 years of caring for Burnaby. For me, this anniversary is deeply personal. My mom battled cervical cancer for three years. In the final months of her life, she received hospice care. It gave her comfort and peace. It also gave our family the strength to face the unimaginable. “Be a blessing to others” were my mom’s final words before she passed away. They led me to a life of service and to the House. Having witnessed the impact of hospice care first-hand, I know that hospice workers and volunteers cannot change what lies ahead, but they can ensure that no one walks their final journey alone. I thank every staff member, volunteer, donor and supporter of the Burnaby Hospice Society. In the moments when a hand is held for the last time and a final goodbye is whispered, they are there. They remind us that the soul of a community is not how it celebrates life but how it cares for one another when life is drawing to a close.”

“It is the start of Pride season. LGBTQ+ people face rising hate, and some politicians do not support them. How will the government protect LGBTQ+ Canadians?”

“Mr. Speaker, happy Pride. Today the Prime Minister and parliamentarians gathered on Parliament Hill to raise the Pride flag and mark the beginning of Pride season in Canada. Pride is more than a celebration. It is a reminder that the rights and freedoms of 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians cannot be taken for granted. At a time when hate is on the rise and when some voices in the House continue to question the full inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ people, Canadians expect leadership to stand firmly on the side of equality, dignity and human rights. Can the Minister of Women and Gender Equality tell the House how our government will continue to protect the safety, dignity and full inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadians?”

“Our immigration plan helps our economy by bringing in skilled workers for jobs in health care, construction, and technology. We are also making immigration levels more manageable and helping temporary workers already here become permanent residents. I want the minister to explain what is being done to speed up applications for people who came here through the Hong Kong program.”

“Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time. I am pleased to rise today to discuss how IRCC’s main estimates will drive our economy. The budget, the spring economic update and now the main estimates are guiding our country forward during a very challenging period. The rupture in global order brings us to a moment when we need to build our strengths at home, diversify our markets abroad, and build or renew international partnerships with like-minded countries. Immigration is an important part of that plan. When it is thoughtfully managed, immigration strengthens our country, fills labour gaps, grows businesses and supports critical sectors like health care, construction and emerging technology. However, the immigration system needs to work smoothly. It needs to be aligned with both the needs of our employers and the capacities of our communities. It needs to provide fair opportunities for those who come to Canada and leave everything behind. The government has been working hard to improve the immigration system by restoring control, strengthening program integrity and returning immigration targets to sustainable levels. In the 2026-28 immigration levels plan, we set a clear commitment to make immigration levels sustainable. The plan stabilizes targets for permanent residents and reduces arrival targets for new temporary residents. We remain focused on attracting the best talent in the world to build our economy and address the labour shortage, while making sure that communities are growing responsibly. As a result, Canadians are seeing a system that is balanced and reliable. Our immigration plan prioritizes workers. In 2026, nearly two out of three PRs will fill essential positions across the country. We are inviting newcomers to fill jobs where there are skill gaps. We are attracting global talent to meet our country’s unique emerging needs. We are prioritizing industries like artificial intelligence, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, health care and construction. Canada’s international talent attraction strategy is a whole-of-government effort to bring in skilled newcomers our industries and communities need: the best and the brightest. As we begin to attract this talent, we must have a system in place that encourages them to stay and to settle long-term. This is why we are prioritizing skilled temporary workers who are already here for permanent residence. We recently announced more details about the one-time in-Canada workers initiative, which will accelerate the processing and approval of 33,000 temporary workers for permanent residence. They are already here, paying taxes and taking part in our communities. They deserve to feel like Canada is their home. Many of those workers are in smaller and rural communities that are facing persistent labour shortages, where local employers depend on them to stay in business. The main estimates will support a more efficient system for attracting and retaining newcomers. In 2026, our government announced new measures to make it easier for physicians working in Canada to apply for permanent residence. We are also making it easier for graduate and postdoctoral students to bring their expertise to Canada. The department’s digital modernization effort will allow newcomers to understand their applications better and have access to support when needed. New digital tools will help train officers proactively to identify issues and verify information. These tools will also help them process applications faster. We need an immigration system that delivers results for newcomers and for all Canadians, and sometimes that means different results for different parts of our country. The system must be able to reflect what makes each of our regions unique and recognize that Burnaby’s Metrotown and the east coast fisheries represent very different labour markets. We are partnering with provinces and territories and responding to their economic priorities through programs that respect regional diversity. This includes the provincial nominee program, the Atlantic immigration program, and pilot programs that support rural and francophone communities. In a time of global disruption, Canada continues to be a beacon of opportunity, where skilled people from different parts of the world can find their place in welcoming communities, find work in emerging fields and watch their families thrive. We are pulling together strategies and resources to attract the best and the brightest, grow our economy and support our communities. Our government is ensuring that immigration continues to serve Canadians, now and for future generations. Many people who came to Canada through the Hong Kong pathway are highly skilled, very well educated, hard-working and already contributing significantly to our economy. Many pay taxes, work in essential sectors and are building their lives here in Canada. At the same time, many families still face uncertainty because they do not yet have permanent status. Can the minister provide an update on the effort to improve processing times and reduce delays for those families as they continue to contribute to Canada?”

“I want all members of the House to quickly remove barriers for youth, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, homeless people, and LGBTQ+ people. We need to include diverse leaders so our laws and spending treat everyone fairly.”

“Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, I had the honour of taking the floor at the Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Istanbul. As an Asian, an immigrant and a proud gay member of the House, I stand here as proof that representation is about challenging barriers and changing systems. Let me be very clear: The most powerful force in system change is mindset. Policy reflects mindset, funding follows mindset and programs are built on mindset. If we do not change how we think, we will reproduce inequality more efficiently. If we want different outcomes, we must redesign the system with intention. That means new voices, inclusive leadership and courage over comfort. When we change who decides, we change whom the system serves, and that changes everything. I urge all members of the House to address barriers facing youth, women, persons with disabilities, immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, and to act with urgency to remove those barriers.”