Thank you very much.

Good morning, everybody. Good morning, Mr. Chair.

Thanks for having the Canadian Teachers' Federation here to speak to Bill C-69 and bring the perspective of teachers in Canada to the study of the legislation.

The federation is an organization that represents over 365,000 K-to-12 public education teachers and education workers in Canada. We proudly represent members in every province and territory.

I'm here to speak to the positive things for education in Bill C-69.

As the cost of living crisis continues to hit Canadians hard, teachers and their families are no different. That's why, when we met the Minister of Finance earlier this year to discuss issues of affordability and cost-saving measures that would benefit teachers and their families, we had three clear asks. These were the creation of a national school food program, federal loan forgiveness for teachers and more resources for mental health.

The pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of students and young people, and students' academic success is linked to their well-being. This budget has more resources dedicated to addressing mental health concerns within youth communities in Canada. We know that sadly, mental health is becoming a more prevalent cost for families. We called on the federal government to find a way to make sure the government seeks to alleviate barriers to mental health supports, especially for those who find them inaccessible. We are pleased to see that the government pledged $500 million over five years for a new youth mental health fund designed to help younger Canadians access health care.

With student mental health issues on the rise, classrooms are becoming more complex. As a result, working conditions are deteriorating. Consequently, teachers are leaving the profession. In addition, student populations are growing and, unfortunately, fewer people are enrolling in education faculties and universities. This has resulted in a retention and recruitment crisis in education in this country, especially in remote and rural communities.

The federation pointed out a way that the federal government could make entering teaching a more enticing and viable career path by using loan forgiveness. This initiative would mean the loan forgiveness of thousands of dollars for teachers in communities that already have a difficult time recruiting. I cannot state strongly enough how significant an investment this is into public education and into making the lives of teachers and their families more affordable.

Did you know that in 2022, one in four Canadian children were food insecure in Canada? That really is something, if you think about it.

We asked for the creation of a national food program, which is a program that we have long called for and felt was long overdue. After a decade of advocacy, we are thrilled and relieved to hear the announcement of an investment of $1 billion over five years.

This is wonderful news for us and many other organizations that have advocated a food school program for years. Taking pressure off parents and families by providing nutritious meals for school-aged children at school is something that Canada, collectively, should be excited and proud about. This will have a life-changing impact on the lives of children and families living in Canada. Putting food on the lunchroom table at school will improve student physical and mental health, improve their ability to fully participate in their education and improve relationships at school. Research shows that universal food programs provide a 2.5 to 7 times return in human health and economic benefits.

I'm really pleased that Bill C-69 has made investments into each of these three key areas that will have an impact on education. Education is the foundation of a healthy and prosperous society. Spending money on education and youth is not a cost; it's an investment.

Thank you very much.