Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today on behalf of the people of Cardigan, Prince Edward Island. I thank them for the trust they placed in me, and I assure them that I am here to work for all my constituents, regardless of who they voted for. I want to take a moment to thank my family: my wife Catherine, my son Alex and all my extended family, who have stepped up and taken over my duties as a dairy farmer of 38 years. They have allowed me this opportunity to pursue a lifelong dream of representing the people of Cardigan.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank my predecessor, the Hon. Lawrence MacAuley, who represented the riding of Cardigan for over 36 years and delayed my lifelong dream. In all seriousness, his hard work and commitment during his years as an MP are visibly evident throughout the riding of Cardigan.

I invite all colleagues of the House to visit Prince Edward Island in support of tourism at home in Canada this year. From our pristine beaches and renowned golf courses to our world-class seafood and rich cultural experiences, P.E.I. offers something for everybody. Our vibrant and resilient communities welcome people to discover the authentic hospitality that makes our island truly unique.

As the representative of Cardigan, I stand grounded in shared values: community, family, hard work and fairness. I stand here today feeling proud and hopeful because the Speech from the Throne delivered last week offers a bold and ambitious yet practical approach to building a strong Canada from coast to coast to coast.

This government's plan responds to the defining challenges of our time with clarity, compassion and informed decision-making. It prioritizes affordability, national unity, clean energy growth, reconciliation, and rural opportunities. It offers the people of Cardigan more than the ability to endure the pace of change, but opportunities to forge and lead through it.

What I hear about most from my constituents is the cost of living, including from young families trying to buy their first home in Montague and seniors living in Morell trying to balance their household budgets with the increased cost of groceries and prescription medicines. That is why I strongly support the government's measures for reducing costs and making life more affordable.

Removing the consumer carbon tax will help our fishers and farmers be more competitive, with lower costs to process and transport their products, and it will benefit all other residents through reductions in fuel prices. Cutting the GST on houses at or under $1 million for first-time homebuyers will result in up to $50,000 in savings. In rural P.E.I., that is a real game-changer.

We are maintaining key programs, such as child care, pharmacare and the new dental care plan, which now helps millions of Canadians, including thousands of people in Cardigan. We are also going to be reducing income taxes for approximately 22 million Canadians. These are practical ways that this government is reducing day-to-day costs for every individual and every family in Canada.

Housing is one of the biggest issues facing young Islanders. Whether it is finding a place to rent or saving for a down payment, the barriers are real, and this government has taken serious action on housing and homes. We will be creating the “build Canada homes” program, a mission-driven approach to fast-tracking affordable builds. We will be investing in prefabricated and modular housing, an area P.E.I. could lead in given our skilled trades base, and we will be cutting municipal development charges for multi-unit housing, making it easier to build homes where they are required.

This is not just a housing program; it is a job and growth creation plan for Canada. As we ramp up homebuilding, we can train and support the next generation of skilled workers in P.E.I. We will work with our educational institutions, like Holland College; our trade unions; and employers across P.E.I. to support Islanders in accessing the training and skills to seize these opportunities.

One of the most exciting parts of the throne speech, which will positively impact all areas of growth, is the drive to create one Canadian economy. Every year, domestic interprovincial trade barriers cost the Canadian economy up to $200 billion, barriers that directly impact opportunities for farmers, fishers and even craft brewers in Cardigan. The plan to remove all remaining federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility by Canada Day is a major win for P.E.I., and I am hopeful this includes reducing the tolls on the Confederation Bridge and Atlantic Canadian ferries to make all industries in P.E.I. more competitive as we pursue new trade alliances across Canada and throughout the world.

The creation of a major federal project office is expected to cut project approval times from five years to two. For infrastructure projects like a proposed electrical grid for the Atlantic region, for clean energy projects like wind or solar and for support for an energy corridor, this means faster action, more jobs and timely outcomes.

The government's renewed trade agenda also promises to open up export channels for island products, from potatoes to seafood to bioscience innovations. Both a port expansion and a new facility for exporting island goods are being discussed. These could translate into real jobs in community hubs in my riding such as Stratford, Souris, Georgetown and Montague.

I represent a riding built on the backbone of our primary industries: farming and fishing. Our government will be protecting supply management, which is essential to dairy farmers like me and egg and poultry producers. We will be backing our food producers and ensuring us all access to fresh, healthy and local foods. We will be recognizing agriculture as not just an economic driver, but a key part of our national identity. We can also support other initiatives, including community-owned lobster co-ops and sustainable agricultural practices. These actions will give our primary industries a path to sustainability and profitability and thus economic stability.

With climate impacts and market uncertainty, stability in these sectors is vital. We create stability by investing in agri-tech and processing infrastructure. Our government must also continue to fund small craft harbours for the repairs and dredging that are required because of the increasingly severe weather events and reduced winter ice. Without ice cover, shorelines are exposed to water currents throughout the winter, causing silt accumulation in all our harbours.

The impacts from climate change are not abstract for Islanders. We must advocate for programs that reward climate-friendly land use, protect shorelines and fund climate resilience. Our government's plan includes supporting the creation and sustainability of national and urban parks and marine protected areas, and supporting Canada's clean energy transition, where P.E.I. demonstrates leadership. These actions will support local conservation initiatives and clean growth sectors in eastern P.E.I. Our legacy of service and unity lives on today as we face uncertainty together. We must learn from our history to make tomorrow a better place for future generations.

In the spirit of unity, rural P.E.I. has welcomed newcomers for generations. Cardigan's economy depends on the skills of local workers and newcomers. However, with the increased pressure on housing, education, and health services, this government's decision to rebalance immigration streams while also investing in settlement and training support for newcomers is a responsible approach to supporting communities, as our rural industries need continued access to a temporary foreign worker program. We need to ensure that people are treated fairly and that integration pathways lead to long-term community vibrancy.

The throne speech rightly affirms our commitment to indigenous reconciliation, to supporting two official languages and to maintaining culturally focused institutions like CBC/Radio Canada. CBC's presence in the Atlantic ensures our stories, our music and our challenges are heard, and it is vital to rural community connection. In the Cardigan riding, we work closely with the Abegweit First Nation in our continued efforts in reconciliation. The Speech from the Throne commits to advancing reconciliation by doubling the indigenous loan guarantee program to $10 billion, enabling communities to participate in major projects.

At the end of the day, Islanders are pragmatic. We know the value of a dollar, and we expect our government to exercise the same pragmatic approach to spending. The Speech from the Throne sets a strong target of reducing annual government operating spending from 9% to 2%. At the same time, it protects transfers to provinces, individuals and communities. It demands smart investment, not reckless cuts. By reducing duplication and using technology, the government aims to improve services while controlling costs, a philosophy that would resonate in any P.E.I. household.

This Speech from the Throne is more than a federal document. It is a blueprint for how we can strengthen Canada by empowering electoral districts like mine. It acknowledges that places like Cardigan are not peripheral to the nation; we are foundational to it. With action on affordability, housing, jobs, reconciliation and sustainability, this plan reflects the hopes and aspirations of the people I am proud to represent, people who wake up early, work hard and care deeply about their communities.

As a member of Parliament, I will work hard every day to make sure the plan is implemented in a way that reflects our island priorities, that our projects are funded, that our voices are heard and that our future is secured. Let us build a Cardigan where opportunities are everywhere. Let us work together to write the next chapter of—

Kent MacDonald