Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and privilege to stand before the House for the first time as the newly elected member of Parliament for London—Fanshawe. Let me begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to the people of London—Fanshawe for entrusting me with this great responsibility. Their voices were heard loud and clear, and it is my duty to ensure they echo strongly within these walls.

I extend my sincere thanks to my campaign manager, Al Pickard, for his tireless work and leadership, and Jason King for his dedication and long hours. I would not be here today if it was not for them and our incredible campaign team and volunteers, which includes Carrie Anne Stephenson, Dave and Veronica Heffernan, Patrick Mair, Sam Lichtman, Nick Spina, Peter Vanderley, Matthias Vanderley, Cory Bennett, Jason Morand, Adam Cull, Arun Matthew, Ian Baldock, Chris Hagelsten, Michelle Wilson and her son Chase, Tami Hoggard, Chris Seal, Jay Cosgrove, and Rodney and Louise Sheil. There are also the other countless volunteers and members of the London Fanshawe Conservative association who helped me share the Conservative vision of a better future.

I also wish to thank Grant Vezina, Paul Vezina, Rick Meyer, John Brotzel, Andrew Kaikkonen, Barbaralee Vail, David Weber, Shirley and Pete Heisz, Bonna Bryan, Chris O'Neil, Patrick O'Neil, Shawn Bender, Beatrix Enter and Paul O'Neill for their invaluable encouragement and support throughout my campaign. I thank each and every one of them from the bottom of my heart. Of course, I want to say a special thanks to the Hon. Pierre Poilievre for aspiring a movement to give people in London—Fanshawe, and all across Canada, hope.

I also want to thank my brother, Keith; my sister-in-law, Kavita; their children, Devan, Dhiren and Diva; my sister Krystle; my brother-in-law, Justin; their children Tyler, Evan and Krystin; and my girlfriend, Dilcia “Dee” Casilla, whose love and support mean the world to me. Most importantly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my father, Ken Holman, and to my late mother, Lucy Holman. They have been both my foundation and my greatest inspiration. Through their example of personal sacrifice for the greater good and the lively debates that we shared over the supper table, I learned to believe in myself and to never to give up, understanding that with hard work and determination, I can help make a difference. It is because of these values and lessons that I stand here today.

My election represents a historic moment for London—Fanshawe. For decades, many in our community felt their voices went unheard and their concerns overlooked. Today, as we are witnessing a new dawn, London—Fanshawe stands proudly as a beacon, a testament, to the power of democracy and the change that it brings when pursuing genuine representation. Our community will no longer be a silent observer but an active participant shaping in our country's future.

As the first Conservative member of Parliament in London—Fanshawe's history, on my first address in this sacred chamber, it is my duty to speak truth to power. The truth is that the last decade has been an unmitigated disaster. The Liberals, together with their NDP accomplices, have destroyed the middle class and cheapened the dollar while inflating the price of everything. They have trampled on Canadians' rights and freedoms, and they have caused so much division. Worst of all, they broke the Canadian promise that, up until now, has passed from generation to generation, which is the promise that hard work leads to a good life and a beautiful home on a safe street. That was not theirs to break. It is much bigger than any party, bigger than any prime minister. It is the heart of what makes Canada the best country on Earth. I will fight relentlessly to restore that promise for London—Fanshawe and for all Canadians. This is what it is all about.

On her deathbed in 2015, my mother said to me, “Kurt, live a wonderful life and be happy.” I think it is safe to say that every parent wants this for their children. We must restore Canada's promise so that all Canadians can live a wonderful life and be happy.

I am a computer analyst, raised in a small town in Forest, Ontario. I am a graduate of North Lambton Secondary School, class of 1999, and a graduate of the computer engineering technology program at Lambton College in Sarnia, Ontario, in 2002. With 27 years of information technology experience, I recently earned, from McMaster University, an MBA in digital transformation utilizing artificial intelligence.

In information technology, when a system fails, we can try rebooting, but if the issue is at the core, a system restart will not do much. Turning the Liberal government on and off, over and over again, will not fix Canada's problems.

Until recently, I would have never even thought about running for office, but I could not sit this one out. I saw too much struggle, pain and despair, and I felt compelled to do something about it, so I put disappointment and frustration into action.

The Prime Minister ran on change. He distanced himself from the failed experiments of the former Liberal prime minister and even borrowed a number of Conservative policies. If he is sincere, if that was more than just rhetoric, I, along with my Conservative colleagues, will gladly work together to bring real change. I echo the Hon. Pierre Poilievre in welcoming the Prime Minister to borrow many more Conservative ideas, which our country so desperately needs.

Unfortunately, with every passing day, it is becoming clearer and clearer that, when it comes to actions, not words, the new Liberal government is no different. It is not exactly a big surprise, with the same team of radicals in the cabinet, but it is very disappointing nonetheless. Canadians deserve to be treated like adults, with honesty, respect and transparency. The status quo, whether it is in silly socks or fancy banker suits, is still the status quo.

The Prime Minister promised change. He presented himself as the man with a plan, but as soon as he was elected, he tabled a massive, half-trillion dollar spending bill, increasing government spending by 8%, and announced that he will not give a budget any time soon. Does that look like change?

Let us talk about “elbows up”. If only Canadians could save a nickel off their taxes every time the Prime Minister said those two words. However, we discovered that his cabinet, behind closed doors, quietly exempted American industries from nearly every tariff they publicly championed. Does that seem like change? No wonder President Trump endorsed the Liberals.

Let us talk about the cornerstone policy of the NDP-Liberal government over the last decade: the carbon tax. After ignoring the painful economic consequences of this inflationary punishment, the government now attempts a sleight of hand, shifting the tax from consumers directly onto the producers. Are Canadians really expected to believe businesses will simply absorb these costs? Of course they will not. The costs will fall onto everyday Canadians.

Across London—Fanshawe, small and medium-sized businesses form the heartbeat of our local economy. Under these new burdens, our businesses are expected to “elbow up”, but in reality, the government is tying their elbows behind their backs. I am a firm believer that success builds success. Our businesses need the government to get out of the way so they can succeed. It is common sense that their success will build a successful economy. This carbon tax, much like the original, is not environmental stewardship. It is economic sabotage. London—Fanshawe's entrepreneurs deserve better. They deserve policies that unleash innovation, foster competition and allow our businesses to thrive, not barely survive.

Moreover, young families and students in London—Fanshawe face unprecedented challenges as housing prices skyrocket beyond reach, yet the government's new housing minister says that lowering housing prices is not even on the agenda. What kind of future are we building when home ownership becomes an unattainable dream?

Inflation under this government has pushed hard-working families to the brink. London—Fanshawe residents are seeing their paycheques shrink and their expenses surge every day. We cannot afford this directionless drift any longer.

Our economy needs clarity, not confusion. We must empower, not impede, our businesses, entrepreneurs and workers. It is time to remove the barriers holding them back and give them the freedom to drive our economy forward. The business people, entrepreneurs, and white-collar and blue-collar workers are the pillars of London—Fanshawe. They are the people who will work long hours to put food on the table. They just want to know that hard work leads to a good and happy life, both for them and one day for their children.

As a government-in-waiting, we stand ready with practical solutions. To the parents who lie awake wondering what tomorrow will bring, they can rest assured that we will fight to secure a brighter future for their children.

London—Fanshawe chose hope over division, prosperity over empty promises and leadership over empty gestures. I am committed to representing their interests vigorously in Ottawa. Together we will ensure our community's voice is strong, respected and impactful.

Kurt Holman

Transcript

Speech from the Throne

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