Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Whitby. I join my colleagues in congratulating you on your appointment. We all know that the Assistant Deputy Speaker is an important role that sets the tone in the House.

Like many of my colleagues have done today and in recent days, I rise for the very first time in this 45th Parliament. It is an honour and a privilege that comes with great responsibility. I owe my being here to the people of Hochelaga-Rosemont‑Est, whom I would like to acknowledge right off the bat. They are proud, supportive, and creative Montrealers. Hochelaga-Rosemont‑Est is where families greet each other at Place Simon‑Valois and meet at the Maisonneuve market. It is where friends get together at Morgan, Lalancette, and Louis-Riel parks to picnic and solve the world's problems. I have done it myself. It is also where hundreds of children play in the back alleys that have been a feature of the neighbourhood for decades, and where young and old alike shop in the many flea markets and bring Ontario Street to life.

I am asking the question here. I do not know if anyone has ever been to a race involving not Formula 1 cars or horses, but scooters. Yes, there is a scooter race in “Hochelag”. To experience it, one has to be there in July. It is both unique and memorable.

The people of Hochelaga-Rosemont‑Est chose to put their trust me in the last election. As this parliamentary session begins, I would like to tell them that I aspire to be as persistent, resourceful, sensitive and ambitious as they are. They were very upfront during the election campaign. I can say that their expectations of me are high but, more generally speaking, their expectations of the political class as a whole are immense.

I know that all parliamentarians in the House today did as as I did in recent weeks and laced up their most comfortable shoes to knock on hundreds of thousands of doors in an attempt to win the confidence of voters. Sometimes people made bad choices about footwear and regretted it. In my case, I am quite proud of my results: I knocked on 8,000 doors. From these discussions, I learned about the diverse realities of Hochelaga-Rosemont‑Est. The needs are many, but above all, they are varied. It is my duty to receive all of these requests, as varied as they may be. These requests, aspirations and dreams must be heard in this place.

People in the House have all sorts of resumés, all sorts of past experience. I urge everyone to see that as an asset. I am proud to say that I have a degree in dance. In a country like Canada, an artist, a child of the public education system and a renter who does not own a car can make the leap into active politics. There is something about that idea that makes me happy, reassures me and inspires me.

After a 20-plus-year career in arts and culture as an artist, dancer and producer, I had a second career. This is the beginning of my third career. I was a Radio-Canada host for over 10 years. I hosted news programs, and it is very funny seeing my former colleagues in the corridors. We are all in this dance together. Obviously, I will be a proud advocate for the long-term future of CBC/Radio-Canada.

I would like to commend the tremendous amount of work that was done by Pascale St‑Onge, a former Liberal minister. She had an insightful vision for the future of Radio-Canada. Radio-Canada is us, not just because it bears the name “Canada”, but because it tells our stories, shapes us and helps us stand out. The throne speech clearly mentions the future of CBC/Radio-Canada. Our government's position on that is unwavering.

As members know, there is a team behind every major undertaking. I would like to take this opportunity today to express my sincere gratitude to my campaign co-managers. We were very progressive in Hochelaga-Rosemont‑Est. Simon Boucher and Béatrice Lavallée encouraged and supported me.

Yianni Papadatos, Malia Chenaoui and Alexandre Devaux already know how much I value them. Still, I want to thank them again, and it is especially meaningful to do so today within these walls. My dedicated volunteers have been a strong and flexible link between the passionate, cheerful, and curious woman I am and the people of Hochelaga-Rosemont‑Est. Thanks to their political convictions and their confidence in the Liberal Party, I am here to proudly to represent more than 110,000 Montrealers, Quebeckers and Canadians from seat 150. Among them are people who voted for me, and I am touched by that.

Many people chose to place their trust in candidates from other parties. I respect their choice. However, I would like to say today that the door to my office on Pie‑IX Boulevard in Montreal will always be open to everyone. I invite people to come and see me. I want to hear the concerns of everyone, regardless of their political stripe. To me, the verb “to serve”, as in “to serve the people”, is a noble term. It is an action verb that suggests listening, empathy, and dedication.

I see politics as a team sport, but also a relay. I would like to pay tribute to my predecessor, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, the former Liberal member for Hochelaga. The riding was not called Hochelaga—Rosemont-Est at the time. She was ambitious and had a vision for the riding during her last two terms. She left many legacies, but I will name one: the creation of the Sommet de l'Est. She did not do it alone, but she did an incredible job on it. The Sommet de l'Est puts wind in the sails of business owners, organizations and people who want to use their mission to contribute to the vitality of Hochelaga—Rosemont‑Est. I will follow in her footsteps and be there to support those who want to help the area thrive.

On May 27, His Majesty King Charles III read the Speech from the Throne. It is a speech that I support. It is a speech that conveys a clear vision and a plan that is ambitious and, most of all, unifying. When I was door knocking, Canadians told me that they want greater unity. Together we are stronger. I did not write that, but I very much believe in it. That is what I heard people saying during the election campaign.

We are proposing all sorts of measures, but the ones that are most important to me for the people of Hochelaga—Rosemont‑Est are those that strengthen our social safety net. In Hochelaga—Rosemont‑Est, that is crucial. We need measures to ensure that no one is left behind. There is a major housing crisis across the country, but it is particularly bad in Hochelaga—Rosemont‑Est. My riding is intimately acquainted with the homelessness crisis. For the past several years, I have been speaking out against the comments of the Conservative Party, which is trying to equate homelessness with crime. It is hurtful and insulting, and it is no doubt the result of a lack of understanding of a very complex issue. I hope that we will move beyond partisanship to provide all Canadians with a safe and decent life, no matter where they live. That is especially true in my riding.

In closing, I would like to thank my two grandmothers, who are no longer with us. They are probably looking down on me from above. They were two women who never minced words and who probably gave me that drive without even knowing it. I would like to thank my parents, Michel Ménard and Doris Grenier, who always encouraged me by making me believe, rightly I hope, that yes, we can stand tall, have convictions, and try to make even the smallest changes to create a better future for everyone. I apologize in advance to my family, as I will often be late for dinner. I want to thank my partner, Michel, who believes in me and whom I love. I want to wish everyone a good legislative session.

Marie-Gabrielle Ménard

Transcript

Speech from the Throne

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