Heather McPherson
Edmonton Strathcona, Alberta · NDP · Canada
“To the security personnel, to the Sergeant-at-Arms, I thank them so much for keeping us safe in this moment, when times become much more dangerous as we go. To the food services staff and the cafeteria staff who keep us fed, we are so grateful for that. I thank them.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take a moment, on behalf of New Democrats, to thank all the people who make the work that we do in the House possible.”
“It has been a difficult year for many of us. I am so very grateful for Blake, Christine, Jen, Peter and every one of the staff, who have been with us and who have done the important work. I would like to echo the thanks we have heard from other parties. Our families endure an awful lot while we come to do our work in this place.”
“Mr. Speaker, this week, the Prime Minister claimed that Trump's war in Iran was “worth it.” Thousands were killed, including schoolchildren. Schools and hospitals were destroyed. Families and entire communities were displaced.”
“Mr. Speaker, more than 3,000 volunteers helped collect over 200,000 signatures from Albertans who are determined to protect our mountains, our rivers and our drinking water from the threat of coal mining. Albertans have spoken loudly and clearly.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am so proud today to stand and table petition e‑6783, which was signed by 10,182 Canadians. These Canadians are asking the government to apply the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act consistently for all those Canadian citizens returning from conflict zones.”
The complete record
Every one of 171 lines we hold for Heather McPherson, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 4.
“Mr. Speaker, Canada is in a national housing emergency. Rents are skyrocketing, home ownership is slipping out of reach and encampments are growing in every city. This did not happen by accident, and it is not inevitable; it is the result of a government that has failed to act with the urgency and the scale that this crisis demands. Housing is a human right. We need public builders, real investment in non-profit and co-op housing, strong tenant protections, indigenous housing led by indigenous communities and homes people can actually afford. The Liberals do not get it. Their budget offers only half of what the Prime Minister promised during the election, and they are delivering only a fraction of the of the half-million homes they promised.”
“Real unions are democratic and accountable to their members, and only to their members. [ Translation ] Unions must be free and independent. [ English ] I urge all members to support this legislation when it next comes before the House. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)”
“moved for leave to introduce Bill C-259, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (fair representation) . Bill C-259. Introduction and first reading She said: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table the fair representation act. [ Translation ] This law protects workers' rights. [ English ] This legislation would protect workers' fundamental right to organize freely and know that they are being represented by an independent and democratic union. The CLAC is the largest example of a company union. It claims to represent workers, but labour boards in Nova Scotia and Manitoba have ruled against it. The International Trade Union Confederation suspended CLAC for undermining labour conditions, yet the Liberal government gave CLAC nearly $5 million in public funds just last year. This has to stop.”
“Mr. Speaker, families in Edmonton Strathcona and across the country cannot wait until June to get help with their groceries. In 2022, the House passed legislation and there was an emergency payment done in weeks. Instead of making Canadians wait for months, will the Prime Minister work with the NDP to get help for Canadians immediately? If the Liberals are interested in lowering the rate for groceries, will they please take the GST off all grocery essentials, finally impose a price cap and tax excess profits to stop Canadians from getting gouged by big corporate interests?”
“Mr. Speaker, Danielle Smith is making an unprecedented attack on health care in this country. If she is allowed to get away with privatization, it will be the beginning of the end of public, universal, single-payer health care in this country, which is central to Canadian identity. Alberta health care workers are calling for the government to protect health care and to enforce the Canada Health Act. Will the Prime Minister protect public health care and enforce the law in this country, or will he just take a photo op with Danielle Smith?”
“That would actually unlock real tools, real coordination and real funding to deal with the challenge happening in our communities. The future of our communities and our country depend on it.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians are living through a housing crisis. Families are being priced out of their neighbourhoods. Young people cannot imagine owning a home. Seniors are being pushed into impossible situations. This crisis is not abstract; it is urgent, it is national, and it is getting worse every single day. When I was in Sudbury this week, I heard directly from local housing experts, who told me there are no shelter spaces, there is no affordable housing, children and the elderly are increasingly among those living on the streets, and the number of unhoused has skyrocketed in the last two years, with “people...dying faster than we are housing them”. This is why I am calling on the Government of Canada to finally declare a national housing emergency and to act on it.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not want coal mines destroying our cherished Rocky Mountains. Four years ago, the minister promised new coal mine selenium regulations that would protect our rivers and lakes from toxic pollution. Now we discover that instead of providing protection, the Liberals are allowing a dramatic increase in the pollutants going into rivers and lakes. The government is betraying its promise to Canadians. When will the government finally put the health of Canadians and the environment ahead of foreign interests?”
“They have indicated six parts that they would like to see the Government of Canada implement, including the evacuation of at-risk relatives of Canadian citizens, the establishment of a safe humanitarian corridor, the deployment of Canadian military aircraft or chartered planes to evacuate those most at risk, the waiving of visa requirements and granting humanitarian permits, the appointment of a special envoy or establishment of a dedicated task force and the upholding of Canada's international obligations to protect Palestinian families seeking safe refuge.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have another petition as well. This petition was signed by 850 Canadians. Knowing that the population of Gaza is enduring an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, including forced starvation, displacement and systematic attacks on civilians, in blatant violation of international law, and knowing that the Gaza temporary resident visa program, launched by Canada, has been an incredibly dismal and disappointing failure, these citizens of Canada call on our government to implement a comprehensive and urgent evacuation plan under the name of a Canada-Gaza authorization for emergency travel.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to table today. In the first petition, petitioners from across Canada have noted that nickel is an important raw material in the manufacturing of arms and that Canada is a strong producer of nickel. Knowing that Israel is committing a genocide in Palestine, these citizens have asked the Canadian government to ensure that there is a ban on any Canadian nickel being used in the manufacturing of arms used by Israel in the genocide against Palestinians and that, in fact, there should be something to certify that all users of that nickel will not use that product for arms to be used by Israel.”
“Hans leaves behind a legacy of compassion, integrity and hope, one that will continue to guide all of us who had the privilege of knowing him.”
“Mr. Speaker, this weekend, we lost an extraordinary Edmontonian, a beautiful human being who devoted his life to serving his community, his country and this planet. Hans Smits was an educator and a former associate dean at the University of Calgary. His passion for learning and his lifelong dedication to the teaching profession inspired thousands across Canada and around the world. Hans was deeply committed to democracy. He was a tireless volunteer for Public Interest Alberta and a proud New Democrat who was honoured with a lifetime membership by the Alberta NDP. This year, he received the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal in recognition of his remarkable contributions to his community. To Donna, his family and the many friends, colleagues and students who mourn him today, I offer my heartfelt condolences.”
“Mr. Speaker, across this country, from the schools in Alberta to the factories in Ontario and from the farms in the Prairies to the offices and hospitals in our cities, it is the workers of Canada who build this nation every single day. Workers' rights are not gifts handed down. They are victories won through courage, solidarity and sacrifice. Every fair wage, every safe workplace and every weekend and benefit we have was fought for by people who believed in the dignity and justice of workers. However, today, those hard-won rights are under threat. The Liberal government must stop attacking workers, stop undermining collective bargaining, stop leaving workers behind and start standing with the people who make this country run. When workers rise, Canada rises.”
“This is bullying and a rejection of the rights of every worker in this country. This is an assault on our fundamental freedoms and an assault on our democracy.”
“We need community benefit agreements that must be negotiated to establish high labour standards, including prevailing wages, minimum apprenticeship ratios, union representation and affirmative action hiring for people from regional, indigenous or disadvantaged communities. We need to stop the expansion of unfair gig work. These workers are not self-employed. They deserve EI. They deserve to be covered by CPP. Make no mistake, the workers in this country are under attack. Just today, in my home province of Alberta, Danielle Smith is threatening to use the notwithstanding clause against 51,000 teachers in our province. We all need to pay attention, because if Danielle Smith can do this to the teachers today, Conservative premiers across the country will do it to nurses, to construction workers, to anyone who dares to fight for fairness.”
“I think about my colleague from Winnipeg Centre , who has tabled legislation that would repeal section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, the section the Liberal government continues to use against workers, taking away their right to negotiate. I am proud of the legislation that I am bringing forward to the House that will stop company unions such as CLAC. It would stop unions that are not working in the best interests of their workers, because every single worker deserves to know the union that represents them has their best interests, and only their best interests, at heart. There is so much work left to do. We need legislation to ensure that all major federal projects must use Canadian workers and Canadian products.”
“Just ask anyone from a small or rural community how important Canada Post is. Ask a small business owner what Canada Post means to them. CUPW workers have proposed ways to save this Canadian institution. We could have postal banking. We could have senior check-ins. We could have a delivery system that meets our climate targets. Canada Post's infrastructure could be expanded to benefit all Canadians. It could be a public service that strengthens our communities. Instead, the Liberals would rather punish the workers and let Canada Post die. New Democrats know workers deserve better. I am so proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to protect workers in this country. I think about the work the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie did in the last Parliament to force the government to put in place anti-scab legislation.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am standing here today in solidarity with the over 60,000 CUPW workers in this country, workers the government has turned its back on. Last spring, I asked the Minister of Jobs and Families why the Liberals were not protecting postal services and our posties. She said, “Federal mediators continue to work with the parties on a solution”. That is not true. None of that is happening. There is no effective mediation happening. There are no effective negotiations ongoing. It has all been a sham. The Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement has simply parroted every single thing that Canada Post management has said to undermine workers, delay fair negotiations and chip away at one of our country's most fundamental and trusted public institutions.”
“Mr. Speaker, Albertans are being charged $100 for a COVID-19 vaccination while other Canadians are getting their vaccinations for free. The Canada Health Act guarantees access to necessary health services for everyone regardless of where they live, but the government is doing nothing while premiers break the law and Canadians' health suffers. I wrote to the Prime Minister about this months ago and have yet to hear back from him, so I am asking the Prime Minister this today: Why is he refusing to enforce the Canada Health Act so that Canadians can get the health care they deserve?”
“Mr. Speaker, postal workers are the backbone of our communities. They deliver prescriptions, they deliver cheques and they deliver vital communications. They could expand services as well, to include things like postal banking and seniors' check-ins, yet instead of supporting the workers and allowing them to bargain, the Liberal government has chosen to fight with over 65,000 workers. The government has used section 107 to suspend postal workers' legal right to strike. Why is the government siding with Canada Post instead of standing up for fair wages, safe workplaces and a stronger—”
“Mr. Speaker, finally, I present a petition that has been signed by Canadians from coast to coast. They note that during the dissolution of the 44th Parliament, petition e-5345 was not able to get a response, and this muzzled the voices of the 66,562 Canadians from 10 provinces and three territories who signed the petition. The petition declared that Donald J. Trump is a convicted and sentenced felon of the United States of America; that he is an insurrectionist, having engaged in one on his own U.S. Capitol; and that he is making ongoing threats of both a monetary and a sovereignty-related nature against Canada. The petitioners ask that Donald Trump be refused entry to Canada until such time as he ceases and desists from making threats or taking actions contrary to the well-being of Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, the third is a petition that is being presented in the context of the deteriorating political situation in Pakistan, concerning democracy, human rights and the safety of Canadian Pakistanis who have been vocal in their support for these causes. Those who have signed this petition ask the Government of Canada to call for an immediate inquiry into the tragic events of November 26, 2024, in which the military regime opened fire on unarmed protesters, as well as an inquiry into the tainted February 2024 general elections. They call for the immediate release of Imran Khan and other political prisoners in Pakistan. They ask the Government of Canada to issue a statement in solidarity with the restoration of the people's mandate and democratic governance in Pakistan.”
“The people who have signed this petition are urging the Government of Canada to work with international partners, including the United Nations, to urgently deploy peacekeeping forces to Gaza to protect civilians, to support the delivery of humanitarian aid and to uphold Canada's commitment to international humanitarian law and the responsibility to protect vulnerable populations.”
“The signatories to this petition plead with the Government of Canada to immediately suspend all arms exports to Israel, to support war crime investigations, to demand unrestricted aid access and to end its complicity in violations of international law. The second petition has been signed by almost 20,000 Canadian citizens. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of innocent civilian lives, including the lives of innocent children.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions to present today. The first petition comes from citizens across this country. More than 30,000 Canadians have signed this petition. It is a petition recognizing that there is an ongoing genocide happening in Gaza, that civilians in Gaza are enduring prolonged periods without food as aid is blocked, that UN agencies confirm mass starvation, that nearly 90% of Gaza's population has been forcibly displaced and that the United Nations, the International Criminal Court and human rights experts have opened or supported investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.”
“These are the teachers, the doctors and the people who have been working on this issue for so long. I hope everyone in the House will recognize the value of having a framework to support people living with ADHD in this country, both children and adults. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)”
“However, if those people are not identified and do not receive treatment, the implication is that their ability to succeed at school, at work and within their relationships is greatly diminished. For me, recognizing that there is no strategy or framework across this country that ensures doctors and teachers are given the tools they require to diagnose, treat and support people living with ADHD showed a gap that the legislation would be very good at filling. I am so grateful to my colleague from Courtenay—Alberni for all the incredible work he has done on mental health supports. For him to second the bill means a great deal to me. I am also very grateful to the advocates for all their work and for supporting me and supporting the legislation.”
“moved for leave to introduce Bill C-229, An Act to establish a national framework respecting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Bill C-229. Introduction and first reading She said: Mr. Speaker, it is my great honour to stand in the House today and table this legislation. We all know somebody who has ADHD. For me, it is my son Maclean. When my son was young, we were able to get him the treatment and care he needed, but I found during the time that it was very difficult for people to get treatment and get the identification of ADHD. We know that if people living with ADHD have the resources they need and the services available, the outcomes show minimal to zero effects of ADHD.”
“It tips the scales against fairness and against democracy itself. Anyone who cares about workers, good jobs and safe workplaces, and who has respect for working people, will repeal—”
“Mr. Speaker, I have had flights delayed longer than it took the Liberal government to attack the rights of workers in this country. Over and over and over again, the Liberals have used section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to have back-to-work legislation by another name. They used it against Air Canada flight attendants. They used it against postal workers, who have been asking for a fair contract for years. They used it against port workers across the country. Every time, Liberals told workers that their right to stand up for themselves did not matter to the government. Every time, employers were rewarded for refusing to bargain in good faith. Good, free collective bargaining is a fundamental right. Section 107 is a backdoor way of kneecapping that right. It tips the scales against workers.”
“Mr. Speaker, it has been four years since we were promised new selenium regulations to protect Canada's water and fish from the devastating impacts of coal mining. With the Conservatives and the Liberals in a bromance on Bill C-5 , I am wondering whether the minister will be bringing these protections forward. Now that they have decided to ignore workers' rights, environmental laws and indigenous rights, these protections and regulations are more important than ever. When will we see these long-awaited, long-promised regulations to stop foreign coal companies from destroying our beloved Rocky Mountains?”
“Our path to a stronger economy and a better future cannot bypass human rights in Canada or abroad. We must protect our democracy. We must protect human rights. That is who we are as Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are at a critical time in our nation's history. We know that Canada can no longer rely on the U.S. for our primary strategic trade and security needs. We must now forge a different and a strategic path to ensure that our security, our peace and our sovereignty are protected. However, right now in Alberta, separatist groups are preparing a referendum to separate from Canada, thanks to Danielle Smith. At the very moment that we must come together for our country and for our future, Conservatives in my province are working to divide us. They are feeding Trump's “51st state” hallucinations. While the Prime Minister is cozying up to human rights abusers and tyrants, he is rejecting meaningful consultation with workers, environmental groups and indigenous nations.”
“Mr. Speaker, in Edmonton Strathcona, what people want to see is a reasonable approach to developing nation-building projects. My dad was a truck driver. My family works in the oil and gas sector. Having projects stopped in court and held up in gridlock because we do not do the proper work is a real problem. We also need to make sure we are protecting our wild spaces, protecting our wildlife and ensuring that the environmental protections Canadians have worked so hard for are not able to be run roughshod over by a minister. I think that is what Albertans want to see from the government.”
“Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, the one thing we can actually prove Stephen Harper built in this country was a whole bunch of division, a whole bunch of groups that were muzzled, scientists who were muzzled. Oh, and he also built what I believe was seven affordable homes during his decade.”
“Mr. Speaker, I think the member perhaps did not hear what I said, because I said that I actually do support big nation-building projects. However, when we do it wrong, as Stephen Harper did, when we do it wrong, as Bill C-5 would, those projects do not get built. They end up in court. There end up being protests. There end up being blockades, because the Liberals are not doing the hard work to ensure we are doing adequate consultation. That is to say nothing of how undemocratic it is to ram a giant bill like this through with two days at committee and with no parliamentary oversight. For a man who speaks so much in the House of Commons, one would think the member would have some sort of respect for Parliament.”
“I am proud to be part of a party that fights for good jobs and good governance. I will not accept the false choice between economic ambition and democratic accountability. We can have both. In fact, we must. I say to my colleagues in the House, let us build. Let us build things. Let us build big things with Canadian workers. Let us build things with Canadian products, but let us do it right. Let us protect workers' rights. Let us protect indigenous rights. Let us protect the environment. No more pushing legislation through, because what happens then is that nothing gets built.”
“I want to speak directly to the workers in my province, those who built this country and weathered the ups and downs, the booms and busts of Alberta's economy. They deserve good jobs. They deserve stability, but those things cannot happen if the federal government thinks that it can sidestep environmental and indigenous concerns. Anyone who has ever built anything knows it has to be built right the first time. Let us not pretend that there is not an urgency. Donald Trump has turned everything on its head. There is an economic urgency to act. There is a climate crisis, and there is urgency to act. Canadians need to build more. We need to start building more with Canadian workers, Canadian products and Canadian resources. It is urgent, but urgency does not give the Liberal government, or any government, a blank cheque.”
“The backlash was real, and the consequences were clear. Bill C-5 is not some brand new plan. It is a recycled strategy. It is one that history tells us will not deliver on its promises, but instead will fuel conflict, division and delays. If the Liberal government wants to build real infrastructure, real jobs and real nation building, it needs to start by respecting democracy and not undermining it. If anyone is worried about the climate crisis, they should be even more concerned. This bill would allow projects to be declared strategic and pushed forward without evaluating their long-term impact on our water, air, wildlife or emissions. That is not planning for the future; that is gambling with the future.”
“It is the history of Canada's broken attempts at nation-building without democracy. Let us remember when Stephen Harper tried something similar. He pushed for Bill C-45 , the Jobs and Growth Act. It is a piece of legislation that was designed to streamline infrastructure approvals by curtailing environmental reviews and consultations. As political reporter Althia Raj has mentioned, the building Canada act, Bill C-5 , is “the type of legislation that Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper might have been too timid to bring forward, fearing a public backlash.” Now, why do we have this? It is because Canadians have rejected being out of decisions. Indigenous people have rejected being sidelined. Environmental groups have rejected the erasure of safeguards. Under Stephen Harper, nothing got built. Projects failed.”
“Under Bill C-5 , that government would have the power to green-light mines, pipelines or highways without any meaningful environmental assessment, without any duty to consult with indigenous nations and without any debate in this House, all with the stroke of a pen. (2230) Does this sound like the Canada that the Prime Minister ran on? Is this what he told Canadians they were voting for? I do not think so. Let us be very clear about what kind of power grab this will actually mean on the ground. When transparent processes and meaningful consultation are taken away, what happens? Projects do not get built any faster. They end up in court. Communities feel shut out. Protests and blockades happen. Legal battles drag on for years, and we get no progress. We get gridlock. This is not hypothetical.”
“I am from Alberta and I have seen what happens when decisions about lands and resources are made behind closed doors. I have seen what it looks like when economic development ignores environmental costs. Right now, Albertans are rightly furious with their provincial Conservative government, which has opened up coal mining in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains once again. I have seen time and time again how indigenous communities are left out of decisions that directly impact their lives and futures. When I see legislation like Bill C-5 , which strips away the few checks and safeguards we have, I cannot remain quiet. This is not just about the Liberal government. Let us imagine a different government, perhaps a Conservative government with Pierre Poilievre.”
“It would make it easier for us to have one Canadian economy, not 13 economies. It would help. There is potential for it to have some very good outcomes for workers. Of course, as parliamentarians, we have an obligation to do our due diligence to look at this legislation and ensure it is strong. It is the second part of the legislation that I have really big problems with. It would expand federal authority over how major infrastructure projects are approved. It would centralize power in the hands of a few cabinet ministers, giving them sweeping discretion to decide which projects are strategic or urgent and therefore exempt from the usual federal processes: environmental reviews, consultation requirements, public debates, etc. This means that ministers, not Parliament, not indigenous groups and not Canadians, would decide what gets built.”
“This piece of legislation is not just flawed, but has dangerous overreach that threatens the democratic principles that underlie this House and, in fact, this country. Let me be very clear. I support the idea of transformative investment. I support creating good unionized jobs. I support building infrastructure that will serve generations to come. However, we cannot and we must not trade away workers' protections, transparency, accountability, environmental protections and indigenous rights in the name of expediency. That is what this bill does. It is an attempt to push forward a nation-building agenda without democracy. That is a problem. Let us look at what this bill does. Bill C-5 has two parts, and the first part I have a lot of support for. This piece of legislation would make it easier for workers to work around this country.”
“We want to create secure futures for our families and for our communities, and we want to create infrastructure that meets the needs of the 21st century. We want that; that is clear. That is not up for debate in the House this evening. In fact, I support the objectives of Bill C-5 . The problem I have is that Canadians require a government that can actually deliver. We all want a government that has ambition and has big ideas, but we need a government that can deliver. The way that Bill C-5 has been drafted and the ham-fisted way the government is pushing it through mean that I have a lot of doubt that these projects will get built. Today I rise to speak out against the way the Liberal government is attempting to ram through Bill C-5 .”
“Mr. Speaker, this is my first speech in the House this Parliament, and I would like to take some time to thank the constituents of Edmonton Strathcona for putting their trust in me again. I would also like to thank my incredible team, both in Edmonton and in Ottawa, for all the work they do to help me. Of course, it would not be a maiden speech if I did not take a moment to thank my dear husband, Duncan, and my two children, Maclean and Keltie, for their support. Tonight we are discussing the way that Bill C-5 is being pushed through Parliament, and I have to start by saying that Canadians are not short on ambition. Canadians want big, ambitious projects. We want nation-building projects that create good unionized jobs.”
“Mr. Speaker, why did the Conservative Party of Canada vote with the Liberal Party of Canada to prevent the Prime Minister from coming to committee to explain why he brought forward this piece of legislation?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Standing Orders clearly indicate we are not able to indicate how a member voted. However, we are able to discuss how parties voted. That is in the Standing Orders. I would like the member to explain why the Conservatives voted with the Liberals to not bring Mark Carney to committee. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!”
“Mr. Speaker, I have a very simple question. This is a very complex piece of legislation. I understand the Conservatives will be voting with the Liberals to support it. What I do not understand is why, with such a complex piece of legislation, the Conservatives voted with the Liberals to prevent the Prime Minister from testifying at committee. They had an opportunity to have the Prime Minister come and explain why this omnibus bill needed to be rushed through so quickly, why this omnibus bill was not—”