Braedon Clark
Sackville—Bedford—Preston, Nova Scotia · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a rising star from my riding of Sackville—Bedford—Preston. Ten-year-old Elayce Clayton from North Preston is headed to Dublin, Ireland, this July to represent team Canada at the 2026 Dance World Cup, the second-largest dance competition in the world.”
“With her training in the categories of jazz, contemporary and hip hop, Elayce has an exciting dance career ahead of her, but first, she is off to Dublin, and no matter where her passion for dance takes her from there, all of us in Nova Scotia will be cheering her on. I offer my congratulations to Elayce.”
“At the centre of that strategy is the Defence Investment Agency. The agency plays a critical role in modernizing and accelerating defence procurement, ensuring we can deliver the right capabilities to the Canadian Armed Forces when they are needed most.”
“These initiatives would allow us to better align with our G7 and NATO partners, which, as we know, is more important than ever, as today's global challenges, including international peace and security, global economic stability and growth, and the digital transition, require Canadians and allies to work together to find shared solutions.”
“Last fiscal year alone, Canada invested more than $63 billion in defence, the largest increase in generations. In March, Canada reached the NATO alliance's benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defence five years earlier than planned, and we are on a path to meet the 5% NATO target by 2035.”
“To keep us safe and secure, we are making generational investments to rebuild, rearm, and reinvest in the Canadian Armed Forces, which will have a profound impact on my home province of Nova Scotia, where 20% of Canadian Armed Forces members are stationed.”
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“With her training in the categories of jazz, contemporary and hip hop, Elayce has an exciting dance career ahead of her, but first, she is off to Dublin, and no matter where her passion for dance takes her from there, all of us in Nova Scotia will be cheering her on. I offer my congratulations to Elayce.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a rising star from my riding of Sackville—Bedford—Preston. Ten-year-old Elayce Clayton from North Preston is headed to Dublin, Ireland, this July to represent team Canada at the 2026 Dance World Cup, the second-largest dance competition in the world. Elayce's talent in dance has earned her a solo performance at the competition, where she is certain to make our community and country proud. Even at her young age, Elayce has been preparing for this moment her whole life. According to her mom, Elayce has been dancing on beat since she was just two years old.”
“We are backing our armed forces with the tools they need, and we are backing Canadian industry and business with opportunity and certainty, helping to ultimately establish Canada's place in the world as a strong, reliable and capable ally. For all of these reasons, I urge all members of the House to support the Defence Investment Agency and, as a result, support a stronger, safer and more resilient Canada.”
“Last fiscal year alone, Canada invested more than $63 billion in defence, the largest increase in generations. In March, Canada reached the NATO alliance's benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defence five years earlier than planned, and we are on a path to meet the 5% NATO target by 2035. That is imperative because when Canada invests in defence, we are investing in Canadians, our workers and our innovators, and all of our future responsibilities. The changes we propose are necessary, timely and forward-looking. They recognize that Canada's security and economic strength are inseparable and that we must be able to act quickly and decisively in a more dangerous world. By establishing the Defence Investment Agency as a stand-alone entity, we are building a procurement system fit for today and for the future.”
“These initiatives would allow us to better align with our G7 and NATO partners, which, as we know, is more important than ever, as today's global challenges, including international peace and security, global economic stability and growth, and the digital transition, require Canadians and allies to work together to find shared solutions. That is why Canada is working with G7 and NATO partners to build a new era of collaboration, one rooted in trusted partnerships, competitive economies and innovation that delivers for people and businesses. This is especially critical when it comes to the defence sector. This moment in history demands seriousness of purpose and a new approach to defence procurement, which is at the heart of our debate tonight. Since day one, our government has acted, and we are seeing results.”
“Today, we debate a second act to implement certain provisions of the budget, which was tabled in Parliament on November 4 of last year, specifically on the defence and national security production and procurement act. To be clear, the legislation is not about bureaucracy. It is about capability. It is about speed. It is about aligning procurement with strategy, industry with security and investment with outcomes. This includes actively advancing initiatives aimed at reducing red tape and improving efficiency, which would ultimately reduce duplication, increase time savings and streamline processes.”
“(1850) In a very short time, it has already demonstrated its value, advancing major procurements such as Arctic over-the-horizon radar and the Canadian patrol submarine project, which are foundational to the defence of Canada, which, of course, has the longest coastline in the world. We know that the Defence Investment Agency, to fully deliver on its mandate, must be established as a stand-alone entity with the authorities, governance and agility required to match the scale of our government's ambition. That has always been the plan. In our spring economic update, our government proposed $103.8 million over five years, starting in this fiscal year, and $22.3 million ongoing, to establish and operate the DIA as a stand-alone organization.”
“That means more high-quality and high-paying jobs for Canadians, from aerospace engineers to cyber specialists and from advanced manufacturing to digital technologies. The Defence Investment Agency is the engine that will turn this strategy into reality. The DIA has a clear and focused mandate to re-equip our military faster and more effectively while leveraging defence investments to strengthen Canada's defence industrial base and attract private capital into the sector. It is designed to accelerate procurement timelines and bring sustained leadership and accountability to the largest defence investments made in generations in this country. The agency in its current form was launched in October 2025 as a special operating agency within Public Services and Procurement Canada.”
“It invests in Canadian innovation, commercialization and export potential, and it provides industry with a more streamlined, predictable and transparent demand outlook. The goal is straightforward: to strengthen Canada's strategic autonomy while building prosperity here at home. This strategy is going to get us there. Over the next decade, we project that we will see an increase in Canada's defence exports by 50% and that we will raise the share, critically, of defence acquisitions awarded to Canadian firms to 70%, supporting our homegrown businesses and innovators in the defence space. The size, capability and competitiveness of Canada's defence industry as a result will, of course, grow.”
“What we have in this country is a procurement system that at times struggles to respond to urgent operational needs, and this has come at a cost to the readiness of our armed forces, as well as our defence industrial base. Of course, this is not due to a lack of commitment or professionalism; rather, it is a reflection of a system that was simply not built for the dangerous environment we face today. Canadians last year elected a government that would focus on building one strong economy. In doing so, we created Canada's first defence industrial strategy, which establishes a whole-of-government approach to transform Canada's defence industry and procurement system. It rightly prioritizes Canadian suppliers and materials wherever possible.”
“At the centre of that strategy is the Defence Investment Agency. The agency plays a critical role in modernizing and accelerating defence procurement, ensuring we can deliver the right capabilities to the Canadian Armed Forces when they are needed most. At the same time, it is driving stronger investment, deeper partnerships and more meaningful engagement with the Canadian defence industry, helping to position Canadian companies to grow, innovate and contribute to both national security and economic prosperity. Let us be honest. In the past, Canada's defence procurement system has been slow, complicated and fragmented, particularly when it comes to decision-making and accountability. We have all seen this movie too many times before, with our most critical defence procurement projects taking decades to complete in some cases.”
“To keep us safe and secure, we are making generational investments to rebuild, rearm, and reinvest in the Canadian Armed Forces, which will have a profound impact on my home province of Nova Scotia, where 20% of Canadian Armed Forces members are stationed. With a bold new approach to defence procurement, we are transforming how we make those investments so that our military has what it needs, when it needs it, and so that Canadians benefit economically from those investments. This transformation is firmly anchored in Canada's first-ever defence industrial strategy, which was launched this past February. It is a landmark framework that sets a long-term vision for how we can strengthen our defence capabilities while building a more resilient, innovative and competitive industrial base right here at home.”
“Madam Speaker, the world is changing rapidly, profoundly and, in many ways, irreversibly. It is more divided, more volatile and more dangerous than at any point since the end of the Cold War. In this new reality, the assumptions that shaped decades of Canadian defence and security policy no longer apply, and the threats we face are no longer just hypothetical scenarios. At the same time, we are dealing with rapidly changing methods of warfare, driven by the proliferation of drones, artificial intelligence, space-based weapons and new technologies that are still emerging. The world has changed, and Canada must change with it. That is why our government is strengthening Canada's sovereign capabilities and critical sectors and deepening co-operation with trusted partners.”
“Mr. Speaker, we know young people are the foundation of Canada's future. Can the Secretary of State for Labour tell the House what our government is doing through the spring economic update to invest in the next generation, ensuring they have both the opportunities to stay active and the pathway to build meaningful careers across this country?”
“She volunteers weekly as a Sunday school teacher, organizes activities for international students and helped facilitate a Black youth-led conference. Needless to say, these are two impressive young women. On behalf of everyone in our riding, I congratulate Anna and Moriah on their great achievement.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Anna Brozek and Moriah Aladejebi, two students in my riding who have been named 2026 Loran scholars. From a pool of over 5,400 applicants, the Loran Scholars Foundation recognizes just 36 young leaders who demonstrate strength of character and a deep commitment to service. Anna Brozek from Lockview High School in Fall River organizes student-led leadership conferences in Halifax. She is a former member of the Nova Scotia Youth Climate Council. She heads her school's environment club, serves on student council, organized a youth climate seminar and helped design an indigenous student space at Lockview High. Moriah Aladejebi from Sackville High School is co-president of student council, co-captain of the varsity volleyball team and an inclusion support worker for children with disabilities.”
“Mr. Speaker, over the past year, Canadians have navigated a rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented world, one that is more complex, more volatile and more unpredictable. In this environment, Canadians have done what they have always done. We have rolled up our sleeves, looked out for one another and adapted. This work belongs to all of us. This is Canada's moment to build together. Last night, the good people of Scarborough Southwest , University—Rosedale and Terrebonne placed their faith in this plan. Could the Minister of Finance please update the House on the next steps in our plan to build a strong and resilient Canadian economy and give us a—”
“Bill S-212 would require the federal government to work with provinces and territories, indigenous partners, experts, families and, critically, youth and children themselves to develop a national strategy that would bring greater coordination and accountability to these efforts. The bill would establish a framework for consultations, measurable goals, an action plan and regular reporting to Parliament to help improve outcomes for children and youth across Canada. I look forward to working with colleagues from all parties to move this important legislation forward. (Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)”
“Bill S-212. First reading moved that Bill S-212, An Act respecting a national strategy for children and youth in Canada , be read for the first time. He said: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to introduce in the House Bill S-212, An Act respecting a national strategy for children and youth in Canada . I would like to thank Senator Moodie for introducing this important legislation in the Senate and for her leadership in championing the well-being of children and youth across our country not just in the Senate but also during her career as a physician. Children and youth represent Canada's future, yet the policies and programs that support them are too often fragmented across jurisdictions and sectors alike.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague mentioned that Bill C‑15 includes an investment to make National Acadian Day permanent. I know that is very important to him. It is also important for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the entire Atlantic region. Can my colleague explain why this holiday is so important?”
“I wonder if my colleague could touch a bit on the importance of the federal government in providing the scale of affordable housing that we need—”
“Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I want to thank my colleague from St. Catharines for the shout-outs and plugs for my private member's bill. I appreciate it very much. I want to say that the member really distilled the essence of what the bill is about. Bill C-20 is about affordable housing. One of our colleagues across the way mentioned earlier that he was a home builder, and I respect that. Any home builder who is building private sector housing is in it to build homes but also to make a profit. That is fine and absolutely their prerogative. However, private sector builders will not build affordable housing unless they have some level of support from some level of government in order to make it economically viable.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have listened to my Conservative colleagues talk about this bill and other bills many times, and quite often they bring up issues of young Canadians. That is fair, because we know that young Canadians have had the most trouble dealing with the housing crisis. To help solve that problem, I put forward a private member's bill, Bill C-227 , that will be going towards committee report stage soon. When that bill came before the House, every member of the Conservative Party voted against it. It is not bureaucracy. It is not addition. It is actually a plan. An hon. member: A study. Braedon Clark: Mr. Speaker, no, it is a plan. If someone were to go to any successful private sector company in this country and ask them to show their strategic plan, they would do it, because it is a road map for how to succeed.”
“Through her writing, she has helped expand the types of stories and perspectives that reach mainstream audiences, breaking down barriers and reminding us that Canadian stories are the best stories. I would like to congratulate Rachel on her remarkable success. She has made our riding, our province and our country proud, and we all cannot wait to see what she does next.”
“Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Rachel Reid, a Canadian author and a constituent in my riding of Sackville—Bedford—Preston. As of this week, three of Rachel’s novels, all from her Game Changer book series, have spent well over a month on the New York Times bestsellers list, reaching the number four position for combined print and e-book fiction. Books from her series also occupy the top five positions on the Globe and Mail bestsellers list for Canadian fiction. Rachel's work has found readers around the world and has even made the leap to the small screen, with the TV adaptation of her book Heated Rivalry becoming a smash global sensation.”
“What I would ask is that all of us work together to bring this bill forward to committee, sharpen it and make it as good as possible so that young Canadians have hope and a vision for the future, so that all those people whom I have spoken to over the last number of months feel that the federal government and all parties have their back on this issue, because I know, on this side of the House, we have their backs.”
“It is offensive to the young Canadians I met at Saint Mary's University in my hometown of Halifax and the students in Nova Scotia who are interested in making sure that they are part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. That is the essence of what I have put forward today. My colleague from Brandon—Souris has a background very similar to mine in the provincial legislature in Manitoba. He talked about red tape reduction measures, which is an interesting step forward.”
“It is not offensive to me, as I have thick skin and it does not bother me, but I will say that it is offensive to the young people across this country whom I spoke to over the last number of months while developing this bill. I visited people at the University of Ottawa two weeks ago. Dozens of students in their late teens and early twenties whom I spoke to came up to me afterwards and said, “This is interesting. What can we do? How can we help?” They came to my office here on the Hill a couple of days later, filmed videos with me and put the message out there that the government is interested in solving the housing crisis for young Canadians.”
“Cities set bylaws. Cities do zoning. Provinces provide affordable housing and deal with homelessness. The federal government, in my view, has a critical role to play to set policy, set strategy and put forward a system so that, in all corners of this country, from Victoria to Halifax to Nunavut, and all the places in between, young people have hope for the future. We will not achieve that if we simply go into our silos and say, “The federal government only does this, while the province only does that and the city only does that.” That is one of the reasons we have ended up in the situation we are in today. I also want to touch on one other comment that was made during the debate. My colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe called the bill useless. That is offensive.”
“Madam Speaker, I thank all my colleagues who spoke today to my bill, Bill C-227 . In particular, I want to thank my colleagues from Spadina—Harbourfront and Les Pays-d'en-Haut for their comments. I want to touch on a few things here quickly. The first is that one of the privileges I have had in my life, in addition to being here, was serving as a member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for about four years. I served most of that time as the housing critic for my party. One of the things I learned during that experience is that housing, more than any other issue facing our country, demands collaboration, co-operation and teamwork between levels of government. It is simply not possible to say one level of government by itself is going to fix the housing crisis or make any difference for anybody, especially for young people.”
“Their victory reflects the musical excellence that exists in our province and the strength of our women-led arts communities. It also speaks to the value of supporting Canada's homegrown arts sector so that talent like this can continue to succeed. Congratulations to the Synergy quartet and everyone involved in bringing home this well-deserved international honour.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary achievement by Synergy, a local barbershop quartet in Nova Scotia. Earlier this month, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the Synergy quartet was crowned the 2025 Queens of Harmony at the international harmony competition, representing eastern Canada on the world stage and competing against top quartets from across North America. This is the first time since 1993 that a quartet from Area 1, which includes nine chapters across the four Atlantic provinces, has earned this title, and it is only the third time in the region's history. The quartet includes Sue Kember and Jennifer Cleveland of HRM's ScotianAires Chorus, alongside Adèle Merrit and Corinna Garriock of Valley Voices.”
“Mr. Speaker, I know one thing the President of the Treasury Board was involved with in the development of the budget was the comprehensive expenditure review, which found $60 billion in savings over five years. I wonder if the President of the Treasury Board can give us an update on that process and how it will save Canadians money over the long term.”
“MacLeod has trained science teachers across Canada through the Perimeter Institute, published peer-reviewed research and led programs that open STEM pathways for girls and African Nova Scotian students. I ask all members of the House to join me in congratulating Mr. MacLeod on this well-earned recognition.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Shane MacLeod, a teacher in my riding and the recipient of the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM. Mr. MacLeod's approach to science education is defined by innovation and inclusion. He integrates current events and lived experiences into physics and environmental science, helping students see themselves in the material and understand how science shapes our world. This includes his popular YouTube channel, which features at-home experiments and demonstrations filmed on his front porch. He also uses a mastery-based testing model that lets students rewrite exams after receiving feedback, helping them build confidence and a deeper understanding of difficult concepts. Beyond his own classroom, Mr.”
“Mr. Speaker, at the end of my colleague's speech, he touched on the investments in this budget in defence, which is of significant net benefit for the entire country, but particularly for Nova Scotia, where for centuries we have had a disproportionately high rate of veterans in military service. I wonder if the member could touch a bit on how he expects that will help his constituents in Kings—Hants and the entire country.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Mississauga Centre is another great young Canadian in the House. As I said in response to my colleague from Madawaska—Restigouche , the spotlight and focus have to be on young Canadians in particular. That is an area where we have perhaps not been as diligent as we needed to be in the past. The strategy I proposed would do that very particularly.”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Madawaska—Restigouche for his advocacy. He is another young member of the House, a bit younger than me, and I thank him. As I said during my speech, Build Canada Homes is a key part of this bill. Its strategy dovetails very nicely with both Build Canada Homes and the national housing strategy, which is due to expire in 2027-28. For me, it is critical for the focus on young Canadians, the group most disproportionately impacted by the housing issues across this country, to be reflected in Build Canada Homes to make sure there are many places for students in particular and young Canadians to live, both on the rental side and on the home ownership side. I think there is a natural connection between Build Canada Homes and the strategy I am proposing.”
“Mr. Speaker, I do not think it comes down to which level of government is best placed to address the housing crisis. [ English ] There are community organizations for this, and housing is in many ways the responsibility of the provinces. I know that very well having served in provincial legislatures. However, I believe strongly that the federal government has a role to play, which oftentimes is lacking, in coordinating provinces, municipalities and housing providers, particularly on the non-profit side. That is a role the federal government can and should play through this bill.”
“Mr. Speaker, the national housing strategy my hon. colleague refers to, which was adopted back in 2017, did not have as explicit a focus on young Canadians as I would have liked. I certainly was not here at that time, but the idea, as I said during my speech, is not to endlessly litigate a litany of things that may have happened in the past, but to look forward to the future to make sure that, through this strategy and others, we find ways for young Canadians to have more affordable places to live, rent and eventually own.”
“This bill does not solve that problem in and of itself. What it does is it puts a stamp in the ground that this government, this Parliament and all parties want young Canadians to have safe, affordable housing that will give them entry into the home ownership market so they can build a future for themselves, whether they are in Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Northwest Territories or any point in between. With that, I want to thank all the stakeholders who helped me craft this bill. I look forward to questions.”
“As I said earlier, this problem is not going to solve itself. This problem is not going to be solved overnight, but there are positive signs of progress. In many cities across this country, we are now seeing rents stabilizing, in some places beginning to fall from levels that were, frankly, unsustainably high. There is no question about that. Home prices in many markets have started to stabilize as well. Home starts, which are a key metric, were up 14% in September, year over year. What I would say to members of the opposition from all parties is that each and every one of us has thousands and thousands of young Canadians in our ridings. We knock on their doors. We see them at the coffee shop. We see them when we are out and about in our ridings, and they have a consistent concern around housing.”
“Non-profit housing providers in my riding and across the country are interested in how they can leverage Build Canada Homes to make sure that Canadians, young Canadians in particular, who may need additional support have it through an agency and at a scale that we have not seen since the end of the Second World War. If someone were to go to Halifax and drive up Bayers Road toward the Halifax Shopping Centre, they would see, on either side of the street, homes built in 1946, 1947 or 1948, post-World War II, that people still live in today, 80 years later. They provided safe, affordable housing for many young people at that time, and the goal of what we want to do with Build Canada Homes is make sure that possibility continues. I know that in my riding, many organizations are excited to make that happen.”
“Absent intervention from the federal government with the housing accelerator fund, I do not think those changes would have happened in as timely a manner. I think that was very positive as well. Most recently, of course, we began Build Canada Homes, a signature commitment of our government. The goal is to build half a million homes a year in this country, with $13 billion of initial investment, and to look at different ways to build homes, such as prefabricated homes and modular homes. When meeting with businesses in my riding over the last number of weeks, I could see they were excited about the possibilities from Build Canada Homes.”
“It combines elements of an RRSP and a TFSA to allow Canadians, disproportionately young Canadians, of course, to save for their down payment on a house. We know that in many cases that is the single biggest barrier to home ownership. That program has been very successful with great uptake, and I expect that will remain the case for some time to come. The housing accelerator fund has had positive impacts. In my own region of Halifax, there are cranes all over the city. I think the housing accelerator fund pushed things in a positive and constructive way, not pitting levels of government against one another. It led to changes in municipal bylaws, programs, planning rules and regulations, which at times, in my view, were too cumbersome and time consuming.”
“I hope, on this bill in particular, which as I said at the beginning, I see as a relatively non-partisan one, we can treat the issue as one that deserves serious study and deserves the optimism, hope, resilience and ambition of the young Canadians I am hoping to help with the bill. I would not sit here and say that Bill C-227 alone would solve the problem. I think we need more humility in the House, so what I would say is that it would complement a lot of good, existing work that is going on right now. (1740) I will highlight a few things. The national housing strategy, which was launched in 2017, is a $115-billion program that goes until 2027-28. Another really important initiative, which was done under the previous government, is the first home savings account.”
“A year ago, I was an opposition member of a provincial legislature. I know that the job of opposition parties is to hold the government to account, to raise issues; that is 100% legitimate. That is what they are designed to do. However, in my view, opposition cannot and should not devolve into nothing more than the airing of grievances, the pointing of fingers, and the idea that there is a problem and therefore we should look back and try to figure out whom to blame for it, and stop there. I do not think that is a practical, pragmatic or serious way to approach an issue.”
“When I was out knocking on doors just a few weeks ago in Lower Sackville and in Bedford, in my riding, I heard, as I am sure other members heard as well, the concerns coming from young Canadians. While there are concerns, justifiable ones, which is why the bill is here before us today, there is also optimism, resilience and hope. That is what young people are known for, and they are still like that. I think they should be, because the bill and many other efforts we are taking as a government are designed to make sure they have housing now and into the future. When an issue presents itself to us, there are two ways we, as elected officials and politicians, can respond to it. One way is to try to apportion a blame pie and blame this group for that and that group for this. I understand that impulse.”
“Other stakeholders include Studenthaus, the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, and Generation Squeeze out of the University of British Columbia, led by Dr. Paul Kershaw, which is doing really amazing work on issues confronting young Canadians, housing, of course, being very much at the centre of its work. There is also the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, as well as many more groups and, of course, perhaps most directly of all, the young Canadians whom I have met during my time as an elected official and during my campaigns, when I knocked on doors. There is no form of democracy more direct than that. There is no better way to learn what issues people are facing.”
“I know that opposition members, as they should, care about accountability and timelines, and this timeline is in the bill, beyond the life cycle of any one government, to make sure that no matter which party is in government and no matter where we sit in the chamber, we are making sure that young Canadians and their housing needs remain central. I would also like to thank the wide range of stakeholders that have helped inform the bill over the preceding few months, that have helped to improve it and that continue to do incredible work across the country on the issue of housing, particularly for young people. I met with Students Nova Scotia last week, at the great institution of higher learning in Nova Scotia, Saint Mary's University.”