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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“The bill would ask the minister to return to the House within 18 months to table a report with recommendations on how we can move forward, to make sure that young Canadians, not just now and not just 18 months from now but for years and years into the future, are able to be supported and that they are able to fulfill the dream of affordable housing to live in, to own and to have for the rest of their lives. Beyond the 18 months, there would be a requirement for another status report on how things are going, four years subsequent to that. That is an important piece.”
“I should have mentioned co-op housing as well, a really underutilized solution to our housing crisis. Just last week I was in Halifax to attend the opening of a new neighbourhood, Unity North in the north end of Halifax, with 57 units of co-op housing. It was amazing to see the pride, the sense of community and the joy on everybody's face for the 200 or so people who are living in those affordable, safe, clean and wonderful places to live, as well as to consider all the benefits that will flow from that. (1735) The bill calls for the minister to hold at least one conference with the stakeholders that I laid out, to really get down into the details of the strategy. The bill also has clear timelines. No matter what government program we are talking about, timelines and measurables are very important.”
“Provinces, territories, municipalities, indigenous organizations, non-profit housing providers and for-profit developers, the entire spectrum of the housing continuum, must work together. Again, the proposed strategy would touch on all aspects of the housing spectrum, from homelessness, which of course we know is an issue across this country in urban centres, suburban areas and rural areas, to crisis shelters and transition shelters, as well as to subsidized housing, market rental housing and up to entry-level home ownership, which as we know, is the gateway to wealth creation in this country and has been for many decades. The strategy would be comprehensive. It would not be narrowly focused on any one particular element of the housing market but on all of them, to make sure there is a holistic response to the issue.”
“It is something brought up in the House very regularly, and I hope it is something we can see as a relatively non-partisan issue as I put the bill forward. The structure of Bill C-227 is fairly straightforward and easy to follow. Basically, the bill identifies three things that the government must do. As I said, the first thing would be the creation of a national strategy to address the housing needs of young Canadians, those between the ages of 17 and 34. The strategy would be informed by consultation with provinces, territories and municipalities, because housing is an issue that has elements in all three orders and levels of government, and if all three orders of government do not work together effectively, we will not solve the problem for anyone, let alone for young people.”
“Housing is obviously incredibly important for job prospects, financial security, the ability to have and raise a family, and the ability to take care of siblings, friends, neighbours or aging parents. It is essential to so many aspect of our life, and that is why it remains such a key issue and one in particular that affects young Canadians. The bill defines young Canadians as those between the ages of 17 and 34. Do not just take my word for it. If we look at StatsCan reports from 2024 of Canadians experiencing housing challenges, we see that only 36% of them reported high life satisfaction, being happy, to put it simply. By comparison, 70% of people who do not have housing challenges reported high life satisfaction. It goes without saying that housing is critical, and it is an issue all members of the House agree on, evidently.”
“It has remained a significant area of concern both in Nova Scotia, my home province, and across this country. That is the reason I brought it forward, and I hope it will be passed. As all members know, and as I think all Canadians know very well, housing is not just a roof over one's head; housing is so many other things. It is one of the key social determinants of health. For physical health, having a roof over one's head is very important. For the mental health of Canadians, the peace, comfort and stability that comes from knowing that at the end of the day, whether it has been a rough day or a great day, no matter what, we get to go home, is huge.”
“moved that Bill C-227, An Act to establish a national strategy on housing for young Canadians , be read the second time and referred to a committee. Bill C-227. Second reading He said: Mr. Speaker, it is a real pleasure for me to speak, at second reading, to Bill C-227 , an act to establish a national housing strategy for young Canadians. It is rare in political life to get a second chance at a good thing, but I am happy to say I have had that chance with the bill that is before us. As I mentioned during first reading introduction, I introduced a similar bill into the Nova Scotia Legislature almost exactly three years ago, on October 19, 2022. I checked the date today. In the three years that have elapsed since that time, the issue has certainly not gone away.”
“I invite all members to join me in supporting the vision of a Canada where every child, no matter where they live, can grow up healthy, supported and able to reach their full potential”
“Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I came from a meeting with Children’s Healthcare Canada and the Pediatric Chairs of Canada, whose members have flown to Ottawa from across the country to meet with parliamentarians. They are focused on ensuring that Canada's children have access to care that is timely, equitable and designed with the unique needs of young people in mind. We know that Canada's pediatric health system is facing mounting pressures as our population grows and children's needs become more complex. Strategic investment and collaboration will be crucial to making certain every child receives the care they deserve. Children's health care is an investment in our future. As a parent of young children, I know that healthier kids are happier kids. Healthier kids make for happier and healthier parents too.”
“Mr. Speaker, all members of the House agree on the need to keep our communities and streets safe. A key part of that commitment is freeing Canadians from the scourge of gun violence, an issue our government is committed to addressing. To that end, can the Minister of Public Safety explain how this critical work is being advanced through the assault-style firearms compensation program?”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague mentioned prevention in her speech. Deterrence and punishment are obviously parts of the criminal justice system, but prevention is really important. That word does not appear in the motion at all, not once. I wonder if my colleague could touch a bit on the importance of prevention as part of the criminal justice system as well.”
“I would ask all members of the House across all parties to please support this bill and to reach out if they have any questions. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)”
“Without secure housing, it is much harder for young Canadians to study, work and plan for the future. This bill that I introduced today calls on the federal government to work with partners across the country, such as provinces, territories and housing organizations across the board, to better understand the unique barriers facing young Canadians in today's housing market and to build lasting solutions that meet their needs. About three years ago, I introduced a similar bill in the Nova Scotia Legislature. I did not have the votes at that time to make it a reality, but still, today I think the issue is as important, if not more important now. There are so many young Canadians in all of our ridings who are having a hard time finding housing. I think this strategy would help them achieve that goal and have a healthier, more prosperous life.”
“Bill C-227. Introduction and first reading moved for leave to introduce Bill C-227, An Act to establish a national strategy on housing for young Canadians . He said: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce my private member's bill, Bill C-227 , an act to establish a national strategy on housing for young Canadians. All members of the House know that there is a housing crisis in this country. I believe all members also know that no group of Canadians has been more impacted by that crisis than young Canadians in particular. Whether they are seeking to rent an apartment, find housing while at university to study or save up for a down payment for their first home, young Canadians increasingly find the path to stable housing more and more difficult.”
“Madam Speaker, when we talk about energy projects and resource projects, we are a bit too narrow. I hear from the Conservative colleagues quite a bit about oil and gas, which is of course part of the equation, but not all of it. In my home province of Nova Scotia, for example, the premier, with whom I served in the legislature, has talked about the eastern energy partnership, which is a significant wind project of 44 gigawatts. That is 27% of our entire electricity usage. I wonder if the member could touch a bit on other projects, beyond oil and gas alone, that could be significant and move our country forward.”
“Summer is coming, and with it the boys and girls of summer will soon be playing the great game of baseball on improved fields, thanks to the Jays Care Foundation. Good luck to all players and coaches, and have a wonderful season.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate two local organizations in Sackville—Bedford—Preston that were recently selected for the 2025 Field of Dreams grants through the Jays Care Foundation. Sackville Minor Baseball will receive funding from the Toronto Blue Jays' official charity to refurbish Les Mayo Field in Lower Sackville, while the LWF Hardball Association will see upgrades to George P. Vanier Field in Waverly. These upgrades are part of a national push to revamp local ball fields and give more kids a chance to play in safe, welcoming spaces. Sport gives young people more than just exercise. It teaches teamwork and discipline. It helps kids find their footing, build friendships and feel like they belong, on and off the field.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague touched on defence, which is a significant announcement. As we all know, it has been many years in the making, and we are now several years ahead of schedule to reach our 2% of GDP target. I believe the member's riding includes Royal Military College. My riding of Sackville—Bedford—Preston on the east coast, of course, has many military families, many veterans who are really excited about today's announcement. I wonder if the member could just comment on what impact he thinks this will have on our military, in his riding and across the country.”
“Again, this speaks to what I was talking about: The government can and must do big things. Housing is an area where it has done great work in the past. I expect we will do it again through “build Canada homes” and other programs.”
“Mr. Speaker, one thing that is really important to my riding, and all ridings across the country, is housing. When I was in the provincial legislature, I also served as the housing critic, so it is an issue that has been very important to me for a number of years, particularly for people my age and younger, I would say, who are extremely worried about how they are going to pay rent or afford a mortgage. It is particularly important for seniors as well who want to downsize but cannot afford to because rents are too expensive where they live. Therefore, there might be one person living in a house where ideally there would be four or five, a young family. That is a problem as well. In our throne speech and in our platform during the campaign, we laid out a plan to get the government involved in housing.”
“Mr. Speaker, when it comes to transparency and finances, this is something that, again, I think our government is working quickly on. This is the second-fastest return to Parliament in the history of our country, which is a testament to the urgency of the Prime Minister and the government. We are here in the House. I have been in opposition before; now I am on the government side. I know that the job of opposition is to ask questions and hold government to account, and I appreciate that role. That is what we are here to do. There are plenty of details and things to discuss in the House, and that is what we are here to do.”
“Mr. Speaker, there is no question that whether one is in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Saskatchewan or any part of this country, the opioid crisis has taken tens of thousands of lives needlessly, many young lives and many lives that otherwise would have been full of hope and productivity. This is something the government certainly is aware of and wants to fix. It wants to make sure that the lives that have tragically been ruined by the scourge of opioids can be healed over time. I take the member's point. However, this is something that goes to my point about non-partisan issues, and it is one I think we can all agree we need to solve, and solve very quickly.”
“Like all who have been politicians, Howe struggled to find what the true purpose of the job was, but I think he found it. I will finish today with his words, which will guide me and I hope guide my colleagues as well. Howe said, “when I sit down in solitude to the labours of my profession, the only questions I ask myself are, What is right? What is just? What is for the public good?” I, for one, think that is a pretty good place to start.”
“However, I will do my very best to remember what the people at the doors expect from me, and I would ask my colleagues to do the same. Many of us in this chamber want to see politics as black and white, but the truth is that it is almost always drawn in endless shades of grey. We should accept and embrace complexity, not toss it away in favour of a cheap sound bite or easy-to-remember slogan. This is not the first legislative body I have had the honour of serving in. I am a former member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, the oldest legislature in the country and the birthplace of responsible government in Canada. On the grounds of the House of Assembly on Hollis Street in a quiet corner, there is a statue of who I would say is the patron saint of Nova Scotia politics, Joseph Howe.”
“They live in the real world, where the scoreboard is not measured in seat counts or vote totals, but in the feeling someone gets when they wake up in the morning with a sense of purpose and hope, or the feeling someone gets when they know their kids will be better off than they are. This place, this chamber, exists in the real world, but sometimes it feels like stepping into the twilight zone. Being in politics can sometimes feel like being a racehorse with blinders on. Our field of vision is so narrow that all we see and all we care about is what is in front of us. We lose sight of the big world around us and become obsessed with narrow wins and small goals. I do not pretend to be perfect, and I am sure my blinders will come on from time to time.”
“As we all know, there is no more direct, insightful and humbling experience than going door to door during a campaign. We have all knocked on thousands and thousands of doors, I am sure. As I have reflected on my own campaign over the past several weeks, I have been struck most of all by what I did not hear when I met people at their doorsteps. Nobody asked me to be angrier. Nobody asked me to double down on cynicism and pettiness. Nobody asked me to heckle more and heckle louder. Nobody asked me to do those things, because most people, thankfully, are lucky enough to live their lives outside of the political bubble.”
“In 1955, a ribbon of steel, rising gracefully above the water below, connected Halifax to Dartmouth for the first time: the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge. In 1981, the Canadarm entered the final frontier of space with the logo of the Government of Canada on its side. It is an extraterrestrial example of what government can achieve. In the years to come, I know more examples will emerge. My hope is that this government, a government that builds, will restore Canadians' faith that big things are not beyond our reach. Government can be and must be a catalyst for growth, not a drag on innovation and productivity. I also hope that this Parliament, the 45th, can be one defined by productivity instead of partisanship, that MPs can work collaboratively and across party lines in a minority government to get things done.”
“Instead of solving problems, government has thrown up roadblocks in front of good ideas, but this is not inevitable or unchangeable. If we look to the past, we are overwhelmed with examples of government, often in partnership with the private sector, building the foundations of our country, foundations that still support us to this day. When the last spike was driven to complete the Canadian Pacific Railway, it was the culmination of a dream that was, to borrow the Prime Minister 's phrase, Canada's first project of national significance. During the Second World War, the Bedford Basin, in my own riding, was the gathering point for dozens of ships and convoys that would cross the ocean and liberate a continent.”
“As laid out in the communiqué from yesterday's first ministers' meeting, we will identify “Nation-building infrastructure and corridors, such as highways, railways, ports, airports, pipelines, nuclear projects, clean and conventional energy projects, and electricity transmission systems [that] are crucial for driving Canadian productivity growth, energy security, and economic competitiveness.” Under this plan, approvals that once took five years will now take two. (1010) In a word, we will build, and as we build, we will prove that government can do big things and do them well. Many people will be skeptical of that, and I can understand why. Far too often and for too long, government has asked why instead of why not.”
“In partnership with the provinces and territories, we will break down trade barriers and create true free trade in this country. This will unlock up to $200 billion in economic activity and reduce our dependence on trade with the United States. Coming out of the meeting with the premiers in Saskatoon yesterday, it is clear that there is consensus on this issue. Progressive Conservative premiers, NDP premiers and Liberal premiers alike all agree that one Canadian economy is much stronger than 13. We will identify projects of national significance that will break down the silos of narrow political self-interest and generate growth across this country. These projects will create jobs, diversify trade and create a self-sufficient national economy that can weather the storms of an uncertain and changing world.”
“That means that, for each one of us in this chamber, thousands and thousands of our constituents will have more money in their pockets. This will save the average two-income family $840 per year. That is enough for swim lessons, dance lessons, soccer or a well-deserved night out for tired and busy parents. We will eliminate the GST on homes under $1 million for first-time buyers, saving people up to $50,000. Through “build Canada homes”, we will embark on the most ambitious homebuilding plan since the Second World War and deliver 500,000 new homes a year. We will cut development charges in half, support modular and prefabricated housing, and simply make it easier and faster for people to have a safe and affordable place to live.”
“To my amazing campaign team, who knocked on thousands of doors and suffered through far too many days of damp maritime weather, the kind of weather that seeps into our bones, our victory belongs more to them than it does to me. Speaking on the second-to-last day of the address in reply gives me an advantage compared to some of my colleagues who preceded me: the advantage of perspective and time. It has now been one week since King Charles III delivered the Speech from the Throne, and in a mere seven days, the threads of that speech have begun to stitch together into a concrete vision of what our government plans to do. We will make life more affordable by cutting taxes for over 22 million Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”
“It has been the ride of a lifetime, and there is so much more to come. To my kids Beau and Heidi, Dad loves them. I cannot stand missing so many soccer games and play dates at the Barbie Dreamhouse, but I will make it up to them. I thank my mom, my dad and my siblings, Deirdre and Travis, for always believing in me, and I thank my predecessor, Darrell Samson, who was a great MP for the past 10 years and whose advice and counsel to me have always been wise. As we all know, a political campaign is the sum of countless tiny acts of political courage: that first timid knock on a stranger's door, that first phone call with an uncertain conclusion, the sometimes, or maybe always, inexplicable decision to put one's name on the ballot.”
“Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Brampton South . It is with a profound sense of gratitude and humility that I rise for the first time as a member of Parliament in the House of Commons. I want to start by thanking the good people of Sackville—Bedford—Preston, who have placed their trust in me. From my hometown of Bedford to Sackville to Fall River, Waverley, Wellington, Beaver Bank, Preston and beyond, these communities have bestowed an honour on me that I can never truly repay. My family, without whom I would not be here today, also deserve everlasting thanks. I thank my wife Caitie, who is the best person I have ever known, for everything. I thank Caitie for taking a chance on the skinny kid from down the hall that first year at Dalhousie University.”