Alexandra Mendès
Brossard—Saint-Lambert, Quebec · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, the Marlene Jennings Service Award will be launched later today in Montreal. [ English ] The Hon. Marlene Jennings, the former member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine , is an incredible role model for anyone who aspires to serve their country, their community or their peers. I should know.”
“By shining a light on these change-makers and providing unrestricted funding, the proponents are not just celebrating those who serve so generously; they are accelerating their work and signalling to others that this different way of leading matters.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association respecting its participation in the Parliament of Jamaica Post-Election Seminar, held in Kingston, Jamaica, from January 28 to January 30, 2026.”
“I also want to express the delight of Canada's delegation when MPP Catherine Fife, a remarkable parliamentarian from Waterloo, Ontario, was elected as chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians in October 2025, in Barbados, after earning the support and admiration of a very demanding electorate.”
“Mr. Speaker, in these times of great geopolitical upheaval, I am particularly committed to celebrating a multilateral association in which I place a great deal of hope.”
“On a more personal note, Kirsty was also a woman of remarkable discipline and vitality, a devoted Highland dancer, a runner, a careful eater and a self-acknowledged health fanatic; attributes, I must confess, I do not share.”
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“By shining a light on these change-makers and providing unrestricted funding, the proponents are not just celebrating those who serve so generously; they are accelerating their work and signalling to others that this different way of leading matters. [ Translation ] I do not have time to go into detail about all of the criteria for this award, which honours unsung Quebeckers, but I thought it would be a good idea for Canada to draw inspiration from this initiative to acknowledge everything that our fellow citizens do to make our communities so resilient.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Marlene Jennings Service Award will be launched later today in Montreal. [ English ] The Hon. Marlene Jennings, the former member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine , is an incredible role model for anyone who aspires to serve their country, their community or their peers. I should know. She was my mentor when I was first elected and remains my sis friend to this day. This award establishes a new recognition model that directly reflects Marlene Jennings' leadership style: collaborative, community focused, rule-breaking when necessary and always centred on empowering others.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association respecting its participation in the Parliament of Jamaica Post-Election Seminar, held in Kingston, Jamaica, from January 28 to January 30, 2026.”
“I also want to express the delight of Canada's delegation when MPP Catherine Fife, a remarkable parliamentarian from Waterloo, Ontario, was elected as chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians in October 2025, in Barbados, after earning the support and admiration of a very demanding electorate. Catherine's unapologetic certainty that women are part of the solution, and one can insert all manner of challenges here, makes her a formidable voice in the Commonwealth family. As a fellow parliamentarian, I want to formally congratulate her and assure her of her federal colleagues' staunch support.”
“Mr. Speaker, in these times of great geopolitical upheaval, I am particularly committed to celebrating a multilateral association in which I place a great deal of hope. [ English ] Today, around the world, 56 countries are celebrating Commonwealth Day, an occasion to remind us of the commitments we have made to democracy, peace and sustainable development. As chair of the federal branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I am delighted to invite all hon. members to a reception being held at 6 p.m. today in the Speaker's dining room.”
“To her husband, Sven, himself a former colleague, I offer my heartfelt condolences. I can only imagine the depth of his loss and the magnitude of his grief. Please know that Kirsty's impact reached far beyond these walls and that she is remembered with respect, admiration and affection by so many. Kirsty Duncan made Parliament better simply by being in it. She made our lives richer by her presence, and though she is no longer with us, the values she embodied through compassion and service remain a light worth following. May we honour her best by carrying those values forward.”
“On a more personal note, Kirsty was also a woman of remarkable discipline and vitality, a devoted Highland dancer, a runner, a careful eater and a self-acknowledged health fanatic; attributes, I must confess, I do not share. There is a cruel irony in the fact that Kirsty, who treated her body with such care and respect, was taken by cancer, while I, having faced the same disease, remain here. Life, it seems, can be profoundly unfair, and no amount of reason or science can fully explain the injustice of it all. What I do know is that Kirsty lived fully, purposefully and generously. She gave her talents to her country, her compassion to her colleagues and her love to her family and friends. Her legacy is not just in the legislation she shaped or the causes she championed, but in the examples she set of decency, integrity and quiet courage.”
“For those of us who worked alongside her, Kirsty was something rarer in public life. She was profoundly empathetic. She listened carefully. She spoke thoughtfully. She carried herself with kindness even in the parliamentary hurly-burly that so often rewards the opposite. We were first elected together in 2008, with the hon. member for Don Valley West ; we are the last of the class of 2008. From those early days onward, I saw her navigate the chaos of Parliament with quiet resolve. Kirsty never confused passion with aggression or conviction with cruelty. She showed us that one could be principled without being strident, determined without being dismissive and ambitious without losing one's humanity.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the memory of the Hon. Kirsty Duncan, a former colleague, a dear friend and one of the most genuinely inspirational people I have had the privilege to know. Kirsty was, first and foremost, a scientist. A medical geographer of international renown, she devoted her intellect and her energy to understanding how environment, health and human lives are inseparably linked. She believed deeply that evidence matters, that truth matters and that public policy should be grounded in knowledge rather than convenience. Her environmentalism flowed naturally from that scientific mind: Once we truly understand the consequences of our actions on human health, indifference becomes impossible. However, titles and achievements, impressive though they were, only tell part of the story.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, reports of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for the following activities: the CPA Executive Committee Meeting held in London, United Kingdom, from May 12 to 13, 2025; the Belize National Assembly Post-Election Seminar held in Belmopan, Belize, from June 4 to 6, 2025; and the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in Bridgetown, Barbados, from October 5 to 12, 2025.”
“All my life, I have been fortunate to work in professions that I am passionate about. For 15 years, the Maison internationale de la Rive-Sud was one of those passions. I offer it my heartfelt congratulations.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is with great joy and a touch of personal pride that I rise today to mark the 50th anniversary of the Maison internationale de la Rive-Sud, or MIRS. This organization, which has provided me with extraordinary professional and community experience, is instrumental in welcoming refugees and immigrants to Montreal's south shore and helping them integrate. Founded in Longueuil in 1975 as a support for Quebec host families who volunteered to welcome refugees from southeast Asia, it relocated to Brossard in 1980. Over the decades, MIRS has become an essential partner in helping our region become more intercultural. From French-language training to employment integration, from consultation to advocacy, MIRS takes action and nurtures thousands of people who choose Montreal's south shore as the place to rebuild their lives.”
“Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, reports from the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for the following activities: the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, held in Sydney, Australia, from November 3 to 8, 2024; the Artificial Intelligence in Security Workshop, held in London, United Kingdom, from January 27 to 30, 2025; and the 73rd Westminster Seminar, held in London, United Kingdom, from March 10 to 14, 2025.”
“Lusitanity is well represented not only by the pastéis de nata , our custard tarts, but also by the great and renowned literary works of Camões, Fernando Pessoa, Eça de Queirós and José Saramago; by fado, which embraces and charms us from cradle to grave; and by our simple but delicious gastronomy, enhanced by spices discovered in the 16th century and the skilful use of sea salt. Finally, being Lusitanian, whether in Portugal or elsewhere in the world, means living with this rich heritage in our hearts without feeling too much saudade .”
“Mr. Speaker, today, people of Portuguese origin everywhere are celebrating Portugal Day, the day of Camões and Portuguese communities. Portugal Day is first and foremost a time to celebrate everything that has shaped Portuguese culture over the centuries, rather than just a military deed, a conquest or even the Portuguese discoveries. It is a time to celebrate the cartography, the azulejos , the symbiotic relationship with the ocean and the oh-so-delicious use of its resources.”
“Finally, we must accept that, despite our differences, we are all here with the same goal in mind, which is to pass good laws. [ English ] Our predecessors fought hard for our rights as parliamentarians. It is our duty to uphold them with conviction and honour. [ Translation ] Finally, I offer my colleagues a 21st-century argument: Is it not time for a woman to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada?”
“Should I be given the honour of being elected to the role of the Chair, I would strive with all my might to bring dignity to our debates. I believe in the rules and regulations that govern the House of Commons. I believe in the office of the Speaker, which oversees the functioning and administration of this place. I trust the Clerk and the table officers, who guide us and provide us with their knowledge and their independent analysis. [ Translation ] Dignity is a principle very close to my heart. No one in this House, parliamentarian or otherwise, should have their human dignity ignored. We must at least say thank you to the pages who bring us a glass of water or a lectern. We must acknowledge the monumental work done by the interpreters. We must recognize the delicate task that falls to the table officers.”
“This is the place where Canada's most important conversations should be held, where we seriously debate and humorously disagree. [ Translation ] The ability to find just the right words is an art that I admire, and so many of you, my colleagues, are amazing at it. Oratorical skill, combined with mutual respect and the most basic standards of politeness, are exactly what our debates should always reflect. [ English ] Holding the government to account is the essential element of parliamentary democracy. No government is immune to the necessary scrutiny of its proposed legislation or its management of the public accounts, but Canadians have told us time and time again that they expect us to do this with far more civility than they have seen in this place most days.”
“[ English ] I have never been a parliamentary secretary or a minister, nor have I held any government role. I have been a privileged backbencher, but a backbencher nonetheless. [ Translation ] We are 343 individuals selected from among 40 million Canadian citizens to legislate on matters pertaining to their present lives and, now more than ever, their future. [ English ] Some of those responsibilities include and depend on the constant quest for truthfulness and the common good. I also believe that one of our responsibilities is to find joy in the work we do. Loving what we do, this place where we do it and the people who help us do it is, for me, a fundamental aspect of a successful parliamentary life. It cannot, and it should not, be all about insults and accusations, about gotcha moments and questionable statements.”
“I wish to take this moment to thank many of you in this chamber who sent me messages of encouragement in the past weeks and months. From text messages to phone calls and emails, your heartfelt words meant a great deal to me during these challenging times. [ Translation ] My oncologist has stated in no uncertain terms that I would have no problem serving as Speaker of the House. I have experience; my five years as Assistant Deputy Speaker have taught me what it takes to provide members with an environment conducive to respectfully debating ideas in compliance with the standing orders agreed upon through successive parliaments. I am not here to stand against anyone. I am here because certain convictions have led me to believe that it is possible to approach our responsibilities as parliamentarians in a different manner.”
“Dear colleagues, I rise today to let my name stand to be your Speaker. I will try to be brief and to the point. Unlike other colleagues, I did not spend the last few days on emails or phone calls asking for your support. This is mostly because, as some of you may know, I was diagnosed with cancer at the end of January, and I have been undergoing intense treatment ever since. Thanks to a phenomenal team and the many volunteers who raised their hand to help me through the campaign, I find myself representing the citizens of Brossard—Saint-Lambert once more, and I could not be more grateful. After a successful re-election, I wanted to ensure my health situation would allow me to stand for this role. I spent many hours reflecting on my next steps, both at a personal and at a professional level.”