Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Moncton—Dieppe, New Brunswick · Liberal · Canada
“I held the hands of women shivering in police station lobbies at all hours of the day and night. At the time, before entering politics, I was a frontline social worker with the Codiac Regional RCMP in Moncton, New Brunswick.”
“It validates what social workers, shelter staff and victims have been saying for decades: that abuse is systematic, that psychological abuse is dangerous and that our courts must be modern, efficient and compassionate.”
“As someone who has accompanied survivors and also many family members through the gruelling court process, I know that delays are often a secondary victimization. When cases are thrown out due to the Jordan framework, a victim is left entirely unprotected, looking over her shoulder and feeling abandoned by the criminal justice system.”
“Let us not forget our youth in these situations. The shelter also provides child and youth support services. If we want this intergenerational cycle to cease, we have to make sure that we provide services to the young who are exposed to this. Again, I want to give a big shout‑out to our local shelter.”
“The first pillar of Bill C-16 is the criminalization of coercive control. For too long, our legal system has viewed intimate partner violence as a series of isolated physical incidents. Frontline workers know the truth.”
“In my years of practice, I saw many, many victims refuse to call the police because they feared the absolute destruction of their family's economic survival. If a victim knows that a call to police automatically triggers a mandatory multi-year prison sentence, they may choose silence instead of making a complaint.”
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“Madam Speaker, as my hon. colleague indicated in his question, it is imperative that we move forward with Bill C-16 as quickly as possible. These types of images can really ruin the lives of individuals and create chaos within their lives. As a result—”
“Madam Speaker, I completely agree. My colleague's riding has a very long name. I had to practise saying it many times before today. To answer my colleague's question about coercive control, I think that, once again, it is important to recognize all the circumstances that lead to this type of intimate partner violence. As a frontline worker, I often met with people who would tell me a bit about their situation, and I think that before laying charges, it is absolutely essential to understand the full situation. Again, that is to determine the most appropriate charges to lay before the case is brought before the court.”
“I really think it is important to make sure that when we are meeting with victims and survivors, they know that the decision they make is going to have an impact and also that there are going to be serious consequences for the offenders if and when a charge is laid.”
“Madam Speaker, I really appreciate working with my friend and colleague on the other side on the NSICOP committee. I appreciate his service as an RCMP member for more than three decades over the years. Hats off to him for a job very well done. I have to say that there is no black and white situation when it comes to this type of situation. I met with probably thousands of victims of intimate partner violence. These were very difficult situations when people came forward to make a complaint to the police. I think the inclusion of safety valves within Bill C-16 to allow judges, in exceptional circumstances, to use their discretion is absolutely a good idea.”
“Finally, if there are any survivors who are watching us this evening, I want to encourage them, if ever they need any help or support in the province of New Brunswick, to call 211. This is a free information and referral service that provides needed information to those who are fleeing difficult situations. Let us not forget the 988 service that our federal government put in place just a few years ago. Again, if any folks in the entire country need any mental health supports, those essential services are there to help them along the way. Again, with respect to Bill C‑16 , this is a wonderful step forward in making sure that we are there to support victims. I encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the House to support this bill and move it forward as quickly as possible.”
“Finally, I would be remiss if I did not speak about the Beausejour Family Crisis Resource Centre. Again, this is a wonderful organization that provides shelter and counselling services to those in need. As well, within the province of New Brunswick, they provide justice facility dogs for those who have to appear in court or those who have to meet, perhaps, with a police officer and are feeling anxiety. These facility dogs will accompany them either in the courts or in the interview rooms. It has made a huge difference for many victims within my community. Again, I have to give a shout-out to them and their team at the Beausejour Family Crisis Resource Centre. Kristal, Chantal and all of the team provide tremendous work, and for that I am very grateful.”
“Let us not forget our youth in these situations. The shelter also provides child and youth support services. If we want this intergenerational cycle to cease, we have to make sure that we provide services to the young who are exposed to this. Again, I want to give a big shout‑out to our local shelter. As well, we have another great organization, which started off just a few years ago, called Shelter Movers, in my town. Shelter Movers is just that: When victims are fleeing domestic violence and they need someone to go to their home and provide them with moving and storage services for their furniture, or whatever they need, we have volunteers who are called within our community. They may be called out at any hour during the day and night, and they provide that service free of charge. Again, hats off to them.”
“It validates what social workers, shelter staff and victims have been saying for decades: that abuse is systematic, that psychological abuse is dangerous and that our courts must be modern, efficient and compassionate. In closing, I would be remiss if I did not highlight the wonderful services that exist within my community in Moncton, New Brunswick. First and foremost, I have to give a shout-out to our local shelter, called Crossroads for Women, and Renée and all of her team there. Crossroads for Women has been in operation for more than four decades now. It provides emergency shelter for victims who are fleeing domestic violence. It also provides a 24‑hour crisis line for those who need support. It also provides supportive housing and services for those facing not only intimate partner violence, but also sexual violence.”
“We worried about letters being sent and physical stalking, or, as we refer to it now, criminal harassment. Today, however, abusers use technology as a weapon of absolute humiliation of their victims. Provisions in Bill C‑16 address AI‑generated deepfakes and digital exploitation of minors. These are not futuristic hypotheticals. They are happening right now. Abusers are creating non-consensual, synthetically generated, explicit images to ruin a victim's career, destroy their custody cases and shatter their mental health. Our laws must evolve as fast as the technology that is used to inflict this cruelty. Bill C‑16 is a powerful, overdue evolution of our justice system.”
“In my years of practice, I saw many, many victims refuse to call the police because they feared the absolute destruction of their family's economic survival. If a victim knows that a call to police automatically triggers a mandatory multi-year prison sentence, they may choose silence instead of making a complaint. (1925) The inclusion of the safety valves allowing judges discretion in exceptional circumstances, and I stress “exceptional”, is not a weakness of this bill. To the contrary, I would argue, it ensures that we punish perpetrators without inadvertently forcing vulnerable victims deeper into the shadows. We also need to acknowledge that the nature of abuse has mutated over the years. When I began my career, many years ago, as a social worker, we worried back then about landlines.”
“As someone who has accompanied survivors and also many family members through the gruelling court process, I know that delays are often a secondary victimization. When cases are thrown out due to the Jordan framework, a victim is left entirely unprotected, looking over her shoulder and feeling abandoned by the criminal justice system. Modifying these rules to prevent administrative breakdowns from collapsing an intimate partner violence prosecution is a vital step forward. However, my background also forces me to look at this legislation with a critical and pragmatic eye. Bill C-16 reintroduces mandatory minimum sentences. Through a strictly political lens, we might see this as just being a tough-on-crime approach, but through a frontline social worker lens, I asked myself what this actually does to victims.”
“The first pillar of Bill C-16 is the criminalization of coercive control. For too long, our legal system has viewed intimate partner violence as a series of isolated physical incidents. Frontline workers know the truth. As a client told me in the past, “Abuse is a continuous pattern of trapping a human being almost in an invisible cage.” By formally defining and penalizing coercive control, this bill would finally align Canadian laws with the psychological reality of intimate partner violence. Elevating intimate partner violence and femicide to first-degree murder reflects the grim truth that these tragedies are rarely sudden crimes of passion; they are predictable and escalated conclusions of long-term patterns of control within relationships. We must also look at the structural changes this bill proposes.”
“When we look at this bill, we see legal text. We see legal jargon. We see clauses and so on, but as a former social worker, when I read this bill, I see the names and faces of people I worked with over the years. I see Jacqueline, which is not her real name, who was a former client of mine. She never had a black eye, never had a bruise and never had broken bones, but her husband controlled her vehicle keys, monitored how many kilometres she drove, monitored her phone location every second of the day, and also decided when she could sleep and when she could not. Under the current framework, it was agonizingly difficult to get the criminal justice system to intervene in her case, because the terror she lived under did not leave physical marks. This is why Bill C-16 is so vitally important.”
“I held the hands of women shivering in police station lobbies at all hours of the day and night. At the time, before entering politics, I was a frontline social worker with the Codiac Regional RCMP in Moncton, New Brunswick. Part of my job as a victim services coordinator was providing assistance and guidance to those dealing with very difficult situations. We provided crisis support and crisis intervention, and also ensured that victims and family members were aware of their rights and what they had to expect. I know first-hand what intimate partner violence looks like before it becomes a file on a prosecutor's desk. I also know what it looks like before it becomes a statistic in a report. Because of that lived experience, that professional experience, I stand here today to speak about Bill C-16 , the protecting victims act.”
“Mr. Speaker, I was not aware of that standing order. [ English ] Before I get started, I would like to take a moment to say that I will be sharing my time with the member of Parliament for Pickering—Brooklin . [ Translation ] I, too, would like to take a moment to offer my support to the member for Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata . I wish him a speedy recovery and send my best wishes to him and his family during this very difficult time. [ English ] I rise today not just as a parliamentarian, but as someone who has spent over two decades on the front lines as a social worker working with victims of crime. Before I ever walked the halls of this House, I walked the halls of RCMP detachments, emergency shelters, local hospitals, etc. I sat in cramped interview rooms.”
“Madam Speaker, further to the question that was asked by my friend and colleague from Acadie—Bathurst , we were extremely pleased this year that the minister came to New Brunswick and that we were one of the first provinces to sign the housing agreement. We certainly recognize that New Brunswick is a very rural province, and the provincial government had a key role in making sure the plan was brought forward. I am wondering if the minister would be able to explain how imperative it was that the province played a key role in ensuring that New Brunswick was able to sign an agreement in a fairly short period of time.”
“Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the following reports: the report of the Canada-France Inter-parliamentary Association regarding its mission to Paris, France, from March 4 to 8, 2024; the report of the Canada-France Inter-Parliamentary Association regarding the 80th anniversary of D-Day at Juno Beach in Normandy, France, from June 2 to 8, 2024; the report of the Canada-France Inter-parliamentary Association regarding the 50th annual meeting held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Montreal, Quebec, from September 1 to 6, 2025; and the report of the Canada-France Inter-parliamentary Association regarding the ninth Paris conference held in Paris, France, from December 15 to 17, 2025.”
“This theme is intended to guide the profession as it reflects on the evolution of social work, uplifts the voices of leadership shaping the profession today and envisions the next 100 years grounded in equity and reconciliation. Please join me in celebrating social workers and the next 100 years of the profession in Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, today, social workers from across Canada are gathered in Ottawa to celebrate the profession and mark 100 years of the Canadian Association of Social Workers. Having worked in the field myself before entering politics, I fully appreciate the vital role that social workers play in supporting the delivery of health and social services in our communities, to our families and among the most vulnerable. At a time when Canada continues to face overlapping social, economic and public health challenges, the role of social workers has never been more crucial. Throughout 2026, CASW and its 11 provincial and territorial partners will celebrate the centennial with the theme “Reflecting on Our Past, Reimagining Our Future”.”
“By providing a clearer plan and a more sustainable path forward, we can maintain the public trust needed for the system to function more effectively. Once again, as I clearly mentioned at the beginning, in Canada, when we talk about immigration and the French-speaking community, we want to ensure that we maintain a level of French-speaking population that will at least offset the loss, if you will. I was wondering if the Minister of Immigration could discuss the immigration targets that have been set, tell us whether we have met those targets, and explain what measures and objectives we have put in place to ensure that we can still achieve those goals.”
“Timely decisions offer certainty to applicants who need and deserve Canada's protection. They also help resolve cases where individuals are not eligible to remain, so the system can continue to focus on the people who are most in need. The main estimates also support essential services for eligible asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups while their status is being determined. People fleeing persecution, violence or serious harm may arrive with urgent needs. Canada has a responsibility to respond with dignity and care, while ensuring that these services remain reasonable, temporary and well managed in the long term. (1950) This balance is important, especially at a time when health care, housing and social services are under strain across the country.”
“These rules apply when an application is submitted more than one year after a person first arrived in Canada or after an irregular crossing of the U.S. border. At the same time, safeguards are in place. If an application is inadmissible, the applicants can still go through a pre-removal risk assessment to determine whether they would face risk if they were sent back to their country of origin. Over the coming months, the government will continue to improve the way asylum claims are received, handled and decided. With the new inadmissibility rules, these reforms will help make the system more efficient, more sustainable and better managed. The main estimates support this work. They provide the resources to support better processing, faster decisions, and essential services while applications are being considered.”
“That is why our government is working hard to ease that pressure, strengthen integrity and make our asylum system more sustainable. We introduced measures to strengthen the integrity of migration and we modernized the asylum system. Measures to better manage the number of temporary resident applications and improve the integrity of temporary programs also contributed to reducing the number of asylum claims entering the system. I have to say that these measures are working. From January to March 2026, the number of asylum claims was about one-third lower than in the same period in 2025 and almost two-thirds lower than in the first quarter of 2024. Here again, things have clearly improved. Bill C‑12 created new eligibility rules to protect the system from a sudden influx of applications, to discourage abuse and to support timely decisions.”
“As global conflicts, climate pressures and changing migration patterns continue to displace people around the world, Canada must respond with compassion and through an orderly, fair and sustainable system. These main estimates support that balance by helping to maintain the services, safeguards and partnerships needed to respond to humanitarian and asylum pressures in a very responsible way. Over the past few years, the increasing number of asylum claims has really strained the system. The number of claims exceeded processing capacity. Delays got longer and costs went up. The delays are significant. They can make the process unfair for people who need protection and certainty about the future. They also put pressure on housing, health care and legal and community supports, and they can make a system more vulnerable and prone to abuse.”
“Mr. Chair, I am pleased to speak today about the main estimates 2026-27 for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. I would also like to take a moment to thank my friend and colleague, the minister of this department, who works tirelessly, puts in a tremendous amount of effort and manages a very complex portfolio. I was very pleased to welcome her to Moncton in January when it was announced that we had surpassed our francophone immigration targets. We can talk more about that later, during questions and answers. Immigration affects every region of the country. It bolsters our economy, supports community growth, reunites families and helps Canada attract the people and skills we need. It also reflects Canada's values, including our commitment to protecting people fleeing persecution, violence and serious harm.”
“Irving will also be remembered for his founding and ownership of the Moncton Wildcats, the Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League team that delighted and inspired hockey fans from around New Brunswick and also across Canada. On behalf of the people of Moncton—Dieppe and the entire community, I want to offer my sincere condolences to his wife, Jill, to his four children and to his entire family. May he rest in peace.”
“Mr. Speaker, with the death of Robert K. Irving earlier this month, New Brunswick has lost one of its greatest business and community leaders. Mr. Irving and his brother, Jim, were co-chief executive officers of J.D. Irving, Limited, which employs more than 20,000 New Brunswickers and drives economic activity that employs thousands more. At the time of his death, Robert Irving had been the face of JDI's operation in the greater Moncton area for nearly 50 years. He was often the face of philanthropy in our community as well, publicly and privately contributing to more good causes, large and small, than anyone could count. Mr.”
“Mr. Chair, we heard a bit earlier about the issue of direct foreign investments and how Canada is at a record high at this point in time. I am wondering if my hon. colleague could elaborate on what the conditions were that really created this environment and perhaps elaborate on the benefits to Canada.”
“The plan also involves cutting red tape to build homes faster, supporting innovation in construction, quickly unlocking over $7 billion in low-cost financing, boosting the housing supply and protecting construction jobs across Canada. It will help those most in need by extending support for people experiencing homelessness and ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence have access to safe housing. That is not all, but since my time is almost up, I want to take a few minutes to ask some questions to my dear friend and colleague, the minister. Can the finance minister tell us more about the sovereign wealth fund? More specifically, can he explain how it will support government investments and help Canadians?”
“This innovative program will be especially useful for Canadians pursuing apprenticeships, because it offers up to $16,000 in weekly income top-ups during their training and a $5,000 completion bonus. It should also interest employers, because they are eligible for direct incentives of up to $10,000 in wage subsidies per apprentice. To provide greater support for young people, our government is making education more affordable by extending the increases to Canada student grants and interest-free Canada student loans for another year, which will benefit thousands of students across the country. The economic update also continues the work of Build Canada Homes with a plan to increase supply, lower costs and help more Canadians find a safe, affordable home.”
“I want to highlight one of the main measures, namely the Canada Strong fund, a sovereign wealth fund designed to deliver infrastructure projects and historic projects of national interest and to grow wealth for future generations. This new fund will invest in key strategic Canadian projects and companies alongside the private sector, creating jobs, supporting innovation and making Canada more competitive. What is more, Canadians themselves will have the opportunity to invest in the fund, sharing in its success. We are also launching team Canada strong, a nationwide effort to recruit, train and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trade workers.”
“At the same time, we introduced a new capital budgeting framework, detailed in budget 2025, that distinguishes day-to-day operational spending from capital investment, helping guide decisions and investments that generate long-term benefits for Canadians. This new approach will enhance, not replace, existing financial reporting while providing a clearer picture of the investments that will strengthen Canada's economy in the years ahead. Rightsizing government through the discipline brought by the comprehensive expenditure review is critical in realigning resources for generational investments that build more and deliver results, because that is how we invest in Canada's future. (2115) [ Translation ] This brings me to the spring economic update, which maintains this fiscal discipline while investing in Canadians.”
“Canada's government is making all of these investments possible by changing how government works. We have cut back on operational expenses, including by rightsizing the public service, cutting red tape and eliminating wasteful spending to prioritize long-term investments and to deliver better services to all Canadians. In fact, we are slowing the average growth in direct program expenses from 8% over the last decade to 2.2% from 2025-26 to 2030-31. These efforts are reinforced by the government's comprehensive expenditure review, which is systematically reducing inefficiencies and refocusing spending on core priorities, contributing, along with other measures, to a total of $60 billion in savings and revenues over the next five years.”
“This is why budget 2025 also included generational investments to secure our sovereignty, including meeting NATO's 2% of GDP core defence spending target this year, five years ahead of schedule, and putting Canada on a path to meeting NATO's 5% defence investment pledge by 2035. To keep Canadians safe at home, we are strengthening border security, taking action against organized crime and illegal trafficking, and upholding the rule of law in every region. We are doing so by implementing Canada's border plan and delivering key investments in budget 2025, such as hiring 1,000 additional Canada Border Services Agency officers, upgrading border technology and enhancing intelligence sharing to combat the smuggling of illegal firearms, drugs and people.”
“This is complemented by the enhancements to the scientific research and experimental development tax incentives, increasing the maximum amount of expenses eligible for the refundable tax credit to $6 million, simplifying eligibility criteria and reintroducing capital expenditures as eligible costs. Taken together, these measures support both innovation and capital investment and are a coordinated strategy to drive long-term economic growth and competitiveness. [ English ] We know we cannot build Canada strong without protecting our people and also protecting our values.”
“Through initiatives such as Build Canada Homes, targeted tax measures and strategic incentives, these investments form the cornerstone of the most ambitious housing supply plan that Canada has seen in a generation. Budget 2025 also introduced a five-year, $110-billion framework to strengthen Canada's productivity and global competitiveness. The productivity superdeduction is a central part of this framework. It is a set of accelerated tax deductions that allow businesses to immediately write off a larger share of the cost of any capital asset, including an immediate deduction of 100% for investments in manufacturing or processing machinery and equipment, digital infrastructure, scientific research equipment, and clean energy technologies.”
“(2110) [ Translation ] When the Minister of Finance tabled the budget in 2025, he presented Canadians with a plan to build a single Canadian economy powered by major projects of national interest that will connect our regions, diversify our markets and create hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs. This plan includes a $115‑billion investment in infrastructure to strengthen public services, such as public transit and water systems, to build hospitals, to support indigenous communities, and to build trade and transportation infrastructure that will ensure that our goods and services move efficiently across the country and around the world. At the same time, we have invested $25 billion to build affordable housing at scale.”
“Many of these initiatives were reflected in the main estimates tabled earlier this year, one of the reasons we switched to the fall budget cycle. Now, though, with the spring economic update 2026, we are staying the course with further measures to build a stronger, more independent and more resilient Canada, to advance our progress of building more affordable homes and major infrastructure, and to bring down the costs to help all Canadians get ahead. I look forward to speaking today to some of these key investments with both publications that we have made.”
“Mr. Chair, I want to thank my colleague, the Minister of Finance , for his hard work and for the economic update he provided in the spring. I also want to thank him for his recent visit to Moncton. I was very pleased to be able to welcome him. He gave my community a very good briefing with some highlights from the spring economic update. I thank him. [ English ] We all know that the world is changing. With the new geopolitical dynamics, the supply chain disruptions and the rapid technological breakthroughs, including in artificial intelligence, the world is changing quickly, and Canada must adapt to thrive. In budget 2025, our government seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, making generational investments to foster vibrant communities, empower Canadians, protect our country and build the strongest economy within the G7.”
“Mr. Speaker, one thing that I would agree with my colleague on is the issue of affordability. Over the past two weeks, I have been in my riding and have met with many of my constituents, and affordability continues to be an area of concern. What does the member say to his constituents when he tells them that he voted against the dental care program, the child care program and many of the affordability measures that we have brought forward? I wonder if he could just elaborate on the response that he gives them, because this side of the House has brought forward many measures to make sure that life is more affordable for Canadians. Again, that continues to be our number one priority, and that is not the message I seem to get from the other side of the House.”
“Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague's speech quite intently, and I want to thank her for her hard work, because we certainly know that a lot of work has been done. As opposed to what the member opposite said, the government certainly has prioritized housing for the north. During the speech, she also indicated that Build Canada Homes has established and elaborated some partnerships with people in the north. It is my understanding the partnerships are to ensure that the housing is built for the people and by the people. I am just wondering if the minister could elaborate on those partnerships.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to thank my colleague for his service to our country. I would also to thank his family, because when a member serves, their family serves with them. My colleague talked a bit during his speech about deliberate policy choices. I am wondering if he could elaborate on why the Conservative government, in 2014, closed nine Veterans Affairs offices, slashed the jobs of Veterans Affairs staff who provided direct services to veterans and cut the benefits budget. I am just wondering if the member could elaborate on the deliberate policy choice that was made at that time.”
“I want to offer my deepest condolences to his wife Kathy, his son Jordan, his daughter Brittany, his grandchildren and also his extended family and friends. He will be missed. May he rest in peace.”
“Mr. Speaker, former mayor George LeBlanc, who passed away on February 3 after a long illness, was a leader in every way. We saw it through his charity work with great organizations like the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation, The Moncton Hospital, Moncton Headstart and Moncton Youth Residences, to name just a few. We saw it in his two decades serving on city council and, for eight of those years, being the mayor. Mayor LeBlanc led our city through an unprecedented building boom in our downtown, which still continues today. When a shooting rampage rocked our normally peaceful community, George articulated our grief and our strength to the nation. George LeBlanc led by example, with his honesty, his empathy and his quiet resolve to always make our city better.”
“Mr. Speaker, as with my colleague's riding, Moncton—Dieppe continues to see the issue of housing affordability and availability as a top priority. I wonder if my hon. colleague could elaborate on the importance of ensuring that the Build Canada Homes program provides very affordable housing for people who are less well off.”
“No amount of money could ever reimburse someone for giving so much of themselves to someone else, and that is why I personally support the idea of the member for Edmonton Manning , someone I also consider a dear friend, who proposed the bill, because the gift of life is truly priceless. We should reward living donors with a token of gratitude that is also priceless, a medal that can serve both as a tangible symbol of our nation's gratitude and also as a mark of recognition to ensure that the donor's selflessness, courage and honour are underlined. Once again I offer many thanks to the member for Edmonton Manning . My friend has done well.”
“Just think of how many Canadians' lives could be saved if we encouraged more people to donate a kidney or even a piece of their own liver while they are still alive. I believe that Bill C-234 could help raise awareness, as my fellow colleague indicated, and encourage more Canadians to step forward to make this important gift. I also support the bill because I strongly believe it is simply the right thing to do. We should show our gratitude as a society to the people who make the sacrifice to save Canadians lives. (1755) [ Translation ] In conclusion, I just want to say that donations from all living donors are truly gifts of life. They are, by definition, priceless. [ English ] We could never pay someone enough to be a living donor.”
“I think most members of the House, and indeed most Canadians in general, may have friends or loved ones like Mike and Dan. Most of us also probably know someone who did not survive because they did not get the transplant they needed. The saddest part of all of this is that, as we all know, the kidney is an organ that can be transplanted from a living donor. Living donors could greatly increase the life-saving transplants we could do in Canada, but only, of course, if we have more people stepping up. The fact that Mike received his transplant kidney from a living donor did not speed up the process. In fact, just like Dan, he waited many years before the stars aligned and a match was found.”
“[ English ] Just like that, Dan suddenly received a new lease on life because of another family's tragic loss. This is where Mike Walsh's case is very different. Mike had the extraordinary luck of finding a living donor thanks to his membership and active involvement in a local Rotary club. Mike lives just a few blocks from me in Moncton, but he happened to be far away from home at a Rotary event in Seattle, Washington, when a chance conversation with a fellow Rotarian from Washington state led to the man's giving Mike one of his kidneys. Both my friends beat extraordinary odds in their own journey, but unfortunately, too many of the friends they made in the transplant community of people who were also waiting on the organ transplant list were not as lucky.”
“Mike and Dan, who know each other well, went through similar trials as each waited for the donation of a kidney. They both did everything they could to stay positive and hopeful, but they also did what a reasonable person would do when the odds are stacked against them: They got their affairs in order. They said what needed to be said to their family members and friends, and they also made their funeral arrangements. At one point Dan was so desperate to find a donor that he even put an advertisement on his car and drove around the city in hopes that someone would see it. [ Translation ] At last, after what seemed like a never-ending wait during which he had almost given up hope of his prayers being answered, against all odds, Dan received a kidney just in time, just as his time was running out.”