Emergencies Act  Madam Chair, the people of Nepean are so concerned. For them, it is unbelievable that a few groups of people can so blatantly flout the rule of law and misuse their freedom to the right to protest. They occupy parts of Ottawa and bring misery to families and business owners.

Emergencies Act  Madam Speaker, as I mentioned, the occupations and blockades are not legal. These are done by foreign-funded groups. I am surprised to note that some of our hon. colleagues stand in solidarity with these foreign-funded groups who are taking action, occupying our cities and blocking the trade flow between Canada and the U.S.

Emergencies Act  Mr. Speaker, as we enter the third week of occupations and illegal blockades, we need this Emergencies Act for two reasons, in my opinion. Number one is that it is time to uphold the rule of law. Number two is that it is time to take action to protect our critical economic infrastructure before this makes permanent damage to our economy.

Black History Month  Mr. Speaker, February is Black History Month. It is a time again to learn about the history and culture of Black Canadians and how they have contributed to Canada. I rise to recognize the hard-working and inspiring leadership of some key Black leaders in Ottawa, such as John Adeyefa, Hector Addison, Sahada Alolo, Chuks Imahiagbe, Thomas Ngwa and Francis Yel of the African Canadian diaspora; Franklin Epape, André Azambou, Germaine Basita, Justin Materania and Alain Lutala of the French-speaking African Canadian community; June Girvan and Godwin Ifedi of Black History Ottawa; Ingrid John-Baptiste of the Caribbean Canadian diaspora; and Abdillahi Roble and Ali Jama of the Somaliland Canadian community.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, my first petition, e-3704, is on a symbol for hidden disabilities. The international disability symbol of access iconographically excludes the hidden disability community. Collectively, hidden disabilities are represented less than detectable disabilities in research and advocacy, yet they affect more people.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, the second petition, e-3725, is from the Canada Fashion Network. We must identify fashion as a form of art. The fashion industry is diminishing, and is crucial to our national identity and our diverse population. There are several ongoing unaddressed issues, such as cultural awareness and appropriation.

Lunar New Year  Madam Speaker, I would like to wish the Chinese communities in Canada and across the world a very happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Tiger. I would like to recognize the contributions that Chinese-Canadians have made and continue to make to the socio-economic development of our country in adding to the richness of the multicultural fabric of Canada.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, the crypto economy is new. It is just starting. As my colleague emphasized, it is very important that we bring in regulations to have an orderly market. Right now, it is the wild west in the crypto economy around the world, so the governments of different countries need to sit together and make uniform rules and regulations to manage this.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, on the question of lithium and the other minerals that are required for the manufacturing of batteries for the next generation of technologies, I am glad to state that Canada and the U.S. are working hand in hand. They are developing a comprehensive strategy for the development of mines, for the development of processing units and for the battery manufacturers themselves.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, students are very important, as I mentioned in my speech. We have to make Canada competitive so that Canada can be at the forefront of these technologies, for the sake of our children and grandchildren. We need to make sure that our students are trained in STEM, in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Nickel Belt. I would like to thank the people of Nepean for electing me for the third time to this chamber. I promise to continue to work hard in delivering services with the help of my staff, and will continue to represent them here in this august chamber.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj  Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to make this statement today, on the 100th anniversary of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj. His holiness was a Hindu swami of the Swaminarayan denomination. He gifted the people of Canada the magnificent BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Toronto, the first traditionally hand-carved Hindu place of worship in Canada.

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People  Madam Speaker, today is the United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. There is a series of 16 standing resolutions about Palestinian human rights at the United Nations. Over the last 10 years, Canada has dramatically altered its position and voted against most of these resolutions.

Petitions  Madam Speaker, the hidden disability community in Canada is growing and there is a need for a hidden disability symbol as it can act as a tool for self-advocacy, increase in social awareness and support. I wish to present a petition that calls upon the Government of Canada to adopt and promote a national hidden disability symbol.

Human Rights  Madam Speaker, Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem is the third-holiest site in Islam. My wife and I visited Al-Aqsa Mosque when we travelled to Palestine and the images of violence we saw there during the holy month of Ramadan were upsetting; it resulted in conflict and loss of life, including children.