Mr. Speaker, when the plan entitled “Canada Strong” was released, it immediately resonated with the people in my riding, so I congratulate all who developed this plan, which addresses our nation's fundamental need at this critical time: economic prosperity. I would now like to share some of the significant comments I received regarding economic prosperity from three sectors of my riding: mining, agriculture and defence.

The first are comments received from the mining sector. As some may know, northern Ontario accounts for most of Ontario's mining activity, with approximately 200 companies, a third of which are in Nipissing—Timiskaming. Mining is the largest commercial contributor to the GDP of Nipissing—Timiskaming. The riding is a hub for the global mining supply and services sector.

This past weekend, the mining institute of Canada celebrated 100 years of mining in North Bay. From North Bay, companies export and operate around the globe via the city's well-developed transportation network, including highway, rail and air connections. The local industry is known internationally for its innovation, and it collaborates with post-secondary institutions to develop new technologies.

When I met with representatives of these companies, there were three issues that came forward. The first is access to labour. With mining expected to see strong growth in the next few years, what is problematic is that 21% of mining workers in North Bay are over the age of 55 and are nearing retirement. The shortage of housing remains a major barrier to attracting new residents to the region and is why housing projects tied to the North Bay area will continue to need support in this mandate of government.

A second issue is tied to the fact that 65% of local companies will be introducing new products to the market, and they will continue to need strong support for innovation from organizations such as FedNor and the Business Development Bank. The third issue is that 60% of these companies export around the world, and they will continue to need support from Export Development Canada for managing their risks.

Second, I would like to say a few words about agriculture. We sometimes do not think of the north in terms of agriculture, but there are significant opportunities for expansion in the agricultural sector in Nipissing—Timiskaming, in what is known as Little Claybelt: the area of Temiskaming Shores, Earlton and Belle Vallée. In Timiskaming, there are 456 dairy, cattle and crop farms, with an average size of over 500 acres. With the growing days, days that are getting longer, it is predicted that this is an area that will have much opportunity moving forward.

When I met with influencers in that area, they spoke about three things. The first is protecting supply management. They were very thrilled with the words that were included in the Speech from the Throne, as well as with statements made by the new Minister of Agriculture. However, they pointed out the last trade negotiations with the United States, where supply management was supposedly off the table but concessions were nonetheless made at the last minute, so they intend to remain vigilant in the future.

Their second concern is for financing. They need the support of Farm Credit Canada and FedNor. Third, they ask that Highway 11 north be included in the Canada strong plan, as it is an important highway that falls under the plan's provisions for building an east-west trading corridor and twinning the Trans-Canada Highway. As we know, Highway 11 is the main route used for truckers as they travel the country from east to west.

Finally, I will say a few words about defence. People may not recognize that since 1951, the city of North Bay has been home to the Canadian Forces base known as 22 Wing North Bay. It has 500 military personnel who provide surveillance and warning for the aerospace defence industry and work closely with NORAD in Colorado. There are also U.S. military personnel stationed in North Bay.

From a city perspective, there is a strong interest in our base. It has strong ties to our communities. We have an airport with a military-grade runway. Flight schools, a Canadore College aviation campus and Voyageur Aviation Corporation operate out of this facility. There is an increased interest in the impact of the “Canada Strong” plan, which focuses on rebuilding, rearming and reinvesting. The base's facilities need housing improvements.

I will also say a quick word about an issue tied to the CFB but not its daily operations. It is related to a major water contamination problem. PFAS, known as a “forever chemical”, used in the foam for air defence firefighter training until the late 1990s, seeped into the airport grounds and surrounding groundwater. The city and the Department of National Defence have reached a $20-million agreement to clean up the airport. However, and I will conclude on this point, the contamination has also seeped into waterways connected to Trout Lake, which supplies North Bay with drinking water.

In recent months, Health Canada has established that the maximum allowable concentration of PFAS in drinking water is 30 nanograms per litre, while Ontario's 2024 drinking water report indicates that the City of North Bay's drinking water system is the only known system in Ontario that consistently exceeds this limit due to historic PFAS contamination. As a result, additional funding is needed to upgrade North Bay's water treatment plan and to remove PFAS from the water supply. This is urgent.

There are so many other things that I could say with regard to the comments that I heard from my community following the election and with regard to our “Canada Strong” plan. That being said, I am pleased to see that the plan and the Speech from the Throne identify those issues and that meaningful action will be taken to address each one of them.

In closing, I want to reiterate my full support for the throne speech on behalf of the people of Nipissing—Timiskaming. I am happy to take any questions from my colleagues.

Pauline Rochefort