Issues at home and in Ottawa

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday this is a break week from the House of Commons before the House resumes again on Monday, October 20th, 2014. Also occurring in Ottawa this week is a case that is before the Supreme Court of Canada on assisted suicide. It is unknown at this point if this matter will come before the House of Commons or not in the immediate future however it is a subject that I know many citizens can have strong views on.  A related subject that has also arisen is the need for improved access to palliative care in Canada. Currently it is estimated that only 15% of Canadians have access to palliative care and while it is more common in Okanagan-Coquihalla there are many regions in Canada where it is unavailable. The 2013 Economic Action plan budget increased funding to the Pallium Foundation of Canada to increase palliative training for front line health care workers, however more work needs to be done in this area. From the many families I have heard from who have lost a loved one, palliative care can make some of life’s most challenging times more comfortable. This is a subject I will continue to support increased progress on in Ottawa.

Another subject that I remain actively involved with in Ottawa involves Federal regulations with respect to invasive freshwater species such as the Zebra and Quagga mussel. Although the 2014 boating season may be soon coming to an end, the need to have increased regulations in place at the border is of critical importance for the protection of our freshwater lakes and not just here in Okanagan-Coquihalla but across British Columbia. This will be a subject that not unlike my private member's bill, I will continue to pursue until such time these regulations are in effect. My thanks again to the work of the Okanagan Basin Water Board and many citizens who have also taken the time to share concerns on this important subject.

Recently the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy released the 2013-2014 Members Expenditures Report; this is the public document that forms part of my annual accountability report that I will be releasing in an MP report in the near future. As always if you have a comment, question or concern on matter before the House of Commons I can be reached at [email protected] or toll free at 1-800-665-8711.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.