As the House of Commons has adjourned for the holidays, I am fortunate to be able to spend a moment reflecting on my first full year as your MP. It has been an eventful year for sure, and holding the Liberal government to account was the main focus as we settle in to being the Official Opposition.
The assisted dying bill, C-14, passed in the House of Commons and received Royal Assent on June 17. The issue of assisted dying is highly complex and deeply sensitive. I voted against this bill but unfortunately, due to their majority, the Liberals won the vote. Regardless, I will continue to stand up and represent the views of my constituents on important matters such as this.
As the opposition critic for sport, the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio, Brazil were certainly one of the highlights of this year. Team Canada took home 22 medals at the Olympics and 29 medals at the Paralympics. Our female athletes dominated the Games, including Saskatchewan’s own Brianne Thiessen-Eaton who won the bronze medal in the heptathlon. I am so proud of all our athletes for dtheir hard work and dedication to sport and for representing Canada proudly and honourably.
One cause that has always been near and dear to my heart is the Special Olympics, and I was lucky to have a chance to meet with representatives from the organization twice this year. Over the summer I was visited at my office, by Antonius Quist, a Special Olympian who competes in a number of swimming events. I also got to meet Lucas Faye, a Special Olympian in Athletics when he visited Ottawa for the Special Olympics Lobby Day. I encourage everyone to support the Special Olympics for all the great work they do, and I extend my wishes for good luck to all athletes competing next March in Austria.
Another role I am proud to have in Ottawa is that of the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The committee has done a lot of great work this year and on Dec. 9, our first report on service delivery to veterans was tabled in the House of Commons. The committee also traveled to Toronto, London and Montreal where we heard testimony from veterans and visited a hospital and a Veterans’ Affairs Canada office. Being a part of this committee has been both humbling and eye-opening. I know the Conservative Party is fully dedicated to improving the lives of our veterans in whatever way we can.
Overall, our party has had a strong, successful 2016 as the Official Opposition. We represented the voice of the taxpayer, opposed the Liberal agenda of uncontrolled spending and deficits, and held them to account for their misguided and risky economic plans.
I know we will continue to represent the views of Conservatives across Canada as we work toward making this country the best it can be.
Here’s to another year gone by as we look ahead to 2017.
Dr. Robert Kitchen
MP Souris-Moose Mountain
