Bill No. 84 - Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Appreciation Act. - Second reading

CLAUDIA CHENDER: Madam Speaker, the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary have a long history in my electoral district of Dartmouth South and in Dartmouth North, where we are very lucky to have a huge amount of our district run along the coast of Halifax Harbour.

The former base at Parker Street, the Coast Guard base, is now home to the Centre for Ocean Ventures & Entrepreneurship, which is a truly awesome facility that we're very proud to host. The long history of that facility in Dartmouth and the current base near the Bedford Institute of Oceanography has really embedded the Coast Guard and its auxiliary into our community. We have lots of families, as the member just spoke of, who are very connected to the work of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and who benefit from the protection of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the lifesaving work they do.

As you've heard from my colleagues, the work of the Coast Guard Auxiliary is hugely important and also impactful. As a volunteer corps, I think there's nothing better that we could do than to support them.

The NDP caucus fully supports the work of these women and men and all efforts of this House to increase their numbers and to recognize the importance of that work.

THE SPEAKER « » : The honourable member for Halifax Atlantic.