Pam Damoff speaking in the House of Commons - this is who she is

By Pepper Parr

May 4th, 2022

BURLINGTON, ON

Pam Damoff: During one of her early elections

This is pure Pam Damoff.

She is the member of parliament for Oakville North Burlington.

She rose in the House of Commons yesterday and said the following.

This is who she is – this is what she is – and it doesn’t get much better than that.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the hon. member that Canadians are weary, and I am happy to speak tonight about lowering the rhetoric. I do not think the member will be surprised to find out that I agree with most of what she has said. I find that we Canadians have forgotten how to be kind to each other, and how to listen and how to disagree in a respectful way.

The two of us were sent to this place from different provinces and with different priorities, but we were sent here with a shared calling. That calling prioritizes public service and collaboration. While it will surprise none of the hon. members in this place that we often disagree, it is really important that we disagree in a respectful and kind way. I want to thank the member for Calgary Nose Hill for always coming to this place in good faith with an eagerness to work with members of all parties and with a steadfast commitment to representing the interests of her constituents and Canadians.

Pam Damoff speaking in the House of Commons

I know that, like me, the hon. member has been subjected to threats and harassment due to the rising rhetoric, and that is just wrong.

 The hon. member has told me before that our constituents have much more in common than they have differences, and she is right. It is why, on a day like today when news has broken about the United States rolling back a woman’s right to abortion, it is important that members from all parties stand up proudly to affirm that Canadian women have the right to choice, and that when access to reproductive health care is rolled back we are telling women their health and safety is less important than men’s health and safety. It is why I was happy to second the bill introduced by the member for Calgary Confederation to make it easier for all Canadians to become organ donors, and why I am happy to see that the member for St.

Albert—Edmonton has reintroduced his bill that would ensure that Canadians who serve on a jury can speak about the trauma associated with the experience when seeking mental health care. All of us who have the honour of being elected to this place have a responsibility to treat it with the reverence that it deserves.

 We certainly saw things bubble to the surface in late January and early February, with protests in Ottawa, at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, in Coutts, Alberta, and eventually at crossings and other cities across the country. It is something that none of us wanted to see in Canada.

Pam Damoff: speaking at a community event

 It is critical that we continue to speak to each other in a respectful way.

I agree with the hon. member that we need to be listening to each other and not just talking. I have had the pleasure of having conversations with the hon. member where we do disagree, and we disagree quite strongly.

How do we lower the temperature and the rhetoric in Canada and restore faith in democratic institutions? We need to show Canadians that we can work together on shared priorities. We need to condemn what we know is wrong, and when we work together to accomplish a shared goal, we need to do a much better job of sharing credit and telling Canadians about how, together, we were able to pass laws that will make our country a better and fairer place to live.