Madam Speaker, I rise today in the House of Commons to deliver my very first speech deeply humbled and honoured. I want to begin by thanking the people of Burnaby Central for giving me this extraordinary privilege. I am grateful for their trust, confidence and belief in me. The seat I occupy in this chamber belongs to them.
I would like to take a moment to thank Jagmeet Singh for his years of service to our community and to Canada. His passion for justice, compassion for working families and commitment to equality have left a meaningful legacy. While we come from different political paths, I deeply respect his contributions, so I thank him.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my amazing volunteers and campaign team, who worked tirelessly to ensure that Burnaby Central had a strong Liberal voice in Ottawa. Most of all, I would like to thank my dear husband Van and our beloved fur baby Marshmallow for their unwavering support, understanding and sacrifices as I take on this responsibility to serve.
As the first gay Asian member of this House, I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. I carry with me the hopes and dreams of countless immigrant families who came to Canada with so little, yet gave everything to build a better life.
When I knocked on doors in Burnaby Central, I heard the same message: The cost of living needs to come down. That is why our government is committed to a middle-class tax cut and targeted investments that make life more affordable. We are building more homes, growing the number of high-quality jobs and cutting costs for everyday Canadians. That is what it means to build Canada strong: an economy that works for everyone from coast to coast to coast.
I am here for Burnaby Central and I am here because of Burnaby Central. Allow me to share some stories of Burnaby Central.
One story that I carry with me to this House is of a biracial same-sex couple. Cindy and Debra first met as classmates in junior high school, and although life took them in different directions, they reconnected decades later at their 30-year school reunion in 2010. At that time, both were married to men and raising children. Their lives were full, but not truly fulfilling. That reunion sparked a reconnection that would eventually change everything.
Fifteen years later, they are now retired from meaningful careers in health care and share a home in my riding. What they cherish most is the freedom to live openly, honestly and without judgment in a community that accepts and embraces them. Their story is one of courage, love and the quiet strength of being seen. Happy Pride, Canada.
Next, I would like to talk about the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Located in the heart of my riding, BCIT has been delivering flexible, relevant and future-focused education for over 60 years. BCIT prepares learners to lead innovation in their workplaces and communities, and its impact is felt across B.C. and beyond.
Polytechs like BCIT are uniquely positioned to support this government's mandate to make Canada strong. To meet the demand for housing, infrastructure and major projects across the country, we need BCIT's apprentices. To deliver vital health care, cybersecurity and AI services, we need BCIT's graduates. To move goods across provinces and territories, we need BCIT's transport training in rail, air, marine and land.
As one of B.C.'s largest post-secondary institutions, its students work on innovative solutions in areas such as energy efficiency, agricultural technology and robotics. This is proof that the future of Canadian innovation is in good hands. BCIT, along with its remarkable students and faculty, is empowering people, shaping B.C. and Canada and inspiring global progress. I am proud that it calls Burnaby Central home.
Burnaby is also home to many vibrant immigrant families whose stories are deeply woven into the fabric of Canada. One of those stories belongs to Monica Tsai, a proud resident of my riding and the chairperson of the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society. Since 1991, this association has been a tireless champion for cultural exchange, civic participation and community building. The association brings people together. It offers language classes, senior services, youth programs and cultural events that celebrate Taiwan's rich history and heritage, while helping newcomers find their place in this beautiful country of Canada.
Whenever I visit the association, I see reflections of my own journey. I see new immigrants learning English while holding on to their mother tongue. I see volunteers preparing for the Lunar New Year celebration, Latin festivals and Canada Day flag-raising ceremonies, all under one roof. That is what Canada looks like.
I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Christine Cunningham for her thoughtful support during my campaign and for her deep passion for protecting Burnaby's natural environment. Christine has been a tireless advocate for biodiversity. Her leadership has inspired so many of us in the community, including me. She reminds us that loving wildlife also means protecting the ecosystem that it and we rely on.
One of my constituents, Rose, a first-generation Italian-Canadian, has proudly called Burnaby home for over 25 years. She moved here seeking not just a house but a community, one where opportunity, belonging and dignity could thrive. From her childhood roots on east Vancouver's Commercial Drive to raising her daughter in Burnaby, Rose found what so many newcomers hope for: a place where neighbours still greet each other with warmth, where diversity is not just accepted but celebrated and where families can build life with stability and purpose. Her story is a powerful reminder that Burnaby is not just where we live; it is where we grow, connect and dream.
I would like to share a personal story to conclude my speech. In 2010, my mother noticed blood in her urine. The doctors thought she could have bladder cancer. What followed was a long series of delays and tests. There were delays in referrals, delays in diagnosis and delays in getting answers. Then came the MRI. It changed everything. It was not bladder cancer; it was stage 3 cervical cancer.
Nothing prepares someone for news like that. My family watched my mom fight through rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. We prayed. We hoped. Less than two years later, she was gone. She was the heart of my family. Her life was far too short, but she left behind something powerful: her example. As a child, I believed I could be anything. Through every challenge, my mom would remind me to be the blessing that others need. That is why I became a lawyer; I wanted to help people, especially those who could not fight for themselves, and that is why I am here in the House of Commons today. I want to use every skill I can, every hardship I have lived through, to be a voice for those who are still waiting for change.
This is the power of immigrant families. We endure hardship, but we pass on hope. We come to this country with almost nothing, but then we build something better, not just for ourselves but also for our communities and for our future generations. As Professor Dumbledore said in Harry Potter, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” I am here to help turn on the light for Burnaby Central and for every Canadian still waiting in the dark. Let us do this together.
This is her story. This is his story. This is my story. Above all, it is our Canadian story, the story of a nation built on courage, compassion and the strength of many voices coming together as one.