Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, seniors built this country, and now they must make the tough decisions between buying groceries or medication. They cannot absorb these costs, and they cannot afford to skip meals. Three years ago the finance minister promised to stabilize food prices, which is another broken promise. Canada has the worst food inflation in the G7. The Conservatives have the solution: Cut the industria…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' recycled rebate does not address the high cost of groceries. Some seniors would receive only $10 a week, which is less than the cost of a cup of coffee per day, which is up 33.6%. The $10 savings is like receiving another coupon. The rebate is an admission of the failed policies of the Liberal government, and it would not change much for our seniors. Again I will ask the…
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Mr. Speaker, seniors are choosing between medication and groceries. Food Banks Canada has reported 2.2 million visits in a single month, and 8.3% are seniors, up from 6.8%. Food inflation is the highest in the G7. Canadians need our help. Conservatives have proposed real solutions: eliminate the industrial carbon tax, eliminate the fuel standard tax and cut red tape for farmers. Will the Prime Min…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians he should be judged by the prices at the grocery store. Under his watch, the weekly grocery bill has doubled and the food price report of 2026 says it will get even worse. Families in my community cannot even afford a healthy meal, not even a modest Italian dish like pasta e fagioli, yet the government keeps stirring the pot with higher spending, the …
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Madam Speaker, I understand and I agree with what my hon. colleague is saying, but we have to do more than that. We have to cut taxes. We have to stop spending. I come from a financial background and we were taught that we cannot spend more than we make. The Liberals do not understand that policy. Maybe they need to go back to school. They need to understand that if they expect balanced budgets ev…
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Madam Speaker, I recently visited my colleague from Cambridge's riding and we were shocked to find out that from 2015 to 2024, there was 50 million dollars' worth of scams toward our seniors. The government has done nothing to protect them. I received a note from an individual named Kathy. She said, “Thank you for being a voice for seniors as it is heartbreaking what seniors have to endure to surv…
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Madam Speaker, the member across the way obviously did not listen to what seniors have expressed to me. Had he been listening, he would have understood that seniors are working beyond the age of 67 because they do not have a choice. I visited a factory in my riding and half of its employees are between the ages of 65 and 74. Tell me why they are still working. It is because of your failed governme…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of seniors in this country, both those from my community of King—Vaughan and the many seniors from coast to coast who have shared with me that they feel completely abandoned by the Liberal government's latest budget. These Canadians expected a plan that addressed affordability, housing, health care and dignity for older adults. Instead they received a document…
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Madam Speaker, seniors call me because they are worried. They are worried about where they are going to get their next meal, how they are going to pay for their heat and how they are going to find the money to pay for their medications. The choices they have to make should not have to be that way. After all, they came to Canada for the promise and the opportunity to live a comfortable life. The Li…
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Mr. Speaker, we are so happy to have the hon. member for Markham—Unionville on our team. I recently spoke to Carole from the Seniors Tin Cup and she quoted these numbers. She said that the poverty line in Canada is $25,252, and that 28% of senior women are living in poverty through no fault of their own. The government has nothing in the budget for seniors. Single seniors are struggling every sing…
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Mr. Speaker, food bank usage is at a dangerously high level with over one million people using the food bank in Ontario. This past year, usage has skyrocketed 165%. Parents take pride in providing for their families. However, in the cost of living crisis, 29% of food bank users are children. When will the Liberal government stop playing games with their Brookfield buddies and stop the industrial c…
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Mr. Speaker, 75 years ago, a bricklayer arrived on Canadian shores from Italy seeking a better life, and 75 years later, the granddaughter of that bricklayer serves in Canada's Parliament. As a daughter of Italian immigrants, I am proud to represent my community of King—Vaughan. On Tuesday, I had the honour of being elected chair of the Canada-Italy Interparliamentary Group. I look forward to work…
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Mr. Speaker, the very people who built this country and taught us the value of hard work while managing our budgets are having to line up at the food bank. Food Banks Canada reports that almost 10% of food bank users are seniors, which is up 22% from 2019. The Liberal government's reckless spending has driven up prices and left our seniors behind. When will the Liberal government respect our senio…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my new hon. colleague from Newmarket—Aurora. They voted her here today to represent her community. Seventy-six per cent of seniors are having to support their families today because of the Liberal government's affordability crisis. They do not understand budgets. My colleague does. She comes from the banking sector, so I would like to ask my colleague how she mig…
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Mr. Speaker, we have a serious situation in this country, with 86,000 people out of work. Earlier today, during question period, the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that they are going to support the Canadian population with EI. The people in my community do not want EI; they want jobs. They want to work. How would the member address that?
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Mr. Speaker, after a lifetime of hard work raising their families, seniors deserve to enjoy their retirement, but under the Liberal government, that dream is slipping away. Every dollar the Prime Minister spends comes out of the pockets of Canadians in higher Liberals taxes and inflation. A new report shows that one in three grandparents is now supporting their adult children and grandchildren, an…
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Madam Speaker, welcome back. According to CBC, 33% of food bank users in my colleague's province are children. There were over two million visits to food banks in March 2024. This is due to the high cost of living. The Liberals can talk about their wonderful plans. They can talk about how they are supporting children at schools, and their dental plans. Why is this number so ridiculously high with …
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Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity this past summer to visit Nova Scotia, and it is a beautiful province. I was in Acadie—Annapolis, where I met with a group that assists seniors. One of the stories I heard was very troubling to me, because this particular senior had to choose between heating her home and buying food. She could not afford both. Let us be honest. There has been a 68% increase in pe…
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Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed being on the status of women committee with the hon. member. As the critic for seniors, I have a question we need to address. According to Statistics Canada, there were 6.8 million seniors representing 18.5% of the population in 2021, and this will grow to 25% in 2036. In my riding, seniors have to look for work because they cannot afford their expenses and have to choose be…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would be judged by the cost at grocery stores, yet, in August, food inflation soared 70% higher than the overall inflation. Denise, a senior in Quebec, is now forced to skip meals to survive the crushing cost of living. This is another broken promise from a Prime Minister who has let our seniors down time and time again. Will the Prime Min…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question, but I want first off to state something from the PBO. He estimates that oil and gas production caps will lower real gross domestic product in Canada by 0.39% by 2032, reducing nominal GDP by $20.5 billion. Here is the other part that concerns the people of Canada. The PBO estimates that achieving the legal upper bound will reduce economy-wide employment…
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Mr. Speaker, my constituents are saying to me that they are going to go to bed with a loaded gun, in case someone comes in to hurt their family, like that criminal who pointed a gun at a four-year-old whose father paid the most courageous price by defending her with his life. I would like the member to look at this family and explain to them why he did not do the right thing. The people in my comm…
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Mr. Speaker, I will bring forward a question and a comment. My comment is that, in 2024, I was part of the status of women committee, and Cait Alexander, a very vibrant and strong woman, came forward to tell her story. Unfortunately the Liberals decided to shut her down. She did not have the opportunity to explain why she felt the law that we want to bring forward would help protect women from vio…
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Mr. Speaker, it is nice to see you in the chair again; welcome back. Communities across York Region are facing a surge in violent crime, leaving my constituents terrified for their safety. The crime statistics in York Region are staggering and are an example of the trend that has occurred throughout all of Canada. Here are the stats from a York Region police report. From 2020 to 2024, failures to …
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Mr. Speaker, that was one of Cait Alexander's concerns when she came to committee. She made that exact point about the Jordan law. Her partner, who brutally left her for dead, got off because of the Jordan law, and it was not the first time. We need to make sure that these cases are swiftly brought to the attention of the judges and that these criminals and these scum-buckets are left to stay and …
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Mr. Speaker, I have proof right here from citizens of my community who are tired of failed Liberal government policy. What is it that the government does not understand? Thirteen hundred people in my community are out on bail and ready to commit another crime. We need to stop this to protect everyone.
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Mr. Speaker, I recently did a ride-along with a police officer, and these are comments that police officers have shared with me: Criminals are laughing at us. They are not even resisting arrest. Why? It is because they know that weak laws created by a weak Liberal government are going to allow them to get out. Why would they care? We need to ensure that police officers have the tools and the laws …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Canada Pension Plan, and broken down by year, for each of the last five years: what was the number and percentage of new Canada Pension Plan recipients, broken down by their age at the time that they received their first Canada Pension Plan payment, starting at age 60?
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to fix the Liberals' broken criminal justice system and did nothing all summer. Meanwhile, seven shootings have occurred in Vaughan in less than three weeks. A father, Abdul Aleem Farooqi, was shot dead protecting his family. Families across Canada are terrified. Repeat violent offenders are still on our streets because of weak Liberal laws like Bill C-5 an…
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With regard to Canada Pension Plan payments: (a) has the government conducted any analysis of (i) how much it would cost to allow individuals, who continue to pay into, and don't start collecting, Canada Pension Plan payments until an age later than 65, such as 70, to defer those payments and receive larger payment when they do start collecting Canada Pension Plan payments, (ii) any proposal simil…
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With regard to government action taken following the concerns raised by the Auditor General in Report 11 "Programs to Assist Seniors": (a) what specific changes is the government making to the New Horizons for Seniors Program in response to the concerns; (b) how will the government measure the number of seniors benefitting from each of the grants provided under the New Horizons for Seniors Program…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my hon. colleague. I listened to his speech, and he continues to discuss what happened in the past. The Liberals have been in power for 10 years. Over two million people are using food banks. Seniors are living on the street. What is happening? The housing minister's own issues in Vancouver increased homelessness for seniors by 40%. You have been in power for 10 …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for an excellent question. He has just proven a point that we have been stating on this side of the House all along. The Liberals do not have a budget or a plan. They have no idea how they are going to make life more affordable, and they need to review Bill C-4 to ensure that all Canadians can live in dignity.
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Madam Speaker, I would like my hon. colleague to speak to Angela and Phillip and explain to them why they are living in their car. Their $800 savings will not even pay for one month's worth of increase in rent. How do we explain this to the seniors who are living in their car and having to hide so they do not burden their families?
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Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by sincerely thanking residents, my family and the dedicated team in King—Vaughan for once again placing their trust in me to represent them in this House. I rise today not just to speak to Bill C-4 but to speak for those who are not mentioned in it, for those who are too often left out of our national conversation. I rise for our seniors. As shadow minister fo…
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Madam Speaker, according to the Liberals' own housing agency, 60% of Canadians are struggling to pay down debt, and one in four are using one credit card just to pay off another. The cost of living is up 45%, job losses are up 34%, and interest rates are climbing 29%. The dream of home ownership is slipping further out of reach. Canadians are stuck living in their parents' basement. What is the Li…
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Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised 500,000 new home starts a year, but according to a TD report, the target is completely unrealistic. Even under the most generous projections, the Liberals' plan falls dramatically short of what is needed, and now construction is falling, not rising. Let us be honest. A GST cut on homes under $1 million does nothing if there are no homes being built. When will t…
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Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question, and I do agree. The life expectancies of individuals have grown, from my time in the financial industry, from 73 years for men and 75 years for women to the late eighties, so the RRSP suggestion makes sense. We should give them more time to save money and reduce the opportunity for them to have to live on a fixed income later on in their life. As far a…
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Madam Speaker, I will give a quick response. My hon. colleague across the way has to know that the average age people are working in my riding is into their late seventies, because they cannot afford to live. How does he explain—
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Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberals, it is just more waste and mismanagement. The Auditor General's scathing report slammed the Prime Minister's treatment of seniors. The government broke the new horizons program. There are value for money concerns with nearly half of the approved projects. In one case, the government paid $23,000 for a door in a senior's residence that was never ins…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister has to release the names to Canadians so we can tackle the situation and discover who is involved with foreign interference. He is the only one who can do it. Let us get it done.
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I visit seniors in my community on a regular basis and I am hearing exactly the same thing as this member. Recently we were canvassing in the GTA and the seniors I met were very upset. They are now looking at leaving their homes and either trying to live with their children or find an encampment because they cannot afford to stay in their homes. Anyone who has volunteered with senio…
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Madam Speaker, the $250 is our tax dollars. We are going to have to pay it back. As far as the member's claim that he wants to help people who need the money, all of us MPs who will be receiving the $250 do not need it. It should go to people who need it: people with disabilities and seniors who cannot afford to feed themselves and are going to food banks. I have volunteered at a seniors home for …
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Madam Speaker, once again, I rise in the House to speak to the privilege motion. In case anyone at home is confused about this, it is all about why we are debating this motion. Back in June, members of Parliament passed a motion demanding that all documents related to Sustainable Development Technology Canada be transferred to the RCMP for investigation within 30 days. The government did not do th…
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Madam Speaker, seniors need our help. I agree with that, but what the member fails to remember is that the Liberals, along with the NDP, have been in power for nine years. They have done absolutely nothing to ensure homes are built for our seniors, for our children and for people who cannot afford it. Maybe instead of voting with the Liberals, the New Democrats should look into their own souls and…
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Madam Speaker, I have a question for the hon. member across the way. Earlier in his speech, he indicated that two past leaders of the Conservative Party left the party. Something is interesting, and maybe he can help me understand this. We have been canvassing in the GTA, and I am hearing the opposite from constituents who are saying to me that the Liberal Party has left them, and they no longer f…
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Madam Speaker, that is an excellent point. I want to say a few things. First of all, we have a food bank in my riding called the Sai Dham Food Bank that I happen to assist in many different ways. It serves 4,000 seniors every single month by delivering food baskets. In one month alone, it delivered 5.42 million meals. That is unheard of in this country. We need to ensure we help the most vulnerabl…
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Madam Speaker, I am a little concerned about those questions because let us look at the facts. Number one, the Liberals are bribing us with our own money. Number two, if they feel they have done such a great job for Canadians, can they explain to Canadians watching today why over two million Canadians have to use food banks? My grandfather came here in 1950 and food banks were not even in existenc…
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Madam Speaker, recently, I had the pleasure and the honour of canvassing in the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge's riding with Michael Guglielmin and the member for Lakeland, Alberta. When we were knocking at the doors, that is not what we heard. The member's constituents do not trust him. He continues to say that he wants to cross the floor. Well, believe it or not, Conservatives do not want him. Wh…
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Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, we heard this speech two hours ago and I think I questioned the member across the way—
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