Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, seniors are the lifeline of our country. The Liberals need to respect our seniors, show some compassion and understand that, with the cost of inflation and the tripling of the carbon tax, we will see more and more families struggle to survive. Daily, I continue to hear stories of struggling seniors forced into shelters because they cannot afford housing costs or their heating bills, o…
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Mr. Speaker, in my past life in a financial institution, I experienced many robberies and was also involved in a shooting. When speaking to police officers, a lot of times the problem was that the guns used were illegal and the crimes by these robbers do not match their sentencing, because we are too soft on crime. How can we change that so we can encourage police officers to do their jobs to the …
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Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the hon. member. You spoke about facts, targets, housing benefits and the most vulnerable Canadians. Can you please explain this to me? This morning, the Auditor General of Canada, in paragraphs 20 to 24, made some comments on that. I am going to read paragraph 20 to you. It states: [A]lthough 5 years have gone by since the launch of the federal government’s Nati…
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Mr. Speaker, there is nothing in the fall economic statement that addresses single senior women. There was a report from the CBC. I am sure colleagues have all read it. It was about two women, one in Nova Scotia and one in Toronto, who are still living in their cars and unable to afford housing. What does the government plan to do to help single female seniors to have the retirement they so much d…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's seniors are struggling to survive. Denise, a senior living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has been employed since she was 16 years old. Denise's income includes a job, old age security and her Canada pension, yet Denise is forced to live in her car as she is unable to afford housing. When will the Liberal government show some compassion, give our seniors some relief and cancel its …
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Madam Speaker, seniors are more intelligent than the government gives them credit for. Seniors are worse off today than they were seven years ago. Our seniors built this country and deserve better. With a 40-year inflation high and skyrocketing food prices, the Liberal government has implemented a failed plan that will force our seniors to use food banks and choose between eating and heating. The …
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Mr. Speaker, first-time homebuyers in Canada are giving up on the idea of ever owning a home due to the housing crisis. The average cost of a detached home in my riding of King—Vaughan is $1.8 million. Canadians are already struggling with their budgets. Buyers are not able to qualify for a mortgage. This is due in part to the high interest costs by the Bank of Canada. The qualification process us…
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Madam Speaker, coming from the banking world, I have to say there are security measures in the financial institutions to watch for money laundering. I remember it very clearly. The thing I would like some clarification on and would like the hon. member to explain is that in the banking system one bank cannot speak to the other bank, even though we know there are illegal transactions going on. Can …
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are struggling because of the inflation caused by the Prime Minister. More Canadians are turning to their local food banks for support. Senior usage of food banks has increased 30%. According to the CEO of a Toronto food bank, nearly triple the number of people visited the food bank in June 2022 compared to June 2019. These Liberals have caused the cost of living crisis. Wil…
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Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague spoke about the CRA. Could he please explain to the House how he is ensuring that terrorists in this country are not funnelling money to support other countries? What is the CRA doing about that?
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Madam Speaker, here is my concern. In my riding of King—Vaughan, we have 41,000 acres of farming, nurseries and tree farms, which help with carbon capture. The region is also home to the Holland Marsh, which is a recognized producer of a significant percentage of vegetables grown in the province. Unfortunately, the high cost of the added carbon tax, which has increased operational costs for all ou…
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Madam Speaker, I see the member's passion and I respect that. I have a question for him. Canadians are spending 43% of their income on taxes and 35.7% on basic necessities. Could the member help me understand something, because I guess I am a bit of a numbers person? Are we giving them all of these benefits to pay for the increase in taxes? Is that how we are helping the individuals who really nee…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I would like to recognize Kalley Armstrong. Kalley is the owner and founder of Armstrong Hockey, a skills development program that works with indigenous youth on the ice and promotes the benefits of hockey outside the rink. Kalley draws her inspiration from her late grandfather, George Armstrong, Toronto Maple Leafs lege…
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Mr. Speaker, Frank, a father in my riding of Vaughan, is struggling to support his family of four. He currently works two jobs to put food on the table and gas in his car. These are not luxury items, and the struggle to afford the necessities is taking a serious toll on his mental health and well-being. Will the government cancel its planned tax increase for Frank and all Canadian taxpayers?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to Veterans Affairs Canada providing service dogs to certain veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: (a) since January 2020, how many dogs have been provided to veterans; (b) is there currently a backlog of requests for dogs, and, if so, how many requests are backlogged; (c) what is the average time between when a request is received and when the veterans receive the dogs; and (d…
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Madam Speaker, last week I visited an organization in our community called Reena, which provides housing for people with disabilities. It has created an environment where people with disabilities can share their experiences. There are staff there who will help and assist them. One of the things it does is that it has programs to assist with funding. The funding is not always enough, because some o…
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Madam Speaker, if I understood the question correctly, we need to ensure that the program that is going to be implemented at the federal level offsets or coordinates with the provinces. We cannot give money with one hand and expect to take it back with the other. That is not going to help. In our province alone, we have programs for individuals with disabilities. Unfortunately, due to the cost of …
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Madam Speaker, all I am saying is that CERB was a program that had to be implemented given the circumstances, but the program did not stipulate the conditions. Unless we can provide clarity on any funds that are delivered to individuals, we cannot administer programs and expect individuals to pay the consequences after they are over.
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-22. However, before I do so, I would like to begin by saying that working alongside Canadians with disabilities and helping parents with children who have disabilities have been a passion of mine my entire life before I entered politics. For the past eight years, I have volunteered with the Township of King, the municipality I live in, as part of its …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to government statistics on court-imposed sentences for those convicted of crimes which carry a maximum possible sentence of 10 years or more, broken down by crime or criminal code violation, and by year in which the sentence was given, since January 1, 2016: (a) what percentage of those convicted were given the maximum sentence; and (b) how many people were (i) convicted, (ii) given t…
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Madam Speaker, many of the residents in my riding are struggling to make ends meet. Helping special-needs children and giving the required assistance has had an emotional and financial impact. Care centres are having to severely cut hours. The current government has failed our most vulnerable citizens, who are urgently attempting to stay afloat. When will the government stop punishing Canadians, s…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today in the House to recognize Italian Heritage Month. Over 40,000 Italian Canadians live in King—Vaughan, and I am a proud ancestor of an Italian Canadian. In the 1950s, my grandfather immigrated to Canada and worked as a bricklayer for many years to support his family. He came to this nation with nothing but the clothing on his back and a few dollars in his po…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member for Winnipeg North if he could explain to seniors in my community who are living below the poverty line, who have had to take a line of credit on their property in order to stay in their home, why they were, in effect, told by the previous minister of seniors, “Why do you not just sell your house and move on?” What kind of a response is that to someone w…
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Madam Speaker, I have a question for my colleague. You mentioned the workforce, and you mentioned immigration, which I think is—
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Madam Speaker, I apologize. I would like to know about the comments the member made about immigration and housing. We do need a workforce and we do need immigration, but we have a lack of housing and a lack of affordability. How will the member's government ensure that we have enough housing supply and affordability to accommodate the immigration that will be coming to our country to help our work…
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With regard to companies that went bankrupt after receiving the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS): (a) how many companies that received CEWS have since gone bankrupt; (b) what is the total amount of CEWS funding received by the companies in (a); (c) how many of the companies in (a) owed back taxes to the Canada Revenue Agency when they were sent the CEWS payments; (d) what was the total amount …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the $5,000 First-Time Home Buyer's tax credit, broken down by fiscal year since 2018-19: (a) what is the total number of individuals who claimed the credit; and (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by province or territory?
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Madam Speaker, Canadians are lining up for days attempting to renew their passports so they can reunite with their families after two long years. A constituent in my riding is feeling desperate. She is trying to visit a dying family member in the United States and is getting nowhere. Time is of the essence. If we fail to plan, we are planning to fail. Will the government have compassion and fix th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge and recognize my constituent Angela, who lives in my riding. Angela's son Luka was diagnosed with autism at the age of four. The mental health stress on Angela's family, as well as on many other families across our country, is compounded by many challenges. They are navigating the many disconnected services and long wait-lists for much-needed care for their…
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Madam Speaker, Laura, a nurse in my riding, has worked long hours to guarantee the health and well-being of our community during the pandemic. She was upset to learn that renewing her passport would take several months. Her credit card was charged, but her passport was nowhere to be found. Our health care providers have given up a lot to keep our communities safe. When is the government going to r…
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Madam Speaker, I have a question. Maybe the hon. member could help me understand. I am coming from the mortgage business in my previous life. If we look at page 45 in the budget book, the Liberals put out an example of how the tax-free savings account would work for first-time homebuyers. I have done the math. I have done everything possible for today and for 2027. As of today, that plan would all…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to reiterate the fact that the Liberals gave a one-time payment of $500 to seniors, some of whom did not require it, instead of investigating who were the most vulnerable. That should have been the reason for giving the $500, to ensure that the most vulnerable have the money to survive.
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Madam Speaker, I did some digging and found that in the GTA, out of seven areas, including Peel, Toronto, York, Halton, Durham, Simcoe and Dufferin County, which are considered part of the GTA, every single area has gone up. Some areas have gone up as high as 130%, such as Brock; some areas have gone up 142%, such as King. The plan the Liberals have in place will not assist the cost of housing. Wh…
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Madam Speaker, before we broke I was able to take a look at the tax-free savings home plan. It does not work. If we take it in today's dollars, using the same example as in the budget, a young couple earning $90,000 will be able to afford a house at $355,000. I do not know where they are going to find a house in my riding for that money, let alone in Ontario. If we take that same example for 2027,…
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Madam Speaker, before I start today, I would like to wish our Orthodox community a happy Easter. Today, I will be addressing the Liberal government's recently proposed federal budget for 2022. The budget presented an opportunity for real action on serious issues facing Canadians when our country is in desperate need of prudent financial planning. The cost of living is sky rocketing, the housing ma…
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Mr. Speaker, using the example in the budget, a couple earning $90,000 per year would qualify for a home purchase of $355,000. Using the tax-free savings account in 2027, the couple would be eligible for a $500,000 purchase price, if all other variables, including mortgage rates, remain constant. Failing Liberal housing policy has doubled the price of homes to $816,000. Why is the government conti…
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague mentioned recruitment in her speech and the struggles we have. Does she think this is due to the fact that when our veterans complete their duty of service, the government does not provide them with the health services they need to transition back to regular life?
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Madam Speaker, happy Friday, although for a family in my riding it is not a happy Friday. A family in my riding has two teenaged disabled children who require full-time assistance and are not eligible for the $10-a-day child care. This family is struggling to make ends meet. To support his family with the necessities, the father must work two jobs. How will this NDP-Liberal government assist famil…
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Mr. Speaker, I spoke today with a family that has two children with disabilities. The father is now working two jobs to make ends meet. The mother has to stay home to take care of her children. The cost of gas, the cost of groceries and the cost of heating their home has gotten out of control. What is the government going to do to help individuals who have escalating costs and help their children …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I have a question for my hon. colleague. A few weeks ago, my colleague from York—Simcoe made a trip to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine, and he found no Liberals there helping out. Now that there is an NDP-Liberal coalition, how will the member work with her new government to ensure we are more efficient?
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Madam Speaker, in preparation for spring planting of corn, soybeans, canola and wheat, farmers need an immense amount of fertilizer, a product facing severe supply chain issues and high tariffs. Mr. Luke Barron, a farmer in Schomberg, Ontario, is struggling to afford the increased cost of fertilizer and worries about being able to plant. What is the government doing today to ensure fairness for fa…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, my staff go into work every morning to listen to the heart-wrenching stories of these immigrants and it brings them to tears. I am concerned not just for the people who are trying to get answers for their loved ones in Afghanistan and Ukraine who want to come here to save their families. It is also a mental health issue for our staff because they are the ones who have to listen to t…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I have been representing the citizens of King—Vaughan for less than six months and it is already apparent that our country's immigration system is seriously broken. Every week, residents call my office to share with me the challenges they are facing, which include not only significant delays in response times and lengthy wait times, but unacceptable bureaucratic red tape that is neg…
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Mr. Speaker, Maria, a single mom in my riding, has struggled for years to obtain a visitor's visa for her son, but IRCC told her that he is not a priority. There are many Canadians like Maria being told that seeing their family again is not a priority. They are left to suffer from IRCC's long delays and backlogs. Could the minister tell us when they plan on clearing the backlog so that families ca…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, here is the situation. Just today, we got notice in the city of Toronto that the average home just jumped to $2 million. It is not just a lack of inventory. It is also the fact that we are not building the properties fast enough or ensuring they are affordable for first-time homebuyers. There are programs, and I agree with my colleague. There is the RRSP program where people can use t…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, before having the privilege of representing the residents of King—Vaughan, I worked in banking for many years. Throughout my career, I experienced many ups and downs in the Canadian housing market, but I must admit that the current situation facing our country has me extremely worried. Prior to the pandemic, many Canadians were already facing an unaffordable housing crisis. Since May …
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Madam Speaker, I want to comment on a quote my colleague noted and make a correction. On February 10, our leader stated that she understood and was passionate about the convoy. However, she did make a statement that the blockades had to leave and that we would continue the fight for their freedoms. I do not know where the member was going with that statement, so I would like some clarification. We…
Read full speech →Orders Of The Day
Madam Speaker, I want to ask a question and make a comment. I come from the corporate world, and we always sat down with our customers and created focus groups to understand what their needs were. I would like to hear from the member why the government could not do the same and negotiate with the truckers to come to a peaceful resolution.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to share a story with my colleague today. I spoke to a few of my constituents of King—Vaughan. A lady by the name of Rose called me with concerns. She has friends who have contributed to the convoy because they believe in their efforts. Now they are afraid that they will not be able to make their mortgage payment, pay their bills or feed their families. How can we assure our ci…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I believe in law and order, but I also believe in Canada. I was raised to believe that Canadian people sit down, negotiate, talk to each other, listen to their constituents and try to resolve issues peacefully, not with the Emergencies Act.
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