Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to have previously represented many of the regions this member now represents in the Fraser Canyon. Indeed, in 2021, the federal government promised billions of dollars to help rebuild British Columbia. The government talked about the impacts of climate change. We have seen them more specifically than any other region of Canada. Why does the government not believe in cli…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I rise today to address Bill C-241, which proposes the creation of a national strategy for flood and drought forecasting. While the intent to improve coordination and data sharing is commendable, the bill risks becoming yet another Ottawa-driven exercise in paperwork rather than delivering real solutions. Canadians have seen first-hand the devastation of floods and droughts, from Ab…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, what is the consequence of a weak immigration system? It is extortion. What is the consequence of a government that believes that the perpetrators of crime are in fact the victims? It is extortion. What is the consequence of loosening bail conditions and reducing sentencing for violent crimes? It is extortion. We have an extortion problem in Canada because we have a Liberal governme…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, Conservatives have been very clear in the House that we are generally in support of many of the measures in Bill C-12 and Bill C-14. In respect of Bill C-2 and the Liberal government now tying it to extortion, the reality is that we are in a minority Parliament and the Liberals never work with us. They never addressed some of the charter challenges that will inevitably come from tha…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Family Services of Greater Vancouver reports record demand for Christmas food hampers and food banks in general. They outline that families working full time, even those in higher income tax brackets, cannot afford the basics. For nine straight months, grocery prices across Canada have risen faster than inflation, yet the government keeps piling on costs, driving food prices even high…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise again on behalf of the concerned parents who send their kids to Abbotsford Traditional School. They are rightly concerned about the increase in drug use, and they are rightly concerned about the proposed safe consumption site across the street from the school track. Parents are calling on the federal government to respect the special agreement with British Columbia and not allo…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, today I rise for I believe the fourth or fifth time on behalf of angered parents at Abbotsford Traditional School who are opposed to the safe consumption site proposed by BC Housing across the street from the school track. Parents are calling upon the Government of Canada to enforce its special arrangement with British Columbia, to respect the innocence of children and to cease all fu…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned that the rhetoric from the government is not meeting the economic reality Canada is facing right now. I served with the member on the industry committee. In 2023, he spoke extensively about the critical minerals strategy tied to battery electrification projects in Canada. Those have all fallen apart in recent months. In fact, right now, the Government of Canada is …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, many Liberal speakers have spoken about something very radical for the business community, which we have not seen a plan for yet. It is their commitment to double exports from Canada in a 10-year period. In my estimation, the only way we are going to see that happen is if the Liberals approve another pipeline off the B.C. coast. Would the member agree that a pipeline is necessary for …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, extortion threats in British Columbia are up 481% since 2015. The Liberals voted against our Conservative plan a year ago that would have tackled this crisis with mandatory jail time and removing house arrest as an option for extortion with a firearm. Since their refusal to act, thousands of new extortion cases have exploded across Canada. What do the Liberals have to say to the busin…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table a petition on behalf of residents of Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford who are concerned with the rising rates of organized violence, extortion, shootings and intimidation across the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. Daylight shootings, murders and other acts of violence highlight a more systemic public safety crisis. The petitioners mourn the tragic death of Darshan …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the second petition I would like to present today is on behalf of British Columbians who are concerned about human trafficking. They are calling upon the Government of Canada to strengthen the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act to address its shortcomings and put an end to human trafficking in Canada.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the third petition I would like to present today is on behalf of angered parents who are concerned about the actions of BC Housing and its proposed safe consumption site across the street from Abbotsford Traditional School. The petitioners are calling upon the federal government to enforce the decriminalization policies, the protection of children, that were in that agreement with Bri…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals can outline anything in the budget they want, but they are not addressing the problem we have with extortion. There has been a 550% increase in British Columbia. Business owners are especially scared because they are the ones being targeted. Abbotsford police and Surrey police have already put forward a special task force to deal with this growing problem. In the last Par…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, today I rise on behalf of angered parents with children at Abbotsford Traditional School who are fighting against BC Housing's attempt to put in a safe consumption site across from the school playground and track. Parents demand action from the Government of Canada with respect to the decriminalization experiment in the province of British Columbia, asking it to uphold the rules withi…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, today I rise on behalf of my constituents to present four petitions. The first is on behalf of angered parents at Abbotsford Traditional School. B.C. Housing is proposing a safe consumption site across the street from the school playground. Parents do not want this to happen, and they have called upon the Government of Canada to cease all funding to B.C. Housing until it respects the …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the third petition I would like to present today is on behalf of gurdwaras and churches in Abbotsford that are calling upon the government to reject recommendations 429 and 430 in the finance committee report last year. Churches and gurdwaras in my riding do incredible work to house the poor, to feed people and to take care of the sick. We want them to continue that good work and not …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the final petition I am raising today is on behalf of British Columbians who are concerned about the overwhelming increase in human trafficking. We need to strengthen our laws in Canada, and petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to mimic legislation in the United States, which would have harsher penalties and capacities to stop the evil people who traffic young people …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, today, I rise to table multiple petitions for the people of Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford. My first petition is calling for an alternative location for a supportive housing project planned for Martens Street across from the Abbotsford Traditional School. Throughout this process, there has been a lack of transparency, public input and consideration of alternative locations, and no discl…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, the second petition I would like to present today is on behalf of residents in my riding who are concerned that existing flood protection infrastructure, including dikes, levies and drainage systems, is aging and inadequate to withstand current and future flood risks. Effective flood mitigation requires substantial investment in modern, climate-resilient infrastructure. The flooding…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, there are a few things I would like to point out with respect to the parliamentary secretary's speech. First off, the approach of the government creates an ethical dilemma when citizenship is passed on to the grandchildren of naturalized citizens. There will come a time when Canada has to use its conscription laws. How will a Canadian living in another country be treated versus a Cana…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, every dollar the Liberal government spends comes out of the pockets of Canadians in the form of higher taxes and inflation. The Prime Minister tells young Canadians to sacrifice, yet Liberal insiders are thriving. Case in point: as Canadians give up on home ownership, the government handed out over $30 million in bonuses to 99% of housing agency executives, averaging $43,000 per bonus…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to speak about Abbotsford, where last week there were three shootings in three days. It is devastating to have another member of our community, Mr. Darshan Sasi, killed. I want to thank the Abbotsford Police Department and our first responders for their quick action, but this should not be the norm. The pressures they face to protect our crime-ridden co…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is Small Business Week, and I want to take a moment to recognize the incredible role small businesses play in our communities and across the country. These entrepreneurs are the driving force behind innovation, job creation and local economic growth. Small business owners are feeling the pressure, though, from rising costs, excessive red tape, unfair taxes, crime and ongoing econom…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I represent one of the most trade-exposed regions in Canada, and Canadian manufacturers are being crushed by the industrial carbon tax and rising inflation. From steel, aerospace and auto parts to food processing, every step in the supply chain is costing more. Manufacturers cannot compete when the cost of everything keeps rising and businesses are burdened with more and more red tape…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, if the industry minister had to be burdened with the paperwork and bills small businesses are facing today, she would act differently in this House. Take the food and beverage industry, for example. It runs on razor-thin margins, and after 10 years of Liberal deficits, food inflation continues to rise, to 4% this year. That is forcing restaurants to charge more and make less. Is the g…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of small businesses, including convenience stores, asking to remove restrictions on the sale of nicotine pouches. Many adult Canadians make use of nicotine pouches to help them quit other tobacco products by relieving cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Only allowing pharmacies to sell the product from behind a counter takes away the freedom …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, what has become clear during our debate on Bill C-12 over the last number of days is that the measures in this bill respond to long-standing grievances outlined by the Conservatives, mainly on immigration and the open-door policies that Canada suffered under Justin Trudeau. With some of the provisions in this bill, we hope to see some improvements in public confidence about immigrat…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like the Bloc Québécois member to clarify his party's stand on part 7(a) of the bill's summary, which reads as follows: ...authorize the Governor in Council to make an order specifying that certain applications made under that Act are not to be accepted for processing, or that the processing of those applications is to be suspended or terminated, when the Governor in Council i…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today on Bill C-12. Bill C-12 touches upon immigration and border security, issues that matter deeply to the great people of Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford. The bill is actually a direct result of Conservative leadership, our commitment to holding the government accountable and our pushing back against some of the divisiveness we saw in Bill C-2. Let us not forget…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Scarborough—Woburn for his genuinely nice comments about my comportment in the House of Commons. I will note and re-emphasize that, in this Parliament, Conservatives have heard what Canadians had to say, and we are working to improve the lives of all Canadians. We ran on a platform that included strong taxation measures. We ran on a platform to imp…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola on his incredible work and his adopting some of the greatest parts of Canada into his new riding, especially the Fraser Canyon. The member has been working incredibly hard, and he was leading the charge in many respects on getting to Bill C-12. Why did we need to get to Bill C-12? Bill C-2 included provisions that wo…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I think the member from the Bloc Québécois raises a very valid point on asylum seekers. Many Liberals were celebrating 10 years of Justin Trudeau the other day. One of the worst legacies of Justin Trudeau was his policies on the border. Justin Trudeau said to the world, “Hey, come to Canada.” Frankly, we had a de facto open border policy under his reign. It destroyed public trust in i…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, businesses across British Columbia, mainly in Surrey and Abbotsford, are sick and tired of the catch-and-release policies of the Liberal government. The petitioners are calling for immediate action to address the extortion and catch-and-release policies that have hurt their businesses, hurt their way of life and hurt their profit line unnecessarily.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, can the member acknowledge that when the Liberals changed Bill C-5 and Bill C-75, there was an increase in crime across our country? Will the member acknowledge that the action taken by the government, specifically in my province of British Columbia, to decriminalize hard drugs was one of the worst policy failures in the history of Canada?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to present two petitions on behalf of my constituents. The first petition is in regard to MAID. My constituents are concerned that advanced requests could lead to coercion or undue pressure, especially among older adults or those with disabilities, to request MAID to avoid burdening families or the health care system. There are ethical concerns among some health care pro…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the second petition I will present today calls upon the Government of Canada to reject recommendation 430 of the FINA pre-budget report, reaffirm Canada's commitment to an open culture and support each person's freedom to promote common good through the advancement of religion without punitive financial measures.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, would the member from the Bloc Québécois agree that there is a direct correlation between the changes the Liberals made to bail provisions in the bail and sentencing reforms and an increase in crime in Canada? The reason the Conservative Party is putting forward motions, as we have been since the return of the House, is to address these very real concerns for small businesses and vict…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the member for Kingston and the Islands outlined external factors that he said contribute to the high cost of food in Canada. Can the member outline what Canadian factors have contributed to the high cost of food in Canada? Is the Government of Canada to blame for anything?
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this Saturday, Canada takes the field against England in the Women's Rugby World Cup final. This is the biggest rugby match in the history of Canada and the women's game. These athletes have shown true ingenuity, crowdfunding to reach the world cup and competing on a budget that pales in comparison to other nations. Canada sometimes plays unconventionally, generating opportunity and s…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I was intrigued by the comments the member for Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan made regarding supply chains and infrastructure. I am wondering, in his time in elected office, and even before that, whether he has seen any major investment in railway infrastructure, or working with the private sector to see railway infrastructure improve. At a time when Canada needs to protect its supply …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, at some point, the government has to give. Canadians simply cannot continue at this pace. The Prime Minister himself said Canadians should judge him by the cost of groceries. By that standard, he is already failing. Food prices are up 40% since the Liberals took power, and food inflation is now 70% above the Bank of Canada's targets. Thinking about the debate today, and what I have …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, this is the first time the member from Newfoundland and I are debating in this parliamentary session. I appreciate his comments in good faith. The Prime Minister set the stage for urgency, and I believe that urgency needs to be applied to food production and food sovereignty in Canada. There are many things available for the federal government to do right now that I do hope, in good…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as a member of Parliament, I have experienced more disasters and more impacts from climate change than any other member. In 2021, my community of Abbotsford was hit with a 33-day flood that wiped out the most productive agricultural land in all of Canada. One measure to combat climate change that I was advocating with government ministers today is to give British Columbia the infras…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my number one responsibility as a parent is to feed my kids. It is not the responsibility of the government nor of anybody else but me right here. We have to take care of our family, and it is sad in Canada today that some parents cannot do that. The school food program, though, will not address that. It has to come through economic policies that give everyone a level chance to live…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, after hearing the member's speech, I am very alarmed that the Bloc Québécois wants to take a position that increases the power of Ottawa. In British Columbia, we do not want the federal government to impose tanker bans on our coast. In fact, removing the tanker ban would allow Canada to fulfill its critical minerals strategy. It would empower first nations in the region, which are opp…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, earlier this spring, I rose in the House to highlight how small businesses are struggling under the weight of red tape, particularly through, at that time, the customs programs at CBSA that were supposed to help businesses but have instead caused confusion, delay and unnecessary costs. In 2024, the average small business owner lost the equivalent of 32 business days, an entire month…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, while I appreciate the Coles Notes version of CARM, which I think is welcome by many businesses, my question actually was referencing the tariff notices put forward by CBSA. When we had a government that said we were at economic war with the United States, many small business exporters in the region where we live were looking at the notices put forward. They had great difficulty man…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise on behalf of constituents in Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford to table a petition regarding nicotine pouches. The Government of Canada has banned the sale of nicotine pouches from convenience stores, from gas stations and online, and it will allow pharmacies to sell the product only behind the counter. Small businesses, including convenience stores, have a proven track record …
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