Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from many members of Parliament today that they have received a lot of responses from a wide range of religious groups and leaders. On the other hand, we keep hearing from the other side that people and religious leaders are being misled or are being fed misinformation, as if this is an insult or a put-down to these groups. Does my colleague want to comment on that? Is t…
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Mr Speaker, what happens abroad may be beyond our control, but the Liberal policies making life more expensive are not. Our seniors are paying the price. Seniors are being forced to work, with retirement slipping further out of reach. The National Institute on Aging reports that one in five Canadiens over 50 is now living on the poverty line, yet the Liberals are making it worse by sneaking in car…
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Mr. Speaker, I do not understand how recycled ideas could be disguised as new operations. We have seen repeated announcements in the last decade promising the same thing. Recycled ideas will not bring hopes or homes. It is not even a dream; it is just a disillusion. I do not understand why these recycled ideas could be disguised as new.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree that the federal government has a role to play in providing affordable housing to Canadians. However, I have the experience of being a city councillor for the last 12 years, and my experience has been that first, the federal government always downloads everything to the local government and second, the federal government does not consult. There is a lack of consultation, and a…
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Mr Speaker, what we hear, day in and day out, in our communities is how unaffordable things are, including housing. It is because all kinds of bureaucracy, taxation and added costs in building new homes have created this problem, the crisis that people are facing right now. Again, the lack of consultation by the federal government has resulted in inappropriate solutions for the problems that peopl…
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Mr. Speaker, once again, we do not need more bureaucracy and we do not need more reports to build more homes. Let me give another example. Just last week, Richmond opened 84 units of affordable low-income housing, without federal funding. Cities can do it. They do not have to be told what to do. They need the opportunities, freedom and resources to build homes, not another layer of bureaucracy.
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Mr. Speaker, my response to that question would be that we do not need the federal government to direct us on what to do. Each community would have its own priorities, needs and the best way to resolve them. Again, using Richmond as an example, in the past 15 years, because Richmond has a good housing strategy, we were able to build thousands of homes in partnership with the building community, no…
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding, this is exactly what I hear, day in and day out. People need homes, not allocated or dictated by the federal government on what type of housing they should have. They do not need to rent for life. They want to have the opportunity to save enough money to own their own home one day.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, residents from Richmond Centre—Marpole and hundreds of thousands of Canadians across the country are standing against Bill C-9 and for the protection of religious freedom in Canada. The petitioners note that the Liberal-Bloc amendment adopted at committee would remove the good faith religious defence from the Criminal Code. They warn that this change would allow the state to persecute…
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Mr. Speaker, therefore, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-9 and protect the rights of Canadians to read, share and speak their religious convictions freely. I have another petition to present. The petitioners are seriously concerned about Bill C-9 and amendments adopted at the justice committee. The petitioners believe that these changes remove long-standing prote…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians understand very well that the best predictor of future performance is past results. That is why Canadians have every reason to be skeptical about the Liberal government's latest housing promise. For nearly a decade, Canadians have heard the same story repeated again and again: a new announcement, a new strategy, a new fund, a new target. Each time, the government assures Can…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of new titles and moving offices. They do not want more announcements. They want results. They want homes. The government now proposes another federal housing body, but we already have the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, infrastructure Canada, the Department of Finance Canada and the Canada Lands Company all working on housing, land and financing. If all t…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, first, I believe the residents of Richmond do not buy the argument that since the case is before the courts, we cannot make comments. The B.C. government and the Richmond city council have made comments, so it is not right for the federal government to be silent on this issue. Secondly, to say that the government has appealed is not enough. It filed an appeal at the very last minute a…
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Mr. Speaker, the Cowichan decision is not a small local dispute. It is a Canada-wide concern. It raises fundamental questions of property ownership. The court found that aboriginal title may exist over lands currently held in fee simple by private owners. That finding carries significant implications for Canada's land title system, a clear system built on certainty. For generations, when the Crown…
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Madam Speaker, once again, we have seen this before. The Liberal government is trying to address a structural problem by providing short-term relief measures. As we have seen in the past, when these kinds of measures are temporary and short-lived, they do not help the cost of living. While these programs are being offered, the cost of living is still rising. I want to challenge the government to p…
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Mr. Speaker, it is of interest to me that, as my colleague pointed out, while the Prime Minister called the Canada-Indonesia CEPA a game-changing agreement, it is comparably disadvantaged with respect to the agreements Indonesia has with the U.A.E. and the EU. I want my colleague to elaborate further. What does this kind of situation reflect? Is it because of incompetence on the part of the govern…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of Canadians concerned about the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party. The petitioners note documented human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention, torture and forced organ harvesting, as well as incidents of transnational repression here in Canada, such as harassment, intimidation and recent threa…
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Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition from Canadians who are concerned about recent attacks on churches and other places of worship across our country. The petitioners advocate that freedom of religion is protected under the charter, and they emphasize that all Canadians should be able to worship in safety, free from violence, vandalism or intimidation. The petitioners call on the Government…
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Madam Speaker, when I read this bill, a word comes to my mind, which is “smokescreen”. I see the Liberal government trying to deceive Canadians by telling them that this is going to help them, but, at the same time, they are doing other things that are going to hurt the economy, hurt people and make life more difficult for Canadians. In this case, they might say that the GST rebate is helpful, but…
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Madam Speaker, Canadians do not need handouts. They need a government that is competent and that will help us make the economy better and stronger, so that everybody can be self-reliant and independent and feed their families with the incomes they receive. Canadians need more help, not in terms of handouts but in a government that is competent enough to help the country and the economy move forwar…
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Madam Speaker, while I listened to my colleague on the other side, I realized only one thing: The Liberals have copied from policies the Conservatives advocate. In addition, as a city councillor, I have the privilege and advantage of listening to people right on the ground. They are telling me day in day out that they are having a very big problem with affordability, which Bill C-4 would not addre…
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Madam Speaker, before I address Bill C-4, I want to speak about the tragic fire in Tai Po, Hong Kong, which is the deadliest in the city in 77 years. Like many Hong Kong Canadians in Richmond and Vancouver, I immigrated from Hong Kong 37 years ago. I still have family there, including in the affected districts. Many people in our community are grieving and shaken. Let us acknowledge the brave youn…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, British Columbians are now seeing the consequences of the Liberal government's reckless hard-drug decriminalization. Even Premier David Eby has admitted, “I was wrong” and “It was not the right policy.” Communities in Richmond, Vancouver and across the province are experiencing open drug use and rising disorder, and families are increasingly afraid to walk in their own neighbourhoods.…
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Mr. Speaker, families, farmers and businesses, the people who bought and own property in my community of Richmond, are now fearful their titles may no longer be secure because of the Cowichan ruling. Property ownership is one of the core institutions upon which this country is built. The Liberal government's failure to properly fight for and communicate with folks in B.C. has created an environmen…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of British Columbia has now admitted what countless frontline workers have been reporting: “I was wrong on drug decriminalization” and “it wasn't the right policy.” He even admitted that it has created “really unhappy consequences” for public safety and community well-being. Allowing possession of such drugs as fentanyl, crack and meth was only possible because the federal…
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Mr. Speaker, homeowners in Richmond are sounding the alarm. The Cowichan court ruling undermines the principle of private property ownership, and many fear their homes and businesses are at risk. The Liberal government saw this coming and did nothing. There is no explanation, no reassurance and no leadership, and the government remains silent. Richmond is left in the dark. Families are anxious; in…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Northumberland—Clarke. This year's federal budget is a masterpiece of illusion, a glossy presentation that looks generous on paper but hides a mountain of debt, higher taxes and fewer opportunities. Canadians plainly say the Liberal government is drawing bigger cakes, digging deeper holes and leaving endless debts. Every year, the govern…
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Mr. Speaker, one of the biggest problems with the budget is that it has not addressed the problems that every Canadian is facing right now. The Liberals can promise a lot of things for the future, but they have done nothing about the real problems that Canadians are facing day in and day out. They can promise a hospital, but where are the doctors? Where is the medical staff? They could not even ge…
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Mr. Speaker, he is right that I have experience in municipal government. This is the biggest difference: In the municipal government, we are not allowed to run a deficit budget. The Liberal government is recklessly running deficit budgets year after year. As I mentioned, the success of a government is not measured by how much it spends. It cannot just throw out money without any concrete results, …
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Mr. Speaker, this is the reality that Canadians are facing right now. When the government is building a bigger and bigger deficit, one day, the debt has to be repaid. That is why taxes are going to be bigger and bigger in the future. As I mentioned, Canadians are already facing the fact that when we earn money, we pay taxes. When we spend money, we have to pay taxes. Even when we save money, we al…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of Canadians who are deeply concerned about recommendations 429 and 430 of the finance committee's pre-budget report. The petitioners call upon the government to reject these recommendations and to affirm the charitable status of faith-based organizations. Religious charities play a vital role in meeting needs and supporting our most vuln…
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Mr. Speaker, as we have suggested, the people in law enforcement are trying to do the best job they can. However, the present system has their hands tied. The bail system right now is catch-and-release. Prosecutors, as well as judges, are being told they have to release the accused at the earliest possible moment and with the least restrictions. With those kinds of restrictions, how can the judges…
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Mr. Speaker, I have always felt that we have a system in which the federal government's being ignorant or being incapable of dealing with the issue creates a problem. The problem becomes too big, and the government tries to blame other people. When it cannot blame other people for the consequences, it then tries to do as little as it can to improve the system. This has been going on for years. As …
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Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleague on the other side listened to my speech carefully. I did mention that we cannot change the system through legislation only. We cannot just use promises to change the system. We can make things work better only if the system is being supported with an implementation plan and with resources. That is why I pointed out that we have to give more capacity to Crown p…
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Mr. Speaker, I am going to share my time with the member for Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge. The Liberal government's complacency has numbed not only itself but the country. When leaders stop reacting to lawlessness, Canadians stop believing it will ever end. In Richmond Centre—Marpole and beyond, I hear it every week: one more violent act, one less ounce of faith. People, and even the officers sworn to…
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad my colleague brought up the issue of youth death and its major causes. He named overdoses as number one, and the second is suicide. In many cases, youth suicide is caused by addiction issues. Does the member mean that the number of deaths related to drugs is bigger than the overdose numbers?
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Mr. Speaker, we understand that law enforcement officers need to have the power to do the job in an effective way. However, we cannot accept giving power to the authorities without checks and balances, oversight or judicial review. We cannot give the minister too much power so they can infringe on the freedoms and rights of Canadians.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, residents of Richmond are deeply concerned about the Cowichan land ruling. This decision raises serious questions about long-standing private property rights in British Columbia. People want to know if their land titles are secure and what this means for their homes and their future, yet the Liberal government has remained silent. There has been no explanation, no reassurance and no p…
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Mr. Speaker, we have to protect the rights of Canadians. We cannot accept this power being unchecked. Canadians deserve to have protection within the Constitution. That is why we cannot accept this kind of power being unchecked and being given without any kind of balance.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-12, legislation the Liberal government claims will strengthen our borders and protect our immigration system, but when examined closely, this bill is not about proactive security, it is about political damage control. Bill C-12 is not a fresh start. It is a rebranded version of Bill C-2, legislation the government withdrew after Canadians were outraged …
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is passing the buck when it creates a problem and then tries to solve the problem it has created. In so doing, it is not only that the Liberals do not do enough, and they do not do it in an effective way, but also that they pass the buck on to somebody else and ask some other people to solve the problem for them. That is not taking responsibility. It is being ev…
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Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, these kinds of promises and commitments have been recycled many times. If they are very serious about providing the resources and the manpower to strengthen our security system, they should have done so many weeks or months ago and not recycled the same commitment again and again, pretending that they are doing something.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' taxpayer-funded safe supply is anything but safe. In British Columbia, the drugs are flooding the black market, funding organized crime and feeding the very addiction crisis they claim to solve. The Liberal government is subsidizing the drug trade, while the public safety minister refuses to acknowledge this public safety crisis. When will the Liberal government end its …
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Mr. Speaker, I find that information very inspiring and interesting. We are talking about repeat violent offenders who have committed crimes on many occasions and are just allowed to walk free on the streets. As I mentioned in my speech, only about one-fourth of those offenders are detained, so the others are walking our streets, threatening the safety of the general public. We are not talking abo…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge. I rise today not to debate ideology but to defend a principle that every Canadian holds dear: the right to feel safe in their own community. From Richmond to Vancouver and from Kelowna to Surrey, Canadians are witnessing a justice system that no longer protects them. Violent offenders are arrested, brought before a judg…
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Mr. Speaker, I am new to the House, but I have one observation so far. When my learned colleagues on the other side of the chamber make a statement about their achievements, it could mean a very small step, but they left out 99 steps that they have not addressed. By saying that Bill C-75 made some progress, the member has left out many of the loopholes, many of the gaps and many of the challenges …
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians have spoken. Sixty-eight per cent of Canadians said that our current bail system is too lenient. We can talk to law enforcement officers, mayors and councillors all over the country, and they are going through the same thing. There is a crisis in their communities, and they need reform in the bail system.
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna. Before I begin, I want to thank the people of Richmond Centre—Marpole for bestowing their trust in me and electing me as their member of Parliament. I am deeply honoured by their confidence, and I am committed to serving them faithfully, with their interests always my top priority. Every time I rise in t…
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Madam Speaker, we are debating legislation brought in by the government to try to improve cybersecurity. However, what I see is a law that would be as problematic as Bill C-26. There is one little improvement, but most of the contents of Bill C-26 will remain the same. How can the government say that this is going to protect Canadians more? Furthermore, this bill might address improving the pipe, …
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Madam Speaker, definitely. It was discussed at the last public safety and national security committee. We listened to presentations from many witnesses, who told us about the problems with Bill C-26. If the bill goes to the committee again, we would like to hear more from experts, concerned parties and stakeholders on the problems that we have in the bill as presented.
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