Dalwinder Gill

Mr. Speaker, according to the CFIB, three in four small businesses do not feel supported by the Liberal government and more than half would not recommend starting a business in Canada, but the Liberals continue to punish small businesses with high taxes and red tape. There are 4,000 Canadian restaurants facing closure this year because of rising costs and taxes. Conservatives have a plan to cut taxes and red tape to keep our small businesses open. Will the Liberals reverse their economic policies so businesses can get ahead?

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of the Liberal government, violent crime is up 55%, gun crime is up 130% and extortion is up 330%. Weak-on-crime Liberal laws continue releasing violent repeat offenders back onto our streets, and families across our country are paying the price. In Calgary, families are being threatened with extortion and having their homes shot at almost every week. When will the Liberal government get serious, take the crime crisis head-on and lock up repeat violent offenders and criminals?

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of the Liberal government, Canadians are facing the worst food price inflation, the least affordable housing and the second-highest unemployment in the G7. Two million Canadians line up at the food bank each month, and Canada's happiness ranking has dropped from fifth in the world to 25th. Now the Prime Minister wants to put another $25 billion on the national credit card for a Liberal slush fund that would enrich Liberal insiders at the expense of Canadians. Conservatives know that Canada should be the richest and most affordable country on earth. We know that housing should be dirt cheap. We know that Liberal deficits drive up inflation and leave Canadian families to pay the bill. That is why we are calling on the Liberal government to cut the deficit, cut taxes on the work, cut taxes on homebuilding and get rid of all federal taxes on gas and diesel for the rest of the year.

Mr. Speaker, witnesses at the national defence committee made it clear that many survivors want a choice between the military and civilian justice systems. Could the member explain why preserving that choice is so important?

Mr. Speaker, after 11 years of the Liberal government, almost one in four Canadians is living in a food-insecure household. One in three is borrowing money just to afford food, and two million Canadians visit food banks each month. Canadians know that deficits lead to higher inflation today and higher taxes tomorrow. The Liberal Prime Minister has now doubled Trudeau's deficit. When will the Prime Minister end his costly credit card budgeting so that Canadians can afford to eat?

Mr. Speaker, can the hon. member specify what threshold of suspicion would be required before the authorities could access Canadians' personal data under Bill C-22 and how that threshold would be consistent with our charter rights?

Mr. Speaker, as always, it is an honour to rise in the House on behalf of my constituents in northeast Calgary. I want to speak today on an issue that hits very close to home and has deeply impacted members of the South Asian community across Canada. Families and small businesses are living in fear as extortion has become rampant across the country. Communities in Surrey, Brampton and northeast Calgary have become all too familiar with these threats and intimidation. In many cases, extortion begins with a phone call from an unknown or international phone number. The perpetrator makes a demand for thousands of dollars and, in some cases, millions of dollars. They threaten to harm an individual's home, business or family. They drop details about the individual's place of residence or the names of their children and their school. They warn that going to the police will only make matters worse. In recent months, numerous families and small business owners have come to my constituency office after receiving extortion calls. They were shaken, afraid and unsure where to turn. Some told me that they did not know whether to report the threats. The safety of my constituents is my top priority in the House, and I will continue speaking on this issue until something gets done. In another case just last month, a father in northeast Calgary received a phone call over WhatsApp from an international number. The man on the line asked for thousands of dollars and claimed to know about his seven-year-old son and where he went to school. Like many others, this call was meant to terrify him into compliance and silence. Crime and extortion statistics in Canada have become so bad over the last 10 years that it is truly hard to fathom how things got so out of hand. Since the Liberals took power in 2015, violent crime has risen 54%, gun crime has risen 130% and extortion has risen by 330%. In my neighbouring province of British Columbia, extortion has risen by 480% since 2015. These are truly unfathomable numbers. Canada's extortion crisis is not an isolated issue and it did not happen overnight. It is the result of years of weakness in our criminal justice system and in the bail and sentencing laws. Liberal bills such as Bill C-5 and Bill C-75 treated perpetrators like victims and prioritized criminals' rights over public safety. These policies of lenient sentencing and reduced consequences have emboldened criminals and signalled to international crime networks, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, that Canada is an easy target for extortion-related crime. These Liberal policies have directly contributed to the rise in crime Canadians are now facing across the country. In my hometown of Calgary, police are currently investigating 21 extortion cases, including recent shootings in Redstone and Taradale. I want to thank the Calgary Police Service, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team and all of our first responders for their bravery and work ethic in dealing with these matters. Their work sends a clear message to scammers, thugs, criminals and terrorists that our communities will not take threats and will not be silenced. In Surrey, British Columbia, there have been over 30 reported extortion attempts already this year. Compared to last year's total of 133, Surrey is on pace to have 500 extortion attempts by the end of this year. Like many families across Canada, a Brampton household began the new year with hope and optimism. Within days, that hope was shattered when they received an extortion demand for half a million dollars and later had multiple shots fired at their home. Incidents like this leave families shaken and communities wondering whether their own homes could be next. This pattern is being seen in communities across Canada. It is why city councils in Brampton and Surrey have asked the Liberal government to step up its response to extortion. I agree with the mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, who has said that the Liberals must recognize extortion as a national public safety issue and take immediate action to address it. Mayor of Surrey, Brenda Locke, has been equally vocal, stating that “our laws are simply too weak” and that “strong federal leadership” is needed to protect communities and restore public confidence. I could not agree more. This is why, over a year ago, the Conservative member for Edmonton Gateway introduced Bill C-381, the protection against extortion act, which set out a clear plan to address this crisis. The Liberals voted it down, choosing to side with criminals instead of communities. Conservatives have also introduced Bill C-242—

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives have also introduced Bill C-242, the jail not bail act, brought forward by the Conservative member for Oxford. This bill would reform Canada's bail system by making public safety the primary consideration, expanding reverse onus for serious violent offences and tightening rules for repeat offenders. Conservatives will not accept a Canada where families and businesses feel unsafe in their own communities. For 10 years, Liberal soft-on-crime policies and bail reforms have weakened sentencing, reduced consequences for violent offences and made it easier for repeat violent offenders to terrorize our streets. We will fight to pass our anti-extortion legislation, restore serious penalties for violent and gun-related crimes and repeal the Liberal laws that put criminals above public safety. Canadians should never be forced to live in fear, to change their daily routines or to feel unsafe within the walls of their own homes. This is why we are calling on the government to adopt our Conservative plan to end extortion and protect Canadian families and businesses.

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives have been calling for bail reform for years now, and we have proposed numerous bills to keep repeat violent offenders behind bars. If the Liberals were really serious about keeping Canadians safe, they would support the Conservative jail not bail act. Today, I am here to speak about extortion. It is hurting my communities. Families and small businesses are being affected. If they are ready to fix this problem, we are ready to work with them to stop it.

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives recognize Canada's international humanitarian obligations and the need to protect people fleeing persecution, but those obligations require strong screening, proper enforcement and a clear focus on public safety. The safety of Canadians must always come first.

Mr. Speaker, Liberal bills, such as Bill C-5 and Bill C-75, are at the root of the issues we are trying to tackle here today. Conservatives have led the debate on the key issues of the cost of living and the carbon tax, which forced the Liberals to take action. I hope the Liberals take note of the concerns of my constituents that I have shared here today. I absolutely think more needs to be done to tackle organized crime in Canada. I was glad to see that the Liberals have finally agreed to label the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, but I am still concerned about the alarming rate of extortion happening in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, Canada is facing a growing problem with the transnational criminal network, which uses fear, intimidation and violence to extort Canadian families and businesses. Conservatives take that threat seriously and believe that the response must be serious as well. We want to give our law enforcement the tools they need to disrupt organized crime and protect Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, three years ago the finance minister promised to stabilize food prices, but since then the price of lettuce is up 39%, coffee is up 33%, beef is up 27%, baby formula is up 13%, and even canned vegetables are up 12%. Canada now leads all G7 countries in food inflation and has over two million food bank visits each month. Food inflation is twice as high as when the Prime Minister took office. The industrial carbon tax and the Liberal fuel standard tax are driving up costs on farm equipment, fertilizers, food processing and transport, and the bill is passed down to Canadians at the grocery store. Since they have no real plan to lower food costs, will the Liberals vote for our motion to introduce a food affordability plan that eliminates the industrial carbon tax and the fuel standard tax?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians to judge him by the prices at the grocery store. Eight months have passed, and now “Canada's Food Price Report” says that Canadian families should expect to pay an extra $1,000 for groceries in 2026. In total, grocery bills have doubled under the Liberals to $340 per week. When will the Liberals cut their inflationary spending, their industrial carbon tax and their new fuel tax so Canadians can afford to eat?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is the most expensive in Canadian history. Every dollar the Prime Minister spends comes out of the pockets of Canadians, driving up the cost of everything. The Prime Minister told Canadians to judge him by the prices they see at our grocery stores. Now, the industrial carbon tax has caused food prices in Canada to rise nearly 40% faster than in the U.S. Why is the Prime Minister increasing the industrial carbon tax and making food more expensive?

Mr. Speaker, as always, it is an honour to rise in the House on behalf of the people of Calgary McKnight. I want to speak specifically to this bill today because the safety of Canadians is something I am very passionate about, as I am sure many of my colleagues, members of the House, are as well. I believe that along with the cost of living crisis, the increasing crime level across Canada is the most important issue needing to be tackled by the current Parliament. This rising wave of crime is not just something I have observed; recent reports by Stats Canada tell the same story. Since the Liberals were elected in 2015, violent crime is up 55%, gun crime is up 130%, sexual assaults are up 76%, homicides are up 29% and extortion is up 330%. In Calgary, roughly 75 repeat offenders are responsible for a large chunk of the crime calls all around the city. A Calgary police superintendent said that the same 75 criminals commit hundreds of disturbances, from assault with a weapon to store robbery and illegal drug use. We have heard stories like this from all across the country. In Vancouver, the same 40 offenders have been linked to over 6,000 negative police contacts. Calgary police inspectors say that these criminals just cycle through the system and continue to recommit offences upon release. In my riding in northeast Calgary, there were five attacks on transit workers over the course of this summer. In one incident, a bus driver was pepper-sprayed and then beaten so badly that they were sent to the hospital in critical condition. In another case, a bus driver was stabbed and beaten, and, again, was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. This summer in Kelowna, a woman was murdered by her ex-husband just three hours after his assault conviction. He was supposed to have been released for a 10-week period while waiting on delivery of a psychiatric report, but only four kilometres away from the courthouse and only three hours later, he attacked his ex-wife and another woman with a hammer, ultimately killing his ex-wife. Just last month, a mother of four was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend outside a Brampton strip mall while he was out on bail. Another man who was out on bail committed a mass stabbing in Manitoba this September and even killed his 18-year-old sister. The stories go on and on. I commend the effort and bravery of our police and other first responders in fighting the rise in crime, but I am disappointed by the Liberal government's agenda to limit the ability of our justice system to keep dangerous offenders behind bars. The rise in crime has come in large part due to Liberal Bill C-75 and Bill C-5. Passed in 2019, Bill C-75 forced judges to release offenders at the earliest possible opportunity and under the least onerous conditions. To make matters worse, in 2022, Bill C-5 further weakened deterrence by repealing numerous mandatory minimum sentences for serious offences like sexual assault. It also repealed mandatory jail time for serious gun crimes like extortion with a firearm. Extortion has turned into one of the fastest-growing crimes in Canada. Police across the country have reported waves of threats against small business owners in communities like Brampton, Surrey, Vancouver and Calgary. Families in their homes are regularly shot at, firebombed and threatened. Just last week while I was in my riding, four separate constituents approached my office for help after receiving extortion calls. South Asian communities have faced the brunt of extortion cases in Canada, and authorities in B.C. even had to establish a special task force dedicated to these incidents. Extortion has gotten so bad that over half of Canadians no longer feel safe in their homes. That is why, last year, my Conservative colleague, the member for Edmonton Gateway, introduced Bill C-381, the protection against extortion act. The bill would have delivered stricter mandatory minimums for extortion and treated arson as an aggravating factor. Shamefully, the Liberals watered it down and left Canadians stranded without the protection they desperately need. More recently my colleague, the member for Oxford, introduced Bill C-242, the jail not bail act. Bill C-242 would prioritize public safety and the rights of survivors rather than the freedom of criminals. It would introduce tougher bail rules for major crimes like gun offences, sexual assault, robbery, kidnapping and human trafficking, and it would require judges to take an offender's full criminal record into account. Most importantly, Bill C-242 would stop the revolving door of bail by blocking repeat violent offenders from being released over and over again. Now it seems that the Liberals are finally starting to listen to mayors, premiers and police associations from coast to coast calling for an end to the failed catch-and-release bail experiment. After Conservatives campaigned for four years to scrap Liberal bail, the Liberals have finally accepted the reality that the rights of survivors are more important than those of criminals. Bill C-14 would expand reverse onus bail rules for certain violent and weapons-related offences and would ask judges to more intently consider community safety and an offender's history, but it would still keep the existing principles of restraint and the foundation of the bail system. Considering the state of fear that Canadians currently live in and the fact that Canada's violent crime severity index has gone up by 41% in the last 10 years, I do not believe that Bill C-14 as it currently stands would go far enough to address the issues of bail reform or to restore the trust in our justice system to keep the public safe. A Conservative plan for bail would prioritize public safety over the principle of restraint. We would restore mandatory minimums for firearms, sexual assault, kidnapping, human trafficking, robbery, extortion with a firearm, arson and other serious violent crimes. We would exclude people who have committed robbery, gun violence and trafficking, as well as property offenders, from being eligible for conditional sentencing. We would also mandate the consideration of criminal history instead of just encouraging judges to keep it in mind. I believe that unless these changes are made, serious and dangerous offenders will continue to be released onto our streets to pose a threat to our communities.

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives have been calling for bail reform for years now, and we have proposed numerous bills to keep repeat violent offenders behind bars. If the Liberals were really serious about keeping Canadians safe, they would support the Conservative jail not bail act. The Liberals are now trying to cover up a problem they have created. If they were really serious about fighting crime, they would support our jail not bail act. I hope we can work together to deliver a positive result for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, there was a rally in B.C., and a member from the Liberal Party attended that rally, which was about defunding police organizations. How can crime be stopped if Liberal members are attending those kinds of rallies in B.C.?

Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to trust someone to fix a problem they created. Liberal Bill C-5 and Bill C-75 have proven to be disasters and have caused harm to Canadians. I hope the Liberals can right their wrong and provide effective relief to Canadian communities and families.