Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is a great honour to share with the House that on December 23, 1926, the Peachland Royal Canadian Legion Branch 69 was presented with its charter. I am proud to note that this original charter, issued by the British Empire Service League, still hangs on the wall of that legion to this very day. The Peachland Legion was established in the aftermath of the First World War by returnin…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, it is always a great honour to rise in the chamber and to speak on behalf of my constituents, the good people of Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna. Crime is one of the most serious concerns facing my riding today, with Kelowna also represented by a Liberal member, sadly becoming ground zero for the consequences of failed Liberal bail policies. Before I speak directly to the jail not ba…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, Cassidy deVeer and Krista Paine from the Central Okanagan Canadian Home Builder's Association expressed many of the same concerns to me when they visited about the national building code and increased costs. I give the member that point. In the bill, it talks about developing land and constructing housing in Canada. That is better than what the Canada Infrastructure Bank has done with…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of Liberal government, food inflation is double what it was when the Prime Minister took office and double that of the United States. Food bank use has more than doubled, and now bankruptcies are up, the highest they have been since the financial crisis, clocking in at a shocking 10.6% in British Columbia. Will the government admit that its taxes and deficits are drivin…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Secretary of State for Sport referenced the “temporary” member for Battle River—Crowfoot. It is in the Standing Orders that we are supposed to use either the title of the leader of the official opposition or the name of the riding. To add any adverbs or adjectives undermines the decorum in this place, and as someone who is part of the government, he sho…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister often speaks about the levers they can pull. He keeps slamming one called permanent grocery price hikes. His fuel tax fixation adds seven cents today and will rocket to 17¢ a litre, an outright hunger hike hitting every part of our food supply chain. When will the Liberal government finally show some common sense and pull the lever that pauses this food cost explosi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister often says that we should focus on what we can control. Well, I agree. His government controls the industrial carbon tax and the fuel standard regulations that have driven our food inflation to double that of the U.S. A family of four now pays $17,600 a year, while two million Canadians line up at food banks, so which is it? Is the government driving up fuel costs t…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I appreciate being in the chamber to hear the speech from the hon. member from Manitoba. She has done an excellent job at the industry committee. In her speech, the member touched upon the need to have more Canadian innovation, particularly Canadian patents that are held in Canada. I know of several entrepreneurs who have told me that it can be years for the patents office, which ha…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the only thing I know about the justice committee right now is that when we are in transport committee and, for example, we are suddenly told that the justice committee has ended abruptly, we get those resources and we specifically say we would like to continue the filibuster to let that member of Parliament have his say and maybe perhaps finally finish. Unfortunately, even with all t…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would simply be mindful that no member was mentioned; I was talking about the House in general. I think all of us would consider that a strong presence by all parties would always be a welcome thing in a democracy. At committee, I have found the government and its members to be unaccountable, undemocratic and obstructionist. I will be talking about each one today. Unaccountable is w…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it certainly is a pleasure to rise to speak on behalf of the good citizens of Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna. Unfortunately, it is to do something that is not in my nature, which is to be negative, but it has to be done. The government and its members have treated Parliament badly. One only has to take a look at the debate tonight. There are Liberal members here, but they are not in…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians he would be judged by the prices at the grocery store. In British Columbia, food bank use is entrenched, with about one-quarter of families food-insecure. A family of four will pay about $1,000 more for food next year. We know this out-of-touch Prime Minister does not do his own shopping, but Canadians still have to pay at the till. Will he admit to B…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the member's intervention really does cause me to think of the reason I am here. As I said in my speech, we are here to be powerful voices for our constituents. I was here during the majority years when I first was elected in 2011. Sometimes I probably gave the government of the day a little too much latitude and not enough to the priorities of members in this space. This member right…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal chair's conduct shows contempt for this institution. He has refused to convene meetings three times, and even suspended one for technical reasons before leaving, never to return. Worse, a Liberal MP has been filibustering for the past month, not only resisting hearing from victims, but deliberately delaying recommendations that could save lives. Every day those recommendat…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal chair's behaviour shows contempt for this institution. He refused to call three meetings. On Tuesday, he even suspended the meeting for technical reasons and then never came back. That is obstruction and abuse of power. We were talking about the safety of our roads and the safety of Canadians. This is an urgent and serious issue. The Liberal chair needs to decide whether h…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it has to do with the previous point the member for Winnipeg North raised. I would like you to look back at the tapes. When the leader of the official opposition started reading from a budget book, you said it was being used as a prop. I think you, Mr. Speaker, need to analyze the use of official resources. Whether it be this fine fourth edition of the House of Commons Procedure and P…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, with both the Liberal Party and the Bloc saying Stephen Harper this and Stephen Harper that, I think they have lost the plot. We just had an election in which the Prime Minister looked Canadians in the eye hundreds of times, even voters in this gentleman's province of Quebec. The Prime Minister promised the people of the beautiful province of Quebec and across the country that he woul…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I know that member gets really hot under the collar when people remind him that he has supported every Liberal budget since 2015. When Bill Morneau was the finance minister, I criticized him for allowing our debt to rise over $1 trillion. This member said nothing then. We went past $2 trillion, and we are now working our way to $2.5 trillion under the current government, but he is sti…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to join the debate in this place on behalf of the good people of Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna. This particular debate is noteworthy, and I will explain why. After 10 years of Liberal budgets under Justin Trudeau, this is the first budget under what the Prime Minister and his cabinet like to call the new Liberal government. Really, who could blame them? We a…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. I believe that this year, we are at about $52 billion a year just to cover the debt management program. I remember raising the same questions and concerns with Bill Morneau when he was the minister of finance, when we had just over $1 trillion in debt. Now we are over $2 trillion in just a short period of time, less than 10 years later. We are right to b…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my fellow colleague from British Columbia is an excellent addition to this place. I remember criticizing Bill Morneau when he was the minister of finance and they crossed the threshold of $1 trillion in debt. Fast-forward to several ministers since then, and we are now approaching well over $2 trillion. Is the member concerned about the fact that the Prime Minister said he would spend…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, on a pipeline to the Pacific, the Prime Minister finds himself in a dilemma of his own making. He, his ministers and his MPs say one thing in British Columbia and another in Alberta, and now he is perched squarely on the fence. Under subsection 92(10) of the Constitution, the decision is his government's alone, so will he side with the national interest to build a new pipeline, or wil…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I note the arrogance of that answer. He has not spoken to my constituents like I have on this issue. Right now, the only thing that is crossing provincial borders is this Prime Minister's indecision. A pizza shop is more productive than the Prime Minister because at least it knows what business it is in and knows it needs to deliver in a competitive marketplace. Subsection 92(10) is c…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, as the opposition critic for transportation, I was quite intrigued to actually hear a Liberal talk about transportation. However, this is a take-note debate on softwood lumber, and that had only maybe a touchpoint on it. I would suggest that if the member is really serious about seeing improvements to the Trans-Canada Highway, then it is provincial, and unless it is on indigenous reserv…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, after 10 years of Liberal failure to secure a softwood lumber deal, the member says tonight that the Liberals have made significant wins. However, tariffs have tripled to 45%, costing Canadian producers over $10 billion. There are closed mills in communities like Houston, Vanderhoof, Port Alberni, Chemainus, Merritt and Grand Forks. Will the member admit that Liberals look as though the…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I just want to say that the member for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford told me that Chemainus is curtailed, not closed, so I wish to clarify the record. However, I would like the member to clarify the record. She talked about significant wins. Has she spoken to anyone who works in softwood lumber, or is this a speech that has been given to her so she can mouth the words? For people in areas l…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer says that the Prime Minister abandoned his own fiscal anchor, the one he claimed was key to preserving Canada's AAA credit rating and keeping borrowing costs low. Fitch warns, “federal finances run a high risk of further deterioration.” Is the Prime Minister breaking his own fiscal promises because he is incompetent or because he just does not care abo…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I am from B.C., and David Eby has taken us off a fiscal cliff simply because the province said the exact same things and was downgraded. Now Canadians are paying nearly 50% more on their credit cards than in 2015, while the Prime Minister maxes out the taxpayers' credit card. The Parliamentary Budget Office says the government broke its own debt-to-GDP promise, and Fitch is warning of…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Keith Thom lived his life with purpose. He left a lasting legacy in Peachland and for all of us who knew him. Known to many as Papa Thom, he could light up a room, whether it was through music or a smile. As a dedicated municipal councillor and deputy mayor, Keith embodied kindness and service. He raised thousands for food banks during the pandemic and honoured our veterans, including…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this is called the House of Commons for a reason. It was created to serve the common people, not jet-setting elites, yet the Prime Minister did not get the memo. How else do we explain a leader who spends more time in the air than in this chamber? He even puts Justin Trudeau to shame. In 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau flew over 127,000 kilometres in 10 months, or roughly three times aro…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this is called the House of Commons for a reason. It was created to serve the common people, not jet-setting elites, yet the Prime Minister did not get the memo. How else do we explain a leader who spends more time in the air than in this chamber? He even puts Justin Trudeau to shame. In 2022, the then prime minister flew just over 127,000 kilometres in 10 months, or roughly three tim…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-14 would still allow judges to release offenders and would still direct courts to apply the least onerous conditions if release is granted. It is the same loophole the member mentioned that let Bailey McCourt's killer walk free in Kelowna just hours after he was convicted of choking her. Why would the Liberals preserve a culture of automatic release when public safety should be…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of the Liberals, insiders have never had it so good. Canadians, including 700,000 children, made 2.2 million food bank visits last year. Seniors are living in cars because rent has doubled. Meanwhile, the government gave $1 billion to buy boats from Beijing, offshoring Canadian steel and shipbuilding jobs, while executives at the Canada Infrastructure Bank pocketed fat …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I did not expect the minister to ask me to walk down the aisle with him. Canadians made 2.2 million food bank visits last year, and seniors are sleeping in cars because rent has doubled. However, the Liberal government sent a billion taxpayer dollars to buy boats from Beijing and handed out eye-popping bonuses at the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Why is the Prime Minister using taxpayer…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, they are cutting cheques to China. The Liberals can pretend that this was all BC Ferries' sole decision, but it was the government that created the Canada Infrastructure Bank, filled it with billions of taxpayer dollars and allowed the loan to go forward with no questions asked. Conservatives believe the loan should be cancelled, because if Canadian shipyards, Canadian steelworkers an…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the controversial $1-billion loan to BC Ferries continues to take on water thanks to a CHEK News exclusive that shreds the bogus talking point that these ferries could not be built in Canada. We know that BC Ferries was presented a report that showed that Canadian shipyards could build these new vessels, creating thousands of jobs, billions in economic growth and pride in Canada's cra…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Canada is breaking records with the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7 and the second-highest unemployment. If failure was an Olympic sport, the government would own the podium. The Prime Minister came to West Kelowna, held a press conference and promised to negotiate a win on softwood lumber. He even said Canada would “write our own story”. Well, his story so far is that tariffs hav…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the Liberals tabled Bill C-26 two years before doing anything with it. This is the very first day that we actually have the ability to discuss Bill C-8, but the government does not like to hear that it is being held accountable. I know that we can improve the legislation, and my constituents have views on it. I would hope the deputy House leader would actually listen and encourage, …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola for such a serious speech. I know he is a serious MP and will be working on these issues at the public safety committee on behalf of his constituents. Speaking of his constituents, I had the pleasure of representing many of them in the Nicola Valley, and I wanted to take this opportunity to ask the member how they are doing, an…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order about relevance. We know the member is new to this place and does not know the difference between Private Members' Business and public bills. Maybe you could educate him on that and, while doing that, ask him to turn the volume down.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I rise today to table a petition urging the government to criminalize coercive abuse through the reintroduction of former Bill C-332. The bill, which has already undergone rigorous legal and procedural review, offers a clear and focused approach to addressing intimate partner violence by specifically targeting coercive control. Families have lived with the devastating impacts of coe…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, let us bear in mind that there was an election. There are a lot of new faces here. Many are not just new; they represent different parties than in the previous parliament. They deserve the benefit of being able to consult their constituents and bring forward ideas. It seems to me that those here today speaking from the Liberal Party are very frustrated that new members of Parliament…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her very kind comment. My mother used to say that I had a face made for radio. It is important to discuss how best to improve the government's approach, even if the government does not want to hear it. Like the hon. member, I too hope that this bill will be improved.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is an absolute honour to rise in this chamber to talk about a very serious matter: those who are and are not addressed in the bill before us, Bill C-8. Let me hearken back to a previous parliament when I had my first opportunity to work with the splendid member for Parkland. We were both on the industry committee, and during our time on that committee, Ottawa had a tornado incide…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, when Highway 97 shuts down because of landslides, wildfires or serious accidents, Okanagan residents, including cancer patients and essential workers, are stranded. Many are forced onto dangerous, poorly marked forest roads, like FSR 201. The Harper-Campbell governments' successful four-laning between Summerland and Peachland now requires $24 million in stabilization work. As a fund…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to stand on behalf of the petitioners for petition e-6572, which is in regard to the Penticton Shooting Sports Association. The petitioners want people to know that the Penticton Shooting Sports Association, which is located on land managed by the Government of Canada, provides essential training facilities for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, other law enforcement a…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, The Globe and Mail has revealed that the former minister of transport was warned in May about BC Ferries buying ships from a Chinese state-owned shipyard, six weeks before the public was told, yet the minister claimed surprise in this House. I am going to give the new minister the opportunity to break tradition with his predecessor and tell us the truth. Did she mislead Parliament, ye…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is unbelievable. With so many steel and shipbuilding jobs at stake, it is beyond belief that the former minister refused to push back and demand that these boats be made in Canada. Canadian unions and shipyards deserve a federal government and provincial governments that believe in them, listen to them and, most importantly, stand up for them. When BC Ferries first flagged the deal…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to Air Passenger Protection Regulations complaints filed with the Canada Transportation Agency: (a) what is (i) the number of complaints, (ii) the length of the current backlog of complaints; (b) for current outstanding complaints, what is the breakdown by airline; and (c) in the last two years, in cases where the Canadian Transportation Agency has made a ruling, how many and what perc…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to government buildings obtaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification and broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation, or other government entity: (a) what was the total expenditure related to obtaining or maintaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, broken down by year, for each of the last five years; (b) what is the breakd…
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