Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the House might not be aware, but in my riding we had an Iroquois first nation, and the entire nation enfranchised in 1958. I am talking, of course, about the Michel band. Under Bill C-31, back in the 1980s, 700 members of the Michel band, as individuals, were allowed to gain back their Indian status. However, as of today, this band is still not fully recognized and are not able to ma…
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Mr. Speaker, the member was part of a government in the province of Ontario that oversaw a doubling of power prices because of its flawed policies. He was a part of that government and —
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Mr. Speaker, it is clear to me that the member was a very strong supporter of the previous Ontario government, which did double power prices in the province of Ontario. The government likes to talk about the environment, but we need to ensure that projects do not harm our landscapes and do not harm our waterways. I think we need to look strongly at these things, ensure we take a holistic look at t…
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Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the Liberal government has always sided with big businesses. It has always sided with the oligopolies, whether it is the grocery chains, the big banks or the big railway companies, which are hurting western farmers who are just trying to get their grain to market. The Liberal power structure that has existed in this country has always been backed by big business. It i…
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Mr. Speaker, I go door knocking in my riding quite a bit and run into former co-workers, retired co-workers and people who used to work in the industry all the time. I can say that not a single one of them is proud of what happened under the NDP-Liberal government. Not a single one of them is satisfied with how it went down. They are not satisfied with the jobs and retraining. Frankly, even though…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-50, which, as a part of this government's agenda of the unjust transition, threatens to do irreparable harm to the people in my communities and across this country. I will be splitting my time with the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent. The so-called sustainable jobs act, which is part of the unjust transition, represents a clear and present danger to the …
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Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that ever since oil was discovered in Alberta back in 1949, we have had central governments in this country try to control it. No other region in this country has had a federal government seek to control its destiny more than western Canada given its oil resources. Quebeckers stand up for their resources, and I applaud them for that. We should all stand up for ou…
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Mr. Speaker, it is that Liberal member and her colleagues who voted against the Conservative motion to bring victims' representatives to committee two times. The Liberals do not want an investigation; they want a whitewash. I wish I did not have to stand in this House and ask those questions today. I wish that killer, Paul Bernardo, was sitting in a maximum-security prison today. I wish that the L…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians and victims' families want answers. They want accountability and they want transparency from the Liberal government. For five months, the Liberals have done everything in their power to prevent the public safety committee from investigating the transfer of notorious killer Paul Bernardo from a maximum-security prison. Canadians deserve to know why this was allowed to happen.…
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Mr. Speaker, speaking of investigation, for five months, the Liberals have pulled out all the stops to prevent an investigation into the shocking and incomprehensible transfer of notorious killer Paul Bernardo from a maximum-security prison. Victims' families were not even informed of the transfer until it was already under way; so much for victims' rights. The trust of Canadians and victims' fami…
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Madam Speaker, in all this debate about the sustainable jobs act, what I have not heard is an explanation from the Liberal-NDP government of a credible plan to replace over 25% of Canada's exports. Petroleum and petroleum products account for over $100 billion, over 25% of Canada's annual exports. These exports are absolutely necessary for the protection of the value of the Canada dollar. If the s…
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Madam Speaker, after eight years under the Liberal government, it is clear that the rights of victims and their families are not a priority. Correctional Service Canada, with the full knowledge of the government, transferred Canada's most notorious killer to a medium-security prison. Public safety officials even wanted to keep it quiet, and victims' families were notified only after the fact. At c…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present this petition on behalf of Canadians who are very concerned about the rise in discrimination against political belief and activity. They are calling on the House of Commons to pass Bill C-257, which will enshrine in the Canadian Human Rights Act that political belief and activity are not subject to discrimination. The petitioners believe that as we live in a …
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Mr. Speaker, the inclusion of an SS member in Parliament during President Zelenskyy's speech is unacceptable and embarrassing, but what is further embarrassing is an admission from the government that it did not do proper background checks on everyone who was in Parliament. President Zelenskyy is a target of death from the Russian regime. His security in Canada should be our highest priority. The …
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With regard to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC): (a) what is the total number of citizenship applications received and granted or approved since January 1, 2015, broken down by calendar year; and (b) of the applications granted in (a), what is the breakdown between discretionary versus non-discretionary?
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Mr. Speaker, the 10th time is the charm. I am seeking consent from the House that an order of the House to issue all memoranda, briefing notes, emails—
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Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the chair of the public safety committee. Just before question period, members of the committee were informed that the meeting had been cancelled for this afternoon. We were told that all parties had consented to this. None of the opposition parties have consented to this. I can only think that the reason the meeting has been cancelled on such short notice i…
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Mr. Speaker, recent media reports confirm that there is an active, ongoing RCMP investigation in relation to prosecutorial interference on the 2019 SNC-Lavalin scandal. My question to the government is a simple yes-or-no question. Is the Prime Minister, any member of cabinet or any member of their staff currently under investigation by the RCMP, yes or no?
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Madam Speaker, as an MP who does represent the metropolitan area of Edmonton, I do not have a single NDP MLA in my constituency, so I would say that the member is wrong. We have very strong representation for our region in the legislature, and I look forward to working with Minister Turton; Minister Nally; the whip, Shane Getson; and Andrew Boitchenko to stand up and fulfill the mandate that the A…
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Madam Speaker, it is disappointing. Time and time again, we have seen the NDP sell out its core values on a number of pieces of legislation in order to keep this coalition government going. I can completely understand why the NDP does not want to face the voters at this time, but the fact is that eventually it is going to be held accountable and the people are going to have to decide whether or no…
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Madam Speaker, it seems there is a bit of a ruckus in the House. As I said, I wish all members a very happy Father's Day. What we do here is about standing up for our constituents and standing up for Canadians. I will make no apology for doing what is necessary to stand up for the values and interests of the people who sent me here.
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Madam Speaker, we are going to look at all legislation—
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Madam Speaker, I too have enjoyed my time at the public safety committee with the member. What one member calls “stalling” is what I call “democracy”, because when the government is doing something that is so offside with what Canadians want, it is the duty of all parliamentarians to use whatever means necessary to ensure either that the legislation is defeated or that it is amended in such way as…
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Madam Speaker, I am so pleased to rise today to speak to Bill S-8, which seeks to make amendments to consequential acts for the purpose of expanding the Minister of Public Safety's ability to declare people inadmissible to Canada, or to deport people from Canada from groups or countries that have been sanctioned. I want to say that this is the kind of legislation that I think Canadians are increas…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order arising from question period. During question period, the Liberal justice minister and several members of the Liberal Party claimed that the Conservatives were spreading misinformation about Bill C-83. I have a document from the Library of Parliament, containing a description of Bill C-83, which says that under their amendments, the Correctional Service of C…
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Madam Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety's failure to prevent the transfer of notorious killer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security facility was not a mistake. It was a direct consequence of the Liberals' soft-on-crime policies, like Bill C-83. Yesterday, Conservatives gave the government an opportunity to rectify this injustice, but it voted us down. Canadians are watching. The Minister of Publ…
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Madam Speaker, the offices of the Prime Minister and of the Minister of Public Safety knew about this transfer for three months. This was no mistake. This was a result of the Liberal government's agenda. This did not have to happen. Yesterday, Liberals had a chance to right this wrong, but instead they chose to double down on their failure. For the Liberals to claim otherwise is misinformation. Wh…
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With regard to legal costs incurred by the government in relation to the invocation of the Emergencies Act in 2022, as well as any subsequent legal action: what is the total amount (i) paid out to date, (ii) scheduled to be paid out, on outside legal counsel, broken down by department, agency or other government entity which encountered the expense?
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With regard to the upcoming tenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, from November 10 to 25, 2023, and the third session of the Meeting of Parties (MOP3) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, from November 27 to 30, 2023: (a) how many individuals will be part of the government's …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety is accountable for the actions of his staff and his department. Last week, we learned that Canada's most heinous criminal was being transferred from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security prison. This is a slap in the face to the victims and their families. The minister claimed that he was not aware, but his claims just do not add up. We know that…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has added more to our national debt than all previous governments combined. The only thing worse than a tax-and-spend Liberal is a borrow-and-spend Liberal. Liberal deficit borrowing is driving up interest rates, making Canadians' loans and mortgages more expensive. Liberal overspending is driving up the cost of goods and services, making everything, including o…
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Mr. Speaker, it is always great to see politicians stand up in the House and quote other politicians who are patting each other on the back about how wonderful the things they have done are. However, do members know who I really want to hear from? I want to hear from the families that have been waiting for two years on a waiting list. They are literally calling child care centres several times a w…
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Mr. Speaker, this bill will do nothing to create more affordable child care spaces for Albertans. I think this is very interesting. The NDP comes from a philosophical place that says for those who have much to give, much will be asked for, and for those who do not have much, much will be given. I find it very odd that the New Democrats are not criticizing this legislation in the same way I am beca…
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Mr. Speaker, I think too often in this House, it is forgotten that there is only one taxpayer. The federal government does not give money to the provinces. It is all coming from the same taxpayer, taxpayers who are residents of the municipalities, residents of the provinces, residents of Canada. With this cycling of money, we have to remember that fundamentally it comes from the same hard-working …
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Mr. Speaker, I am always pleased to rise in the House to speak on behalf of my constituents, and today we are debating Bill C-35, an act respecting early learning and child care. I spoke on this bill at second reading, before it went to committee. After reviewing my comments from my previous speech, I do not see many improvements that would address the very important concerns I have with this legi…
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Mr. Speaker, I take some exception to the leader of the NDP saying that members of this House are not taking this seriously. A month ago, I was on the front lines and visited the government operations centre for the fires around Parkland County. I know the member for South Shore—St. Margarets just came from the front lines in Nova Scotia and the member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord came from the front l…
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Madam Speaker, in light of some comments made by members of the New Democratic Party in this House arising out of question period, I would like to seek unanimous consent to table the most recent results of the Alberta election, which show a whopping majority by a strong United Conservative Party, to show the rejection of the socialistic policies of the New Democratic—
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Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats were quite thankful for the filibuster back in December when they were still deciding what stand they were going to take in support of our hunters and sport shooters. They had no idea which way they were going to swing on this issue, and I was thanked by them at the time. They thanked me for giving them time so they could take it back to their caucus and figure out w…
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Mr. Speaker, what the government really put forward was that anyone who currently had a restricted licence, who had possession of one of these firearms, could continue to use these firearms. However, part of this legislation is that there can be no new applications, other than a very narrow exemption for Olympic sport shooters. A Liberal member talked earlier about this great Olympic exemption. I …
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Mr. Speaker, I believe that Canada has a robust system of firearms laws that have largely worked for generations. It is ironic because it is the Liberal Party of Canada that is intent on importing American culture war politics in our country. I cite none other than the member for Markham—Unionville, when he brought forward the amendment that the Liberals had to withdraw, who said that we needed Ca…
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Mr. Speaker, another reason why these red and yellow flag laws are so unnecessary is because police have already been clear that they have the authority without a warrant to act immediately to seize firearms if they determine there is a risk. Canada already has red and yellow flag laws. I even read recently about a gentleman in the Ottawa area who has hunted his entire life. However, during the pa…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on Bill C-21, a piece of legislation that I have engaged with very closely over the last seven months as a member of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. From my many months of working on the bill, I can only conclude that Bill C-21 is not about public safety. If it was about public safety, the bill would have sought to deal with the dis…
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Mr. Speaker, wildfires continue to ravage communities across Alberta, including in Parkland, Yellowhead, Brazeau County and Drayton Valley. A state of emergency is in place and many residents have evacuated to the towns of Stony Plain and Spruce Grove. Last weekend, our community stepped up to help the evacuated families by hosting a pancake breakfast at the Stony Plain Legion. I would like to tha…
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Mr. Speaker, something has gone terribly wrong in this country. The violence is out of control. People, including children, are being stabbed on our streets, and police officers, including from my community in Spruce Grove, have been murdered in the line of duty. Now we know who is committing these acts of violence. Many of them are repeat offenders who have been let loose on our streets by a Libe…
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With regard to the government's reaction to reports that United States National Guard troops have been handing out bus tickets to migrants in New York City for travel to Roxham Road: (a) has the government made any representations with officials in the United States, including New York City municipal officials, to stop this, and, if so, what are the details of those representations, including the …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent speech and his responses to many questions from across the political spectrum. We can change the laws all we want, but we need to have the mechanisms and institutions available to support women and children, in particular, who are caught in situations of intimate violence. I am thinking of women's shelters. In Alberta, in my riding, we had the …
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Mr. Speaker, Parliament exists to defend the rights and liberties of the Canadian people. Oftentimes, I find this legislation is highly technical. The technical legislation is often where we see the biggest changes that would impact people's lives. When the government proposes to give sweeping powers to the minister to have control over sectors that impact every facet of Canadian lives, we need to…
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour, as it always is, to rise in the House of Commons of the Canadian people and speak to Bill C-26, an act respecting cybersecurity, which seeks to amend the Telecommunications Act and make subsequent amendments to others acts. I want to say from the outset that cybersecurity is a critically important issue. For those of us who have been watching the news, we have even …
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's professional and independent public service is the backbone of our federal government. Public servants are the ones the government should trust to provide professional advice, not the high-priced consultants at McKinsey & Company. Nonetheless, the Liberal government has awarded at least $120 million in contracts to McKinsey, undermining our hard-working public servants by cre…
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Mr. Speaker, the creation of the “shadow public service” are not my words; they are the words from the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The Liberals claim they stand in support of our professional public servants, but after eight years, their record says otherwise. After eight years, the amount of taxpayer cash that goes to private consultants has grown exponentially. This was funding that our …
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