Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, Canadians with documented, serious and permanent COVID-19 vaccine injuries have been waiting years for help. A government contractor was hired to provide that help. The government contractor got $54 million for little to no results. Two-thirds of that money went to administration and overhead. Only 252 out of tens of thousands of vaccine-injured people were given any help at all. On what day are the victims going to get their money?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals elected a Prime Minister they thought was an economic genius. They got fooled that he was a master negotiator. He sold himself as the guy to hire in a crisis. He caused a crisis in the U.K. and then ran away from it. Then he came to Canada and deceived people with his fearmongering and caused a recession within a year. Canada is now the only G20 country in a recession. We have the highest household debt and the worst housing affordability, and unemployment, especially among young people, is at shocking levels. Investment is down for five straight quarters. Do not worry, though, folks. The Prime Minister has a genius master plan: He hides from question period and the media. He blames everybody but himself and mutters something about needing more immigration to fix the messy—

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions on behalf of the residents of my riding of Niagara West on Bill C-9. In both petitions, the petitioners are concerned that the Liberal and Bloc amendments to Bill C-9 could be used to criminalize passages from sacred texts. The petitioners also say that the state has no place in the religious texts or teachings of any faith community. They believe freedom of expression and religion are fundamental rights that must be preserved. Finally, the petitioners call upon the government to protect religious freedom, uphold the right to read and share sacred texts, and prevent government overreach into matters of faith.

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition on a totally separate issue that I would like to present. It was initiated by a constituent of mine, Jim Jeffs. The petition calls on the government to remove the licence of cannabis producers that allows the escape of cannabis odours. It also asks to raise the minimum age of possession of cannabis to 25 years and not allow the production of cannabis in edible form. Finally, the petitioners ask the government to act on the recommendations from the Cannabis Act review, which include setting and monitoring targets for reducing youth and young adult cannabis use, and reinstating health warning messages that pertain to serious cannabis-related mental health risks, including psychosis and schizophrenia.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of Parliament, I attend some fantastic events with some of the most amazing people in the world. Shine On was one such event, held on a beautiful Niagara evening. It was hosted by John Howard of Megalomaniac winery, and we could feel right away that it was something special. It really spoke to the kind of community we have and that I am so proud to represent. What stood out most to me at the event was the leadership from Kevin and Linda Luttjehuizen and their daughter Kaitlyn. Kevin and Linda are proud owners of Harmony Jewellers. They have raised over $1 million for the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital Foundation and McNally House Hospice, two of the most important organizations in our community. What an incredible contribution that is by this family. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Harmony Jewellers. After five decades of support from the community, they are making sure they return that support in a meaningful way. Given the challenges that Harmony Jewellers and its staff have faced over the past year, seeing that kind of generosity and resilience on display was remarkable. It was one of those nights that remind us of what our community is really all about.

Mr. Speaker, I have a couple of petitions to present today from the fine folks in my riding of Niagara West. The first petition talks about Bill C-9 and the petitioners' concern around the Liberal-Bloc amendments to Bill C-9, an act to amend the Criminal Code in relation to hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religion or cultural places, which could be used to criminalize passages from the Bible, the Quran, the Torah and other sacred texts. I have another petition to present on Bill C-9. Once again, there are thousands of signatures from people in Niagara West. The concerns of petitioners are that the state has no place in the religious texts or teaching of any faith community, and that freedom of expression and freedom of religion are fundamental rights that must be preserved. Therefore, the petitioning citizens and residents call upon the Government of Canada to protect religious freedom; to uphold the right to read and share sacred texts; and to prevent government overreach when it comes to matters of faith.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the start of national public safety telecommunicators week. It is a week to honour the dedicated 911 communicators who serve as the calm, steady voices behind the line during some of the most terrifying moments of a person's life. These professionals are often the first responders in an emergency. They listen to things that no one else will ever hear: the raw panic in a parent's voice, the final breaths of a loved one and the heartbreaking sobs of a family facing unimaginable grief. They carry a heavy emotional burden, yet after a difficult call, they take a deep breath, compose themselves and answer the next call with the same compassion, focus and professionalism. Every 911 communicator across this country should know how much they are appreciated. Their compassion, their courage and their steady presence in people's darkest moments matter more than they will ever know. We see the difficult work they do, we respect the weight they carry every shift and we are truly, deeply grateful.

Mr. Speaker, Canada's auto sector has been gutted. Production was cut in half since 2015. Thousands of jobs are gone and exports have collapsed. Now, with U.S. tariffs hammering our workers, the Prime Minister has done nothing to stop them. Instead, he has accepted them as permanent while using Canadian tax dollars to subsidize foreign-built vehicles. That is not a plan. That is surrender. The Conservatives have put forward a tariff-free auto pact to double production, restore our supply chains and bring jobs back to Canada. Will the Prime Minister stand up for Canadian workers and support our plan, or will he continue with the managed decline of the auto sector, just like the—

Mr. Speaker, once again it is an honour to rise in the House. As I like to do every chance I get, I want to thank the voters who voted for me in Niagara West. I never want to take that vote for granted. I want to make sure they understand, every time I stand up, that I appreciate the support I have been given over the last 21 and a half years. When I look at what has gone on and why we have the opposition motion today, one of the things that concerns me is the fact that I continue to see crime on the rise, and it is evident all around me. I will give the example of what happened during my campaign. My campaign office last year was in Grimsby, Ontario, just a few doors down from a jewellery store. In daylight hours, I think it was actually around noontime, a truck backed up and smashed into the store in an attempt to rob it. It shows how organized the thieves were that not only did they smash into the store with a pickup truck, but when they got out of the truck, they also had another car waiting, and from that car they drove to another car. We think about this as organized crime because it was not just a couple of random people doing a smash-and-grab; it was actually something organized at a much higher level. This has been happening in major cities around the country. I have not seen a lot of it in rural parts like Niagara, and certainly not in a town like Grimsby. However, what was so troubling to me was the fact that this was the third time this happened in three months. Think about that for a second. We were campaigning in April, and within three to four months, the same jewellery store was hit for the third time. Think about that. This is a local jeweller who gives back to the community and does a bunch of stuff. As a matter of fact, there were people in the store who were actually doing repair work from the previous break-in. When we talk about jail not bail, and things like that, this is why we need to look at what is going on. A number of other incidents happened in my riding, which is very troubling. The store I was talking about is Harmony Jewellers. The robberies were absolutely horrible to see happen. In the middle of the day, on a busy street, that was happening. People could have been hurt, not only by being attacked as the truck drove into the back of the store, but during the getaway as well. I look at some of the other things that are happening, and the member for Niagara South has done a great job talking about a repeat violent offender in Welland. He has been talking about the issue non-stop. These are small towns where we are not used to seeing this type or level of violence. It is not first-time violence; the troubling thing is that it is a repeat violent offenders. When I look at these things, I realize that our communities are not much safer. I look at violent crime statistics since 2015 when we were last in government, and I see that a number of violent crimes are up by over 55%. Firearms crimes are up 130%. Extortion has skyrocketed 330% across Canada. Sexual assaults are up 76%, and homicides are up 29%. Other members have mentioned this today, but I think we need to continually reaffirm these numbers and let people know that they are not safer than they were when the Conservative government was last in power in 2015. The challenge is that what the Liberals are great at doing is talking in a very fanciful way about things they are going to do. They say, “This is what we are going to do. This is what we hope to accomplish. We are going to have some meetings, and we are going to set up some round tables.” However, what they fail to ever do is deliver on results. At the end of the day, when we look at today's opposition motion, it makes a whole lot of sense that the people who are repeat violent offenders should be getting jail and not bail. The other thing these reports do not address is the fact that most people have given up on the system. They do not even want to report, because they are worried and they are concerned. A number of my colleagues have been talking about extortion. We have seen it out west in a variety of places, with some places just outside Vancouver. We have not seen that level of activity in my riding, and I am grateful for that, but those kinds of things still happen in Ontario in places like Brampton. As we continue to look at what has gone on, we need to look at the numbers. We need to look at the facts. We need to understand that what is going on right now is not getting better; it is getting worse. The words that we are getting from these guys are nothing more than that: They are just words.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to stand and present a petition from the folks in my riding who are really concerned about the Liberals' Bill C-9. The petition says Canadians are concerned that the Liberal-Bloc amendments to Bill C-9 could be used to criminalize scriptural passages, that the state has no place in the religious text or teachings of any faith community and that freedom of expression and freedom of religion are fundamental rights that must be preserved. Therefore the petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to protect religious freedoms, uphold the right to read and share sacred texts, and prevent government overreach when it comes to matters of faith.

Mr. Speaker, I sit here amused once again at the absolute arrogance of the Liberals, who think they are the only ones who could have a plan for this country. As a matter of fact, after 10 years of an absolute disaster, they still think their way forward is the best way. When anyone else challenges that vision, Liberals automatically say they are self-interested and only doing it for themselves. Does the member right there not think that the most self-interested person in the whole government is the current Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, it does pay to be Brookfield under this government. Just last month, Canadians were told that we are sending $528 million of our money to the European Space Agency. That is great news for European jobs and an even bigger coincidence for Brookfield, because it just happens to own 50% of a campus in the U.K. that is home to a major ESA facility. I am sure the Prime Minister, the former chair of Brookfield Asset Management, was just as surprised as the rest of us when this deal landed. This is the same Brookfield that, while the Prime Minister was chair, used Bermuda addresses above bike shops and Cayman Island post office boxes to avoid paying billions in Canadian taxes that could have helped the more than 2.2 million Canadians now relying on food banks every month or the young families who have given up dreaming of ever owning their own home. Connected insiders keep winning, while regular Canadians keep getting the bill. Conservatives will keep exposing this every single day, because clearly, someone has to.

Mr. Speaker, as we approach the joyous Christmas season and the promise of a new year, I rise to extend warm holiday greetings to all Canadians. This is a time of celebration, reflection and gratitude, a time to cherish family, friends and the many blessings we share in this great country. First, I thank my wonderful wife and children for their unwavering love, patience and support throughout another busy year. They are my greatest joy and inspiration. The hard work and commitment of my dedicated staff in Ottawa and back home in Niagara West make everything possible, and I am truly grateful for each of them. I also thank the incredible constituents of Niagara West, which includes Grimsby, Lincoln, West Lincoln, Pelham, Wainfleet and St. Catharines, for their trust, their kindness and the privilege of serving them. It is an honour to call this beautiful part of Canada home. From my family to everyone, merry Christmas and may we never forget the real reason for the season: the birth of Christ. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Mr. Speaker, as always, I want to thank my constituents of Niagara West for putting their trust in me to be their voice here in Ottawa. It is an honour and a privilege to serve them. I have been their representative in this place since 2004, and I will continue to tirelessly fight for their interests every single day. Unfortunately, the Liberal government, through 10 consecutive budgets, is working against the interests of my constituents. In fact, I believe it is working against the interests of Canadians in general. The Liberal track record under Justin Trudeau was abysmal, and it is the same bunch running things again for the new Prime Minister, so it is no surprise then that things are actually getting worse. Let us not forget that the Prime Minister was Justin Trudeau's economic adviser since 2020. Many issues have gotten exponentially worse since he took office in April of this year. He promised he would fix things. Well, he has not done much fixing, but he sure is travelling a lot. He has circled the planet four times over with spectacularly bad results. In fact, he has done nothing but burn jet fuel and contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions. The Prime Minister first promised he would have a deal done with the United States by July 21, and then he changed it to August 1. He has travelled there a few times, so where is the deal? Today is December 2, and there is no deal and none being worked on as we speak. Things are so bad on the negotiation front that every time the Prime Minister goes somewhere, including the United States, somehow Canadians end up paying more tariffs. It is one failure after another, but if we listen to the Liberals talk in this place, they would say that Canadians have never had it so good. Sometimes I think they live in an alternative universe. They even say that we are imagining the taxes we are paying on food and fuel. All people have to do is watch question period and they will hear it for themselves. The rhetoric does not match the facts on the ground. That is what the most frustrating part is for Canadians. Hard-working Canadians are losing their jobs on a daily basis. Let us recap a few here. Stellantis announced that 3,000 Canadian jobs will head south to Illinois. A week later, General Motors said that it is ending electrical van production at the CAMI assembly plant, putting 1,200 people out of work at their Ingersoll plant. Quebec truck manufacturer Paccar was forced to lay off 300 workers because of additional American tariffs on commercial trucks, bringing the total job cuts to 725 in their Sainte-Thérèse plant. These followed TFT Global laying off 425 workers in Oshawa, and Magna cutting 49 jobs in London. In Ear Falls, 150 union workers were laid off when the town's sawmill shut down. One hundred and fifty workers were laid off by Western Forest Products in B.C. and 150 more workers from Interfor's Ontario plants. Just yesterday, we found out that Algoma Steel will let go of 1,000 workers. All these people have families, mortgages, bills and kids to take care of. These folks are now wondering what is next and what is going to happen to their futures. Does the Prime Minister care? That is debatable. Recently, the Prime Minister said that he did not care about the U.S. negotiations that led to the layoffs I just mentioned. When asked about the trade talks, the Prime Minister responded with a smug, “Who cares?” and that he did not “have a burning issue to speak with the president about right now,” while Canadian families and businesses are suffering. Let us not forget that he is the one who promised to negotiate a win and to handle Donald Trump. Canadians are still waiting while things are getting worse and worse. The Liberal deficit this year is nearly $80 billion. The national debt is a staggering $1.3 trillion. Let us put it this way: For each individual watching at home today, and for every Canadian, their portion is $33,000. That is every single Canadian's debt to pay back. When I say every single Canadian, I mean from newborn infants to seniors in long-term care facilities. It is everyone. They owe $33,000 and this amount is only getting bigger. Why is it getting bigger? The interest payment alone is about $60 billion a year as these deficits continue year after year. It is what experts call an economic ticking time bomb. An analyst at Reuters warned that the deficit trajectory risks undermining confidence in Canada's long-term financial stability. Let me translate that so that my Liberal colleagues can understand. The Reuters analyst basically said that Liberals are managing this country like a teenager handles their first Visa card: buy now, cry later. We all know the current slogan, in essence, is the same as Justin Trudeau's. The Prime Minister's “we are spending less and investing more” slogan is just Justin Trudeau's “the budget will balance itself” nonsense. What do they have to show for all these deficits they have been running for last 10 years? As expected, it is nothing but terrible results. We are seeing depression, hunger, homelessness, addiction and crime. We have an affordability crisis the likes of which we have not seen in generations. Young folks cannot buy homes. They are delaying starting families. They are living in their parents' basements and they do not see a way out. We have a 7% unemployment rate overall. It is double for young people. What about attracting investment to Canada? There is not much there either. Business investment is cratering. For folks listening at home, when businesses decide not to invest in Canada, it means that jobs are not being created in Canada. Like I have been saying for many years, Liberal red tape and over-regulation are choking the life out of Canadian businesses and foreign investment. Business confidence in Canada is already at low and near recessive levels, according to multiple surveys. Do not worry, the Liberals have a plan, which is to cross their fingers, close their eyes and whisper manifesting affirmations. RBC politely described the Liberals' expectations for their budget as overly optimistic. Let us translate this too. A banker is basically saying that these people are dreaming. What about the Liberal record on affordability? I think that everyone at this point knows that the Liberal out-of-control spending and taxation have caused hunger, poverty and homelessness in our society. The average household pays 41% more in income taxes in 2023 than in 2010. Let me say that again, because most Canadians will be shocked to hear this. The average household paid 41% more income taxes in 2023 than in 2010. I wonder who was in government then. More than one in four Canadians needed to use savings or borrow money to buy food. More than one in four is experiencing food insecurity. The average family of four will spend over $800 more this year on groceries compared to last. We are seeing food bank lineups reminiscent of bread lines in communist regimes. Food bank visits are at an all-time high. More than a million people visited the food bank in the past year. In Ontario, one out of every 16 people has gone to a food bank because they cannot afford to eat. That is 24,000 people across the province every single day. It is a staggering 87% increase compared to 2020. How anyone can think they are doing a good job given these statistics is astonishing to me. Food banks across the country are at a breaking point. That is the record of the Liberal Party of Canada for the last 10 years. That is the record that they are somehow proud of. The policies they have chosen to implement, like taxing people into poverty, inflationary spending that makes people's paycheques worth less and over-regulating businesses into bankruptcy, or worse than that, out of the country, are their record. That is what they have been able to achieve. All the while, they are getting cozier with foreign hostile powers like China, when the Liberals are fully aware that Beijing has been involved in espionage and interfering in Canada's elections. How many examples of Beijing interference in Canada do the Liberals need to understand that Beijing is Canada's adversary, not a friend? The Liberals have barely addressed the Winnipeg lab situation, where two so-called scientists were fired from the lab because they were working in Beijing's interests. All of that said, this is really what Canada has become. It is what this generation will be known for: an affordability crisis, a housing crisis, a foreign affairs crisis, a trade crisis and many other crises, probably, the way things are going. There is hope at the end of the tunnel. Canadians can rest assured that with a Conservative government, this type of devastation directly caused by Liberals will be fixed. It will be fixed with common-sense ideas and policies that put Canadian families at the centre. Canadians want lower taxes, affordable food and homes, and an overall life that is a safe life. They want a future for our children that involves being able to have a family in a home on a safe street and pride in who we are as Canadians. Our Conservative plan is one of pragmatism. It is time for the Liberals to admit that they have failed spectacularly in the last 10 years. As our Conservative leader has said repeatedly, please copy our plan. We talk about it in this place all the time. We have laid it out online for people to read, including Liberal MPs from across the aisle. Canadians are desperate for a change in direction. I think all of us in this place want what is best for Canadians. I truly do. Let us make this happen. Let us work together toward a future that Canadians can be proud of. The budget, as it currently stands, is simply not it. That is why I just cannot support the budget and why I will be voting against it.

Mr. Speaker, our job as the opposition is to make bills better. There are a number of bills that have come through us. We are talking about the budget right now, but we can talk about Bill C-8, Bill C-9 and a number of other bills that, quite frankly, are not in the best interest of Canadians. Our job as parliamentarians is to make those bills better. I have no problem at all trying to do that. We were elected to represent our constituents, point out the flaws in these bills and try to make them better. That is what we will do. This is our job. This is our requirement. This is what we will continue to do.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from the Bloc raises an excellent point. Nowhere have we ever seen what the government is trying to do. Really, what it is trying to do is con Canadians. This is what it is trying to do. The government is trying to explain to Canadians that, somehow, we have two separate categories, operations and investment, when at the end of the day, parliaments from around the world look at spending as just one thing, as the member so aptly pointed out. It is one bucket. We can call it operations. We can call it marketing. We can call it investments, whatever we want to call it. The reality is that the government spends money. Money comes in in the form of taxes, and then what happens at the end of the day is that governments are responsible for then redistributing that money. The member makes an excellent point. No matter how we spend it, it is still spending.

Mr. Speaker, that is a great question. I really believe it is a dereliction of duty of the Prime Minister and the government. It is absolutely unconscionable that it is walking away from our largest trading partner, the most important trading partner, and saying, “Who cares?” They do not really think about it. They are not really concerned about the automotive industry, and then they are shocked when they have all these additional tariffs because they will not sit down to actually negotiate. They are shocked when they spend all their time making fun of other world leaders and somehow think this is not going to affect our relationships in any way. It was disastrous under Justin Trudeau because of how incompetent he was in trying to represent us, but now, for the government to continue along the same vein, is absolutely unconscionable. I feel sorry. I feel sad, and I feel very disappointed for all these workers who are going to suffer.

Mr. Speaker, can the Prime Minister explain to Canadians why every time we ask about a conflict of interest with Brookfield, his answer is basically, who cares, nothing to see here, and just ignore the fact that he used to run the place. Canadians are starting to wonder: If Brookfield were any closer to the government, would it need a visitor's pass or just a set of cabinet keys? How can Canadians trust that decisions are not being made in a boardroom instead of the House of Commons, or is the Liberal government now offering loyalty points for conflict of interest?

Madam Speaker, I think what my colleague has noticed probably in a very short time is that the Liberals are the greatest gaslighters on earth. They talk about things to fix that they run around actually breaking. This is just another great example. They break the immigration system and then come up with a plan to try and fix it. They break the system when it comes to red tape and regulations and then say they will find a way to fix it. Has the member noticed similar things since he has been here?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have unleashed a crime wave in Niagara like we have never seen before. It has gotten so bad that the Niagara Regional Police Service is reminding people to do a nighttime routine. They call it the 9 p.m. routine: “It’s 9pm, Niagara. Have you completed your #9pmRoutine? Ensure all your valuables are secure, cars, doors and windows are locked, and alarms are activated if you have them.” This falls on the heels of Toronto police and York police telling people to leave their keys by the front door and lock themselves in the closet while criminals steal from their home. The only thing they did not say was to leave a full tank of gas, and cookies at the door. This is happening as Liberals keep telling Canadians, “You've never had it so good.” Let me remind folks of the Liberal record. Liberal Bill C-5 eliminated mandatory minimum sentences for serious violent crimes. Bill C-75 requires judges to release accused offenders at the earliest possible opportunity and under the least onerous conditions. Canadians live in fear as criminals roam the streets knowing they can do whatever they want to whomever they want and still be out on bail before the ink on their paperwork is even dry.

Mr. Speaker, this is the first time I rise in the House after the summer recess. As always, I want to thank the constituents of Niagara West for sending me to Ottawa to be their voice in this incredible place. I am humbled that, after more than 21 years, I was once again granted the honour of their trust. Today, we are discussing the government's bill, Bill C-2. For my constituents who may be watching, Bill C-2's formal name is an act respecting certain measures relating to the security of the border between Canada and the United States and respecting other related security measures. The short title of this bill is the strong borders act. Does this bill really live up to its name? It sure has generated a lot of attention from many corners: academia, civil society groups and other stakeholders. Let us delve into it a little and look at some recent history to understand what the Liberals are trying to do with it. First and foremost, I believe my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would agree that Conservatives believe in law and order. We have always stood up for common-sense measures to keep Canadians safe. I do not think there is much debate from any party when it comes to this issue. It is simple. Conservatives care about Canadians and their safety. We would like to see legislation to that end, whether it is presented from our side or otherwise. What is important here is to inform those watching us today that for the past decade, Conservatives have been urging the Liberal government to reverse their failed policies and restore safety to our communities. Most people who were paying attention to media coverage during the last campaign know that crime was a big topic. Countless examples were seen on TV and first-hand in our communities, which show us that things have gotten much worse over the last decade, so much so that many Canadians are afraid for their safety just walking in their neighbourhoods. Whether Liberals admit it or not, with respect to crime, things have gotten out of control. Speaking of campaigns and crime, I think more than four million people saw my post on what happened in Grimsby during the last campaign. Armed robbers rammed a pickup truck through the doors of a jewellery store in the middle of the day in downtown Grimsby, a once-quiet, small community where things like this just do not happen. What is even more shocking is that this armed robbery was not the first. In fact, it was the third time in just three months the same jewellery store was targeted. Imagine that. This is Grimsby we are talking about. The crime wave has shaken our small community to the core and has opened a lot of conversations about what has taken place under the Liberals for the last 10 long years. I can honestly say that this issue was a major factor in the high voter turnout in my riding just days later, on election day. People have had enough not just in Niagara West but also through all corners of this country. The Liberals are attempting to respond with this bill, but it seems incomplete. They seem rushed to do something they have not really thought through. It seems like they are scrambling to introduce a bill, any bill, just to say they are doing something. The bill is too wide-ranging and, in the end, it falls short of protecting Canadians while overreaching in other areas. Like other recent government legislation, we will support some parts of it, but it needs work. When something makes sense, we will acknowledge it and we will work collaboratively to fix the flaws and make it even better. We are willing to do that with all parties, not just the Liberals. Allow me to mention the parts of the bill that concern me and many of my colleagues, as well. First, the bill does not address bail reform. We have seen the consequences of the catch-and-release system, which causes havoc in many communities throughout our country. Criminals are arrested for what is usually not their first, second or even third crime, but they are right back on the street the same day. They reoffend shortly after and the cycle continues. Let me tell members what happened in Welland recently. Welland is a small community just outside of my riding. As a matter of fact, my colleague here in the House, the member for Niagara South, represents this community. A horrific crime took place. It was something out of a nightmare. In fact, it is probably any parent's nightmare. A few weeks ago, Daniel Senecal, a dangerous pedophile, was charged with the sexual assault of a three-year-old girl. He broke into the home after the family fell asleep and committed this horrendous crime against a three-year-old toddler. Senecal was charged with the aggravated sexual assault of a minor, choking, breaking and entering, and sexual interference. I will spare everyone the details of the injuries this monster inflicted upon this poor child. Daniel Senecal is a despicable pedophile who should never see freedom again. He destroyed the life of a little girl, her family and many others. However, the story does not end there. This monster recently got out of a one-year stint in jail for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy just four years ago. He received 18 months for sexually assaulting a little boy but got out early. When I read this for the first time, I could not believe it. I had to go to another news source to verify that the sentence was actually written correctly in the first article, and it was. I felt total shock, disappointment and outrage. The 12-year-old boy's mother was also outraged that the person charged in the attack on this three-year-old girl only served one year and now lives a short distance away. Are we noticing a pattern of crime here, a pattern of lax criminal laws? Are we addressing this with Bill C-2? My colleague from Niagara South has started a petition, and I encourage members to reach out to him at his constituency office to get more details and maybe sign this petition, as well. In addition to this idiotic leniency for monsters, we also still have a catch-and-release scheme that is alive and well for drug dealers and traffickers. It is alive and well for criminals who are trafficking fentanyl and firearms, and using our porous border to victimize Canadians. What most Canadians would be shocked to hear, and I hope that if they are watching they will remember this, is that there are still no mandatory times for fentanyl traffickers. Fentanyl is an awful drug. We see devastating and frightening effects just a few blocks from this place. Just two milligrams, which is the size of a grain of salt, can kill a person. That is why our Conservative team wants to impose mandatory life sentences on anyone involved in the trafficking, production and distribution of over 40 milligrams of fentanyl. Forty milligrams could kill 20 people. That is called mass murder. If someone is willing to traffic and distribute this poison, they should never see freedom again. Bill C-2 does not address this issue, and it should. We need to fix it so that it does. Bill C-2 also provides no new mandatory prison terms for gangsters who use guns to commit crimes. If we just turn on the news, we can see what is going on with home invasions and carjackings by criminals who use guns to commit crimes. It is happening daily and in the most brazen ways that one could even think of. Once again, Bill C-2 does not address this issue, and we need to fix it. Bill C-2 also does not address sentencing for serious offences. House arrest is still permissible under the current system for some of the most serious offences. How can we, in good conscience, allow this to continue when we see the devastation it causes so many folks around the country? We need to fix it, and we need to fix it now. On another theme, let us talk about the topic that is top of mind for many constituents: the consistent government attacks on our civil liberties. It was a frequent issue at the door during the campaign. I received emails and phone calls from folks worried about the bill's effect on our civil liberties. They are deeply concerned that it allows authorities to open mail without oversight. This is a major violation of privacy that my constituents consider unacceptable. Bill C-2 also compels Internet companies to hand over private information and grants authorities warrantless searches, another violation of privacy. I cannot tell the House how many discussions I have had about this. People are worried. People are also alarmed by the government's efforts to limit the use of cash. Cash remains a critical part of our economy. Many seniors in Niagara West and in rural communities like mine, as well as small businesses, rely on using cash. All I can say to folks who are emailing and phoning us, worried about this bill, is that it seems to fit the pattern of the Liberals' unquenchable thirst for more government control and further government overreach. Now is a good time to bring up our Conservative record on this issue. We have consistently fought for practical, effective policies that secure our borders, protect communities and uphold Canadians' fundamental rights and freedoms. We have proposed adding thousands of border agents. We have proposed extending CBSA powers along the entire border, not just at crossings. We have proposed installing border surveillance towers, as well as a truck-mounted drone system to spot border incursions. We have forwarded a plan to install high-powered scanners at all major land crossings and shipping ports. By the way, for those who do not know, these scanners can see through the walls of vehicle containers to spot drugs, guns and stolen cars. We have also proposed a plan to track departures, so government officials know which deportees are in Canada illegally. We have also put a plan forward to toughen penalties for repeat violent offenders, which the Liberals are resisting. I have no idea why they are resisting this. It is such a common-sense policy, yet here we are. Our plan also includes ending catch-and-release bail and house arrest for violent criminals, other common-sense policies the Liberals are against. We want to eliminate the multiple murder discount when sentencing offenders. We propose prioritizing treatment over government drug distribution to support battling addictions. Last but not least, we have been champions of rights and freedoms, freedom of speech and fearlessly defending Canadians' civil liberties. Our plan is one of pragmatism. We will always put Canadians first by taking public safety issues seriously and protecting Canadians' rights. It is time for the Liberals to admit they have majorly screwed up in the last 10 years when it comes to protecting Canadians. As our leader has said, please copy our plan. We do not mind. We all care about Canadians and their safety. We want people to once again feel safe in their communities, so let us make it happen. Let us work on this together. Let us fix this bill. Let us make it better. Let us work towards a safer Canada.

Mr. Speaker, one of the things that we seem to notice over and over again, and that my colleague just mentioned in the last speech, is that there seems to be this whole issue of not being tough on crime, which is also not being tough on borders and making sure it is porous. We hear over and over again about how illegal guns flow from the border, yet the government spends most of its time going after law-abiding gun owners, hunters and fishermen. My good colleague right in front of me here has been a champion for the sports shooting community, something our party has always been. We realize that it is violent repeat offenders who cause the majority of issues in this country. This is just indicative that all these things are the same: bail and borders.

Mr. Speaker, although my hon. colleague is new here, he is catching on very quickly. He has a very good question. I think that one of the challenges is right in the premise of the question. “Law-abiding” says it all. I think the government feels it is an easy target and goes after people who actually follow the law, take the time to do the safety courses and register their guns to make sure they are doing all the things they need to do within their power. The funny thing is that criminals do not register their guns. It is a crazy thing. It seems that the Liberals can make a whole lot of noise about going after law-abiding citizens because it takes absolutely zero effort. All the law-abiding citizens have already given them the information they need, taken the courses, done what is required from them, joined the clubs, participated in safety and all those types of things. I have not yet seen one criminal who registers their gun.

With regard to the Public Health Agency of Canada and the government’s future health approach: (a) which agency, entities or ministries are involved in (i) the pandemic prevention, preparedness and response protocols, (ii) the One Health approach; (b) what is the One Health approach and where or how did it originate; (c) which bills are currently tabled or have been passed which would operationalize (i) Canada’s pandemic prevention, preparedness and response protocols, (ii) the One Health approach in Canada, (iii) any other World Health Organization or United Nations international health or pandemic treaties or agreements; (d) have staff already been hired or will staff be hired and trained to integrate the One Health approach into Canadian policy and legislation; (e) if the answer to (d) is affirmative, (i) where and under which department or agency will these employees work, (ii) where are these positions posted, (iii) what are the hiring criteria for these staff, (iv) who selects the staff, (v) how many positions exist or will be created; (f) what is the budget allocation to integrate the One Health approach; (g) are there training programs for nongovernmental professionals in One Health and, if so, where are they located; and (h) if the answer to (g) is affirmative, (i) how are the training programs funded, (ii) what are their goals, (iii) who instructs these courses, (iv) what are the requirements to instruct these courses, (v) how did the instructors obtain these requirements?

With regard to Health Canada’s review of the manufacturing data, quality control and safety of lipid nanoparticles in the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines including all versions of Moderna’s SpikeVax, Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty and the boosters, and Onpattro (patisaran): (a) was the purity of the starting materials for the lipids, such as residual halogenated solvents and elements, including metals, assessed for mutagenic risk in accordance with established norms and guidelines, and, if so, what were the results, and, if not, why not; (b) was the total amount of observed impurities assessed for mutagenic risk, and, if so, what were the results, and, if not, why not; (c) were any individual element impurities considered mutagenic; (d) if the answer to (c) is affirmative, was this assessed with respect to multiple doses and with respect to the nature of transfection of the lipid nanoparticles; (e) was any assessment of the lipid nanoparticle as a nanoparticle performed; (f) if the answer to (e) is affirmative, did this include an assessment of the polyethylene glycol moiety; (g) was an assessment of the risk of complement activation-related pseudoallergy due to the polyethylene glycol moiety performed, and, if so, what were the results, and, if not, why not; and (h) were any complement-related assays requested from the manufacturer, and, if not, why not?

With regard to information arising from an access to information request from the Public Health Agency of Canada – A-2023-000165, which stated that the Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam and “quite a few” pandemic managers at the Department of Health, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Department of Industry, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development and the Department of National Defence were required to sign a secret oath promising never to divulge information that “may result in embarrassment”: (a) which specific individual or individuals initiated the requirement for staff to sign a confidentiality agreement; (b) which divisions of which departments did the individual or individuals in (a) work in; (c) who was asked to sign this confidentiality agreement and what positions did they hold in their respective departments; (d) which divisions of which departments did the individuals in (c) work in; (e) what were the details of the confidentiality agreement; (f) why did the government feel such a confidentiality agreement was necessary; (g) did the government conceal or attempt to conceal any information from the public and media that could result in embarrassment; (h) if the answer to (g) is affirmative, what was the specific information that the government concealed or attempted to conceal from the public and media that could result in embarrassment; (i) what specific criteria do Department of Health officials use to determine whether it's more important to not embarrass the government versus the requirement to be open and transparent with Canadians; (j) are the staff who signed this confidentiality agreement still under a legal obligation to meet the demands as outlined in the confidentiality agreement; (k) under what other circumstances are these types of confidentiality agreements required of bureaucratic staff; (l) how did this confidentiality agreement differ from the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector; (m) who specifically wrote the confidentiality agreement and which division and which department do they work in; and (n) who approved the requirements of the confidentiality agreement?

With regard to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine safety and efficacy: (a) has Health Canada reviewed the peer-reviewed, published scientific article by Hulscher N, Alexander P E., Amerling R, Gessling H, Hodkinson R, Makis W et al. titled “A Systematic Review Of Autopsy Findings In Deaths After COVID-19 Vaccination”, Science, Public Health Policy and the Law. 2024 Nov 17; v5.2019-2024; (b) what is Health Canada’s assessment of the study referred to in (a); (c) which department or agency makes the final determination about causality when a family member makes a vaccine injury death claim through the Vaccine Injury Support Program; (d) how many death claims relating to the COVID-19 vaccines have been made to the Vaccine Injury Support Program to date; (e) how many death claims relating to the COVID-19 vaccines have been accepted as being causally related; (f) how many death claims relating to the COVID-19 vaccines have been paid through the Vaccine Injury Support Program and what is that total amount paid out; (g) is an autopsy required in the case of a vaccine injury death claim; (h) if the answer to (f) is affirmative, what specialized immunohistochemistry is required to prove causation in the event of an mRNA vaccine injury death; (i) has Health Canada considered mandating autopsies with appropriate immunohistochemistry staining for sudden deaths; and (j) for the years 2019 to 2024, what is the excess all-cause mortality, broken down by year and reason for mortality?

Mr. Speaker, I cannot tell you how excited I am that the member has joined us in the House. No offence to all the lawyers in the House, but it is great to add another business person who understands what it takes to create jobs. The member for Niagara South is very humble. He has spent a long career in Niagara helping companies grow, helping people build jobs, helping create wealth for individuals and small companies. I would like the member to comment on the industrial carbon tax. What does that do to our businesses in terms of competitiveness and how we trade around the world?

Mr. Speaker, this is my first time rising in the House of Commons after a hard-fought election. I wholeheartedly thank the constituents of Niagara West for putting their trust in me for the eighth consecutive time. However, I could not have done any of this without the hard work and dedication of our excellent campaign team, who got the job done. We had dozens of extraordinary volunteers. I thank them for all the work they did on our campaign. Rain or shine, cold or hot, they never gave up, even on those chilly, windy days courtesy of our Great Lake, Lake Ontario. I thank the sign crews, door knockers and many others. It is the best team in Canada. I will always remember and appreciate it. I would also like to thank my friends and family, my kids and my staff. However, my biggest thanks goes to my wife Rebecca. She is an amazing woman, and I can assure members that she has lots of patience. I thank Rebecca for standing as a team as we once again take this journey together. It is now time to get back to our hard work. Canadians need us in these challenging times. Conservatives are here to work tirelessly on their behalf, and that is exactly what we are going to do.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to rise in the House of Commons once again, after a hard-fought election. I would like to sincerely thank the constituents of Niagara West for putting their trust in me to represent them and to be their voice in Ottawa for the eighth consecutive time. Niagara West is home to hard-working, good folks, and I am humbled to serve them. I also want to mention our excellent campaign team, which got the job done. We had dozens of extraordinary volunteers who helped me get across the finish line. I thank everyone who put the work in. I will always remember and appreciate it. I would also like to thank my family and my friends, and especially my wife, Rebecca. Whether it is during campaign time or while we are here in Ottawa, it requires a special type of person to be the spouse or the significant other of a political candidate or member of Parliament. I thank Rebecca for standing by my side for more than 10 years as we continue this journey together. This journey is about my passion to serve the constituents of Niagara West. My dedication to them has never wavered, and my pledge to them is to continue working tirelessly on their behalf. With the election now behind us, our Conservative Party begins this Parliament with a stronger and bigger nationwide Conservative team. We added 2.4 million votes compared to the last election, with a total of over eight million votes, which is the biggest vote count and the biggest increase in votes in our party's history, the biggest vote share since 1998 and the best result in Newfoundland in two decades. Twenty-five additional Conservative members of Parliament have joined us in this place. I will add that it was 1.2 million more votes than Doug Ford got in February in Ontario for Conservatives in Ontario. We expanded our support and coalition to include union workers, young people, newcomers and many others who had never voted before. Our message was one of hope and change, and it still is. I am proud of what we have achieved, although, yes, we did come up a little bit short. As we begin another Parliament, it is no secret that we are facing many challenges in this country. We have unjustified U.S. tariffs hurting our people and the economy. We have a housing crisis. We have challenges of innovation, investment and productivity, and high youth unemployment. We have an out-of-control immigration system. We have discontent in our western provinces, with some western folks even thinking that separating from Canada would leave them better off. Clearly there is a lot of work for us to do in this place. Earlier this spring, the Prime Minister was elected with a minority government, so he will need the support of other members of the House to successfully pass his agenda. As our Conservative leader said, we will work together with the government on initiatives that will make life better for all Canadians; we will also hold the government to account when it does the opposite. Unfortunately, just a few weeks into the government's mandate, we are already seeing the challenges in how the Prime Minister and his ministers are approaching several files. I would like to address some of these in my reply to the Speech from the Throne. The Speech from the Throne, as we know, was delivered by His Majesty King Charles III on behalf of the government. It is the government's plan on how to deal with the problems Canadians face, one of which is trade. We are all aware of the U.S. tariffs on Canada and how these tariffs are hurting Canadians and Canadian businesses. Conservatives believe that Canada needs to be self-reliant and much less dependent on the United States. One solution is free trade within Canada. For folks watching at home who are not yet aware, there are still dozens of regulations and red tape that makes it difficult for provinces to trade with one another. Our Conservative team believes that Canada needs true free trade so workers can earn more, prices fall and businesses boom. We believe that Canada must fire up free enterprise to build pipelines, power lines, ports, rails, roads and tech so we are strong, self-reliant and sovereign. However, is that the government's approach? It does not seem like it. There are deadlines the Liberals have given themselves, but not much in the way of details. Deadlines cannot be met without a plan. Do they actually have a plan? They do not exactly. The Prime Minister has even refused to put forward a budget this spring. Sure, there is a new spending bill in the docket, but details are scarce. It is not a plan; it is a half-trillion-dollar spending bill but not a budget. Unfortunately, it is beginning to look as though the new Liberal government is just like the old one. In many ways, its spending bill is even worse than what we saw from the previous prime minister. It has massive increases in consultants, bureaucracies and the overall cost of government. What is discouraging is that the Prime Minister has already broken his promise. He promised to keep spending growth to 2% a year. What is the actual number? It is 8%, which is four times what he promised. Overall, federal government spending will grow almost three times faster than inflation and population combined. Maybe that is the reason the Prime Minister will not put forward a budget this spring. A budget would usually have clear details as to where the money is going, but again, at this time, there is no budget, and there is no plan. Without a real plan, how can a government continue to function? How can it address, for example, the daunting task of fixing the housing crisis? It is a crisis, and it has been an evolving crisis now for more than five years. Real estate organizations are saying that home sales are at crisis levels. They are saying the housing market is sagging. Inventory levels are ballooning, but lower interest rates have not spurred on sales. Folks are not buying homes, because they are worried about the economy. They are worried about job security. Young folks are concerned about jobs in general. There are not enough of them. Young folks are experiencing some of the highest unemployment rates in many, many years. I heard directly from my constituents about these issues thousands of times at the doors just a few weeks ago. Young people voted for Conservatives in unprecedented numbers for a reason. For them, we were a source of hope for jobs and for housing. I cannot tell members how many young people told us that they had given up on home ownership. They said that they are not able to start families, because there is hardly anywhere affordable to live. There is just not enough building taking place. As the housing crisis evolves, we now have a difficult job market, and the uncertainty is preventing young people, once again, from purchasing homes. I would confidently say that in many ways, this generation of young people has struggled tremendously compared with others before it. This is due to the Liberal policies of the last 10 years. Let us talk about the GTA. The dream of home ownership is out of reach for far too many people in the GTA. The Building Industry and Land Development Association found that Toronto's preconstruction home sales have collapsed, and there is word of a dire housing shortage within two years. Last month, sales of preconstruction homes were 89% below the 10-year average and had decreased 72% from April 2024. This marks the seventh consecutive month of record-low sales of new homes across the GTA. That is why I use the word “evolving” as it relates to the crisis. On the one hand, there is not enough building taking place to house Canadians who need it. On the other hand, young folks are worried about their finances, and in many cases, they are waiting to start families because they do not have the right accommodations. The third part is this: How can they go and buy a new home when the prices are so ridiculously high? It seems as though the Canadian promise that was available to generations prior has been broken. The government has simply failed young people, and things are expected to get worse. One article says, “The new housing industry is decelerating quickly and a massive supply deficit into the 2027 to 2029 period is taking shape.” Overall, things are not looking great on the housing front, and once again, without a budget and without a plan, the government is not taking its responsibilities to Canadians seriously. Let us also talk about folks who are lucky enough to already own a home. How are they doing financially? They are not doing well. In fact, mortgage delinquencies have gone up by 6.5%, and 90-plus-day delinquencies increased by 72% in Ontario since the first quarter of 2024. What about the folks who have other types of credit? In the first quarter of 2025, 1.4 million Canadians were unable to make a credit payment. Delinquencies rose nearly 9% year over year, with non-mortgage delinquencies being the most severe in Ontario, where they are up 24%. Rising costs and squeezed paycheques have hit youth especially hard; Canadians 25 and under experienced a 15% increase in missed payments. Among those under 26 years old, 90-plus-day delinquency rates for just credit cards saw a 22% spike year over year. I am worried about young Canadians, given these figures. Equifax says that the wages entering the job market are not matching the amount young folks may need so they can pay off their debt. Urgent action is clearly required now. Workable, timely solutions are critical. I am a bit concerned about some of the slogans in the Prime Minister's announcement and the throne speech, although he says he is not a fan of them. What Canadians desperately need is for all of us to come together with a plan, but a plan that clearly outlines the actions and that comes in the form of a budget. This government must release a spring budget so that we can have a path forward. Otherwise, I fear that all these crises Canadians are currently going through will not be adequately addressed. I am worried for young Canadians; I am worried for homeowners, and I am worried for families. As I mentioned earlier, we need to work toward helping Canadians and Canadian businesses in these difficult times. I am ready to do so. I hope the government will take things seriously, given the issues we face. Our Conservative team stands with Canadians, and we are ready to offer our help to make life better for families across our beautiful country, so Canada is affordable, safe, self-reliant and united.

Mr. Speaker, I was out with colleagues last night. There was a dentist among us who was talking about the program and how difficult it is for some dentists to be able to sign up because of the rates the government offers them. Once again, we have this great national program, but we expect people on the ground to take the haircut and take the hit. That does not seem reasonable. Of course, these programs are beneficial. They are great, but they have to be managed properly, and one thing I can say about the federal government is that it does not know how to manage anything. If the last 10 years has shown us anything, it is that it has a hard inability to lead or manage anything.

Mr. Speaker, that has been one of the challenges we have seen over the last number of years. I can assure all the new people who are joining us in the House that it has been years during which the Liberal Party has talked about its plans, its communications and all these grandiose things it is going to do, yet it never delivers. I have to laugh when I hear new members come into the House to say they have to fix this problem. They are right. It is the problem you guys created, so thanks for showing up to give us a hand. We appreciate that—

Mr. Speaker, it was the Liberal Minister of Public Safety who said that bolstering the power of the CBSA to secure our borders was “not a priority”. He said this despite U.S. threats of 25% tariffs, which, if put in place, would kill Canadian jobs and crush our economy. Last week, in just four days and on three separate occasions, 16 people crossed from Quebec into the U.S. illegally. Six of them were pursued by authorities in a high-speed chase, putting many lives at risk. In addition, we have as many as 500,000 people who are in Canada illegally, 260,000 unprocessed refugee claims and over three million temporary residents who the Liberals expect to leave voluntarily. It is astonishingly incompetent, and it creates chaos and a total loss of control at our border. However, help is on the way. The Conservatives have a plan to fix the Liberal disorder at the border. The Conservatives will put Canada first and ensure that we secure our border to protect our security and our economy. Call the election once and for all, so we can get to work.

Madam Speaker, it is because of the carbon policies, the policies of the government. It is so hypocritical to tell people that they need to choose between heating and eating, yet fly all around the world as if that is not an issue. As a matter of fact, coming back from COP the other day, I think the environment minister was talking about how we could put some carbon taxes on the marine industry. Talk about another cost. We receive all of our goods from around the world through shipping. The government has never found any avenue that it would not like to try to tax.

Madam Speaker, this is the whole reason we ask questions. This is the whole reason we hold people accountable. At the end of the day, we never had the chance to have a debate about the Winnipeg lab. We never had the chance to have any of that information. Maybe the outcome of the last election would have been different. We do not know because we did not get that information. The government promised to be so transparent. The government has been anything but transparent.