Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Pacific salmon are a public resource owned by all Canadians, not something for the Liberal government to eliminate behind closed doors. For generations, salmon have been managed as a common property resource for the collective benefit of all Canadians, yet the Liberal government is now considering removing that principle from the salmon allocation policy. The Minister of Fisheries ref…
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Mr. Speaker, I request that we pass this bill on division.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I am humbled to stand here and represent the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford on Vancouver Island, and I continue to listen to and bring their voices forward here to Ottawa as their member of Parliament. One of the biggest issues I hear about is the impact of crime on our community from people who are just trying to focus on the high cost of living and on raising their famili…
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Mr. Speaker, the recreational fishing industry is facing a review of the salmon allocation policy that could destroy the industry and strip away Canada's historic principle of common property resource access. The recreational fishing industry supports over 9,000 jobs, generates $600 million in direct income and contributes over $1.2 billion in GDP in British Columbia. Will the minister commit to p…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of fishers and anglers across British Columbia. The petitioners are calling on the Minister of Fisheries to manage the exploding population of invasive predatory pinnipeds and its impact on valuable and vulnerable salmon stocks. The invasive species of California and Steller sea lions consume more salmon than the commercial and recreational…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, indeed, we do need to partner with municipalities, but part of that is getting out of the way and removing the extra layers of bureaucracy. I have spoken to builders and groups across south Vancouver Island, and they have said that they have had stuff cancelled and that they cannot afford to do these things, so they need help. As far as the Federation of Canadian Municipalities goes, …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today on behalf of the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford on Vancouver Island to discuss Bill C-20, the Build Canada Homes act. Simply put, Vancouver Island, and indeed Canada, is in a housing crisis. There is an entire generation being priced out of home ownership, and far too many, including young Canadians, have lost the hope of ever owning a home. This…
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Madam Speaker, the member opposite seems to be quite angry, but I must say that the Liberals have had almost 11 years to resolve this. The committee tried 19 times to put it ahead of Bill C-9, and it was refused. That was our positive, collaborative way to try to bring this forward in a timely way. However, the bill would take away mandatory minimum penalties for aggravated assault with a gun and …
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour to stand in the House to represent the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford on beautiful Vancouver Island. I would like to take a quick moment to pay tribute to Wanda Wetteland, a 31-year navy veteran. She was a much-loved and long-time member of Branch 134 Malahat Legion. Sadly, she passed earlier this month, just the night before her wedding. We will remember …
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Madam Speaker, my colleague's speech delved into some positive and constructive criticisms that will help improve this bill. As it is written, Bill C-16 would allow judges to ignore every mandatory minimum prison sentence other than for murder and treason. Does my colleague feel that this will help reduce the increased crime rates, and violent crime rates specifically, that we have seen in the cou…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this week the U.S. ambassador said, “NORAD would have to be altered” if Canada were to pull back on the F-35 purchase, suggesting that the United States would have to take over operations to address threats if we did not have the correct aircraft to do it. On Monday, at the national defence committee, we heard from the commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, who said clearly that t…
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Madam Speaker, the bill is not about the Jordan decision; although it could have impact, the bill is about mandatory minimum penalties, and certainly it is worth exploring the potential impact of the Jordan decision that the bill could have. That is why I have suggested that we need to look further into it and make improvements, including consideration for the Jordan decision.
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Madam Speaker, I know that the terrible murder that we speak of happened in or very close to her riding. There is much research that shows that mandatory minimums do reduce the impacts and effects of, specifically, very violent and heinous crimes. It is worth looking at all sources and information as we look to improve the bill. I certainly believe that mandatory minimums are a key part of the pre…
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Madam Speaker, Laura's tragic case is not an isolated one, as activists pointed out when they gathered in Victoria. This is a decades-long issue that needs to be solved. By making femicide automatically a first-degree murder charge, we would see a vitally important step being taken to bring justice to victims like Laura and their families. It is worth noting that the term “femicide” is a little mi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, forestry families on Vancouver Island are struggling. The Crofton mill closed. The Atli mill closed. The Chemainus mill was curtailed until the end of 2026. Hundreds and hundreds of jobs have been lost, but more importantly, already struggling families are now facing dire consequences. The government's handouts and subsidies are not helping those affected and will not save this critic…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I stand today with my fellow Vancouver Island colleagues. I am heartbroken. Yesterday the Crofton pulp mill in my riding announced a full mill closure, with 375 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs, and almost a billion dollars' worth of economic impact in the region, lost. However, this is not about numbers; this is about the workers and their families. They simply want jobs, safe communit…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I will fight to ensure that the bill makes it through and becomes legislation, and that these most heinous crimes are punished accordingly. I will always stand to support victims.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, families across my riding on Vancouver Island are struggling to house and feed themselves as the cost of living continues to rise. The Duncan Foodbank and Lunch Kitchen and the Goldstream Food Bank in Langford are beyond capacity and are struggling to keep up with demand. This is heartbreaking. There is a new veterans food bank in Langford scheduled to open in mid-December, yet it i…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
moved that Bill C-235, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (increasing parole ineligibility), be read the second time and referred to a committee. Madam Speaker, it is an honour to stand in the House to speak today to my private member's bill, an act to amend the Criminal Code, increasing parole ineligibility, also known as the respecting families of murdered and brutalized persons act. This bill wa…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Winnipeg North for his question. I am disappointed he feels I only described it “quite well”; I thought I did very well. I appreciate his comment about looking at victims. I did focus on looking at the victims. I would also have liked to focus on looking at the heinous offenders, but, to be frank, some of the details just cannot be repeated in the House. As fo…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, yes, I would like to speak to the emotion and the impossible situation that these victims face. The member brings forward a more technical question about cruel and unusual punishment. As I said, Bill C-48, which the current bill is modelled after, dealt with cruel and unusual punishment, which would apply similarly for the bill. I see no change of outcome. We would stand by the bill…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for reiterating that, as per Bill C-48, the bill would withstand a constitutional challenge under the charter. As my colleague pointed out, the criminals in question are the most heinous of criminals, and none of them have been found to have been released. Therefore we know that the parole boards will keep the heinous offenders in jail, and the bill would not af…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, this appeal will drag out for years. The Cowichan Tribes v. Canada court decision continues to put private property rights at risk. Uncertainty is now escalating into anger and unrest. Landowners are unable to get mortgages, businesses are building facilities in the U.S. instead of B.C. and neighbours are turning on each other with verbal threats. Will the Prime Minister finally show …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, in his message, the Prime Minister was very clear when he said, “Who cares?”
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley. I am honoured to rise today to speak on behalf of forestry workers in my riding on Vancouver Island. I want to be clear that the debate is not just about forestry workers; it is about whole communities and about broken promises from the Prime Minister and the government. It has been months of the Prime Minister's mak…
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Mr. Chair, I appreciate the hon. member's kind words. He has asked what that says to Canadians. What Canadians are seeing is failure. They want a deal to protect and save the industry, not handouts that are going to be, as I said, a band-aid on a severed artery.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, the member opposite referred to handouts, which is more printed money. It only makes inflation rise, costs rise and the problems worse. It does not solve the problem. I do agree that diversification is part of the solution, but ultimately the solution is negotiating a deal and getting rid of the 45% tariffs. Europe has 10% tariffs. Those are actual solutions that would save an industry …
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Mr. Chair, if I understand the question correctly, I am happy to say that I am not ashamed of voting against a budget that does not work, and I would leave the member from the party opposite to answer that question if they feel ashamed. However, as I said before, the budget will not work. Specifically with respect to today's topic of software lumber, continuing to borrow and print more money makes…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to thank my colleague the member for Parkland for his excellent work, dedication and passion over eight years to help make the lives of victims and their families better. I would also like to thank our Bloc Québécois colleagues for their support. I would ask that all members make this a non-partisan issue and support what we know, as indicated earlier, wo…
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Mr. Speaker, the member clearly threw a touchdown with his excellent speech, and I thank him for his honesty and positive suggestions. People in my riding on Vancouver Island tell me every day that they are struggling to afford groceries, gas and rent. They are going hungry and are losing their homes. These are all signs of a failing economy, among so many others. Perhaps my colleague could speak …
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Mr. Speaker, we keep hearing the terms “buy Canadian” and “buy Canadian steel.” It sounds good. It appeals to patriotic Canadians, but, tragically, it is say one thing and do the other. I wonder if the member opposite could please explain to Canadians how buying ferries from China, with Chinese steel, buying LNG terminals, facilities from Korea, with Korean and Chinese steel, from an American comp…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his concern for the environment and for derelict vessels on the coasts of British Columbia, and for pointing out, to quote the member opposite, that the government is “slow to act”. Indeed it is a reflection of a failing economy that there has been an explosion of abandoned vessels that have gone from being just boats that are broken down to being ones …
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Madam Speaker, while I do not really know how to answer that question, it is an absolutely heartbreaking story. We need Bill C-14 to be worked on so cases like that simply cannot happen. It happens too often. That one example is too much, yet we know there are so many examples. As Conservatives, our goal is to work together in committee to fix this bill so that Canadians like the ones in the story…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am certainly not asking you to agree or disagree with anything, but I appreciate the guidance for the House, in general. I am not familiar with the article in the Winnipeg Free Press mentioned by the member for Winnipeg West. Yes, there are challenges at the provincial level, but we need to set the guidance in Bill C-14 to make the conditions correct so that provinces can deal wit…
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Madam Speaker, as always, it is my honour to rise in the House on behalf of the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford on Vancouver Island. I would like to take a minute to recognize Peyton Hammond, a 17-year-old who just won the World Darts Federation World Cup youth championship. Congratulations and well done. He certainly is a rising star. Today, I would like to speak specifically about viol…
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Madam Speaker, as I said very clearly, we need to work together so we can solve the challenges, failures and shortcomings of Bill C-14. With collaborative work to fix it, we will work to support it. As for mandatory minimums, judges need to be working on the particulars of the cases. They have their discretion, but they need to maintain those mandatory minimums.
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Madam Speaker, while I spoke specifically to violent repeat offenders and how Bill C-14 applies to them, I certainly agree that organized crime also needs to be addressed. That falls under my description of how the bill needs more work. Cracking down on organized crime would certainly be part of it.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I rise to table a petition on behalf of the BC Recreational Fishing Association urging the Minister of Fisheries to reconsider new proposals for chinook salmon harvest closures across most of the south coast of British Columbia. These restrictions would have a significant and devastating impact on the recreational fishing industry and the coastal economy of British Columbia, effecti…
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Mr. Speaker, the member opposite spoke about principles of restraint, but he failed to mention Jonny, my daughter's boyfriend, who was stabbed to death by a violent repeat offender out on five different charges on bail, including attempted murder, all because of Bill C-75. Way to go. Will Bill C-14, a bill that admits Bill C-75 was a failure, prevent cases like that of Jonny from happening? If not…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, ready, aye, ready. Proud, proven and professional, for 115 years, the Royal Canadian Navy has defended Canada's sovereignty at sea. Today is Navy and Coast Guard Appreciation Day on Parliament Hill. This morning, I was honoured to attend a ceremony in the Senate recognizing 15 sailors for their excellence in service. The men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Naval Reserve and …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, according to this week's Auditor General report, the Liberal government continues to fall short on getting the Canadian Armed Forces the personnel and equipment it needs to succeed. The report shows that the military is short 7,000 housing units, and the plans to build more are woefully insufficient. Only one in 13 people who apply to join completes the process, but we are short 13,00…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, to the member opposite, thank you for fighting for the well-being of children, and I certainly appreciate your passion and obvious dedication to your private member's bill. Through the many terrible cases you described, and regardless of the bias you explained, there are certainly accusations of parental alienation from both mothers and fathers. What provisions are there in the privat…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to request an emergency debate to discuss the crisis facing British Columbia, given the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' impending decision for proposed recreational salmon fishery closures. The impact that these proposed closures would have on small communities across the B.C. coast would be catastrophic. Port Renfrew, in my riding on south Vancouver Island, alone wou…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite stated that Bill C-12 does not weaken our system of protection. In the spirit of the Blue Jays in game seven and the “three strikes and you're out” rule, I will ask my question for a third time. Will the Liberals equip, train and arm the Coast Guard to meet the new mandate in the bill, or will they change the mandate?
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise on behalf of the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, on the south end of Vancouver Island. If I may, I will take a moment to recognize a very special person, Winnie Sifert, who completed 40 years of service to the City of Langford, including as a city councillor. It was my honour to attend a park renaming in her honour in Langford. My question is speci…
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Mr. Speaker, the member opposite mentioned security patrols and intelligence operations, yet the Coast Guard does not have the equipment and capability for that. It will take a significant amount of time for a cultural shift and to retrofit military-style equipment and systems. Do the Liberals intend to equip and arm the Coast Guard to meet the mandate and tasking they are giving to it in this bil…
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Mr. Speaker, indeed, that is the purpose of one of the items to be investigated at committee: to ensure that information is transferred. I can speak personally to cases that military police have investigated in which items, documents, divisional notes and stuff have disappeared and made those investigations more challenging to complete. Something to be looked at in committee would be proper, full …
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise on behalf of the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford on Vancouver Island. I would like to take a minute to recognize a resident from Langford, Mr. Matt Gariepy, who recently retired from the Royal Canadian Navy after 23 years of service. I congratulate Matt. Today I am honoured to speak on behalf of the brave men and women serving our country in the Can…
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Mr. Speaker, we look forward to supporting the bill's going to committee. It would be very important to see that cases of military sexual trauma are treated equally for personnel deployed versus personnel in Canada. It is going to take a lot of committee work to investigate to achieve a fair result, as well as to find a more effective way of avoiding outside influences, be they at the political le…
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