Parliamentary Speeches

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to table a petition in support of Bill S-223, a bill that seeks to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking. It has passed in the House once in its current form and twice in the Senate. It is currently stalled before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the petitioners who signed it are hoping that it will pass soon. For 15 years the families of victims o…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to be back in the House. I am pleased to present a petition signed by Canadians across this great country who are concerned about the government's values test. Charities and other non-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views or religious values and should not be subjected to a politicized values test. All Canadia…

Madam Speaker, I want to begin by expressing my deepest condolences to the royal family during this most heart-wrenching time. Her Majesty's sense of duty to Canada, along with her commitment to other members of the Commonwealth, was continually demonstrated through her noble actions. I know I speak for many when I say we are forever grateful for her devotion to this country. “I declare before you…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, six years ago, in 2016, the government conducted consultations on reforming the judicial complaints process. After inexcusable delays, we are finally starting to debate Bill C-9, which has the potential to increase confidence in the judicial system. This is long overdue. This bill would replace the process through which the conduct of federally appointed judges is reviewed by the Cana…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I have a second petition to present. The Kawenní:io/Gawęní:yo immersion school plays a vital role in keeping the Haudenosaunee culture and languages alive at Six Nations of the Grand River, situated in my riding. This school does not have its own building and has had to move five times since 1985. It needs a permanent home. Unfortunately, the current situation makes it challengin…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, single seniors are getting left behind in our current income tax system. I am honoured to present a petition on behalf of Single Seniors for Tax Fairness, and supported by many Canadians, who raise the glaring point that single seniors do not have the same benefits as senior couples. For instance, single seniors often forfeit the age amount tax credit, and many of their savings are …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised Canadians they would expect openness and transparency, but it appears this is not the case with our public safety minister. Words matter. Clarity matters. Repeating extensively inside and outside of the House that law enforcement asked for the act is categorically opposed to the narrative that they asked for the measures contained in the act. How can Canadi…

Statements By Members

Madam Speaker, the youth in Brantford—Brant are keen, motivated and eager to have a say in the future of our country. Last month, I asked students in my riding to come up with ideas to reduce crime in our community. From increasing community engagement, outreach and resources, to ways to deter incidents of dangerous driving and increasing opportunities for young people, the ideas they came up with…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I reflect on this often, and I often hear from government members, NDP members and Green members that we Conservative members can all calm down because the bill would keep communities safe. They say we can trust our judges to always do the right thing. However, judges come from various backgrounds, which is why we have a myriad of different judgements from across this country, from …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague referenced Bill C-5 and how it would impact the trafficking of very serious drugs like fentanyl, carfentanil, cocaine and crystal meth. Bill C-5 would take away the mandatory minimum penalties, and it would also open up the possibility for conditional sentence considerations and house arrest. Knowing what we know about drug traffickers plying their deadly trade in …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is time to dispel a myth that has been percolating in the House for some time now, particularly from the Liberal government and supported by the NDP. It is this notion that conditional sentences are going to substantially decrease the overincarceration of marginalized offenders, particularly Black Canadians and indigenous offenders. We heard at committee from two police chiefs. O…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, again, what we are continually hearing from the NDP and the Greens is very frustrating. They want to change the story and turn the page on what Bill C-5 is all about. Bill C-5, for the last time, is not about simple possession. This is a news release to the House: It is not. I am not going to respond—

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, perhaps it was lost in translation, but that particular statement in my speech was a rhetorical question put to the government because that is the type of language the government is using. The focus of my speech was not on those who are struggling with drug addiction. Our entire focus as a Conservative caucus, even in our platform in the last election, is all about taking steps to a…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, today we are debating Bill C-5 at report stage. I am profoundly disappointed as a parliamentarian and deeply ashamed as a former Crown attorney that this seriously flawed, reckless and dangerous bill has made it this far in the process. I left behind a proud and rewarding legal career as a public servant for the Province of Ontario, a career defined by holding criminals accountable …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the 83-year-old father of my constituent was deported from Canada because of the government's draconian mandates. He arrived in Canada, and despite being doubly vaccinated, one of the vaccines he had was not approved. He co-operated and got the Pfizer shot. That did not help. After being held three days, he was sent back to Venezuela to return after a two-week quarantine. This involve…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, those are more words and no action. Contrary to the government's claim, Bill C-21 is not about getting tough on crime and it is not targeted at the gang members who are shooting up our streets. On the one hand, the Liberals try to increase the maximum penalty, yet they push eliminating mandatory minimum sentences for a number of serious gun crimes under Bill C-5. Also, let us not forg…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, today marks the one-year anniversary of a deadly attack on a Muslim family in London. Four members of the Afzaal family were deliberately hit and killed by a truck during an innocent evening walk. A spokesperson for the family rightly criticized the federal government for its lack of action and hollow promises to prevent similar attacks in the future. This is a serious offence. Will t…

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, listening to my friend, his comments are completely off topic, which is par for the course for him. To take a page from the Liberal government that it ought not to take any lessons from the Conservative members who challenge the Liberal government on a daily basis in question period, perhaps he should listen to his own rhetoric. The bottom line is, if he has nothing to hide, why are…

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I am proud to be one of the members of Parliament who, along with four Senators, are working on the Special Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency. This committee is one of very few that requires all its members and staff to take an oath of secrecy in order to allow them to work with sensitive information and secret documents. After a couple of meetings, the media started r…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, the residents of my riding and many across the country are rightly concerned about the dangers that Bill C-5 would cause to our communities. As we know, the bill would eliminate a number of mandatory minimum penalties for significant, serious, violent gun offences and drug offences. It would also eliminate mandatory minimums for dangerous fentanyl dealers. Canadians are afraid that th…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, when we talk about the fuel crisis, the tone-deaf response from the government is that it has Canadians’ backs. It cites the carbon tax rebate and, of course, the misinformation on cutting taxes for the middle class. My constituents are struggling. They are fearful. They are angry. The challenge is paying for fuel at the expense of feeding and clothing their kids. The government shoul…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, recently, the Supreme Court struck down life without parole for mass murderers, dealing yet another blow to victims' rights in Canada. When I first heard this, I was shocked and then I got angry. I later spoke with my constituent Sharlene Bosma, whose husband Tim was brutally shot in the head and then incinerated in 2013. The murderer, who also killed his father and girlfriend, was th…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, on this Vyshyvanka Day, I am honoured to present a petition supported by the fine residents in my riding of Brantford—Brant and many Canadians who are very concerned about Russia's unprovoked war and genocide against the people of Ukraine. They are also concerned about the Liberal government's slow and inefficient response. Knowing that Canada was the first western country to recogniz…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, this week's diesel prices averaged $2.30 per litre, compared to just $1.45 last year, and prices are still on the rise. Diesel is a fuel that powers our economy and powers our critical supply chain from coast to coast. This is going to impact the cost of food, clothing and other goods. This is going to lead to an economic catastrophe. When will this tone-deaf government provide immedi…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, gas prices reached yet another record high this weekend, with many in Ontario and across Canada paying more than $2 per litre. The pile-up does not stop there, with drivers being urged to brace for yet another increase. According to a gas prediction website, prices are expected to reach $2.15 per litre for most Ontario cities by Victoria Day. While experts are urging Canadians to stay…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, today, on International Nurses Day, I rise to pay tribute to nurses across Canada and the world who selflessly serve their communities, often at a great personal sacrifice. I would particularly like to honour one of my constituents, who has tirelessly served her community throughout the entire pandemic caring for COVID-19 patients at the Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington. She is a h…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, recently the justice committee heard the testimony from Robert Davis, Chief of the Brantford Police Service. During his testimony, and I am quoting from the blues, Chief Davis said, “With Bill C-5 and the proposed changes now we are going to see sentencing become a joke”. He then continued, “with...turning sentences into conditional sentences...the justice system...is being brought in…

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, we have just listened to a great collection of talking points that Canadians and parliamentarians are hearing over and over again. Will the parliamentary secretary acknowledge this failure and all the problems that his government caused to Canadians and other nationals who will become future Canadians? Is the government willing to consider any compensation for the delays, cancelled …

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, earlier this year I asked the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship about the unprecedented backlog of immigration applications. The system is struggling to recover from two years of the pandemic due to a lack of planning and crisis management, as well as poor leadership. If the approach is not changed, it will take years to catch up on the millions of applications in th…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, throughout my prosecutorial career, I worked on hundreds of cases that took years to complete. Notwithstanding many unknowns, procedural delays and complicated evidence, the truth always prevailed. Criminals must always be punished. Now Canadians demand answers from our Attorney General. If new evidence comes to light in relation to the member for Papineau's illegal vacation, even aft…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to mourn the tragic loss of Grace McSweeney, a 12-year-old girl from my riding who passed away last month by suicide after a long battle with depression. While her mother, Lauren, and her stepfather, Jeremy, were well aware of her struggles, yet they felt helpless. Her age and the price tag for services were persistent barriers when it came to accessing professional help.…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister continues to dodge questions about the basic facts of his train wreck of an illegal vacation and the subsequent RCMP investigation that followed. While he attempts to convince Canadians that this issue is solely in the past, it is clear that his skeletons do not remain far from the surface. Although this is not the Prime Minister's first rodeo when it comes to trick…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, we want to focus on his illegal, unethical acts. The current Prime Minister is the first and only Prime Minister found guilty by the Ethics Commissioner. The lavish, luxurious and illegal trip to the Bahamas was strike number one. Strike number two was our Prime Minister again being found guilty of ethical violations for his political interference in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution. This …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, section 19 of the Criminal Code says that, “Ignorance of the law by a person who commits an offence”, which includes our Prime Minister, “is not an excuse for committing that offence.” Section 121 of the Code indicates, “Everyone is guilty of fraud on the government if they, being an official, accept from anyone who has dealings with the government a reward”, such as a luxury illegal …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister promised to run the most open and accountable government ever. We all remember his sunny ways. With scandal after scandal, and crisis after crisis, he has proven it is just a broken promise. In the latest saga of the Prime Minister's dizzying mismanagement and misuse of the act, the government is now refusing to hand over to the Federal Court, under the gui…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Ukrainian army liberated the Kyiv region from Russians, yet nobody celebrated, as the world was shocked by the atrocities and crimes against humanity by these modern-day fascists in Europe. Ukrainian armed forces, joined by journalists, recorded hundreds of civilians murdered right on the streets of Bucha. Many had their hands bound and were shot in the back of the head.…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, it gives me immense pride to announce that the City of Brantford is twinning with Kamianets-Podilskyi in Ukraine. This is a symbolic gesture that will initiate much-needed practical support for it. Since the Russian invasion, the city has been host to thousands of refugees, has helped displaced single moms with kids and the elderly who were pressured to leave their homes, and has orga…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, we all know who is hurting the economy the most. It is the Prime Minister and his Liberal government, and they now have blind support from the NDP. They have spent the most to achieve the least and have no intention of balancing the budget. Since the government was first elected, our great country has gradually lost its wealth and Canada's middle class is shrinking. Now its failure to…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, the cost of living continues to be a gut punch to my constituents in Brantford—Brant and all hard-working Canadians. Food costs are up 7.4% and gasoline 32.3% in just one year. The housing affordability crisis has become even worse with the biggest month over month hike since April of 1983. To add insult to injury, the new NDP-Liberal government is pushing ahead with several tax hikes…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I took great offence to the member who now questions the intellectual capacity of the Conservative backbench. I am a proud member of the Conservative backbench. For the member who questioned my intellectual capacity, I have enjoyed a 30-year legal career. I have a BA honours in political science. I have a law degree. I have had a distinguished career as a public s…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, my riding of Brantford—Brant includes two first nation reserves, one of which is the largest in the country. It breaks my heart when I review reports like the ones released by the Chiefs of Ontario and the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network. They stated that opiate deaths have doubled among first nations people in Ontario during the pandemic. The opiate crisis was recognized by ever…

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious I offended the delicate ears of my friend opposite. I retract the statement.

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, I would tell my hon. colleague to speak to the Prime Minister. He is the who created this atmosphere of hostility, division and anger. We talk about hon. members in this House being conciliatory and needing to have open dialogue and discussion. There is none of that. None of that happens with the Prime Minister and his cabinet. That is who the member needs to talk to.

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, there are many lessons to be learned and I hope we decide that a national inquiry should be undertaken forthwith to look at the obvious levels of failed leadership and the decisions that were made. Most importantly, it comes down to looking at the litany of emergencies, the protests, the demonstrations, the blockades, the world events that have impacted Canada and how effectively poli…

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, listen to the laughter. There is such disrespect for this particular member. I am trying to answer a question, and I have to be bothered by heckling and laughter. It speaks volumes to their character. In any event, I have made it abundantly clear that we disagreed with some of the tactics used by the organizers of this protest. As a lawyer, I follow and hold sacrosanct our charter rig…

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, perhaps I was not entirely clear with the member. We are a party of law and order.

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, to make it abundantly clear, for the second time, I retract that statement. Blockades are already in violation of the Criminal Code, provincial highway acts and any number of municipal bylaws and court injunctions. This was and still remains the purview of the police. They had all the tools necessary. The legal authority for the government to invoke this act is currently being challen…

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, after practising law for 30 years and being a Crown attorney for the last 18 of them, I decided to dedicate myself to serving the people of the great riding of Brantford—Brant and across Canada. It is a privilege to rise in the House early today, although I am doing this with a heavy heart. For the first time in our history, the Prime Minister, whose current support is as low as never…

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is using mixed language. The act is very clear it should only be used in circumstances that seriously endangers the lives, health or safety of Canadians—

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, will this member speak on behalf of the Prime Minister and condemn what is happening in the B.C. Interior? There were 20 masked men armed with machetes and axes who attacked a group of pipeline workers causing millions of dollars in damage. Is he prepared, on behalf of the Liberal government, to condemn that type of activity?