Parliamentary Speeches

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, that answer just proves that the Liberals are completely out of touch with reality. The reality is that the vast majority of Canadians will not see a cent from the programs they have announced. We are talking about the basic necessities of life. Poor Liberal policy and reckless inflationary spending are going to cost Canadians an extra $1,000 on their groceries next year. That is an o…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' spending is out of control. They are completely out of touch and do not have a clue about how the vast majority of people in Canada live. Unlike their elite friends, whom they so fondly dole out tax dollars to in scandal after scandal, most people in this country work hard for what little money they have. The government is spending billions upon billions of hard-earned t…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, the government's lack of attention to monetary policy is just letting too many Canadians fall through the cracks, especially our seniors. I am going to read for members an example from Martin, who sent me this letter. He says that he and his wife are pensioners. They live below the poverty line. At ages 73 and 68, they still work two to three days a week to make ends meet. He sent me …

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about how the government is so out of touch with Canadians and how life is getting so much more expensive for Canadians. One of my constituents said they were sure I was aware that everything is going up. Gas is up where they live. It is up to $1.83 a litre. Groceries are skyrocketing. Housing prices are becoming impossible and with the government's carbon tax increase,…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, another senior in my riding emailed me who has a real concern about this winter because of the cost of living and what it is going to cost to heat his home. He said he just received his oil delivery yesterday for 415.4 litres of furnace oil at a cost of $885.82. He asks for somebody to please explain to him how he is paying more for furnace oil than for the price of diesel. He attache…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the member for Elgin—Middlesex—London mentioned Oneida, which is in my riding. I had the opportunity to visit another one of my first nations, Chippewas of the Thames, a couple of weeks ago. We were talking about the boil water advisories that have been in place in these first nations for years. Could the member comment on how she would like to see the government work together with …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has created a mess. Everything it touches is broken: the arrive scam app, huge passport backlogs, NEXUS at a standstill and the fact that 1.5 million Canadians used a food bank in a single month. Seniors are telling me they are skipping meals, and they are not alone. One in five Canadians are skipping meals. This is all thanks to the Liberals' inflationary spend…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is making everything more expensive. Even the basic necessity of food is up 11.4% with inflation. This means that 51% of people are cutting back on buying groceries, and 20% are skipping meals. Unlike the Liberal elites, the average Canadian knows that cutting their $13-a-month Disney+ subscription is not going to feed their family. That is why we need to suppor…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, 51% of Canadians are struggling to afford food, and those who cannot cut back any further are being driven to their local food banks. However, the government does not care. It is too busy blowing money on $7,000-a-night hotel rooms or the $54-million arrive scam. To pay for their scandals and secret backroom deals with the NDP, they want to raise taxes, further driving up the cost of …

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister, in his costly coalition with the NDP, is making life more expensive for Canadians. Media reports say that Canadians who pay for natural gas or electricity can expect their bills to go up by 50%, 100% or even 300% this winter. I do not know about my colleagues, but everyone I know uses electricity and needs to heat their family home. Let me be clear: Warmth during…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, this week is Small Business Week, a time to celebrate the backbone of Canada's economy. Small business owners are our unsung heroes who employ nearly two-thirds of workers across the country. From my riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex to Victoria to Whitehorse to Regina to Halifax, millions of Canadians rely on meaningful paycheques from small businesses to feed their families. The new …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, over the summer I had a chance to visit Yukon. I went to the north and spoke with some people who are farming up in the north. I was blown away by what they are doing with very little compared to what we have here. Where I am from, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex in southwestern Ontario, we have a plethora agriculture. We are right in the heart of fruit and vegetable production. What they we…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, there are some things I can agree with the member on in his speech. I know that might be shocking, but he did say, and I agree 100%, that Canadian farmers grow the best food and produce in the world, not just in Canada. We need to be proud of what our farmers do, day in and day out. They do take the steps necessary for biosecurity, for ensuring the health of their animals and herds.…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I hear from my constituents on a regular basis, too, that they are having difficulties making ends meet. It is not just Canadians right now; we are seeing food insecurity across this globe. If we do not have farms in Canada, we do not have food. If we do not have a viable area in Canada to produce food, if we do not have good policy to back our farmers up, we will not have food sove…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent my community of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, which is a rural farming community. Like my family, many of my constituents, friends and neighbours are farmers who work hard each and every day to feed Canada and the world. They often work on tight timelines, working against Mother Nature to bring in the harvest. With Thanksgiving upon us, I would like to remind everyon…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, with the Liberal carbon tax, input costs to heat a barn or dry grain have exploded. I am hearing daily from farmers about how the Liberals' nonsensical fertilizer policy will devastate their businesses and increase the cost of food for Canadians even further. Many farmers and farm families see Liberal tax hikes as the killing blow. If farmers cannot afford to live, they cannot afford …

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the people of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, I offer my condolences to the royal family and all those who are mourning the loss of their beloved Queen. On September 8, 2022, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, passed away and left a legacy of a service spanning generations. Her Majesty's reign spanned 70 years, something no other monarch has…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, what I see from the Liberals is that they want to hide from accountability and transparency behind computer screens. We hear public health officials telling us that we are moving out of the pandemic, and the rest of the world has moved back to working like normal. We have an institution here. We have been in this place for over 150 years, and we have been able to keep Parliament goi…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, RCMP Superintendent Campbell's notes reveal Commissioner Lucki told the RCMP that she had promised the former minister of public safety and the Prime Minister's Office the force would disclose which firearms were used in the mass shooting to advance the government's pending gun control legislation. Former RCMP commissioner Paulson says Superintendent Campbell is “one of the best inves…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, the cost-of-living crisis is real, and it is hurting Canadians in my riding and across Canada. Inflation has hit a 40-year high of 7.7%, and all the Liberals are doing is playing the blame game. Inflation has increased the cost of groceries by more than 25%, which is lowering the amount of food families and seniors can put on their tables. The cost of fuel has been increasing, which a…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I have been talking with law enforcement officials from across my riding about the bill, and they have some serious reservations. We know that when the minister enacted the Emergencies Act, he said that he had advice from law enforcement officials to enact it, but in the meantime we found out that was actually false. I want to ask the minister whether he has received advice from law…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to expenditures on legal costs by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) in relation to the Hydro One Conduit Project, including those concerning any contract related to the project: (a) what is the total amount spent on legal costs; and (b) what are the details of each case or legal action, including the (i) name of the case, (ii) parties involved, (iii) total expenditures to dat…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, my grandmother, Helen Jamrozinski, was born 90 years ago today in eastern Europe. She is a survivor, escaping one country after another while fleeing the dictatorships and the brutalities of World War II. Eventually, she made her way, alone, at the age of 19, across the ocean to call Canada her new home. During her lifetime in Canada, she has worked hard building a successful business…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has repeatedly parroted the Minister of Public Safety by saying that police called for the use of the Emergencies Act. This false information was spread by the Minister of Public Safety, and by defending such incompetence, the Prime Minister is being played for a fool. We know this information is false because the former minister of public safety has said, “Quite fr…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I request a recorded division.

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, no farms, no food. Fertilizer prices are up 50% this year, plus 20% more since the Liberals put the tariff on. That is a 70% increase since last year. They say not to bite the hand that feeds us, but the Liberal government has bitten the hand right off. Its poor decisions are pricing farmers out of business. Without farmers, Canadians do not have food. Without farmers, where will our …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, just as with most problems in this country, Liberals are the cause. Over the past seven years, it feels like they have removed common sense from the dictionary. They will try to deny it, and they will try to shift blame. They have blamed out-of-practice travellers for the delays, backlogs and travel-associated horror stories that we see coming out of Canadian airports right now, eve…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, as far as I can see with the provinces, the experts at the provincial level have said that we do not need to have a mask mandate any longer and that it is a personal choice. If the member wants to wear a mask, I am totally fine with that, but I think it needs to go both ways. We need to have respect for each other, continue to follow advice we hear from public health officials who s…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, that was a great question. My office staff as well have been very frustrated since the beginning of this pandemic. My office has turned into a Service Canada office. We are happy to serve the people of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex. In fact, I am going to take the time right now to thank my staff who have worked tirelessly for constituents to help them with any of their needs while the Ser…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, we continue to follow the health advice of the provinces. The provinces have medical health officers, and they are in charge of health care in this country. My question to the member opposite and to the government, actually, is this: What information do they have that they are not telling the provinces? Why do they still have mask mandates in federal buildings when the provinces hav…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I request a recorded division, please.

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, 27-year-old Zachary Hartman of Exeter was tragically murdered this weekend in my hometown of Grand Bend. A friend described him as a calm, gentle person who never went looking for trouble, but someone who would call out anything that he knew to be wrong. This is not something that anyone expects to happen when they visit our small and friendly tourist town. We know arrests have been m…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, this is ridiculous. Boaters in my riding simply need to cross an 800-metre-wide river to get to Michigan, but the CBSA wants them to go 76 kilometres, round trip, just to check in. One constituent wrote to me to say that it would cost him $1,200 per trip just to meet this requirement. This will cripple tourism and day shopping during the busiest time of the year, hurting small busin…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Line 5 pipeline is the energy lifeline for southern Ontario and Toronto. Millions of jobs in Canada depend on affordable gas. This pipeline is a vital link that directly impacts thousands of jobs in my riding. The imminent shutdown of this pipeline will mean shortages at the pumps and the doubling of gas prices. Will the Prime Minister deviate from his usual lack of leadership and…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, how can the member opposite say that? The government is not being helpful. In fact, Ipsos says that 63% of Canadians hoping to own have given up on that hope. One couple even told me that every single broker they have spoken to has told them the first-time homebuyer program is a scam and they should not participate in it. Instead of offering common-sense solutions, the government is…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, the average price of a home in Canada is $874,000 and quickly rising. For millennials looking to buy a home, the thought of buying a home is like getting that pet unicorn they dreamed of when they were children. Will the government stop adopting policies that drive up inflation, find a common-sense solution and help millennials and young families hoping to buy a home?

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I know the Prime Minister may not have the answer to this question right now and it may take him a few minutes to find out the answer, so I am going to ask the question now and then we are going to ask it again later, giving him time to consult with his staff to find out. My question is this. Did the Prime Minister claim the $215,000 illegal vacation as a taxable benefit on his income…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 43(2)(a), I would like to inform the House that the remaining Conservative caucus speaking times are hereby divided in two.

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, Carol, a senior in my riding, shared with me her concern that seniors and those with disabilities are at the bottom of the NDP-Liberals' priorities. Seniors and those with disabilities are suffering very real stress trying to afford to live while everything in their lives becomes more expensive. They have already slashed their budgets to account for inflation and they cannot tighten t…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the government asked young people to lock down for two years and they complied. Their reward is a housing market that they cannot buy into and being saddled with a ton of debt to keep them down. Debt is keeping housing unaffordable and the government keeps spending. Why are millennials being shut out of the housing market for the Prime Minister's vanity projects?

Routine Proceedings

With regard to expenditures by the government on the rental or purchase of cots or folding beds which were delivered to the government lobby in the House of Commons on February 17, 2022: what are the details of all related contracts and expenditures, including, for each, (i) the amount spent, (ii) the vendor, (iii) whether units were rented or purchased, (iv) the number of units?

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, today, I am honoured to table this important petition on behalf of my constituents in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex and other Canadians. The petitioners call upon the government to treat all Canadians with dignity and respect. They recognize that EI claims have been denied to Canadians based on their personal medical choices, EI parental leave claims have been denied to parents due to insuff…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, my constituents and many Canadians are expecting big words, huge costs and little improvement to their lives in the upcoming budget. Canadians do not want an NDP wish list budget; they want a responsible budget. Young Canadians struggling to get ahead should not be burdened with more debt because the government of today refuses to spend wisely. How much will this ultra-left budget c…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, Canadians woke up to a more expensive country today. The carbon tax helps no one in rural Canada. It hurts seniors, families and the agricultural sector by increasing the costs of heat for their homes and their barns. It also increases the cost of fuel for their cars and for the trucks that deliver food to Canadians from coast to coast. According to a recent Ipsos poll, nearly half …

Statements By Members

Madam Speaker, contrary to what the Minister of Health is saying, the federal government's insistence on the absolute necessity of vaccine mandates is not founded in science. Some Canadians choose to remain unvaccinated and always will. That is simply a fact. It was not an easy choice for them, but because of real anxiety about COVID vaccines, they have sacrificed their jobs and their ability to t…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important piece of legislation. We did not see any legal interpretation when the government invoked the act. We still have not heard that, and we have asked many questions on where the legal interpretation was that it met the threshold. If we read this act, it clearly states that a member of the official opposition or of the opposition, and we are recognized as being th…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister said at a press conference this morning, “For anyone who is concerned that their accounts may have been frozen because of their participation in these illegal blockades and occupation, the way to get your account unfrozen is to stop being part of the blockade and occupation.” The blockades have ended, but concerns over frozen accounts have not. What mechanisms are…

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, this is a sad and dark time for our great country. The last two years have been difficult for everyone. Every person in this country has been affected by the pandemic. No one has been exempt. How did we get here? What brought us to this point? Standing here in this chamber today to debate the unprecedented use of Canada's Emergencies Act is upsetting, to say the least. The culminati…

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, when somebody is standing up for freedom for Canadians, they will never be on the wrong side of history in the history books. I encourage the member opposite to stop the divisive rhetoric that I hear constantly day in and day out here and actually show some leadership. He should be encouraging and should try to give Canadians hope, which is what the Conservatives are doing every day…

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, the member said in his speech that groups of people have been mobilizing and protesting across this country. They are protesting because the Liberal government's mandates have driven them to do this. The Prime Minister and the government have been calling people names and saying they are a fringe minority of Canadians, yet millions of Canadians have come out in support of their free…