Parliamentary Speeches

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and Canadian businesses are navigating the challenges created by this era of global volatility, economic uncertainty and unjust trade tensions. Our government has a plan to harness this moment to bolster the Canadian economy by driving growth, attracting investment and increasing our economic competitiveness, all while supporting our Canadian businesses. Our Prime Minister's plan is working. Canada's economy is showing strong momentum, with real GDP rising by 3.3%. Canada experienced the strongest growth in the G7 in Q2, double the growth of the next closest peer and more than double the annualized growth of the United States. We are diversifying our trade away from the U.S. Business investment is rising, with strong gains in building and construction, machinery, and equipment. We are working hard to build Canada strong, and we will continue to do this for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today and to speak to Bill C‑30 and the programming motion about how the government is going to pass it. Bill C‑30 is a continuation of the good news we heard in the spring economic update, Bill C‑31. We know there were positive economic signs. The deficit was $11 billion less than expected, which is good, and there is a plan to balance the operating budget in just a few years, which is a good sign. We have the highest growth in the G7, three times the rate of Italy and twice the rate of Germany and Japan, which is also good news. All these things are indicators that the economy is starting to click. There has definitely been a pause, but we are getting back to a good place. The investment per capita is also the highest in the G7. This is really good news, because for a while, foreign investment was fleeing the country, so to have it returning, as well as to have the highest investment per capita, is another positive indicator. I am personally quite proud of the Prime Minister's efforts to diversify our trade. In just one year, there have been 21 agreements made, and project announcements are coming forward, such as the Bombardier $15‑billion plane announcement and a number of the projects that are starting to roll. These are all signs that our diversification of trade away from the U.S., so we are not so dependent on it, is working. There was a lovely graph in the spring economic update. If people have not seen it, they should look. It showed the progress we are making. These are all signs that we are going in the direction of good. People are still suffering under the affordability crisis, for sure, but wages are increasing at a greater rate than inflation. It is the first time that has happened in quite a while, which is also a very good sign. In addition to that, the government's plan is working in terms of creating jobs. The jobs numbers are starting to come up. I heard the Minister of Industry announce the other day that 88,000 jobs were created in the last month. We know that the jobs are going to come with the major projects we are building, the 14 major projects in that category, and there are all kinds of other ones as well. I was really interested to hear of a particular one. I have been talking for a long time about aluminum and the unjustified tariffs with the U.S. We should not be shipping our aluminum to the U.S., having it turned into beer cans and pop cans and bringing them back to Canada at a higher cost. We should be making those things here. I have just heard that there are three plants that are going to be making those cans here in Canada, creating jobs for Canadians and reducing the damage we are suffering from the unjustified tariff war. I think that is a very good thing as well. In terms of some of the programs that are coming, build Canada strong is something everybody can get behind. We all want the country to flourish. There is a combination of things that are needed in order to make that happen. I spoke a bit about the major projects, which is a key thing, but we also know that we need to build affordable housing. In my riding of Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, this is the number one priority. We have a gap of about 1,800 affordable spaces that are needed, and that is in just one riding. Think about that added up all over the country. The need is great. Our new government has done great on focusing plans and putting incentives in place that will not just build homes but also make those homes more affordable. The initiative to work with, for example, the province of Ontario to get rid of permitting fees will take about $200,000 off the price of a house. That is really substantial, especially for first-time homebuyers who are trying to get into the market. Taking the GST off homes up to a value of $1 million is also tangible evidence that we are getting the price of houses down. Across the nation, the price of houses is down 20%, and rents are down 9%, other encouraging signs. I feel a little like the Minister of Finance, saying, “more good news”, because there is a lot of good news to be shared with the House. The other thing I really like is building team Canada, right from starting off with something that is near and dear to my heart and my riding: $6 billion announced for apprenticeships to get Red Seal certification. We have about 6,000 trades and, I would say, one of the world‑class quality, safety and productivity trades in Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong. I was really pleased to have the Secretary of State for Labour come meet with LiUNA and St. Clair Mechanical, the shops that do the training of these apprentices. As members may know, one of the apprentices we met actually won a gold medal in Ontario for the welding competition and is on his way to nationals, so I send a shout‑out to Ryan Beattie for that. Making sure that our young people have well‑paying jobs is just one of the things we need to do. There are measures as well that will give them some relief on their student debt, and there are incentives in this budget that are going to open doors. I love the playground to podium initiative, because we all need to get interested in sports. In my long life so far, I have been involved in many areas of sport. I received my black belt in tae kwon do, was a triathlete and did long‑distance running. I was also a spin cycling instructor. We know that for people who get involved in sport, it is not just about being healthy. It also teaches us a lot about leadership, teamwork and other things we need. We are so proud, and it really unites the country, when we see Canada on the podium winning gold. It does not matter what the sport is. Everybody has their favourite. I am sure there are people out there right now who just cannot wait for the FIFA games to begin. I am married to a hockey player, a guy who loves hockey, so hockey is a 24‑7 passion in our house. Whatever the sport is, we need to invest in making sure Canada is represented and can be proud on the world stage. That is another very good thing. We live in a very volatile world, one that is increasingly dangerous, and it is really nice that we are starting to recognize we need to reinvest in our defence, reinvest in our military. I was disheartened to find out, as one of the military members told me, that we have only about 12 hours' worth of ammunition. If we ever get into a conflict, that is it, and we do not have any domestic production. However, there is more good news: A munitions plant is going to be built in Ingersoll. There is more to come on all this. These are great things, and this is a way as well that we can protect ourselves from the unjustified tariffs from the U.S. A lot of the manufacturers and tool and die folks, especially in southwestern Ontario, have been hugely impacted by the section 232 tariffs. Not only has our government provided relief to get them through, such as $1 billion from the BDC and another $500 million in tariff relief funds, which were responsibly brought to the table when these tariffs arrived, but we are also seeing that people can pivot into the defence industry. With our having rolled out the buy Canadian procurement, everyone who has a business can sign up and get their number registered so they can see what government contracts are being let that they would be qualified to provide a service for. This will get more people to work and will, again, drive the economy. There is a lot of upside to that. I am very proud that we are increasing wages for the members who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces. These are men and women who sacrifice. They sacrifice with their families. They sacrifice with their bodies. They sacrifice a lot to be in these situations, so they deserve to be well rewarded. I would be remiss if I did not talk a bit about the measures to address affordability, because people are struggling. I hear about it in my riding, especially from single seniors. The ones on a fixed income are probably some of the poorest in our country, and it is a shame because many of them built the country, and they deserve to live with dignity. There are many measures the government has brought, such as the grocery benefit, which is $1,900 for a family of four and $800 for an individual, and the tax cut for 22 million people. There are the various programs for addressing the school food program. I do not know if members saw the announcement from the Prime Minister yesterday about food security and a huge investment of $3 billion to try to make sure that we can get food prices down and that we can produce more of our food supply domestically and become less dependent on others in the world. All of these are extremely good measures. This is the good news that we heard in the spring economic update, and it is just continuing on in Bill C‑30. One of the ideas in the bill is to modify the labour mobility deduction for eligible tradespeople. I know our new government has leveraged a lot of ideas from the members opposite, and I remember that one coming forward. It would also be making permanent the capital gains exemption for the sale of a business to an employee ownership trust or a worker co‑operative. This would be critical because a lot of people who own small businesses are getting long in the tooth and they are looking for a succession plan. In order to facilitate that succession plan, they need to have this kind of relief. There are many other things in Bill C‑30. Some are in regard to taxation measures and excise tax. I like the reduction of the amount people have to pay in to get CPP. I think it has been increased a number of times over the last decade, and it is nice to see some relief coming there for employers and for individuals. I want to provide some clarification on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. I have a lot of farmers in my riding, a lot of very innovative farmers who are into organic farming and some of the new things that are coming on. The CFIA needs this modernization activity that the government is focusing on. I think that is a very good thing. If we look at our core mission of building the infrastructure, empowering Canadians by lowering costs and protecting our communities, all of these things are intertwined. I can put an example out there of what the build Canada fund is going to provide. In my riding, I need seven stormwater and waste water upgrades in order to facilitate affordable house building. This is the kind of funding that is needed by the municipalities. I am sure I will not get all seven, but I will keep pestering until I get as many as I can. That is what we need. It is fundamental. As for the the building communities fund, Sarnia is the only city that does not have a rec centre of size. This building Canadian communities fund is a good fund to support things like that. We have been awarded the international plowing match in 2027. For those who have not seen an international plowing match, it is something to be seen. It attracts visitors from all over. There is huge economic development and huge economic activity, and some infrastructure is needed to prepare the grounds that the event will take place on. Again, the build Canada communities fund would be very useful for that. All in all, I would say our new government is on the right track. We are going to build Canada strong. We are already seeing the signs that things are going in the direction of good. We just need to keep on, we need to diversify away from the U.S., and we need to address CUSMA. All of these things are things the government is seized with, and we will continue to work for the good of all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, what I would like to say is that I actually believe the things that I just said, that it is very good news and that we are moving in a positive direction. If I were prime minister, what would I do? I would diversify trade from the U.S. I would build major projects in infrastructure in Canada. I would work to address the affordability issues. All of the things our government is doing are the things I would do myself. The member raised the issue of EVs, and of course, everything I think about EVs has been clear on the public record for years and years, but the automotive sector has been super hard hit by these unjustified tariffs from the U.S. The President in the south's idea is to take apart the supply chain. I am old enough to remember when the supply chain was first put together. This is going to be punishment that we will have to support industry through for quite a while.

Actually, Mr. Speaker, everything that I have ever said is on the public record in Hansard. Every Liberal on this side knows everything I said, the Prime Minister knows everything I said, and they all know everything I think. They welcomed me inside the tent to help build Canada strong, to put my talents to work, and to use my wisdom, my skills and my experience to drive Canada in the right direction. I am super proud to be part of this team, and that is why it is easy for me to get up and bring the good news. I do believe it.

Mr. Speaker, our government is coming with remedies for every sector that is impacted. We saw the recent announcement for Rio Tinto, an aluminum provider that has been really hard hit. We have seen the aid brought to the automotive sector. We know that we will continue to support the automotive sector. We have seen the aid brought to people who were punished by the section 232 tariffs, the manufacturers, especially in southwestern Ontario. I appreciate that the government, when there is a problem, is coming with a solution. We want to keep our domestic capability and our domestic production while we get through these headwinds.

Mr. Speaker, obviously, we play for the team we play for. I called for the removal of the consumer carbon tax for 10 years. I am super proud that our government is the one that removed it. I think the measures announced by the Prime Minister yesterday to address food security and bring food prices down are some of the measures we need. The government has also introduced $1 billion for shelters and transitional housing to try to address the homelessness issue. The Reaching Home program has been infused with more money. The government recognizes that there are many people homeless, and we are committed to finding solutions.

Mr. Speaker, absolutely, it has been a joy being on this side where people work as a team. I have had Minister Solomon come to the riding and look at AI opportunities in my area. The Secretary of State for Labour came. There are more ministers who want to come and take a look. For all of the projects we have been trying to advocate for, I have audiences. This is how it begins. This is how we build Canada, and this is how we build Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise to speak to Bill C-14, as well as the Senate amendments that have come forward. I will start off by talking about the importance of passing this legislation quickly and getting it into law. I will then give a bit of detail about the Senate amendments and my thoughts on those before I sum it up. First of all, I want to say that this is not a partisan issue. Every Canadian wants to be safe in their community and safe in their home. It does not matter which party we come from; we all think that. Every Canadian is tired of seeing violent repeat offenders out on the streets when they should be behind bars. In my riding of Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, we had a very tragic incident happen recently at Lambton College, where an innocent student, Dane Nisbet, was shot by someone who has been involved in crime previously, and he died. He was 20 years old. People in my community are outraged now because the perpetrator has been let out on bail. This is why Bill C-14 needs to go into play. Bill C-14 would prevent these things from happening, and I will talk a little about how it would do that. Over the last few years, there have been unintended consequences, from Bill C-75, for example, with the principle of restraint. The principle of restraint was making judges think that they had to let people out at the earliest possible opportunity with the least possible punishment. Bill C-14 would actually clarify this. It would clarify how police and courts apply the principle of restraint to specify that it does not mean automatic release where detention is justified to protect public safety. This is an incredibly important part of Bill C-14 and something that we definitely are going to need. Also, Bill C-14 would add aggravating factors, making sure we do not have sentences that are too light in extreme cases. When the offence is committed against victims who are first responders, it would be an aggravating factor in sentencing, as well as repeat violent offenders with previous convictions within the last five years and organized retail theft. I heard a question earlier about auto theft. This kind of thing would be an aggravating factor in sentencing, as well as offences interfering with essential infrastructures, which we see in copper theft and some of the drug-trafficking offences. All of those things are very good measures. One of the other things that was an unintended consequence of Bill C-5 was that house arrest was being allowed for perpetrators of sexual assault. That would be reversed here in Bill C-14. That is a very good measure. It is something that is needed, and we heard lots about that. The other thing this bill would do is align to the military justice system to make sure both systems are consistent. With respect to the Senate amendments that have come forward, some are good, and some we would prefer not to have. I think the one that would allow the measures for the youth justice system to come into force, that would allow some time to get that right, would be very, very important. I have heard discussion from the Conservatives today that they do not like the measures that the Senate has submitted on sureties, but one of the things that Conservatives continue not to understand is that when an independent court is making a decision, it has to have discretion. We have seen mandatory minimum penalties fail at the Supreme Court because they do not give the judges discretion and the judges are independent. Therefore, this is an important principle that we see represented here. It is only part of the story. When it comes to preventing violent crime in our neighbourhoods and in our communities, we have to have the laws, and then we have to enforce the laws. There is an opportunity to do a better job on enforcement. We have to also look at where we are going to put the people. A lot of times, people are being released because there is no room in the prisons. That is a shared responsibility, federally and provincially, and something that we need to look at. However, if we can get the deterrence to crime right and enforce the law, we are going to see fewer people in the prisons, which is what we saw previously. That, in a nutshell, is why it is critical that we get this legislation passed. The sooner it is passed and gets royal assent, the sooner it would get into law. Then we can stop seeing these repeat and violent offenders out on the streets and getting sentences that I consider to be inadequate. I am very proud of the government for the measures that it put in place, and not just Bill C‑14, as Bill C‑16 is exactly what we asked for at the status of women committee, which I am a part of. It addresses coercive control, femicides, deepfakes and a lot of the things that we brought forward. I think the government is serious about addressing crime in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I would thank the member opposite for that question, but I do not think it was a very good question. What I would say is that everything I have said is on the public record. The Prime Minister is aware of what I think. All of the members of the Liberal caucus are, and they welcomed me, with my Conservative views, into this caucus. I am very proud to be part of this team. My view has not changed. As I said, the things that were done that undermine the justice system are being repaired here in Bill C‑14, and that is why it is critical that we get this legislation passed.

Mr. Speaker, I know the Conservatives have brought this amendment to talk about the launching of these rockets from Nova Scotia and from Newfoundland and Labrador. My understanding is that those are the only two locations in Canada that would be acceptable for this purpose, and it is critical for our sovereignty. I wonder if the member could talk about the importance of things that matter for Canadian sovereignty.

Madam Speaker, I have the utmost respect for my colleague opposite. I certainly do agree it is important to get the military review board in place so we can do memorials and honours such as the Afghanistan one that honours Corporal Brent Poland and Private William Cushley, who gave their lives and made the ultimate sacrifice. I wonder if the member could give some indication of what kind of makeup he would like on the committee, what kind of qualifications.

Madam Speaker, I think my colleague made a very good point when he said it is clear that everybody at committee supported the recommendation to support the veterans in this way, and everybody here in the House today has already said that they are 100% in support. Therefore, I am concerned because there is other legislation we are trying to get passed, like Bill C-16, on femicide and coercive control, which is critical legislation. Instead, we are all in violent agreement on this issue. I wonder if that is a delay tactic on the part of the Conservatives. Does the member have a comment?

Mr. Speaker, when the Secretary of State for Labour came to my riding, he met apprentices who would benefit from our government's $6-billion plan to incentivize 100,000 apprentices to get their Red Seal. Three of those whom we met were welders who had just won first, second and third prizes in the local welding competition and were on their way to compete for the Ontario championship. Ryan Beattie from my riding won the gold and is now on his way to compete at the national championship. I want to congratulate—

Mr. Speaker, when the Secretary of State for Labour came to my riding, he met apprentices who would benefit from our government's $6-billion plan to incentivize 100,000 apprentices to get their Red Seal. Three of those whom we met were welders who had just won first, second and third prizes in the local welding competition and were on their way to compete for the Ontario championship. Ryan Beattie from my riding won the gold and is now on his way to compete at the national championship. I want to congratulate Ryan and all the other competitors. A career in the trades is a well-paying job with the satisfaction of helping to build Canada strong for all. Ryan's future and that of his fellow apprentices is bright. I thank him for great representation, and I thank the organizers for supporting the trades.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is acting like the government has done nothing on affordability, but I can think of a myriad of things, including reducing costs by 28¢ a litre at the pumps, a tax break for 22 million that the Conservatives supported, the child care benefit, the $10-a-day child care that is saving thousands of dollars for families, a grocery rebate of $1,800 per family and the cancelling of the consumer carbon tax, which I personally had been calling for, for about a decade. Would the member not agree that these measures are helping affordability?

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of a government that is committed to defending Canadian trade and ensuring that our businesses are not overly reliant on any single market. By opening doors for exporters and supporting small businesses to reach customers around the world, we are strengthening our economy and creating more opportunities in my riding of Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong and across the country. Could the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State for Small Business and Tourism update the House on the historic progress we have made to diversify Canadian trade?

Mr. Speaker, during this time of geopolitical volatility, we never know when the next major shock is coming. We need serious leadership and a real plan to build a strong and more independent Canadian economy. Since the conflict in the Middle East began, this global volatility has impacted the wallets of Canadians. We need more direct support for them. Yesterday morning, we saw just that. Can the Secretary of State inform Canadians how our new government is bringing down costs for essentials at home in the face of instability abroad?

Mr. Speaker, I have say to the member opposite that I am disappointed that, with all the significant changes on immigration, the immigration minister is not the one giving the speech. However, the parliamentary secretary is known for being here most of the day and for always giving a speech, so that is that. There are so many issues with immigration in the country. We have heard especially about the issue of the 150,000 fraud cases that were not properly identified and a lot of excesses, such as the three million people who are supposed to leave and have no plans to leave. Can the member expound on what the government is doing to address the concerns that have been raised?

Mr. Speaker, as a fellow engineer, I know the member knows a lot. She is very intelligent. Certainly this bill addresses a lot of the tools that are needed to combat cybersecurity, and we see that those threats exist. There have been a number of breaches in the government. There are some actual hardware solutions that will be needed as well. Could the member elaborate on what she thinks the gap is and how the government would fill it?

Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act has been ruled unlawful by the courts twice. The Liberals violated the charter rights of Canadians by freezing their bank accounts when the threat of a national security threshold was never met. They have wasted millions of dollars of taxpayer money, and now they are appealing this court decision for a third time. With an affordability crisis and a jobs crisis, will the Liberals quit wasting taxpayer monies on something that the courts have twice ruled is unlawful?

Mr. Speaker, I do know a bit about the automotive industry. I was part of the automotive industry when it North Americanized. I was in charge of Dow automotive's 58 plants across the globe. I have heard a lot of criticism from the Liberal benches today about our plan to create automotive job growth here in Canada, but it has been crickets about any plan on their side to create growth. Could they elaborate?

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women in relation to Bill C-225, an act to amend the Criminal Code. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments. A woman is killed by femicide every 48 hours in this country. The bill would go a long way to making the punishment fit the crime. We have aptly named it “Bailey's Law”, after the tragedy that happened to Bailey McCourt. I thank all members of the committee and all members of each party for supporting the bill and seeing it move forward.

Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree that trade deals are important. Sometimes we do not get the benefit we think we will get because the work in the details is not done to make sure our specifications, if they are different from our trading partners', are harmonized. I am interested in the agreement that exists. Does the member have information about how much trade has increased since we got the deal and how much we expect to get as we add the U.K. and Northern Ireland to it?

Mr. Speaker, the government has a history of violating the charter rights of Canadians, from freedom of expression to freezing their bank accounts under the illegal Emergencies Act, etc. Thirty million people of faith in Canada are expressing concern about Bill C-9 and removing the religious exemption under the hate speech law. We have heard from Christian evangelists, the Catholic Church, Muslim associations and Jewish associations. They all say that this bill is going to cause them to not be able to read their religious texts, because somebody will find them offensive and they will end up in prison. Why does the minister not care what 30 million people of faith in this country think?

Mr. Speaker, for the last two years, there have been attacks on the Jewish community. There have been 113 Christian churches burned to the ground. There are already laws against these things, and the government has done nothing to enforce the rule of law. Being a former police officer, I wonder if my colleague could comment on what resources are available if the police are having difficulty enforcing the law.

Mr. Speaker, the motion we are going to vote on today is another example of the government's overreach and tyranny and of how it always wants to shut down debate, especially when it comes to freedom of expression and freedom of religion. All day long, I have sat here and listened to the government members say, “We are the party of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.” The government is what its record says it is, and the government violated the mobility rights of millions of Canadians during the pandemic. It violated free expression under previous bills, like Bill C-11, Bill C-18 and Bill C-63, and now Bill C-9. The emergency measures act that the Liberals put in place was illegal. They froze people's bank accounts, another violation, and authorized unlawful search and seizure. The Canadian summer jobs attestation, where if someone did not agree with the Liberals and agree to sign off on their attestation, they could not get any funding. There were threats to the charitable status of faith organizations and pro-life organizations. All of these things show the Liberals' record is one of overreach and shutting down people's charter rights and freedoms. It is no wonder we are concerned that the Liberals want to shut down debate on the bill. There was no need for them to align with the Bloc to remove the religious exemption from the hate speech law. It has been in place for 50 years. There was no controversy about it. It was not in the original text of the bill. There was no reason for them to align with the Bloc and cause this political hot potato. Everybody recognizes that we have a problem with hate crimes in Canada. In the last few years, hate crimes have increased hugely. We see, in the Jewish community, synagogues being shot up, businesses being vandalized and “death to Jews” being called in the streets, with no enforcement of existing laws. We have seen over a hundred Christian churches torched and not a word from the government. We have seen mosques desecrated. We have seen Hindus intimidated and harassed. We know there is a problem. There is no argument in the House that there is a problem with hate crimes in this country. The problem is not that we need Bill C-9. The problem is that we are not enforcing existing laws. It is already illegal to shoot up a synagogue. It is already illegal to vandalize a business. It is already illegal to utter death threats to people. There is no enforcement. All day long, I have heard the government say, “Well, that's not our responsibility federally. That's provincial. There is nothing we can do about it.” That is absolutely not true. The federal government, the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice have a responsibility to ensure that the rule of law in Canada is enforced. If the provinces and territories do not have the resources to do it, the government is perfectly able to add to it with the RCMP or with the military, to take the measures necessary to keep Canadians safe, but the Liberals have done nothing. There has been nothing but empty words, thoughts and prayers, and condolences. None of that does anything to help the communities that are under attack. There is a misconception. The Liberals are saying we cannot have this religious exemption because then people would incite violence with their hate speech. No. In the law, there is currently no religious exemption for hate speech leading to and inciting violence. There is not one. The fact that that exists already in the Criminal Code should be enough. It is really concerning to me that the Liberals continue to argue that nobody is going to be imprisoned for quoting from scriptures. That is what they have been saying, but that is not what the current Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture said. He said people who quote certain scriptures from the Bible should be imprisoned. He did not walk that back. I talked to him about it, and he doubled down and agreed that was it. He is not the only one. Multiple Liberal members serving in this Parliament have told me that they think I should be imprisoned for what I did as a youth leader in the Baptist church. Kids talked to me all the time. They wanted to know what the Bible said about sexuality. I told them. Multiple Liberals in this House have said I should have been imprisoned for that. Members will forgive me if I do not believe the Liberals when they say they are going to uphold our charter rights and freedoms and that I would not go to prison. I do not believe that for a moment. The second thing is that often in this country, we see persecution and the use of the justice system to ultimately punish people. If someone were to be charged under this hate speech law because there was no religious exemption and they quoted a scripture that offended somebody, they would have to get a lawyer. They would have to go through years in the justice system, with appeal on appeal, until finally it would get to the Supreme Court, which would say, “You're right. This violated your charter rights. And it destroyed your life, and you're bankrupt.” That would be totally unacceptable. We know that the government is not going to protect the charter rights of Canadians, and we know it for a number of reasons. We know it because we already said we would take the Liberals at their word and bring forward an amendment. This is the amendment the Conservatives brought forward: “Nothing in this section is to be interpreted or applied so as to interfere with the freedom of expression or the freedom of religion.” The Liberals voted against that because they do intend to violate people's expression rights and religious rights. I am not just standing here talking about myself going to prison; certainly, I do not think I belong in prison. There are 30 million people of faith in this country. We have seen a whole list opposed to this religious exemption being removed: the Anglican Church of Canada, the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council, the United Church of Canada, the Canadian Muslim Healthcare Network, the United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel, the Christian Legal Fellowship, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Canadian Council of Imams, the rabbinical council of Toronto, the Hikma Public Affairs Council, the Seventh-day Adventist church, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, ARPA Canada and the National Council of Canadian Muslims. I have no idea why 30 million people who are represented by faiths across the country say they do not trust the government and believe that what it is going to do is allow people to imprison folks who quote scriptures or express views that are offensive to people. We know that because Bill C-9 would dilute the definition of hate. Why would the government change the definition to make it less? That is a question that bears speaking about. People have fought in frozen trenches for years in war for the freedoms that are in our charter, and those people would be turning in their graves right now to see the government continually violating the charter rights that they gave their lives fighting for, continually eroding religious freedom and freedom of expression in the country and allowing the kinds of activities we are seeing in our country. Ultimately, I think we are going to have to have more debate on this, and if we do not have it now, then it will be part of this justice system punishment on the first person who goes to prison, and I hope it is not me. A guy in B.C. was just charged $750,000 for saying there are two genders. He has every right to express his opinion, and probably when it is appealed, after years and years, they will say that yes, absolutely, he does have that right, but the punishment and the financial penalties will chill free speech and freedom of religion in this country. Finally, in summary, the Conservatives are willing to work across the aisle. We said we would split the bill and put forward the parts that we all agree on to try to get some extra protection and some extra tools for the police. On this hill, I will absolutely be prepared to die to protect religious freedom and freedom of expression in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, when the bill was originally published, I had only two concerns about the bill. The first was the dilution of the definition of hate speech. The second was the removal of the oversight of the Attorney General over hate speech cases. That was put in place to prevent frivolous lawsuits. Fortunately, the Conservatives brought an amendment to fix that one in the bill and restore the oversight of the Attorney General. It was not until this Bloc-Liberal amendment to remove the protections on religious freedoms was talked about that everything started to fall apart for the government. If it wants to see this move forward, it needs to split the bill so that we can move forward with what we agree will actually help people.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. The religions we have in Canada are religions of love, not religions of hate. We do not see, for example, the Christian church trying to hate on people. We do not see the Jewish church trying to hate on people. That is not at all what it means to have faith in this country. The freedom is to have that faith, even if other people find what one says offensive. Being offended is not a charter right, but freedom of religion and freedom of expression are.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, who has worked so hard on this file, for that question. I do not know how the government can deny that 30 million people of faith in this country have concerns about this when the Catholic diocese, the Anglican Church, the Evangelical Fellowship and the Muslim council wrote to the Prime Minister. Everyone wrote to the Prime Minister and expressed concern about that, and the government has turned a deaf ear to the situation, unfortunately. That is why we are here today. That is why we will continue to fight this removal of the religious exemption from the hate speech act.