Parliamentary Speeches

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, of course, it was actually the former Conservative government that implemented the polluter pay principle, and what Conservatives are saying is that the proper, affordable, accessible, feasible and real path toward environmental stewardship and lowering emissions is technology and not taxes. This is what is so confusing about the proponents of the Liberal model of carbon tax, who al…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I literally just talked about that in my previous answer 30 seconds before the member asked me that question. I specifically and proactively addressed private sector investments in clean tech and innovation. What I am saying is that it makes no sense to try to shut down the industry, as my colleagues from the Bloc want to do, which is simultaneously the single biggest private sector…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, it is these Liberals who are making life more expensive for every single Canadian. They are so out of touch. Healthy groceries are up 15%. Home heating costs will double for most Canadians this winter, and they will triple, up to 300%, for some. Almost a million Canadians cannot heat their homes already. Gas bills have increased 50% since last year, and diesel spiked a record 13¢ this…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the government should be concerned about Canadians who are struggling to make ends meet. Canada has shot up rapidly on a global list for being the 25th most expensive country to live in out of 195. Even though a year ago the governor of the Bank of Canada talked about deflation, he now admits Canada's 40-year-high inflation is increasingly self-inflicted by the government. Canadians c…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, over half of Canadians cannot feed their families and have had to cut back on meat, fresh fruit and veggies. One in five are going hungry, but the Prime Minister does not seem to care. Food bank use has tripled, but he still wants to triple the carbon tax and triple the cost to truck food to the store. Farmers, the food producers, cannot make ends meet because the carbon tax costs t…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, it is the costly NDP-Liberal coalition that is driving up the prices of everything. Students are being forced to live in homeless shelters. Young Canadians have almost $300 less at the end of the month compared to last year. Adults are stuck in their parents' basements because they have to spend more on taxes than on clothing, food and housing. Half are $200 or less away from bankru…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, the new Conservative leader will put the people first, their paycheques, their savings, their home and their country. Therefore, we celebrate the historic agreement between Enbridge and 23 first nations and Métis communities. They now own 12%, over a billion dollars' worth, of pipelines in the Athabasca region, with long-term, predictable cash flow to build schools, fix roads, meet ba…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, this is another area where it is very striking to see the gap between the words of members of other parties, their actions and the actual outcomes of their policy agenda. The reality is this. The high taxing, high spending, high deficit policies of both the NDP and the Liberals disproportionately harm low-income Canadians; people on fixed incomes, seniors; the working poor; and the …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the reality is this. The Prime Minister has spent more than every other prime minister combined in Canadian history. That is a consequence of the government's out-of-control spending through budget after budget. It is not just a consequence of the last two years, frankly. I think Canadians want to see their elected representatives take responsibility for the government's policy agen…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is striking that the government has been in power for seven years, and has a deal to stay up to 10 years, and the consequence so far has been almost never seen before skyrocketing prices on all basic essential necessities on literally everything. Members of the government stand in the House of Commons and offer their thoughts, prayers, hope and compassion to Canadians facing the …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I will split my time with the member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord. Canadians cannot afford the current Liberal government. The NDP-Liberals have made the cost of living so expensive that people are being forced to choose between heating their homes, putting gas in their cars and feeding their families. That is why the Conservative motion today calls on the government to immediately stop …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, no one can afford the Liberals' tax-and-spend agenda, but their cost of living crisis and tax hikes hurt low and fixed-income Canadians the most. Pioneer Lodge in Lloydminster has housed low-income seniors since the 1960s, but last year, the Liberal carbon tax added over $26,000 to its expenses, which is going to quadruple under the Liberals' plan. The lodge is now forced to increase …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, Canada is the fifth largest natural gas producer, but does not export any LNG. The world wants Canadian LNG, but the Liberal gatekeepers killed 16 projects, 100,000 jobs and forced Canada to import. What is worse is that after the Prime Minister's snub, Germany may do a deal with Saudi Arabia instead. Canada could be the sixth largest LNG exporter if all the projects were built and re…

Mr. Speaker, at different times Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II said, “People are touched by events which have their roots far across the world”, and “Grief is the price we pay for love.” Of all the words of wisdom she shared in public addresses before and during her historic reign, those two sentiments have manifested most in the global outpouring of sorrow and affection in response to her passing…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the current NDP-Liberal budget spending is the most outside of a crisis in three decades. It is driving runaway costs of living and rising inflation. Food is up 9.7% since last year, the biggest jump since the eighties. Gas is a record high, over $2 a litre across Canada. It is almost $3 a litre in big cities like Vancouver and Montreal. It is hard in rural areas too. Since last year,…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals racked up more debt than every other government before it, combined. That puts all Canadians on the hook and they are worried whether they can make it. Scotiabank says the Liberals “are doing nothing of any significance to slow inflation at the moment” and “missed their chance to nip it in the bud”, the inflation they caused. RBC and BMO predict tomorrow’s inflation to be…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the issue with Bill C-11 is that MPs here are prepared to vote on legislation that grants unprecedented and sweeping powers to a powerful regulatory body without knowing the details, the impacts and the scope. The minister himself has even said that there is going to be some sort of policy directive provided to the regulatory body that we do not know about right now, that MPs have n…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, here is what Nettwerk Music Group from Vancouver, B.C. says. It is a full-service artist development and music intellectual property brand builder from over 37 years: We believe that Bill C-11 represents a fundamental misunderstanding of our industry and how musical artists are discovered and fanbases are built in today’s streaming landscape. The emergence, variety, and growth of on…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo. Bill C-11 is yet another attempt by the Liberals to regulate what Canadians can say and see on the Internet by granting unprecedented powers to the CRTC with, importantly, no clear guidelines or limits on how that power would be used. The minister has made many claims about Bill C-11. He says that it would pr…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, in fact, we have said repeatedly that we think that big foreign streamers should be on an even playing field with smaller Canadian broadcasters. What is very bizarre, I find, about this debate is that the member has raised a legitimate challenge, one I think that we are all aware of and that probably merits debate. However, its remedy is not in Bill C-11. He is talking about a taxat…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of Canadians who are concerned about the government's use of values tests on programs and the potential that the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters and other charitable organizations may be jeopardized for reasons of conscience. They are calling upon the House of Commons to protect and preserve t…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, violent crime is rising in big cities and rural regions alike. Rhonda owns a country store in a community of 10 people. Since 2019, she has been the victim of three armed robberies: one with a knife, one with a machete, and one with a gun. She says, “I live alone and my house and store are attached. My fear is always with me. I can't go home and forget. I see a therapist to help me ge…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, the member raises an interesting point on which to challenge the Liberals for another one of their chief premises of this bill. The Liberals could have taken the approach to have some sort of exceptional circumstances provision where judges, in certain factors or cases, would have the ability to choose something other than the mandatory minimum, while maintaining mandatory minimum pen…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-5 is a perfect example of the Liberals' backward approach to crime and justice. Liberals seem to believe that public safety means treating criminals like victims and treating law-abiding citizens like criminals. That is the reality of their soft-on-crime pattern. It is most obvious with gun crimes. The Liberals implement a billion dollar confiscation of legally acquired firearm…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, that is just not true, given that the former Conservative government is actually the government that launched the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It was the first government in Canadian history to review education outcomes and programs for indigenous people right across the country and to actually propose improvements. It was the first government, on a whole host of issues, to tr…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I would point out the lack of coherence in the member's argument, as well as the argument by the NDP-Liberals overall on this bill. If that is their premise, then, as my colleague for Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek said, he should be up in arms and encouraging the government to remove the other 67 mandatory minimum penalties that continue to exist under the government. Here is where we hav…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to meetings between the Prime Minister and the former Unifor President, Jerry Dias, or events attended by both the Prime Minister and Mr. Dias, since January 1, 2016: (a) on how many days did the Prime Minister meet with or attend an event where Mr. Dias was present, including private meetings and informal events that are not listed on the Prime Minister's official itinerary; (b) what …

Routine Proceedings

With regard to meetings between senior government officials (those at the assistant deputy minister level or higher) and the former Unifor President, Jerry Dias, or events attended by both a cabinet minister and Mr. Dias, since January 1, 2016, broken down by each official: (a) on how many days did each official meet with or attend an event where Mr. Dias was present, including private meetings an…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to meetings between cabinet ministers or their staff and the former Unifor President, Jerry Dias, or events attended by both a cabinet minister and Mr. Dias, since January 1, 2016, broken down by minister: (a) on how many days did each minister meet with or attend an event where Mr. Dias was present, including private meetings and informal events that are not listed on the lobbying reg…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, Vyshyvanka Day celebrates Ukrainian culture, but it is bittersweet today for the 22,000 Ukrainian Canadians in Lakeland. In Ukraine, their loved ones are in bomb shelters and their homes are in ruins. Lloydminster’s sister city, Nikopol, is ringed in barbed wire and barricades. Sixteen-year-old Mykita was in Vegreville when Putin attacked. His mom and sister got here, but his dad is s…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, that is shameful. Instead of vile insults, let us actually talk about reality. There are record highs in Toronto alone for most shootings, most murders and most people injured in 2018 or 2019. Many who harm innocent Canadians are multiple repeat offenders, but the Prime Minister wants to make it easier for them to stay home among their victims for crimes like sexual and physical assau…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, violent crime is increasing under the Prime Minister. Gun crime is up 83% since the Liberals took office. At the same time, they are going to make it allowable for criminals to get house arrest instead of going to jail for armed robbery, weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, breaking and entering, possession of illegal firearms and drive-by shootings. He is going after law-abiding Ca…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the truth is zero pipelines have been proposed or built under the Liberals, and they have killed billions in projects and hundreds of thousands of jobs. The PM ignored experts, workers, indigenous leaders and investors in every province and territory on Bill C-69. The court said it is a “profound invasion” that places a chokehold on provinces. It called it a “wrecking ball” that “smac…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, farmers feed Canadians and the world, but in Lakeland three straight years of ag disasters have hurt crops and forced farmers to sell livestock early. It is not over yet and the damage will happen for years. The NDP-Liberal plan to cut fertilizer use will slash yields even more. It risks Canada’s food supply and security. Farmers pay a quarter of their bills in carbon tax. Fertilizer …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, that was a really long “no”. The NDP-Liberals, just like the Prime Minister just did, always talk about big spending and top-down government programs, but the results are record prices for fertilizer, for fuel and food, for heating and for housing. Rural Canadians pay a rural tax of over $1,500 just to travel for medical care. None of those are luxuries. Farmers cannot change the dist…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, rural Canadians cannot afford this speNDP-Liberal government. It has killed rural jobs in oil and gas, forestry, mining and agriculture. It has caused record inflation and piled on red tape that crushes small businesses. Western rural municipalities want the government to stop the carbon tax hike on fuel that makes everything more expensive. The NDP-Liberals say no. Conservatives aske…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, it is very concerning to hear the minister and the NDP-Liberals misrepresent what this bill would do. To be clear, what this bill would really do is reduce mandatory minimums for all kinds of existing gun crimes and also allow for house arrest for the kinds of crimes that leave people traumatized and harmed forever, like human trafficking, like sexual assault, like kidnapping, like ab…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I was talking about exports, but the reality is that Canadian energy producers have reduced emissions and increased production over the last 20 years, but the NDP-Liberals have done everything they can to shut them down. The Liberals now claim to support hiking production, but they also plan to cut it. The NDP deputy prime minister does not want any future oil and gas at all. Uncertai…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, Canada has the most environmentally and socially responsible oil and gas in the world. After almost seven years of the NDP-Liberals stopping pipelines and blocking exports, the natural resources minister now says Canada can boost production by 300,000 barrels per day to offset dictator oil. However, the environment minister's new plan risks 13,000 Alberta jobs and will cut production …

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, rural Canadians cannot afford the carbon tax. Fertilizer and fuel costs have doubled in two years. The Bank of Canada said that the carbon tax hikes inflation. Farm businesses already paid $14,000 a year in carbon taxes when it was at $20 a tonne, but in less than a week it will go up 150% more than that and only increases from there. The Liberals claim that rebates cover the cost, …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, energy self-sufficiency is national security, but the Liberals have killed four pipelines, more than 300,000 oil and gas jobs and more than $150 billion in energy and indigenous projects, and they have lost 18 LNG export proposals. There is now a scheme with the NDP to end oil and gas in Canada and hike the carbon tax. Canada has the most responsible oil and gas and among the largest …

Private Members' Business

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the member for Regina—Lewvan and colleagues right across Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan, I will respond to the private member's bill, Bill C-235, from the member for Winnipeg South Centre. I first wanted to say that I really respect the member. I enjoy working opposite to and sometimes constructively with him. Most of all, I am sincerely heartened to see him here and …

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, in 1891, Ukrainians first came to Lamont County, where I grew up. It is known as the cradle of Ukrainian settlement in Canada. The first MP of Ukrainian descent was elected in Vegreville in 1926. Lakeland is home to symbols of Ukrainian food, faith and culture, the world's largest pysanka, historic sites, Ukrainian immersion school programs, and more than 22,000 Ukrainian Canadians. T…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Coutts, Emerson and Windsor borders were cleared before the Prime Minister invoked the Emergencies Act. It was not required for demonstrators to leave Ottawa either. Security and financial experts say there were no real threats to Canada and no suspicious financial activity. A lawyer who actually helped draft the act said it was unnecessary, that the burden of proof was not convin…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister implied that protesters were terrorists. On Friday, the deputy director of FINTRAC was asked if terrorists were using crowdfunding platforms to launder money. He said, “We have not seen them. It is not a high risk”, but Canadians' accounts were frozen and sweeping powers were put in place. Last week, Conservatives asked if the Liberals got a legal opinion. The justi…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, a financial crime expert says the Emergencies Act is a “serious [deviation] from the normal democratic processes”. A U of T finance professor says, “Banks may be inclined to overreact...to avoid running afoul of the government”. Security and finance experts say there are no suspicious activities or credible threats with protest-related donations. There is no evidence, court order or d…

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, I will split my time with the member for Saskatoon—Grasswood. Today, I must oppose the Prime Minister's unjustified and draconian invocation of the Emergencies Act for the first time in Canada. Like so many watching from home in Lakeland, I am struggling with the events of the last two days. Seared in my mind are images of fellow Canadians literally and metaphorically trampled, push…

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, I am here on behalf of the people of Lakeland whose bank accounts have already been frozen, who are worried about the impacts on their ability to attend public events with their children, who are not sure if they are going to be targeted, shut down and pursued by a government with which they simply ideologically and politically disagree. What I am opposed to in the House of Commons …

Orders of the Day

No, Madam Speaker. This is about a fundamental principle of the ability of citizens to express themselves and not have the government take extreme and unprecedented action, which is invasive in all parts of their lives, for which tools already exist. That is what we are debating here today with the Emergencies Act. When it comes to threatening people's lives, assaulting or criminal activities, of …

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, that is precisely an example of the name-calling, of the extremist and inflammatory frothing at the mouth, of words being put into a person's mouth, of painting with one big broad brush and twisting the points a person has made, that has driven hundreds of thousands of Canadians to feel ignored, abandoned, insulted and attacked by elected representatives, by the Prime Minister and b…