Tim Uppal

Mr. Speaker, at a time when Canadians are skipping meals because the cost of food has become too high, the last thing they need is a government making it even more expensive to get food from the farm to the grocery store. Diesel prices have hit an all-time high. Canada's trucking industry is warning that higher diesel costs will mean higher prices for Canadians. The Liberals are costing Canadians even more. When diesel costs rise, so does the cost of moving food, building homes, farming, delivering goods and running businesses. These costs are passed on to Canadian families. That is why Canada has the second-highest food inflation in all of the G7. After months of Conservative pressure, the government finally backed down and delayed its proposed gas tax hike, but that is not enough. We call on the government to remove all federal taxes on gas and diesel. Canadians need real relief to bring lower prices, not another Liberal half measure.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Skyview for splitting his time with me. I know how difficult it is to take any speaking time away from a former gurdwara president. Along with a rise in violent crime in this country, we also see a rise in hate crimes right across Canada. Canadians are looking to the government for leadership and action. Laws that already exist need to be enforced, and new legislation needs to be brought in to help keep communities safe. Unfortunately, Liberal Bill C‑9 would take away protections and create uncertainty and fear among many communities and people of faith. At the heart of the debate today on Bill C‑9 is the proposed removal of a long-standing religious freedom protection that has been part of Canada's Criminal Code for more than 50 years. When Parliament first enacted hate propaganda laws in the 1970s, it deliberately included safeguards for truth, public interest, lack of intent and good-faith religious expression based on sincerely held religious beliefs and religious texts. These protections were designed to ensure that Canada could combat genuine hate crimes while preserving the fundamental freedoms that are essential in a free, democratic country. Let me be clear: This defence has never protected calls for violence, threats, genocide or any other criminal act. Those actions were already illegal and remain illegal. The issue before us today is not whether anyone should be free to spread hatred. The issue is whether Canadians acting in good faith should lose a long-standing protection for lawful religious expression. Bill C‑9 would remove that protection, and the Senate amendment would do nothing to restore it. The Liberal government has proposed changes to the Criminal Code through Bill C‑9 that could have serious consequences for freedom of expression and for religious liberty in our country. The bill would repeal long‑standing provisions that protect individuals speaking on a religious subject or quoting their sacred texts. These protections have existed for over five decades to ensure that good‑faith expression or belief is not misinterpreted as criminal conduct. With these changes, individuals acting in good faith, meaning reasonably and without malicious intent, could face the risk that preaching, sharing beliefs or expressing political views may be treated as hate speech under an expanded interpretation of the bill. It is no surprise that many people of faith, and different religious organizations, have been sounding the alarms, warning that the legislation would create uncertainty for faith communities, where sincere religious expression could potentially be subject to criminal investigation or prosecution. In fact, the same religious minority groups that are often victims of hate crimes have raised concern about parts of Bill C‑9 that could backfire and be used against them, potentially undermining the civil liberties that have historically protected them from persecution. The legal counsel for the Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association acknowledged that Islamophobia is a serious issue affecting her community. She explained that Muslims, along with other racialized and marginalized groups, often face hatred, not only because of their religion but also because of race, ethnicity, language and even clothing. Despite these concerns, she urged the committee and the Senate to reject Bill C‑9 in its current form because of its impact on civil liberties. She warned that the bill would not improve public safety. Instead, she said, it could lead to overcriminalization of marginalized communities, limit political expression and reduce constitutional freedoms. She also cautioned that it could discourage people from participating in democratic debate and civic engagement, which would ultimately not make anyone safer. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has also raised significant concerns regarding the proposed removal of religious exemption in Bill C‑9. In an open letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the bishops stated that the proposed amendment could have unintended consequences for religious freedom in Canada and that the current defence provides a crucial and vital safeguard for Canadians who express sincerely held religious beliefs in good faith. They noted that the provision has long protected individuals from criminal prosecution for discussing or teaching beliefs grounded in religious traditions and sacred texts. They also warned that removing the exemption could create uncertainty for faith communities, clergy, educators and religious organizations. According to the bishops, some may fear that traditional religious teachings on moral or doctrinal matters could be misinterpreted as hate speech, potentially exposing individuals to criminal proceedings. They express their serious concern that people would be put in a position where they must refrain from teaching their sincerely held religious beliefs. In other words, the fear of the state's cracking down on ideas with which it disagrees would lead to priests and faith leaders being silenced. Balpreet Singh, legal counsel for the World Sikh Organization of Canada, testified that his organization's recent study found that 65% of respondents across Canada have expressed anti-Sikh hate. At the same time, he raised concerns that parts of Bill C-9 could undermine lawful political expression, peaceful protests and religious freedom. He also warned that Bill C-9 has already become the target of a disinformation campaign, particularly in foreign media and online, which has falsely claimed that the bill is aimed at the Sikh communities in Canada. According to Mr. Singh, these claims are misleading and are intended to create fear and suspicion within the Sikh community. Mr. Singh emphasized that this combination of unclear legislation and misinformation has created unnecessary fear within the community even before the bill has been fully enacted. Just recently, the Senate proposed an amendment to Bill C-9 that would do nothing to address the real issues with the piece of legislation. While the amendment would add the noose to the list of prohibited hate symbols, it would do nothing to restore the protections for freedom of religion and freedom of expression that Bill C-9 would remove. The Senate amendment would not restore the religious defence. It would not address concerns about freedom of expression. It would not address concerns about freedom of religion, nor would it respond to the warnings raised by many of the communities the legislation is supposed to protect. At its core, the debate remains about fundamental freedoms. On this side of the House, we support stronger protections for churches, synagogues, gurdwaras, mosques, temples and cultural centres, and for the Canadians who gather inside them. No one should face—

Mr. Speaker, under this Liberal Prime Minister, Canada is the only G20 country in a recession, and in the last few days, we have learned more about how bad the numbers actually are. Stats Canada reports that business investment has now fallen for five straight quarters. Labour productivity has declined in three of the last four quarters. If the Prime Minister's plan is working, why are Canadian businesses seeing a continuous decline in investment and productivity? Will the Liberals admit that we are in a recession and that their plan is not working at all?

Mr. Speaker, while it is good to see some positive job numbers, the fact is that we are still thousands of jobs below where we were at the beginning of this year. Under this Liberal Prime Minister, household savings have fallen to their lowest level in years. Families are struggling to keep up with the cost of groceries, housing and other necessities. Some Canadians are now spending more than 120% of their income on food and rent alone. However, the Liberals claim that it is only a technical recession. Will the Prime Minister explain to Canadians why they are only technically worse off after a decade with this Liberal government?

Mr. Speaker, despite the illusions with the Prime Minister, it's more cost, more blocking our resources and more of the same because he is just another Liberal. The Prime Minister said a pipeline was “more probable than possible”, but there is no proponent, no start date, no completion date and no route. There is no plan. If the Prime Minister wants Canadians to believe he is not just another Liberal, will the government tell us on what date construction will start on this new pipeline? We would like just the date, please.

Mr. Speaker, it is not the Americans who are blocking a pipeline to the west coast. It is the government. The biggest barrier we are facing within the industry is the Liberal government. The Prime Minister has not reversed a single Liberal antidevelopment law, reduced a single tax on our resource industries or delivered a single shovel in the ground on a new project from his Major Projects Office. It is more of the same because he is just another Liberal. They said that they would move at unimaginable speeds, so on what date will construction start on the new pipeline?

Mr. Speaker, we cannot solve a problem if we deny it even exists, yet the Prime Minister told Canadians that, “Affordability is the best it has been in over a decade.” Yesterday, he doubled down, denying the pain Canadians are feeling at the pumps, in their wallets and at the grocery stores. The fact is, half of Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque. After a year of this Liberal Prime Minister, Canadians are paying more but getting less. When will the Prime Minister stop denying reality and deliver real results for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want us to believe everything is fine, but Canadians are being crushed by food and fuel costs. After the Prime Minister's rhetoric, a whole year of it with no results, inflation has jumped again. Families are being forced to cut back, stretch every dollar and, in many cases, rely on the food bank. The government could have adopted our plan to bring down the price of groceries or to remove all the taxes on gas for the rest of the year. When will it stop with its illusions and deliver real results?

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Battle River—Crowfoot. Canada is facing a crisis that begins at our borders and ends up in our communities. Criminals have been emboldened by weak Liberal policies, and non-citizen criminals have been able to exploit our asylum system. Some of these criminals are now exploiting the refugee system, and those with false claims are remaining in Canada. At the same time, extortion has exploded 330% since the Liberals were elected. Families and small businesses in places such as Brampton, my hometown of Edmonton, Surrey, Vancouver and Calgary are living in fear. Many of them are actually contemplating leaving this country. Violent crime is at the highest level we have ever seen in Canada. In British Columbia alone, extortion is up nearly 500%. This is happening right across the country and in plain sight. In fact, these criminals are filming themselves shooting at houses, creating videos and posting them. When non-citizen criminals are caught committing serious crimes, including extortion, many of them file false asylum claims, which delay deportation and provide more lenient sentencing. In fact, under the Liberal government's catch-and-release bail laws, many are put right back on the streets, where they are free to reoffend. Despite many Conservative proposals on both issues of broken immigration and soaring crime, the government continues to make things worse by letting unvetted criminals into our country, and then allowing them to stay as they exploit asylum loopholes. The government is also refusing to enforce tough penalties for serious crimes. No wonder crime is out of control and victims are the ones paying the price. Just last week, the Premier of British Columbia expressed deep frustration with Canada's immigration laws as they pertain to non-citizens committing serious crimes and subsequently making asylum claims. He asked for our laws to be changed and called the abuse of our system “ludicrous”. Ten years of weak Liberal laws have allowed serious dangerous criminals, many of whom should never have been in Canada in the first place, to gain a foothold and terrorize our communities. What is happening today with foreign gangs and criminals across this country is a symptom of two deep structural failures caused by the Liberal government. First, foreign criminals have learned that Canada's asylum system is porous and easily manipulated and second, weak Liberal laws have made our system unable to keep criminals in jail or deport non-citizen offenders. These two failures are driving up crime almost everywhere across the country. On top of this, the Liberals stopped performing criminal record checks on immigrants, allowing people with criminal pasts to come here and continue their criminal careers. Before the summer, I asked the government what it was doing to protect Canadians. The answer was that it is going to hire 1,000 new RCMP officers. In the fall, we asked how many of them had been hired. Those RCMP officers have not yet been hired. Weak legislation on crime, which does not even keep the worst criminals in jail, as well as Canada's asylum system, which has become a shield for foreign gangs and criminals, continue to spread crime and disorder throughout our streets without an end in sight. Conservatives have put forward real solutions. On extortion, I introduced my private member's bill, Bill C-381, the protection against extortion act, that would have restored mandatory jail time. The Liberal government voted against it. On asylum abuse, we warned the government years ago that criminals were exploiting gaps in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and in November, the Conservatives proposed an amendment to Bill C-12 to bar non-citizens convicted of serious crimes in Canada from making refugee claims. This was a common-sense proposal that would have prevented the abuse of our asylum system and stopped non-citizens from using refugee claims as a tactic to delay deportation after committing serious crimes. The Liberals rejected it at committee. The Premier of British Columbia has said that Canada's immigration laws must change, and he is right. Conservatives agree with him that non-citizens convicted of serious crimes should not be allowed to file asylum claims. We also agree that Canada must bar non-citizens with active judicial proceedings for serious crimes from making refugee claims. This would stop those who believe they can commit serious crimes and avoid deportation by abusing Canada's asylum system. Furthermore, the practice of judges granting leniency at sentencing to help non-citizens avoid deportation must end. Too many individuals convicted of serious crimes have benefited from this practice at the expense of victims and public safety. Conservatives attempted to make these changes by amending Bill C-14, but Liberal members voted it down. That is why the member for Calgary Nose Hill introduced Bill C-220, which is a simple one-line change to the Criminal Code to end this practice once and for all. The bill will be up for a vote in a few weeks, and we hope the Liberal government will support the Conservatives with this bill. The Liberal government has failed repeatedly. Its members voted against Conservative motions to end loopholes for false refugee claims. They voted against tougher sentencing for extortion in my bill, Bill C-381. They have refused to repeal Bill C-5 and Bill C-75, which created Canada's revolving-door justice system. They have now rejected our common-sense amendment to Bill C-12 to bar non-citizens convicted of serious crimes in Canada from making refugee claims. Conservatives are calling on the government to stop blocking justice and to bar non-citizens convicted of serious crimes from making refugee claims. We also must bar non-citizens with active judicial proceedings for serious crimes from making refugee claims and end the practice of sentencing leniency designed to help non-citizens avoid deportation. There are overdue, crucial changes to Canada's immigration system and asylum laws that would finally close loopholes and prevent serious offenders from using Canada's immigration system to their advantage. Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities. They deserve a government willing to stand up for victims, not criminals, and they deserve a federal government that will finally fix the asylum and immigration failures at the core of this crisis. Conservatives have the common-sense solutions. We are ready to work with the Liberals to expedite legislation that will deliver these long overdue changes and restore safety to Canadian neighbourhoods.

Mr. Speaker, Liberals like to, first of all, believe that crime is down, which is false. The other thing is that after 10 years of bringing forward soft-on-crime Liberal policies that created this mess, that made it easier to get bail and reduced sentencing for serious violent criminals, they are trying to blame us now for stalling legislation. The fact of the matter is that 19 times we tried to debate those bills to be able to vote on them in the House of Commons and they blocked it. We are ready to work with the government to protect Canadians. Will the government work with us?

Mr. Speaker, there are so many stories from across the country, and I have met so many of these victims, from Brampton, Surrey, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and right across the country. I have heard from business owners, many of whom say they came to this country to build a better life for themselves and their families but now are actually thinking about leaving this country because they do not feel safe. I have talked to kids who say they have not been able to go to school because their family is under threat; their family is hiding. Obviously it has a very, very serious effect on children as well. I have talked to families who are now living in their basement. They do not live upstairs because the upstairs might get shot at, so for weeks and months now, they have been living in their basement because their lives are under threat. Many of these families are in hotels. This has completely uprooted Canadian families, and unfortunately, the Liberals have yet to take real action on this.

Mr. Speaker, that is completely false. We have brought forward legislation to stop this extortion threat. A couple of years ago, I brought forward a private member's bill that would have brought in mandatory minimum sentences for extortion. The Liberals voted against it. My colleague from Oxford brought in the jail not bail act, which we tried to fast-forward, but the Liberals blocked it. We tried to move forward and debate their legislation to strengthen the bail laws, which does not go as far as we would like, but we were still willing to work with them. They blocked it 19 times. We are willing to work to help Canadians to be safer, but unfortunately, the Liberals have yet to do so.

Mr. Speaker, what we see from the Liberals over and over again is more photo ops and more press conferences. They have had summits, meetings and discussions across the country. What we do not see is what they have actually done. There has been no action. They said before the summer that they would hire 1,000 new RCMP officers. After the summer, we asked them in the fall how many of those have been hired. None had been hired. They are not taking action. It is more talk from the Liberals. Canadians need action to protect them.

Mr. Speaker, extortion is out of control in this country. Small business owners are being threatened, firebombed and shot at. They are living in fear, and many are contemplating leaving this country, yet the Liberal government refuses to take this crisis seriously. Some of these criminals, who should be deported, are now exploiting the refugee system with false claims in order to stay in Canada. We tried to close these loopholes, but the Liberals continue to obstruct. Will the government support our motion to protect Canadians from dangerous non-citizens by closing this loophole and finally ending these bogus refugee claims?

Mr. Speaker, for 10 years we have heard the Liberals make excuses and blame others while Canadians continue to live in fear as criminals threaten their families, businesses and communities. Serious non-citizen offenders are exploiting loopholes in the refugee system to stay in the country, leaving Canadians vulnerable. Will the Liberals finally work with us to pass this motion to ban these non-citizen criminals from making false refugee claims and ensure Canadians are protected from dangerous offenders who should be deported?

Mr. Speaker, Canada now has the worst record for food inflation in the entire G7, with grocery prices up 6%. That is an extra $1,000 for an average family in Canada to buy groceries. Costs have doubled since the Prime Minister has taken office. That is twice the rate of food inflation than in the United States. Over two million Canadians a month are having to go to food banks. The Liberals continue to pile on the costs with their industrial carbon tax and the fuel standards tax. When will they finally deliver real and permanent relief for Canadian families?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have heard this all before, band-aid solutions that most Canadians will not even qualify for. Families need real action that actually lowers the cost of food at the grocery store. Conservatives are ready to fast-track any legislation that will help deliver real results for Canadians. When will the Liberals get serious about tackling food inflation and introduce legislation to permanently scrap the industrial carbon tax and the fuel standards tax that are driving up the costs for farmers, truckers and every family trying to put food on the table?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are living in fear in their own neighbourhoods as extortion runs rampant right across the country. In British Columbia alone, extortion has increased by nearly 500%, yet the Liberals continue to ignore this crisis, so much so that just yesterday Surrey city council desperately passed a unanimous motion to ask the government to take some action. Canadians do not need more empty announcements or more meetings and town halls. Canadians need action. Why is the government ignoring the safety of Canadians? When will the Liberals finally work with us to bring in mandatory minimum sentences for extortion to help protect Canadians?

moved: That the House: (a) take note of the Memorandum of Understanding between Canada and Alberta of November 27, 2025; and (b) support the construction of one or more pipelines enabling the export of at least one million barrels a day of low-emission Alberta bitumen from a strategic deep­water port on the British Columbia coast to reach Asian markets, including through an appropriate adjustment to the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, while respecting the duty to consult Indigenous peoples.

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the great member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley. Today, the House of Commons will debate and vote on a Conservative motion calling for a new oil pipeline to the Pacific coast, overriding the tanker ban on shipping bitumen to Asia. Just eight months ago, the Prime Minister told Canadians that his government would build things previously thought impossible at speeds we have not seen in generations, and that he would build Canada into an energy superpower. When announcing his memorandum of understanding with Alberta, he said, “At the core of the agreement, of course, is a priority to have a pipeline to Asia. That is going to make Canada stronger, more independent, more resilient, more sustainable”. The language in today's motion comes directly from the Prime Minister's own MOU with Alberta. It states: That the House: (a) take note of the Memorandum of Understanding between Canada and Alberta of November 27, 2025; and (b) support the construction of one or more pipelines enabling the export of at least one million barrels a day of low-emission Alberta bitumen from a strategic deepwater port on the British Columbia coast to reach Asian markets, including through an appropriate adjustment to the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, while respecting the duty to consult Indigenous peoples. Canadians cannot afford any more delays. A pipeline to the Pacific coast, shipping a million barrels of oil a day to Asia at world prices, would mean stronger take-home pay for Canadians and a resilient, self-reliant economy. A pipeline is what Canada needs now, not more broken Liberal promises and not more bait-and-switch tactics from the government, yet the government continues to stall and stand in the way of this pipeline. The government promised one thing to Alberta and another thing to British Columbia. Even its own Liberal caucus is divided. Some Liberal MPs insist that a pipeline must have B.C.'s consent and, specifically, that it must have the consent of the Premier of British Columbia. They say that without it, there will be no pipeline. The constitutional reality is that British Columbia does not have a veto over an interprovincial pipeline. Only the federal government has that authority. That is a good thing, because the B.C. NDP premier has been clear that he is against a pipeline, saying, “it will never be built”. Conservatives brought forward this motion today because the Prime Minister's MOU does not promise that a pipeline will be built. Instead, it only commits that seven months from now, a proposal will be referred to a federal office for two more years of study, while the B.C. premier will still effectively have a veto on this pipeline. Why, then, do the Liberals refuse to assert federal jurisdiction, choosing instead to allow political obstruction to continue while Canadians struggle to pay their bills? Energy workers deserve better. Families deserve better. Canada deserves better. The Liberals need to do just one thing for a pipeline to happen: Get out of the way. That means repealing the industrial carbon tax, granting a permit for a pipeline and unblocking the billions of dollars in private sector energy investment that is ready to build. For an entire decade, the government has treated Canada's energy workers and energy-producing regions not as a national strength, but as a problem to be solved. It has blocked pipelines, cancelled projects, imposed punishing regulations and created a climate of uncertainty that has driven investment out of this country at record speed. It is no wonder that Canadians no longer trust the Liberals' promises and announcements, which so rarely result in anything. For 10 years, their policies have not just harmed the energy sector; they have hurt everyday Canadians who rely on affordable fuel, good jobs and a strong economy to support their families. Across the country, people are working harder, paying more and getting less. Groceries, housing and basic essentials keep rising in price, while paycheques stretch thinner and thinner. Monthly food bank visits keep smashing records, and people who once donated to their community food banks are now lining up for help for their families. When investment flees Canada, workers pay the price. When pipelines are blocked, paycheques shrink. When energy costs rise, the price of groceries, heating and housing rises with them. Good energy jobs that once sustained entire communities are leaving our country, and when that investment leaves, opportunity leaves with it. For years now, business after business has concluded that Canada is no longer a place where major projects can get approved, built or completed. Even the Prime Minister has admitted that Liberal laws make it impossible to get anything built. From Bill C-69, the “no new pipelines” law, and Bill C-48, the west coast shipping ban, to the oil and gas emissions cap and the punitive industrial carbon tax, these Liberal policies have sent thousands of Canadian jobs straight to the United States. Canada should be a country of big dreams and big projects. We should be attracting investment, not driving it away, but under the Liberal anti-investment agenda, over $500 billion in private sector investment has vanished. That is not an abstract number. That means thousands of paycheques that never went out, mortgages that became unaffordable and careers that were cut short. Instead of supporting workers and the industries that sustain them, the Liberals have spent a decade blocking major infrastructure, stalling resource projects and creating uncertainty that chases investment to other countries. Instead of supporting Canada's world-class energy industry, the Liberals have undermined it at every turn. Just this year alone, from May to September, nearly $54 billion of investment left Canada. This is in addition to more than $500 billion lost under Liberal governments. That is money that could have gone to jobs, wages and opportunities for Canadian families. The energy sector is a major employer, with nearly a million workers, and it contributes to $1 billion in revenue for the government. This is money that should have been building pipelines, supporting workers, strengthening communities and lowering costs for Canadians, not building prosperity in other countries and lining the pockets of dictators around the world. Liberal policies and energy production caps are projected to reduce oil and gas production by nearly 5%, cut GDP by $20 billion annually and eliminate over 54,000 full-time jobs by 2032, yet the Liberals are still committed to the same anti-growth policies that drove investment away. Today, the House of Commons has an opportunity to turn things around and give our country a brighter future. Members will vote on our Conservative motion to build a new pipeline to the Pacific coast and ship a million barrels a day to Asia at world prices, not the discount prices we see today. This motion today is about putting more money in the pockets of Canadian workers and raising paycheques across the country. This pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific coast would mean stronger take-home pay, lower long-term energy costs, billions of dollars of private investment and a more self-reliant, secure Canadian economy. The path forward is straightforward. If the Liberals truly want to build this pipeline, they must do just one thing: Get out of the way. Canada does not need more announcements or studies; Canada needs action, Canada needs jobs and Canada needs lower costs for struggling families. Conservatives will fight for stronger paycheques. We will fight to make energy, food and housing affordable and we will fight to rebuild a self-reliant, secure, sovereign Canadian economy. It is time to build that pipeline, it is time to restore Canada's economic strength and it is time to bring home Canadian prosperity.