Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, in every federal prison across Canada, the Government of Canada is upholding the right of inmates to choose whether they receive a COVID-19 vaccination. However, the same is not given to correctional officers and public servants tasked with running our institutions, and some of them are even losing their jobs over this. Why is the Government of Canada applying one set of standards for…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, what we need to do in British Columbia is support the construction of infrastructure such as a rail system for the public. We need a lot of public transportation to help our economy and families, who are paying too much for gas right now.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, Bill C-8 talks about an underused housing tax act. The recent budget, in conjunction with Bill C-8, talked about implementation of the underused housing tax act. Indeed, this is something we have in British Columbia already, but I would be remiss if I did not point out the obvious gaps included in the act, including the fact that under this new law, foreign students would still be a…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I saw the member for Sydney—Victoria wearing a wonderful tie with his name and a picture of his riding on it in the colours of the Liberal Party. Just to confirm, is it okay for me to wear a blue and white tie with my name on it and the name of my riding as well? Can you please clarify that for the House, Mr. Speaker?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, over the last two weeks I have received call after call after call from angry constituents about the poor service they have received at Passport Canada offices. Our constituents are regularly lining up at four or five a.m. just to see an agent. The Government of Canada knew there was going to be a surge in applications, yet it did nothing about the expected demand. Why is Passport Can…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on April 7, our province mourned the loss of a wonderful, community-minded man: Mr. Terry Raymond, who had a larger-than-life personality. My sincere condolences to his family, friends and constituents. Terry was the Electoral Area A director for the Boston Bar, North Bend and Canyon Alpine communities of the Fraser Valley Regional District. He was a true champion of rural British Col…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for Nepean for raising a very important point on critical minerals. In January, I believe, the Toronto Star and the National Post reported on Zijin Mining Group, a state-owned enterprise in China, purchasing Neo Lithium Corp. in Canada. There was no national security review of that purchase. Moving forward, does this member believe that the Governm…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I could not hear most of the question, so I will just say this: The first political experience I had in my life was in 1993 when the previous Reform Party talked about the west wanting in. Some of those structural grievances that led to that populous movement relate to what we are discussing here today, which is that British Columbia—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I think the key thing that needs to be upheld in this chamber is representation by population.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I heard the word “proportion” and that the Bloc Québécois put forward that motion because it wanted to maintain the proportionality of the Quebec members of Parliament in the House. I stand here today as a member of Parliament for British Columbia and my objective is that the proportionality of my province is one day reflected in our chamber. British Columbians only have six Senate …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, Conservatives moved a unanimous consent motion around the same time as the Bloc Québécois motion essentially asking for this. In my remarks, I pointed out problems that both the previous Conservative governments and previous Liberal governments have had regarding this issue. In fact, this is an issue that extends beyond political parties. It is about fair representation for all Cana…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is just a little loud in here.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak about Bill C-14, the preserving provincial representation in the House of Commons act. The seat allocation and electoral boundaries readjustment process is an important part of our democracy. Its purpose is to ensure that the House of Commons reflects the changing nature of Canada's demographic profile and that all Canadian voices are heard. I will …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I did hear one point from the member opposite about the proportionality that Quebec wanted to—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the average riding size of the four ridings in Prince Edward Island is 38,582. Some basic math here shows that, on average, a vote in Prince Edward Island is worth 2.62 times more than a vote in my riding. How is this fair? How is this democratic? How does this live up to the principles upheld in our courts in 1991? Are the concerns of someone from Charlottetown worth 2.62 times more …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, Canada and Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon are home to a vibrant community of more than one million Punjabi Canadians. Each year, many travel to the Punjab region to visit family, friends and religious landmarks like the Golden Temple, but right now they must fly into Delhi and make the long journey by train, bus or other means. Canadians are asking for direct flight service from Vancou…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, time and time again I have risen in the House to bring to the government's attention the flooding and wildfire disasters in my riding and the horrific impacts they have had on my communities. I would be remiss if I did not mention that this is budget week and the window of opportunity to receive funds to help repair many of the damages that British Columbians have suffered is quickl…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Winnipeg for that summation and congratulate the public servant who wrote that. It was a job well done. It was a good summary. I have a couple of other points to quickly raise. The Duffy Lake Road was on the national news a lot when the disasters were taking place. Four people died on the Duffy Lake Road, largely due to mudslides. Much of that highway, whic…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, the Vancouver Rogues are Canada's first gay and inclusive rugby club, originally active from 2001 to 2009. The club has been revived for the 2021-22 B.C. Rugby Union season, sponsored by the Meraloma Rugby Club. The Rogues plan on being a permanent team with a mission to support under-represented communities in sport and to fight homophobic and transphobic behaviours both in sport and…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the AgriDiversity Program administered by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: (a) how many applications were received in 2021; (b) how many projects were successful and received funding in 2021; (c) how many projects in (a) and (b) were to support African and Black Canadian work in 2021; and (d) what are the details of all projects in (c), including, for each, the (i) location, (ii) p…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise to speak to Bill C-8, the fall economic and fiscal update. I just got my seasons confused there. I realized it was the spring and we are still debating the fall economic—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, let me just start by saying one thing. My staff were up in the village of Lytton the other day, and the village of Lytton has not had much luck as of late. Finally, after months, we have seen debris removal take place. Some of the archeological assessments mandated by the provincial government have been completed in conjunction with Lytton First Nation. Everyone is hoping to just mo…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I think I agree with something from the member for Kingston and the Thousand Islands—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my apologies, it is Kingston and the Islands. I was on the red eye last night, as I figured I was going to be voting on time allocation this morning, but apparently the agreement between the Liberals and the NDP for supporting time allocation failed. The member is talking about the Conservatives, but it was actually the failure of the House leaders of the Liberal Party and the New D…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I believe that in this specific case the federal government needs to give up some of its programs under the national housing strategy and turn the construction of housing for young families over to Canada's provinces and territories.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague for Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke has a very fair question. Back 100 years ago, in the Fraser Valley, we had electric rail that went from Vancouver to Chilliwack, yet we moved away from that. We need to get back to rail infrastructure to ease the congestion and get people to where they need to go faster. People want it. It is good for the economy, and it is good for peop…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, hearing the commentary today, I think there is one thing all British Columbians can agree on, irrespective of party, and that is that the Government of Canada has a role to play in helping to rebuild British Columbia. In this week's budget, can the government let us know whether there would be additional funds on top of the $5 billion for dike infrastructure, road repair, and first na…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, the member is insinuating that there are members of the far right in the Conservative Party. That is completely false and inappropriate.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, that is completely inappropriate and it is not a fact. My family came to Canada. I am a member of the Conservative Party. One does not insinuate that I am a member of the far right. It is completely inappropriate and unbecoming of the member for Winnipeg North. I expect more from him.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, he did not make reference to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, this morning I was reading an article in The Globe and Mail, and it was quoting, extensively, the chief executive of the Bank of Canada, David McKay. He said that he was uneasy about the economy and that there was a frustration and mistrust between the business community and the Government of Canada. He said some of those challenges are ideological, that there needs to be a shift aw…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, thousands of my constituents, and other Canadians from across the country, signed a petition I put forward on improving the number of flights from Canada to India. They are calling upon the Government of Canada to renegotiate the air transportation agreement with the Government of India to allow for direct flights to Amritsar Airport. My constituents understand that this will not ta…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my biggest concern with this legislation is that it is lazy. I do not think the government even tried to adapt to the 21st century with this bill. It took outdated and anachronistic terms and definitions that have been in place since 1991 and is trying to apply an outdated and unworkable formula for the reality we live in in the 21st century. As I mentioned in my speech, the consequ…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am just going to fix my tie because a constituent said that the last time I spoke I did not fix my tie. It was the first thing I heard at Tim Hortons when I returned home—
Read full speech →Government Orders
You know what? I love this blue tie. Thank you, Mr. Lamoureux.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, today I am so pleased to speak to Bill C-11, an act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other acts. This bill is big, and this bill it really big news. When a lot of Canadians where I come from think of what the government does well and does not do well, it often relates to what we might watch on TV or what we might stream on the Interne…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, how do I define freedom of expression? Well, there are a lot of definitions of freedom of expression, but of course it is always going to be subject to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, what I am supporting is the right of Canadians to decide what they want to do on the Internet with their own free time. Frankly, when a Liberal member tells me that the Liberal Minister of Canadian Heritage has given us a guarantee, all we have to point to is Bill C-10. The former minister of the environment frankly lied to Canadians over and over again about the impact the bill wou…
Read full speech →Government Orders
I retract the words, Madam Speaker, and that is a fair point. My apologies. In the debate, I should not have said that.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would encourage the member opposite to take a look at Canada research chair Michael Geist, who commented extensively on the exception to the exception and the parts from proposed section 4.1 that I quoted in my speech. I think that says enough about what the bill would do.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague from Vancouver Island raises a valid point, and I do believe that provisions related to promoting indigenous culture and language are in fact good. I am always reticent to give power to regulators to determine winners and losers, but I do support, in general, more supports for some of the rural indigenous communities that I represent to get their fair share of fund…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, each year, British Columbia faces numerous wildfires that devastate communities and wildlife. With every wildfire, lumber prices, job availability, the risk of mill closures, mudslides, home insurance increases and damage to critical habitat are all affected. During the Lytton fire, residents were told to stay away and not try to put out fires as water bombers were coming. In many cas…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it dismays me that I need to stand again and raise a point a order. The Minister of Housing stated again that there was no mention of affordable housing in the Conservative platform from the last election. I am seeking unanimous consent to table that plan and outline that we did have a plan to address affordability.
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand here today to congratulate one of my constituents upon her retirement at the end of March, Debra Arnott. As a strong first nations leader with deep roots in the Fraser Canyon, for the last 30 years Debra served the region as the general manager of Community Futures Sun Country. Throughout her tenure, her passion and business acumen bolstered local entrepreneurs a…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, at the end of 2021, Canadian home prices were 19% above the borrowing capacity of medium-income households. By summer 2022, it is expected to reach a level that is 38% higher than what most borrowers can afford. This is despite the fact that the government has earmarked $72 billion for housing. When there are no real outcomes we can point to except an affordability crisis, why is the …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, on February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a peaceful, democratic and sovereign nation that did nothing wrong. In the weeks since, we have witnessed an outpouring of support for Ukraine from Canadians. Today I rise to present a petition on behalf of constituents in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon calling on the Government of Canada to increas…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period the Minister of Housing said there was no mention of affordable housing in the Conservative platform. I would like to seek unanimous consent to table that platform and outline that we have a plan for indigenous housing—
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition from my constituents in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon calling on the government to stop targeting licensed, law-abiding firearms owners and to cancel its plan to confiscate their legally obtained private property through its arbitrary firearms ban. The petitioners are calling for the limited resources that do exist to focus on anti-gang enforcement, reducing…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, Canada and Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon are home to a vibrant community of more than one million Punjabi Canadians. Each year many travel to the Punjab region to visit family, friends and religious landmarks like the Golden Temple. Right now, they must fly into Delhi and make the long journey by train, bus or other means. Canadians are asking for direct flight service from Vancouver …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot talked about the Quebec nation and making sure that Quebec has enough representation in the House. First, if Quebec wants to have another referendum, the National Assembly should go for another referendum. Based on the language he has been providing today, it seems that is what they want to do. I would encourage him to talk to his premier to do tha…
Read full speech →