Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, it is a true honour to stand here once again. My thanks to the hon. member for Brantford—Brant who may have just had his first speech in the House of Commons. I think that all of us Parliamentarians do better when we have more Crown prosecutors in the House of Commons to teach us about our justice system. It has been a really good, busy few weeks getting Parliament back and getting …
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Madam Speaker, that was a unanimous consent motion. All I can say is that we talk a lot about Quebec jurisdiction. We also need to talk about British Columbia jurisdiction. British Columbia only has six senators. I do not think there is a Supreme Court judge from British Columbia right now. The reality is that British Columbia needs a strong voice in Parliament right now. I am very pleased that in…
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Mr. Chair, it is a real pleasure to stand this evening and talk about timber, to talk about softwood lumber and the impact it is having across rural Canada. I appreciate the member for Timmins—James Bay raising the plight of workers. In my riding, workers have lost their jobs. They have lost their livelihoods and the ability to provide for their families because of government policy and government…
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Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the new member for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill for probably one of her first speeches. Right now, forestry workers in my riding do not want to hear rhetoric about a win-win because this has already been a loss-loss. They have already lost the jobs, the mills are already closing and forestry companies in B.C. like West Fraser are looking to go south of the borde…
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Mr. Speaker, twice in as many weeks, my constituents in the Fraser Valley and the Fraser Canyon have been impacted by widespread flooding. Washed-out highways, flooded fields and swamped barns have impacted agricultural production. Canadians are incurring huge losses across the board. Food security and our livelihood depend on federal support. Can the minister responsible for Pacific economic deve…
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Mr. Speaker, yet another atmospheric river is hitting B.C. We are bracing for and actively experiencing even more flooding. I will be pushing the recently formed federal-provincial B.C. flood recovery committee for the critical infrastructure small communities cannot afford, dike repairs and a revamp of our emergency response policy to learn from our mistakes. It goes without saying that highways …
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, the news last week that the Americans were doubling duties on softwood lumber for Canadian producers is yet another blow to B.C.'s economy. The communities I represent continue to be hammered by either natural disasters or now a failed trade policy. We simply cannot seem to catch a break. B.C. is the largest Canadian exporter of softwood lumber to the U.S., and our forestry industry…
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Madam Speaker, I will mention to the hon. member that reaching a deal is very important for British Columbia. When you move forward in the coming weeks and months, there should be a degree of transparency that lets industry know that the government is on their side and that you are giving a clear timeline about the actions you are taking when you are taking them. The economic loss is felt. The job…
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Mr. Speaker, sometimes the lessons we do not like are the best lessons learned. It was over six years ago that the hon. member for Abbotsford negotiated the last softwood lumber agreement we had in Canada. Now, due to Liberal inaction, the Biden administration has doubled the tariffs, and the workers in my riding, where mills have been shut, are wondering when the Liberal government will give them…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I owe my colleague from Vancouver East an apology, because during my caucus meeting today I missed our panel on CBC Radio in Vancouver. I apologize to her for that. I hope she stood up for the opposition. Regarding my colleague's question, I spoke with the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion about the supports the Government of Canada is going to p…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Vancouver Granville for his first speech in the House of Commons. Indeed, many of the disasters we have seen since the summer and into the fall, in my riding especially, are caused by climate change. However, we cannot forget that early in the 20th century the Government of Canada drained the Sumas Lake and created a system of dikes that have art…
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Madam Speaker, it has been a very reassuring evening in the House of Commons. The people in my communities in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon are in the midst of a very difficult year, which is bringing home the impacts of climate change in ways none of us thought about even a short time ago. On June 29, Canada's heat record was shattered as temperatures soared to 49.6°C, marking the hottest day in …
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Mr. Speaker, earlier this year I requested that special funding through the Treasury Board Secretariat management reserve be delivered expeditiously for the Village of Lytton. Can the Prime Minister provide any assurances about the type of funding the Village of Lytton will receive and what funding stream will be utilized by the Government of Canada to provide the support he just assured the House…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on June 29 my riding suffered one of the worst disasters in recent memory: Lytton burned to the ground. Now floods and mudslides have destroyed critical infrastructure and private property in every corner of my riding in the last few weeks. My constituents in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon are hurting. B.C. is hurting. We are resilient and we will get through this, but we need help. Th…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands for keeping it real with respect to the impacts people are feeling right now. A friend on Facebook who I went to high school with said, “My house is flooded, but I can't leave my dogs.” For many people, and those of us who door-knock, basically one in three Canadians has a pet that is considered a part of the family. Those are very traumat…
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Madam Speaker, I agree with the member for North Okanagan—Shuswap. I have already been pushing the Minister of Infrastructure in this House since we have been here together. I had the most productive hour of my month on Monday when everyone was in the House of Commons and I could go from minister to minister, impressing upon them the need to take action for British Columbia. What I heard tonight i…
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Madam Speaker, the other day I had a meeting with Chief Patrick Michell. He is a very dynamic individual and has worked really hard to get the federal government out of the way so Kanaka Bar Indian Band can build housing. Right now, as part of its infrastructure plan, I think the federal government needs to get housing built. It took three years for Chief Michell to get 24 units built. Let us work…
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Madam Speaker, the answer is absolutely yes. I worked hard with the member for Vancouver East on a study and it is very clear, especially in rural and northern communities, that indigenous people are not getting a fair shake from the federal government in terms of equal access to government programs. It is incumbent upon this new Parliament to address those rural deficiencies, especially in indige…
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Mr. Speaker, this evening, the Canada research chair in Internet and e-commerce law stated that he found it hard to think of a bill that had been more poorly communicated or understood. He specifically called out the Liberal government for misleading Canadians about the impact it would have on social media services. Would the member simply believe that the Canada research chair is wrong or is in f…
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Mr. Speaker, earlier this evening in the debate, the member for Toronto—Danforth, in response to a question I posed, wanted to make it super clear that this bill “specifically excludes content uploaded by users.” In response to that, the Canada research chair in Internet and e-commerce law stated on Twitter that it was false, that she was just wrong. Who has it right? Does the government have it r…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to present the following petition on behalf of constituents in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon. The federal government introduced Bill C-21, which includes sections that prohibit the majority of replica firearms, such as airsoft guns. It will also criminalize thousands of law-abiding Canadians for possessing legally obtained firearms and financially devastate thousands o…
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With regard to the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive (FTHBI) announced by the government in 2019, from September 1, 2019, to date: (a) how many applicants have applied for a mortgage through the FTHBI, broken down by province or territory and municipality; (b) of the applicants in (a), how many applicants have been approved and accepted mortgages through the FTHBI, broken down by province or territo…
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With regard to the commitment on page 305 of Budget 2021 to implement a “Tax on Unproductive Use of Canadian Housing by Foreign Non-resident Owners”: (a) how many internal memos, presentations, or other similar type of documents were created by the government or hired consultants on this proposed tax; (b) of the documents in (a), what are their titles and when were they dated; (c) in which interna…
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Mr. Speaker, today I present a petition on behalf of indigenous constituents in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon. Stories of the atrocities that occurred within the residential school system have been around for years. On May 27, the remains of 215 indigenous children were found on the grounds of the former Kamloops residential school. Various levels of government have been aware of these stories for…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, last week I had several opportunities to meet with indigenous constituents directly impacted by Kamloops residential school and St. Mary's residential school. During the march on Saturday, I walked alongside dozens of survivors of the residential school system and their families. Shared with me were stories of horror, loss of language and a pain that still exists today. For some, it w…
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With regard to the Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers (MISTFWP) program administered by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: (a) what is the rationale behind the eight month processing delay of the MISTFWP claim from Desert Hills Ranch in Ashcroft, British Columbia; (b) why is the Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food actively withholding payment for the completed claim cited …
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With regard to the stated intent of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) “to commit all funds before March 31, 2021” of the Rapid Housing Initiative’s projects stream: (a) what was the (i) total number of approved projects, (ii) total number of approved housing units, (iii) total dollar value of federal funds committed; (b) what is the breakdown of each part of (a) by (i) municipalit…
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Mr. Speaker, the least the House could do is give indigenous Canadians a date when they can expect that FIBI process. Under the government, housing has never been less affordable. Both the Prime Minister and the finance minister acknowledge we have a housing supply crisis. Will the government take concrete action to secure Canada's future, support the Conservative motion and address the housing su…
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Mr. Speaker, the government loves to announce it is spending billions of dollars on housing, but we are years into the national housing strategy and it has nothing to show for it, except for higher prices and a market that is more and more out of reach for Canadians. Could the Prime Minister please explain why he is intent on destroying the hopes and dreams of Canadians and new immigrants who just…
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Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from a Prime Minister who is squeezing out a generation from home ownership under his watch. The HUMA report “Indigenous Housing: The Direction Home” was tabled on May 26. Will the government persist in a paternalistic Ottawa-knows-best approach, or will the government commit to implementing and supporting a “for indigenous, by indigenous” approach to empower in…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table some documents outlining some of the previous Conservative government's record on housing—
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, today I am presenting three petitions on behalf of my constituents regarding human trafficking. The U.S. Department of State's 20th Trafficking in Persons Report indicates that Canada “meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking”. The TIP report notes that Canadian governments did not provide comprehensive data on investigations, prosecutions, convictions or victi…
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moved: That, given that, (i) the cost of housing continues to rise out of reach of Canadians, (ii) current government policy has failed to provide sufficient housing supply, the House call on the government to: (a) examine a temporary freeze on home purchases by non-resident foreign buyers who are squeezing Canadians out of the housing market; (b) replace the government's failed First-Time Home Bu…
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Mr. Speaker, the member is misleading the House. For the first-time homebuyer program, the government said it was going to help 200,000 Canadians. It has helped 10,600 in two years. It is a joke. The Aboriginal Housing Management Association’s CEO, Margaret Pfoh, stated that in over 25 years in the indigenous housing sector, she has never been as shocked or as disappointed as she was upon reading …
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Mr. Speaker, just on a point of clarification, as a member of Parliament, am I required to table the document in both official languages or in one official language?
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Mr. Speaker, the irony with the government is that it purports to spend more addressing affordability than any other government in the history of Canada, yet never before has the dream of home ownership been harder to attain for average middle-class Canadians and people working hard to join them, as we have heard a thousand times from the government. It has never been harder for them to enter the …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to table documents with respect to my questions today for the hon. minister, regarding the previous Conservative government's record on housing funding.
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Madam Speaker, one of the first events I attended as a member of Parliament was a briefing by the Canada Revenue Agency at the tax offices in Vancouver, organized by the parliamentary secretary. The tax specialists were telling us about all the new convictions that they were bringing forward related to money laundering and people who were not following Canadian laws in the real estate sector as we…
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Madam Speaker, I request a recorded division.
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Madam Speaker, I have a good friend who lives in the member's riding, and they were telling me about how hot the market is in Kingston. My mind turns to the young graduate from Queen's University who was finishing a graduate degree and trying to start a family, but the cost of housing has increased by literally $200,000 over the last year. The member focused his remarks almost exclusively on socia…
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Madam Speaker, yes, a lot of the responsibilities to address supply rest at the municipal and provincial levels. That said, the federal government can use tax incentives to increase supply and work with its provincial and municipal partners to address this big crisis impacting Canada. Scotiabank recently wrote an article in The Globe and Mail calling for the federal government to get moving and wo…
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Madam Speaker, let me just point out that indigenous groups such as the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association Indigenous Caucus have long been calling for a “for indigenous, by indigenous” housing strategy, which the current Liberal government talked about doing but did not deliver. Instead of pointing the finger at the opposite side of the House, the parliamentary secretary should acknowledge,…
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Madam Speaker, I do not know the 1970s co-op strategy at length, so I cannot comment on that, but our leader, the hon. member for Durham, has signalled that co-operatives need to be a part of addressing the supply challenges we are facing in Canada. He made those comments to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his dynamic intervention. When the parliamentary secretary spoke earlier today, he mentioned that the Liberal plan addresses every single component of the housing continuum and in that is saying the government is addressing supply. We have to assume if it is already addressing supply, then it had a role in leading to the affordability crisis we are…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The parliamentary secretary is misrepresenting the position of the Conservative Party.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie a direct question. Does he support the position of the Conservative Party that the federal government should make building affordable rental units, market units, easier for developers to help those people he is talking about as well? I ask this because a lot of people want a safe and secure place to live, but the reality is …
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Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I cannot support her amendment to the motion. I do not have enough context for the first part regarding after World War II and the figure of 500,000. Of course, as the member knows, I have been very clear at the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, and in this chamber, that the Conservative Par…
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Mr. Speaker, earlier, in the member for Vancouver East's remarks, she mentioned the rental construction financing initiative and how it accounts for approximately $25 billion of the national housing strategy, which is approximately one-third. In my speech earlier today, I talked about the MURB program, which led to the creation, according to the Library of Parliament, of 125,000 units at a revenue…
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Mr. Speaker, the member who just spoke is misleading the House. In budget 2006, the Conservatives actually invested $800 million in affordable housing, $450 million for housing on reserve and $300 million for urban indigenous Canadians, so he should stop misleading the House. To my question, today the parliamentary secretary said the national housing strategy addresses the entire housing continuum…
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Mr. Speaker, a generation of young Canadians are being cut out of the housing market. Housing has become unaffordable. There is not enough supply, money laundering goes unprosecuted, offshore speculators inflate prices and the Liberals continue to fail first-time homebuyers. Will the government take concrete action to address the supply problem challenging first-time homebuyers and those seeking t…
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