Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, several religious faith-based organizations have spoken out about this piece of legislation. Inciting violence is already illegal, and faith teachings are spoken in love, not hatred. His question is precisely the reason the legislation needs to be walked back. It is because it can be taken out of context and people of faith understand that when pastors and teachers are speaking about …
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Mr. Speaker, I will make a couple of comments. I was following the legislation very closely, and there are just a couple of things. When the amendment was passed, they did not consult with any faith groups or faith organizations. They did not call one witness. In addition, I will add that, if the member was listening to my speech, he would have heard me say that there are already laws in place. Th…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the member opposite's speech. I picked up on something he said about the many hours of consultation around the legislation. I am wondering if he could be very specific about the witnesses who were called in relation to the contentious amendment that we are discussing here today.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, this is exactly why we are pushing against the legislation. It is because there is a respect for this perspective about separation of church and state, and in this case, the government would be infringing on religious freedoms, which is actually our attempt to protect the church. The government is coming over into our lane and religious organizations are pushing back as a result, so w…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in opposition to Bill C-9 and, more particularly, to the deeply concerning and controversial Liberal-Bloc amendment that would remove the long-standing good-faith religious defence. This amendment would restrict freedom of expression and freedom of religion in Canada. My opposition to this legislation is not rooted in just my interpretation of this legislation; m…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague has deep knowledge on this issue. One thing I often hear from constituents is about an attack on faith organizations by the Liberal government, and its response is, “Just trust us.” I am wondering if my colleague would like to speak to that and give a bit of context about why constituents may feel this way based on previous decisions made by the government.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, if Liberal programs worked, young Canadians would be getting ahead, not watching the dream of home ownership slip further away. According to CREA, the average sale price in St. John's has increased by nearly 10% from 2024 to 2025. This generation has done everything right. They should be building wealth and home ownership, but instead they are falling further behind, and they are losi…
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Mr. Speaker, a recent poll by the Royal Bank of Canada shows that 64% of millennials are worried about their future, 57% have little or no money left at the end of the month, and four in 10 fear that they will never pay off their debts. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the aspiration of home ownership has been the cornerstone of community stability and has long been within reach, but after 11 Liberal…
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Mr. Speaker, it never ceases to amaze me that whenever we bring forward real, tangible solutions that Canadians and stakeholder groups are bringing forward to us, the member opposite hurls insults about the last Conservative government from 10 years ago. Canadians want us to be serious. They want us to act like adults and have a real conversation about this crisis within the country. They do not w…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-237, an act to amend the Fisheries Act as it relates to Atlantic groundfish fisheries. I would like to begin by thanking my colleagues from Newfoundland and Labrador, the member for Central Newfoundland and the member for Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, for showing leadership on the issue, and by acknowledging the work in bringing the bill fo…
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Madam Speaker, that was one of the best speeches I have heard in my time here. Another piece to this conversation is home ownership, and I wonder if the member would like to expand on the Conservative approach to home ownership versus the piece of legislation in front of us and how it would not really address or further expand the dream of home ownership for Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time today with the member for London—Fanshawe. I rise today to speak to Bill C-20, an act respecting the establishment of Build Canada Homes. Before entering the House, I worked in real estate as a sales agent, a broker and a coach to other brokers across the country. In those roles, I worked directly with builders, real estate developers and municipalities, whil…
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Mr. Speaker, I feel like we see this in a lot of the Liberals' policy, their standing in the ivory tower and wanting to take credit for all kinds of things that they never have anything to do with. We need to respect municipalities and provinces and the solutions they bring forward. I think that is the best approach. These overarching, large federal policies oftentimes do not make sense, and I def…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, that is a great point, and I think that is consistently what we have been saying about Bill C-20. It never ceases to amaze me that more bureaucracy is, somehow, going to get solved by another housing bureaucracy. In Newfoundland and Labrador, we need modernization at the provincial level and at many of the municipal levels. I think if we tied federal infrastructure dollars, those conv…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the life of James Feltham of Deer Lake, whom we knew as Jim. He passed away just a few days ago. For 30 years Jim devoted himself to teaching at Elwood Regional High School, and for more than 50 years he was a pillar of the basketball community. He coached generations of young athletes, including me. He gave so much of himself to the sport that he loved. Jim als…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Newfoundland and Labrador continues to face one of the highest unemployment rates in Canada at 10.7%, which is well above the national average. Statistics Canada reports that 52,000 private sector jobs were lost since last year, and the Bank of Canada says that economic growth next year is expected to be just 1.1%. Businesses are delaying expansion and investment. At home, that means …
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Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that the Prime Minister promised the fastest-growing economy in the G7, yet GDP growth is stalled at zero and GDP per capita is flat. Young people are leaving home because they cannot find steady work. We have proposed a Canadian sovereignty act that would rapidly advance resource development by repealing job-killing laws such as the oil and gas emissions cap, reward …
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Mr. Speaker, while violent crime and extortion continue to rise across Canada, the government keeps targeting law-abiding Canadians instead of criminals. Most provinces and territories have told the government they will not participate in the Liberal gun buyback. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the premier has been clear. The Liberals “should focus on criminals, not law-abiding hunters and our way o…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the colleague across the way for his criticism of the solutions the Conservatives have brought forward. He often gets up and talks about farmers and the agriculture industry. There are several dairy farmers in my riding and in Newfoundland and Labrador who have run into some severe financial trouble over the last couple of years. As a concerned member, I have often visited the…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member from across the way for the lesson. I am not sure how he might go to a food bank lineup with that lesson and give that to Canadians who are really struggling right now. One of the criticisms he brought forward is this moment in time that he is criticizing us for, with respect to food inflation rates. The prediction is, however, that over this year we are in right no…
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Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that, whenever Conservatives stand up to speak to the issues and concerns, and back it up with statistical data, the members opposite like to say that we are quoting misinformation. What is more important is what we are hearing from our constituents. Because the Liberals also like to say that they are solving every problem, life is not so bad and they are coming …
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Mr. Speaker, before I became a member of Parliament, I was an entrepreneur for many years. I understand how, when entrepreneurs incur costs, those costs eventually get passed on to consumers. Canadians understand that as well. I do believe that removing the industrial carbon tax would contribute to helping with the rising food crisis that Canadians find themselves in.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Canada has some of the highest food inflation in the G7, and Canadians are paying for it at the grocery store. Food bank use has more than doubled, with over two million visits every month by people who simply cannot afford groceries. The industrial carbon tax raises the costs of farm equipment, fertilizer and food processors. The Liberals' fuel standard tax raises fuel prices for tru…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' policies will never lower grocery prices with rebates or temporary fixes. As an example, we will not block Bill C-19, but its small rebates would not make food cheaper at the checkout. I have heard from retirees in Newfoundland and Labrador who sit just above the GST credit threshold. They would get no benefit at all, yet they face the same high grocery prices as everyon…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time today with the member for Calgary Centre. It is an honour to rise today to speak on behalf of the people of the Long Range Mountains on Bill C-19, and to explain why Conservatives will support this legislation while also being honest and transparent with Canadians about the serious affordability challenges it does not solve. The government is saying that th…
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, I just want to say that Conservatives believe that tackling the climate crisis can be done while also spurring on the economy. We believe in technology, not taxes. While we have heard, in many cases, that increasing taxes on consumers will somehow contribute to solving the climate crisis, we have a different approach. We take climate change seriously, but we believe in a…
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Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we always want to recognize that people are struggling right now. We understand that sometimes these measures are important, but we do not believe in a system where people are chasing higher payments and adding to inflation, not providing real, long-term solutions. We believe that the government has a responsibility to really dig into the increased costs along the …
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Madam Speaker, I could not agree more. What about the projects that are still caught up in regulatory paralysis, that do not qualify under nation-building projects? The government has given itself the ability to pick and choose what projects will go forward. We still have tons of smaller projects that want to advance. That is really punishing to rural parts of the country. My riding is mostly rura…
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Mr. Speaker, I wanted to respond to some comments made across the way with respect to the minority parliament and Newfoundland and Labrador, where gains were made for the Conservatives after decades of Liberal members. One of the things that resonated with people back home is how Conservatives were addressing the urban and rural divide we often see in this country. I am curious if the member would…
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Madam Speaker, we continue to hope that the government takes our advice and reintroduces policy. We have been saying this for 10 years because this is what we are hearing from Canadians. We welcome the fact that the Liberals are taking these policies and reintroducing them, but lots of times they are half-baked or are somewhere in the middle. The Liberals know what Canadians want, but they are not…
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Madam Speaker, I want to start by welcoming my colleague and friend, with a strong connection to Newfoundland and Labrador, back to this House. It is my honour today to get up and speak to this opposition day motion. Let me begin, first and foremost, by wishing my constituents in the Long Range Mountains, and all Canadians, a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. As we look ahead to the challeng…
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Madam Speaker, that is certainly not what I see at this time. What I see is government overreach. The Liberals want their hand-picked projects. They want to make Canadians reliant on government programs. Consistently and constantly, I hear investors, business owners and people who want to grow saying that the government just needs to get out of the way. This is what a Canadian sovereignty act is m…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Stats Canada confirms what Canadian families already know at the checkout. Food inflation has jumped by 6.2% in the last year. Grocery prices are up 5%, and Canada now has the highest food inflation in the G7. Newfoundland and Labrador has the second-highest food inflation rate in the entire country. Higher transportation costs mean that local families are hit even harder. Conservativ…
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Mr. Speaker, we are ready to work with the government on real, long-term solutions instead of recycled, temporary, Trudeau-era rebates. Canada has been called the food inflation capital of the G7. That is real hardship. People back home ask me how far this has to go before it stops. The Prime Minister cannot blame global factors when all other countries have lower food price inflation than Canada.…
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Mr. Speaker, while Canadians cannot afford the basics, the Liberal Prime Minister spent nearly $800,000 on a private jet. In Newfoundland and Labrador we have the highest unemployment rate in the country, at more than 10%. Families are stretched thin. “Canada's Food Price Report” shows that the grocery bill has more than doubled since 2015, rising from $159 a week to $338. Next year families are e…
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Mr. Speaker, that answer is not acceptable, and I am going to tell you why. A woman in my riding shared a moment that she said she will never forget. She was in the grocery store and saw a senior couple standing at the meat counter. The elderly wife looked at her husband and quietly said, “I know I need to buy something, but I do not know what to buy because everything is so expensive.” The woman …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of Canadians with respect to the Liberal-Bloc amendments to Bill C-9. I was in my riding on the weekend and was absolutely overwhelmed with the number of constituents who brought this concern forward to me with hundreds of signatures. In a country that is hungry and hurting, the government has prioritized attacking freedom of religion and f…
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Madam Speaker, I also serve a riding in Atlantic Canada. One thing I commonly hear in my riding is that rural and remote communities have been left behind by the Liberal government and have also been punished by the high cost of everything and the policies the Liberals have implemented. I am just wondering if my colleague hears the same thing. Maybe he would like to speak to that.
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Mr. Speaker, a local single mom of three reached out to me today in complete desperation. She is working hard, doing everything right, yet a series of setbacks has pushed her to the brink. She is falling behind on the basics. Now she is trying to figure out how to give her kids Christmas, while food inflation makes the essentials feel out of reach. Families should not have to choose between grocer…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that he should be judged by the prices at the grocery store. Canadians are now paying 112% more for food than when the Liberals took office and groceries are consuming a bigger share of every family's budget. Even basic centre-aisle staples, such as coffee and baby formula, are skyrocketing. Canada's food price report confirms that next year, Canadian…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a question around something that is really important to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. There was some language in the budget around the oil and gas production cap: that maybe the government would get rid of it because it may no longer be necessary. I am wondering whether the member opposite supports getting rid of the oil and gas production cap completely and giving a…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to give my colleague an opportunity to expand on the real-life consequences of this budget and the rising costs. I hear about them on a regular basis, and I am curious to know if he hears about them on a regular basis too. How are Canadians really impacted by the reckless spending of the Liberal government?
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Mr. Speaker, the hollow letter of intent does not change the facts: The Prime Minister has flown to meet with the Brits in the U.K., a world tour of photo ops and selfies, and Canadians have absolutely nothing to show for it. There have been no wins on tariffs, just more tariffs every single time he travels. He promised his jet-setting diplomacy would help Canadians; all it has done is help his In…
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Mr. Speaker, do members remember “elbows up”? Well, the only thing up right now is the Prime Minister's air miles. He has flown enough kilometres to circle the earth four times, but after all that globetrotting, Canadians still get no deals, no relief, higher tariffs and higher bills. Every time the Prime Minister steps off a private jet, Canadians get hit with another tariff hike. After the U.S.,…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize important milestones for the francophone community in Newfoundland and Labrador. I was pleased to recently attend the celebration that marked the 52nd annual general meeting of the Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador and the 30th anniversary of ARCO, two organizations that continue to strengthen culture, language and community in our pro…
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Mr. Speaker, I particularly listened when the member across the way talked about the carbon tax and all the conversation we heard about it prior to the election about how the carbon tax did not drive up the cost for Canadians and that, in fact, more money was going into their pockets. I am curious if now the member is talking about how removing the carbon tax is driving the cost down, which we kno…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of Canadians who are concerned about access to disability supports for those living with severe mental illness. The petitioners note that Canadians diagnosed with conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia continue to face greater barriers when trying to apply for federal disability programs. They believe current forms do not fully rec…
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Mr. Speaker, the $742-million gun grab has been a complete disaster from day one. It is wrapped in controversy, with leaked audio revealing that the public safety minister himself admitted that it will not work. The Cape Breton pilot program reportedly only had 22 firearms turned in. Now, the police chief overseeing the program, who is the brother-in-law of the Liberal member, is suddenly retiring…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a question about the first-time homebuyer tax credit the Liberals are offering, which Conservatives loved because it was a part of our platform. I am in the housing market. That is my background. I am wondering if the Liberals have given any thought, considering the cost of housing, as to how many young people this is actually going to help with getting into the housing market …
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Mr. Speaker, I am passionate about my place. I hear that people want to be able to feed their kids themselves all the time, which is why they want the cost of groceries to go down.
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