Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I rise today to express serious concerns with part 2 of Bill C‑22 and to oppose the motion in Government Business No. 13. Let me be clear from the outset: Conservatives believe that law enforcement must have modern tools to combat organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, child exploitation, terrorism and foreign interference in a digital age. These types of rampant criminality cannot …
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Madam Chair, I have to point out that we cannot replace necessity with convenience. It may be convenient for the government to shut down debate in the name of urgency or in the name of saving time. As I mentioned, with a bill that is so complex and sometimes difficult to understand thoroughly, we need the time to do thorough work. It is necessary. It is not just for the sake of convenience that we…
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Madam Speaker, with a bill that is so complex and complicated, we need time to understand it thoroughly and assess each portion of the bill so that we can address the concerns being raised and the questions being asked by the public and by professionals. I want to ask whether the member on the other side agrees that it is not democratic that we had not even had the chance to start debating clause-…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C‑289, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make a related amendment to the Criminal Code. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce my first private member's bill, the stopping supply to save lives act. I hope Canadians will come to know this as Emmy's legacy, in memory of Emmy Liu, a 14-year-old girl who lost her life to a fentanyl overdose in J…
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Madam Speaker, the government is known for its intention, its seeking of power and its expansion of its power. Therefore, I suppose that through shutting down this debate, the government wants to have more power, and it wants to do what it wants to do without really caring about the different views being expressed by the public and by professionals.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition signed by nearly 1,000 Canadians, mainly from my riding of Richmond Centre—Marpole, who are concerned about mental health and about suicide prevention in Canada. The petitioners note that one in five Canadians experiences a mental health challenge each year, that many youth are affected and that suicide remains the second-leading cause of death among Canad…
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Mr. Speaker, CTV reported that seniors in Richmond Centre—Marpole are sleeping in Tim Hortons because they cannot afford a place to live, while the Prime Minister spends nearly $1 million on luxury catering in his taxpayer-funded aircraft. Canada is the only G20 country in recession. Canadians cannot afford food, rent or housing. Why does the Prime Minister refuse to accept the fact that his polic…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is seeing a growing homeless senior population. Emergency shelters are overflowing, and seniors are saying that they do not feel safe staying in them. After working their entire lives, seniors surviving on a pension should not be sleeping in restaurants or searching for a safe place to spend the night. Canadians deserve better than this Liberal-made affordability crisis. Will t…
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Mr. Speaker, 20 years ago, former prime minister Stephen Harper delivered in this House a historic apology and redress for the Chinese head tax. That was a defining moment in our country's reconciliation. It recognized a historic wrong and affirmed the great contributions of Chinese Canadians to Canada. From the railways that united our nation to the businesses, professions and communities that st…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Airport Workers Day and to pay tribute to the thousands of dedicated workers who keep Canada's airports operating safely, efficiently and reliably every day. As the member of Parliament for Richmond Centre—Marpole, home to the Vancouver International Airport, I see first-hand the vital roles played by these workers in connecting our communities, supporting …
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Mr. Speaker, this morning, we learned that Canada is now the only G7 country in a recession. Our economy contracted both in the last quarter of 2025 and in the first quarter of 2026, which is two straight quarters of negative growth. This happened because the Liberal Prime Minister raised industrial carbon taxes, kept antidevelopment laws in place and doubled Justin Trudeau's deficits. Every other…
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Madam Speaker, the Liberal government must reject the CRTC's massive increase imposed on our online streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, an increase sometimes referred to as the “Netflix tax.” The government may try to frame this as a technical broadcasting adjustment, but Canadians know what it really means. It means higher costs and another blow to affor…
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Mr. Speaker, I think my city and his riding are in a similar situation. We have a growing film industry, and we are creating jobs and economic activities in our community, which is very beneficial to people. I think we have to keep this economic growth going. If this kind of levy is imposed on companies creating jobs for our communities, I think it will hurt people. We have to safeguard and encour…
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Mr. Speaker, let us see who is sidestepping here. From 2021 up to now, we have seen numerous occasions where the government intervened with decisions made by the CRTC. Now the Liberals are trying to hide behind the argument that the CRTC is an arm's-length organization. Let us be clear. We are not talking about the CRTC's mandate here today. We are talking about affordability and the burden on the…
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the comments that my Bloc colleague made earlier that the Liberals are a major threat to the cultural sector in Canada. Imposing that kind of levy with an increase is not going to make the cultural sector stronger. Also, I believe we are focusing too much on Trump. We are talking about our own production and our own film industry in our country. Very often, Trump is being…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal housing minister accused Conservatives of fearmongering over the Cowichan ruling, but the impact is already real and immediate. According to expert reports in March, Richmond property value could fall by 40% because of uncertainty created by the government. Families, homeowners and businesses are worried, yet the Liberals remain in denial, denying the impact and denying th…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are in denial. Canadians are demanding certainty, yet the Liberal government continues to leave homeowners, businesses, farmers and municipalities in limbo after the Cowichan decision. Conservatives have put forth a motion that would compel the government to replace litigation guideline 14, put private property first in the Cowichan case, secure fee simple property protec…
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Mr. Speaker, shoplifting is no longer a petty crime. It is becoming a growing crisis, affecting public safety, affordability and confidence in our justice system. Across Canada, police have reported that shoplifting has increased by 66% over the past decade, with annual losses at nearly $10 billion. In Richmond, police recorded more than 1,700 shoplifting cases last year. In the first two months o…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government says it disagrees with the Cowichan ruling, but Canadians still do not know what exactly the Liberals disagree with. Which part of the ruling are they appealing? On what legal basis does the government believe that private property ownership can coexist with aboriginal title? Homeowners, municipalities and business owners deserve clarity. Why are the Liberals re…
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Mr. Speaker, first, this is an urgent matter in the sense that we have already felt the consequences on the ground. People in my riding and in the province of British Columbia are worried, and they are already being impacted by the consequences and uncertainty. In addition, we have asked for an emergency debate before, which was not granted. This is not a matter on which we can keep waiting, and w…
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Mr. Speaker, this is the question the Liberal government has to answer. The Liberals either have to admit they made a mistake in giving the directive, or they have to stand up and say they are still honouring that directive. Either way, Canadians are the losers. With respect to the appeal, it is because the City of Richmond insisted right from the beginning on the fee simple argument that we are a…
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Mr. Speaker, for eight months, British Columbians have been left with silence: silence after a court ruling that raised serious questions about the certainty of private property rights in Canada; silence after repeated concerns from homeowners, businesses, municipalities and investors; silence after Richmond city council sent letters asking the government for clarity; and silence after Canadians a…
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Mr. Speaker, would my colleague on the other side not admit that the Liberal government did not appeal the ruling until the very last moment, long after the City of Richmond and the Province of British Columbia had done so? Would he not admit that the Liberals gave their lawyers the restrictive directive to tie their hands in court? Does he not admit that they have been silent for eight months and…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians watched a poorly staged performance last week when the Prime Minister responded to a simple question on private property rights from another Liberal MP. They could not even pretend to care. The fact remains that the Liberal government issued a litigation directive instructing federal lawyers to avoid protecting arguments for private property rights. That directive remains po…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say that they defend private property rights, yet in the Cowichan case they chose not to argue extinguishment, which is how fee simple ownership has been historically defended. They weaken protections and then claim to defend them. Will the Liberals withdraw their directive and instruct their lawyers to defend private property rights to protect Canadians, yes or no?
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Mr. Speaker, I know that the justification given by the government is that there are bad apples among the private colleges. However, denying students who attend good private colleges for programs that could help them build their career in the future is denying them opportunities. Does my dear colleague agree that this policy would harm our young people?
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Mr. Speaker, the City of Richmond has written to the federal government repeatedly, most recently just two weeks ago, asking for a clear commitment to defend private property rights in the Cowichan land claim. Homeowners are worried. Investors are pulling out. People are asking if their homes are still secure, yet the Liberals have offered no clear answer. Why is the Liberal government ignoring Ri…
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Mr. Speaker, a year ago, a tragedy in Vancouver turned a joyful Lapu-Lapu festival into sorrow. As we approach this anniversary, the grief and trauma remain. For many families, the path to healing continues. Even in the midst of that pain, we saw the strength of a community coming together, a community with compassion, resilience and strength. Neighbours lifted up one another, strangers became fam…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government avoids the question, hiding behind appeals and technical definitions instead of stating a clear and substantive position. This is pattern. In court and in backroom agreements, the Liberals refuse to say whether they will stand up for Canadian homeowners. Canadians deserve certainty. Will the Prime Minister direct lawyers to argue that the private property rights…
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Mr. Speaker, appealing the decision is not the question. The government still has not said whether it is arguing that Canadian homeowners' private property rights come first. I will keep asking this question until there is a clear answer. Will the Liberals make that position clear in court and in all future agreements, yes or no?
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Mr Speaker, I totally agree with my colleague that this is a very sensitive subject, certainly to Canadians who care about their safety and at the same time care about the protection of their privacy. As I mentioned in my speech, there are some parts of the bill that are very useful and would move us forward in protecting our safety. However, at the same time, it is the duty of the House to very c…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are facing a problem, which is a lack of confidence in the government to protect their privacy and their constitutional rights. Time and again we have seen the Liberal government abuse its power. I hope that in committee, we can have meaningful debate and careful scrutiny of the proposed bill and, again, just like when we talked about Bill C-8, be able to work with our Bloc …
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Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate the comments made by my colleague. It is really a tough debate, but it is worthwhile because we are here to work for Canadians and to safeguard their safety and privacy. I am sure that when we debate this in committee, we will do our best to work together so that we can achieve the common goal, which is the betterment of our community and the safety of Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, in the Cowichan land claim case, the Liberal government instructed its lawyers to abandon the fee simple argument, the very cornerstone of private property rights in Canada. That decision has created real uncertainty for homeowners, businesses and everyone who depends on secure land ownership in this country. By stepping back in court, the government is effectively walking away from d…
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Mr. Speaker, the government says it supports private property rights, yet it negotiated the Musqueam agreements behind closed doors without protections and consultation with affected communities. That approach is creating uncertainty for homeowners, businesses and investors who rely on transparency and stability. Canadians still feel their property rights are not safeguarded by this Liberal govern…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-22, the lawful access act. Let me be clear from the start. Canada needs lawful access, but Canada must get it right. Conservatives believe in law and order. We believe that police must be given the tools to stop criminals, dismantle organized crime and protect the most vulnerable, especially in a digital world. Today, this is a real problem. Our laws ha…
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Mr. Speaker, we have heard from many members of Parliament today that they have received a lot of responses from a wide range of religious groups and leaders. On the other hand, we keep hearing from the other side that people and religious leaders are being misled or are being fed misinformation, as if this is an insult or a put-down to these groups. Does my colleague want to comment on that? Is t…
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Mr Speaker, what happens abroad may be beyond our control, but the Liberal policies making life more expensive are not. Our seniors are paying the price. Seniors are being forced to work, with retirement slipping further out of reach. The National Institute on Aging reports that one in five Canadiens over 50 is now living on the poverty line, yet the Liberals are making it worse by sneaking in car…
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding, this is exactly what I hear, day in and day out. People need homes, not allocated or dictated by the federal government on what type of housing they should have. They do not need to rent for life. They want to have the opportunity to save enough money to own their own home one day.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians understand very well that the best predictor of future performance is past results. That is why Canadians have every reason to be skeptical about the Liberal government's latest housing promise. For nearly a decade, Canadians have heard the same story repeated again and again: a new announcement, a new strategy, a new fund, a new target. Each time, the government assures Can…
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Mr. Speaker, residents from Richmond Centre—Marpole and hundreds of thousands of Canadians across the country are standing against Bill C-9 and for the protection of religious freedom in Canada. The petitioners note that the Liberal-Bloc amendment adopted at committee would remove the good faith religious defence from the Criminal Code. They warn that this change would allow the state to persecute…
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Mr. Speaker, therefore, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-9 and protect the rights of Canadians to read, share and speak their religious convictions freely. I have another petition to present. The petitioners are seriously concerned about Bill C-9 and amendments adopted at the justice committee. The petitioners believe that these changes remove long-standing prote…
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Mr Speaker, what we hear, day in and day out, in our communities is how unaffordable things are, including housing. It is because all kinds of bureaucracy, taxation and added costs in building new homes have created this problem, the crisis that people are facing right now. Again, the lack of consultation by the federal government has resulted in inappropriate solutions for the problems that peopl…
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Mr. Speaker, I do not understand how recycled ideas could be disguised as new operations. We have seen repeated announcements in the last decade promising the same thing. Recycled ideas will not bring hopes or homes. It is not even a dream; it is just a disillusion. I do not understand why these recycled ideas could be disguised as new.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree that the federal government has a role to play in providing affordable housing to Canadians. However, I have the experience of being a city councillor for the last 12 years, and my experience has been that first, the federal government always downloads everything to the local government and second, the federal government does not consult. There is a lack of consultation, and a…
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Mr. Speaker, once again, we do not need more bureaucracy and we do not need more reports to build more homes. Let me give another example. Just last week, Richmond opened 84 units of affordable low-income housing, without federal funding. Cities can do it. They do not have to be told what to do. They need the opportunities, freedom and resources to build homes, not another layer of bureaucracy.
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Mr. Speaker, my response to that question would be that we do not need the federal government to direct us on what to do. Each community would have its own priorities, needs and the best way to resolve them. Again, using Richmond as an example, in the past 15 years, because Richmond has a good housing strategy, we were able to build thousands of homes in partnership with the building community, no…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of new titles and moving offices. They do not want more announcements. They want results. They want homes. The government now proposes another federal housing body, but we already have the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, infrastructure Canada, the Department of Finance Canada and the Canada Lands Company all working on housing, land and financing. If all t…
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Mr. Speaker, the Cowichan decision is not a small local dispute. It is a Canada-wide concern. It raises fundamental questions of property ownership. The court found that aboriginal title may exist over lands currently held in fee simple by private owners. That finding carries significant implications for Canada's land title system, a clear system built on certainty. For generations, when the Crown…
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Mr. Speaker, first, I believe the residents of Richmond do not buy the argument that since the case is before the courts, we cannot make comments. The B.C. government and the Richmond city council have made comments, so it is not right for the federal government to be silent on this issue. Secondly, to say that the government has appealed is not enough. It filed an appeal at the very last minute a…
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