Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, to my fellow British Columbian across the way, congratulations for making it this far. I wanted to ask the hon. member about one thing. There is a missing component to his right to repair, and that is not the member's fault. The Copyright Act can be changed to allow for someone to move around a technology protection measure. That is something we can clearly do in this place. However, …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Prime Minister, it is clear that he is not worth the cost. He promised Canadians an affordable Thanksgiving, but all they are seeing are longer lines at the food bank. The NDP-Liberal government is throwing off more crumbs than a stale loaf of bread. This half-baked loaf of higher deficits and carbon taxes is making it harder for Canadians to afford Thanksgivi…
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With regard to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office: (a) what is the current wait time between when a patent application is received and the patent is issued; (b) what was the wait time between when a patent application was received and the patent was issued as of (i) January 1, 2016, (ii) January 1, 2020; (c) what is the current backlog…
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Madam Speaker, the Liberals seem to have two contrary positions. In budget 2022, it talked about a strategic policy review, and said, “These efforts would target savings of $6 billion over five years, and $3 billion annually by 2026-27.” That is coincidentally when, in last year's fall economic update, the Liberals showed there would be a return to balance. Could the member say whether he supports…
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Madam Speaker, I worked with the member on the Standing Committee on Finance quite well. I would simply like to ask about his views on building more housing. He seems to be completely against real estate investment trusts or other private entities, but ultimately, if we are going to see more purpose-built rentals to give people a roof over their heads, it is going to take an incredible amount of m…
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Madam Speaker, this is an important issue for Canadians, who understand that the crime rate in this country is high right now. It is also important that the federal government make clear the consequences of criminal activity. I think that the federal government needs to introduce a new crime bill to crack down on fraud and crime. I appreciate the member's question. This is how we can convey that t…
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Mr. Speaker, it is not in my nature to stand and argue that I have been wronged. I believe that a privilege motion is a very serious event, so, hopefully, my standing alongside the member of Parliament for Calgary Nose Hill underscores the seriousness that I take with this breach. Just a few comments with regard to my specific situation stemming from the arguments of the breach that was noted by t…
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Madam Speaker, the one part of the member's speech that certainly drew my attention was when he said that the system is only as strong as the weakest link. One of the challenges is that provinces may say that they are going to put in place their own registries, but the problem is the interoperability. The government has raised expectations and has basically said it is going to eliminate money laun…
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise to speak about Bill C-42 today. It is an honour for me not only because I am speaking on behalf of the good people of Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola but also because it also gives me a chance to recall some of my work as a member of the finance committee in 2017, where we did an extensive review of the money-laundering regime in Canada as it relates to …
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Madam Speaker, that is a very reasonable question. Again, we are essentially putting a line in the sand with this 25% threshold. Let us be clear: It is arbitrary, and it is following the provinces rather than leading on the arguments. Being able to say who is involved and who has significant control over large assets in Canada, particularly from a law enforcement perspective, is quite important. W…
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Madam Speaker, simply put, British Columbians have heard a lot of politicians talk and talk when it comes to money laundering. We have had the Cullen commission, which seemed to talk about many of the activities, but we seem to see a dearth of action from both the federal and provincial governments. There have been some improvements in casinos. As B.C.'s casinos tightened up, a lot more suspicious…
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With regard to usage of the government's fleet of Challenger aircraft, since February 1, 2023: what are the details of the legs of each flight, including the (i) date, (ii) point of departure, (iii) destination, (iv) number of passengers, (v) names and titles of the passengers, excluding security or Canadian Armed Forces members, (vi) total catering bill related to the flight, (vii) volume of fuel…
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With regard to usage of the government's Airbus CC-150 Polaris aircraft, since February 1, 2023: what are the details of the legs of each flight, including the (i) date, (ii) point of departure, (iii) destination, (iv) number of passengers, (v) names and titles of the passengers, excluding security or Canadian Armed Forces members, (vi) total catering bill related to the flight, (vii) volume of fu…
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With regard to the Prime Minister's trip to New York in April 2023 for the Global Citizen summit: (a) what hotel did the Prime Minister stay at; (b) what was the paid room rate for the Prime Minister’s hotel room; (c) between April 25 and 29, 2023, what was the total amount spent on accommodations in the New York City area for the Canadian delegation or any other Canadian government official, incl…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his arguments to divide the bill. I particularly dislike Bill C-27 for the artificial intelligence act that is included in it. It essentially would exempt the government from any kind of serious harms and any designated provincial government, while saying to business and innovation that it would hang this threat of a criminal offence over their heads, but n…
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Madam Speaker, I am so glad the member started with British Columbia, because last fall the provincial government said it was going to open 237 new spots in Central Okanagan, specifically in Kelowna. Guess what? Over 200 spots are said to have been closed because private day care was not facilitated. In fact, private day care operators said that because of the confusion and the regulatory environm…
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With regard to government requests to censor information, since January 1, 2016: (a) how many requests has the government made to social media companies to censor information, including any article, post or reply; (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by social media platform, year, department, agency, Crown corporation or other government entity that made the request; (c) what are the details of each …
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Madam Speaker, does the hon. parliamentary secretary understand that marine-protected areas only protect the fish that are in the sea? There is nothing in the marine-protected areas legislation that would prevent grey water dumping from cruise ships and other emissions from various boats. When the Liberals say how great a job they have done, there is skepticism by other people who say it is not wh…
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Madam Speaker, instead of using names here, we use members' titles and ridings. The member is not following the Standing Orders. I would ask you to bring him into compliance.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, what should we call a Liberal finance minister with an NDP credit card? We should call them inflationary. However, it is no joke. The Liberal spending spree is fuelling inflation and putting pressure on households right across the country. With all of their deficit spending, they are even making former Liberal finance ministers, such as John Manley and Bill Morneau, blush fire-engine …
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Madam Speaker, when the member ran to be the leader of the NDP, did he say he would never occupy Stornoway? I was here in 2011 with the Harper majority, and the member did not say boo about Tom Mulcair occupying Stornoway. New Democrats talk a big game, but it is always about them. There is a lack of leadership. The fact that the member makes it so personal against the member for Carleton just sho…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, I am honoured to table a petition. The petitioners are asking for support for Bill C-257, which would add protections for people who have political differences to make sure they are valued the same as other human rights in the federally regulated sphere. This is an important initiative, and certainly these petitioners nee…
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Madam Speaker, on this point of order, we have had a number of accusations thrown around. I think everyone in this place understands that we are in a work environment where we are combining different time zones and different Internet capacity and that on Fridays we do not have votes. That is understood. I was at an event in Ottawa at one point and my phone would not work. It kept spinning and woul…
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Madam Speaker, the minister is clearly misinformed. The committee has already passed the bill and there is no filibuster. On the topic, inflation is like a bad houseguest that just will not leave. No matter how many hints the Conservatives, economists and even the Governor of the Bank of Canada drop to stop spending so much, the Minister of Finance is pumping another $60 billion on top of last yea…
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Madam Speaker, Canadians are not just hungry, they are hangry at the price of groceries. The Minister of Finance is pouring an additional $60 billion over the inflationary fire. The Food Professor says that overspending by government is to blame. He said, “when a government injects more money into the economy, the excess liquidity can drive up demand for goods, including food, which, in turn, can …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I recently heard from a local small business owner who produces value-added goods found in many of our local grocery stores. His products and ingredients come from Quebec and Atlantic Canada, and he uses federally regulated trucking companies to deliver these goods. Unfortunately, those companies now charge fuel surcharges and carbon tax fees on top of his invoice, which he shared wit…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister why it is so urgent that we cannot have proper debate in the committee. It is not a proper process to program a committee to immediately begin a process where we may end up not even knowing what members are voting on. The question is as follows. Will the minister own up to the issue that he has created a mess at the committee with his leadership on his…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are out of money, and the Prime Minister is out of touch and out of the country. Many of my constituents can only dream of lavish foreign vacations, a trip to New York to hobnob with celebrities, or getting a “free” $80,000 vacay in Jamaica, courtesy of Trudeau Foundation donors. I do not think the Prime Minister has any idea how difficult life is for a family in Kelowna str…
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Mr. Speaker, earlier in today's debate, two members of the Liberal government claimed that the member for Wellington—Halton Hills had known for two years that his family was being targeted by Beijing operatives on Canadian soil. That is categorically false. Those members should be ashamed for their victim blaming and trying to shift responsibility away from the Prime Minister, who has not stood up…
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Mr. Speaker, I am a fellow B.C. member, but I need to contest some of the rationalization the NDP has, the virulent hatred of real investment trusts. In places like Westbank First Nation, real estate investment trusts have offered some of the most dense purpose-built rentals that allow for workers to stay in our communities so we can have places for nurses and long-term care aides, and it is all v…
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Madam Speaker, I agree with the member on most points. I do not think people will be surprised by that. She talked about the government's recently announced, or reannounced, homebuyer savings plan. She raises a good point: Many people do not have $8,000 in their back pocket to set aside into a new account. The government has taken over a year. This was promised in the last budget, and here we are …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I want to take a moment to express my appreciation for the member of Parliament for Cypress Hills—Grasslands for his dedication and hard work in crafting Bill C-294. As someone who is familiar with the demands of crafting a private member's bill and who understands the complexity of the legal amendments, I recognize the effort and energy that goes into such a private member's bill. …
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Madam Speaker, being from B.C., I know there are many issues the member and I share in many areas. I get lots of people asking about health care. I have asked another member of her caucus the following question, and being from B.C., I think it is important to hear her answer. John Horgan, the former premier, was actually the chair of the Council of the Federation. All the premiers had asked the go…
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Mr. Speaker, it is wonderful to see a member of Parliament who knows his riding well and who makes everything about his riding, which is really about wine and tourism. From what I can see, he is right. The carbon tax raises the cost for people to drive to Niagara and visit the wineries. In this particular BIA, the government is raising the cost of security at airports, so the average airport ticke…
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Madam Speaker, I certainly appreciate the member's contribution tonight, although I have to disagree with some of the flaky theories he has. For example, provincial jurisdiction allows for price controls or for information systems to basically force gas companies to post ahead of time what their prices and inputs are. That is something the provinces can do right now. However, in my home province o…
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Mr. Speaker, I would actually like to talk about the topic of a slush fund. The housing accelerator fund, which will be put out by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, has billions of dollars set aside for, well, we just do not know. We do not know exactly what it will go towards. I am concerned for municipalities, because I have heard from a local chief administrative officer who had no idea …
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Madam Speaker, my colleague did talk a little about the dental program and I would like to just ask him this. Former premier John Horgan, when he was the head of the Council of the Federation, encouraged the federal government to not seek new national programs when important programs such as health care need reinforcement. I am sure the member knows of the drastic needs of rural communities for he…
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With regard to expenditures on alcohol and alcoholic beverages by the government, since 2016, broken down by year and by department, agency, or other government entity: what was the total amount spent?
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With regard to expenditures made under object code 3252 (Interest, administration or service charges, and other penalty charges), broken down by department, agency, or other government entity for each of the last five years: (a) how many expenditures were made; (b) what was the total value of the expenditures; and (c) what are the details of each such expenditure over $500, including, for each, th…
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Mr. Speaker, talking about delays, the minister is the minister of delays. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported an 11% drop in housing starts. This means we can expect higher rents as supply tightens and more hard-working millennials will be stuck in their parents' basements. If blaming others got housing built, this minister would have delivered results for Canadians. When will th…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday Statistics Canada reported that mortgage interest costs rose 26% in March, making the largest increase on record. Under the Prime Minister, mortgage costs have doubled, and food bank usage is up; he also plans for commuters to pay 41¢ a litre in carbon tax. Does the Prime Minister see that Canadians are struggling, or is he so out of touch that he believes Canadians can just…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, cancer is a life-altering experience, which, unfortunately, too many Canadians have gone through. It remains the leading cause of death in Canada. In April, the Canadian Cancer Society runs the daffodil campaign. Let us not forget to recognize and support the society's admirable work for patients, survivors and loved ones affected by cancer. We in this place have joined forces with th…
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Madam Speaker, during my time in this place, I served as parliamentary secretary to the President of the Treasury Board when I sat on the government side of the House. During my time on this side of the House, I have served in various roles, such as the finance shadow minister. Certainly, I have spent my time on the finance committee and have had the opportunity to grill both former and current Li…
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Madam Speaker, the member opposite's raising this issue allows me to finish my speech. I was quoting John Manley, who said, “Otherwise, there's a reckoning coming, and someone is going to have to face it.” There is all sorts of spending in this budget. There are things we might agree on and lots of things we will disagree on, but I do not think anyone on that side of the House will say that this i…
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Madam Speaker, when it comes to Alberta, I would speak to Alberta members, but my understanding is that there is agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta for a harmonization agreement that allows for an equal program where there is a set of procedures in place so there is an equal level with what the federal government considers acceptable. I imagine that, as a memb…
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Madam Speaker, this is close to my heart. Mayor Mike Goetz originally placed the question to the minister responsible for this particular program, because it does not appear that communities hit hardest will be able to access that. They will be on a level playing field with other communities that will be applying for the adaptation funds, and Mayor Goetz has said that is not appropriate. Every tim…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member's contributions to the debate today. He specifically mentioned the first-time homebuyer tax-free savings account. That was actually promised in the budget before. Therefore, I have two very simple questions. When will this so-called tax-free savings account be available for people to use? Where will young people, particularly those who are hit hard by inflati…
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With regard to the government's reaction to reports that U.S. customs and border officials are transporting migrants from Plattsburg, in New York State, to the Canadian border at Roxham Road: (a) when did the Canada Border Services Agency first become aware of these reports; (b) how long does the government estimate that this has been happening; (c) has the government taken any action to stop this…
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With regard to the one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit and the dental benefits in Bill C-32, Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2022: (a) since the applications opened in December 2022, how many applications have been received for the (i) Canada Housing Benefit top-up, (ii) dental benefits; (b) how many of the applications in (a) were (i) accepted, (ii) rejected; (c) what are th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, a group of thugs attacked a 21-year-old student in Kelowna on Friday night after he rode the bus. They severely beat him, but that was not enough for these low-lifes: They removed his turban and dragged him on the street by his hair. This was a hate crime committed by cowards who should be punished severely. Everyone here will agree that this senseless act of race-based violence is un…
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