Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize a constituent and disability advocate from Pickering—Brooklin, Onila Miranda. Onila, who lives with cerebral palsy, has launched an advocacy campaign called “Love is a Human Right” to raise awareness about ableism and call for greater dignity, inclusion and respect for people with disabilities. His message is clear. Accessibility is more than ramps and infrastructu…
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Mr. Speaker, as we recognize Seniors Month, I rise today to highlight that this Saturday, June 13, marks Canada's National Long-Term Care Day. This year's theme, caring across Canada, celebrates the residents, families, staff, volunteers and advocates who make long-term care communities strong from coast to coast to coast. Long-term care is an essential part of our health care system, but above al…
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Madam Speaker, the bill would strengthen mandatory minimums for predators who possess or access child sexual abuse and exploitation materials, restoring 12 mandatory minimums for a range of child sexual offences that were previously struck down by the court. The safety valve would be there so judges could use their own discretion and so they would have the leeway, when necessary, to make the right…
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Madam Speaker, one of the reasons is that when the bill came to the status of women committee, one of the requirements was that we have the option in some cases.
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Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to be here today to speak to Bill C-16, the protecting victims act, and to contextualize this legislation within Canada's broader efforts to confront and prevent gender-based violence. Gender-based violence is a persistent and measurable reality affecting women, girls and gender-diverse people across this country. In 2024, 187 women were killed viol…
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Madam Speaker, the bill that is in front of the House today and that we are debating is progressive. The changes we are proposing today would progress the Criminal Code more than the changes in all other years when we added so many measures to it did. The protecting victims act would be one of the most significant updates to the criminal justice system in generations, as I said. It has a broad sco…
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Madam Speaker, criminal harassment is a very big and important part of the bill. The bill would remove the subjective requirement to prove a victim's fear for their safety and replace it with the requirement to prove that the harassing conduct could reasonably be expected to cause a victim to believe that their safety is threatened, thereby removing the victim's need to testify. This would allow v…
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Mr. Speaker, this month, during National Nursing Week, I had the privilege of being invited to a tea in Claremont to honour nurses from our community. Sitting with them and hearing their stories, I was reminded of what nursing truly is, that it is not just a profession but a calling. The nurses of Pickering—Brooklin and across this country show up every single day with skills, compassion and quiet…
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Mr. Speaker, May 18 is not just a date on a calendar. For Tamil Canadians, it is a wound that has never fully healed. Seventeen years ago, the Sri Lankan civil war ended in a final offensive that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians in a matter of weeks. Hundreds of thousands were displaced. The wounds, psychological, familial and cultural, persist to this day. As someone with…
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Mr. Speaker, the seniors in our country are the very people who built the communities we live in today, who raised families, strengthened our economy and shaped the Canada we are so proud of. They deserve to age with dignity, security and peace of mind. In Pickering—Brooklin, our seniors are concerned about affordability and ensuring they receive the benefits they rely on. Can the secretary of sta…
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Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. The UN warns that during times of geopolitical strife, facts are manipulated, victims retraumatized and violations erased. This is not abstract. Many constituents in my riding have shared that their own family members are enduring these conditions in Iran …
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Mr. Speaker, Black History Month is not only a time to look back. It is a call to build forward. As we mark 30 years of its recognition in Canada, we are reminded that celebrating Black excellence must go hand in hand with expanding opportunities. This year's theme, “From Nation Builders to Tomorrow's Visionaries”, speaks to this continuum. The entrepreneurs, community leaders and advocates shapin…
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Madam Speaker, after months of obstruction, the justice committee finally completed its study on the bail and sentencing reform act. Premiers, mayors and law enforcement from across the country are asking for it to pass swiftly. Can the parliamentary secretary explain the important measures of the bail and sentencing reform act for us, please?
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to participate in today's debate on Bill C-19, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit act. We are at a pivotal moment in Canadian history. We are all bearing witness to a rapid change in the global landscape. Trade shocks are hitting countries around the world, and geopolitical threats are intensifying. This transformation is thrusting workers, busine…
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Mr. Speaker, the budget last fall had many things in it that lowered costs for our constituents. The Conservatives always and every day talk about food costs. We have come up with this plan to help all Canadians, and we would really like the Conservatives to help us pass this bill so we can help all Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, all programs cost money, and this program, at this time, is timely and needed. We need to do what we can for all Canadians, and that is what the government is doing.
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Mr. Speaker, what is important about the bill right now? The bill is timely, to put money back in the pockets of people for them to use right now. It is true that we have to tackle the root causes of food insecurity, and we are developing a national food security strategy. Strategies like that take time in terms of domestic food production and improved access to affordable, nutritious food. In the…
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Mr. Speaker, in Pickering—Brooklin, a large number of constituents are seniors. I got a lot of calls from members of my riding, thanking the government for such a program, because even getting $100 extra means a lot to seniors at this time. The government is doing an excellent job. Seniors whose yearly incomes are lower than $25,000 would definitely benefit from this program.
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Mr. Speaker, in January we celebrate Tamil Heritage Month. Earlier this month in India, I saw first-hand the global strength of the Tamil spirit when I spoke at the World Tamil Diaspora Day in Chennai. Tamil is the oldest spoken classical language in existence and is spoken by over 75 million people globally. Canada is now home to the largest Tamil diaspora outside of Asia. It is a community that …
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect jail time for the most serious crimes, especially those involving children.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians also expect laws that will withstand court scrutiny and respect the charter. Can the Minister of Justice please inform the House about what the government is doing to preserve strong mandatory minimum penalties for imprisonment while ensuring laws remain constitutional and enforceable?
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect jail time for the most serious crimes, especially those involving children.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the clean energy question. We are actually working with partners to build this right now. In my riding of Pickering—Brooklin, we have the biggest nuclear plant. We have invested a lot in nuclear energy—
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Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member that Canada is not broken. However, we are in a trade war, and we are trying to forge a path forward. We are working in collaboration with everyone to move the country forward, to create jobs and to find diverse trade opportunities that benefit all Canadians, not just some Canadians. This memorandum of agreement is a document that elaborates on co-operation…
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Mr. Speaker, the federal government and Alberta are committed to and will continue engaging in early, consistent and meaningful consultation with indigenous people. We have committed to making sure that they sit at the table as equal partners. We have been extremely clear that this project should only go ahead with sustainable, substantial opportunities for indigenous co-ownership. That is our com…
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Mr. Speaker, we are no longer in Justin Trudeau's government. This is a new government. We have invested in a very forward-looking budget, and we are in the process of voting on that. I hope the opposition will get on board and support us in building Canada's future. During the last election, we pledged to make Canada an energy superpower and build nation-building projects while protecting our env…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Vancouver Quadra. It is a privilege to rise in the House to speak to the motion put forward by the member for Battle River—Crowfoot on the Canada-Alberta MOU, building pipelines to Asia and the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional unceded territory of the Anishinabe …
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise today to speak to Bill C-218, which proposes further amendments to Canada's federal legal framework for medical assistance in dying. Specifically, this bill aims to indefinitely exclude those patients whose only health condition is a mental disorder from being eligible for MAID. This is an issue which is unquestionably complex and can be deeply per…
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Mr. Speaker, the proposed reverse onus recognizes that those accused of such offending may present heightened safety risks to their victims if released on bail. The bill currently going through Parliament would also significantly strengthen sentencing, including for sexual offending. It is proposed that conditional sentence orders, also known as house arrest, be unavailable for serious sexual offe…
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Mr. Speaker, cyclone Ditwah has devastated communities across Sri Lanka, causing severe flooding and landslides that have claimed over 465 lives and left hundreds more missing. Homes, infrastructure and local economies have suffered serious damage, and communities across the country are struggling to deal with the aftermath, especially in the northeast hill regions, which are already struggling du…
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Mr. Speaker, I am speaking in response to Bill C-246, an act to amend the Criminal Code. It is private member's bill introduced by the hon. member for Lethbridge. The bill would change the Criminal Code so that, when someone is convicted of two or more sexual offences at the same time, their sentences would have to be served one after the other. If that person was later convicted of another sexual…
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Mr. Speaker, this week, as we begin the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, and with today marking Economic Abuse Awareness Day, we are reminded of the countless women, children and families whose lives have been forever changed by abuse, and we are reminded that this violence does not always leave visible scars. It is often hidden behind closed doors, taking the form of control, is…
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Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to Bill C-236, addressing the continuing victimization of homicide victims' families act. The short title of this bill refers to the continuing victimization of homicide victims. The bill would make an offender's failure to disclose the location of victims' remains a consideration in parole decisions. I want to assure the member for Parkl…
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Mr. Speaker, November marks Hindu Heritage Month, a time to honour one of the world's oldest living traditions and recognize the profound contributions that Hindu Canadians make to our country in the field of medicine, new technologies, education, arts, finance and entrepreneurship. With nearly one million Hindu Canadians enriching our social, cultural and economic values, from philanthropists lik…
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Madam Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. member for Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies for sponsoring this legislation. I also wish to thank all members who have contributed or will contribute to our consideration of this bill. As members know, this legislation has already been tabled by the members opposite in previous sessions. It is an important non-partisan bill that focuses on the rights of vict…
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to take part in today's debate on budget 2025, “Canada Strong”. As we know, advanced economies around the world are facing global economic headwinds, and Canada is no exception. With the historic rise in tariffs affecting our economy, Canadians are feeling the pressure in their day-to-day lives. Canadians do not need more talk about challenges. They need a plan, a pl…
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Mr. Speaker, I understand that it is a crisis, and I do empathize. I want to reiterate that, for some programs, health is under the jurisdiction of the provinces, and they need to pay closer attention to some of the crises happening in our communities.
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Mr. Speaker, I spoke about the new horizons program because I worked with seniors in my past life for many years, and I understand that the program takes seniors out of isolation. I am very passionate about it. My colleague referred to a two-class system. I think that as seniors age, their needs also increase. The government has recognized that, hence the two-tiered system. I think it is needed. A…
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Mr. Speaker, I believe that this budget clearly protects our seniors. There is the new horizons funding, for example, which takes a lot of seniors out of isolation. I am grateful the program did not get cut. We are investing in the gains and benefits seniors are receiving right now. I want to assure the member opposite that seniors are very well taken care of in the 2025 budget.
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Mr. Speaker, we would also increase the Canada mortgage bond annual issuance limit from $60 billion to $80 billion, starting in 2026, unlocking thousands of new housing units every year and helping to finance large multi-unit projects. To help first-time homebuyers take the first step, budget 2025 introduces the first-time homebuyers GST tax credit, which would eliminate the GST on new homes price…
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Mr. Speaker, I am particularly in support of and very thrilled about the programs and the money allocated for youth: $1.5 billion over three years, starting next year, to strengthen youth jobs programs, like Canada summer jobs, which is a 30% increase from last year; the youth employment and skills strategy to get youth ready for jobs; and the student work placement program, reaching roughly 20,00…
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Mr. Speaker, during the time of the election, at every home we went to, this is what we heard. Our Prime Minister, Mark Carney, promised, at that time, that we would invest into the criminal system. That is throughout the country. Quebec is also included in that. Provinces will get their share. The implementation of these changes relies on the provinces. They will have to come up with, within thei…
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Mr. Speaker, on October 23, 2025, following extensive consultation, the Government of Canada introduced legislation with more than 80 provisions to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the National Defence Act. I am pleased to rise today to speak in support of Bill C-14. I would like to take some time to more specifically outline the proposed changes to the Youth Criminal Ju…
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Mr. Speaker, definitely, the economy does impact crime in general, and youth are no different. The budget that is coming in is an austerity budget that is supposed to create a lot of jobs, and youth jobs are included in that. I hope the member opposite will vote yes for our budget this time to help alleviate crime as well.
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Mr. Speaker, like I said, I was a youth worker for 20 years in the city of Toronto, day in and day out, dealing with youth offenders and trying to put them into programs that would rehabilitate them. Most times, we look at why they turned to crime and what is needed in the community for these rehabilitation purposes. As we see auto thefts, home invasions and jewellery heists increase and youth are…
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Mr. Speaker, on July 30, 1975, an amendment to the National Defence Act extended full membership in the royal Canadian sea, army and air cadets to girls, changing “boys” to “persons”. This year marks 50 years of female inclusion in the Canadian cadet program. Today, more than 60,000 cadets across 1,100 communities benefit from this program, which builds citizenship, leadership and fitness. Female …
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Mr. Speaker, this is why we introduce a bill. It goes through first and second readings, and then it goes to committee, which debates it and adds or takes away whatever is needed so that all Canadians can be protected. It is important to note why Bill C-12 is even here. All of this was actually part of Bill C-2. I want to ask my hon. colleague whether Conservatives will be supporting making the bi…
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Mr. Speaker, definitely. The 1,000 RCMP officers are an important piece in this big puzzle that we are trying to solve as we mitigate our border security. The dog teams are a very important part. The reason I am saying this is that even if 1% of fentanyl is crossing Canadian borders, it is still a big deal for Canadians. Even though we are 10% of the U.S. population, that 1% represents a huge prob…
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Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, immigration is an integral part of our system. We have all been immigrants at some point in time, and Pickering—Brooklin is vastly made up of immigrants from all countries across the world. It is important that we get this right, and we have to spend time and debate the bill. I am hoping that all members of the House will understand how important it is for asylum…
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Mr. Speaker, today the House is debating important legislation: Bill C-12, the strengthening Canada's immigration system and borders act. Bill C-12 would strengthen our country's security by proposing changes to support border security and immigration, to fight transnational organized crime and to disrupt illicit financing. We urgently need to update many of our laws if we want to be able to addre…
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