Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, last Tuesday, a video was shot in a vacant committee room. I was involved in the video, as were my colleagues from the justice committee who are from the Conservative Party. In that video, we drew attention to the fact that although this was a regular day to hold a justice committee meeting, there were no Liberals present at this particular meeting and no member from the Bloc Québéc…
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Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of passing catch-and-release laws that turn criminals loose on our streets, the Liberals are now obstructing “jail, not bail” laws. In Nova Scotia, a man sexually assaulted more than 300 children and within hours was released on bail. This is outrageous. The same violent criminals are cycling through the system again and again. That is why our Conservative motion would …
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Mr. Speaker, if the Liberals really wanted to crack down on crime, they would not cling to their catch-and-release laws that let repeat violent offenders back on our streets. For years, premiers, police chiefs and mayors across the country have been pleading with the government, while it defends laws that let criminals back on our streets. Enough is enough. Our motion is clear: after three violent…
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Madam Speaker, that is a fantastic question. It is very simple: The entire philosophy of the Liberal government for the last 50 years has been to put the needs of criminals before the needs of victims and community safety. It is an ideology that is wack.
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moved: That, given that the Liberal government has changed the law to allow for house arrest for serious offenders and lets repeat criminals go free within hours of their arrest, which has resulted in a 50% increase in violent crime, the House call on the Liberal government to replace these changes with a "Three-Strikes-And-You're-Out" law that will stop criminals convicted of three serious offenc…
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Madam Speaker, our current Prime Minister, this particular member, all previous members of the Justin Trudeau government and even the new members of this Liberal government have obstructed every opportunity for us to advance common-sense solutions to deal with the criminal justice system. For the last 10 years, the member has continually prioritized the needs and the comfort of criminals at the ex…
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Madam Speaker, when I classify victims, I highlight that women across this country have long felt that there is absolutely no justice to our system. They view it as a legal system, because for 10-plus years, they have been abandoned in the process. The sentencing guidelines do not reflect the true gravity of intimate partner violence. To answer my colleague's question, absolutely we will prioritiz…
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Mr. Speaker, crime, chaos and fear are ravaging communities right across Canada after 10 years of the Liberals' prioritizing soft-on-crime laws. In Saskatchewan, a man out on release after 59 prior convictions murdered 11 people. In Peel Region, half the suspects in a violent carjacking ring were out on bail. In Vancouver, just 40 repeat offenders were arrested 6,000 times, yet the government take…
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Mr. Speaker, we have been listening to that for five months: empty promises, empty words. Last year, 256 people were charged with homicide while on release. That is, 256 Canadians would be alive today if these violent criminals had been behind bars. If Conservatives' “three strikes and you're out” law were in place, these repeat offenders would have been in jail and not destroying families. Nearly…
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With regard to ongoing lawsuits filed by the government against GC Strategies: what are the details of each, including (i) the date it was filed, (ii) the case name and number, (iii) where it was filed, (iv) the amount of damages sought, (v) the other parties named in the lawsuit, if applicable, (vi) the current status?
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Mr. Speaker, a so-called safe injection site, backed by the Liberal government, became the scene of a broad daylight drug shootout. A mother walking by was killed, yet the staff member at the site who helped the shooters escape, shockingly, will not serve a single day behind bars. This was not about harm reduction. It was chaos, violence and death in a residential neighbourhood. Will the Liberal g…
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Mr. Speaker, after a decade of the Liberal government, serious violent crime has soared, but so has leniency. A mother is dead, and the so-called harm reduction worker who helped the accused killer gets to serve her sentence from home and enjoy her gym membership. What kind of justice system does the Prime Minister believe in, one that protects victims or one that rewards criminals? To correct wha…
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Mr. Speaker, in light of the mixed messaging on efforts to recoup the money from GC Strategies, the member for Peterborough indicated that PSPC has taken GC Strategies to court. Will the member or her government table the statement of claim in the House today?
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague talked about how this particular scandal would be dealt with in the private sector. We know that in 2015, Justin Trudeau promised Canadians that he would be open by default and that if the Liberals made a mistake, they would own up to it and apologize. Can my colleague identify any particular minister or deputy minister who has accepted responsibility for the boondog…
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Mr. Speaker, that is a great question. As I indicated in my speech, one would only hope that there would be unanimous approval for this motion, if all of us live true to our responsibilities to our constituents, which are to ensure that we are delivering value to them. This has been clearly demonstrated over the last 10 years. GC Strategies is but one contractor, 0.37% of all the money that was sp…
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Mr. Speaker, I know the member is new to the chamber, but perhaps he needs to reflect on the last 10 years of waste, corruption and scandal that he is now a part of. He talks about welcoming the Auditor General's report into the arrive scam issue, but he also needs to remember that, with regard to the first report that she gave, they opposed the inquest by the Auditor General in her report. The qu…
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Mr. Chair, the answer is zero. As the new President of the Treasury Board of this so-called new government, will the minister do the honourable thing and apologize to Canadians for not exercising prudent care over their tax dollars?
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Mr. Speaker, I wish to state at the outset that it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the great residents of Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations. I also want to telegraph that I will be splitting my time with my colleague, the member for Montmorency—Charlevoix. Today we are debating our Conservative motion that, given that the Auditor General found that the ArriveCAN contractor, GC Strategies…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that very thoughtful question from the member for Waterloo. I do not think she is going to like the answer, and I am not going to take credit for this answer. I am actually going to give credit to a journalist from the National Post who reported today on an interesting story about all the items that I spoke to, but the heading, to answer my friend's question, is this: “Jo…
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Mr. Chair, several members of the government stated today that the government made referrals to the RCMP regarding GC Strategies. When was this and for what criminal allegations?
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Mr. Chair, the answer is zero. How many ministers have resigned?
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Mr. Chair, several members of the minister's government confirmed today that the government is in court with GC Strategies. When was the lawsuit filed?
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Mr. Chair, what is the amount of damages sought by the government?
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Mr. Chair, how many ministers and parliamentary secretaries who had their hands all over this file have apologized to the House and Canadians for not exercising ministerial responsibility?
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Mr. Chair, why were the principal partners, Firth and Anthony, not disqualified for life?
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Mr. Chair, why were they not disqualified for life?
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Mr. Chair, why did it take until almost three years later for the government to end its relationship with GC Strategies?
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Mr. Chair, the minister's government said in the House numerous times today that the government has taken GC Strategies to court. A lawsuit does exist. A statement of claim exists. Will the minister table the statement of claim today in the House, yes or no?
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Mr. Chair, over three years ago, Kristian Firth, under oath, admitted to deliberately falsifying résumés to secure government contracts. This is the classic definition of fraud. Why did the government not make a referral to the RCMP at that time?
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Mr. Speaker, unlike the members from the same old Liberal government, he may be a new face, but he has inherited a corrupt, rotten-at-its-core government with the same values and same beliefs. What I am doing differently is that, unlike this member, I stand up for my constituents and I make sure they get value for their tax dollars.
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Mr. Chair, why did the government continue to do business with GC Strategies after fraud came to light?
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Mr. Chair, does the government condone and encourage fraud with outside consultants?
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Mr. Speaker, we have heard nothing all day today about any steps the government plans on taking for getting the money back. We have heard nothing but comments about gamesmanship or that we should be looking at other issues. Government members seem to forget that the official opposition has a constitutional mandate to hold the government to account. In light of the explosive AG report released on T…
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Mr. Speaker, shockingly, the very same Liberal ministers who had their fingerprints all over the arrive scam are still in cabinet today: namely, the jobs minister, the U.S. trade minister and the foreign affairs minister. Their lack of ministerial responsibility is both negligent and inexcusable. The fraudulent payment of $64 million is not just about reckless spending; it is a total waste of taxp…
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Mr. Speaker, today the Auditor General released a scathing audit on the top arrive scam fraudster, GC Strategies. This two-person, basement-dwelling company feasted on 64 million taxpayer dollars. This was a direct gift from the Liberal government, which allowed basic procurement rules to be completely ignored over the last 10 years. Canadians still do not know who did the work, what was done, if …
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Mr. Chair, former justice minister Virani said at committee that he was proud of the fact that he and his government delivered bail reform through the passage of Bill C-48. Does the minister still hold that same belief?
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Mr. Chair, the minister called catch-and-release a myth. How does he explain repeat violent offenders' committing more crimes while on bail?
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Mr. Chair, if the bail system is quite sound and working, why are police chiefs, premiers and victims' families saying the opposite?
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Mr. Chair, on the same day as his swearing in, former minister Virani said that Canadians do not feel unsafe in their communities, that the perception of crime is largely in their heads and that an increase in crime is “empirically...unlikely”. Does the minister agree with that statement?
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Mr. Chair, the minister promised to tighten bail rules just last week, but why did he not do that in Bill C-2?
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Mr. Chair, the minister and his crime czar are saying they are getting tough on violent crime. Why did the minister vote to eliminate mandatory jail time for gun and repeat violent offences in Bill C-5?
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Mr. Chair, in your previous role as the parliamentary secretary to former justice minister Lametti and your brief two-month appointment as justice minister this year, have you ever attended a courthouse to observe a bail hearing?
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Mr. Chair, has the minister observed a bail hearing since becoming Minister of Public Safety?
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Madam Chair, on a point of order, I am seeing a pattern here of the minister deliberately giving a response that is substantially longer than the length of time it took to ask the question.
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Mr. Chair, in 2022, former justice minister Lametti said at committee that Canada's bail system was strong and sound despite calls for reform from premiers and police. The minister doubled down on that statement on April 15, stating that bail in Canada is “quite sound”. Does he still believe that?
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Mr. Speaker, the member for Waterloo loves to chime in, and maybe she will get the opportunity to ask me a question, but perhaps she can show me the courtesy of actually letting me respond to the question without being chirped and interrupted. In my previous capacity, not only was I a prosecutor, but I was a defence counsel. I will fight with every last breath for the charter rights and freedoms o…
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Mr. Chair, prior to the minister's 2015 election, he practised business, real estate and human international rights law, but never criminal law. Is that correct?
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Mr. Chair, the Prime Minister recently appointed Lametti as principal secretary in the PMO. It is the same minister who was fired by Justin Trudeau, who authorized the illegal declaration of an emergency and who gutted and weakened our criminal justice system. Are you proud of that appointment?
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