Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I could not be more proud to support our region, town and community partners in compassionately and effectively addressing homelessness in our community. The site at 1635 Dundas Street East is a lifeline in Whitby, a place where people facing some of their hardest moments can find safety, care and dignity. Our new government is backing that critical work with a $40-million investment,…
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Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge that oil price shocks due to the war in the Middle East are rippling across the world and increasing the cost of living pressures on Canadians here at home. That is why we recently worked with our international partners to release hundreds of millions of barrels of Canadian oil as part of an effort to provide stability for businesses and consumers. We cannot unblock the…
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Mr. Speaker, we know nostalgia is not a strategy. We cannot go back to 1965, to a tariff-free auto pact. What has Unifor said about the Conservatives' so-called plan? It said this plan cannot achieve its intended objectives, it is mathematically incorrect, and it may prevent potential future growth in our automotive industry. Unlike them, we actually sit down with the workers and the unions and co…
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Mr. Speaker, do the Conservatives live under a rock? We are in a trade war. We have a war raging in the Middle East. Those are not of our choosing. Those global issues and forces, just to explain causality, are not the fault of the federal government. There are factors in the world that are affecting the Canadian economy. We are moving through a period of unprecedented economic turbulence. Canadia…
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Mr. Speaker, we will never adopt the Conservative plan because the Conservatives do not have a plan. They do not propose anything that works on behalf of Canadians or that will deliver results for them. Our plan is the plan that we are following. That is the plan that Canadians voted for. That is the plan that is working to create jobs for Canadians. Yes, there are choppy waters. We are in a trade…
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Mr. Speaker, I have good news for the hon. member. Just yesterday, our Bill C-4 on affordability measures got royal assent in our Senate, which is fantastic news. That means 22 million Canadians will receive a tax cut on their income tax, saving $840 for dual-income families. Families that are trying to purchase their first home will save up to $50,000 on homes under $1 million. That is good news …
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians all across the country know that we were thrust into a trade war not of our choosing. Our government is doing everything in its power and using every lever at our disposal to support the Canadian economy and insulate it from further shocks that are, again, beyond our control. What we are doing is diversifying trade. While the Leader of the Opposition was trotting around Lond…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that “Bah humbug” is just a name for the opposition leader's management style. Thank God the human emotion of joy is not deductible, because the Conservatives would find a way to claw it back right before Christmas. They will not help us feed children in school. They will not help us build affordable housing. They will not help us give and to deliver to families a well-earned …
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Mr. Speaker, it is almost the holidays, with goodwill to all. The opposition leader says no, let us circle back next year after his leadership review. Meanwhile, hard-working Canadians wait for a well-earned tax break. They wait for a $50,000 tax cut for first-time homebuyers. Children wait for healthy meals at school. Families and seniors wait for affordable housing. In addition to that, this mem…
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member that the budget bill is full of really great measures for this country. One thing we can all acknowledge is that Canada has world-class innovators and entrepreneurs, those of whom will help us build the strongest economy in the G7. As part of that process, we are reducing red tape to broaden the use of something called regulatory sandboxes to help foster and sp…
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Mr. Speaker, residents in Whitby, like communities across Canada, expect Parliament to pass the budget implementation act. Why? It will deliver the generational investments they have been asking for. That means parties opposite need to stop the procedural delays and stop blocking the affordable housing, health care and housing infrastructure Canadians rely on. This budget bill would advance the to…
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Mr. Speaker, every farmer knows that we reap what we sow. What the Conservatives are sowing every day in this House is the distrust of Canadians, because they are insincere when they weaponize people's struggles for their political gain while voting against every single affordability measure that puts more money in Canadians' pockets. That includes an income tax cut for $22 million, the Canada chi…
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Mr. Speaker, it appears the members opposite have spent so long on the opposition benches, and have become so disagreeable, that they cannot even agree with the things they have advocated for. It is a shame. There are things like tax cuts for 22 million Canadians, a GST cut of $50,000 on new home purchases for families, automated tax benefits and tax deductions for businesses so they can invest in…
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Mr. Speaker, it is hard to take the Conservatives at their word in the House when they stand up every day to complain about the Canadian economy, while we receive good news on this side and rejoice in it. The economy is actually faring well. The IMF just came out with a report that said Canada's economy is weathering the shocks of the tariff war, or the trade war, better than expected. We have hea…
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Mr. Speaker, what feeds Canadian families are good-paying jobs and a strong social safety net, both of which the Conservatives oppose. They cannot even bring themselves to recognize when job numbers exceed expectations month over month over month. For three months in a row, the Canadian economy has added 181,000 new jobs, including 54,000 this month. We have seen a drop in the unemployment rate in…
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Mr. Speaker, when our government moved forward with the first round of major nation-building projects, which would create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and add to Canada's GDP and economic output, what did the Conservative leader say? He called those projects “pathetic”. He stood out there in the media and said that about projects that would create tens of thousands of jobs, yet here we ar…
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Mr. Speaker, I can assure members that in the preparations leading up to budget 2025, there was a comprehensive expenditure review that looked at all possible operational savings the federal government could make in order to invest in the Canadian economy. This will ensure that we have a capital budgeting framework that ensures we achieve capital formation; that we grow the Canadian economy; that …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Whitby fire service recruits class of 2025 on their graduation. The recruits powered through demanding training, long days, early mornings and more ladder drills than anyone should be able to brag about at family dinners. This week they joined one of the most respected fire services in the country, and they have earned every bit of this moment. I grew up …
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to serve with the hon. member for Cumberland—Colchester. There is only one reason that key pieces of legislation are not moving through this House, and it is the opposition, which is blocking them in committee and in the House. It is wasting time and blocking key legislation. It is the opposition that is stopping the first-time homebuyer's tax savings of $50,000 for first-t…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to start with a quote from an infamous author and professor: “climate change is our agri-food sector's greatest challenge, and we need to address it.” Do we know who said that? It was Sylvain Charlebois, the food professor, on November 1, 2024, in response to my question at committee. What is interesting is that the members do not take the time to read the report. They will not…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a shame the Conservatives have attached their political fortunes to the failure of the Canadian economy and the struggles of the Canadian people. They rejoice when our economy does badly. On this side of the House, we are looking for indicators and signs that our plan is working, and guess what. Today, we had another sign that our plan is working to build a strong Canadian econo…
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to say that I do my own grocery shopping and all the cooking in my household as well. What is interesting is that Canadian families want an empathetic, compassionate government that actually acts on the challenges and struggles they are facing, not one that weaponizes their struggles for political gain. We are standing up for Canadians every day. We have offered an income t…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the member what she cares about. Does she care about access to critical care and health care in our region? I wonder, because she voted against budget 2025, including the health care infrastructure fund, which would fund hospitals and health care facilities all across Canada, including in Durham region. Does she care about 21,700 jobs at the new nuclear project i…
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Madam Speaker, we know that the Conservatives will talk down our industries and workers every chance they get. That may help generate clicks and fundraising emails, but it will not build Canada strong. While they are in the business of saying no, we are in the business of saying yes: yes to productivity tax deductions for businesses; yes to making it easier for Canadian companies to invest in mach…
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Madam Speaker, it is really challenging to take the Conservatives at their word when they are trying to purport to care about Canadians. They vote against everything with the word “care” in it: dental care, child care, pharmacare and even health care infrastructure to build hospitals in my community in Durham Region where the member is from. They will not even support that. If they want to show th…
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Madam Speaker, Whitby is not just talking about sustainability; it is demonstrating action. At last week's Durham Greener Buildings awards, which recognizes success in achieving climate targets, with two awards, our community walked out with some serious hardware. First up is the Whitby Centennial Building, which earned the Best Emission and Energy Performance Award for Performing Arts. It proves …
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Madam Speaker, the member would rather question the loyalty of our Prime Minister, who is securing deals all around the world to drive investment into Canada and protect jobs and who is stepping up with packages of support for tariff-impacted industries. The member will not even stand up to support a hospital in Durham Region with the health care infrastructure funding that we put in the federal b…
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Madam Speaker, I want to ask the member about his previous comment, in which he said that our government was resorting to ad hominem arguments. This is when someone attacks the person and has no actual logical argument, which is something Conservatives do in the House every day. They talk about the Prime Minister's being disloyal to the country, and they berate immigrants as being the source of ou…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-230, an act to amend the Financial Administration Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts. I want to thank the member for Simcoe North for putting this forth. I, too, share some of the core values that I think are expressed in the bill, one of which is a commitment to tax fairness. That is very important to me, as is a com…
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Madam Speaker, this is why I love Private Members' Business in the House: We see hon. members making good-faith attempts to contribute to our country in meaningful ways. This is a great legislative initiative that has been brought forward by the member for Simcoe North. I very much appreciate him and his work at the finance committee in the past. I know he mentioned in his remarks that there may b…
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Mr. Speaker, “Conservatives care” is like an oxymoron or some pathetic joke, because we know those two terms are like oil and water; they just do not mix. Who cares? Our government cares. We are the ones standing up for our industry. We are making more announcements today. The Prime Minister is stepping up with increased protections for our domestic market, with new support for our industries and …
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that I just recently met with those at Unifor Local 222, the local chapter at the GM Oshawa plant, and they are happy with what our government is doing to support them. They have said that no deal is better than a bad deal. They have acknowledged our remissions framework and how we have adjusted it, and they are looking to us for leadership and more support. That …
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Mr. Speaker, here is a news flash: We are in a trade war. We are in a trade war, and we do not get to choose the attitude and the response of other countries. We get to choose what we do in response to protect our industries here in Canada. Tariff-impacted industries across Canada know that this government is standing up to protect their interests at every step along the way. Whether the Prime Min…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order regarding Bill C-15, the budget 2025 implementation act, no. 1. I would like to notify the House of a technical issue in clause 71. That clause of Bill C-15 proposes amendments to the trust reporting rules in the Income Tax Act. Some of these amendments were intended to first apply to the 2024 taxation year. Due to a technical issue in subclause 71(14) of Bi…
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As usual, Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with my colleague. It is clear that with the economic headwinds we are experiencing and with the uncertainty that remains fairly prevalent in our economy, our government needs to step up and do what is necessary to diversify trade, to replace the demand that is not there right now from U.S. trade partners and to ensure that our industries can grow and …
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's work on securing a suicide prevention hotline. We worked together on that across party lines, and it was great to see. It is great that we got that done. We also moved forward, in a previous Parliament, with the youth mental health fund across Canada, which I did consultations on in my riding and was very well received. It is not to say that we are n…
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Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister and ministers on the front bench have said time and time again that Canada cannot control the temperament of leaders around the world. We also cannot control their trade policies. What we get to control is our response. Our Prime Minister and members of cabinet are working diligently to diversify trade so that we are less reliant on one trading partner, as well as w…
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Good morning, Mr. Speaker. It is a great day in Parliament today, and it is my pleasure to rise to introduce Bill C-15, an act that would implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4. A mere few weeks ago, our government tabled budget 2025, an investment budget with unprecedented measures to build big things in this country, to empower Canadians with a better life …
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is blessed with natural resources. It is one of our strategic advantages around the world, especially with the world wanting more of what Canada has to offer. Critical minerals are essential. We have a strategy that is embedded in the budget. There are significant investments with the sovereign fund. There are significant exploration tax credits that have been enhanced and expa…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that our government makes investments to preserve Canadian culture and heritage and steps up to support our media industry and journalists across the country. We have certainly heard that they are experiencing challenging times. The business model for that industry has been challenged over the last few years, mostly due to how many online outlets there are and how the …
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Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate Leo Plue, Whitby's 2025 Peter Perry Award recipient. This is the highest distinction in our town, recognizing true dedication to community building. For over 40 years, Leo has created opportunities in the classroom, inspiring thousands of students and driving change in Ontario's high schools through e-learning, but his vision reaches far beyond the classroom.…
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Mr. Speaker, let us not forget that Canada has a AAA credit rating. Inflation has been within the Bank of Canada's target range for almost two years. Interest rates are down, job numbers are exceeding expectations and budget 2025 makes generational investments that the head of the International Monetary Fund welcomes. These investments will pay dividends to Canadians over generations in the form o…
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Mr. Speaker, obviously, the government is committed to addressing public safety issues and ensuring that repeat violent offenders, where it makes sense, do not get out on bail and have tougher sentences. I think we have always maintained that. I know the members opposite like to put forward proposals and legislation that would get struck down by the Supreme Court and be deemed unconstitutional or …
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Mr. Speaker, how does the member opposite justify to the members of Cloverdale—Langley City her stance on this legislation? This has been acknowledged, time and time again by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, by mayors across the country, by ministers of justice, even in her own province, and by police associations, including the Canadian Police Association, the Canadian Association of Ch…
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A request for a meeting is not—
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Mr. Speaker, it is great to rise today to speak on the bail and sentencing reform legislation. It is clear that every Canadian deserves to feel safe and secure in their community, yet too often people tell me that their sense of security has been shaken, shaken by the headlines they see, but also by repeat violent offenders in their communities who have them worried whether the laws are keeping up…
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that some of the things he points to are real issues. While everything is not addressed in this one bill, it does have a specific focus on bail and sentencing reforms to address what Conservatives have said, over and over again, is a system that does not meet the right balance in ensuring communities are safe and people are held without bail in cases w…
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Mr. Speaker, in particular, the reverse onus on serious violent offences that this bill includes is really significant. Obviously, it reverses the onus such that the offenders and their counsel are going to have to prove that they are not a risk to society, rather than bail being sort of the default when a repeat offender is being considered for bail. Putting those reverse onuses in place is going…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the hon. member on watching his children grow. I too have children, both born and unborn. My wife is about to give birth in January to the latest addition to our family, a girl who I am very proud to say will be my third girl. I am very proud to work in the House on behalf of my family and to see the nation's resources stewarded for future generations. I realize the mem…
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Mr. Speaker, I suggest that we invest in our economy and grow it so we have the revenues to pay down the deficit we have. That is exactly the fiscal anchor we have talked about: a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio, ensuring disciplined fiscal management for future generations. The Prime Minister recently said that the future benefits those who are able to be bold in times of crisis. We are being bold…
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