:
Mr. Speaker, it is an immense honour for me to rise for my first speech in the House of Commons. To be entrusted with the responsibility of representing the people of my hometown of Oshawa is both humbling and motivating. Oshawa is a proud city built on hard work, resilience and innovation. This chair belongs to it. Oshawa has roots as a manufacturing powerhouse, but it is also a resilient and forward-looking community. It is a place built on hard work and determination, and to me, it reflects the best of Canada's values: strength, opportunity and community.
I want to begin by thanking my neighbours in Oshawa for placing their trust in me, electing, for the first time, to send a woman to represent them in the House of Commons. I carry their voices with me into this chamber, voices of families, workers, students, seniors and small business owners, each with hopes and concerns that deserve to be heard and must be addressed with respect and action.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude first to my family, especially my two children, my 21-year-old son Clayton and my 14-year-old daughter Claire. They have sacrificed much over the past year and have been among my greatest supporters.
I would also like to thank my late parents, my mom, who passed away suddenly in 2021, and my dad, who quickly followed her to their heavenly home just 10 months later. I believe they would be proud. My mother was a meek, quiet woman but knew how to get the job done always. My dad introduced me to politics when I was 14. He was super interested in something called the Reform Party and Preston Manning, and that was my entrance into politics.
I also thank my siblings, whom I am more grateful for than ever. I am the youngest of seven children, often being the brunt of all the jokes, such as they found me on the side of the street and decided to bring me home. Those are the fun stories, but I am thankful that I have my siblings now that my parents have passed.
I also could not be more grateful to my incredible campaign team and volunteers. Their support made this moment possible. I am so thankful for their belief in me and in the work ahead. If I could name them all here today, I would, but time does not allow me to name the hundreds of workers who pounded in signs, knocked on doors and spoke to Canadians about their dreams and concerns. I look forward to thanking them all in person at our appreciation event this Friday in Oshawa.
I want to give a special thanks to Andrew, Alex, Skip, Maryann, George, Callum, Phil and Paula, who chaired this campaign with their whole hearts. Yes, they are my friends, but more than that, they gave their time and energy because they care deeply about Oshawa. They believe, as I do, that our city deserves strong, thoughtful representation and leadership that truly listens.
As I stand here today, I would be remiss if I did not mention members who came before me, whom I have held in high esteem as I have sought to represent my hometown. The late Hon. Michael Starr, the first cabinet minister of Ukrainian descent, served as minister of labour in the government of John Diefenbaker and served as the opposition House leader as well.
I would also like to thank my immediate predecessor, Dr. Colin Carrie, who faithfully served the people of Oshawa for nearly 21 years in opposition and in government. He served as parliamentary secretary to the minister of health under the Conservative governments of former prime minister Stephen Harper and as parliamentary secretary to the minister of the environment. It should also be noted that Dr. Carrie was instrumental in bringing record investment back to Oshawa while he was a member, more than the previous NDP and Liberal members combined, in fact. Oshawa should be proud of their choice since 2004. I intend to follow in that tradition, bringing the same level of commitment and purpose to my work for our Oshawa.
The recent election in Oshawa was more than just a political contest. It was a powerful reflection of our community's hope for a Pierre Poilievre Conservative government. One of the most unforgettable moments of the campaign came during our rally with our leader Pierre Poilievre in Oshawa. I had the privilege of standing amid 6,500 people and leading them in singing O Canada, and wow, did they ever do so with pride and purpose. In that moment, everyone could feel it: the unity, the hope and the belief that change is not only possible but within reach.
Among the crowd, I would find out later, was a 15-year-old high school student who had convinced his mom to attend. A few days later, she walked into our campaign office and wanted to share what that night had meant to both her and her son. He had been moved deeply. He spoke to her about his fears for his future and his hopes for our country.
That conversation has stayed with me because what that young man felt is what I heard repeatedly at the doors. It reminded me of my own children. His hopes were theirs. His fears were real. It was the story of every family I met who told me they are working harder than ever but falling farther behind, wondering if their kids will ever be able to afford a home in the community they grew up in. Therefore, I rise today not just as a member of Parliament but as a neighbour, a single mom, a worker, someone who understands what is at stake for every Canadian dreaming of a better future.
When we talk about building that future, we must talk about homes, because housing is the foundation of stability for so many families. Today that foundation is crumbling. It is time to restore the dream of home ownership, a dream that has been steadily slipping away over the past 10 years. Young Canadians are giving up on the hope of owning a home. It used to take 25 years to pay off a mortgage, and now it takes 25 years to even consider saving enough for a down payment. This means that when my son graduates from university next year, it is now expected to take him until he is about 47 years old to even consider having enough saved for a down payment. Conservatives refuse to accept that as normal.
Why can Canada not be faster when it comes to getting a building permit? There should be no more waiting for months or years to get shovels in the ground. If we want to solve the housing crisis, we need to act with speed and efficiency. As Conservatives, we will fight to free up land, speed up the permitting process and cut taxes for both homebuyers and home builders.
We all know that building more homes is not enough on its own; we want to ensure those homes are part of safe, vibrant communities, places where kids can play outside without worry, where seniors can enjoy a peaceful walk and where families can go to bed at night without fearing that their car might be gone or vandalized by the morning. Home ownership should mean more than just having a roof over one's head; it should bring a sense of security, stability and pride. We are committed to making that vision a reality again for every Canadian.
Downtown Oshawa is feeling the impact of the government's soft-on-crime policies. I hear it every day from business owners, parents and seniors who no longer feel safe walking to their car. Violent crime is up. Public drug use is rampant. People are scared, and they feel abandoned. The Liberal government has made life easier for repeat violent offenders and harder for law-abiding Canadians trying to raise their families and run businesses.
Conservatives will fight to end the dangerous policies that are putting our communities at risk, such as the catch-and-release bail system that lets repeat offenders walk free instead of facing real consequences. We will also champion a compassionate but tough approach to addiction, which means focusing on treatment and recovery, not simply handing out more drugs. People deserve the chance to rebuild their lives and break free from addiction, not to be left to struggle in it. Our goal is of course a drug-free Canada where individuals can get the help they need, where families can be reunited and where hope replaces despair. In Oshawa and across the country, Canadians deserve safe streets, and I will keep fighting until they have them.
Oshawa is a proud city, a city that helped build this country through auto manufacturing, small business, innovation and grit. From the early days of McLaughlin Motor Car Company to the modern production lines of General Motors, manufacturing is in our DNA.
Sadly, just a few weeks ago, we learned that General Motors will be reducing operations at the Oshawa Assembly plant, moving from three shifts to two and affecting 700 workers at the plant and thousands from feeder plants in the community. That news was heavy, but if there is one thing Oshawa has shown time and time again, it is that our people are resilient. We have weathered hardship before, and we have come through stronger. We will stand by our workers and families every step of the way.
:
Madam Speaker, it is my honour to rise today in this chamber to speak on behalf of my neighbours and fellow residents of Calgary Signal Hill. Others in this House have commented since the beginning of this 45th Parliament that politics is a team sport, and I for one would not have it any other way. The Conservative team in Calgary Signal Hill is one of the best in our country, and I am proud to be part of that team.
I am also grateful to all the individuals who volunteered their time and energy in the general election campaign, and I thank them today. I am thinking about Joanne Birce, an amazing volunteer in our community, who, together with Cynthia Williams, ran our campaign office; Adrian Smith, Stuart McConkey and Tim Wall, our sign crew; Steve McLeod, one of the sharpest minds in politics; Barb Shaw, Changping Shao, Bob MacDonald, Mark Moennich, Bonnie McGinnis, Carrie Wall, Rick Harland and others who gave hour after hour to knock on doors and do whatever needed to be done; and of course, Michael Smith, who kept it all on track and running smoothly. Jeff Sterzuk and Myron Tetreault were tremendously supportive as well, as were friends old and new who gave support in so many ways.
These volunteers gave of themselves with no reward other than the betterment of our country and perhaps an occasional cup of coffee or a Timbit. I am mindful today of their commitment and contributions, and I will remain mindful of these things as I strive to represent them and all residents of Calgary Signal Hill in this House to the very best of my abilities.
One does not venture into the challenging waters of politics without the solid support of family. I want to thank my partner in life, Michele, for her rock-solid support of my long-held desire to enter federal politics. Taking on this important role means many days and nights of being apart, but she has never wavered in her support. My two children, Kristen and Alex, have likewise encouraged me to start a new career when others much smarter than me are retiring from theirs. They have believed in me as I have believed in them, and I love them for it. My daughter, Kristen, is a young scientist presently completing her master's in biology, and Alex has recently started his career in finance. They are hard-working and passionate people, and I am so very proud of them. I also extend my thanks to Lianne for cheering me on and being a wonderful mother to our children.
During the election campaign that concluded a short five weeks ago, I heard from many people at their doorsteps of the expectation that I will be part of making our country better by working with all members of the House to obtain the best outcome for Canadians. A good idea is a good idea, regardless of which side of the House it arrives in, and members of this House need to focus on ensuring that the best ideas win the day. It is working: The best ideas the Liberals have right now all came from the Conservatives. I agree with my neighbours on the need to work together, and I pledge to keep my focus on what is best for them and what is best for Canadians.
Signal Hill is a shining example of the promise of Canada. In the election campaign, I met many proud Canadians who, because of their work in the energy industry, are living the Canadian dream. The energy industry is not just an employer; it is a means of advancement for families. While the Canadian energy sector is the lifeblood of my community, many are worried about their future under a Liberal government that told us one day not that long ago that it was done with building pipelines but then said the next day that it wants us to be an energy superpower.
For the last 10 years, Canada's energy sector has endured what my colleague from referred to a few years ago as a “systemic attack by a government indifferent to the consequences of its decisions.” When we consider that almost 90% of Canada's oil production comes from Alberta and Saskatchewan, it should surprise no one that these attacks have been taken as partisan bullying aimed at our western provinces. As a proud Canadian who loves this country from coast to coast to coast, that saddens me.
I have been in this House over the last number of days as assurances have been given that it is different now, but I am sure that one can forgive the people of Calgary Signal Hill for being skeptical of this sudden about-face from a Liberal government that killed energy east and northern gateway, that banned west coast oil shipments by tanker and that has put in place a regulatory framework for a new project review that our energy industry tells us is utterly unworkable.
Before members opposite rise to tell us that promises have been made and all will be well, perhaps they need to be reminded of some of the promises the Liberal government has made that simply were not kept.
In 2015, Justin Trudeau promised electoral reform; that did not happen.
In 2019, the Liberals promised they would criminalize elder abuse; that did not happen.
In 2019, the Liberals promised to establish a dedicated agency for defence procurement; that did not happen, and our forces continue to suffer today.
In 2021, the Liberals said that they would create a new federal hub to help Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs take advantage of trade agreements that Canada is party to; that did not happen.
In 2021, the Liberals promised a $4.5-billion Canadian mental health transfer to the provinces; it did not happen.
In 2022, the Liberals promised they would establish a permanent council of economic advisers to provide independent advice to government on long-term growth. Guess what. It did not happen.
When the Liberal government says today, “Don't worry, we promise to fix it”, residents of Calgary Signal Hill do worry. They do not understand why the Liberal government refuses to repeal Bill , refuses to repeal Bill and refuses to scrap the production cap on oil and gas.
The recently spoke in Calgary, a prime opportunity to walk away from these three suffocating policies, but there was not a word. In fact, there seems to be an aversion to saying the word “pipeline” out loud in the Liberal government, even with thousands of kilometres of pipelines operating in Canada at this very minute, safely and responsibly, taking petroleum products from production to end users.
If a person knows somebody with a habit of over-promising and consistently under-delivering, that person eventually loses faith that they will say what they mean and mean what they say. Today, the answer is no; it is not enough to make more promises. It is not enough to say, “Don't worry, we will do this or we will do that”. My neighbours in Signal Hill require action and results, not empty promises.
As I conclude, I wish to take a moment to acknowledge the exemplary service of Ron Liepert, the prior MP for Calgary Signal Hill. After serving as press secretary to the late and great Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed, Ron was elected to the Alberta legislature in 2004. Ron served three premiers over seven-plus years in that institution, acting successively as minister of education, minister of health and wellness, minister of energy and minister of finance. After time in the private sector, Ron was elected to the House with the class of 2015 and served the people of Calgary Signal Hill for just under 10 years. The former member is now focusing on his golf game full time, and he does so with the thanks and appreciation of his friends and neighbours in the riding that we share. He has been an outstanding example of public service at its best. The residents of Calgary Signal Hill join me in thanking Ron Liepert.
Finally, I want to share the contents of a letter I just received from a resident of Calgary Signal Hill. Lily writes:
My name is Lily. I am nine years old. I noticed that you won the election in my riding. Congratulations. I wanted to ask you to make good, kind and fair decisions for us. Thank you.
These words perfectly lay out the work ahead for the House and the expectation that all Canadians hold for us as parliamentarians.
:
Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saint Boniface—Saint Vital.
I am thankful for this opportunity to rise in the House for the very first time. I am grateful to be here. It is not lost on me what a special privilege this is.
I want to start by thanking the constituents of Fredericton—Oromocto for entrusting me with this responsibility. To be their representative here in Parliament is the honour of a lifetime.
[Translation]
I have always loved the Fredericton—Oromocto region. It is where I grew up, where my parents grew up and where I am now raising my children. I feel very fortunate to be able to do that.
[English]
Let me say that this campaign only made me appreciate what we have even more. Fredericton—Oromocto is a riding of about 80,000 people along the mighty Wolastoq, or the Saint John River. It is the traditional territory of the Wolastoqey, the people of the beautiful and bountiful river. It is a truly beautiful place that has sustained and nurtured life for thousands of years.
We are a riding of tech entrepreneurs, new Canadians, descendants of British loyalists, Acadians, two first nations communities, the Sitansisk and the Welamukotuk, and Canada's second-largest military base in Gagetown. It is a wonderful microcosm of this very country, with all the joys and all the challenges.
[Translation]
I thank the hundreds of volunteers who helped make this election campaign such an exceptional and unifying experience for all of us.
[English]
People of all sorts came out to help, many of whom had never been part of a campaign before. I had no idea what running was going to feel like. The truth is that I was nervous and scared. What I did not know was how it would feel to have people vouching for me. Volunteers were going to bat, supporting me, and going door to door in the rain and the cold, telling people that they thought I was a good guy and that I was the right person for this job. I will never, ever forget that. It meant so much to me. I thank them.
I thank my parents, Jim and Carmel Myles, who were both high school teachers. My dad taught in Fredericton. My mom taught in Oromocto. They loved their jobs and they set the standard for what it means to serve the community, to be part of a community and to love the community. I felt that during the entire campaign. Everywhere I went, I heard stories about how they had positively affected people's lives, and it was remarkable. I am sure I benefited from all of the years of their committed hard work in the community.
[Translation]
I thank my wife, Nina, and my daughters, Maria and Silvia. They are the ones who really convinced me to take on this challenge. They believed in me and convinced me that I could do it and that the time was right. Their support is invaluable, and I could not have done this without them.
[English]
Being here in this House is a privilege and that is not lost on me. I will not squander this opportunity and I promise to work tirelessly for everyone. I mean everyone, not just those who voted for me. That is a big part of the reason I ran in the first place. I love people, all sorts of people. I decided to run because I believe in Canadians.
I spent the last 20 years as a professional songwriter and musician, travelling all over this beautiful country. I travelled to hundreds of small towns in every province: east to west, up north, French, English, mining towns, military towns and every single big city. I will say, everywhere I went, I met decent people who cared about their communities and who wanted to build a good life for their kids in a country that they love. I did not see a country that was broken or impossibly divided. No, I saw a country of people who were fundamentally more similar than social media would ever have us believe.
Let us be honest. Sometimes we hear the same thing in politics, that we are too divided or too different to talk, to work together, to build together. I do not believe it for a second. Why? It is because I know deeply from experience that it is not the case. I learned it from being on the road for 20 years. It was also reinforced by my time campaigning. Over and over, door after door, I had so many great conversations with people who were tired of the polarization, skeptical of the partisanship and yearning for a focus on problem-solving over ideology.
Sure, there were folks who did not agree with me. That is normal. Did we still find time to have a chat about our community and our country's challenges? We did. I would say that this House, this Parliament, is no different. I really do believe that we are all here because we want to serve our communities, represent our constituents, and work hard to help build a country that we can be proud of for future generations, no matter what party we represent. I know perhaps I sound naive, but that is what Canadians want from us and expect from us. Let us keep that in mind.
There is a lot of talk about robust debate, but jeering and laughing while others are talking has very little to do with debate. I have been in show business for 20 years, and this is not show business, or at least it should not be. This is serious work and it deserves our respect. If we want Canadians to respect each other, we have to respect each other.
[Translation]
If we want Canadians to work together in spite of their differences, we must find ways to work together in spite of our differences too.
[English]
If we want Canadians to be united, we need to find ways to be united, and I am excited to do that. That is what I have always been interested in: building relationships across division. Why is this so important now?
[Translation]
It is because we are going through a very difficult period. Uncertainty, economic threats and a rapidly changing political landscape have forced us to really think about who we are as a country and how we can move forward together, strong and sovereign.
[English]
This will not be easy. It will depend on how well we can work together. Infrastructure east to west and south to north is going to require an ability to build relationships and trust from all parts of Canada and also from each side of the floor. It means identifying our common challenges and moving toward solutions together. Like the throne speech suggests, let us focus on making life more affordable, housing more abundant, our cultural organizations the envy of the world and our economy the strongest in the G7, and let us give our military the respect it deserves.
We can do this, and I look forward to working with all the members of the House on those goals every day that I am lucky enough to have this job.
:
Madam Speaker, it is with great humility and an even greater sense of duty that I rise today to deliver my maiden speech. I am honoured to represent the people of St. Boniface—St. Vital, a riding that is vibrant, diverse, creative and resilient, a place where French is a living heritage and where dozens of cultures, languages and histories converge to enrich our collective story.
[Translation]
I want to thank the voters of St. Boniface—St. Vital for putting their trust in me. They have entrusted me with an immense responsibility, and I will never take it for granted.
[English]
I would also like to thank my incredible campaign team and volunteers, who dedicated hundreds of hours to our campaign. I also want to thank my family and friends, without whom I could not have fathomed undertaking such an endeavour; they have been the wind in my sails, and their unwavering faith in my ability to do difficult things has helped me immeasurably.
[Translation]
I want to pay tribute to Dan Drummondville, who served St. Boniface—St. Vital with integrity, generosity and dedication for over a decade. Dan was a strong voice for francophones, for culture and for Manitoba and the Prairies. I am committed to continuing his work with the same passion.
Many have asked me why I got into politics. I did it out of duty, hope and love for my community. It is an immense privilege to be able to serve my community and bring its voice, hopes and concerns to the House. I believe it is time for the voices of women, artists, francophones, young people and newcomers to be at the heart of our democracy.
[English]
What I heard at the doors deeply moved me: sincere, urgent concerns, with people fearing that a strong Conservative government could undo the social, environmental and cultural gains, and parents who are anxious about their children's future. I heard seniors wanting to age in dignity and young people dreaming of a just, sustainable future where environmental protections, equity and opportunity go hand in hand. I am here to tell them that I heard them and that I am here for them.
[Translation]
Sometimes we get an especially touching message. A woman in my riding wrote to tell me that her daughter had exclaimed that I was their prime minister, and that she had had to explain that this was not exactly the case. This woman told me that I was having a very positive impact and that I was a strong, authentic female role model for the younger generation. I reread that message often, because politics is also about inspiring people, representing them and giving them a dream to work toward.
The recent Speech from the Throne paints a picture of Canada that matches what I saw on the ground throughout the election campaign. It is a picture of a country that wants to move forward together, without leaving anyone behind. I am especially pleased to see that culture, the francophonie and immigration are an important part of this vision.
Culture is everywhere in St. Boniface—St. Vital. It is in the murals in the French-speaking neighbourhood, which tell the story of the Red River Métis and francophone pioneers. It is in the Festival du Voyageur, an annual event that brings tens of thousands of visitors together to have fun, listen to music and experience the warmth of human connection despite the February cold. It is in the celebrations at gurdwaras and temples. It is in the hip-hop concerts, modern art exhibitions and theatres, which are living expressions of our spirit and creativity.
[English]
Cultural industries generate over $58 billion in GDP and nearly 700,000 jobs, yet artists and creative talents still face precarity. They deserve better.
[Translation]
I appreciate the commitment made to CBC/Radio-Canada. For francophones out west, Radio-Canada is more than just a media outlet; it is a common thread that unites generations, a lone voice in an English-dominated media landscape. It is also a tool for regional development, artistic dissemination and community cohesion. Above all, however, it is the cornerstone of the kind of free and independent press that is essential for our democracy to thrive. In a world where disinformation is gaining ground, protecting our public media institutions is more important than ever.
The francophonie is alive and well in our riding and co-exists alongside a cultural mosaic. In my riding, indigenous people and people representing communities from around the world enrich our social fabric.
[English]
Our strength lies in this diversity. A united Canada means that every person feels they belong and can contribute their best.
[Translation]
To develop this vision, we have to address barriers to labour mobility, especially for internationally trained immigrants. Francophone immigration remains a challenge, particularly in minority settings. We have doctors in our communities who are blocked from teaching or practising medicine.
:
Madam Speaker, it is a privilege and an honour to rise in this House as the elected member of Parliament for Abbotsford—South Langley. I stand here today with deep gratitude, but I promise to be a committed advocate for the people I represent. I have a clear sense of duty and immense gratitude to stand here today.
I want to thank my family, my friends and all the amazing volunteers who stood by me throughout this campaign. I thank them for placing their trust in me, giving me their time and sharing their concerns with me. Volunteering on a campaign means upholding democracy and upholding our civic duty as Canadians.
I must acknowledge that I only stand here today because of my family. To my grandparents, Iqbal Singh Gill and Surjit Kaur Gill, their values and wisdom continue to guide me. To my parents, Avtar Singh Gill and Kanwaljit Kaur Gill, their sacrifice, strength and courage made all of this possible. They came to Canada from our village of Bukkanwala, Punjab, in the 1990s, carrying the hopes for a better future. Their journey, hard work and belief in the Canadian dream laid the foundation for everything that I stand on today.
I also want to recognize the pride and joy that were felt in my village of Bukkanwala. To the families, the elders and the youth, their celebration and blessings have reached me here. This moment is not just mine; it is theirs. It is a reminder that no matter where we come from, we can dream big and rise together. I carry this responsibility with humility and hope, knowing that the journey we have all been on has just begun.
To my sisters, Avneet and Anoop Gill, and my fiancée, Simran, they all are the constant rock that held me together throughout my ups and downs. Their encouragement, patience and love are what brought me here today. To my mentors, my friends and my community members, I am inspired by them every single day. I will make them proud by speaking on the issues that affect our homes and our families. This election was truly a team effort from day one, and I will never forget that.
Abbotsford—South Langley is composed of Canadians like truck drivers, farmers and tradesmen who rise before the sun and provide for our country. My riding has young families with aspirations from winning hockey tournaments to purchasing their first home. Our retirement communities deserve a safe place to live each day, share their wisdom with us and have nurturing environments. The truth is that Canada is struggling to maintain these warm ideals for our communities. When public safety fails, it endangers our families, our children and our elders.
Tens of thousands of Canadians have lost their lives to opioid overdoses in less than a decade. Our citizens are struggling from this opioid crisis and deserve to come home drug-free. Despite the number of overdoses and rising deaths in my riding, the Liberal government insists on funding these drugs rather than supporting our loved ones.
Furthermore, the data from Statistics Canada keeps getting worse. Firearms-related violent crime has risen over 25% nationally. Criminals who are caught offending time and time again are being let go because of poor rationale and bad policy. I must hold the government to account. I must express my blatant disgust with Bill and Bill . These laws make it easier for repeat offenders to get bail and reduced mandatory jail time. Since these changes, violent crime has gone up over 50% in just 2024.
Concerning gun crimes like extortion illustrate the combined effects of the catch-and-release sentencing and Canada's struggling borders. Public safety needs evidence-based policies and a justice system with integrity. Canadians are expecting their elected officials to put their safety first, uphold the rule of law and make decisions based on grounded facts, not ideology.
There are two border crossings that fall within my riding and serve as international trucking entryways. Protecting our border communities is my priority, especially given the lack of funding for our border security, our military and our national defence. Canadians deserve better. They deserve a government that puts victims first and takes real action to make sure that our communities are safe.
I urge the Liberal government to stop turning a blind eye and work with us, Canada's Conservatives, to urgently address the growing concerns in our communities. Together, we must implement stronger laws, restore accountability, and ensure that extortion and violent crimes are met with the serious consequences that they deserve.
The safety of our communities cannot wait any longer. The was elected on a promise, not slogans, and a real plan. Canadians trusted that promise, yet we are still waiting for a clear answer. The recent Speech from the Throne reminded us of our democratic foundations, but symbols and speeches are not enough. Canadians expect leadership and a concrete plan.
After the election, we expected details, not empty talk. Canadians deserve to know how the government will build homes that people can actually afford. What will it do to ease the tax burdens on families, workers and small businesses? How will it support our armed forces, from our new recruits to our veterans? What funding are the RCMP and border security going to get? How will repeat violent offenders be kept off of our streets?
We do not need any more vague promises or any more empty words. What Canadians need is a budget that shows real priorities, real numbers and real leadership. People want safer streets where they can feel secure, homes they can afford without struggle and fewer families having to rely on food banks just to get by. No one working multiple jobs should have to stand in line for groceries or worry about making ends meet. Canadians deserve to have enough money to support their families, a chance to build a better future and a government that respects the trust they have placed in it.
I ran for office to serve the people, and I am proud to be representing my community of Abbotsford—South Langley, where I was born and raised. I am here representing those in my community for the very first time in the House, and I promise to work hard every day on their behalf, making sure their voices are heard.
Our country deserves a government that has a clear, honest plan to address these challenges, and we will keep the government accountable until it delivers the results that Canadians expect and deserve.
:
Madam Speaker, I am thankful for this opportunity. First and foremost, I congratulate you on your role as Assistant Deputy Speaker, as well as all the members who were elected in this 45th Parliament. I trust in your capabilities to diligently live up to your role as a non-partisan and be fair to members of all parties during the term of this Parliament. I can tell that so far you are doing great.
It is an honour and a privilege to become a member of Parliament, and I am humbled to be the first member of Parliament for the new riding of Edmonton Southeast. I want to thank all the residents of Edmonton Southeast who put their trust in the Conservative Party and in me. It was because of their trust and efforts that I won the seat for the Conservative Party, with one of the biggest mandates in the country. This is despite the fact that the himself spent half a day in my riding just before the election date. It shows that my riding was ready for a change and was ready to get the answers that the Liberals have failed to give in the last 10 years.
How can I thank the people of Edmonton for the support I got? Honestly, I cannot thank them enough in words, but I can definitely thank them by representing them in Parliament as their rigorous voice whenever and however it is needed and by making sure I hold the Liberal government accountable for its actions.
Edmonton Southeast is a diverse and ethnically rich riding, and I want to thank all the churches, synagogues, gurdwaras, temples, mosques and other religious congregations for extending their unwavering support to me. I also want to thank all my volunteers, the group captains, my nieces, my nephews, my three naughty yet wonderful kids and my lovely wife Mandeep for their tireless work and effort to make this dream come true. The work they did, day and night, was commendable.
I also want to extend a special thanks to my younger brother Chand, who I am lucky to have as my brother. I could not have done this without his organizational skills and foresightedness.
Moving forward, I want to talk seriously and bring to the floor some of the issues I heard about while door knocking, such as crime. I want to tell members about a young, hard-working Canadian in my riding named Harshandeep Singh. She was gunned down by a repeat offender on bail in the city of Edmonton. Another young Canadian was killed while at work by another person who was there.
Even earning money and running successful businesses in Edmonton and the rest of the country have become a curse and a nightmare. I personally know business owners who have received threats of extortion and ransom calls, and they are forced to live in hiding. From door manufacturing companies to realtors to restaurant owners, no one is safe.
I personally know families who were escorted by police out of Edmonton to live in a different place. If people do not pay money, bullets are fired at their houses and death threats are delivered to them and their family members and to their businesses. Newly built homes are set on fire if homeowners do not meet the demands of the criminals and pay them money. Cars are stolen in the GTA and Montreal and are found in Nigeria and South Africa, and the Canadian police and CBSA do not have any clue.
I urge the Liberal government to correct its mistakes by immediately repealing Bill , which removed mandatory minimum penalties, and Bill , which made bail easier, and bringing in stricter laws for repeat offenders and for violent crimes, such as human trafficking, hard drug trafficking, arson and extortion, so that successful Canadians can feel safe and enjoy the fruit of their hard-earned money.
I also want to talk about immigration. The immigration system has been broken in this country. This has had a direct impact on the health care system, housing and policing. Immigration needs to be based on quality and not quantity, yet at the same time, the government must stand in solidarity with international students and try to extend their visas as much as possible before providing visas to new immigrants.
Our first and foremost duty is to accommodate international students and people who are already in Canada, but that does not mean we should promote the bogus claims that refugees make after being in Canada and not being successful in getting permanent residency in this country. Refugee claims and pre-removal risk assessments have literally the same requirements to be successful, so why burden Canadians with added bureaucracy?
I have seen CBSA officers in my practice as a lawyer who have turned down LMIAs for not being genuine. If a CBSA officer is the ultimate decision-maker, why burden Canadians with Service Canada bureaucracy and why not give all the work permit powers to CBSA officers?
The next point I want to touch on is unleashing oil and gas. I have never seen such bigotry and hypocrisy at the hands of government. Alberta holds one of the largest oil and natural gas reserves, but the Liberals have failed to pass laws and legislation to build pipelines and to secure deals with global partners to unleash the energy sector of Alberta. Rather, the Liberals have passed legislation like Bill , making sure that our oil and gas stay under the ground. What is even worse is that the Liberals have turned down building needed infrastructure and killed the LNG deal with Germany, a deal worth billions of dollars that could have generated hundreds and thousands of jobs.
The continuous denial and ignorance of Alberta's genuine demands have led to a strong feeling of separation. Believe me, it is not trivial; it is real this time. I am a strong believer in Canada and its unity, but the onus is now on the Liberal government if it wants Canada to stay together. If the Liberals want Canada to be together, then this is the prime time to unleash Alberta's oil and gas and make sure Alberta feels listened to and honoured. That is what unity and Confederation are anyway, is it not?
As for soaring house prices and affordability, the rising cost of houses for new Canadians in Edmonton has been inexplicable. I hear Liberals talk about aggressively building houses, but they are not saying whether Canadians get to own those houses or whether they are just playing into some sort of scheme.
I see the Speaker signalling that my time is up, but there are so many issues that I want to touch upon, like jobs. We need jobs in Edmonton. We need infrastructure in Edmonton. We need to make sure that oil and gas get out to market.
I want to thank all my constituents, my riding and my family. I will stand strong in Ottawa, and I will make sure that the Liberals are held accountable on jobs, the fight against crime, building pipelines and building more infrastructure.
:
Madam Speaker, you have handed me a golden opportunity to say hello. You know how much I appreciate you, and I am delighted to see you again. Congratulations on your election to this position. Please know that you are in my thoughts. I also congratulate all my colleagues who have been elected.
It is true in life, it is true in love, it is true in general, but it is especially true in politics: One should never take anything for granted. Over the past few months, we have learned that we cannot take democracy for granted. I am a sovereignist, a separatist here in the House. Our voices must be heard. It is a voice from Quebec. We are lucky to live in a democracy. We are lucky to be able to share these ideas and debate them. It is a great privilege.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all 82,525 voters in the riding of Mirabel for their trust. I include those who voted for another party, those who did not vote and their children, those who will be voting in a few years, those to whom we must leave a clean and healthy planet and a healthy environment. We do not count them in our voters, but they exist.
I would like to thank out supporters, because before being members of Parliament, before being elected, we are first and foremost political advocates, carriers of a cause and ideas that we hold dear. We devote a great deal of our lives to them. However, there are costs. A few minutes ago, my wife texted me to tell me that my six-month-old boy had just sat up for the first time. I was happy, but it shows how much we sacrifice to be here, for our ideas. This work must be respected. I would like to thank the campaigners, everyone who supported me and, of course, the citizens of all the municipalities in my riding and their elected officials. We have worked on many files, but some are not finished. I will continue to carry them. I carry them with me, in my heart, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I will be worthy of them. Being the member for Mirabel is one of my greatest honours in life. It is hard to find the words to express how fortunate we are to be doing this work.
There was talk of elections. Everyone knows that there was an election recently. The circumstances were unusual, with the arrival of Donald Trump, tariffs and a new with new polls. Under those circumstances, we were told that we needed an election quickly. What did the Liberals do? They found a new leader and formed a new cabinet, including some ministers who were around for the length of a reality TV show.
One of the ministers who had been around longer was the . He was told to draft a budget because that is all he has to do. He was told to work on the budget because we were going to have a new government and a new Parliament, and we could not table estimates without a budget. Why? It is a matter of transparency. In our work as elected officials, especially in opposition, our main tool is information. The government has the information, such as the budget forecasts, the deficits, the debts, the revenue; when we are not given that information, we cannot do our job.
They are not even doing the bare minimum of what needs to be done in the first week of a sitting, yet the Liberals tell us there is a precedent. Earlier, I heard the member for talk about Stephen Harper as though he were a disease in need of a cure. That is the precedent he gave for not tabling a budget. At the time, Mr. Harper's government had just arrived after years and years of Liberal governments. The senior public service had been appointed by the Liberals. There was no cabinet. These people had not sat in the House. There was no global crisis. What is more, the election was not called because a budget needed to be tabled. That is not what happened. That is the precedent we are being given for not tabling a budget. This is a 10-year-old, worn-out government, repackaged under a new name and with a new CEO. That is what we have.
The Liberals had time to table a budget, or even just a budget statement. It could be something shorter. The previous finance minister got us used to shorter updates.
I worked with the when he was industry minister. We worked on his Bill on artificial intelligence. He is a brilliant man and a pleasure to work with. We call him the Energizer bunny because he is super energetic, but his drawback is that he has a tendency to not finish what he starts. I think that in some drawer in his office there is a half-finished budget. He has certainly started working on it. Why will he not table it? It could be a budget statement.
Instead of doing that, the government is turning into an oil projects department. Maybe in the end, it will be all about vacuum cleaners. I guess we have to wait and see, because it changes all the time. The risk is that we are being told that, in two years, we will be able to approve all sorts of projects that will quickly save the economy. We are told that the projects are going to go ahead and that is the only way we are going to get by.
We have seen this strategy before. It was called the Canada Infrastructure Bank. That bank had the same mandate for the same projects, and the provinces were all in on it. Everyone was happy. Supposedly, many projects were going to be implemented, including public transit projects. However, things went so wrong that when the minister appeared before the committee, we asked him why he was not changing the name of the bank, since it was no longer even a bank and was not building any infrastructure. That is how badly it was working.
The Liberals say they are going to approve everything in two years. They are introducing a huge bill that could infringe on the jurisdictions of Quebec and the provinces in many ways. We will have to study it. In short, that is the Liberal plan. No budget is being presented, and no budget forecasts are being made. Bankers are not what they used to be.
What immediate action do we need to take to protect our economy? We must fully protect supply management through legislation. That is what we need to do. There has been progress, but the Liberal discourse has me worried. We know that, in the beginning, the was new to this, that he was taking one step forward and one step back. He was being advised and sometimes he listened to the adviser and sometimes he did not. We are not sure what happened, but in the beginning, he said he would protect supply management. I believe that is his intention. I want to believe it. He told us that we do not need a bill. Then he realized that Parliament exists, even though it is not always obvious that he knows that. He realized that a bill had already been drafted, that a bill was already ready to go and that it was two senators short of being passed.
During the leaders' debate, he said that the Liberals would vote for the bill. Now, the Liberals are back in the House saying that they will protect supply management, but not through legislation. They came up with new reasons. Yesterday in the House, the Liberals gave us new reasons not to fully protect supply management through legislation.
The first reason they gave us is that there is no point in doing this through a bill, because bills can be undone. Someone can introduce another bill and undo the first one. Imagine if I took my car to a mechanic, and the mechanic refused to repair it on the grounds that it would break again eventually. That is pretty much the same thing. While we are at it, we might as well stop regulating firearms and stop amending the Criminal Code. What are we here for as legislators if not to pass legislation? This is what they tell us every time. The Bloc Québécois has introduced this bill 13 times. If the government had said yes the first time, we would have the bill by now.
The second reason they gave us for not protecting supply management is that it would take time to get through the House and that, by the time the bill received royal assent two years from now, the negotiations would be over. Still, the government claims that in just two years, it can build an energy corridor in a country the size of a continent, make major infrastructure investments, build a port way up at Hudson Bay and launch a major federal project office, while consulting all indigenous peoples.
It says that, yet it seems that two years is not enough time for this same government to move fast enough to pass a bill that has already been drafted, introduced, put on notice and passed. Apparently, the government lacks faith in its senators. The Americans will respect this legislative approach because U.S. negotiators are appointed by Congress. The bulk of negotiations are handled not by politicians, but by professional negotiators within the departments.
That is a good thing, considering that the last time Liberal politicians went down to Mar-a-Lago to negotiate with President Donald Trump, they were treated to a T-bone steak with ketchup followed by threats of annexation. The task needs to be entrusted to non-elected professionals who are required to perform their work transparently and appointed by Parliament. The Americans will respect that. The matter is urgent.
No matter what their reason is for not supporting a bill to protect supply management, it is basically an admission of failure. After all, the Canadian government is not going to be the one deciding what is on the table. When two people negotiate, if someone puts something on the table, it stays on the table. Now they are telling us that if supply management is on the table, they will hold out. However, the last three times they told us they were going to hold out, they did not, and nearly 20% of our market was sold to the Americans for compensation. Having a business' list of customers sold off in exchange for a cheque, which is what they did to our dairy farmers, is not a career plan; it is a retirement plan. We need to protect our supply management system.
They talk about creating one economy out of 13. As we know, that is the Liberal line they keep repeating. The 's cabinet prints that in bold and underlined and they repeat it. What problem do we have with that? What problem does the National Assembly of Quebec have with that? That rhetoric suggests to Quebeckers and people from the other provinces that if the provinces and Quebec do not give up their jurisdictions and do not allow Ottawa to walk all over them, then they are rejecting the others and engaging in protectionism. The Liberal government makes it sound like there is a guard at the Quebec border with a fleur-de-lis on his face and a blue cape at his back monitoring the containers, examining them gun in hand and sending them back to Manitoba. I have the data in front of me. Quebec's biggest trading partner is Ontario. Our imports and exports are higher with the rest of Canada than they are with the rest of the world, including the United States. There is free trade, but let us not forget that even the Supreme Court, in Comeau, said that if we had perfect free trade within Canada, that would prevent the provinces from regulating in a way that protects the public. Saying that it takes just one economy is just cheap rhetoric to tell people to give up their jurisdictions, allow pipelines through, or they will be seen as Trumpists and just as bad as the orange man to the south. That is what we are being accused of. If they want us to work together, then this sort of rhetoric needs to stop. They cannot tell us that they want everyone in Canada to sit at the same table and work together and celebrate the good times all while they keep up the rhetoric of creating one economy out of 13.
What do we need to do to address the crisis? We have been saying it for a long time: We need to be competitive. We need to be more productive. We need to invest in training. We need to invest in education, modernization, automation, home automation and artificial intelligence. We need to invest in our universities, our CEGEPs, our vocational training programs. We need to do all kinds of things to make Quebeckers and Canadians produce more per hour worked. That is what we need to do. It is also the solution to the labour shortage. That is the job of Quebec and the provinces, but there is a specific agreement with Quebec on workforce training.
The same goes for taxation. If we want to attract investment, we need a competitive tax system, we need to be able to offer export assistance programs, and Quebec has a role to play in that. Quebec knows what it is doing. It is a geographic reality. Canada is a big country, and Ottawa is far away. It is a geographic reality. How can we ensure that the provinces and Quebec can do their job so that we can move on to the economy of tomorrow? They need to have the means. The reality is that in Quebec's public finances today, health care eats up approximately half of the Government of Quebec's program spending. Technology is costing more and more, the population is aging, infrastructure is failing and, as health care takes up more and more room in the Government of Quebec's program spending, there is less and less money for the children I mentioned at the beginning of my speech. They are the ones who cannot vote yet, the ones who are going to work, study and grow in the most competitive economy in the history of humanity. There is no more money for universities, for CEGEPs, for vocational training, for assistance to businesses, for support, for adjusting our tax system. It is a tragedy.
When we say that we need higher health transfers and that the deal with the federal government is that 35% of health costs should be paid for through unconditional transfers, that is what the funds are for. The government tells us that health transfers have increased. Granted, an agreement was entered into with the federal government, but the amount is not enough. When the met behind closed doors with the provincial premiers in Saskatoon, was he aware that each and every one of them has called on the federal government to increase those health transfers to 35%? That could be done over several years if the government budgeted for it. It can be done, preparations can be made, but evidently the government does not budget. That is what it is for. It is for the economy of tomorrow.
What is the government doing instead? It is talking to us about pipelines, oil and gas, when our energy security is already taken care of. As for the plan for one economy instead of 13, the economic benefits were calculated by the Montreal Economic Institute, or MEI, though they were not verified. Between 1999 and 2019, the MEI defended the oil and gas industry 97.5% of the time during its media appearances. This information comes from a doctoral thesis. I am one of those people who reads them. The MEI said that climate science was mafia science. While we do not know who funds this institute, some people assume that it is backed by oil companies. Here is why: At the time of the energy east pipeline, the CEO, who is one of the highest-paid non-profit CEOs in Canada, complained that TransCanada was not giving him money. Perhaps he held off complaining about the others because they were giving him money.
The other study that was held up as proof that this plan will have infinite benefits was done by the International Monetary Fund. It is an econometric, statistical study. It was very intelligent, a well-crafted academic document that was summarized by the National Bank of Canada and published widely during the election campaign. It made the rounds. Those folks engaged in a thought experiment and asked themselves what Canada's GDP would be if there were no more provinces and no more geographic borders. According to HEC Montréal's Centre for Productivity and Prosperity, the main reason people in Newfoundland do not do business with people in British Columbia is not because we have 13 economies instead of one. It is because those two places are as far apart as Quebec is from Venezuela, which is something to consider if they want to build a pipeline. That is the situation.
There is one last thing I would like to address. We have to promote Quebec's businesses and business sectors. Why does the auto sector get $4 billion the moment they say “ouch”? Why has oil become a “nation-building project” when we do not have a national aerospace strategy? Why are we one of the only countries in the world capable of manufacturing an aircraft or a helicopter from A to Z, in a long-cycle, high-value-added industry, where more than half of the research and development jobs are in Quebec, and yet we have no government strategy? Why is Bombardier is able to produce reconnaissance planes that are purchased by a number of countries, but Canada chooses to pay more to buy from Boeing? That is what it did a few months ago, without going through a call for tenders, to buy aircraft that were about to become obsolete. The other countries that are buying this military equipment from Bombardier are asking us why our own country is not buying it. Why is there no strategy? We asked the then minister of industry, but he did not know. The Liberals will not tell us. There is no strategy for this long-cycle industry. Do they realize how privileged we are to have such an industry here? This industry is present in my riding, Mirabel, and in , whose member is playing on his phone. Do the Liberals realize what a privilege it is to have such an industry in a country the size of Canada, which, given its GDP, should not even be part of the G7?
I believe there is a lot of work to be done. There are intelligent people with good ideas on both sides of the House. That is a good thing because the government is a minority. I, personally, am all in favour of cross-party collaboration. However, we are going to have to share ideas. We will need to go beyond rhetoric, pipelines, “one economy out of 13” and other things that, frankly, make no economic sense. I think I am qualified to speak on that.
I am now ready and more than willing to take questions.
:
Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.
It is my enormous pleasure to rise in this House to respond to the Speech from the Throne. However, before I begin, I want to thank the residents of my constituency of Davenport for their faith and trust in me. I am enormously grateful that they have re-elected me for a fourth term to serve them as well as serve our great country.
I give a special thanks to my incredible team and my created family. There is no way I could do this job without their love and support.
Davenport residents came out in full force to vote in this election, because they are worried. They are worried about the threats by the President of the United States to our sovereignty, to our economy and to our future prosperity. They also know that the world is a more dangerous and a more uncertain place than at any other point since World War II. They feel that Canada is facing challenges that are unprecedented in our lifetimes, and so they voted for a leader and a party with a plan to make Canada more economically resilient.
We have a plan to unite our country, and to defend and secure our country. We have a plan to turn the challenges that we face today into incredible opportunities so that Canadians can face the future with confidence, strength and the resources we need to succeed and prosper in the 21st century.
Canada is the greatest country in the world. We are a strong and brave country, and our potential is unlimited. We are also a country that is in crisis, and we must act urgently and immediately to ensure that Canada remains strong and free.
Key segments of our plan are outlined in the Speech from the Throne, and I will highlight some that I believe are particularly meaningful to the residents of my constituency of Davenport.
At a time of global uncertainty and economic threats, Davenport residents are very happy that part of our plan is to ensure a more resilient Canada, one that is anchored in our own internal economic strength. We have virtually everything in this country. We now need to eliminate the roadblocks and ensure the resources to build us up.
How do we do this? Our is clear: We will have one Canadian economy, not 13, which is what we have now. We will eliminate interprovincial trade barriers. Our federal government has promised to pass legislation to remove all remaining federal barriers to internal trade and labour mobility by July 1. The impact will be the freer movement of people, goods and services across our country. This will also allow our small and medium-sized businesses as well as our innovators to expand and grow across our country, which is something Davenport businesses will be very happy and very excited about. Best of all, lifting these barriers has the potential to add $200 billion to our economy each and every single year.
Second, we will unite the country by investing in nation-building projects, primarily infrastructure, transportation and supply chain corridors. This would mean more supply chain options in Canada, which would mean more railroads, ports, highways, etc. The focus will be on projects of national significance and projects that will connect Canada, which will deepen Canada's ties with the world and will create high-paying jobs for generations of Canadians. Of course, all of these projects of national significance will have to ensure meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples, and all projects must adhere to our climate commitments. Best of all, Davenport residents are so excited by the ambition of our government. We truly believe that if we implement these measures and more, we can become not only a resilient economy, but also the strongest economy in the G7.
As our Speech from the Throne says, the economy is only truly strong when it serves everyone. Many Davenport residents, like so many Canadians, are having such a hard time making ends meet, and so we are responding by introducing a middle-class tax cut, which will save two-income families up to $840 a year. Our government has also committed to continue to fund programs that we introduced over the last almost 10 years. This includes national child care, national dental care, pharmacare, the Canada child benefit and the Canada disability benefit. All these programs and more are life-changing programs that the residents in my constituency of Davenport love. I know they will be delighted that we will continue to support them.
Our Speech from the Throne also contains a clear commitment for our government to build more housing. We are located in downtown west Toronto, and Davenport residents are worried that they are not going to be able to continue to live in the city that they love, that their kids and their grandkids will not be able to live in the city where they were raised. Our government has committed to a number of measures that will greatly benefit Davenport residents. We are going to provide more support for Canadians who are trying to buy homes. We will cut the GST on homes under $1 million for first-time homebuyers, which will deliver savings of up to $50,000. We are going to lower the GST on homes between $1 million and $1.5 million.
Davenport is a multi-ethnic working-class/middle-class riding, and most of our homes are in these price ranges, so both of these measures are very welcome and will be very helpful. In addition, we are spending a lot more to build houses.
Our federal government has committed to double down, with an ambitious new housing plan that will double the rate of homebuilding in Canada. We have learned a lot over the last few years about what worked and what we can do better. Based on this data, we have announced the most ambitious housing plan since World War II. These measures will include the creation of “build Canada homes” to accelerate the development of new affordable housing. We will invest in innovation. We are going to invest in the growth of modular and prefabricated housing. We will increase the financing for affordable home developers. We will eliminate red tape and development costs by cutting municipal development charges in half for multi-unit housing.
All of this will rapidly increase housing supply and bring housing costs down. Members will be happy to learn that our additional funding and ambitious housing plan will use Canadian technology, Canadian skilled workers and Canadian lumber. All these measures, in addition to the ones we have already had in place over the last seven to eight years, will go a long way in ensuring greater housing supply and affordable home prices for the residents of my riding of Davenport and, indeed, for all Canadians.
Community safety is vitally important to Davenport residents. For us, there are way too many American handguns on the city streets of Toronto. While the numbers have gone down, we still have far too many car thefts in Canada's largest city. I know that Davenport residents will be happy to know that our government, just yesterday, introduced Bill , which would enhance security at the border.
When passed, CBSA officers who work at our borders will have new powers to stop stolen products, like cars, from leaving our country. They will also ensure the deployment of more scanners, drones and helicopters, additional personnel and canine teams, which will help stop guns and drugs from coming into our country.
Finally, our government has committed to toughen the Criminal Code, to make bail harder for repeat offenders charged with violent crime and/or major offences.
We have made serious commitments to spend more money to protect Canada's sovereignty. We have to do more to secure borders, to secure the Arctic and to secure Canada from coast to coast to coast. We have made a commitment to fulfill our NATO commitment of 2% of our GDP and we will achieve this with haste. I also believe that we will commit to even greater NATO spending, but we have to wait for NATO meetings in June for the total number and commitments.
In conclusion, Canada is in crisis. It is time for Canadians to continue to stay united. It is time to build a resilient Canadian economy, to invest in national building projects and to spend less but invest more. It is time for us to secure our borders and protect our sovereignty, to build more affordable housing and put more money in the pockets of Canadians. These measures and more, as well as working together, will continue to ensure a prosperous Canada, the strongest economy in the G7 and an economy that truly serves everyone.
Canada is the greatest country in the world. We are a confident country with an ambitious plan. We are indeed a country that is strong and free.
:
Madam Speaker, I thank my dear colleague, the member for Davenport, for giving me the opportunity to respond to the Speech from the Throne.
We had an amazing experience at the opening of this Parliament: the visit by our King, King Charles III. I agree with the main theme of the Speech from the Throne, which is the need to build Canada strong. However, there are some details that were not mentioned in the Speech from the Throne.
[English]
I look at it and think, yes, of course, let us build a stronger Canada. It was the moment of the November 2024 election that made everyone realize the U.S. had once again put someone in the White House who showed no shame whatsoever about ripping up any agreement he had already signed, and who was prepared to break all sorts of laws and make all sorts of threats against us.
It was December 3, 2024, when then prime minister Justin Trudeau asked Pierre Poilievre, me, Jagmeet Singh and the to meet him to talk about what we could do as individual leaders of opposition parties working with the then prime minister to create a team Canada approach to deal with the threat. I signed up, and so did everybody else. We said we could all stand together. It made me proud to be Canadian that the leader of the official opposition, the leader of the New Democratic Party, the leader of the Bloc and the leader of the Green Party could all say, with the Liberals, "how do we work together?". We continue that effort.
That was the one time we met in person. We continued, by the way, in early January and early February, meeting on Microsoft Teams to continue the effort of working together. Now we have a different effort, and I hope we can still work together, because it is terribly important that we stand united and are not bullied by what we could say right now is one of the world's champion bullies. He is not the only one. Vladimir Putin is competing for world champion bully. There are others.
[Translation]
As far as the Speech from the Throne is concerned, there are some things I completely agree with. There are also, as I said, some details.
It is clear that our economy must change. It is not just about our economy, but perhaps also our culture as a country that is not really a country. There are 13 countries in our united nation.
[English]
We have a sense that there is less solidarity, I think, among the 10 Canadian provinces, three territories and the federal government than we find within the 24 separate sovereign nation-states of the European Union, at least within the oral history of my childhood with parents who were very much affected by the Second World War. The members of the European Union that now work so well together were, not that long ago, at war with each other. How is it that we, as one country, not only do not act like a country a lot of the time but also do not think like a country.
[Translation]
We need to start thinking like a country, acting like a country, because we are facing challenges. The threats are real. There are fundamental threats to our country and to our civilization.
[English]
I agree that we need, as the Speech from the Throne says, the largest transformation of our economy since the Second World War. We need it quickly. Over hundreds of years, Canadians have been known to be, and our economy has been somewhat limited to the idea of, a raw-resource colony, not just for other countries but increasingly for transnational corporations around the world that own a lot of our resources. From hewers of wood and drawers of water, we have become scrapers of bitumen and wasters of water.
[Translation]
We need to take action to put an end to this system of exporting raw resources instead of value-added products.
[English]
We could be doing more with our raw resources to make sure that we do not rip and ship, shipping out raw logs and shipping out unprocessed bitumen, failing to gain the opportunities of extracting value before we send our raw resources to other countries, where they get the jobs and we get the waste and pollution that is left behind as they take the resources for their benefit. This is an opportunity where we could actually rethink our economy and rethink the way we act together.
As the has said repeatedly, we can stop thinking about ourselves as 13 separate economies and think of it as one economy. What kind of economy is that? I am certainly hoping that we start thinking about a circular economy. We have signed on to numerous international agreements where that is a goal: that we want to be the kind of country where we are resilient, resourceful and sustainable and that we lift everybody up and leave no one behind. These are things we can do now, and it is terribly important that we actually do them.
[Translation]
I have a question about the Speech from the Throne. I am a little concerned because there is not a single reference to the Paris Agreement in this speech.
[English]
There were two passing references. The words “climate change” appear, not in full sentences, but they do appear twice in the document. However, there are no commitments, not even the minimum we had planned for meeting our international, legally binding obligations under the Paris Agreement. Of course we know that, while King Charles III read the speech, it was written by the .
These were words I would have liked to have seen in the Speech from the Throne. They were also written by the :
The carbon budget to limit temperature rise to below catastrophic levels is rapidly being exhausted.... If we had started in 2000, we could have hit the 1.5 degree C objective by halving emissions [in other words, cutting them in half] every thirty years. Now, we must halve emissions every ten years. If we wait another four years, the challenge will be to halve emissions every year.
That is from page 273 of the Prime Minister's book Value(s). He wrote it, and it was published in 2021, so we have waited four years. It appears that the understands we have to cut our greenhouse emissions in half every year. This is a very steep challenge, and as he put it in Value(s), which I read and enjoyed, “the carbon budget to [stay] below catastrophic levels is rapidly being exhausted”.
He is not saying that this is a political commitment that somebody before him, as prime minister, took on and he is not very interested in it, although we might think that from the lack of details about what kind of climate action we are talking about in the Speech from the Throne, and why now we are suddenly finding it acceptable that everybody talks about expanding oil and gas as though that were a nation-building project as opposed to a sunset industry.
We want to protect the workers and the communities in those industries, but we have to actually be looking at what is a nation-building project that protects our future. We desperately need an east-west, north-south electricity grid so we can make good use of, and share across provincial boundaries, energy and electricity that is far cheaper than what many provinces now have. Their consumers are stuck with bad decision-making by their provincial utilities.
There are huge opportunities before us. It is, as the says, a “hinge moment” in our history.
[Translation]
We must do more and we must reduce greenhouse gases to protect our future and our grandchildren's future.
[English]
I would just like to say that I will vote in favour of the Speech from the Throne, but I wait with bated breath to find out what the government actually thinks is a climate plan, because so far all it has done is cut the one measure that was working.
:
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak today. I will be sharing my time with the member for .
First, I would like to congratulate all members of the House. As they say, there is not a bad seat in the House of Commons, so congratulations. We have a lot of work to do. Welcome to the 45th session of Parliament.
I just reminded myself that throughout our political careers, we should never lose sight of the fact that it took a lot of people to get each and every one of us here. We should never forget where we came from and who helped us get here.
I have been elected for 22 years. I started off as a school board trustee and then was a provincial member. This is my second term in the House of Commons.
I want to thank the people of Scarborough—Woburn for putting their faith behind me and supporting me during the election. I want to thank volunteers. We had a lot of volunteers, hundreds, who came out for the campaign. I thank, of course, my team at the constituency office. Without them, it would be very difficult for me to do my job. I thank my campaign manager and CFO and the entire team. Of course, I also thank my family: my wife Lori and my daughters Maren and Myla.
Again, I thank the people of Scarborough—Woburn. I appreciate that they have put their faith in me.
If members were in Ottawa last week, or anywhere in the country, actually, they may have noticed that something special happened. We had a throne speech and the King came to deliver that speech. It was a pretty big deal. I thought it was a fabulous speech.
One of the pieces that really resonated with me was the King's position and words on democracy, as reflected through, of course, the government's position. He talked about democracy in the world and how everything is shifting. We have found ourselves at a place where the world is shifting and where there is more division and uncertainty.
Canada is not immune to that. We are feeling pressure. We feel our economy being challenged, as well as our safety and way of life. Global trade is being redefined. At home, we are struggling with the threat of tariffs, which compromise industry and make life more expensive for people overall.
We are seeing threats toward our democracy. I want to talk a lot about democracy today. We see the changes taking place around the globe, with attempts to overturn elections; democratic backsliding with governments weakening courts, media freedoms and civil liberties; and crackdowns on opposition and the free press. There is a lot happening in this country and a lot happening around the world, and Canada is not immune to the challenges that democracy faces.
In Canada, we have a strong democracy, but we need to pay attention to the challenges we are facing. We have seen the rise over the last little while of polarization and extremism in this country, with increased hostility, misinformation, divisive rhetoric and an erosion of respectful democratic discourse; foreign interference, which we are all concerned about; online disinformation; and an increase in hate. We have seen a massive increase in hate, and we as Canadians should not tolerate that.
Even during the campaign, I saw many different types of interference. Hundreds of my signs were destroyed. Pieces of literature were being distributed, which I am sure folks saw, with disinformation about churches and other religious institutions having their charitable status removed. There was misinformation about the sale of homes and capital gains, even to the point where letterhead was being manipulated showing positions by governments and parties that were not real. We have had politicians decide not to run because of the threats they have felt, and the media and reporters have talked about this as well.
One thing that always fascinates me about democracy is who shows up to vote. We know that there has been a statistical decline historically in voter participation. The good news is that in this election, the numbers increased compared to the election in 2021, but we are seeing a decrease compared to the period from post-World War II to the 1980s, when we saw about 75%. In 2008, the lowest numbers came forward, at 58%, and in the recent election in 2015, we saw 68.3%. We are seeing an increase right now, but traditionally over the last 30 to 40 years, we have seen a decline.
Democracy matters in this country. Democracy is what keeps our country moving forward and is going to be our pathway forward to strengthen the relationship of all Canadians. I am a big supporter of the preservation and promotion of democracy because it gives people a voice. When a good democratic institution is working, people feel like their voice is being reflected in it. Democracy protects our freedoms. The freedom of speech, the right to vote, the freedom of the press and the right to protest are not just ideals; they are foundations to a strong democracy.
Democracy creates space for change, which is really important, especially in a time like now when as Canadians we need to make sure there is space for discussions and respectful discourse. Then at the end of the day, we can bring forward the type of change necessary.
Democracy also keeps our government leaders accountable. It is so important because it allows us to make changes if we do not like a politician or a party. That is what is beautiful about democracy. It reflects who we are and allows us to build a stronger future together.
We must meet the challenges our country faces, and there are many challenges. As I said, our entire global trading system is being reshaped by the threat of tariffs and the divides that people are working behind the scenes to create. We need to take on these challenges, and having a strong democratic system is the key to continuing to build a strong country.
The government in place under our new is going to look for ways to take on trade and create economic fairness to make sure that we not only continue to build a relationship with the United States and redefine this relationship, but also open up trade routes and trade relationships around the world. I have always talked about how Africa is on the rise, and we as Canadians should be looking toward Africa as we look for ways to reshape and rethink our entire trading system.
We have to invest in the Canadian economy. We have diversity here. We represent all countries around the world. We need to leverage that to build a stronger economy, and we need to build this future together. We know that democracy is not perfect, but we also know it is the best system we have in place to shape our future. It reflects our values of fairness, justice and opportunity.
We are going to look at how we move forward to build stronger, safer communities. We are investing more, as the throne speech said, in defence, securing our borders and keeping communities safe. We will look at how we spend and will look for ways to reduce the growth taking place naturally through inflation and other systems to keep it at a reasonable rate that is good for Canadians.
We have to embrace technology, automation and AI, and look for ways to strengthen our country by making sure that at the end of the day, we take advantage of them.
We will also keep investing in national programs such as child care, pharmacare and dental care. Of course, we are promoting a tax cut, which I hope all members of the House will support.
In my final 30 seconds, I would like to say that as Canadians, we stand for fairness, democracy and inclusion. We protect the vulnerable, fight climate change and push forward on reconciliation. We celebrate our bilingualism, multiculturalism and shared values, and we step up to big moments. Through war and global challenges, we are always called to lead, and we will continue to do so. Let us shape a Canada that works for everyone, not just today but for generations in the future.