Arpan Khanna
Oxford, Ontario · Conservative · Canada
“This new bureaucracy the Liberals announced would do absolutely nothing to fix the affordability crisis, but it would continue to line the pockets of Liberal insiders.”
“We need to know where the funds would be going. It is not fair that Canadians work their butts off, make the sacrifices, stay away from their families— An hon. member: Play by the rules. Arpan Khanna: That's exactly right. They play by all the rules, Mr. Speaker, yet they are being pushed right to the back.”
“That is a big chunk of change that would help stimulate the economy but also give that first-time homebuyer a chance to get into the market. We have talked about removing the capital gains tax, so investors could invest and those folks who want to buy their first rental property could get into the market.”
“On this side of the House, we will always stand for tax cuts and we would make sure that money goes back in the pockets of Canadians, but not how the government does it. (2005) Here is a story from Dezmond.”
“Some stuff made sense, but homes cannot be built with empty words, stomachs cannot be filled with empty words, and jobs cannot be created in this country with empty words, and that is all we are getting with the Liberal government. There is another concern we have when the Liberals talk about homebuilding.”
“Food security is a priority. Domestic production, making more, growing more and harvesting more here in Canada, should be a priority. When the Liberals have reckless projects taking away our farmland, that is a problem. One of those projects that we hear about is happening in eastern Ontario. My colleague is here today.”
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“The Liberals, in their bill, are tinkering with it, adding some exceptions to the rule, but it still exists. It is still their fundamental, primary consideration when it comes to bail. When I was sitting in bail court, watching proceedings to do research for my bill, I sat there for about 15 hours. Justices of the peace were quoting the principle of restraint and releasing offenders. Not one person was denied bail for being a repeat violent offender in the time that I watched that court. My jail not bail act would repeal the principle of restraint, and it would introduce a principle of public safety as the primary consideration. This is where the Liberals did some copying and pasting, and I do admire that. I think sometimes being imitated is a great way to know that one is doing something right.”
“Conservatives will always welcome any changes to the Criminal Code that protect families. It might be a step in the right direction, but it is not going to fix the problem. The Liberals are putting band-aids on gunshot wounds, when the wound has to be treated and fixed. (1415) We have to make significant changes to the system. We cannot just do photo ops and hope the problem is going to go away. That is why our plan, the jail not bail act, is focused on making systematic changes to Liberal bail laws. First, the principle of restraint that I spoke about earlier today, the principle that allows repeat violent offenders to be released on the least restrictive conditions at the earliest opportunity, has to be removed completely. It has to be gone.”
“The police did their job and arrested the individual, someone who was charged with such a magnitude of carnage. They arrested him, they brought him before a judge, and thanks to Liberal bail policies, he was released. As soon as he was released, he packed his bag, took a flight and left the country. That is how easy it is for criminals to operate in our communities. The Liberal bail laws have had no deterrence. They invite this chaos to our country. I know the Liberals have brought forward Bill C-14 . I do want to give them credit for one thing. They have finally admitted that their policies, and their failure to act, have caused this crime wave. It was in their own government news release that under their watch, there has been a massive spike of violent crime in our communities. I do give them credit for that.”
“Their daughter, Darian, was attacked, again by her former partner. He was arrested, charged and released five times. After the fifth time, he took a gun and shot and killed Darian. When we are at these town halls, we should look into the eyes of these parents. We should see the pain in their eyes and the tears flowing down their cheeks. The strength they show in sharing their stories is not because they know their loved ones could come back. It is because they are pleading for help. They do not want to see another daughter shot by a repeat offender. I am sure there are many parents in this House, and this could happen to any one of our kids. When it comes to extortion, we have seen a massive rise right across our country. In Edmonton last year, there was a massive extortion case. Some developments were burned down, and shots were fired.”
“When her friends and family held a celebration of life for Bailey, her kids thought it was a party for their mom and that she would be coming back home. The kids think she is alive. The kids still believe today that their mom is coming back to them and that all those celebrations are for their mom. What is hard is that crime shows us that it is not just the lives that are lost directly but the effect it has on everyone else, from immediate family and neighbours to strangers just walking down the street, whole communities and our country. Bailey could have been any one of us. She did everything right, but the system failed her. We had the same problem in Peel. I was there for a town hall. Flo Bellman and Paul Henderson shared their daughter's story. It was very similar to what happened to Bailey.”
“I know the Minister of Justice has also met this family, so I want to thank him for that. (1410) Bailey McCourt, as many of us know, was killed by her ex-partner. Just three hours after he was released on bail, he found her in a public parking lot four kilometres away. He took a hammer and smashed her head. Her life is gone. She is gone. She is no longer with us today. I spoke to the stranger who held her hand at that very moment. His life has now been affected by this as well. He cannot believe what happened that day. He has lost faith in our system. Debbie Henderson and Bailey's stepmom came to Ottawa just last week to testify at committee. Debbie shared some more stories with us. Bailey was a caring mother.”
“That principle literally told judges that they have to release the accused person at the earliest opportunity and on the least restrictive conditions. The Liberals brought in bills like Bill C-5 , which took away mandatory minimum sentencing and allowed for house arrest for some of the most violent crimes that are happening in our community. My colleagues and I have been touring and meeting with stakeholders right across our country. We have gone coast to coast to coast, from Yukon all the way out to the east coast. We have met with families and with victims, and their stories are at the heart of Bill C-242 , the jail not bail act. Their stories have motivated us to put forward a piece of legislation after so many years on a file the Liberals ignored. I want to share a story that I have shared in the past in this chamber.”
“Law enforcement personnel were motivated and had the support of this chamber and the Criminal Code, and they knew that if they did their job, after risking their lives, they would have somebody who backed them up to keep repeat violent offenders away. Again, it does not seem like something out of a fantasy. We used to have this in Canada. We had safe streets. However, when the current Liberal government took office, it brought in legislation that has disrupted our country but has moved out of balance the rights of victims and prioritized the rights of criminals. We saw that with Bill C-75 , when the Liberals brought in the principle of restraint, which I will talk about later on in my remarks.”
“In terms of community organizations, we have Cait Alexander, the founder of End Violence Everywhere; the One By One Movement; and the Oaks Revitalization movement, as well as Megan Walker, Debbie Henderson, C Trang, Scott Weller, Krissy Jennings and countless other victims and advocates who have shared their heartbreaking stories and who have asked us to bring the legislation forward so that Canadians can have safe streets again. Those safe streets are not something that is so far out of reach. We can just think of a world where our kids could play on the streets and our seniors could go for a coffee with their friends and talk about the good old days, when parents could drop their kids off at school and not worry about their safety. It was a country where we had vibrant communities, and we were not watching our backs.”
“It is very important for us to understand that the bill would put the rights of victims first because, at the end of the day, they should be the fundamental centrepiece of our justice system. Locally from Oxford County, I want to give special thanks to our mayor, Jerry Acchione, from Woodstock. We have our Woodstock police chiefs from the Woodstock Police Service and some of their members who have helped me table the bill. I also thank various police associations from right across the country that were part of the consultations and put in letters of support for our bill.”
“I want to start by thanking the many individuals who have come together to make this piece of legislation possible. I want to thank all those from different political parties and from various levels of government who shared their expertise, including municipal leaders, mayors, local councillors and MLAs. I thank first responders, who risk their lives every single day running to emergencies. Whether police officers, firefighters, paramedics or others, their input has been greatly valuable to me. I thank the Crown attorneys, who apply the law to defend the rights of Canadians, many of them from Oxford County, who shared their expertise when it comes to the bill. I also thank the victims.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is always a great honour to stand in this chamber to discuss such an important piece of legislation. Before I dive right into Bill C-242 , the jail not bail act, I would like to take a moment to reflect on and thank our veterans: those who have served and have paid the ultimate sacrifice and those brave men and women who continue to serve today for the freedoms that we have and we enjoy, even in this chamber, to have healthy debates and discussions and to make sure that Canada always remains a true, strong democracy. I encourage all members of the public and all hon. members to please wear a poppy. That is the least we can do. It is not a political symbol; it is an important task to honour those who have done so much for our freedoms. It is always an honour to rise to speak to Bill C-242 , the jail not bail act.”
“We continue to pay tribute to their contributions to making Canada a free, true and prosperous nation. When it comes to my jail not bail act, there are a lot of individuals and folks who I want to take the time to thank. There are those who helped draft the bill and those who came together to share their ideas. I am honoured that we have had elected officials from all walks of life, regardless of political—”
“moved that Bill C-242, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Department of Justice Act , be read the second time and referred to a committee. Bill C-242. Second reading He said: Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in the chamber to intervene on my private member's bill, the jail not bail act. Before I dive into the topic at hand, I want to take a moment to honour the veterans. They are the brave men and women who served our country, who continue to serve and who have paid the ultimate sacrifice so that folks in the chamber could have healthy debate and fight for democracy, and so that Canadians can enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today. Next week, on the 11th, is Remembrance Day. I encourage all members of the public to please wear a poppy to honour their great legacy.”
“Mr. Speaker, this Brookfield budget has the largest deficit in history outside of COVID. The interest payments are topping $55 billion, more than what we spend on health care transfers. This means less for doctors, less for nurses and less for our hospitals, but more for bondholders and Liberal insiders. The only thing that is getting healthy under the government is the bankers’ profits. They keep getting rich while Canadians foot the price. Can the Prime Minister tell us why he is so hell-bent on making sure his banker buddies get rich while Canadians suffer?”
“Mr. Speaker, the current Liberal government is the most expensive in Canadian history. The more it spends, the more things cost. Its so-called generational budget is nothing more than generational debt, mortgaging away our children’s future. Massive Liberal deficits feed inflation. Inflation fuels unaffordability. Our seniors can barely buy groceries, our families are stretched thin, and our workers are falling behind, yet the Prime Minister still wants them to make more sacrifices. Can the Prime Minister tell us what more is left for Canadians to sacrifice?”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians have seen this nightmare before. Empty Liberal promises cannot feed empty stomachs. When Liberals recklessly spend, it is Canadians who pay the price with higher grocery prices, higher rents and more money on gas. The only thing that is growing in the Liberal economy are the lines at food banks, with over two million folks now visiting food banks in a single month. Liberal deficits mean higher taxes and higher inflation, meaning that life is more expensive for Canadians. I will ask again, instead of trying to cause a costly election on their costly budget, why will the Liberals not table an affordable budget for an affordable life?”
“Mr. Speaker, every dollar the Liberal government spends comes straight from the pockets of hard-working Canadians. More government deficits means higher taxes and more inflation, jacking up the cost of living already. Canadians are struggling. Nicole, a single mom from Oxford, works two jobs, 70 hours a week, barely sees her kids and still cannot make ends meet. Stories like this from Nicole and others are now becoming the norm thanks to Liberal deficits. Instead of trying to cause a costly election on their costly budget, why will the Liberals not table an affordable budget for an affordable life?”
“Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague's intervention today was great. He has attended many events across the community and has been to town halls. I see him interacting with people in Hamilton and across the GTA. What is the member hearing from parents and seniors when it comes to crime? What is happening on the ground? If the member could share some of those stories with us today, it would be appreciated.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have been talking to auto workers who are losing their jobs now because of the Liberals' failed policies. An auto worker in Ingersoll called me this morning and said that he does not know how he will pay for his mortgage, and he does not know how he will feed his family. There is a real sense of anxiety in our community. The Liberals blew billions on EVs, and now Canadian workers and their families are the ones who are paying the price. Will the Liberals finally hit the brakes and stop selling out Canadian workers?”
“Mr. Speaker, after the Prime Minister failed to negotiate a win with Trump, Canada's auto industry was hit yet again with devastating news this morning. Over 1,200 highly skilled auto workers at the CAMI Ingersoll plant are being laid off by GM indefinitely. This adds to the 2,200 job losses in Oshawa and the 3,000 announced in Brampton. The Liberals have sold out our auto workers. Will the Prime Minister finally admit that he has lost control of the wheel and is driving our auto sector off the cliff?”
“Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague raised a great point. The Liberal government is wasting over $700 million in a gun-grab scam. That money should be put toward frontline officers at our borders and in the RCMP. Let us put the money where the boots are on the ground and where we can actually enforce and protect Canadians. The Liberals, in the past, have put money in bureaucracy and have put money in nice office towers in Ottawa. That money should be put on the ground, where people can do their jobs. We need more scanners, CBSA officers and security. Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Arpan Khanna: Mr. Speaker, they are heckling again. They are heckling because they cannot handle the truth. It is their fault and we are going to fix it.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is this type of behaviour that has caused the crisis we see today. The Liberals are making policy on Twitter and are making policy on a paper napkin, but it has real consequences for Canadians. The 100,000 folks coming across our border put pressure on our system, and it broke a system that was once the best in the world and actually helped those who are being persecuted. What do we get with the Liberals? They heckle and mudsling and try to distract, deny and obstruct. That is the Liberal way, and in the last 10 years, that is the way they have been doing things. It will change under a Conservative government when that happens.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberals' policies that have destroyed almost every single aspect of our country today. It is their failures, mismanagement, negligence and incompetence that have led our country to be in the state it is in today. I am proud to say that my jail not bail act has the support of police officers and law enforcement from all levels. I am very excited that we are going to keep this conversation going. We will always stand with law enforcement on this side of the House.”
“They keep announcing that they are going to hire new personnel, but when the minister was asked how many he had hired so far, the answer was zero. They have not hired any frontline officers. When asked when he would do it and why he had not done it, he put his hands up and said that it was not his responsibility. Well, whose responsibility is it? He is the minister responsible. He owes it to every single Canadian to do his job. Sadly, it is the Liberals who have broken our system. Canada's Conservatives will always stand for law-abiding Canadians. We will invest in securing our borders. We will ensure that repeat violent offenders who commit crimes are locked up and put behind bars, and we will make sure that we fix the broken immigration system so that all Canadians can achieve their full potential.”
“It is them and their failed policies. It continues. Drugs keep being pushed in. Oxford County is on the 401 and 403, and it has become, sadly, a hub for drugs being brought into our community. I was talking with a family member who lost a loved one, a son, because he got addicted to drugs, illegal drugs that were brought into our community through the 401 and 403 corridors. They have had real-life consequences because of the Liberals' failures. Human trafficking is another huge part of the crime we are seeing in southwestern Ontario. Again, the minister responsible for public safety just puts his hands up and says that he is not going to enforce anything at the border. He was asked about hiring more CBSA officers. He said it was not his job. We know what the Liberals do. They keep over-promising. They keep recycling the same photo ops.”
“Toronto police and law enforcement across our country have made it clear that 90% of the guns that come into our country are illegal guns. Criminals are not using guns from lawful gun owners. They are smuggling them in through the border. Those guns are now in our communities. They are being used for organized crime. They are being used to kill children. If we cannot secure the border and stop that from happening, we are going to keep losing Canadians. We now have cartels operating in our country, seven, under the Liberals' watch, under their soft-on-crime and open border policies. They have failed to secure our border. We have seven cartels that are illegally moving around drugs, laundering money and pushing guns, yet the Liberals have the audacity to stand up in the House and say they are going to fix the problem. They are the problem.”
“Most Canadians live 100 kilometres away from the border, so it is an important transportational and logistical hub for us, and we need a system that works for both Canada and the U.S. We can have strong economic ties. On security, it is even more important to keep Canadians safe. Under the Liberals' watch, we have had record numbers of crime, some of the highest. Gun crime and homicides have gone up. If we look at the border, we have seen a massive rise in guns being smuggled in. While the Liberals might believe that lawful, law-abiding firearms owners are the problem, they are not. I have been a firearms owner for over 15 years. I love going to the range. I am a sport shooter. Folks like me, farmers and hunters are not the problem. The problem is the Liberals' weak, open-border policies.”
“It put pressure on our system. Many of those cases were bogus, but we cannot fix stupid. That was a dumb move by the government and a dumb move by the former prime minister. The Liberals are making policy based on tweets. That is how they run the government. Their failures have led to the trouble we are seeing today. I find it ironic when the Liberals put policy forward saying that they are going to fix the system, that it is a new government, but it is their own doing. They did this. They broke it. (1720) This is going to continue, sadly. We have seen it at the border as well, the Canada-U.S. border, one of the longest borders, an important hub for economics and security. Some $2 billion in trade crosses the border every single day. We have a massive economic opportunity.”
“They were able to earn a decent living and raise a family under their watch. However, we do not have that system anymore. The Liberals have broken that system in almost all respects. Let us take a look at the asylum system. We have over 300,000 folks lined up to get asylum. Many cases are bogus and fake asylum claims. It is a system that is now full of fraud and abuse, with an average wait time of almost 44 months to be processed in our country. This all started because of the Liberals' actions. Members might remember that it was the government that put out a famous tweet when Trump was voted in the first time, which said that everybody is welcome. Can members guess what happened? An hon. member: Oh, oh! Mr. Speaker, they think that is the best tweet ever. However, that tweet brought in over 100,000 illegal border crossers to Roxham Road.”
“They broke our immigration system, and then they started hijacking our institutions. They started censoring Canadians. They started telling Canadians what they could do, where they could go, what they could say and what they could see. It became all about control. When the Liberals first brought in Bill C-2 , they talked about public safety and immigration, but it was another attempt to attack Canadians' freedoms and privacy. The Liberals wanted to attack Canadians' way of life. It is because of the Conservatives, other parties and Canadians who raised their voices, who objected and said no to the Liberals' policies, that we have Bill C-12 in Parliament today. I am a proud son of immigrants. My parents chose Canada in the early 1980s. They came for that Canadian dream. They worked hard and played by the rules.”
“Crime, chaos and drugs are running rampant right across our country. There is a record amount of crime. Drugs are now being sold on our streets. Our kids are losing their lives. Under their watch, in 10 years, 50,000 Canadians have lost their lives to drug overdoses, which is more than were lost in the Second World War. We have a homelessness crisis. Encampments are popping up in my riding in Oxford County and across our country from coast to coast to coast. Canadians are suffering from the Liberals' failed policies. We had one of the best immigration programs in the world. It was the envy of the world. We brought in the brightest and the best, people who could achieve their full potential, who filled major needs in our country and were able to raise their family. However, under the Liberals' watch, they broke that too.”
“Mr. Speaker, yesterday we marked a very dark milestone in Canada's history: 10 years of the Liberals. It is a very dark time. We used to have a country that was safe and secure, the envy of the world. It was a country that worked for Canadians, that protected Canadians. The Liberals might say that they have a new government. I know they are heckling right now, but they might think that this is a brand new government. It is not. It has the same Liberal members of Parliament, the same cabinet ministers and the same failed Liberal policies. Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Arpan Khanna: Mr. Speaker, I know they are not happy with what I am saying, but their policies are what hurt Canadians every single day. Under the Liberals' watch, we have had the fastest-shrinking economy, in which Canadians are now lining up at food banks.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Prime Minister promised to fight for our workers, but under his watch, Canada has lost over 86,000 jobs. We have the fastest-shrinking economy and the second-highest unemployment rate in the G7. The Liberal decision to buy American to appease Trump has cost CAMI over 900 jobs in my riding. The Liberal Prime Minister continues to sell out our workers. He is handing over their jobs to the United States and driving a trillion dollars' worth of investment down south. Why?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep telling Canadians to be patient. Say that to the families of the loved ones who have lost their children and their grandchildren on the streets of Canada. Every day the Liberals delay, 1,600 more violent crimes happen in our country. The Woodstock TD robbery suspect was out on bail. In the murder of Constable Pierzchala, the suspect was out on bail. In the murder of Tori Dunn, the offender was out on bail. Enough is enough. It is time to scrap Liberal bail. If the Prime Minister will not scrap Liberal bail, will he at least do the decent thing, show some compassion and get out of the way?”
“Mr. Speaker, Liberal bail has allowed repeat violent offenders to terrorize our communities. Despite promising decisive action, the Prime Minister continues to keep his Liberal bail in place, causing more chaos on our streets. Our jail not bail act has the support of police chiefs, unions, victim advocacy groups, survivors and their loved ones. MPs will vote today to fast-track that bill in the chamber. Canadians are watching. What will it take? How many lives have to be lost before the Prime Minister puts aside his partisanship and scraps Liberal bail?”
“I don't believe we can afford to keep ignoring it.” Violent crime has countless victims: the people whose lives were taken, the bystanders, the first responders, communities and the families who must carry on. I urge all members to remember Bailey, hear Christopher's plea, put politics aside and vote to fast-track the jail not bail act today.”
“Mr. Speaker, the tragic story of Bailey McCourt, who was murdered by her ex-partner in Kelowna, has been shared many times before in the House. Today I want to share a different perspective, from Christopher Anderson, the bystander who was just walking by and rushed to try to save her. He wrote to me, and with his permission, I share his words: “I ran towards them, but by the time I reached them, he was already hitting her in the head—over and over. I held her hand and told her she was safe and loved. I'm not writing to ask for anything specific. I just need you to know what happened. And I need others to know Bailey's name. She was a mother, a daughter, and a human being who deserved to live. People are dying in plain view.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are telling Canadians to be patient, because some day they might act. They should tell that to the families of Bailey McCourt and countless others who have lost their loved ones. Under the Liberals' watch, violent crime is up, extortion is up, homicides are up and sexual assaults are up. With every single day that goes by with the Liberals delaying, 1,600 more violent crimes happen in our streets. That is one per minute. Lives are being lost. Families are being destroyed. Again, the question is simple: Will the Liberals scrap Liberal bail and support the jail not bail act or get out of the way so that Conservatives can clean up their mess?”
“Mr. Speaker, Liberal bail laws have unleashed crime and chaos on our streets. The Liberals' law, Bill C-75 , releases repeat violent offenders at the earliest opportunity, with the least restrictive conditions. The Prime Minister promised to repeal these dangerous Liberal bail laws. Six months in, it is the same bait and switch, and the laws remain in place. Now more than half of Canadians do not feel safe in their own homes. The question is simple: Will the Prime Minister scrap Liberal bail or get out of the way so Conservatives can?”
“Mr. Speaker, I have been meeting with Woodstock Police Service and the Crowns, along with the OPP. I want to thank the member for the great work he has been doing in advocating for those in rural communities across Canada. The member is right that Canadians in rural communities do not feel safe. Once-safe communities and neighbourhoods are now being targeted by repeat violent offenders. In Plattsville, 20 minutes from me, a repeat violent offender committed a break and enter into a home, bashed a car and took it. This is now becoming the norm, whether it is in rural communities like Oxford or big cities like—”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for all the work she is doing on advocating for women and against intimate partner violence. We have seen a massive rise, because of the government's policies, of women being abused and killed. I have talked about this in the past. Cait Alexander, who runs the charity End Violence Everywhere, was also a victim of abuse by her ex-partner. She was left to die, and her ex-partner got bail for only $500. She was so scared that she left the country and is now living in the States. The problem is very real. Making it part of a major offence category would put a reverse onus on those who commit those crimes so that they would have to prove they should be released, not the other way around. On this side of the House, we will stand with women and make sure there are safe streets in our country.”
“Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely ridiculous. The supposed new, shiny Prime Minister promised to get changes done right away. In his own words, he said he would be decisive. With every single day that goes by, 1,600 people are victims of crime. The member talks about being patient. He wants us to be patient when people are dying in this country. I say shame on the Liberals. People are dying. Bailey McCourt's family has called us in tears because their daughter would be alive if my bill had passed. This is something the Liberals need to wake up and look at, because Canadians are dying and it is their inaction. They are all about photo ops and headlines. Why are they delaying action? Their policies are causing problems. Their bail reform ideas from 2019 have destroyed our country. Enough is enough. Let us bring back safe streets.”
“It would protect Canadians. It would ensure that repeat violent offenders stay behind bars, where they belong, and it would restore safe streets in our communities once again.”
“If someone who has a long rap sheet or has been charged with and convicted of an indictable offence over the last 10 years is released on bail and caught again, there should be no bail. We would tighten the conditions for bail. Right now in Canada, a criminal who has been indicted for a major offence can be a surety, can vouch for other criminals. We have seen that. Please tell me about that. There are criminals vouching for other criminals. How does that make any sense? A surety is supposed to be somebody who could support another person to make sure they stay out of trouble, but when there are criminals vouching for criminals, that is a problem. Our bill is not about being partisan. We are asking for members' support and for them to put their partisanship aside and think about Canadians. The bill is a common-sense piece of legislation.”
“We would introduce a principle of public safety as the primary consideration for bail decisions. Let us put the rights of law-abiding Canadians first, not the criminals like the Liberals have been doing for the last number of years. My bill would introduce a new major offences category that would include violent crimes like arson, extortion, home invasions, carjackings and assaults on peace officers and that would become grounds for a reverse onus on the criminals to get bail. We would bring in legislation to add clarity to the Criminal Code to give judges the clarity they need by making it mandatory for judges to look at the criminal history of an accused person, for all offences. We would change and tighten risk assessment when it comes to granting bail on secondary grounds. We would add new measures as tertiary grounds.”
“More importantly, thousands of Canadians are signing our petition demanding that the government finally wake up, end the madness and restore safe streets in our country again. Our opposition day motion is important so we can pass Bill C-242 , the jail not bail act, as soon as possible. We want the Liberals to get out of the way, stop blocking safe communities, stop delaying, stop denying, stop chasing photo ops and media headlines, and instead focus on fighting crime for Canadians. We have seen this not just in the big cities; crime is now coming to rural Canada. Businesses are being affected. There is an economic cost. Emotional, social and security costs are being added on. No one has seen this level of crime before. That is why my jail not bail act would repeal the principle of restraint that the Liberals brought in.”
“(1020) I did the homework for the Liberals about the jail not bail legislation. I know they are struggling to put something together. The bill came together from consultation and support from right across our country, from Whitehorse, Yukon, all the way to the east coast. I, along with my colleague, the member for Brantford—Brant South—Six Nations , and others from my Conservative team, have met with law enforcement and dozens of police unions. We have met with victim advocacy groups. I have met with the families of victims. I have sat at their tables and had conversations. They have cried because the situation is preventable. We did not have to be here today. Our bill has feedback from Crown prosecutors and from defence lawyers, from the legal community.”
“It is the Liberals' policies that have let Canadians down, and the ironic part is that they said, and the Prime Minister said in his campaign, that they were going to take decisive action and that they were going to be making changes to the Criminal Code right away. However, it has been six months, and we have not seen any legislation come forward. The Liberals keep talking about some magical bill for bail reform. “It's coming”, they say. Well, they did bail reform, and they failed, so we do not need any more Liberal bail policies. We need to scrap Liberal bail. We need to invest in making sure our frontline officers have the tools they need. We need to make sure the Criminal Code is reflective of today's realities, which is why last week I tabled the proposed jail not bail act.”
“That is a decision they made; they took that action and they presented it to Parliament. Conservatives voted against it then, and we are against the principle today. Every single day that goes by, 1,600 violent crimes happen in our country. If we do the math, that is almost one Canadian per minute who falls victim to violent crime in Canada because of the Liberals' failure to act, and Canadians are scared; they are terrified. They are afraid to go on an evening walk in their neighbourhood. There are seniors in Oxford County who cannot even go to the bank without seeing security and without being nervous. That is not the Canada my parents came to. That is not the Canadian dream newcomers or folks who have been living here for generations love.”