Chris Lewis
Essex, Ontario · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce petition 451‑00919. More than 3.4 billion people live in countries that spend more on debt payments than they do on health or education.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is an awfully heavy day in the House today, when we are supposed to collectively be trying to bring peace and unity not only to Canada, but to the world. Hearing the heckling toward my hon. colleague is pretty darn embarrassing. Equally, though, I am darn proud of the member for standing up for what is right.”
“Madam Speaker, my colleague gave an impassioned and compassionate speech, and I understand the sacrifice that the gentleman has made as well. I was honoured to be with Corporal Bruce Moncur at a celebration of life at the Royal Canadian Legion earlier this year, and this past Saturday, I was honoured to be with Windsor's air force squadro…”
“Madam Speaker, I will be very brief. I had the opportunity, I believe it was late last year or early this year, to celebrate Mr. Bruce Moncur with his family. How important is it that this motion go through today, to ensure that future generations will also support and protect Canada?”
“It pocketed $8 billion in revenue windfall from high global oil prices, roughly $2 billion for every $10 increase on the price of a barrel, yet the response has been nothing shy of chump change.”
“Mr. Speaker, as always, it is just such an honour to serve the amazing, hard-working residents of Essex who have put their trust in me to be their voice in this very uncertain time. As I always say, I will continue to give all praise to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Without Him, nothing is possible.”
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“He taught through example. Sandy, Tomi and Tom were each my friend and mentor in their own special way. I thank them for leaving the world a better place than they found it. They are each truly missed.”
“Mr. Speaker, Essex has recently lost three amazing individuals. Sandy Repko was known and decorated for her tireless commitment to her community and her willingness to serve others. At the hockey rink or the basketball court, the council chambers or a fundraiser, Sandy was there with a smile, helping anyone who asked. Tomi Hulkkonen embodied what many of us strive to become. He was a loving husband to Tiina and father to so many, a God-fearing man and a fearless leader of his brothers and sisters at United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 494. My private member's bill, Bill C-241 , will forever be Tomi's. Tom Kissner was my brother in firefighting for many years. I am sure his finest memories were of walking the streets of Kingsville with the love of his life, Robin. He was quiet, but his presence was respected.”
“Mr. Speaker, as the holiday season quickly approaches, I reflect on so many amazing people and organizations in Essex that make Christmas a little easier, special, brighter and joyous for so many people in need. Essex is compassionate. Essex is generous. Essex truly cares. I am extremely thankful to represent a community committed to leaving the world a better place than we found it. Finally, I want to wish a happy anniversary to my amazing wife, Allison. It has been 27 years of laughs and friendship, tears and stories, and children and grandchildren. It is unique, to say the least. I thank Allison, and I love her. Jesus is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas, Essex.”
“Mr. Speaker, I just want to say quickly that I do substitute in at the transportation committee, and I have had many hours of listening to the Liberals filibuster this committee. One thing that really stood out to me was that my hon. colleague had mentioned that this is about life and death. All Conservatives have been trying to do, where we are studying Driver Inc., is to call witnesses to tell their stories about the victims and the lives that are lost. Would the hon. colleague not agree with me that the Liberals need to get out of the way and allow us to do this study so their stories can be told?”
“Mr. Chair, I know how hard my colleague has worked. He has met with people from numerous businesses in our area, and I know because I have been with him. Of course, I am equally passionate about our labour force, for sure, but without business, we have no labour force. How are the lack of certainty and the tariff threats affecting our tier two and tier three distributors in our auto sector?”
“Mr. Chair, during my hon. colleague's intervention, he mentioned that he went to law school. He mentioned the importance of contracts and of actually reading contracts, and then he also mentioned the incompetence of the Liberals. I did not go to law school, but obviously my hon. colleague did. How important is it to read the contracts so we know exactly what is in them and so we can secure our workforce and ultimately our business and industry?”
“Mr. Chair, that was a great intervention. I give my hon. colleague a lot of credit. He works incredibly hard with our local union, and with all unions quite frankly, as the shadow minister for labour. My colleague spoke about 3,000 lost jobs in Brampton and 1,000 lost jobs in BrightDrop production. That is 4,000 jobs. What is he hearing on the ground, on the shop floor, from our unions?”
“Mr. Chair, I do want to get back to the fact that electric vehicles are, quite frankly, not selling in Quebec. The number is 17.3%, but it is being pushed so hard to basically force people to purchase an electric vehicle, when the industry is screaming that it is not going to meet the mandates. Would my hon. colleague agree with me that the mandates will not be met and that they need to be lifted? Does he agree that we need to let industry continue to thrive in Canada?”
“Mr. Chair, first and foremost, I am the co-chair of the Conservative auto caucus, so I do understand a thing or two about auto. I also come from Essex, which is right next door to the busiest international border crossing in the world, where a part for one vehicle can go back and forth across the border seven to nine times before it is actually produced. To my understanding, there is no more automotive assembly in Quebec. When there is only 17.3% of electric vehicles that are being sold in Quebec right now, and I am hearing it time and time again from the global auto manufacturers and Canadian auto manufacturers, the dealers are incredibly scared. Would my hon. colleague agree with me that perhaps we need to scale that back and look at this a little bit further down the road?”
“Mr. Chair, obviously, because I come to the House as the member for Essex, something very near and dear to my heart is the auto manufacturers. Quebec specifically has an EV mandate that requires 85% EVs by 2030 and 100% by 2035, though I did come to understand this afternoon that Quebec has now dropped that to 90% by 2035. However, the percentage of electric vehicles actually sold in Quebec is only 17.3%, so it is quite a way to go in a short five years. At a time when the auto industry is under enormous pressure from tariffs, would my hon. colleague agree with me that Quebec and the Liberal government have gone too far and are putting the mandate into place far too quickly to make it affordable—”
“Madam Speaker, a 26-year-old, a 24-year-old, a 22-year-old and a four-and-a-half-year-old and their better halves make up my family, along with my wife. They all live with me, and by the way, they have very good-paying jobs. They cannot afford a home or to start a family, so they all live under my roof. It is probably my greatest gift, but, at the same time, any loving parent would want their children to move on. Other than the industrial carbon tax, what falls short in Bill C-4 that would truly give young adults an opportunity, something that Conservatives would put into this bill to give them a chance to start their own families and buy their first homes?”
“Mr. Speaker, food costs are rising 40% faster in Canada than in the United States, and families in Essex are feeling the pressure. My riding is one of Ontario's most productive agriculture regions, but after 10 years of a Liberal government, the Canadians who produce our food are struggling to pay for it. Farmers have been clear: Scrap the industrial carbon tax. Instead, the Liberals continue to drive up the price of fertilizer and farm equipment, making it harder for farmers to grow, ship and sell food. When 80.6% of Canadians say that food is their top expense pressure, the government should listen and take action by cutting hidden taxes to bring down costs and make life affordable for families. Unlike the Prime Minister , who says, “Who cares?” to Canadians, I, along with my Conservative colleagues, care about the families of Essex”
“Mr. Speaker, the thing that is probably most disappointing in the budget is the lack of help for our young adults, the adults who cannot afford a home, who are full of fear and anxiety. Quite frankly, they now have a belief system that nine out of 10 young adults will never be able to afford a home. We need to get rid of that belief system. I know my hon. colleague has an up-and-coming family as well. What should have been in the budget, such as removing the industrial carbon tax, to help our young Canadians to be able to afford a home and to start a family?”
“Mr. Speaker, the finance minister handed $10 billion to Stellantis to create 2,500 jobs in Windsor, but now it is threatening to ship 3,000 jobs from Brampton to the U.S. The Liberals have abandoned Canadian auto workers, who do not know how they will provide for their families and their futures. What job guarantees did the Liberals actually negotiate? If there is nothing to hide, why will they not release the contracts outlining the specific details of the Canada-wide job guarantees?”
“Mr. Speaker, this is where I am at. I see veterans sitting on the streets of Windsor who do not have a home, do not have any food, have no place to live, have no clothes, quite frankly, but have served this country. We have to finally put Canada first. Regardless of wherever the asylum seekers need to go, what I am really focused on are the folks of southwestern Ontario and, of course, all Canadians. We have to take care of our own house before we can take care of everyone else. I will always stand with the veteran who is laying on the street and has served this country, yet has nothing.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am so darn proud of the Essex and Windsor region and the Chatham-Kent region, but one thing I am not proud about is that we have the busiest corridor, from Windsor through to Montreal, of human trafficking. We need to do a whole lot more at our borders to protect our borders. That is not even talking about handguns, which, quite frankly, are the reason we have so much crime in Canada. It is not due to legal firearm owners; it is due to the illegal guns that are smuggled in. At the end of the day, it is about the lack of direction from the Liberal government after 10 years.”
“Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, it goes like this. I used to be the shadow minister for labour, and I met with many labour organizations for two years. I would suggest to the hon. member that the RCMP and the CBSA need a whole bunch of funding; they need a whole bunch of support and help. They are very upset and confused and need direction, and that has to come from the government.”
“Conservatives have a clear vision for border security and immigration. We support investing in border infrastructure to reduce wait times and improve efficiency. We advocate for strong partnerships with our U.S. counterparts, especially in regions like Windsor-Detroit, where co-operation is essential. We believe in empowering local law enforcement and border officers with the tools and training they need, not just more paperwork. That is why I urge the House to scrutinize the bill carefully, consult with stakeholders in border ridings like Essex and make the necessary amendments. Let us hear from our farmers, our truckers, our customs officers and our local mayors to ensure this legislation reflects the realities on the ground, not just the theories in Ottawa.”
“This is something our government should already know. A report from the Standing Committee on International Trade during the 44th Parliament identified regulatory complexity and inefficiencies at the border as major barriers to Canadian exporters. The report even recommended that inspection protocols should be streamlined to avoid further harming trade. That is why the bill needs amendments to prevent unintended harm to Canadian businesses. Bill C-12 also touches on information sharing and surveillance powers. It is important to introduce tools that help law enforcement do their jobs, but we must be cautious about infringing on privacy rights. Canadians deserve to know how their data is being used, who has it and what safeguards are in place. Transparency must be a cornerstone of any security policy.”
“The new requirements for inspection facilities and associated delays could also increase warehousing costs, with the greatest impact falling on small and medium-sized exporters, 35% of which reported to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business in May of this year that they already experience border delays, with the average time spent at border crossings being up to two hours. These are real consequences for real people. If Bill C-12 introduces new compliance burdens or slows down processing, it could further jeopardize jobs and investment in our region at a time when hard-working Canadians are already struggling to provide for their families. Conservatives agree that Canada's borders must be safe and secure, but we must also protect the economic backbone of our country: our exporters, our manufacturers and logistics providers.”
“We cannot add to the pressures faced by Canadian businesses with more unclear border directives. Consider our greenhouse growers, who rely on timely border crossings to deliver fresh produce to markets in Michigan and Ohio. Any delay, whether due to increased inspections, unclear regulations or bureaucratic bottlenecks can mean lost revenue, spoiled goods and broken contracts. Our auto parts manufacturers, which are part of a tightly integrated supply chain with Detroit's automotive industry, depend on predictable and efficient border operations. More frequent inspections could slow down export processing across all sectors, not just for the high-risk goods the bill aims to target.”
“(1040) The people of Essex, and all Canadians, cannot afford to suffer the consequences of Liberal missteps, and the bill would impose further financial responsibilities on exporters by requiring them to upgrade their facilities to comply with the new CBSA inspection regulations. That is an unfair and unnecessary burden, especially during a time of financial uncertainty when every dollar matters, both for businesses and for individual Canadians, and especially when considering the Statistics Canada Q3 report for this year, which found that, following tariff announcements, exports to the U.S. dropped 15.7% and imports fell 10.8%. This clearly shows that businesses are facing mounting costs, increased input prices and uncertainty due to shifting border policies.”
“This raises a troubling question: Is this legislation simply a way for the government to claim it is fixing the immigration system it broke without taking real action? Conservatives believe in responsible immigration that prioritizes economic needs and family reunification. We support measures that streamline processing, reduce backlogs and help newcomers integrate successfully, but we oppose policies that put power in the hands of ministers without proper oversight. Furthermore, Bill C-12 contains provisions that could unintentionally harm Canadian exporters. There are implications of increased processing times, additional expenses and vague inspection requirements that could disrupt trade and burden businesses.”
“My office regularly hears from constituents about the real-world impacts of federal decisions, such as delays at the Ambassador Bridge, astronomical fees on exports and frustrations with immigration and enforcement. Bill C-12 would grant sweeping new powers to the government, which would only add to these frustrations, with limited parliamentary oversight. That should concern every Canadian, especially those of us in border communities. It is deeply ironic that the Liberals show little concern about violent repeat offenders who remain in Canada after receiving lighter sentences than their crimes deserve, yet they seek the power to cancel or suspend valid visas of permanent residents who have followed due process and contribute meaningfully to our country. The bill also fails to outline how new regulations would be enforced.”
“The backlog of applications, the lack of transparency and the inconsistent enforcement all stem from a government that has failed to plan, failed to listen and failed to act. Now, with Bill C-12 , the Liberals are scrambling to fix the very system they dismantled, but instead of thoughtful reform, they are reaching for sweeping powers and vague regulations. That is not leadership; it is damage control. We must acknowledge that this bill has serious shortcomings that must be addressed before it is allowed to impact the lives of Canadians. Conservatives believe in strong borders. We believe not only in protecting Canadians from illegal activity, trafficking and threats to public safety, but also in accountability, transparency and respect for individual rights.”
“Bill C-12 may be a starting point, but it requires significant amendments. It must include clearer definitions of ministerial powers and ensure that exporters are not burdened with added compliance costs. We know that economic prosperity and responsible immigration go hand in hand. When one system fails, the other suffers. That is why we support efforts to modernize enforcement and crack down on organized crime, fentanyl trafficking and immigration fraud. These are real threats, and we are glad the government has recognized them, but we must be vigilant in how these reforms are implemented. Let us be honest. The immigration system did not break itself. It was broken by years of Liberal mismanagement.”
“As the member of Parliament for Essex, I represent a riding that sits at the heart of one of Canada's most vital economic corridors, the Detroit-Windsor border. In Essex, we understand the importance of secure borders. We live it every day. We also understand the opportunities and the challenges that come with living next to the border. That is why I stand today to speak to Bill C-12 . This legislation claims that it would enhance border enforcement and streamline immigration processes, but as someone who represents a border community, I must ask this: Would this bill truly serve the interests of Canadians, especially those of us living at the border? In its current form, the answer is no. Conservatives have long called for improvements to border security and our broken immigration system.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise on behalf of the amazing folks of the riding of Essex. I will be sharing my time this morning with the member for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill . I do not get a lot of opportunities to speak in the House because we have so many more Conservative members, but every time I do get a chance to speak, I always want to give all praise, honour and glory to our Lord and Saviour. I would like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to the dedicated men and women of the Canada Border Services Agency. These officers are the front line of our national security. Their work is demanding, and their commitment is unwavering. For all they do, they deserve clear policies, proper resources and respect, not vague directives and unchecked government powers.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada has the fastest-shrinking economy in the G7 and the highest unemployment rate. There are 150 workers at the Stellantis plant in Essex-Windsor who have lost paycheques, and now we learn that investments of $10 billion are going to a U.S. battery plant. One day after the Prime Minister 's trip to Washington, the Trump administration said that no auto deal is coming. Why is the Prime Minister selling out Canadian auto workers in Essex, all the while fuelling the tank of the U.S. economy?”
“Mr. Speaker, I received an email to my office recently. Part of it said that the person went to Kingsville to buy some apples and picked out six apples of average size. The price was $8.50 for six apples. They left the apples and left the store without making a purchase. The Prime Minister is another bait-and-switch Liberal with more broken promises. After half a year to bring down food prices and the deficit, will the Prime Minister commit today to getting inflation under control, or is his message to my constituents “How do you like them apples”?”
“Mr. Speaker, Essex is basically right next door to the busiest international border crossing in North America, and soon we are going to have a brand new bridge, called the Gordie Howe International Bridge. My question is this: How much collaboration was done with the CBSA officers? I have heard a lot about police departments, but the CBSA officers are ultimately the front line. The second part to that question is this: I believe that the hon. member referred to the people who wrote the bill, and I am wondering about the follow-ups to make sure that the bill would actually do what it is intended to do.”
“Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question. It puts a bit of a smile on my face, because, again, in the almost six years of representing the great folks of Essex, I saw time and time again the Conservatives stand here while the NDP and the Bloc propped up the Liberal government. Then when the NDP decided not to prop it up anymore and did not have enough folks, the Bloc propped it up. I find it a bit half-hearted that the member would consider for a moment that Conservatives will not continue to stand and ask really tough questions while holding the government to account to ensure that the best deal for Canadians from coast to coast to coast will be made. We will stand with Canadians.”
“Madam Speaker, I would ask the member to pardon me if I am a bit cautious. I have been around this place for five and a half years, and time and time again, what the Liberals have said has never come to fruition. I am happy to hear the bill is going to committee. I think that is fantastic. It should be debated; it should be discussed because there are great ideas on both sides of the table. However, as I mentioned in my speech, there has not been enough time to debate it properly. Yes, there is definitely a sense of urgency, but Canadians have been failed far too many times for Conservatives not to bring up their concerns.”
“However, that does not mean we should not do our due diligence and take the time to properly consider this legislation. In its current state, Bill C-5 does not provide real solutions. The crisis caused by the Liberals has robbed Canadians of jobs and stability. Bill C-5 also has no impact on the laws causing these issues, the laws that have given us skyrocketing unemployment and an oil and gas sector that is far behind our competitors'. Canadians deserve economic stability, but they also deserve transparency and clarity. I challenge the government to repeal its antipipeline and antidevelopment laws and allow the House the time to flesh out the details of this bill to give Canadians concrete timelines and a set list of criteria so it provides real, tangible benefits to Canadians.”
“If the government wants to enact real change and speed up nation-building projects, then it should repeal its antidevelopment laws that block those projects so we can strengthen the jobs in our oil and gas sector. Furthermore, it should repeal the industrial carbon tax, which is financially strangling our farmers and steel, aluminum and natural gas producers, and causing companies to give up their operations in Canada and move to other countries. Make no mistake: Conservatives want to see streamlined project development without the piles of red tape that have built up over the past decade. We want to work with the government to make sure that happens. Conservatives have been consistent in our support for natural energy infrastructure, warning the Liberals for years about the economic necessity of these projects.”
“At best, moving projects from concepts to useful and operating infrastructure will still take several years and billions of dollars. What is the justification for ramming this bill through the House without proper examination and debate to ensure it will have the same benefits the government claims? This cabinet is effectively the same as the last one. For the past 10 years, it has failed to further Canada's interests, increase Canadian jobs, grow Canada's economy or strengthen Canada's sovereignty. As my colleague, the hon. member for Lakeland , pointed out on May 28, “the Liberals [have] killed 16 major energy projects” in the last five years. She went on to ask why we should trust what they will be able to get done this time around.”
“The government is handing itself unchecked power to exempt projects it deems important and telling us not to question it, without committing to repealing the laws that have created these problems in the first place. Additionally, the bill fails to provide concrete timelines for the new and improved approvals process. The Liberals have merely stated that the goal for this bill is to shorten approval timelines from five years to two, but conveniently have not committed to that timeline in the text of the bill. Not only will this bill make little to no real impact on the timeline of energy infrastructure projects, but the Prime Minister has also said the premiers will have a veto on resource projects and pipelines, which will certainly cause delays and hinder our fight to protect Canadian sovereignty.”
“What happens when the approval of important projects is sped up without proper consideration is that mistakes are made, details are overlooked and corners get cut. TD forecasts that there will be 100,000 job losses by the third quarter of this year. Canada cannot afford this lack of concrete planning or commitments. More cancelled and delayed projects will lead to more Canadians who cannot provide for their families. Several areas of the bill are vague and noncommittal. For example, Bill C-5 fails to outline clear criteria for what is considered a national interest project, and hidden away at the end of the bill, it states that cabinet has the power to exempt national interest projects from federal laws.”
“To build a major project today, whether it is a pipeline, a mine, an electricity transmission line or any other project, takes several years, and there is good reason for that. Those years are filled with advanced planning, engineering, road evaluation and consultations with landowners and indigenous communities, and then they take several months to build. (1555) Shortening the regulatory reviews, while desirable, will not change that, nor will it prevent groups that oppose such projects from using the courts to hamper and delay their development. Those legal delays will undoubtedly drag on, and we will see exactly what we have seen over the past 10 years: Projects will get cancelled, and hard-working Canadians will lose their livelihoods because of the government's lack of planning.”
“Canada should be strong and independent, not scrambling to pass legislation because the government realized it has been making serious mistakes. Bill C-5 promises to speed up the approval process and remove regulatory barriers. If that is the goal, why does the government want to create an entirely new office to oversee each project proposal? This regulatory body has not been identified, may take several months to establish and staff, has an unknown set of criteria by which to assess projects and does not have a designated minister. As it stands, the building Canada act may at best reduce the number of months that a proposed project would spend before the new regulatory body.”
“It is now the number one exporter of LNG in the world, a position that should and could have been held by Canada. If the Liberals had focused on bringing energy products into Canada over the last 10 years instead of halting their development, Canadians would not be losing their jobs and we would not be stuck playing a frantic defence. In the past five years, proposals have come from almost a dozen countries that have wanted to purchase or partner with Canada's LNG production, such as Germany and Poland in 2022, Japan and South Korea in 2023, and Greece, the Philippines and Taiwan in 2024. The Liberals have had the last 10 years to strengthen our workforce and economic independence and diversify our LNG. Instead, they have left Canada without the option and infrastructure to stand on our own two feet.”
“Through this act, the government is telling Canadians that the very laws it has implemented have prevented them from getting jobs, prevented them from putting food on the table and prevented the economic development of our country. How many more cancelled projects, layoffs and losses of income will we see before we say enough is enough? What we saw consistently from the last government was sweeping plans and grand promises, but no action, and here we go again. On June 9, the hon. government House leader said, “Bill C-5 is a response to an economic and trade crisis caused by our neighbours to the south.” He is right. Our lack of growth in the energy sector has created a reliance resulting in the United States receiving 96% of our oil exports in 2023.”
“The cancellation of these projects has had devastating impacts on people's lives, with the Montreal Economic Institute projecting that the Liberal oil and gas cap could cause the loss of almost 113,000 jobs by 2040. How striking it is that a political party that has spent the last 10 years throwing up every barrier it could to the construction of new energy infrastructure should now find urgency in passing Bill C-5 , a bill that would only slightly lower some of those barriers. Across Canada, unemployment has risen to 7% according to the latest data released by Statistics Canada. Liberal job-killing policies have caused this crisis, and the refusal to repeal antidevelopment laws will only worsen it.”
“I have one of the very best teams. Of course, I thank the amazing people of Essex, who have put their trust in me for a third term. Over the last 10 years, we have been in this House time and time again facing legislation that stems from the Liberal anti-energy agenda, with bills like Bill C-49 , Bill C-55 and, most notably, Bill C-69 , the “no more pipelines” act. Each of these bills sought to increase the regulatory framework around energy infrastructure, slowing and in many cases stopping development. Because of these policies, in January of this year, EnergyNow reported that since 2015, Canada has seen $670 billion in cancelled natural resource projects.”
“Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the fine member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord . This being the first substantial time I have spoken in the House, I would like to ask for a few moments to thank a bunch of people who made it happen. Number one, first and foremost, as always, is my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Without Him, I would not have the ability or opportunity to serve the great folks of Essex. I want to say thanks so much to my lovely wife Allison of 27 years— An hon. member: What a saint. Chris Lewis: Yes, she is a saint. Madam Speaker, I thank her for being there with me and thank my three amazing children. I thank my father Kim, who has taught me a lot along the way, and my late mom Helen, who I know is looking down. I also thank my amazing election team so much for all their hard work.”
“Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my hon. colleague from Windsor West. He is not only a colleague, but a riding neighbour. Much of what my colleague spoke about affects my riding as well. I appreciated that he said it would be really difficult for him to meet his constituents and say that we do not need to fight for $64 million. What kind of money would go toward projects if we continue to fight for this?”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague for her very impassioned speech. I really loved the end of her speech, because she talked about doing what is right. I am a big believer in asking, "When nobody was looking, did you do the right thing?" We certainly know the right thing was not done. I know that folks back in Essex, in the Windsor region, have almost become accustomed to the government having not done the right thing. My question for my colleague is this: Would the member agree with me that GC Strategies should not only pay back the money but also pay back the interest on that money?”
“Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for sharing the story of her speech impediment as a child. I think that shows leadership and she should be congratulated for it. The member referenced, particularly in maritime waters, helicopters, vessels and, of course, sailors. I wonder if she would agree with me that although maritime waters are incredibly important, the same amount of investment needs to go to our Great Lakes waters, obviously at our borders.”
“Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. Donald Trump's 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum are wrong and unjustified. Facing enormous business and job losses, the very Prime Minister who promised to be elbows up is now allowing trade at the new Gordie Howe bridge to collapse. The Prime Minister promised retaliatory tariffs to secure $20 billion to support steel and aluminum workers. Will the Prime Minister commit today to table a spring budget, or will he just let his empty promises rust?”
“Mr. Speaker, I guess there was a lot of talk about promises and commitments from the government in regard to the Speech from the Throne. My question for my hon. colleague is, without a budget in place, what advice does he have for Canadians to guarantee that every single commitment in the Speech from the Throne, and there are so many that he pointed out, will actually get done?”