Eric Melillo
Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, Ontario · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, the minister already mentioned in the discussion today that we are in a housing crisis. He spoke earlier about the fact that buyers cannot buy and builders cannot build. I would agree with that. I would add that people who are looking to sell also cannot sell during this housing crisis.”
“Now that the Liberals are bringing forward more spending, more bureaucracy and more of the same, how are Canadians supposed to believe that the Liberals are going to get us out of this housing crisis that they caused, with more policies that are right along the lines of the policies that caused this crisis in the first place?”
“Mr. Speaker, there is no question that Canadians want, need and deserve to feel safer in their communities, especially after the Liberal government has unleashed a crime wave across the country. The minister , of course, acknowledged here today that Canadians want this urgently.”
“Mr. Speaker, over one year into this Prime Minister 's mandate, and Canadians are still waiting for action on the national projects that were promised. Despite Liberal rhetoric, no new pipelines have been approved, and major projects continue to be stuck in purgatory, including the Trans‑Canada Highway through northwestern Ontario.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by Canadians from every province, calling for the federal government to support the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway through northwestern Ontario.”
“Madam Speaker, under the Liberal Prime Minister , Canada is the only G20 country that is in a recession. We also have the second-highest unemployment in the G7, the worst household debt and the worst housing costs.”
The complete record
Every one of 164 lines we hold for Eric Melillo, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 4.
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate working with the member opposite as well at committee. We have done some great work together. Of course, we do not agree on everything, as everyone will know, but I appreciate the opportunity to work with him. Yes, it was great to have the blanket exercise yesterday, at which there were youth from the Mishkeegogamang First Nation in my riding, a community I have had the opportunity to visit quite often. It was great to hear their perspective on issues that they want addressed, from education to supports for mental health and addictions. It was an incredible opportunity to hear first-hand the concerns they are facing. I appreciated the opportunity, as did the committee, to have that local context as well and to share a piece of my riding with the rest of the members.”
“Only they have the power to act, and first nations across the country and indigenous communities across the country are hoping to see that action from the government right now.”
“Creating one more and expecting that it is the one that the government is finally going to listen to does not give me a lot of hope, and I can assure members that when I talk to the first nations leaders across northwestern Ontario, no one is saying that the answer to their problems and the concerns they are facing is going to be more bureaucrats in Ottawa. In conclusion, we do not need more bureaucracy and deficit spending from the Liberals. I suggest, if this Liberal government wanted to honour its commitments and be accountable, it should actually consider doing the jobs it can do right now and that it has the power to do. Another officer highlighting what the Liberals are doing wrong would not compel them to act.”
“The auditor does this important work, holding the government accountable and shining lights on the issues that exist and the gaps that exist, but I cannot think of a time that the Liberals have actually accepted a report and put it into action. Report after report is getting put up on the shelf and collecting dust. We have the Auditor General doing this work already. We also have additional federal offices that were created to work on land claim implementation issues, like the modern treaty implementation office, the assessment of modern treaties implications office, the deputy minister oversight committee and the reconciliation secretariat. There are many mechanisms, offices and bureaucrats in place to hold this government to account.”
“Unfortunately, I fear that this legislation will be more of the same, because the Liberal government can agree to modern treaties now. They do not need this extra layer of accountability, as they call it. They do not need this commissioner to do any of that work. They have that authority, and I believe that this is just a distraction from the fact that they have done nothing over the last 10 years. In extension of that, this is a time when our deficit is soaring. Canadians are struggling. It is certainly not the time for more bureaucracy and more government spending. It is clearly time for action. On top of that, we already have accountability mechanisms within the government. The Auditor General has completed nearly two dozen reports since 2005.”
“Whenever we see these issues, it does not really seem to matter what the topic is. The government's plan is to throw money at it, to create a bureaucracy, to create more jobs in the government service in Ottawa and to walk away. We have seen that in a lot of cases, even from members of the Liberal government today, speaking in the House and talking about how much money they have spent, as if that is their measure of success: “We spent this much money, so look at us; we are doing great, and we care.” That is nice, but what are those dollars achieving? That is the most important thing, and what we are seeing right now is that the dollars are bloating the government bureaucracy and not getting to the communities and the folks who need it.”
“That was three years ago, and we have seen nothing since. It has been crickets from this government in terms of recognizing the essential work that first nation police services do, and I have heard so many stories from the first nations police services in my riding about the fact that they are hamstrung and stuck in a box where the federal government is dictating where dollars can go, sometimes toward things that they do not necessarily need. That money could be repurposed for something much more useful, but the bureaucrats in Ottawa are prescribing where those dollars should flow, and that makes it much more difficult for them to do their work effectively. That is not to mention the restrictions placed on first nations police officers in terms of the roles, responsibilities and authorities they have.”
“We have heard big promises on infrastructure beyond that, in first nations and in indigenous communities, that the government does not live up to. We have had discussions today about the TRC calls to action and the fact that the vast majority of these calls to action remain incomplete. I believe, within the scope of what the federal government can control, by my count, only 10 of the federal calls to action have been completed. (1615) Another issue is that which we will be getting into at the indigenous and northern affairs committee shortly, and that is first nations policing, by no doubt an essential service but something that has not been designated as such. It was in the fall of 2022 that Marco Mendicino was the minister of public safety; he said it was just around the corner and that there would be legislation coming that fall.”
“That is something the government is still not living up to when it comes to those historical treaties, never mind the modern treaties. I just wanted to put that out there, because I think it is easy for politicians to talk about and it is easy for the government to say the right thing, but it is the follow-through and actual honouring of the treaties that is of utmost importance. That brings me to the Liberal record. We have heard lots of promises and seen very little action over the last 10 years. When it comes to drinking water, something the government made big promises on, if memory serves me correctly, 2019 was the year all the drinking water advisories were supposed to have been eliminated. We know that many persist today, and many are in northern Ontario.”
“Modern treaties were a result of that, and these treaties enabled indigenous people to build their nations and communities on their own terms, addressing matters from use of land to resources and from economic development to environmental protections, and many more important aspects of their nations. It is one thing to sign these treaties. It is another thing to honour them. I think that goes for the historical treaties as well. I come from a district in northwestern Ontario that includes, with the redistribution, 38 first nation communities across the territories of Treaty Nos. 3, 5 and 9. I live in Kenora, Ontario, which is part of Treaty No. 3. I hear constantly from indigenous leaders and non-indigenous residents about the need to honour the treaty and honour the intent of the treaty.”
“I was not voting yet; I was not of age to do that at that point, but nonetheless, it is something that brings me some pride. If we contrast that with the record we have seen from the Liberal government, it has been in power for a decade and has achieved zero modern treaties. That is definitely a cause for concern, which has been mentioned many times in the discussion today. That is why so many people across the country, particularly indigenous leaders, are calling for change. I want to talk a bit about the history. I think it is important to note that this has been a long process, this modern treaty process. It goes all the way back to 1973 when the Supreme Court decision recognized indigenous rights. In fact, it was the first time indigenous land rights were recognized in Canadian law.”
“Before addressing the substance of Bill C-10 directly, I want to state unequivocally that, for myself and for the Conservative Party of Canada, we support the treaty rights of all indigenous peoples and the process of reconciliation. We also know that more needs to be done to support self-determination and self-government for first nations and indigenous communities across the country. There has been progress, and steps have been taken along the way, but there is much more that needs to be done when it comes to fostering that self-government. As mentioned a few times in debate and in discussion on this piece of legislation, I am very proud that the last Conservative government got five modern treaties done within a six-year time frame. That is something that brings me great pride. Of course, I was not around for that government.”
“Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure to participate in the debate through questions and comments today, and it is an honour to finally be able to rise and deliver my remarks on this important topic. Before I get into the substance of that, I would like to mention that I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Chatham-Kent—Leamington . He is a great colleague, and he has a wealth of knowledge on a number of subjects. I look forward to hearing his comments very shortly, but before that, members will have to endure my own comments, so I apologize for that. We are here discussing Bill C-10 respecting the commissioner for modern treaty implementation.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague across the way's thoughts on this topic. I think one of the greatest frustrations I have had throughout the debate today is the fact that nothing is stopping the current government, the Liberal government, from moving forward on modern treaties today. It is creating another officer of Parliament in this legislation, to presumably hold it accountable, but we have seen, time and time again, the government not listening to reports from the Auditor General, whose job it is to hold the government to account and shed light on those areas and those gaps right now. I am wondering if the member shares my concern and the concern from this side of the aisle that this could turn into just another situation in which the Liberal government is ignoring the recommendations and the information brought forward.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have to begin with a correction. Earlier today in debate, I mentioned that Conservatives got six modern treaties signed in six years, but it should have been five. I apologize for that. I will note that five modern treaties in six years are still five more than the Liberals have achieved in 10 years. We have seen time and time again that the Liberals have ignored the reports of the Auditor General that have been brought forward. Why should we believe that just because they have created a new bureaucracy and a new officer to tell them the same thing, which is that they are not getting the work done, they are actually going to do the work? Why will they not just do the work they have been tasked to do?”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to pick up on that last topic. The member and I had an opportunity to do some travelling together. We met with some first nations. Particularly, at Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation outside Thunder Bay, we had a great discussion about the procurement process. We heard first-hand how they did not feel involved and did not feel they had the opportunity to be involved in that process. Then, of course, we saw that contracts were awarded to many non-indigenous organizations. I wonder if the member has any more comments on situations like that, things that he has heard across Canada about how those opportunities have not been there for first nations and for indigenous communities across the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member on her election to this place. What is striking about this bill is that it is really not necessary. The government has the power right now to bring forward and deal with modern treaties. The past Conservative government got six modern treaties signed. After 10 years of the tired Liberal government, I wonder if the member can share what exactly has prevented the Liberals from doing this work to this point, because the power is in their hands.”
“Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate my colleague's sharing his experience as an elected member of this place, of the provincial legislature and, of course, in his nation as well. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge. I wonder if he has more commentary on the pattern of the Liberal government in making big promises and bringing in very little follow-through afterwards. It is looking, once again, to create more bureaucracy and throw more money at an issue that it has the power to address very well right now. I wonder if my colleague has any other thoughts on that.”
“Mr. Speaker, this is more typical Liberal legislation. I have had the honour of serving on the indigenous and northern affairs committee for many years now. Over and over, we have seen the government make big promises and then take very little action. The member spoke about the 94 calls to action, but only 14 or 15 have been completed by the government. It made big promises on drinking water and did not follow through. In the fall of 2022, the government said that legislation was around the corner to make first nations policing services essential, and we are still waiting for that legislation. The same can be said for modern treaties. The government has achieved zero. Why are the Liberals looking to create more bureaucracy and spend more, instead of just moving forward with modern treaties? They already have the power to do that.”
“The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to reject recommendations 429 and 430 of the House of Commons finance committee's pre-budget report, refrain from including these recommendations in the federal budget or any related legislation, and affirm the charitable status of faith-based organizations. I am thankful for the opportunity to share this petition this morning.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to present a petition in which the undersigned point out that religious charities in Canada provide vital services to society, including food banks, care for seniors, newcomer support, youth programs and mental health support, all rooted in their faith traditions. Freedom of religion and freedom of belief are fundamental rights in Canada that are protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Excluding faith-based charities from the charitable sector based on religious beliefs undermines the diversity that is foundational to Canadian society.”
“Mr. Speaker, northern Ontario was hit with devastating job news this week when Kap Paper in Kapuskasing announced plans to close its mill, affecting 200 jobs directly and many more indirectly. The company is blaming a lack of federal supports for this decision, saying that although a program was announced months ago to help, nothing is going to be available in time to save this mill. This is completely ridiculous. It is incompetence at its worst. Why have the Liberals broken their promise to these workers by making big, grand announcements and then leaving northern Ontario abandoned?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are only building more bureaucracy to try to address the housing crisis that they created. At $13 billion to build 4,000 homes, that is $3.2 million per home. It is clear that the more things change, the more they stay the same with the Liberals. It is more bureaucracy, higher deficits and slower homebuilding. We also know that 100,000 construction workers could be out of a job because of the Liberal plan. The Liberals are creating more jobs for bureaucrats in Ottawa and job losses for Canadians across the country. Why is the Prime Minister continuing with this failed approach?”
“Mr. Speaker, housing starts have actually declined 16%. Let us take a look at the Prime Minister 's top officials. We have the housing minister , who brought a 150% increase to the price of homes when he was a mayor. We have a new head of a $13-billion housing bureaucracy, a Toronto city councillor who saw a 700% increase to building taxes. Is it any wonder that housing starts are down and bureaucracy is up, with these two leaders running point?”
“We must also ensure we can open the country for business by cutting taxes and approval times on pipelines, mines, LNG and other major projects to support our economy and sovereignty. In this Parliament, our purpose remains to restore the promise of Canada that hard work earns a good life with affordable food, homes and fuel, as well as safe neighbourhoods. That is what we are fighting to deliver for all Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is great to be back for this fall session of Parliament. I continue to be grateful to the people of northwestern Ontario for their continued support. I am here with our Conservative team to work with all members of the House. We are committed to holding the government to account by opposing what is wrong and proposing alternatives in the national interest. Some of our priorities this fall are addressing the Liberal cost of living crisis, unemployment and rising crime rates. Conservatives are fighting for stronger take-home pay with lower costs and more jobs for Canadians, and fighting for safer streets by locking up criminals and securing our border.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague spoke a lot about how the government is moving forward very heavy-handedly. This is something I think we have seen as a pattern with the Liberal government, trampling on liberties and freedoms of Canadians in a number of instances. I would like to know whether the member would like to speak about that more, as well as further about how we see a pattern of the government being soft on crime, whether it is with respect to the legislation before us or the bail system. I would like to know if the member has any other further comments.”
“Can the parliamentary secretary tell us when the government is going to keep its promise to get more homes to the market?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have finally admitted there is a housing crisis, and that is a good thing, but in the very same comments, they articulate that they believe their plan is working. They have been in government for the last 10 years, and it is because of their plan that we face this housing crisis across the country today. I will remind members that when Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was housing minister, Conservatives built nearly 200,000 homes and the average rent was $973 for a one-bedroom apartment. Since then, housing costs have doubled, and Canadians are struggling to afford a home, as the Liberals have rightly pointed out. My question was very specific to the Liberals' promise to build 4,000 housing units by 2028 using surplus government properties. They are only on track to meet 12% of the promised 4,000 units.”
“Conservatives are calling for the government to prioritize a plan to build 2.3 million new homes over the next five years by axing the GST on new homes; incentivizing municipalities to cut red tape and development taxes; and, of course, to the root of my question, selling federal properties to developers who will be able to help build more affordable housing more quickly. When will the Liberals finally keep the promise they made to Canadians so that they can free up that housing development and get more homes built across the country?”
“This is not even going back to 2015, but just to 2019. This means that Canada needs to double the number of homes it builds each year to restore that affordability level. That is a big goal. We have seen reports from the TD Bank indicating that housing starts are actually going to decline, and so we are on the wrong track. I would add that the Conservatives have put forward a plan. We did so in the last Parliament, over the election campaign, and we still have the plan, which is truly the only real plan to get housing built. We have seen nothing from the government but platitudes. It will not even bring forward a budget that includes a plan for housing.”
“It has come to the point now that businesses and other organizations are actually purchasing housing themselves in order to be able to house their employees and make that part of the package when making a job offer. As well, more broadly, we know that nearly half of Canadians are very concerned about housing affordability because of the rising costs of housing and rent, and nearly 60% of Canadians aged 20 to 35 have been reported to be experiencing housing affordability challenges. Just today, in fact, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released new estimates on Canada's housing supply gaps, and it estimates, in the government's own words, that returning to the housing affordability levels of 2019 would require the government to build between 430,000 and 480,000 new housing units over the next decade.”
“I have heard from many people across our region who are struggling to find a place to live, as well as many who cannot afford their first and last month's rent to even get into a new place. I have heard from some constituents, who have reached out to me indicating that they have to move out of the place they are currently living in but cannot afford or find something suitable for them to move into and are actually facing homelessness. I would also note that there is a great economic cost to this housing crisis. Many employers in my district are struggling to find workers nearby. They are looking for people to move in from around the country and, frankly, around the world, but that is not able to happen, because people cannot find places to live to be able to work in northwestern Ontario.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to sell surplus government properties in order to build 4,000 housing units by 2028, but a scathing report from the Auditor General showed that, after five years, they had built only 309 of those units and are on pace to build only about 12% of the 4,000 they promised. This is of particular concern now because Canadians are facing a housing crisis, and the Liberal government, according to the Auditor General, is sitting on 5.9 million square feet of space that could be utilized for housing development. We see this right across the country, but certainly in northwestern Ontario. We are feeling that significant effect of the housing shortage.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is definitely a concern I have. Obviously, as Conservatives, we want to see one Canadian economy; we want to see the barriers broken down, but allowing any province to have a veto really flies in the face of that. The government has talked a lot about the need for consensus to get major projects built, but it does not even know how it will actually define consensus. It is very concerning, and I definitely agree with the member and his sentiment in that.”
“It is important that when we do get to committee, we hear all voices across the country and ensure that we are doing as much consultation as possible.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate working with the member also, and I look forward to getting back to committee shortly and working with him. The question was pretty hypothetical. I am not going to try to guess what a hypothetical individual may or may not say, but I will just comment with respect to some of the discussions I have heard and some of the things I have spoken about in my speech as well. I talked about Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation, two communities that are hoping to see a major project move forward. They have been stalled in the government's current process, and they are looking to continue to move forward so they can bring prosperity to their communities and to the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier in my comments, Conservatives are happy to see even one project accelerated. We think it is high time. It is long past time, after the government has dragged its feet, or I would say has put up barriers and distinct roadblocks purposely to stop development over the last 10 years. In some respects, it is heartening to see that the Liberals are coming around. We are ready to work with them. We are ready to work with all parties in the House to ensure that we can unlock the vast potential of the resource sector across Canada, provide good jobs and provide more economic independence and security.”
“It needs some relief and some support from the federal government, and Conservatives stand ready to get that done. I look forward to any questions and comments from my colleagues.”
“We definitely have to repeal Bill C-69 , the "no new pipelines" bill; Bill C-50 , the so-called Sustainable Jobs Act; and the industrial carbon tax as well, to help ensure we can make Canada more competitive and thrive in the current economic situation. Conservatives are ready to work in this chamber with all parties to unlock the resources that we have across our country. We propose shovel-ready zones that provide permitting, clear conditions and boundaries to start building the pipelines, the mines and other major projects that we need to grow our economy, provide great jobs for people in northwestern Ontario and across the country, and of course, secure that economic independence and security that I spoke about previously. The resource sector certainly needs a break.”
“Again, these are all the positive things that could be happening, but 42 of these positive things, these projects, are being stalled. The government is bringing forward this bill now. It says it is going to get things moving in two years, but I say, why not start with the 42 projects that are currently under assessment? The Liberals are bringing forward this whole new regime, this whole new bureaucracy to, hopefully, move things forward within a two-year timeline. In many respects, I appreciate that step they are taking, but after the neglect, after the constant roadblocks for 10 years, why not go for the low-hanging fruit, these 42 projects that are there, ready and waiting for some certainty? I will end by saying that Conservatives are happy if even one project gets accelerated, but more must be done.”
“It is an incredible opportunity for people in northwestern Ontario and for our economy as a whole if this government is able to get out of the way. There is the Great Bear gold project southeast of Red Lake. There is a lot going on in Red Lake; it is very exciting, with lots of opportunity if we can capitalize on it. The Great Bear gold project has been under assessment since 2023. The northern road link project, north of Thunder Bay, is a project proposed by Marten Falls and Webequie first nations. It has been under assessment since 2023 as well. There is a lot of opportunity for true partnership, I think, between the federal government and these two nations. It is really a corridor to prosperity not just for these two nations but for our country as a whole.”
“The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources has said there is a lack of investment certainty. Well, it is no wonder that after 10 years of his government there are 42 projects in a backlog currently under assessment. Twelve of those projects that are delayed are in northern Ontario, representing a combined 2,100 jobs and nearly $2.7 billion of investment, and I would like to touch on a couple of them, if I may. One is the Crawford nickel project north of Timmins. It has been under assessment since 2022, and it would add 900 jobs if approved. There is the Springpole gold project, in my riding, which is northeast of Red Lake. It has been under assessment for seven years and represents potentially $2 billion in GDP growth.”
“Who is stepping up to fill the void? It is other countries, such as China, where there are not as strong environmental regulations and not as strong protections for labour and for jobs. It is other countries, dictatorships, that are stepping up to fill the void that Canada is leaving behind. (2200) I mentioned the economic independence angle of this as well. With the threats from the United States, the uncertainty from the United States that has been produced, now more than ever we know we have to move forward with these developments so we can bring home the paycheques, the wealth and the security to our own country. These delays and red tape have held back the industry in Canada. There are actually 42 projects that are under federal assessment right now; 22 pertain to mining, nine are for transportation and four are in oil and gas.”
“They said a lot of the things that we have been saying for 10-plus years, and it is now time for them to step up and put it into action. A lot of Canadians want to be fair and want to give them the benefit of the doubt, maybe, but they really have a hard time believing that the Liberal government, after all it has done for 10 years, is actually going to step up to the plate and get our critical minerals developed. The world needs more Canadian minerals. The International Energy Agency says that the demand for clean energy will require at least 71% more critical minerals than are currently being produced globally. In Canada, according to the Mining Association of Canada, many minerals are not even being produced at the level they were a decade ago. The demand is going up, and our production is going down.”
“This is of important note because Canada is, of course, a top mineral and resource producer. Resource development is critical to our economy, and not just to the great jobs it provides for people across northwestern Ontario and across all of Canada, the livelihoods and the paycheques that put food on tables, that put gas in the gas tanks of vehicles and that ensure that people can have the life they want to succeed and be prosperous. Mineral development is critical to our economic independence, truly now more than ever, coming out of the lost Liberal decade. It is important that we get our critical minerals to market. Over that decade, we have seen roadblocks, barriers and red tape, and now we have the worst growth in the G7. The Liberals, obviously, talked a good game in the election. They said that it is time to build.”
“The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources has admitted that it does take too long to get a mine approved in Canada. It is incredible to hear him say that. It is welcome news to hear him say that, to some extent, but again, the Liberal government has to recognize who has been in power and who is responsible for the fact that it takes too long to build a mine in Canada. Today, the Mining Association of Canada, for that matter, notes that it takes 15 years, on average, to get a mine approved in Canada. I have seen other estimates that are higher, but the Mining Association of Canada says it takes 15 years. Obviously, that is an incredibly difficult situation for any investor, any proponent who wants to invest in our country, knowing that they are staring at, potentially, a 15-year or longer timeline.”
“To the matter at hand, Bill C-5 , I would like to focus more specifically on the building Canada act within Bill C-5. Of course, it has been mentioned throughout the debate that it would require a new major projects office to render decisions within a two-year timeline. This is a good step. I am personally happy to see the government finally moving in this direction, but it is interesting to note that after 10 years of the Liberal government, we see it finally recognizing that things are not moving quickly enough and that major projects are being stalled across the country. I truly believe that, in bringing forward this legislation, the government is admitting to 10 years of failure, 10 years of roadblocks, 10 years of red tape and bureaucracy that have stalled projects, particularly when it comes to mining.”
“Mr. Speaker, allow me to congratulate you on your appointment to your position as well. It is great to see you in the chair. Allow me, as well, to thank the great people of northwestern Ontario for sending me back to serve a third term in Parliament. This is my first opportunity to rise and give a full speech in the new Parliament. It remains a distinct honour and privilege to represent the people of Kenora—Kiiwetinoong in the House of Commons. I do not have time to list everyone, but I will briefly thank my family, the volunteers, the campaign team and all the people who put in the time and effort to knock on doors, put up signs and do all the work to ensure that we had a successful outcome and that I could be back serving the people of northwestern Ontario.”
“Mr. Speaker, I do not want to take away specifically from the importance of this issue with GC Strategies. Obviously, it is a huge scandal. However, I am wondering if the member has any comments about how this is really part of a long list of scandals with the Liberal government and its misuse of taxpayer dollars, whether it is SNC-Lavalin or the WE Charity, and the list goes on. We have really seen this culture of well-connected Liberal insiders and the misuse of taxpayer funds with the Liberal government. I am just wondering if my colleague has any further comments on that.”