Anna Roberts
King—Vaughan, Ontario · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, the secretary of state claims that registering for a CRA business number and using the online portal is simple, but senior organizations are telling a different story.”
“Mr. Speaker, community organizations are warning that the rush changes to the New Horizons for Seniors program are putting hundreds of projects at risk. Many volunteers are seniors who already struggle with technology.”
“Mr. Speaker, Italian culture is a rich tapestry of history, art, cuisine, family tradition and the values of respect for each other. Family is extremely important in the Italian culture. My grandfather arrived in Canada in 1950, where he had the opportunity to work and provide a home for his family.”
“Madam Speaker, this Liberal government keeps telling us how good we have it. I am here to say that 2.2 million people have been using the food bank, and 8.3% of those clients are seniors, up from 6.9%. Can the member please address this House as to why the Liberals do not care about seniors anymore?”
“Mr. Speaker, under the Liberal Prime Minister , Canada is the only G20 country to fall into a recession. I spoke with Rosa from Vaughan, a single senior who cannot afford a place of her own and rents a room in her 86-year-old cousin's home due to the affordability crisis under the Liberal government.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the residents of King—Vaughan. Today, I am pleased to speak to Bill C-261 , an act to amend the Old Age Security Act.”
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“Mr. Speaker, I would like the member to look in the faces of the people in my community and tell them that they have made everything possible. I believe that the Carney Liberal candidate for Victoria —”
“They finally admitted that changes were needed, but their so-called reforms still leave dangerous repeat offenders in the systems that prioritize their release over public safety.”
“The limits imposed on conditional sentences do not go far enough. Those sentenced for robbery, firearms and human trafficking offences can still access home arrest. A police detective recently told me a story about an individual he arrested who was in possession of an illegal firearm. When arrested, the individual laughed and said that he would be out before the paperwork was finished. He also told the detective that since the Liberals removed the mandatory minimum for illegal gun possession, he would not have to do a minimum of three years in jail. He would be out in no time. He was smiling from ear to ear. The Liberals have spent years ignoring the mess they created with Bill C-75 and Bill C-5 .”
“The offences vary in severity...but it is concerning when this type of event happens.” In addition, a 16-year-old remains at large, wanted for multiple offences, including first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. These tragedies are preventable. If bail laws had prioritized public safety instead of the Liberal principle of restraint policy, Mr. Farooqi might be alive today. His children would still have their father, but this family now has to live with unimaginable loss. Bill C-14 proposes some improvements, but it does not go far enough. It fails to remove the principle of restraint, the very clause added in Bill C-75 that tells judges and police to prioritize release. Mandatory minimums repealed by Bill C-5 have not been restored, leaving sentencing highly discretionary.”
“To ensure public safety and protect our officers, we need a bail system that effectively addresses repeat violent offenders while maintaining public confidence.” King—Vaughan has seen this first-hand. Months ago, a father of four, Abdul Aleem Farooqi, was shot and killed in front of his children during a home invasion in Vaughan. Just last week, York Regional Police announced arrests and charges. One of the suspects, Mohammad Abuhmaid, a 26-year-old from Mississauga, was out on bail at the time of the murder. He faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, breaking and entering with intent, robbery with a firearm, possession of stolen property over $5,000 and breach of probation. Police said, “There are four separate forms of release that he was out in the community on....”
“Violent offenders—keep them off the streets to protect those who are most vulnerable in our communities.” According to an article, the Durham Regional Police's “Chief Peter Moreira said the number of people out on bail committing serious crimes is a ‘growing epidemic’ across Ontario.” He said, “without a strong deterrent, those people who have already demonstrated that they don't deserve to be in the public spaces, living among us, are out there reoffending and victimizing more and more people”. York Regional Police chief, Chief Jim MacSween, was clear that the Liberal policy on violent offenders needs to change. Chief MacSween stated, “Once again, we're seeing cases where individuals released on bail are involved in serious crimes within our communities.”
“They relive the tragedy every single day: the moment their daughter was shot, the grief of losing her and the knowledge that the system failed her. (1330) The sad story for Mr. Henderson and Mrs. Bellman is their having to relive the tragic death of their daughter and the brutal way in which she was killed. She was shot four times, including once in the eye. Her parents went on to say, “The system seems to prioritize the rights of offenders over the safety and well-being of victims and survivors.... The daily loss of life is unacceptable....”
“Flo Bellman, told the community that courts must make public safety a priority and consider the rights of victims and survivors when deciding bail. Mr. Henderson said, “Right now, it's on the police officers, Crown attorney and victim to say why the offender should stay in custody, which doesn't make any sense.... What we're suggesting is that [this] needs to be flipped around.” He continued, “If he hadn't been released on bail again, Darian would be alive today.... The courts put faith in a surety to justify bail, even though the same surety had failed multiple times before with no consequences. That failure cost our daughter her life.” The pain for Mr. Henderson and Mrs. Bellman is unimaginable.”
“Recently, at a town hall in Vaughan, the community came together to hear the story of Darian Hailey Henderson-Bellman, a beautiful young woman of 25 years who was fatally shot on July 28, 2020. The accused killer, Darnell Reid, had been arrested four previous times for violating the condition of his bail, for contacting her. He was also arrested and charged in May 2020 for being in possession of an illegal firearm. The Liberal catch-and-release principles of restraint ensured that he only spent six days in custody before being released again. A mere three months later, he shot and murdered a young, beautiful soul with her whole life in front of her. Darian's parents, Mr. Paul Henderson and Mrs.”
“The principle remains the heart of Canada's catch-and-release crisis. The numbers tell the story of rising crime in our communities. In my riding of King—Vaughan, between 2020 and 2024, assaults increased by 73%, robberies increased by 119% and homicides increased by 100%. In case we missed it, twice the number of people were murdered between 2020 and 2024. Breaking and entering increased by 69%; sexual violations increased by a staggering 194%, and thefts of a motor vehicle increased by 122%. Between 2019 and 2025, York Regional Police charged 19,522 individuals with criminal offences. Of those, 32.6% were charged again for breaching bail or other release conditions. These numbers show a system that too often fails to protect the public from repeat offenders.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is an honour today to speak to Bill C-14 , an act that proposes a long-awaited reform to Canada's bail and sentencing framework. For too long, the system has focused more on the rights of offenders than on the safety of our communities. Together with police associations, provincial governments, victims and survivors, we have listened to our communities and advocated for stronger bail and sentencing regulations. However, it is important to remember that these reforms come after years of Liberal policy failures. It took Liberals years to even acknowledge the problems they caused with Bill C-75 and Bill C-5 . Even now, under Bill C-14 , they have not removed the principle of restraint, the rule that tells police and judges to focus on releasing accused people as quickly as possible under the least restrictive condition.”
“Mr. Speaker, it was an excellent speech. The hon. member mentioned human trafficking. Yesterday, York Region, along with Hamilton police, arrested a man for the human trafficking of children under the age of 18. Could the hon. member please tell the people watching today that our children are our future? Canada has no future without them. Would she agree?”
“Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister keeps spending more and more on his inflationary budget, seniors on fixed incomes are being forced to choose between medication and food, with 8.3% of food bank users being seniors, up from 6.8% in 2019. Fitch Ratings, which gives the government its credit score, has warned that because the Liberals are ignoring their own fiscal limits, federal finances run a high risk of further deterioration. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has raised the same alarm. In 2024, the Liberal government committed to reducing the federal debt compared to the size of the economy, a key step in keeping borrowing costs low. That is another broken promise. As a former banker, I understand the fiscal responsibility of budget demands, a lesson the current Prime Minister , also a former banker, clearly has not learned.”
“Mr. Speaker, the very people who built this country and taught us the value of hard work while managing our budgets are having to line up at the food bank. Food Banks Canada reports that almost 10% of food bank users are seniors, which is up 22% from 2019. The Liberal government's reckless spending has driven up prices and left our seniors behind. When will the Liberal government respect our seniors and stop the inflationary spending so they can live their retirement years in dignity?”
“Mr. Speaker, we have a serious situation in this country, with 86,000 people out of work. Earlier today, during question period, the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that they are going to support the Canadian population with EI. The people in my community do not want EI; they want jobs. They want to work. How would the member address that?”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my new hon. colleague from Newmarket—Aurora. They voted her here today to represent her community. Seventy-six per cent of seniors are having to support their families today because of the Liberal government's affordability crisis. They do not understand budgets. My colleague does. She comes from the banking sector, so I would like to ask my colleague how she might be able to teach the Liberals to balance a budget.”
“Mr. Speaker, after a lifetime of hard work raising their families, seniors deserve to enjoy their retirement, but under the Liberal government, that dream is slipping away. Every dollar the Prime Minister spends comes out of the pockets of Canadians in higher Liberals taxes and inflation. A new report shows that one in three grandparents is now supporting their adult children and grandchildren, and 76% say that it is cutting into their retirement savings. How much more inflation will the Prime Minister add with his plan to double the deficit?”
“Madam Speaker, welcome back. According to CBC, 33% of food bank users in my colleague's province are children. There were over two million visits to food banks in March 2024. This is due to the high cost of living. The Liberals can talk about their wonderful plans. They can talk about how they are supporting children at schools, and their dental plans. Why is this number so ridiculously high with all the plans they have in place, which have not helped the population of New Brunswick?”
“Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity this past summer to visit Nova Scotia, and it is a beautiful province. I was in Acadie—Annapolis, where I met with a group that assists seniors. One of the stories I heard was very troubling to me, because this particular senior had to choose between heating her home and buying food. She could not afford both. Let us be honest. There has been a 68% increase in people accessing food banks in Nova Scotia, with 169,000 people doing so in the first half of 2024. How does the member explain to this senior, who cannot afford to pay all her bills, that she needs to choose whether she stays warm in the winter to survive or eat?”
“Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed being on the status of women committee with the hon. member. As the critic for seniors, I have a question we need to address. According to Statistics Canada, there were 6.8 million seniors representing 18.5% of the population in 2021, and this will grow to 25% in 2036. In my riding, seniors have to look for work because they cannot afford their expenses and have to choose between heating and eating. I am concerned that, because of the high unemployment rate, they cannot find work to continue to survive. How can we address this if the current government continues to waste money and cause inflation to go up?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would be judged by the cost at grocery stores, yet, in August, food inflation soared 70% higher than the overall inflation. Denise, a senior in Quebec, is now forced to skip meals to survive the crushing cost of living. This is another broken promise from a Prime Minister who has let our seniors down time and time again. Will the Prime Minister stop doubling the deficit in order to bring down inflation so that seniors do not have to skip their meals?”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question, but I want first off to state something from the PBO. He estimates that oil and gas production caps will lower real gross domestic product in Canada by 0.39% by 2032, reducing nominal GDP by $20.5 billion. Here is the other part that concerns the people of Canada. The PBO estimates that achieving the legal upper bound will reduce economy-wide employment. The employment numbers, by 2032, in terms of full-time equivalency, will be down 54,400 jobs. How do we explain that to the Canadians who are relying on jobs in order to feed their family and support their home?”
“Mr. Speaker, my constituents are saying to me that they are going to go to bed with a loaded gun, in case someone comes in to hurt their family, like that criminal who pointed a gun at a four-year-old whose father paid the most courageous price by defending her with his life. I would like the member to look at this family and explain to them why he did not do the right thing. The people in my community are ready to defend their families, and they will do it at any cost.”
“Mr. Speaker, I recently did a ride-along with a police officer, and these are comments that police officers have shared with me: Criminals are laughing at us. They are not even resisting arrest. Why? It is because they know that weak laws created by a weak Liberal government are going to allow them to get out. Why would they care? We need to ensure that police officers have the tools and the laws to protect the citizens of this country. That is not going to happen if they do not vote with us on this bail reform.”
“Mr. Speaker, that was one of Cait Alexander's concerns when she came to committee. She made that exact point about the Jordan law. Her partner, who brutally left her for dead, got off because of the Jordan law, and it was not the first time. We need to make sure that these cases are swiftly brought to the attention of the judges and that these criminals and these scum-buckets are left to stay and rot in jail.”
“Mr. Speaker, I have proof right here from citizens of my community who are tired of failed Liberal government policy. What is it that the government does not understand? Thirteen hundred people in my community are out on bail and ready to commit another crime. We need to stop this to protect everyone.”
“With Bill C-75 , it let repeat violent offenders right back onto our streets with devastating consequences for families. Families in King—Vaughan and across the country have already paid the ultimate price for the government's inaction. Canadians are living in fear while repeat violent offenders roam free. This is a question of basic safety, justice and common sense. Canadians deserve a government that keeps its promise and protects its citizens. They deserve laws, like this, that will hold repeat violent offenders accountable, not a revolving-door system that allows them back on our streets. Canadians deserve to feel safe in their own homes, and constituents in King—Vaughan and countless Canadians across this country are demanding action. We have all been elected to represent Canadians and provide them with the safety they deserve.”
“This motion is not only one of necessity but one of urgency. After 10 years of the Liberal government, Canadians have never been so at risk. The government had the chance to act. The Prime Minister himself promised bail reform, but instead of delivering reform that Canadians so desperately needed, he walked away for the summer and returned to the House with nothing. Canadians were promised safety; instead, they received another Liberal Prime Minister who is more concerned with criminals than the victims they terrorize, empty words with no actions and a justice system that continues to let violent offenders run rampant on our streets. The Liberal government has weakened our justice system at every turn. With Bill C-5 , it repealed mandatory jail time for serious gun crime.”
“These repeat offenders are free on our streets while families in our communities continue to live in fear, and this is not unique to King—Vaughan. Across Canada, various other communities are seeing the same patterns of violence while being told that their safety is secondary to the so-called rights of these ruthless criminals. We hear about stabbings, shootings and extortion on a daily basis in the House and in our communities. If the government took meaningful action on bail reform, as the Prime Minister has promised, and if repeat violent offenders faced real consequences like the ones we are suggesting with this “three strikes and you're out” law instead of the Liberal revolving-door system on bail, Abdul Aleem Farooqi might still be alive today. Kleinburg families might not have to endure these home invasions.”
“(1630) This is not about politics; this is about the basic human right to safety in our own homes, on our streets and in our daily lives. We are grieving. We are angry. We are done waiting. On behalf of my community, I rise on this motion to demand action from the government because if we are not safe in our own homes, then nothing else matters. The violence spans across the many communities in my riding. Yesterday, police arrested two of three men charged in two armed home invasions who were already out on bail. I met with Chief Jim MacSween of York Regional Police just last week, when he reported that over 1,300 individuals in our region are out on bail. I will repeat that. York region has a population of 1.2 million individuals, and 1,300 are out on bail. As he stated plainly in our meeting, “Bail needs to be reformed”.”
“What Conservatives are putting forward today would address exactly what my constituents stated as the greatest need. Number three was that there needs to be no more second chances for criminals. A person who invades someone's home should never walk the streets again. There is no such thing as a non-violent break-in, and the very act of entering someone's sanctuary uninvited is an act of psychological and physical warfare. We require victim-first policies; the rights of criminals must never come before the rights of law-abiding Canadians. We need real laws with real consequences. We need to stop putting Canadians last in our country and start protecting the people who live here, work here and pay taxes here.”
“The note states, “We write to you not only as your constituents, but as terrified families, parents and neighbours. Our community is reeling from the tragic and senseless murder of a father of four, an unthinkable loss that has left a family destroyed and a neighbourhood traumatized. But this was not a one-off event. It is the devastating peak of a violent wave overtaking everyone in King—Vaughan. Our homes are being broken into repeatedly, shamelessly, without fear of consequence. Our seniors are being robbed in broad daylight. Our streets are no longer safe for our children. This is not a blip. This is a crisis. And this is not the Canada we knew.” They go on to outline what they need. Number one was real protection, to start at home. Number two was to support law enforcement and coordinate, fund and prioritize Canadian safety.”
“In the past three weeks, the residents of Vaughan have experienced seven shootings. I met with my constituents in King—Vaughan who presented a letter signed by hundreds of their neighbours concerned by the devastating increase in violence happening within the riding. They expressed their outrage after the senseless murder of Abdul Aleem Farooqi. He was a husband and a father of four, described by his family as a hero after he was murdered in front of his children during a violent home invasion. No family should ever endure this kind of tragedy, yet in Canada today, these stories have become far too common. I will share with the House the words of my constituents directly, as their pleading deserves to be heard in the chamber.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is nice to see you in the chair again; welcome back. Communities across York Region are facing a surge in violent crime, leaving my constituents terrified for their safety. The crime statistics in York Region are staggering and are an example of the trend that has occurred throughout all of Canada. Here are the stats from a York Region police report. From 2020 to 2024, failures to appear in court were up 182%. Bail violations and breaches were up 30%. Home invasions increased 82%. Residential break-and-enters were up 50%. Carjackings soared a staggering 305%. Theft of motor vehicles rose 127%. Overall, crime in York Region is up 58%. These numbers are more than statistics. I rise on today's “three strikes and you're out” law after my community has recently been devastated by the Liberals' soft-on-crime policy.”
“Mr. Speaker, I will bring forward a question and a comment. My comment is that, in 2024, I was part of the status of women committee, and Cait Alexander, a very vibrant and strong woman, came forward to tell her story. Unfortunately the Liberals decided to shut her down. She did not have the opportunity to explain why she felt the law that we want to bring forward would help protect women from violence. I would like to ask this: What can we do to ensure that the Liberal government does not shut us down again?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to fix the Liberals' broken criminal justice system and did nothing all summer. Meanwhile, seven shootings have occurred in Vaughan in less than three weeks. A father, Abdul Aleem Farooqi, was shot dead protecting his family. Families across Canada are terrified. Repeat violent offenders are still on our streets because of weak Liberal laws like Bill C-5 and Bill C-75 . It is another Liberal broken promise, another Liberal bait and switch, because the Prime Minister is just another Liberal. When will his broken promises stop?”
“Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my hon. colleague. I listened to his speech, and he continues to discuss what happened in the past. The Liberals have been in power for 10 years. Over two million people are using food banks. Seniors are living on the street. What is happening? The housing minister 's own issues in Vancouver increased homelessness for seniors by 40%. You have been in power for 10 years. What have you done to help ensure the seniors in this country, the ones who built this country, are not living on the streets?”
“Mr. Speaker, auto thefts are up 46%, and violent crime is up 50%. Just yesterday, York Region police arrested four suspects in a violent auto theft in Vaughan, where two of them were repeat offenders. This is a result of failed Liberal laws like Bill C-5 and Bill C-75 . Even the mayor of Vaughan and the chief of York Regional Police are calling for an end to catch-and-release madness. Would any Liberal who thinks this is acceptable kindly explain this to the residents of King—Vaughan?”
“Mr. Speaker, June is Italian Heritage Month, a time to honour the dreams and sacrifices of those who came before us. I am a proud granddaughter of Italian Canadians. My grandfather came to Canada, with hope in his heart, to build a life rooted in hard work, family and faith. I am deeply proud of my Italian roots and incredibly honoured to represent the almost 40,000 Italian Canadians in King—Vaughan who entrusted me to be their voice here in Ottawa. Auguri a tutti gli italiani qui in Canada e in Italia. Felice mese di patrimonio italiano. This is in honour of the Speaker. [ Member sang in Italian ]”
“Mr. Chair, I come from the private sector, and in the private sector, if we do not do our job, we get released. How will the minister continue to do a job that he was not successful at doing in Vancouver? How is he going to improve it nationally?”
“Mr. Chair, let us not pass the buck. Let us take responsibility for actions. As mayor of Vancouver, he raised taxes by 141%; home prices shot up 149%, and overdoses went up 600%. Given this information, how can Canadians trust the minister to be in charge of anything that he does in housing?”
“Mr. Chair, Vancouver became the least affordable housing market in North America during the minister's disastrous tenure as mayor. Why should Canadians trust him to be in charge of the housing industry nationally?”
“Mr. Chair, as of July 1, 2023, 18.9% of the population, or 7.6 million people, were seniors. By 2030, that number will rise to 22.5%. What is the plan to make sure that there is affordable housing for seniors?”
“Madam Speaker, I will give a quick response. My hon. colleague across the way has to know that the average age people are working in my riding is into their late seventies, because they cannot afford to live. How does he explain—”
“Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question, and I do agree. The life expectancies of individuals have grown, from my time in the financial industry, from 73 years for men and 75 years for women to the late eighties, so the RRSP suggestion makes sense. We should give them more time to save money and reduce the opportunity for them to have to live on a fixed income later on in their life. As far as the budget is concerned, why do we have all these individuals, who are employed by the government, to help us do our job when the Liberals have to spend billions of dollars hiring these consultants, and at the end of the day, we get nothing for it?”
“Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for an excellent question. He has just proven a point that we have been stating on this side of the House all along. The Liberals do not have a budget or a plan. They have no idea how they are going to make life more affordable, and they need to review Bill C-4 to ensure that all Canadians can live in dignity.”
“Madam Speaker, I would like my hon. colleague to speak to Angela and Phillip and explain to them why they are living in their car. Their $800 savings will not even pay for one month's worth of increase in rent. How do we explain this to the seniors who are living in their car and having to hide so they do not burden their families?”
“As shadow minister of seniors, I say that the Liberal government must do better. Seniors are not asking for charity; they want fairness and dignity. After years of their contributing to Canada, the bill fails them. I call for changes to include real help for seniors or a new bill that puts them first. I would like my colleagues to imagine this: We have worked our entire life and are looking forward to a well-earned retirement, only to find that we cannot afford it. We quietly struggle to make ends meet, not wanting to burden our loved ones with our hardship. What happens when our career has moved on without us, and our income no longer covers our basic needs? (1425) This is the reality for far too many seniors. We must restore dignity to those who paved the way for us. Let us ensure—”
“By creating dedicated seniors housing, we can build vibrant communities where seniors live with dignity and connection, while also opening doors for younger generations to enter the housing market. A car is not a home. A parking lot is not a retirement plan. We must prioritize affordability to ensure that seniors have access to nutritious foods and a secure livelihood. This support can help reduce isolation and restore dignity. I met a senior in my riding who skips meals to afford her medication; her pension is not enough. Stories like this are common, yet Bill C-4 offers no support and no hope. This is not just a mistake; it shows that the government's priorities are wrong. The only way low-income seniors are going to afford to live is a reduction of the tax on affordability.”
“The measures are framed as part of broader efforts to give seniors more control over their finances and to ensure that they are not penalized for going to work if they choose to. What we need is bold action on housing; what we received was a tax cut that barely covers a week's worth of groceries. What we need is a national strategy to end homelessness; what we received was a throne speech that did not include a housing plan for seniors. The Conservative Party believes in real affordability. That means building more affordable housing, especially for seniors, so they can move into comfortable, cost-effective communities. This not only improves their quality of life and reduces isolation but also frees up existing homes for first-time homebuyers.”