Laila Goodridge
Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, Alberta · Conservative · Canada
“Madam Speaker, we are seeing here a heavy-handed Liberal government that has decided that, because it is unable to manage the time of the House and because it is unable to bring forward legislation in a timely manner, it is going to use the hammer to curtail debate.”
“They measure success by whether they can afford a home. They measure success by whether their children have opportunities. They measure success by whether their communities can grow and prosper. For too many Canadians, the answer today is no. The consequences of inaction are profound. Canadians are tired of excuses.”
“The answer, I think, was nine, which is not speeds that had never before been seen. The Liberals promised to build 500,000 homes annually, yet according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation projections, housing starts could actually fall to approximately 212,000 units by 2028. That is not just a small shortfall.”
“That is not a space where Canadians want to be, but this is where we are careening down, because of the Liberals' mismanagement of the economy for the last decade. The decisions the Liberals make, and the decisions we make here in Parliament, have real-life impact on the lives of Canadians.”
“However, never was this more true than in the last decade when we had the Liberal government in place, which told people in my community that it would transition their jobs away, and that they should not actually be in that kind of industry.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, with whom I have the honour of serving on the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities, as well as on the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. The facts are crystal clear.”
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“(1905) There is also Ed Stelmach, a former premier of Alberta, and his spectacular wife Marie, who came from Andrew, Alberta, and were fundamental in establishing the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village east of Edmonton, which unfortunately sustained some fires but is still spectacular. Part of why we talk about these things is that it is not just about being Ukrainian; it is creating a culture that is alive and well today. In conclusion, the Ukrainian community is strong, passionate and important to contemporary culture and society in Canada. Conservatives have and will continue to support Ukraine as it fights oppression from Russia and Putin.”
“This strong community has created generations of hard-working, high-achieving, outstanding figures, whether it was the first Canadian female to walk in space, Roberta Bondar; the “great one” and hockey superstar, Wayne Gretzky; or people in the political sphere, like the first Ukrainian elected to a provincial legislature, which happened in Alberta, Andrew Shandro. He is a relative of a former Alberta MLA, Tyler Shandro, who is a great friend of mine and UCC board member. I give a shout-out to Tyler. There is also the late, great Gene Zwozdesky, who was the former speaker of Alberta's legislature. Before getting into politics, he was involved with the Alberta Shumka Dancers and went on to become their music director. In Alberta, that is very common.”
“As they set up communities, they built these stunningly beautiful churches, which are still alive and well on the Prairies. Many of them still welcome parishioners on Sundays for mass. One of these western-Canadian Ukrainian churches is here in the national capital region. It is the St. Onuphrius Ukrainian Catholic Church, which came from just outside of Smoky Lake, Alberta. It is located within the Canadian Museum of History and is an active parish that has mass, I am told, once a year so that it can stay an active parish. It gives an opportunity to commemorate, honour and remember the continuing importance and impact that the vibrant Ukrainian community has on both Canada's history and on Canadian society today.”
“In fact, when President Zelenskyy came here just a few years ago, he mentioned the importance of that very monument and what it meant for the Ukrainian people. The U.S.S.R. had intentionally hid this famine, which it had created, from the world, so putting truth to words and having a monument to this was incredibly important. However, the creation of this monument was just one example of the Canadian-Ukrainian community and its strong ties. One interesting piece that I would like to share that shows part of the Ukrainian-Canadian culture, and anyone who has driven through the Prairies would have seen them, are the beautiful onion dome churches that dot the prairie landscape. When Ukrainian communities came to Canada, they brought their strongly rooted faith with them.”
“Having a strong Ukrainian community that is resilient and passionate was shown also in our strength and recognition of the Holodomor, a despicable and evil,man-made genocide famine by Stalin, which systemically tried to kill Ukrainians simply for being Ukrainian. The very first monument for the Holodomor in the entire world was built in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1983. It was built at a time when speaking of the Holodomor in Ukraine was not allowed, as they were still under Soviet rule. This was the very first time that truth to power was spoken, and that was in the western world. It was an incredibly powerful sentiment to the Ukrainian people, and it demonstrated our strong ties and connections.”
“These dances were eventually professionalized with dance companies, such as the Shumka Dancers in Edmonton, which is a perfect example of the mark Ukrainian Canadians have left on Canadian society as a whole. Shumka, which was established in 1959, is distinguished and world-class. It has performed for Queen Elizabeth II, prime ministers and presidents, and they shared the stage with figures such as Andrea Bocelli, Julie Andrews and countless Ukrainian artists. They have performed across Canada and in tours across the world, including in China and the beloved Ukraine. This goes to show that Ukrainian cultural expression in Canada is alive and strong, leaving a mark on our nation and around the world.”
“What some people might not understand is that the key and the theme of resilience in the Ukrainian community is so incredibly important because through history, Ukrainians have had to fight Russian oppression in so many different spaces and places. Ukrainian Canadians helped preserve their Ukrainian identity, ensuring this rich culture lived on. Over generations, Ukrainian communities kept the Ukrainian heritage and culture alive, even while Ukraine was suffering under Soviet oppression, at a time when Ukrainians were having their culture systemically stripped from them and erased by the Soviet Union. (1900) One example of Ukrainian Canadians preserving Ukrainian culture is dance. Early immigrants brought their vibrant folk dances to the community.”
“One of the many symbols of Ukrainian resilience is the spread of a rich and strong Ukrainian Canadian culture through Ukrainian food, dance, newspapers, bilingual schools and monuments. Ukrainian dance has been a way for many young Ukrainian Canadians to connect with their culture and know their heritage. I was lucky enough as a kid to dance with the Fort McMurray Avrora Ukrainian Dancers community, the dance troupe that my son now dances with. It was an opportunity for me and for countless Ukrainians to learn about the culture, to learn about the community and to learn new traditions. Beyond that, Ukrainian Canadians were instrumental in preserving the Ukrainian identity during times of Russian oppression.”
“In exchange, Ukrainians shared their beloved babushkas, flower-printed scarves now known by generations of indigenous people as kokum scarves. These kokum scarves, tracing back to Ukrainian trade with local indigenous communities, have now been adopted into indigenous cultural practices, including in powwows, fashion and home wear. The floral scarf was found to have similarities to Cree, Dene and Métis beadwork, which led to the communities' sharing of knowledge and culture. The scarves then symbolized a shared history between the Ukrainian Canadian community and indigenous groups, and created relationships, trade opportunities and a welcoming of each other into their communities, an impression that lasted for generations to come.”
“They created communities, built churches and schools and shared their culture with their new neighbours. My great-grandparents came to Canada from Ukraine over 100 years ago in the second wave of immigration, and they homesteaded in Gilwood, Alberta, outside of High Prairie in northern Alberta. They faced tremendous hardships, like the many others who came to homestead in this densely forested landscape. They survived in large part due to the relationships they were able to forge with local indigenous peoples, who showed them traditional harvesting of berries, hunting techniques and how to build homes so that they could survive the incredibly cold prairie winters. Early Ukrainian settlers in the Prairies relied on this traditional knowledge from the indigenous peoples in the region to survive and adapt to their new environment.”
“Throughout their time interned, they experienced large amounts of forced labour, building national monuments, like Banff National Park, that many Canadians enjoy today. However, after World War I, there was a second wave of Ukrainian immigrants to Canada. At this time, the land in Ukraine had been used as a battleground, leaving entire communities destroyed and thousands of displaced Ukrainians. Many of these displaced Ukrainians were farmers, professionals and intellectuals who came to Canada so they could rebuild their lives. The already strong, rich, vibrant community of Ukrainian Canadians from the first wave of immigration, combined with similar farmlands, made Canada an ideal place for these Ukrainians to find a new home. The conditions were incredibly harsh, but Ukrainians came and they persevered.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise on behalf of the people of Fort McMurray—Cold Lake and speak in support of Bill S-210 , a bill that aims to designate September as Ukrainian heritage month. The first documented Ukrainian immigrants came to Canada in 1891 and settled east of Edmonton at Edna, which is now known as Star, Alberta. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians came to Canada during this first wave. They brought with them farming practices, culture, language and incredible resilience. During the First World War, while thousands of first-wave Ukrainians signed up to fight and defend Canada, thousands of Ukrainian Canadians from the Austro-Hungarian Empire were classified by the Government of Canada as enemy aliens and interned in camps across Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are calling on the government to facilitate private investment in Canada's energy sector. It has become extremely difficult for companies to invest here, and that means the industry has been dependent on the government for the past decade. Today, oil companies want to invest, but they are hesitant because of delays and the anti-energy policies put in place by the Liberals. We need to diversify our approaches and build pipelines to access foreign markets. Several countries are clamouring for our natural gas, our liquefied natural gas, or LNG, and our oil. These markets exist, and we need to do more to ensure that pipelines can be built here with private funding.”
“Mr. Speaker, there would be a lot of benefits if we were able to get our energy to market. We would be able to displace dirty dictator oil from regimes like Russia and help put an end to the war in Ukraine, and we could help displace coal. We are in the position we are in because the Liberals, for the last decade, have said that there is no business case every time governments have come asking us to develop our LNG in different markets. We cannot even provide all of the energy to our own country. We cannot get our energy from the west coast to the east coast because this Liberal government, for the last 10 years, has stood in the way at every single opportunity. Conservatives will be consistent, just like we have been for decades. We will support Canadian energy workers and Canadian energy.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is really challenging. We pulled the words for this motion directly from the Liberals' MOU. We did not mince words or do something, play politics or change anything up. The fact that the Liberals and the “keep it in the ground” caucus have somehow convinced the government to vote against this is shameful. I hope the Liberals do the right thing, support our motion and show Canadian energy workers that they have their backs, but I highly doubt they will.”
“Conservatives are going to do what we have consistently done for decades: Support Canadian oil and gas, its workers and the Canadian economy. Unlike Liberals, Conservatives are united, and we sure do not have a “keep it in the ground” caucus. We are consistent in our position, and we will say the same thing whether we are in British Columbia, Alberta, Newfoundland or Nunavut, or anywhere in between. Conservatives will keep fighting to boost Canadian paycheques; make energy, food and homes affordable; and make our economy self-reliant, secure and sovereign. Frankly, it is about time, and we have the energy.”
“To the world's leading oil producers, Fort McMurray is a tough competitor that refuses to lie down, but for far too many politicians in this chamber, it is simply a cash cow, and to the fringe eco-activists, it is the enemy. To me, Fort McMurray has and will always be home. I was born and raised there, and Conservatives of every stripe have always had our back. They understand that when Fort McMurray works, Alberta works, and when Alberta works, Canada works. I will not back down from the politicians in this chamber who seek to landlock and firewall the oil sands. Pipelines and energy corridors are of critical interest and importance for the long-term viability of the Canadian economy. Hope is on the horizon, though.”
“Now they have dangled the promise of a pipeline, maybe, one day. The Prime Minister needs to do only one thing to get a pipeline approved: Get out of the way. Unblock trillions of dollars of private sector money and investments to build pipelines and energy infrastructure in Canada. By getting governments out of the way, we will boost the Canadian economy, create more good-paying jobs and strengthen the Canadian dollar, which will in turn make gas, groceries and homes more affordable and our economy self-reliant, secure and sovereign. As described earlier, to so many Canadians, Fort McMurray represented a beacon of hope and prosperity and an opportunity for a fresh start.”
“They, like me, are decisively not in support.” Then there is the MP for Laurier—Sainte-Marie , who quit cabinet over the MOU and said, “I sincerely doubt that the new pipeline will ever get built.” The MP for Fleetwood—Port Kells said they must have the consent of the Premier of British Columbia, and if not, “there will be no pipeline”. (1520) The B.C. NDP Premier, from whom the member for Fleetwood—Port Kells wants to have consent, has said, “it will never be built” and “I am not in favour of shipping raw bitumen through our coast by lifting the oil tanker ban”. Liberals now claim to value Canadian oil and gas and say they want to increase exports, but after a decade in office, their track record is interfering to kill four pipelines, two of which were specifically designed to export off the west and east coasts.”
“This is a direct quote from Natural Resources Canada's website: “Pipelines are a safe, reliable and environmentally friendly way of transporting oil and gas.” It goes on to say, “On average each year, 99.999 percent of the oil transported on federally regulated pipelines moves safely.” Canadians should be the world's energy producer and supplier of choice. Our economy should be self-reliant. We should have energy sovereignty and energy independence, yet Liberals time and time again put ideology ahead of supporting our economy. Liberal MPs do not mince their words when speaking about their hatred of pipelines. The MP for Victoria said, “I have heard from my constituents on this today and for several months.”
“1 and 1948 with the Redwater discovery that pipeline construction really started to accelerate in Canada. Alberta's oil was soon connected to markets. Oil sands, which is a mixture of bitumen, clay, sand and water, was developed by Dr. Karl Clark as a hot water separation process that then paved the way for large-scale development in the Fort McMurray region. The first major commercial operation was the Great Canadian Oil Sands, now Suncor, which opened in 1967. Just as in the earliest days of oil development, pipelines were the solution to get oil and gas from source to market. There are more than 840,000 kilometres of pipelines that criss-cross the country.”
“The anti-energy agenda from the Liberals has been consistent and punishing over the last decade: anti-energy messaging, delays, arbitrary and inconsistent regulatory conditions and an outright veto of an approved export pipeline. The Liberal “keep it in the ground” caucus knows more oil will not be produced if it cannot get to market, which is precisely why it is so obstinately against any kind of existing pipeline expansions. With all the debates happening around pipelines, one might think they were new, yet they have existed since before Canadian Confederation. Canada's first natural gas pipeline was built in Enniskillen Township near Sarnia, Ontario in 1853. That is 172 years ago. In 1862, the first oil pipeline was built from Petrolia to Sarnia in Ontario. It was in 1947 with Leduc No.”
“In 2022, oil and gas contributed $45 billion in revenue to Canadian governments, funding schools, hospitals, roads and other important public infrastructure, yet after 10 years of Liberal governments, Canada's economy is struggling. Eco-radicals sit around the cabinet table and advocate against Canada's world-class energy sector at every opportunity. The Liberal “leave it in the ground” caucus is alive and well, and it has made no attempt to hide its hatred for Canadian oil and gas. I wish this MOU was a promise for a pipeline. Our country could really benefit from that kind of certainty and hope. The Prime Minister promised to build now and move at unimaginable speeds, yet, eight months in, Canadians have nothing but paper shuffling, press conferences and photo ops.”
“Many years ago, like my dad and my grandfather before me, I laced up steel-toed boots and reported to work in health and safety in the oil sands. I understand how hard the people who work in Canada's energy sector work. They work long hours and rotating shifts in harsh weather conditions, yet thousands of workers show up every single day to ensure that our houses stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and that the lights are always on when we need them. Canada's energy sector currently employs nearly a million people, providing strong paycheques and life-changing opportunities for families and communities nationwide, and the oil and gas industry is among the largest employers of indigenous people in Canada. As I fly back and forth to Ottawa, I meet oil sands workers coming from every corner of the country.”
“Mr. Speaker, for generations, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake and its oil industry offered a beacon of hope to countless people from across Canada and around the world to work hard and make a great life. My family has called Fort McMurray home for over 50 years. My dad and grandparents moved up to Fort McMurray in the 1970s in search of a better life. They worked hard to provide opportunities for their family and give back to their community. Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is home to the third-largest proven oil deposit in the world, and 97% of Canada's oil comes from the oil sands. Ninety-six per cent of Canada's oil sands oil comes from the Fort McMurray region. Canada's oil sands production averages 3.1 million barrels a day. I am proud to stand here representing Canadian oil sands workers in Parliament.”
“Mr. Speaker, Liberal food inflation is crippling Canadian families. The Prime Minister told Canadians to judge him by the prices at the grocery store, and he is failing. More and more Canadians are relying on charity, simply to make ends meet. Thirty-three per cent of food bank users are children, and infant formula is in high demand at food banks, which is no surprise; a container now costs nearly $50, up 84% in the last eight years. Does the Prime Minister care that feeding babies has become a daily struggle for Canadian families, yes or no?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians he should be judged by the prices at the grocery store. Most people ask Santa Sarah from GoCleanCo for something they would not normally buy for themselves, such as a new winter coat or a fancy new vacuum, but this year there were more asks for needs than for wants. One mom from Kelowna asked for groceries. She shared that after rent was paid and she had put 10 dollars' worth of gas into her car, she was left with $3 for the next two weeks. She has a baby in diapers. Does the Prime Minister think that people's asking Santa for groceries is okay in this country?”
“Mr. Speaker, babies do not go to school. The Liberals do not even listen. This is about baby formula, not school food. The Liberal programs are not working, and they are making it worse. Families are switching to cow milk and solids earlier than doctors recommend because they have no other choice. They cannot afford baby formula, and they do not want their children to starve under the Liberal policies. Does the Prime Minister care that families are making tough choices because the Liberals refuse to act?”
“Mr. Speaker, every dollar the Prime Minister spends comes out of the pockets of Canadians, driving up the cost of everything. Food inflation on baby formula is up 84% in eight years. Formula is one of the top stolen food products in Canada, and it is now kept under lock and key in many places in Canada. I heard from Cyara, a Manitoba mom, who knew she was buying stolen baby formula but did it anyway because she had no other choice. Does the Prime Minister care that parents cannot afford to buy baby formula?”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her passionate speech. She is obviously listening to her constituents. There is no denying that life has become increasingly unaffordable. Mothers are struggling to put food on the table and families are suffering. The Parliamentary Budget Officer and Fitch Ratings say that the situation is problematic. Can the member tell us what she is hearing about this in her community?”
“Mr. Speaker, what is deeply wrong is the fact that parents are waiting every single day for those cheques just so they can afford to put groceries on the table. What is deeply wrong is that mothers are begging strangers online for money just so they can afford to buy baby formula. What is deeply wrong is that parents are resorting to buying opened bottles and cases of powdered formula, just so they can feed their kids. This is because of the government's lack of action. Will the Liberals actually do something other than just create more bureaucracy? We need action.”
“Mr. Speaker, since 2017, inflation on baby formula has become double what it is in the U.S. We are overly reliant on imported infant formula, and we only have one plant in Canada, which means that every single tax on transportation, every supply chain disruption and every single tariff threat hits Canadian families harder. This is due to a lack of any kind of action from any of the Liberals for the last 10 years. Will they finally make this a priority so that parents can afford to feed their babies formula?”
“Mr. Speaker, “Sometimes you're trying to choose between bills and feeding your kids.” That is a direct quote from Thunder Bay mom Cassandra Shedden, who relies on formula to feed her infant child. She describes rummaging around her house, looking for things to sell just so she can put formula in her baby's bottle. Why will the Prime Minister not do something so that parents can afford to buy baby formula?”
“Mr. Speaker, moms want to feed their own children, and they should be able to afford baby formula. If the Liberals' programs were working, we would not have one in three kids at food bank lines every single month. We would not have 700,000 kids, every single month, in food bank lines. We would not have baby formula as the number one stolen food product in Canada. This is because of the Liberals' failure, so will they end their inflationary spending so moms can afford baby formula?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said to judge him on the prices at the grocery store. Nowhere is his failure more evident than with baby formula. According to StatsCan, since 2017, the price of baby formula has gone up by 84%. After 10 years of Liberal governments, desperate families are relying on Facebook groups and are even buying opened cans of baby formula for their children. Why is the Prime Minister increasing inflationary spending and making baby formula more expensive?”
“Mr. Speaker, if a single one of those projects and programs actually worked, there would not be 700,000 children waiting in food bank lines every single month. This is not okay, yet somehow the Liberals have normalized this. Nine out of 10 kids are not even fed by the school food program. When will the Liberals realize that their inflationary deficits and hidden food taxes are making food more expensive and driving Canadian children to food banks?”
“Mr. Speaker, children are going hungry in Canada due to Liberal mismanagement. Every dollar the Liberal Prime Minister spends comes out of the pockets of Canadian families through higher prices and food inflation. A third of Canadian children now live in a food-insecure household. Food Banks Canada reports record-breaking food bank use with 2.2 million visits in a single month, and over 700,000 of those visits were children. When will the Liberals realize that their inflationary deficits are driving up the cost of food and driving Canadian children to the food bank?”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague raised a very important point. We are blessed to have amazing RCMP members, who serve us from coast to coast to coast. They serve me in my riding of Fort McMurray—Cold Lake. They are the police of jurisdiction in my home community. The police union has, and rightly so, called out that the Liberal gun grab will not actually have an impact. That is concerning. It is a boondoggle. It is $742 million, at a very conservative estimate, and is not going to improve public safety. That is not okay.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague makes a very important point. We are not hearing the Liberals debate this bill, and that would be a very important question to ask them. It is really unfortunate that they do not want to talk about the legislation that is before us today. I think that it is really necessary to address these issues in committee, and I hope that we will have the opportunity to hear from witnesses and experts on the subject in order to analyze the provisions of the bill and ensure that the rights and freedoms of Canadians are respected.”
“Mr. Speaker, do members know what is totally despicable? It is that after 10 years of the Liberals, we continue to see crime increase in this country. After 10 years of the Liberals, we continue to see Breaking Bad -style superlabs opening up from coast to coast to coast. We continue to see the Liberals call to defund the police, like the member of Parliament for Victoria , who called for them to be defunded. Good news is on the horizon. The Conservatives are going to hold the Liberals accountable for their mismanagement. We will continue to stand up for Canadians' freedoms and privacy.”
“We look forward to the bill's going to committee so we can further study it. Conservatives will continue to stand up for Canadian individuals' freedoms and privacy.”
“Mass fentanyl production is mass murder, but Liberal laws let the monsters who traffic deadly drugs walk free every single day. One of the good things I will point out that the legislation brought is that the Liberals are finally taking some action to ban the precursors that allow monsters to produce fentanyl. Chemical precursors are how they make these drugs, so the bill would finally get serious on that, allowing precursors to be banned. This would go a very long way in helping shut them down, but there would still be no mandatory prison time for fentanyl traffickers. There would still be no new mandatory prison time for gangsters who use guns to commit crimes, despite Liberal campaigns against them and against legal gun owners. What we will do, from this side, is continue holding the government accountable.”
“There was also the Liberal-NDP so-called safe supply experiment, which gave people with addictions large quantities of government-funded drugs, of hydromorphone and other dangerous narcotics, without any guardrails or pathways to recovery, which fuelled the addiction crisis in our country because the drugs were then being resold in the streets and online, oftentimes ending up in the hands of teenagers who then started their journey into addiction. These are just two examples of ways the Liberals have made things worse. We know that fentanyl is 100 times more potent than heroin; as little as two milligrams can kill a person. Through the lost Liberal decade, Canada has become a fentanyl manufacturing hub. Breaking Bad -style superlabs are popping up right across the country.”
“What the Conservatives have been calling for is more scanners at the ports, because criminals know those ports are a hot bed for crime. In fact, according to Peel detective Mark Haywood, the CBSA checks “less than one per cent of containers” leaving this country. Criminals know this, so illegal drugs and illegal guns flood into our country, and stolen cars flood out, further eroding public safety in Canada. On top of this piece that is very troubling about the border, the fire has been fuelled further by a decade of horrific Liberal drug policy and drug experiments. There has been a dangerous and deadly drug legalization pilot project in British Columbia that removed tools from the RCMP, making our streets completely unsafe, leaving communities to suffer and providing no support to people who are struggling with addiction in this country.”
“We did some research, and one of the interesting pieces is that $142 million could pay for 5,000 RCMP officers. It could pay for 300 port scanners or 37,000 addiction treatment spaces, something that is near and dear to my heart, but instead the Liberals are putting it towards another boondoggle, going after law-abiding gun owners rather than dealing with the real issue, which is that we have a porous border. One of the big reasons we have a porous border is that we have absolute mismanagement of federal ports by the Liberal government. This mismanagement of our federal ports has turned them into parking lots for stolen cars that then go on to disappear overseas. What we also end up with are drugs and illegal guns coming into our country.”
“After that, the Minister of Public Safety was asked point-blank, and he denied any accountability, stating, “I’m not responsible for the hiring.” Well, there is a thing called ministerial responsibility, but the Liberals do not abide by any of that at all; that has become very clear. (1335) We have had a decade of reckless, soft-on-crime policies that make more Canadians feel unsafe. Violent crime has increased by 55%, and gun crime is up 130%. Extortion is up 330% across Canada; that is wild. The Liberals are more focused on a gun grab boondoggle that is going to cost Canadians, on a conservative estimate, $742 million and that the minister himself admits is a waste of money and resources and is being pursued purely for political reasons.”
“The soft-on-crime Liberals for the last 10 years have absolutely destroyed public safety in our country, leaving more and more Canadians unsafe or feeling unsafe. Frankly, feeling unsafe is a problem. Whether someone does or does not break into a person's house at night, if the person is afraid that it is going to happen because it has happened to their neighbours and to other people around them, then that undermines the social fabric we have enjoyed in Canada. One of the big frustrations we have as well is that we cannot trust the Liberals to do what they say they are going to do. They said they were going to hire more RCMP officers. They have broken their promise to hire 1,000 more CBSA officers.”
“People who have been charged and convicted for horrible crimes, violent offences and repeated violent offences, are getting out on bail time and time again. It is so clear that more needs to happen to protect our communities from the ever-growing crime crisis. This is one of the reasons my Conservative colleague, the member for Oxford , introduced Bill C-242 , the jail not bail act: to strengthen bail laws and put public safety first once again in Canada. Basically, his legislation would reverse the Liberal principle of restraint that was brought in with Bill C-75 , strengthen bail laws for serious repeat offenders and ensure that criminals with a history of violent crime would no longer automatically be released back into their community. This is one of the big challenges.”
“My Conservative colleagues and I hear about it every single day from people in our ridings and from people we run into on the streets here in Ottawa or back home. One of the most common pieces I hear about in my riding of Fort McMurray—Cold Lake is the absolute frustration with the catch-and-release policies and our broken bail system. We all hear these stories; I do not think the Liberals are immune. Every single day there are stories of people out on bail who are charged with heinous crimes. In fact earlier this week, an Amber Alert went out for someone suspected of taking a young child. That person was out on bail and, unfortunately, actually killed his ex-wife. These are the kinds of realities Canadians are facing.”
“It is an improvement on Bill C-2 , because it was very clear that Bill C-2 was an intensely flawed bill that would have allowed Canada Post to open people's mail without a warrant, which would have been an overreach on Canadian civil liberties and the freedom of individuals, which is something Canadians hold dear. Bill C-2 would have gone so far above and beyond, such as banning things like cash payments for anything more than $10,000. The legislation might not have actually been dealt with for a long time, and with where inflation is, it could have had massive impacts on the way many Canadians choose to do a number of things. I am happy to see that some of those most troubling elements have in fact been removed. However, one thing we know is that crime is completely out of control in our country.”