Fred Davies
Niagara South, Ontario · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, there is no rhetoric or bluster here, as the minister does his fancy dance over there. The price of used cars has more than doubled over the last several years as a result of the government's inflationary policies. Taxing a vehicle twice is wrong.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Bill S‑210 to designate September as Ukrainian heritage month in Canada, not merely as a matter of multicultural courtesy but an act of moral clarity, historical justice and national affirmation. This bill is not symbolic in the diminishing sense of the word.”
“Over 1.3 million Canadians today identify as having Ukraine heritage. Four Governors General have been of Ukrainian descent. Ukrainian Canadians have served in our military, on our supreme courts and in our legislatures, shaped by culture that prizes resilience, community and a ferocious attachment to freedom.”
“When this Parliament debates Ukrainian heritage month, we are debating it against the backdrop of Mariupol, Bucha and Kherson, while Ukrainian families in Canada carry the grief of relatives killed under Russian occupation. To pass this bill is to say the culture Russia is trying to destroy is a culture Canada honours.”
“She called it what it was, which was “political posturing”, saying, “It does not affect our way forward in any way whatsoever”. This is the Canadian answer to Russian intimidation: not retreat, not appeasement, but moving forward. Sentinel is cut from the same cloth as those prairie settlers.”
“Given the current war and Russia's documented attempts to suppress Ukrainian cultural expression, ban the Ukrainian language in occupied territories, destroy cultural monuments and abduct children, the designation of Ukrainian heritage month is an act of cultural solidarity. It says that, what they are burning, we are keeping alive.”
The complete record
Every one of 273 lines we hold for Fred Davies, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 6.
“We know what the current government looks at when evaluating business cases such as LNG: It says there is no business case while the world is starving for our liquefied natural gas. Is the market there? It is not, according to the statistics. The government cannot mandate what the private sector does with its production. It cannot mandate investment capital. It cannot, unless it is free, which the government has pretty much done over the last several years with the amount of money that it has put into subsidies for the EV market. However, the market has shifted. Plants are being halted, and one major plant has gone bankrupt internationally. In my riding, Linamar built a state-of-the-art, 300,000-square-foot gigafactory in Welland. It is a beautiful building. It was going to employ 200 people.”
“We all know what happened to the national energy program when government decided what was best for the consumer and the market, when it dictated how the private sector would produce its goods and ship its product. The evidence suggests it will not work. When we look at this legislation, we see that it is the new carbon tax. It would result in a similar reaction that we have seen across the country over the past several years with the carbon tax. As industry tries to cope with the mandate that would be imposed on it, I wonder what the government will do when the sector fails to reach the KPIs that are established in the legislation. Again, I am inclined to look at things like this from a business perspective. I know that the private sector and the public sector are two different things, but there needs to be a business case here.”
“Madam Speaker, I am happy to rise today to second the motion by the hon. member for Thornhill . I will be splitting my time with the member for Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound . I come from the private sector, and we tend to look at the markets to determine what our customers want. We do not tell them what they need; that is the best way to go out of business. Here, the Liberal government tends to take a different route. At a press conference in 1986, U.S. President Ronald Reagan said, “the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help.” That is like this legislation. To me, it is pretty terrifying. To wit, I was around this place when the Liberals introduced the national energy program. It was government interference at its very best.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am a new kid in the chamber. I have only spent the last four decades or so in business in my riding. One of the reasons I decided to run in the last election was the carbon tax. What I find really interesting is that the parliamentary secretary said that business needs to have a carbon tax in order to be competitive. I can tell members that when we are paying 30% of our gas bill in carbon taxes, we are not competitive. When we are trying to be competitive on an international scale, that tax is punitive. I want to know if the member would tell me what the moment was when he had the epiphany, because he stood up for 16 months, as I was campaigning, defending the carbon tax. When did that moment arrive in which he, all of a sudden, decided that we do not need a carbon tax anymore?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised that it would be nothing but elbows up during the election campaign. Then he paused our countertariffs and said he did not think the U.S. would impose any more. Now the tariffs have only gotten worse. Canadian steel now faces a 50% tariff threat from President Trump. Algoma Steel is warning that its U.S. business may become unviable. Thousands of jobs, including many in my riding in the Hamilton and Niagara area, are at risk. If the Prime Minister has gone soft, what was the entire Liberal campaign based on, just theatre?”
“Madam Speaker, I was interested in the comments of the member as I too sat on a regional council. The question of cutting development charges in half has been talked about by a lot of parties, but I would like to know this specifically. In older municipalities, development pays for development and taxes pay for services. How exactly does the government expect to force municipalities to cut their development charges in half, and how does it make them whole after that happens?”
“Mr. Speaker, that is a great question. I have spent a lot of time talking to companies in my riding. I made mention of Chris van Kralingen at Barber Hymac in Port Colborne. He told me during the campaign that one of the most oppressive issues that faced his company was the industrial carbon tax. He did not need that to be a barrier when he is trying to compete internationally against countries in Europe and the east that heavily subsidize their sector. If we are going to tax our companies to death, we will never be able to compete on an international scale. I hope the government will finally decide to axe the tax.”
“Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we believe in technology, not taxes, as a way to fight climate change. I have worked with many companies in Niagara in the green tech sector that are creating new technologies rather than collecting taxes that change nothing and do not reduce CO2 emissions. Yes, we have opportunities in this country to help grow our tech sector with these brand new companies that will change the world based on technology and not taxes.”
“Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, if foreign investment is coming to this country and the companies that you are speaking about are rather large companies, I am interested in the innovation sector, the small companies that are the backbone of our Canadian economy. The government has failed miserably to provide the supports, the platform and the economic opportunities for companies and Canadians to invest their capital in these start-ups. We are not talking about billion-dollar companies that you may be referring to as coming to Canada. I am talking about the small companies that will build entrepreneurship and innovation in Canada and create long and sustainable jobs for Canadians.”
“It is at the point where these groups are disappearing, just as the companies they supported are going south to where capital is more available. We need to tap the creativity of our young entrepreneurs, help them bring good ideas to market and provide the economic platform that they need to succeed. We need to provide hope. Conservatives understand this, and we will fight to nourish the support of our entrepreneurial spirit to keep our best and brightest here in Canada. Only then will that canvas be painted with a bold plan for Canada.”
“The process of SHRED reconciliation for innovation, research and development is often too much for businesses to bear because it simply takes too long. It is bogged down in paperwork and bureaucracy. We are losing companies to more hospitable jurisdictions where capital is more readily available and governments provide support, not complicated regulation. There were programs that were highly successful that have been drastically downsized by the Liberal government. For example, the Harper government funded the creation of angel investor groups across Canada in response to the 2008 financial crisis. This was innovative and highly successful, and it brought investors across Canada together, aggregating capital to new Canadian companies. The Liberals effectively ended that support for the ecosystem.”
“The data before us reveals a troubling paradox: Companies have record dry financial powder, capital reserves, but this exists alongside cash-starved start-ups, funding gaps widening at critical stages and a hemorrhage of talent and intellectual property to foreign buyers. I have seen and worked with the best and the brightest grown here in Canada, enthusiastic and brilliant young Canadians who are leaving here to go where investment capital is readily available. I have seen it first-hand, and the trends continue to go in the wrong direction. The government's response is simply to spend more money to see what will stick. I know that, over the past 10 years, the regulatory hurdles faced by the innovation sector remained massive and restrictive. I will give a very important example.”
“I have spent the better part of my life working in the innovation sector, helping and mentoring start-ups and early-stage companies. The word “innovation” appears in the Speech from the Throne once but with no connection to the real innovation gap in Canada, which is bridging capital to Canadian entrepreneurs, the real backbone of our economy. There is nothing in the Speech from the Throne about small businesses and developing Canada's smartest minds. The driving force of Canada's economy is our business sector. That was left off the canvas. Our venture capital ecosystem, the lifeblood of innovation, faces systemic challenges that demand urgent, evidence-based intervention.”
“Sir Isaac Brock, lost at the Battle of Queenston Heights, would be proud of Niagara today.” This brings me to the Speech from the Throne. I have listened to many of my colleagues' perspectives and reflections on the lack of a real plan to build energy security, national security, sovereignty security, economic security and a safe country where our streets are secure from rampant crime and where our children can actually afford to purchase a home. The promise of Canadian citizenship should not be out of reach for an entire generation. The Speech from the Throne, to me, should be like a blank canvas, transformed into a bold vision for Canada, but I am left feeling that the canvas remains mostly blank. There is no bold plan, just more of the same: massive increases in spending and no specifics on what that money will buy.”
“From our rich industrial heritage and ongoing industrial renaissance to a vibrant cultural scene rooted in deep history, Welland is a place where past and future come together.” Finally, Fort Erie mayor Wayne Redekop highlights our history: “Fort Erie is the site of the first British fort built on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes, a quickly growing community with a rich history and diverse population including indigenous peoples and newcomers from around the world. Many battles of the War of 1812 were fought on the farms and fields of Niagara South. It is indeed true that Canada may not exist today had we not defended our territory in Niagara. The history is all around us. We must celebrate it and preserve it.”
“Port Colborne mayor Bill Steele describes our city as a “close-knit community with a proud marine heritage celebrated through our signature Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival. As part of the new Niagara South riding, Port Colborne is poised for transformational growth.” Thorold mayor Terry Ugulini states, “The Welland Canal Corridor mayors are committed to developing Niagara Ports into something special. On an international scale, the Thorold Multimodal Hub is an excellent example of that success.” (1040) Welland mayor Frank Campion says, “Welland is a city built on resilience, diversity and opportunity, situated along the recreational Welland Canal that winds through the heart of our community.”
“As we focus on lowering internal trade barriers, we need to understand that Canada's marine sector is the key driver of economic growth, with a strong potential to enhance internal trade, support nation-building projects and strengthen national supply chains. I know this because in my community in Niagara, we have one of Canada's key marine hubs, supported by companies such as Algoma and Allied Marine. The role of short sea shipping in the Great Lakes and our coastal regions underscores the importance of reducing regulatory barriers to fully develop our Canadian marine potential. All the leaders in my riding recognize this as well. This may be my maiden speech, but I offered mayors in my riding an opportunity to put their views on the record today as I speak here for the first time.”
“The Peace Bridge in Fort Erie sees over $40 billion of economic activity crossing back and forth between Canada and the United States, the second-busiest border crossing in Canada. Our beautiful Lake Erie shoreline leads us to the Welland Canal, the backbone of the Great Lakes economy. Around 80% of the St. Lawrence Seaway's economic activity passes through the Welland Canal, starting in Port Colborne and intersecting three communities in my riding. When I was growing up, I was often frustrated when the bridge was up in downtown Port Colborne. Watching one of those huge lakers slowly pass through the locks as a kid was a bit frustrating, but today I am grateful to see that site going through the middle of our downtown and the middle of the Niagara region, because it is such an economic performer and job creator in our region.”
“I also want to thank my predecessor, Vance Badawey, who was a member opposite, for his 10 years of service in the old riding of Niagara Centre. The new riding of Niagara South includes Thorold, Welland, Port Colborne and Fort Erie. It has a rich history of industrial excellence and strength, with companies that helped build Canada. In a post-World War II Canada, Niagara was the epicentre of industrial growth and middle-class prosperity. Back then, Niagara was the new frontier, and I believe now that it is the last frontier that can lead Canada again in the years ahead, provided we are focused on key economic priorities through the strength of our residents and our workforce. Niagara South is also a border riding.”
“Getting here was no easy task, with a campaign of hundreds of volunteers. I want to thank a few key members of my team: Marisa, who is here today, Hunter, Jason and Donna. A special thanks goes to Teresa, also a former staffer of Girve, who encouraged me over four decades in this journey. A special thanks also goes to Chris van Kralingen at Barber Hymac in Port Colborne, who hosted our leader at his plant and is a strong champion of our effort in Niagara South. I appreciate his support and counsel. I give a very special thanks to my wife, Monica, for the love and support, which carried me through a year and a half of door knocking, sometimes in pretty incredible weather, along the shores of Lake Erie. I am forever grateful for that, as well as the support from our kids and our family and friends from coast to coast.”
“Mr. Speaker, before I begin to speak about the Speech from the Throne, I hope members will indulge me in a bit of reflection and a few personal comments. First, I am honoured and humbled to be here. It is a very special privilege to be a member of the House of Commons. Indeed, I recall that even this space, when I was a young staffer here in 1979, was a courtyard. I remember having my lunch on the picnic table somewhere around here. Boy, has this place changed. I was brought here by my predecessor in 1979, Mr. Girve Fretz, who represented the riding of Erie, now my riding of Niagara South. I was then mentored by a member of Parliament from Prince George—Bulkley Valley, Lorne McCuish. I spent many years with this gentleman, and he was indeed a huge influence on my life and one of the reasons I am here today.”
“Conservatives will continue to support a real plan that will lower taxes, make life more affordable and bring home the dream of home ownership in Canada.”
“Mr. Speaker, after the lost Liberal decade, Canadians can no longer afford the housing hell created by the Liberals. According to one homelessness report, in the Niagara region, chronic homelessness is up 41%. The problem is only getting worse, and I can see the evidence in every community in my riding. According to one homebuilding association, housing starts are decelerating rapidly, and a massive supply deficit is beginning to come about. Meanwhile, existing homeowners are also struggling. According to Equifax, homeowners are experiencing a 6% increase in people being unable to make a mortgage payment, and the 90-plus day mortgage delinquency has increased by 71% across Ontario. The Liberal plan will create a second housing bureaucracy and do nothing to build more homes. Canadians want action.”