Burton Bailey
Red Deer, Alberta · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his strong speech. After years of Liberal soft-on-crime policies that drove violent crimes up, Canadians are sadly paying the price in their communities every day, as he spoke of in his speech.”
“Mr. Speaker, the $300 million Liberal cover-up continues. Liberals at the health committee continue blocking the investigation into PrescribeIT and hoping Canadians forget about the scandal that is turning into a possible contempt of Parliament.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is week eight of the Liberals' obstruction at the health committee. They are desperately covering up the $300-million PrescribeIT scandal and the hundreds of millions wasted on a failed program that made Liberal insiders rich and did not fill prescriptions.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am going to ask the question that my other colleague asked. The Province of Nova Scotia leased this land for approximately $13,500 per year, yet through this federal agreement, Maritime Launch Services receives $55,000 every single day of the year.”
“Mr. Speaker, under international space law, Canada is the launching state and carries the full weight of legal and financial liability for any launch-related disasters.”
“Mr. Speaker, 74,000 rejected asylum claimants still in Canada whom the government refuses to deport are under the bloated interim federal health program. The Liberals rejected them for a reason.”
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“Another immediate change would be to expel foreign nationals convicted of crimes in Canada. The removal of individuals from our country who are deemed ineligible to remain here is just as important as ensuring they are not eligible to receive public health care paid for by Canadians. Unfortunately, after 10 years of broken Liberal immigration policies, the long-term solutions are not a simple fix. Currently, there are nearly 300,000 people in Canada with pending refugee claims. This number, according to the PBO, is also set to grow given that the Immigration and Refugee Board is hearing cases at a pace that is slow and bureaucratic. Getting faster processing times is crucial both for legitimate refugee claimants who are fleeing war and persecution to get an answer, but also so that Canadians are not funding fraudulent asylum claimants.”
“Unfortunately, the Liberal members received orders from the PMO and abruptly changed their minds. They decided to filibuster the meeting and stalled on getting answers for Canadians. Some are calling it a $1.5-billion cover-up. We will see later today whether the Liberal members of the health committee will put the health care of Canadians first. What can be done about this massive Liberal fraud and abuse? There are some things that may be changed quickly, but others will take time. For instance, rejected asylum claimants should immediately have benefits under the IFHP restricted with the exception of emergency life-saving treatments only. There is absolutely no reason that an individual who has knowingly faked an asylum claim to stay in this country should be receiving public health care.”
“It must be said that without the Conservatives probing into this issue at the health committee, Canadians would not have been made aware of the significant abuse that has been happening every day in this country. This is why it is so important that at committee, later today, we will be resuming debate on a Conservative motion to request that the PBO prepare an updated report and demand that the Department of Immigration and the Department of Health reveal all the information they have, and if they do not have the information, they must find it. In fact, all members around the table agreed that an updated report would be beneficial to understand how new measures would impact the program and also to dig deeper into the details about the number of fraudulent asylum claimants.”
“To put it into perspective, a Canadian citizen facing mental health challenges may be offered MAID by the Government of Canada, but a potentially fraudulent refugee claimant receiving taxpayer-funded health care under the IFHP can access psychologists and counselling therapists. There is something deeply disturbing about that. (1145) To make matters worse, government officials are not even aware of how many of the over 600,000 people in this country who are eligible for these IFHP benefits are receiving them fraudulently and abusing the system. The government has no clue how many people applied for asylum fraudulently, how many have been denied asylum and are still receiving health care, or how many are set to be deported but are still in this country and receiving health care.”
“According to the Government of Canada's IFHP website, coverage includes what the government is calling “basic” care: hospital services; services from medical doctors, registered nurses and other licensed health care professionals; ambulance services; and lab and diagnostic services such as blood tests and ultrasounds. It also covers “supplemental coverage” like psychologists and counselling therapists; occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech language therapists; assistive devices like prosthetics, mobility aids and hearing aids; home care and long-term care; urgent dental care; limited vision care; and medical supplies and equipment.”
“The Parliamentary Budget Officer also reports that since 2016-17, the cost per in-Canada beneficiary under the interim federal health program has risen at a significant rate. During questioning at committee, I asked the PBO to compare the health cost increase for the IFHP beneficiary with the increase for a typical Canadian over the same period. The response indicated that IFHP beneficiary costs grew by 14%, compared to just 5% for Canadians. In other words, health care costs for foreign nationals and fake asylum claimants covered under the IFHP grew at nearly triple the rate of the cost increases for average Canadians. What kinds of health care costs are we talking about here?”
“It is the responsibility of the federal government to ensure that those tax dollars are being spent in a way that puts Canadians first. Canadians are compassionate people, but that does not mean that their compassion should be taken for granted and abused. That is exactly what the interim federal health program under the Liberal government has been doing. Here are a few facts from the Parliamentary Budget Officer. Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, the cost of the program ballooned from $211 million to $896 million. That is four times the amount in just four years. The PBO estimates that, in total, the IFHP will reach almost $1 billion in 2025-26 and rise to over $1.5 billion in 2029-30. The current number of eligible beneficiaries qualifying for the IFHP today is 624,000. In 2029-30, that number is expected to grow and reach over 680,000.”
“Everyone acknowledges that the health care system in Canada is not operating at its best, and that this must change. However, this change can only happen if there is courage from those at the top, including the federal government. Federal government officials often like to punt responsibilities to the provinces for health care and, indeed, health care is delivered by our provinces. However, when a federal program like the IFHP is funding health care for non-Canadian citizens and proven bogus asylum claimants through our provinces, that is when tensions arise between our provinces and the federal government, which brings me to the motion Conservatives have put forward today. Our motion is simple. Conservatives believe that Canadians deserve the best health care their taxes are funding.”
“Madam Speaker, before I speak on the motion today, I would ask for the Speaker's indulgence to acknowledge the four-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I pray for peace and an end to the war. I rise today to speak on the very important Conservative motion calling on the federal government to review the interim federal health program and put Canadian taxpayers and the health care of Canadians first. At a time when six million Canadians are without a family doctor and wait times to access health care have doubled in the past 10 years, the Canadian health care system is in crisis. At the health committee, we have heard testimony from a variety of witnesses, be they health associates, health care professionals, those seeking to become health care professionals or government officials at all levels and more.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reports that the interim federal health program will cost nearly $1.5 billion a year to cover health care for fraudulent asylum claimants. This program gives anyone claiming asylum better health care than the Canadians who pay for it. Even if these claims are denied, as wait times grow and health care access shrinks for citizens, the Liberals prioritize a growing list of bogus refugees over Canadians. Will the government support our Conservative motion to stop criminal claimants from receiving superior health benefits at Canadian taxpayers' expense?”
“Mr. Speaker, the price of food is out of control. Too many families in Alberta are struggling. In Alberta alone, grocery prices have risen 50% in five years. Beef prices are up 53%, eggs are up 37% and vegetables are up 20%. These are not luxuries. These are essentials. Canadians cannot afford the Liberal government. The Prime Minister said that he should be judged by the cost at the grocery store. Well, Judgment Day is coming. When will the Prime Minister remove taxes and start getting things built so Canadians can live affordably?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claimed that Canada would get things done in speeds not seen before, yet nothing is getting built. Nothing is getting done, and Canadians are losing their jobs. Why does the Liberal government keep expecting Canadians to wait and take more hits while continuing to vote against Conservative policies that would make a real change?”
“Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the member criticizes the Conservatives on this side of the House while we are proposing solutions. Since the election, there has been a lot of talk, but no action. The Liberals know what needs to be done to keep criminals and terrorists off our streets. Will the member be voting for the Conservative motion, which prioritizes the safety of Canadians over political expedience?”
“Mr. Speaker, one of the things I hear from police officers and victims is that the victims are afraid to come forward to testify because the person who has committed the crime against them will be released on bail, if not within minutes then maybe within hours of having been detained by the police. Does the member agree that there should be tougher punishment for criminals for extortion?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberal housing crisis is hitting communities of every size. The City of Red Deer has been asking for a meeting with the housing minister for months to address its housing concerns. Despite the fact that the minister has been written to four times, it seems like Red Deer is too small for him to care to respond. I sure hope Red Deer is not being ignored because it does not deliver Liberal votes like Toronto and Vancouver do. Will the minister finally agree to sit down with the City of Red Deer, listen to its issues and admit that mid-size cities are facing a housing crisis too?”
“Mr. Speaker, we have seen over 10 years of the Liberal government in power, and the cost of living is unbearable for too many Canadians. Instead of common-sense solutions, like the motion Conservatives are proposing today, the Liberals impose more inflationary band-aid solutions for political purposes. Does my hon. colleague believe the Liberals will ever realize that Canadians just want them to stop taxing them to death and to get out of their lives?”
“Mr. Speaker, I would also like to present a petition on behalf of my constituents, calling on the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-9 and protect religious freedoms in this country. Petitioners note that the Liberal and Bloc amendment to Bill C-9 that passed at committee would remove the good-faith religious defence clause from the Criminal Code, therefore criminalizing sacred texts like the Bible and punishing and prosecuting Canadians for expressing deeply held beliefs. Petitioners believe that freedom of expression and freedom of religion are fundamental rights that must be preserved. Freedom of religion and freedom of expression are embedded in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They form the bedrock of western democracy and led to the flourishing of societies for thousands of years.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition calling upon the Government of Canada to protect the charitable status of religious institutions in Canada. Religious charities and institutions play a critical role in our country and enrich our communities. Whether it is caring for those in need, fostering community spirit or simply bringing people together, despite conflicting reports coming from the government, petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to maintain the charitable status of religious institutions and charities so they may continue the important work they do in our communities.”
“Madam Speaker, our health care system is so broken in Canada and needs so much reform. I sit on the Standing Committee on Health, and I hear every day about the waste. I am talking about the $900 million that was spent on health care for our current overimmigration problem. I am talking about, in the current budget, $5 billion that will be spent on hospitals, which will not even build one hospital. I am talking about the $97 million the Liberals are going to spend that will not even get one extra specialist. I feel that the whole system needs to be revamped. We as the federal government need to take the lead, look at the Canada Health Act and change and monitor the way we are giving money to the provinces.”
“Madam Speaker, for 10 years, members of the Liberal government stood up in the House and defended Justin Trudeau's policies tooth and nail. Now suddenly they want Canadians to memory-hole all the destructive decisions over the past decade that have made Canadian standards of living decrease, wages stagnate and housing be put out of reach, and they make every system in this country, from health care to immigration, crumble. At least they finally admit they did harm to this country. Now their actions need to follow.”
“Madam Speaker, the government loves to distract from the problems of its own making, but the reality is that the government got Canada into this economic situation. Conservatives have a plan to fix it, like cutting the industrial carbon tax, reversing Liberal inflationary deficits, fixing the broken immigration system and restoring order and peace to our streets. The Liberals should get out of the way and let us do it.”
“Canada has limitless potential if only the government would not see itself as the main character but as a supporting act to the Canadians who power it. Approve energy development, restore investor confidence, reform project approvals, expand our industries and get out of the way. The people of Red Deer will not accept the irresponsibility of the budget. They demand and deserve better. They want action and real progress, not just the illusion of something happening, with more talk and announcements. I will always stand here to be their voice against a government that has silenced them. Conservatives will always fight for Canadian families and Canadian workers. I urge the government to start doing the same.”
“Again, government red tape and bureaucracy have made it impossible, but instead of integrating the health care professionals who are already here in Canada, the government wants to repeat the same mistake and bring in more. This is not sustainable. All of this adds up, and somebody eventually has to pay the bill. It is simply unfair to pass on responsibility for today's reckless spending to our future generations while the government repeats the same mistakes of the past decade that led us to the problem. The government should be looking to unleash the power of Canadian ingenuity and industry; set the standards for growth; get out of the way; and incentivize the free market, not be the main driver of a centralized economy, or worse, make the conditions of a free market impossible to grow so that government is the only answer.”
“For example, over the past number of weeks, we have heard over and over again at the health committee that not one health care body was consulted on immigration levels to ensure that our health care system could handle them. If the people working to keep Canadians healthy do not even have a say on how many people they can treat, how can they be expected to care for millions more on top of their burden? Well, they were expected to, and the government said, “too bad”. Over 6.5 million Canadians are without a family doctor, and the nursing shortage is expected to exceed 100,000 nurses by 2030. Meanwhile, there are 80,000 foreign-trained health care professionals who came to this country to work in our health care system but are not able to do so.”
“It is simple: More people taking up more infrastructure, health care capacity, housing and government subsidies means less availability for Canadians already here. It is not the fault of people coming to Canada under a false promise of a better life from a government without a plan for them. For decades, immigration with proper integration has shaped our communities and helped forge who we are as a nation. Indeed, it is the government's own doing of rapidly expanding our migration numbers without ensuring our institutions can handle it that has both collapsed Canadian confidence in our immigration system and led to the fracturing of communities across our country.”
“That has gone unfulfilled, and CMHC confirmed in October that housing starts are down 17%. Young Canadians want to start a family and to be able to live the life they were promised after they were educated and have worked hard, but now they find it impossible to get ahead. This is the first generation in decades that has a lower standard of living than their parents and their grandparents did, and the government believes that bringing in more immigration will fix the problem. While Canadians are stuck without support to start and grow their own family, mass immigration into this country has played a major part in the affordability crisis, robbing Canadians of prosperity in their own country.”
“In March 2025 alone, there were 2.2 million visits to food banks across Canada, the highest number ever recorded. (1015) In Alberta, 36% of food bank visits were for children. Even more troubling, employment income accounts for the largest share of income sources among food bank visitors, 31% of all visits. That means that fewer Albertans even have the means to donate to food banks to help their neighbours in need. Let us talk housing. The government stole the dream of home ownership from an entire generation of young Canadians. Canadians were told that homes would be built at a scale and speed not seen in generations. What did the budget do? It created another bureaucratic organization and less action. The agency promised to immediately cut development charges in half.”
“Canadians expect economic stability, yet StatsCan shows the economy weakening rapidly. GDP grew by only 1.1% in the past year, for the second-lowest growth in the G7. Canada has lost more than 27,000 manufacturing jobs in the past year. Business insolvencies are up 35% year over year, which is the highest increase since the eighties. Wages are falling in real terms, with young workers experiencing the sharpest declines. Core inflation remains above 3%, and food inflation continues to rise month after month. When parents in Red Deer wake up every morning, too often they are forced to wonder whether their paycheques will be enough to cover their rent or whether they will be able to put healthy, nutritious food on the table for their families.”
“Meanwhile, Canada is mired in a productivity crisis of its own. Just days ago, the deputy governor of the Bank of Canada stated that we are stuck in a “vicious” cycle of “weak productivity.” He further stated: A certain level of regulation is essential, of course. But it’s fair to ask if we could regulate better. This could mean speeding up approval processes, re-evaluating the scope of some rules and reducing the overall uncertainty around regulation. We also need to address overlap, redundancies and contradictions between the different levels of government. This is not some partisan Conservative attack. This is a government official in an institution tasked with setting the monetary policy of the government, which is something the Prime Minister should know well enough about.”
“They have a federal debt standing at nearly $1.3 trillion; $141 billion in new spending; a $78.3-billion deficit in 2025-26 alone, which has ballooned from $62 billion; an affordability crisis in which housing costs have doubled and food, fuel and necessities are out of reach for many; GDP stagnation to only 1% between 2014 and 2024; and a lower standard of living. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the federal debt-to-GDP ratio in budget 2025 is projected to be higher compared to the 2024 FES and is no longer projected to be on a declining path over the medium term. The federal government's own so-called debt-to-GDP fiscal anchor has been abandoned. The government promised to help municipalities cut homebuilding taxes in half. The budget breaks that promise and locks in higher housing costs.”
“They have had enough of the 10 long Liberal years that continue to add inflationary spending to the already ballooned national debt left by Justin Trudeau. Speaking of Justin Trudeau, as prime minister, he spent more of Canadians' hard-earned dollars than all other prime ministers in the history of Canada combined. Today, the current Prime Minister is well on his way to eclipsing the unfortunate milestone set by his predecessor. Budget 2025 is not a blueprint for prosperity. It is a blueprint for more government intervention, more centralized planning and more top-down bureaucracy. Just six months ago, the Prime Minister claimed he would restore discipline and fiscal credibility. Instead, the budget revealed a sharp departure from those commitments. What do Canadians have to show for it?”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address Bill C-15 , the first budget implementation act. The budget was introduced after Canadians were made to wait well over a year to understand the fiscal reality the Liberal government put them in after 10 years. Canadians are facing a harsh and worsening reality. When they open their wallets, they see less money and fewer opportunities. They are met with promises from a government that insists a few more billion dollars in Ottawa spending will magically resolve their struggles. The same government believes the same ideas are going to fix its messes: spend more, borrow more and add bureaucracy. Every time, it makes the situation worse. I stand here representing the great people of Red Deer, Alberta, to tell the government my constituents have had enough.”
“Mr. Speaker, there is big news for Red Deer as the 51st IIHF World Junior Championship is returning to Alberta. The World Junior is not just a hockey tournament; it is where legends are born, such as “Sid the Kid”, Connor McDavid and the next generation of superstars. These young talents light up the ice. The last time Red Deer hosted was all the way back in 1995, and Canada won gold. Now, over 30 years later, we are bringing hockey back to the heartland to chase gold. Fourteen thrilling games will be played at the Marchant Crane Centrium. Let us pack the stands in red and white, cheer on team Canada and show the world our central Albertan hospitality. I know our boys will battle it out, skate fast and shoot hard. The future of hockey is coming to Red Deer. I will see everyone at the rink in 2027. Go, Canada, go!”
“Mr. Speaker, the member's speech highlights how dire the situation in our country has become over the past 10 years of Liberal government. The government seems to forget that there is only one taxpayer and that there is no such thing as government money. All the money the government spends comes off the backs of Canadians. I would like to give the member an opportunity to explain why he thinks the government believes it is okay to spend Canadians' hard-earned money recklessly.”
“If the credit agency's scoring of the government was not bad enough, the non-partisan Parliamentary Budget Officer says, “With Budget 2025 the Government abandoned the previous fiscal anchor to reduce the federal debt-to-GDP ratio over the medium term...noting that ‘[t]his metric is key not only for fiscal sustainability,’”. It is no wonder the Prime Minister —”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians are facing another costly Liberal budget that will keep the cost of essentials like food and fuel high and eat away at the hard-earned savings of the people of Red Deer. Seniors on fixed incomes tell me they can barely eat, and young people say it is impossible to get ahead and start a family. Canadians cannot take more careless Liberal spending while jobs are lost and the Prime Minister jet-sets around the world with nothing to show for it. Fitch Ratings says that since the Liberal government blows through its fiscal anchors, “federal finances run a high risk of further deterioration”.”
“Mr. Speaker, under the Liberal government, it is easier for Canadians to continue smoking than quit. Since former Liberal health minister Mark Holland launched his personal crusade against cigarette alternatives, everything we have heard from the government is smoke and mirrors. While nicotine pouches are banned from pharmacies, cigarettes can be bought anywhere. It makes no sense. Instead of blowing more smoke, will the minister finally give Canadians a real chance to quit, and free the Zyn?”
“Mr. Speaker, for young people trying to build their life and start a family, the Liberals have erased the hope of ever owning their own home. What is their solution? It is more government, more bureaucracy and more of the same problems. The Prime Minister told young people they must suffer. My question for the member is this: Why did the Liberal government not listen to the Conservatives? We suggested eliminating the GST on all home sales up to $1.3 million and cutting development charges to get homes built.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberal budget proves that the Prime Minister is just the same, if not worse, than Justin Trudeau, adding more government bloat with another $321.7 billion to the federal debt over the next five years. How can Canadians trust anything the Liberal government is doing with their hard-earned tax dollars?”
“Mr. Speaker, this is yet another Liberal budget that adds billions in inflationary spending while not growing our economy at all. Our health care system is crumbling, our immigration system is broken and the cost of living is impossible for so many Canadians. Today, young people are struggling to find work, and seniors cannot live off their pension. Does the member believe it is fair to punish our seniors, who have worked so hard all their life, with more skyrocketing inflationary debt?”
“Madam Speaker, again, with over three million temporary residents and half a million undocumented persons now living in Canada, continuing to allow temporary residents' descendants to automatically claim citizenship will have a deep impact on Canada's immigration system, housing, jobs and—”
“Madam Speaker, Conservatives believe that Canadian citizenship matters. It is more than a designation on an ID card or a passport to travel the world; it is a shared responsibility that takes every single one of us to adhere to. There once was a time when being Canadian meant something. It is appropriate that we are entering Veterans' Week, a week when we remember our heroes who fought and died so that we can stand here today. By watering down our citizenship and reducing it to a check box, the Liberal government takes for granted their sacrifices by erasing what they fought and died for. May we never forget their sacrifices.”
“Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and the Bloc for the support we received at committee. Immigrants are not to blame for wanting better lives; it is the Liberals' fault for breaking our system and allowing people into Canada too fast for housing, health care and jobs to keep up. Only Conservatives will restore the value of Canadian citizenship and the immigration consensus the Liberals broke by fixing our broken immigration system and setting clear rules.”
“Madam Speaker, a decade of the Liberals has harmed the reputation of Canadian citizenship, either because of the neglect and mismanagement of the Canadian immigration system or because of the policies that have weakened the value of Canadian citizenship. Canada is one of the only countries in the world that allows descendants of visitors and temporary residents born on Canada's soil to automatically become citizens. With over three million temporary residents and a half a million undocumented persons now living in Canada, continuing to allow temporary residents' descendants to automatically claim citizenship will have a deep impact on Canada's immigration system, housing, jobs and social services.”
“It would trade commitment for convenience and a genuine connection for technical calculation. Canadians deserve better. We must reject the watering down of our citizenship and the broken immigration system the Liberal government caused over the past 10 years. We must return to a society where our values are championed, not spat on. Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law, where everyone has the fundamental freedoms of conscience, religion, thought, belief, opinion, expression, peaceful assembly and association; where every citizen has the right to vote; where every citizen has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada; where everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person; and where every individual is equal before and under the law.”
“It is not fair to the millions of immigrants who came here, learned our language, passed their citizenship test, paid taxes and built lives here to see others receive the same citizenship automatically from abroad. That creates a two-tiered system where some earn their place and others inherit it with no effort. For decades, immigrants came to Canada under harsh conditions. Many came with nothing and worked to earn their place in Canada. They came with barely any money let alone the privilege of citizenship. We can fix this. The Conservatives believe citizenship should be based on loyalty, service and contribution, not on loopholes and paperwork. We can restore pride in Canadian citizenship and give newcomers a system that is strong, fair and consistent. However, Bill C-3 would not strengthen citizenship; it would weaken it.”
“They would have restored integrity while still addressing the unfair treatment of lost Canadians. Due to the hard work of Conservatives at committee, with the help of our colleagues in the Bloc, these amendments were successfully carried, but just yesterday, the government caved to the radical NDP and rolled back these common-sense amendments, once again proving that they do not value what it means to be Canadian and that the bill is nothing more than a vote-buying ploy. The government says that it wants fairness, yet it refuses to protect the value of Canadian citizenship. The Minister of Immigration has an opportunity to fulfill her promise to help lost Canadians while ensuring citizenship is not given to those with no real connection to Canada. This is about fairness, but it is also about integrity.”
“We proposed common-sense amendments that would have protected the values of Canadian citizenship. We asked that parents passing on citizenship by descent or adoption show a real residency in Canada for consecutive years, just as any naturalized citizen must do. We proposed language and knowledge requirements so that new citizens by descent understood Canada's history, laws and responsibilities. We required security screening for adults so that anyone gaining citizenship would be vetted and would pose no threat to national safety. We also called for the minister to report annually to Parliament on how many automatic citizenships are granted abroad and to disclose any cases where security screening was waived. These were reasonable, balanced and responsible changes.”
“However, the bill would open the door to citizens of convenience, people who can enjoy the benefits of being Canadian without sharing in the responsibilities that come with it. This is part of a large pattern. After 10 years of the Liberal government, Canada's immigration system is broken. It is not the fault of newcomers who were promised a better life, but it is the fault of a government that has brought people into Canada under false pretenses, mismanaged our immigration programs, failed to plan for housing and ignored the strain on health care and social services. The Conservatives support restoring citizenship to lost Canadians and ensuring that adopted children are treated equally, but the bill would go far beyond that. The Conservatives tried to fix these problems in committee.”
“Bill C-3 would give out citizenship automatically, with no screening for criminal history, no review for national security and no check for any real connection to Canada. At a time when many countries are working to keep their citizenship processes strong and secure, the Liberal government is lowering the bar. Under Bill C-3 , a person could live here on occasion, spend most of their life abroad and have a child overseas, and that child would still become a Canadian citizen automatically, without any review and without any ties to this country. That cheapens what it means to be Canadian. (1300) For generations, becoming a citizen has meant something real. It has meant putting down roots, working hard, learning our history and contributing to our communities. It has meant earning the right call ourselves Canadian and being proud of it.”