Jeff Kibble
Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, British Columbia · Conservative · Canada
“There is no requirement to come back and report to Parliament, no definition of what “improving housing supply” is even meant to mean, and nowhere does the government commit to building so much as a single home. The government claims there will be 11,000 for the $13 billion it is spending.”
“However, there are people behind those numbers, and I know many of them by name. I know veterans, men and women who once wore this country's uniform, who are now living out of their trucks. I know forestry and mill workers who have been knocked down by mill curtailments and closures and are now living in campers.”
“He wrote a letter, he announced a screen, and he assured us he had stepped aside. However, when a motion came before Parliament that would have stripped the high-speed rail provisions out of the government's budget bill, the minister did not step aside at all. He stayed and voted to protect the project.”
“Mr. Speaker, I will share my time today with the member for Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North . Before I turn to the business at hand, I would like to share that I was in Hamilton this morning for the change of command of the Royal Canadian Navy.”
“The government has a real gift for illusion. Bill C-26 is dressed up as Emerald City on the Hill, with $1.7 billion announced with a great deal of fanfare, and all of it said to be for housing. What I would ask of every member of Parliament is that they pull back the curtain and reveal what the illusion is.”
“When money on that scale can move on the say-so of one minister with no criteria and no audit, I think we all know who tends to benefit in the end, and it is rarely the young family in Langford or the senior in Duncan. Instead, it is the well connected and the well placed. This brings me to the real question at the heart of this bill.”
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“These are all signs of a failing economy driven by the government's handouts and subsidies, which are fuelled by endless borrowed and printed money that serves only to further drive up the cost of food. We must act now to help Canadians who are struggling. We must scrap the industrial carbon tax which drives up the cost of fertilizer and farm equipment and, ultimately, the cost of food. We do not need deficit-funded handouts. Canadians deserve more than—”
“Madam Speaker, families across my riding on Vancouver Island are struggling to house and feed themselves as the cost of living continues to rise. The Duncan Foodbank and Lunch Kitchen and the Goldstream Food Bank in Langford are beyond capacity and are struggling to keep up with demand. This is heartbreaking. There is a new veterans food bank in Langford scheduled to open in mid-December, yet it is already being overwhelmed with requests for assistance from veterans, and even serving members of the military. This is heartbreaking. I have risen in this House multiple times to fight for vital industries, like fisheries and forestry, that are in dire situations and facing shutdowns that will kill jobs and force even more people to food banks.”
“Mr. Speaker, this appeal will drag out for years. The Cowichan Tribes v. Canada court decision continues to put private property rights at risk. Uncertainty is now escalating into anger and unrest. Landowners are unable to get mortgages, businesses are building facilities in the U.S. instead of B.C. and neighbours are turning on each other with verbal threats. Will the Prime Minister finally show some leadership and confirm that this appeal will always protect private land title, and will he acknowledge that this is an existential threat to the institution of private property ownership across Canada?”
“Mr. Chair, if I understand the question correctly, I am happy to say that I am not ashamed of voting against a budget that does not work, and I would leave the member from the party opposite to answer that question if they feel ashamed. However, as I said before, the budget will not work. Specifically with respect to today's topic of software lumber, continuing to borrow and print more money makes the economy worse; it does not solve the industry. We need negotiated deals so we can sell our lumber to markets in the United States, our primary customer, and elsewhere. I am proud of my decisions, and I hope the members opposite can look at the people in their ridings and make the same statement.”
“Mr. Chair, the member opposite referred to handouts, which is more printed money. It only makes inflation rise, costs rise and the problems worse. It does not solve the problem. I do agree that diversification is part of the solution, but ultimately the solution is negotiating a deal and getting rid of the 45% tariffs. Europe has 10% tariffs. Those are actual solutions that would save an industry that is dying. Handouts will not achieve that. Therefore, no, I did not vote for a budget that will not work.”
“Mr. Chair, I appreciate the hon. member's kind words. He has asked what that says to Canadians. What Canadians are seeing is failure. They want a deal to protect and save the industry, not handouts that are going to be, as I said, a band-aid on a severed artery.”
“If if he cannot or does not care to get the deal he promised Canadians, it is time for him to step aside and allow the rest of us to do what we were elected to do, to fight for Canadian jobs—”
“Worse yet, the Liberal band-aid solution is funded by more debt and more printed money that, as we know, as always, serves to make our economic problems only worse, a vicious cycle of handouts funded by debt that only extend a failing industry by months rather than rebuild it. The solution is to negotiate a fair deal on tariffs with the United States. The Prime Minister has proven that he is either incapable, unable or not caring. Forestry workers would probably say that he is all of the above. That is why I am calling on the Prime Minister to do what he promised and deliver a deal on softwood lumber to protect our hard-working loggers, truckers and mill workers. I am calling on the Prime Minister to care.”
“For example, Crofton Mill in my riding contributes approximately $6.5 million annually in municipal taxes. That helps vital infrastructure and community programs in North Cowichan. These are programs that would not survive without that money coming in, which makes the closures even more detrimental to the community. The closures are not just about the forestry industry; they are signs of a total economic failure. The situation is dire for mills, for workers and for our communities. The party opposite's solutions are subsidized loans, handouts and benefit packages. This is the equivalent of a band-aid on a severed artery.”
“Across Canada, over 25,000 direct jobs have been lost in the forestry industry. Those losses have led to approximately 90,000 indirect job losses. That means that for one direct job lost, there have been three to five indirect jobs also lost. When these workers lose their job, they stop contributing to the economy. For some communities that means that grocery stores are closed, restaurants are out of business and shops do not have the clientele to survive. Do members not believe me? Let us walk down the main street of Duncan, Crofton or Chemainus, and I will show them businesses that are shut down all over, even without full closures at the mills. Beyond workers, the mills themselves contribute a significant amount in tax dollars to the communities they are a part of.”
“Families who are already struggling with the rising cost of living are at risk of being unable to feed and house themselves. Amanda, a woman in my riding whose husband works at a local mill, said that she is terrified of what will happen should her husband lose his job. She works full-time, but she knows that her job alone cannot support her family of six. She does not know how she will afford to raise her four daughters if curtailment continues or, worse, if a total shutdown happens. I have heard stories of families moving into campers because of curtailed shifts. They cannot afford to keep their homes. Across the riding, there are now tiny villages of people living in their campers. The effect of the closures is not limited to forestry jobs. I want to be clear that the closures have affected entire communities, beyond those jobs.”
“As we have heard from my colleagues tonight, it is not just on Vancouver Island but across British Columbia and, indeed, across Canada. However, this is a failure of not just the last few months. Canadians have been waiting a decade for a softwood lumber deal. We have had 10 years of promises from the Liberal government to get a deal signed, yet there is nothing. There has been over eight months for the Prime Minister to get a deal with President Trump, yet just this weekend the Prime Minister said, “Who cares?” when asked about the last time he spoke with President Trump. I will tell the House that forestry workers care, Canadians care and I care. Families in my riding are scared. Shifts are curtailed. Workers are not working.”
“Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley . I am honoured to rise today to speak on behalf of forestry workers in my riding on Vancouver Island. I want to be clear that the debate is not just about forestry workers; it is about whole communities and about broken promises from the Prime Minister and the government. It has been months of the Prime Minister 's making promises he just cannot keep. He ran his campaign this year on the promise of getting Canadians a deal with the United States. He even gave himself a deadline of July, but there has been nothing except a tripling of tariffs on softwood lumber. Tariffs on lumber are now at an industry-killing 45%. Mills cannot afford this, and workers cannot afford to lose their jobs, but that is the situation that mills and workers in my riding are facing.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to thank my colleague the member for Parkland for his excellent work, dedication and passion over eight years to help make the lives of victims and their families better. [ Translation ] I would also like to thank our Bloc Québécois colleagues for their support. [ English ] I would ask that all members make this a non-partisan issue and support what we know, as indicated earlier, would withstand a test of charter compliance. I ask that all members support the bill, which would make lives better for families like the McCanns and for all Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, we keep hearing the terms “buy Canadian” and “buy Canadian steel.” It sounds good. It appeals to patriotic Canadians, but, tragically, it is say one thing and do the other. I wonder if the member opposite could please explain to Canadians how buying ferries from China, with Chinese steel, buying LNG terminals, facilities from Korea, with Korean and Chinese steel, from an American company, is buying Canadian? Perhaps the member could explain that for us.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member clearly threw a touchdown with his excellent speech, and I thank him for his honesty and positive suggestions. People in my riding on Vancouver Island tell me every day that they are struggling to afford groceries, gas and rent. They are going hungry and are losing their homes. These are all signs of a failing economy, among so many others. Perhaps my colleague could speak to how this budget will deal with the continued failing of our economy. Does he see it as a budget that is going to make it better or continue to make it worse?”
“Would it just be the environmental impact or other impacts as well? The example I would like to give is that of selling a car. Once it is registered with the new owner, the new owner should take on the responsibilities—”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his concern for the environment and for derelict vessels on the coasts of British Columbia, and for pointing out, to quote the member opposite, that the government is “slow to act”. Indeed it is a reflection of a failing economy that there has been an explosion of abandoned vessels that have gone from being just boats that are broken down to being ones that people are now turning into small towns to live in. Indeed there is a problem. The member opposite indicated that the bill would put the onus on the seller, and that the seller would have liability for a boat and the actions of the new owner. Could the member opposite perhaps explain what liabilities the seller would then have, with the onus on them, as a new owner would take on that boat?”
“Madam Speaker, I am certainly not asking you to agree or disagree with anything, but I appreciate the guidance for the House, in general. I am not familiar with the article in the Winnipeg Free Press mentioned by the member for Winnipeg West. Yes, there are challenges at the provincial level, but we need to set the guidance in Bill C-14 to make the conditions correct so that provinces can deal with it. The Liberals have had 10 years to work on and fix this. They have not done that. At all levels, we need to make Canadians able to feel safe on the streets so they can enjoy a safe life.”
“Madam Speaker, while I do not really know how to answer that question, it is an absolutely heartbreaking story. We need Bill C-14 to be worked on so cases like that simply cannot happen. It happens too often. That one example is too much, yet we know there are so many examples. As Conservatives, our goal is to work together in committee to fix this bill so that Canadians like the ones in the story the member gave us are protected, and so that violent repeat offenders stay behind bars. We made suggestions already on how to fix it with our jail not bail act. Now is the time to work together and come up with a positive solution.”
“Madam Speaker, while I spoke specifically to violent repeat offenders and how Bill C-14 applies to them, I certainly agree that organized crime also needs to be addressed. That falls under my description of how the bill needs more work. Cracking down on organized crime would certainly be part of it.”
“Madam Speaker, as I said very clearly, we need to work together so we can solve the challenges, failures and shortcomings of Bill C-14 . With collaborative work to fix it, we will work to support it. As for mandatory minimums, judges need to be working on the particulars of the cases. They have their discretion, but they need to maintain those mandatory minimums.”
“There is a lot of work needed to make some serious improvements to Bill C-14. We support getting it to committee in order to get it fixed and deliver good laws for Canadians with key elements like, for example, the principle of restraint, house arrest limits and restoring mandatory minimums. It needs to be responsive to the needs, requirements and advice of law enforcement officials and, indeed, all Canadians. The solution is, clearly, to work together, as a minority government should. It is not about saying, “We need to vote for their bill as it is, or we are the bad guy.” We need to be collaborative and work together for the betterment of Canadians, in order to keep people safe. Bill C-14 needs lots of work. It needs fixing. It needs improvement. Conservatives are ready to work together to keep Canadians safe.”
“It fails to keep violent repeat offenders behind bars. It falls short. The principle of restraint remains. The “least onerous” language persists. It keeps the culture of release there. House arrest limits do not go far enough for robbery, gun crimes and trafficking. The solution is clearly to bring the bill to committee and put in some hard work to fix Bill C-14 . Sure, it copies some Conservative ideas, but not all of them. It certainly does not go far enough, as I outlined, specifically on the violent repeat offender problem. We need to keep these people where they belong, which is behind bars. What we have now is not working. Duncan knows it. Vancouver Island knows it. Towns across Canada know it. Victims know it. Law enforcement knows it. Sure, Bill C-14 is a start. It also acknowledges that Bill C-75 was a failure.”
“He then went on to challenge members who disagreed with him to take it outside. Most importantly, the member was unable to answer, and did not answer, whether Bill C-14 would have saved the life of somebody like Johnny or the lives of so many other people across Canada who have been affected and whose lives have been shattered by violent repeat offenders. Violent repeat offences have spiked in the last 10 years. (1340) Bill C-14 fails to impose automatic detention for those already on bail. This would have prevented Johnny's murder and so many other crimes. It leaves the principle of restraint in place, the very policy that forced the judges to release Johnny's murderer at the earliest opportunity under the least onerous conditions. These are some of the examples specific to violent repeat offenders, which Bill C-14 fails to address.”
“He was gutted with a hunting knife by a violent repeat offender who was out on bail. He had been charged multiple times. In fact, some of the charges were laid not two weeks earlier. They were violent crimes: attempted murder and attacking a police service dog. He should not have been out on bail, but he was. That is Bill C-75 's failure. Will Bill C-14 solve it? Last week, I asked the member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore , from the party opposite, if Bill C-14 would solve the issue of violent repeat offenders and if it would have saved Johnny. He said the problem was the judges. He questioned their training, how busy they were that day and their experience. He wanted to know their qualifications. He was pointing fingers and blaming our legal system for Bill C-75 's failures. I think that was shameful.”
“He was put in hospital for several weeks, yet the next day, as his sons were covering shifts to keep the family business, which is helping the community, open and alive, they watched the accused walk past the store. The next day, he was out on bail. The overall crime severity index there is 339 and the violent crime severity index is at 324. It is among the worst in British Columbia. The violent crime rate is 153% above the national average. That is not just in Duncan; it is in small and big towns and communities across Canada. People are suffering from Bill C-75 and the culture of violent repeat offenders and catch and release. Bill C-75 has failed Canada and it has failed Duncan. Is Bill C-14 any better? Johnny was my daughter's boyfriend. He was murdered in downtown Victoria not three years ago. He was brutally stabbed to death.”
“They see them again and again. They see public sexual acts and public indecency. I am, and we are all, sympathetic to those suffering from homelessness and drug addiction. They, too, are victims of violent repeat offenders. These people are somebody's son, daughter, brother or sister. They have a family. They, too, suffer. Seniors there are afraid to go out at night. They know who the violent repeat offenders are. They know who is going to attack them, day and night. Some of them are 90 years old. They are struggling to get property insurance because of where they live, because of the crime and because of the violent repeat offenders. I would like to speak about Hank's Handimart, which is nearby. James Kim is a senior and a store owner. He was working in his store and was beaten nearly to death.”
“There is an overdose prevention site, people are camping everywhere and there is struggling and suffering on the streets. It is one block from two schools. An elementary school and a middle school are one block away. I have been there many times. I have witnessed drug dealing and people overdosing, fighting and camping on the street. It is out of control. The park is a public toilet. There are no toilets; it is just a park. People are living on balconies. Residents there witness this every day. “Stick Man” takes sticks every day and goes down the street, smashing cars. He gets arrested, is released the next day and does it again. I have seen him. The residents there have told me they have seen him doing it again and again. They witness it from their balconies and their front yards, or from behind their windows. They know the criminals.”
“Madam Speaker, as always, it is my honour to rise in the House on behalf of the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford on Vancouver Island. I would like to take a minute to recognize Peyton Hammond, a 17-year-old who just won the World Darts Federation World Cup youth championship. Congratulations and well done. He certainly is a rising star. Today, I would like to speak specifically about violent repeat offenders. Let us be clear. The Liberals' soft-on-crime Bill C-75 has allowed our towns and cities to become havens for violent repeat offenders. Frankly, Bill C-14 is not much better. Let me take members to Duncan on Vancouver Island. It is a small town with a population of around 7,000. Lewis Street is the epicentre of violent repeat offenders, drug crimes and drug overdoses.”
“The petitioners indicate the massive impact of invasive predation on salmon stocks is also being ignored. The petitioners are requesting that the Minister of Fisheries must urgently bring together all relevant stakeholders, including the recreational industry, to complete meaningful consultations and establish effective science-driven actions. They are asking for a plan that supports the recovery of southern resident killer whales while also sustaining a multi-million dollar recreational fishing industry that our coastal communities depend on.”
“The petitioners state that it is time to confront the critical contradiction in the government's policy that imposes harsh restrictions on the recreational fishing industry, despite healthy chinook salmon stocks. According to DFO's 2025 salmon outlook, hatchery chinook stocks on the south coast of British Columbia are forecast to be abundant or near abundant. The petitioners state that the goal of the closure is to protect southern resident killer whales, but the problem is not a lack of salmon; it is a flood management model that refuses to account for the entire ecosystem. Recreational fishing has an almost unmeasurable impact on salmon stocks. Federal funding to coastal hatcheries, which is already inadequate, is being cut, and federal funding to fight zebra mussels, an invasive salmon-killing species, has ended.”
“Madam Speaker, I rise to table a petition on behalf of the BC Recreational Fishing Association urging the Minister of Fisheries to reconsider new proposals for chinook salmon harvest closures across most of the south coast of British Columbia. These restrictions would have a significant and devastating impact on the recreational fishing industry and the coastal economy of British Columbia, effectively ending the industry, which is a way of life in countless coastal communities. The petitioners indicated that over 9,000 direct jobs, $600 million toward GDP and over $400 million in direct household income to British Columbia are at risk.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member opposite spoke about principles of restraint, but he failed to mention Jonny, my daughter's boyfriend, who was stabbed to death by a violent repeat offender out on five different charges on bail, including attempted murder, all because of Bill C-75 . Way to go. Will Bill C-14 , a bill that admits Bill C-75 was a failure, prevent cases like that of Jonny from happening? If not, will he admit it is a weak bill and needs improvement?”
“As a navy veteran, I know that Conservatives will always stand with and support the sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard, ensuring they have the ships, personnel and equipment they need to defend our freedom. On behalf of all members of the House of Commons, to every sailor, past and present, and to the families who stand watch with them, Bravo Zulu.”
“Mr. Speaker, ready, aye, ready. Proud, proven and professional, for 115 years, the Royal Canadian Navy has defended Canada's sovereignty at sea. Today is Navy and Coast Guard Appreciation Day on Parliament Hill. This morning, I was honoured to attend a ceremony in the Senate recognizing 15 sailors for their excellence in service. The men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Naval Reserve and the Canadian Coast Guard keep our sea lines open, assert sovereignty on all three coasts and project Canadian strength and goodwill around the world. From the Battle of the Atlantic to the Korean War, the Persian Gulf, East Timor and Libya, our sailors have answered the call at home and abroad.”
“Yesterday, I confirmed that despite creating a whole new bureaucracy to streamline military procurement, led by a banker friend of the Prime Minister who may have multiple conflicts of interest, the new Defence Investment Agency will not deal with the F-35 project, the largest military procurement in Canadian history. According to the Secretary of State for Defence Procurement , the F-35 report is complete and in the Prime Minister's hands, but the decision is still under review. How much longer must the air force wait for the fighter jets it desperately needs? Our military embodies leadership and decisive action. When will the Liberals?”
“Mr. Speaker, according to this week's Auditor General report, the Liberal government continues to fall short on getting the Canadian Armed Forces the personnel and equipment it needs to succeed. The report shows that the military is short 7,000 housing units, and the plans to build more are woefully insufficient. Only one in 13 people who apply to join completes the process, but we are short 13,000 troops. This will see an 81% shortage in critical trades for over 10 years. The more we discuss this at the defence committee, the worse it gets.”
“Mr. Speaker, to the member opposite, thank you for fighting for the well-being of children, and I certainly appreciate your passion and obvious dedication to your private member's bill. Through the many terrible cases you described, and regardless of the bias you explained, there are certainly accusations of parental alienation from both mothers and fathers. What provisions are there in the private member's bill to ensure, in the many cases in which there are no examples of sexual, mental or physical abuse, that the equal rights of both parents are protected, regardless of their gender?”
“Speaker, to acknowledge the emergency in British Columbia and the recreational fishing industry by granting an emergency debate.”
“This proposal targets the recreational fishing industry and ignores numerous other factors that contribute to salmon stock management and the welfare of the southern resident killer whales. The recreational fishing impact on fish stocks is minimal. In the last few years, salmon stocks in B.C. have been healthy and are at record levels. In fact, some areas that are facing proposed closures are not even southern resident killer whale hunting grounds, indicating that there are other factors affecting the health of these important whales that are not being considered under this proposal. Based on the catastrophic impact that this potential closure will have on small communities across British Columbia, I ask you, Mr.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to request an emergency debate to discuss the crisis facing British Columbia, given the Department of Fisheries and Oceans' impending decision for proposed recreational salmon fishery closures. The impact that these proposed closures would have on small communities across the B.C. coast would be catastrophic. Port Renfrew, in my riding on south Vancouver Island, alone would lose $11 million to $12 million per year, effectively ending Port Renfrew. According to DFO's own statistics, B.C. could lose over 9,000 jobs, 300,000 salmon anglers and over $400 million in household income per year. DFO is proposing both commercial and recreational fishing closures with the stated goal of protecting the southern resident killer whales, with the decision next month.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member opposite stated that Bill C-12 does not weaken our system of protection. In the spirit of the Blue Jays in game seven and the “three strikes and you're out” rule, I will ask my question for a third time. Will the Liberals equip, train and arm the Coast Guard to meet the new mandate in the bill, or will they change the mandate?”
“Mr. Speaker, the member opposite mentioned security patrols and intelligence operations, yet the Coast Guard does not have the equipment and capability for that. It will take a significant amount of time for a cultural shift and to retrofit military-style equipment and systems. Do the Liberals intend to equip and arm the Coast Guard to meet the mandate and tasking they are giving to it in this bill?”
“Presently, those in the Coast Guard have only navigation radars and civilian radios, and other than for predator control, they are unarmed. How do the Liberals intend to have the Coast Guard conduct surveillance missions to collect, process and disseminate secure tactical data? Will the Liberals be arming the Coast Guard to complete these missions and properly train them, per this bill?”
“Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise on behalf of the great people of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, on the south end of Vancouver Island. If I may, I will take a moment to recognize a very special person, Winnie Sifert, who completed 40 years of service to the City of Langford, including as a city councillor. It was my honour to attend a park renaming in her honour in Langford. My question is specific to part 4 and the Oceans Act. I was happy to hear the member opposite discuss that operations need to get more sophisticated. He said the Coast Guard has all the skills and equipment it needs, but it would now be tasked under the Oceans Act to conduct security and surveillance patrols. I was previously in charge of the regional joint operations centre, and I understand surveillance operations in the military intimately.”
“Mr. Speaker, indeed, that is the purpose of one of the items to be investigated at committee: to ensure that information is transferred. I can speak personally to cases that military police have investigated in which items, documents, divisional notes and stuff have disappeared and made those investigations more challenging to complete. Something to be looked at in committee would be proper, full authorized access to records, statements, witnesses, etc. I look forward to addressing that at committee. It is a key and important part of ensuring that these types of matters can be investigated fully by civilian authorities.”
“Mr. Speaker, indeed, that is one of the recommendations coming out of the three Supreme Court justices' reports. If implemented, then Bill C-11 would achieve one of those many recommendations that still need to be actioned. It would be nice to see that one achieved. We look forward to seeing the other recommendations completed also, to resolve these issues.”
“Mr. Speaker, we look forward to supporting the bill's going to committee. It would be very important to see that cases of military sexual trauma are treated equally for personnel deployed versus personnel in Canada. It is going to take a lot of committee work to investigate to achieve a fair result, as well as to find a more effective way of avoiding outside influences, be they at the political level or the military level, so that civilian investigators and prosecutors are able to respond without bias and actually properly investigate these issues.”
“These are all examples of MST victims that I personally know. I have met them, and they have shared their stories with me. These are all examples of what victims are dealing with. This is why we need to move cases to civilian court and why Conservatives generally support Bill C-11 , despite its being 10 years late. We need to make sure these changes are implemented effectively through detailed examination in committee. It is good to see some common agreement in the House on some of the overall goals of the bill. I look forward to resolving these issues in detail in committee so that we can bring the bill back for third reading and see proper legislation in place.”