Ron McKinnon
Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, British Columbia · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, when Christine and I sent Katherine and Sarah off on school trips, we waved goodbye and could not wait to hear about their adventures when they returned home. That was the expectation for the parents of Minnekhada Middle School students in Port Coquitlam yesterday.”
“Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that on Friday, April 24, I was arrested by the Coquitlam RCMP. The crime was drinking too much coffee while on House duty. I pleaded guilty. I was cuffed for a cure. Cuffed for a Cure is the lighter side of Cops for Cancer. The harder side is the cycling.”
“Mr. Speaker, next week, residents of Port Coquitlam will celebrate one of our community's most beloved traditions, May Days. Now in its 103rd year, this long-standing celebration of spring brings together neighbours, families and visitors for festivities that reflect the very best of community spirit.”
“Mr. Speaker, Tuesday's tragic events at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School have left a community devastated. My heart is with the families grieving unimaginable loss. I am wishing love and strength to the people who were injured and to the students, staff and residents who are now trying to process what happened.”
“Right now, Canada's new government is nearing the initialling of six new modern treaties, and we will continue to advance this important work alongside indigenous partners. This bill and the commissioner it would create would build trust, enhance transparency and deliver the results that modern treaty partners have been advocating for.”
“Mr. Speaker, let me start by acknowledging that Canada's Parliament is located on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people, whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.”
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“The bill proposes an aggravating factor when offences like theft, mischief or robbery interfere with access to essential infrastructure, disrupt its functioning or make it unsafe or unfit for use. If someone steals, damages or disrupts the systems people in Canada count on, like our power, communication or transportation networks, it is a threat to public safety. The bill proposes that our justice system treat it this way. Bill C-14 would also seek to address crimes that harm our businesses and communities, namely retail theft. When we talk about retail theft, we are referring to high-volume, profit-driven crime. These are thefts carried out repeatedly, often by organized networks, with the intent to resell, barter or fraudulently return merchandise.”
“Bell has documented more than 2,200 instances of copper theft nationwide since 2022, with hot spots in Hamilton, Cambridge, Windsor and Quebec's Saguenay region. In Calgary alone there have been over 40 incidents targeting telecommunications infrastructure, causing more than $1.4 million in damages and repairs. Copper wire theft affects entire neighbourhoods, leaving homes without electricity, Internet or access to emergency communications. (1530) When these crimes go unreported, the danger only grows, putting lives at risk. Bill C-14 makes it clear that attacks on infrastructure are not minor property crimes; they are serious threats to public safety.”
“Just as we must protect those who respond in moments of crisis, we must also protect the systems they rely upon to do their jobs: our power grids, communication networks and transportation corridors. Bill C-14 aims to do this by enacting a new aggravating factor; this would apply to theft and mischief offences that have an impact on essential infrastructure. Across Canada, we have seen a sharp rise in thefts and damage targeting power lines, railways and telecommunications networks. These are crimes that may look like property offences on paper, but they can shut down hospitals, delay first responders and put whole communities at risk. According to Statistics Canada, metal theft, which includes copper wire along with other things, such as manhole covers, grew 56% between 2018 and 2022.”
“Bill C-14 proposes a new aggravating factor at sentencing for offenders who commit violent acts and other crimes against all first responders in the course of their duties. This amendment would respond to ongoing calls to denounce and deter violence against first responders. The proposed amendment would build on earlier amendments, including former Bill C-3 , which amended the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code to create an aggravating factor when the victim of an offence is a health care worker. Ultimately, this change would ensure that judges consider imposing tougher sentences when violence targets those who serve. The message in Bill C-14 is clear. If someone targets first responders, they can expect zero tolerance. They would be held accountable for their conduct.”
“Risk is part of the job; abuse is not, yet across Canada, the stories keep coming. More first responders are being threatened or attacked while simply doing their jobs. In October, a paramedic in Kamloops, B.C., was assaulted while refuelling her ambulance at a gas station on a Sunday evening. An unknown man walked up and hit her, unprovoked. In March, Greg Stubbs, a paramedic on Vancouver Island, was attacked and seriously injured while responding to a call at an encampment in downtown Victoria, and in Winnipeg, union leaders reported nearly 100 assaults on first responders in 2025 alone, including a firefighter's being struck in the face with a metal pole while on duty. Our police officers, paramedics and firefighters need to know that their safety matters.”
“Both Keegan and Steve spoke of the need for the protections the bill offers to first responders. An aggravating factor is a circumstance or detail about an offence that makes the crime more serious and can lead to harsher sentences. These factors send a message to the court that certain conduct justifies harsher sentences. Among these amendments are specific provisions aimed at better protecting our first responders, who face a disturbing rise in violence and threats that happen while they do their critical work. Every day, firefighters, paramedics and police officers put themselves in harm's way to keep our communities safe. They accept that their jobs come with risk, including running toward burning buildings, volatile scenes and the unknown. However, no one should have to accept being assaulted while doing their job.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to Bill C-14 , a bill the government has introduced to strengthen bail and sentencing laws. With over 80 clauses, it represents a major step in modernizing Canada's criminal justice system and reinforcing public safety. Today I would like to speak to the House about three of the amendments that aim to protect our communities by strengthening our sentencing regime. These amendments would create new aggravating factors targeting offences against first responders, as well as theft and mischief offences that harm essential infrastructure, and retail theft. Recently I met with Keegan Gordon and Steve Piccolo of the Coquitlam firefighters, who were here in Ottawa for the annual firefighters legislative conference.”
“Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate Port Coquitlam's Patina Brewing on its success at the 2025 BC Beer Awards. On October 17, at New Westminster's Anvil Centre, Patina earned second place in the mixed-style beer category for its Italian Pilsner. This recognition reflects the skill and pride of a hometown team that keeps raising the bar for quality and community. Our region's craft beer scene is thriving. Local brewers brought home six awards this year, with strong showings from Burnaby's Dageraad Brewing, Port Moody's Yellow Dog Brewing and New Westminster's Steel & Oak Brewing Co. These achievements come during challenging times for the industry and they speak to resilience, creativity and the support of loyal customers across the Tri-Cities and New Westminster. Congratulations, Patina. Keep brewing excellence.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member said that Parliament is supreme and we should, therefore, ignore the ruling of the court. I would suggest to her that, rather, it is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that is supreme, and it is the role of the court to advise parliamentarians when our laws exceed the capacity of the charter. I would ask the member to please comment on that.”
“Madam Speaker, yes, it is indeed time to modernize. The world is a very precarious place these days; it is very volatile, and there are many people around the world who are in danger and want to come to Canada. We want to make sure we provide a safe haven, but we need to provide the appropriate checks and balances to do so.”
“Madam Speaker, once again, I thank the member for her concerns. They are important things to consider and to be wary of, but I would also rely on the committee to undertake a very strong study of this matter and come forward with appropriate recommendations and, of course, its deliberations.”
“Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. member that the process is important and that we do have to make sure the appropriate checks and balances are in place and people can get their story properly before the decision-makers. I believe that is the thrust of what the advance risk assessment process is about, to make sure that we put in that additional process and put in the additional checks and balances to make sure that the decisions coming forward are in the best interest of the country and of the individuals involved.”
“Madam Speaker, I agree 100% with the thrust of the member's question. Having robust borders and robust processes around our borders ensures that our systems perform correctly, so that the people who need to be here are able to be here, the people who need to be removed are removed, and they are removed in a very effective and just manner.”
“The pre-removal risk assessment process embodies this balance. It reassures Canadians that while we are taking urgent, necessary steps to strengthen our immigration system, we do so without compromising our commitment to protecting human life and dignity.”
“Whether we are streamlining initial asylum decisions, addressing backlogs or modernizing pathways to protection, the pre-removal risk assessment remains an essential safeguard that gives us the confidence to innovate responsibly. (1540) It is important to recognize that the risk assessment is not a tool for delaying lawful removals. Instead, it is about making sure that each person's case is reviewed against the most current information and circumstances so that there is a full consideration of the risks they face and no one is sent into harm's way. This House has the important responsibility of ensuring that Canada's immigration and asylum systems reflect our values of compassion and fairness, while also meeting the needs of an evolving global context and addressing the pressures facing Canadians today.”
“Canada's pre-removal risk assessment process gives people a fair opportunity to submit evidence while ensuring that each case is deliberated with the seriousness that it deserves. The process is supported by a wealth of detailed data on country conditions and officers trained to evaluate risk with a high degree of expertise and sensitivity to individual circumstances. This underscores the importance of the pre-removal risk assessment process in maintaining Canada's strong history of refugee protection. The pre-removal risk assessment process also ensures that legislative changes made to our asylum system do not inadvertently expose individuals to harm. It acts as a backstop, allowing policy-makers to modernize and strengthen various aspects of our immigration framework while knowing that there is a fail-safe in place.”
“These could be, for example, political and economic upheaval, armed conflict or shifting social dynamics in a country. Similarly, personal circumstances, such as visibility in activism or family dynamics, can heighten the risk of harm should they return. The risk assessment ensures that these factors are thoroughly reviewed before any removal order is carried out. It is conducted by trained officers who carefully evaluate the credibility and significance of the evidence presented. This is a rigorous process rooted in a deep understanding of risk and refugee law. The importance of having such a process cannot be overstated. Without it, we would lack a critical safety net, and there would be risk of irreversible harm to individuals.”
“Individuals can request this risk assessment when they believe they have a well-founded fear of removal to a situation where they would face persecution, torture or other grievous harm, for example. This safeguard gives us confidence that reforms to our asylum system do not undermine our commitment to protecting the world's most vulnerable people. The risk assessment upholds Canada's obligations under international human rights and refugee conventions. It is a well-established mechanism that operates within a larger system today, providing an opportunity for those facing removal to demonstrate that they would be at risk of persecution or harm should they be removed. A risk assessment request might highlight information such as conditions in their home country or personal circumstances that make their return unsafe.”
“Under the legislation, the federal government would no longer refer claims to the Immigration and Refugee Board for an asylum claim decision for claims made more than one year after someone first arrives, after June 24, 2020, or claims made 14 or more days after someone enters Canada irregularly between border crossings. The amendments are designed to help protect our system against surges in claims, as well as people who want to use the asylum system to extend their stay in Canada when other mechanisms fail. They are not designed to turn away people with well-founded fear for their safety should they be returned to their home countries. In these instances, claims would be referred to the removal process, which includes the ability to seek a pre-removal risk assessment.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered today on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people. I rise today to speak about how the legislative amendments proposed in Bill C-12 would continue to uphold our humanitarian tradition and due process while focusing resources on those who need them and improving confidence in our asylum system. These amendments would strengthen and streamline Canada's asylum and immigration systems. They include new rules related not only to whose asylum claim can be referred to the Immigration and Refugee Board for a decision, but also how claims are received, processed and decided.”
“Madam Speaker, I am happy to welcome a new local newsroom serving Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster and Burnaby. It is called Freshet News, and its first edition went online on Sunday. Local news is not a luxury. It is how neighbours learn what councils have decided, what local sports team won the game and what small businesses recently opened. The launch follows a community effort to save local news after local newspapers closed. Four veteran reporters stepped forward with a plan to build trusted coverage. I thank Janis Cleugh, Cornelia Naylor, Mario Bartel and Theresa McManus for their leadership and service. Freshet News will value verification, reflect our diversity and ask tough questions to make public policy better. I welcome that scrutiny and will keep an open line. I congratulate Freshet News.”
“Mr. Speaker, these are very important considerations that we have to look at seriously right across the board. However, what we are dealing with today is the military justice system modernization act, and I think that is what we should focus on.”
“Mr. Speaker, we brought this bill forward to be passed, and we count on the support of all members of the House to do so. It is clear that all members value the importance of this bill and the need for it to pass. The bill that was introduced in the previous Parliament, as mentioned, was unable to be proceeded with because of the filibuster that went on, which basically brought Parliament to its knees. We intend and wish for this bill to be carried forward to fruition. We want to get it to committee and pass it with the necessary amendments and appropriate improvements.”
“Mr. Speaker, I 100% agree. We need to allow provincial governments to operate within their jurisdictions and do what they need to do. We can certainly support them to whatever extent we can, but let us focus on what we can do with this bill in the interim.”
“Mr. Speaker, while I do not dispute that those deficiencies exist, I think they are problems for another time and another bill. What we are focusing on now is the military justice system modernization act and how we deal with it in the military system. Let us focus on that. As we carry on and move into other areas, let us focus on those areas when we get to them.”
“The legislative changes proposed in Bill C-11 would play a critical role in helping us address several important recommendations regarding sexual misconduct and would enhance trust in the military justice system. I encourage all members of this House to come together to support this important piece of legislation.”
“We know that members of the Canadian Armed Forces are counting on us. As our government makes a generational investment in Canada's national defence, we know that we must invest in our people. The members of the Canadian Armed Forces are the foundation of Canada's national defence. Members have told us time and time again that they want to feel safe, protected and empowered to serve in a modern 21st-century workplace. External reviews of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces have also told us that we need to modernize the military justice system. That is precisely what we are doing in Bill C-11 , the military justice system modernization act.”
“These amendments seek to, among other things, first, modify the process for the appointment of the Canadian Forces provost marshal, the director of military prosecutions and the director of defence counsel services; second, expand the class of persons who are eligible to be appointed as a military judge to include non-commissioned members; and third, affirm the judge advocate general's respect for the independent authorities in the military justice system while exercising its superintendence of the administration of military justice. (1715) These amendments seek to strengthen trust in military justice authorities operating independently from the chain of command and to bolster the trust and confidence of Canadians in the military justice system. We are taking these recommendations seriously and moving quickly.”
“Since December 2021, all new Criminal Code sexual offence charges are now being laid in the civilian criminal justice system and no new Criminal Code sexual offence charges are being adjudicated in the military justice system. The Canadian Forces military police group is also leading a Criminal Code sexual offences operational framework working group with the Ontario solicitor general and Ministry of the Attorney General to develop a framework for the transfer of cases. Bill C-11 also addresses several recommendations from Justice Fish's third independent review of the National Defence Act. Bill C-11 would address eight recommendations from this review.”
“The Arbour report also outlined improvements for the military college system in recommendations 28 and 29. That is why, in December 2023, the minister announced the seven people appointed to the Canadian Military Colleges Review Board to review Canada's two military colleges. In March 2025, this board released its report, which included 49 recommendations covering a range of areas, including cost, governance and quality of training. As we see with Bill C-11 , which is being debated here today, we would also address the key aspects of recommendation 5 of the Arbour report by removing the CAF's investigative and prosecutorial jurisdiction over Criminal Code sexual offences committed in Canada.”
“The minister at the time appointed Madame Jocelyne Therrien as the external monitor who provides monthly progress reports to the minister on the implementation of the recommendations. She also provides biannual progress reports that are made available publicly. The minister also announced the implementation of recommendations 7 and 9, changes to the military grievance and harassment processes, in August 2023. With the implementation of these recommendations, any CAF member who has experienced sexual harassment, sexual misconduct or any other form of discrimination based on sex or gender while performing their duties can now choose to bring their complaint directly to the Canadian Human Rights Commission without first exhausting internal grievance and harassment processes.”
“This review was launched in April 2021 and led by former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour to examine harassment and sexual misconduct in the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as policies, procedures, programs, practices and culture, including in the military justice system itself. The final report was made public on May 30, 2022, and the minister at the time welcomed all 48 recommendations. When the final report was received, there were 17 recommendations for which implementation could be undertaken immediately. This included the implementation of recommendation number 48, appointing an external monitor to oversee the implementation efforts of the Arbour report's recommendations.”
“Overall, these reviews have helped define how DND and the CAF are undertaking changes to the military justice system and cultural evolution efforts. They have allowed for an impartial evaluation process, highlighting both the efforts that have fallen short and the barriers that still exist, and have made recommendations to improve. That is why today I will provide an overview of these independent external reviews and the progress that the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces have made to address their recommendations to date. I will begin with the independent external comprehensive review, also known as the Arbour report.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians have watched over the past few years as the Canadian Armed Forces has made significant efforts to modernize and evolve as a 21st century workplace. While much has been accomplished toward this goal, there is still much more to do. Proposed Bill C-11 is another critical step towards meaningful and lasting institutional reform. Bill C-11 focuses on strengthening trust and confidence in the military justice system. This would be the next step in the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces' efforts to address recommendations from independent reviews from former Supreme Court justices Fish and Arbour. These reports, and the more than 100 recommendations that stem from them, remain extremely important to our larger cultural change efforts.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-11 , the military justice modernization act. The Minister of National Defence has made it clear that Canada's new government is committed to ensuring the members of the Canadian Armed Forces have a workplace where all members feel supported, respected and included. Canadians have watched over the past few years as the Canadian Armed Forces has made significant efforts to organize—”
“Mr. Speaker, to me, what seems to underscore the very importance of the bill is the fact that certain issues could be separated from the military justice system and put into the civilian system. In some cases, for example, circumstances of sexual misconduct and other things of that sort could be directed directly to the Canadian Human Rights Commission without going through internal processes. I wonder what the member would say to that.”
“Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to mark Veterans' Week and Remembrance Day, young Canadians are learning about the invaluable contributions our Canadian Armed Forces have made around the world and here at home. How is the Minister of Veterans Affairs increasing youth engagement this year to help the next generation understand what it means to serve?”
“Mr. Speaker, Canadians across the country are preparing to mark the day of truth and reconciliation on September 30. This is an opportunity for us all to commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools and to honour survivors and their families. Can the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations share with us the importance of this day and how Canadians can do their part to address the legacy of the residential school system and advance reconciliation?”
“Mr. Speaker, our government will win the trade war thrust upon us, by making Canada an energy superpower, diversifying our exports and building the strongest economy in the G7, all while working with first nations rights holders. Selling our resources responsibly will generate revenues needed to deliver the programs Canadians rely on, while helping our allies shift away from higher-emissions fuel sources, and taking cards away from autocrats and giving them back to Canadians. It is a win-win. Can the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources share an update with the House about Canada's work to achieve these objectives?”
“Headed by former local reporters Janice Cleugh, Cornelia Naylor, Mario Bartel and Theresa McManus, it will create a new, reliable news outlet with the support of Unifor. Please join me to save our local news.”
“Mr. Speaker, as it is my first time rising in this Parliament, I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation and thanks to the people of Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam for electing me to a fourth term in this place. I am pleased about an important initiative in British Columbia, in the Lower Mainland, to save our local news. Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Burnaby, New Westminster, Anmore and Belcarra lost local news coverage when Glacier Media shuttered their papers. People no longer know what is happening in their council chambers, read news about their little league teams or learn about that new cookie shop downtown. Last week, I learned about the Save Our Local News campaign.”