Mel Arnold
Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, British Columbia · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his speech and actually admitting in his words that we are in “a bit of a challenging time for our country.” His terminology for this may be a little bit off when we have seniors having to live in their vehicles because they cannot afford rent.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two more petitions. These two are on the Liberals' failing firearms confiscation program. With nearly a $1-billion price tag, barely a third of that program is going to actually compensate firearms owners, while the rest will go into bureaucracy.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the passing of long-time city councillor, regional district director and former chair Kevin Flynn. Kevin's leadership earned him the deep respect of the community he served so passionately, yet for all his dedication to public service, Kevin's greatest joy was his family.”
“Bill C-25 would create a wide open loophole through which foreign money could still be used by third parties for partisan activity, partisan advertising and election surveying.”
“Mr. Speaker, after 11 summers in the House, it is interesting to see what happens, typically, every year in June, under this government. The Liberals cannot manage their agenda throughout the entire year, so they fall so far behind.”
“In these times of global uncertainty, Canadians need our vigilance and actions more than at any other time. As I begin speaking to this bill, Bill C-25 , the strong and free elections act, I would like to thank all of the Elections Canada workers, from the electoral district returning officers to the poll workers, the volunteers and the e…”
The complete record
Every one of 219 lines we hold for Mel Arnold, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 5.
“Madam Speaker, the member has been part of Liberal governments for 10 years that are responsible for the crime, chaos and corruption on our streets. I was just reading an article from this week saying that 53% of Canadians fear for their safety because of crime, 56% avoid a certain area in their communities and 71% have lost faith and have no confidence in the justice system, which the secretary of state is responsible for. After 10 years of being with the Liberal soft-on-crime agenda and in that government, how can we trust the secretary now, saying that she is going to do something different?”
“I call on the government to hear the voices of Canadians who are living with a 55% increase in violent crime and want peace and security restored in their communities. Bill C-16 's proposed elimination of mandatory sentence requirements must be split and removed from the bill so that it may be thoroughly debated and allow the solid parts of Bill C-16 to proceed expeditiously for the safety of Canadians. I call on the government to listen once again to the voices of Canadians who oppose light sentences for serious and violent crimes, and split the bill so we can advance the solid parts and work on the elements that need to be reworked.”
“I am glad that the Liberal government has heard the calls of my hon. colleagues and incorporated these proposals in Bill C-16. These parts of the government's Bill C-16 are long overdue and are relevant to Canadians today. However, other components of Bill C-16 miss the mark because they simply do not go far enough to be relevant to the problems Canadians face today. For instance, Bill C-16 proposes to allow judges to ignore literally every mandatory prison sentence in the Criminal Code, other than murder and treason. The Liberals are trying to allow judges to ignore mandatory sentences for crimes such as aggravated sexual assault with a gun, human trafficking, multiple violence with firearms, extortion with a firearm, weapons trafficking, drive-by shootings and more.”
“Bill C-16 proposes to ban deepfakes of intimate partners, and this would help keep Canadians, especially women, safe from non-consensual intimate images being created and shared. Conservatives are glad that in Bill C-16 the government has adopted the proposal of Bill C-216 , which was sponsored by the Conservative member for Calgary Nose Hill . Bill C-16 also incorporates Bill C-216 provisions for establishing mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse material. This would help protect our children from despicable crimes and exploitation. In Bill C-16 , the government has also answered calls from my Conservative colleague, the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola , whose private member's bill proposed that murder of an intimate partner be automatically treated as first-degree murder.”
“Canadians count on parliamentarians to make Parliament work, and until the government passes Bill C-16 , I will continue to work to move my private member's bill toward completion, because these changes are worth pursuing through all avenues possible. Bill C-16 is an omnibus bill, and I think some proposed measures are long overdue but other clauses of the bill require amendments to be strengthened to deliver results and relief for Canadians facing real dangers. Here are some hard facts on the dangers Canadians, including my constituents in Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, are facing: Since 2015, human trafficking has increased 84%, sexual assaults are up almost 76% and violent crime is up almost 55%. Bill C-16 has incorporated other pieces of Conservative legislation that was drafted.”
“I am pleased that the Liberal government has finally recognized this as an issue and has chosen to prioritize my private member's bill's proposals by including them in Bill C-16 . This means that much-needed changes could happen sooner for Canadians. This is a good thing. (1325) Victims of crime and the people who advocate for them have stated for years that these measures are necessary, and I am glad the Conservative leadership has caused the government to finally adopt these proposals. What is important to me and to victims is that these measures get passed in order to ease the experience victims of crime have in dealing with corrections and parole processes.”
“Colin Carrie in the 44th Parliament. The legislative proposals of our bills are now included in a government bill, Bill C-16 . They were initially developed and advocated for by Ms. Lisa Freeman of Oshawa, Ontario. Ms. Freeman suffered a tragic loss when her father was brutally murdered. Then she endured years of dealing with Correctional Service Canada and the Parole Board while trying to keep track of the offender who murdered her father. Lisa Freeman's experience dealing with these government processes was painful and added to the burden she already carried. I thank Lisa Freeman for her determination and bravery in persevering through the pain and trauma of losing her father to fight for the measures that increase respect for victims of crime navigating government processes.”
“When Canadians are victimized by crime, they often carry psychological and emotional burdens for life. My private member's bill proposes common-sense, realistic measures aimed at reducing the stress victims experience in dealing with the parole and release processes of those who have victimized them. After six and a half years of Conservative efforts to pass these proposals into law, it is good to see that the government has finally acknowledged the merit and necessity of these proposals and included them in a government bill, Bill C-16 . My bill, Bill C-221 , follows three previous Conservative bills that carried the same proposal. Those bills were Bill C-466 , sponsored by the Hon. Lisa Raitt in the 42nd Parliament, Bill S-219 , sponsored by Senator Boisvenu in the 43rd Parliament, and Bill C-320 , sponsored by Dr.”
“Constructive discussion in Parliament can certainly lead to collaboration, and this can include the governing party adopting proposals from opposition members and including those proposals in government bills, as the government has done in Bill C-16 . On September 17, 2025, just last year, I tabled my private member's bill, Bill C-221 , an act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, disclosure of information to victims. Currently, victims of crime can request that they be informed of the eligibility dates and review dates for the temporary absence, release or parole of the offender who victimized them. My bill, Bill C-221, proposes that when the victims are provided with such dates, they are also provided with an explanation of how the dates were determined.”
“We spend a lot of time talking in this place because our forebears resolved to use words rather than swords and cannons to resolve disagreements, to establish consensus for common good and to deliver solutions for the citizens represented by every member of Parliament. Yes, Parliament can be raucous and adversarial, but we can never let the friction and heat deter us from the duties we owe the people of Canada: our duty to represent our constituents, and our duty to engage in discussion and discourse in this place, not for the sake of merely speaking or engaging in verbal scrums but to contribute to progress for the people.”
“Madam Speaker, I am honoured today to rise as the representative for Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies and speak to the government's Bill C-16 , an act to amend certain acts in relation to criminal and correctional matters. All of us have a solemn responsibility to provide representation and voice to those citizens who depend on us to do their bidding in Parliament. Canadians need us to see the challenges and dangers they face and to do our jobs to make necessary amendments to federal statutes in order to make life safer and more secure for Canadians. It is no coincidence that we are here in Parliament. The word “Parliament” was derived from an 11th-century Old French word, parlement , which means “discussion” or “discourse”, and from the French verb parler , which means “to talk”.”
“When will the government finally introduce legislation that will eliminate the industrial carbon tax, eliminate the fuel standard tax, boost competition at grocery chains and cut red tape for farmers?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said Canadians should judge him by the prices at the grocery store. Now, food prices are rising twice as fast since he took office. It will now take $17,000 to feed a family of four, $1,000 more than last year. A record 2.2 million Canadians are being forced to visit food banks in a single month, all because the Liberal industrial carbon tax is driving up costs for farm equipment, fertilizer and food processing. It is worse than the old carbon tax, with no rebate for Canadians. Even Liberals realize that families are struggling to put food on the table when basic grocery costs are rising 5% to 25% year over year.”
“Madam Speaker, the member spoke about bringing electric vehicles into Canada in his speech. I spoke with a car dealer last week who told me that his manufacturers have told him that they are not going to pay the surcharge that will be put on non-EVs. They will just not send them to Canada once the quotas—”
“All of these pieces of government legislation have restricted the opportunity, the wealth and the prosperity that Canadians could be enjoying, rather than having to rely on the food banks and school food programs that the government spouts as being the solution for everything, when people would rather be able to afford their own groceries.”
“Madam Speaker, it is a new riding name, but I have been through four elections to reach this place four different times now, and I thank the voters in Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies for sending me here again. I have a really simple question for the member opposite: What is it that he and his government have against releasing Canadian resources, and releasing Canadian people to develop those resources, to make Canada the country that we can be? Every piece of legislation that I have seen from the government over the past 10 years restricts Canadians from getting our resources to market, including Bill C-48 , the tanker ban, and Bill C-69 .”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians he should be judged by prices at the grocery store. Food bank visits have increased up to 80% in B.C. The Kamloops Food Bank had almost 74,000 visits last year, and the number keeps growing. Now donations are dropping and food banks are reducing service areas to remain sustainable, cutting off rural areas from support. When will the Liberals cut their inflationary spending, their industrial carbon tax and their new fuel tax so Canadians can afford to eat?”
“Mr. Speaker, I noted that the Minister of International Trade was talking about great things to come. I want to take him to things as they are right now. We have trade agreements in place, but they are not being enforced. For example, chicken producers in my riding of Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies are asking why the government continues to allow the U.S. to send 115% of its spent fowl production to Canada. Part of that 115% is mislabeled, shipped to Canada, relabelled and then sold as broiler meat, which is in competition with Canadian producers. Why is this allowed to happen?”
“Mr. Speaker, people all the way from Golden in the Rockies, through the Shuswap and right through to Kamloops have told me that the current Liberal government is worse than the last for its projected deficits. Canadians are now going to be paying more in debt service costs than we are going to be spending on health care transfers. This is like racking up credit card debt to the point where one cannot afford the monthly essentials like health care. How can the member opposite look people in the eye, especially young people, and tell them, “It's okay; your generation and future generations are going to have to pay back the debt that we are taking from you right now”?”
“Madam Chair, the member for Cariboo—Prince George has been passionate about this. He has been hammering on this for over 10 years now. I recall being in the chamber in the other building when the trade minister at that time spoke of a framework within 100 days. We are now 106 months past that promise. I would like to have the member for Cariboo—Prince George explain further why this is so important, not just for the individual jobs that are at stake here but to the entire communities that rely on those jobs and the spinoff jobs.”
“Madam Chair, I met with lumber workers this morning, representing mill town workers from Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, from Golden, Sicamous and Salmon Arm all the way to Kamloops. They are concerned about the jobs already lost and the jobs that are on the line. They talk about a Prime Minister who says, “Who cares?” I would like to hear from the leader of the official opposition as to why we should care. It is not just the jobs in the mills themselves but all the others who are reliant on them as well.”
“Madam Speaker, I thank the parliamentary secretary for his comments, and I appreciate everyone here today, and the people back home, listening. I am not speaking just for myself; I am speaking for the thousands of victims out there. I can manage. Members can tell it is emotional for me, but there are others who, I think, struggle with it far more than I do. It is for them that we as parliamentarians must see the bill through to completion as soon as possible.”
“Madam Speaker, that was a thoughtful question. I believe that having the release of the information automatically happen might also impose on victims' rights, or that some victims may not want to know. To have it mandatorily imposed on them may cause more problems for some. I do not think it would be a great burden for them to sign up, and if the bill passes, at least they would be provided with the details of the reasons for the decisions.”
“Now, in the 45th Parliament, every parliamentarian is faced with a new opportunity to once again listen to the voices of victims and to move the proposals forward for the benefit of victims of crime in all 343 constituencies represented in the House. I wholeheartedly believe in the bill, and I hope that every member of the House, the members of the committee that would study the bill, and the members of the other chamber will once again recognize the merit of this bill, Bill C-221 . In this 45th Parliament, let us hear the voices of victims and act on their behalf, as we did in the 44th Parliament.”
“I have brought the proposals of the bill back to the current Parliament for the many victims of crime across Canada who live with the burden of being victims of crime. When the proposals of the bill were debated and examined in the last Parliament, victims' rights advocates provided compelling testimony detailing how the passage of the proposals could support victims of crime, victims who already carry burdens. In the last Parliament, MPs and senators heard the voices of victims and afforded the proposals unanimous support, which carried the proposals very close to completion. The 44th Parliament came to an end.”
“(1745) It is a pub that was built by an individual who only a few years earlier had killed my brother while driving impaired. My brother Rick was 17 when he was killed 47 years ago, and it still pains me every time I drive past that place that was built by the man who killed him. My mother and father, and the rest of our family, paid the great price of losing Rick, and we never knew or understood how the person who took his life was released and seemingly continued his life as if nothing had happened. I have never spoken about this pain before, not even to family. Across Canada there are victims of crime who live in fear of the release of the criminal who has already caused much suffering and loss, and when the release occurs, victims are not provided with the reasons for the release.”
“Crimes, especially those that cause the loss of human life, have a ripple effect, like how a stone thrown in a pond creates ripples that emanate from the point of impact outward in all directions. There are many Canadians whose lives have been forever changed by emotional harm caused by criminal acts, especially crimes that take the life of a loved one. I am one of those Canadians. I have a sense of the stress, anxiety and fear that victims like Lisa Freeman, her family and others in similar situations experience when they are not provided an explanation as to why the individual who has traumatized their life forever is released. I have that sense of understanding because every time I have to drive past a local pub only a few kilometres from my home, I experience it.”
“They deserve to have their voices heard within the justice system and to know the reasons behind release or parole. By providing victims of offenders more advanced information about crucial eligibility and review dates, this bill is aimed at providing the clarity and transparency that victims seek. This legislation also lets victims know that we, as their elected representatives, hear them. As I mentioned earlier, the proposals in this bill were inspired by and advocated for by Ms. Lisa Freeman, who was victimized when her father was brutally murdered. Ms. Freeman suffered the exact kind of emotional harm that the Corrections and Conditional Release Act cites in defining the word “victim”.”
“This bill is important because it proposes to increase a victim's understanding of corrections and conditional release. Under current federal law, victims who share their contact details with the Correctional Service of Canada or the Parole Board of Canada and who fulfill the legal definition of victim are entitled to specific information about those responsible for harming them. This information includes key dates indicating when offenders may be eligible for review and release. Should this bill pass, it would amend the law to ensure that victims know when offenders could be released and, importantly, are provided the reasons for how officials determined the eligibility dates. Victims of crime and their families seek clarity and transparency.”
“That act defines a victim as follows: an individual who has suffered physical or emotional harm, property damage or economic loss as the result of the commission of the offence; By this definition, a victim is not just the person or persons who have directly suffered physical or emotional harm, property damage or economic loss as a result of a crime. People who suffer emotional harm are also victims. When a criminal offence results in the taking of a life, yes, the individual whose life is taken is a victim, but the suffering mentioned in the definition of a victim in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act does not end with the one who loses their life. The suffering includes those who experience emotional harm because of criminal behaviour. They are also victims.”
“When the 44th Parliament was dissolved last March, Bill C-320 died on the Order Paper, ending its path, but I have chosen to bring these proposals back because they need to be passed. (1740) The bill we are examining today, Bill C-221 , contains the same proposals as Bill C-320 did in the last Parliament. I hope that members of both Houses may once again support these worthy proposals and work collaboratively and unanimously, as we did in the last Parliament, to move them to completion in this 45th Parliament. Bill C-221 is aimed at supporting victims of crime. As such, it is important to expand on what is meant when we speak of victims of crime. This bill seeks to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.”
“Carrie's bill in the last Parliament as a member of his staff and will also be speaking to Bill C-221 today. I understand she will provide more context of Ms. Freeman's experiences, which were the original inspiration for the proposals in this bill. I thank her for her contributions and for being the seconder of the bill today. In the last Parliament, Dr. Carrie's Bill C-320 progressed to a very advanced stage in the legislative process, with unanimous support at all stages of review by both Houses. In the last Parliament, Bill C-320 passed committee review in the other place and was reported back to that chamber December 17, 2024, which was the last day the 44th Parliament was convened.”
“Carrie was inspired to champion the proposals in our bills by the tragic events and pained experiences of a constituent of his, Ms. Lisa Freeman, whose father Roland Slingerland was brutally killed in Oshawa in 1991. Ms. Freeman's experiences were truly tragic. From the murder of her father, numerous bail procedures and the eventual release of her father's murderer, Ms. Freeman experienced years of stress, anxiety and pain, some of which was caused by her uncertainty over the status of the man who murdered her father. We as parliamentarians must examine the experiences of victims of crime like Ms. Freeman and resolve to support legislative proposals that reduce the stress, anxiety and other burdens that victims of crime live with. Another hon. colleague, the new member for Oshawa , worked on Dr.”
“Governments are meant to be led and administered by representatives chosen by Canadians. It is important that Canadians be provided explanations of why decisions are made and how they are made. Transparency and accountability are core principles of our democracy, and the bill we debate today seeks to enhance the application of these essential principles, specifically for the benefit of those victimized by crime. I am honoured to be the sponsor of Bill C-221 , which contains proposals identical to those in bills introduced in previous Parliaments. The proposals in this bill were proposed in the 44th Parliament by my friend and former colleague Dr. Colin Carrie, who served as the hon. member for Oshawa for over 20 years. Dr.”
“They look to Parliament and every member of this House and the other chamber to work collaboratively to deliver meaningful results for Canadians. What kinds of results do Canadians want? When I speak to the good people of Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, I am told that citizens want affordability, opportunity, conservation, safety and security. For safety and security, Canadians want laws and regulations that effectively denounce and deter crimes, and Parliament has work to do in this regard. Our fellow Canadians also tell me that they want transparency and accountability in government. When Parliament or a government entity makes a decision that directly impacts the lives of citizens, citizens appropriately expect transparency and accountability in how the decision was determined.”
“moved that Bill C-221, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (disclosure of information to victims) , be read the second time and referred to a committee. Bill C-221. Second reading He said: Madam Speaker, I rise today as the member for Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, and I thank my constituents for the trust they have vested in me to represent our region, which is blessed with a rich history and endless splendour. Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies would not be the great region it is if not for the citizens who call the region home. I am honoured to be their voice and advocate here in Parliament. Canadians invest their trust in us, and they expect and deserve a return on that investment.”
“Instead, the costly credit card budget is increasing debt burdens for present and future generations. My Conservative colleagues and I will continue to fight for the balance that Canadians need and deserve.”
“Mr. Speaker, last week, across Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, there was overwhelming attendance at cenotaphs and community gatherings honouring the service and sacrifices, past and present, of Canada's men and women of the Canadian Forces. The record attendance demonstrated that we will remember them, not just on November 11, but always. In connecting with people last week, I also heard their challenges in facing increasing costs in everything from groceries to housing and simply getting to work. Canadians face challenges because the government refuses to balance affordable taxation with efficient delivery of services. People repeatedly shared that they are not seeing balances, because they are sending more in tax dollars and receiving less in service. Budget 2025 was a chance to rebalance the fiscal scale.”
“As I stated, in my experience in the marine sector, I have witnessed boats being sold, re-sold, and re-sold to the point where it is impossible to find one's way back to who originally owned the vessel. I believe the answer to that is in the recommendations in the Conservative supplemental report that I mentioned earlier in my speech, and that would be to place the onus on the seller to simply report the sale of the vessel. (1905) By placing the onus on the buyer, they take on a liability by reporting the purchase, the first liability being taxes. I have witnessed that. As a vessel buyer, if they register a vessel, the first thing that happens is they get a letter from the tax collector to make sure provincial taxes and the GST have been paid. It is a deterrent for buyers to report the sale.”
“Would the proposal establish an obligation, responsibility or duty for persons who witness a disposal occurring to intervene? For instance, if a recreational boater witnesses the disposal of a substance coming from a commercial cargo vessel in an area described, and that boater does not intervene, is that boater allowing the disposal by not intervening? Again, today's debate is the preliminary stage of the bill's progression in the legislative process. I hope the sponsor, my hon. colleague, can further illuminate the proposals of the bill that he has sponsored. There are many questions I have about the bill as it moves forward, if it moves forward past the second reading stage.”
“From my previous occupation in the marine sector, I have seen the root causes for failures of the existing vessel registration system, which the government has failed to correct in any of the changes they have attempted over the years. This is the first hour of second reading, and I know that we have more debate ahead of us, so I hope the hon. member might be able to provide some clarity on these points. Clause 2 of the bill states, “No person or ship shall dispose or allow the disposal of a substance in an area of the sea referred to in any of paragraphs 122(2)(a) to (e) unless”. Regarding the part of the proposal that states “or allow the disposal of a substance”, it is unclear to me what kind of scenarios this proposal seeks to prohibit.”
“Does the sponsor of the bill envision sellers of vessels requesting financial statements from the prospective buyers or enforcement officials pressing the seller of a vessel as to whether the seller had compelled a buyer to produce financial statements demonstrating the means to care for the vessel in question? What about in an online auction sale, a more and more common channel for the sale of used vessels? For what length of time would the liability exist for the seller? How long would it go on after the sale? I would also like to hear from my colleague who has sponsored the bill, who I know has a background in law, whether the proposals of clause 3 would be best delivered as a legislative or regulatory change.”
“I appreciate the intention of the bill, which I believe to be the prevention of pollution. That is an objective that we can all hopefully agree is worthwhile. However, I do have questions regarding the proposals of clause 3 that I just quoted. For instance, how can a person who is transferring a vessel determine if the person acquiring the vessel is fit to care for the vessel? Similarly, in enforcement, how could the applicable enforcement authorities determine and prove that someone transferred ownership to someone unfit to care for a vessel knowing that or was reckless as to whether the person who acquired the vessel was unfit to care for it?”
“(1900) Since then, the Liberal government has taken additional steps to expand the application of this essential principle but, as I stated, when it comes to derelict and abandoned vessels, enforcement officials must know who the culpable party is before they can make a polluter pay. I certainly hope this blind spot for enforcement authorities is quickly dealt with in an effective manner. Clause 3 of the bill proposes a prohibition related to the transfer of vessel ownership, specifically: It is prohibited for an owner of a vessel to transfer ownership of it to a person, if the owner knows that — or is reckless as to whether — the person lacks the ability, resources or intent to maintain, operate or dispose of the vessel in a manner that prevents it from becoming wrecked, abandoned or hazardous.”
“The principle of polluter pays is essential to the sound policy to protect our environment, especially our waters and aquatic habitats. In 2015, the Harper government formally established the polluter pays principle in legislation, through the Pipeline Safety Act, which enshrined the principle in law. The government also incorporated the polluter pays principle into other legislation, such as the Energy Safety and Security Act and international agreements. Conservatives also strengthened the polluter pays principle for the marine environment by introducing legislative and regulatory amendments for enhancing Canada's domestic ship-source oil pollution fund.”
“Testimony that FOPO received from Transport Canada officials stated that regulatory changes related to the requirements for registering a transfer of vessel ownership are pending, but it is unclear what those changes will be. Will the regulatory amendments place the onus to report the transfer of vessel ownership on the buyer or on the seller of a vessel? This is a very important question, because if the current owner of a vessel that is causing pollution or poses a threat to polluting waters cannot be identified, it is impossible to enforce laws and regulations that uphold the polluter pays principle, which is the current principle in federal statutes aimed at preventing and prohibiting pollution of our waters.”
“Transport Canada operates a pleasure craft licence database, but transfers of ownership are not consistently reported to that database, so a vessel can change hands, sometimes multiple times, and the Transport Canada database does not reflect the changes in ownership if the transfers are not reported and the new owners fail to register vessels after purchase. This causes a major blind spot for enforcement of the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act and regulations that flow from the act. Laws and regulations are in place, but enforcement of the laws and regulations is not possible when the current owner of a vessel cannot be identified.”
“The study was initiated in the 44th Parliament. During the study, multiple witnesses, including government officials, described difficulties in dealing with derelict and abandoned vessels, DAVs, because authorities are unable to identify the current owners of vessels. I encourage everyone to read the report in order to better understand the challenge of DAVs, and I especially encourage them to read the Conservative supplemental report, which contains recommendations for a workable solution to the vessel registry issue.”
“Protecting Canada's waters and aquatic habitats is a priority that my constituents across Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies and I share with Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Having spent decades working with grassroots conservation organizations, I have experienced first-hand the value and importance of our waters. They are essential for aquatic species and wildlife, for biodiversity and for all Canadians who depend on fisheries and marine resources for food, livelihood and recreation. Our waters are also essential to our survival, and conserving our pristine waters is a priority we all can agree on. As I mentioned, the sponsor of the bill and I serve on the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, FOPO. On October 22, 2025, our committee tabled a report on the issue of derelict and abandoned vessels.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today as the representative for Kamloops—Shuswap—Central Rockies, a riding that stretches from the continental divide in Yoho National Park, through the lakes and highlands of the Shuswap, to the grasslands of Kamloops. Today I rise to speak to Bill C-244 , an act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act. I thank the sponsor of the bill, the hon. member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country , for bringing it forward. I have the pleasure of serving on the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans with the hon. member, and I know that marine protection is a matter that is important to him and to the Canadians he represents.”