Government Business No. 34—Proceedings on Bill C-62  Madam Speaker, I will start by saying how much I enjoyed working with the hon. member on the special joint committee, not just on this occasion but last year as well. He is well aware of this looming deadline. We need to focus on the issue at hand and get this bill passed. Any additional layers of discussion that we add to that could potentially impact our ability to get this bill through the House and through the Senate.

Government Business No. 34—Proceedings on Bill C-62  Madam Speaker, I really appreciate that question because it goes to the core of the reason we are moving this bill forward. If we do not get this bill through the House and if we do not get this bill through the other place, this law will take effect on March 17. That, then, triggers a situation where we have multiple jurisdictions that have made it very clear that they are not ready to proceed, but it will be the law of the land.

Government Business No. 34—Proceedings on Bill C-62  Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. It is a pleasure to speak today to Bill C-62. The bill proposes to extend the temporary mental illness exclusion, so that the provision of medical assistance in dying, or MAID—

Government Business No. 34—Proceedings on Bill C-62  Madam Speaker, I think it is my assistant calling me, telling me it is time to speak. She is very efficient. As I was saying, the bill proposes to extend the temporary mental illness exclusion, so that the provision of medical assistance in dying, or MAID, on the basis of mental illness alone would remain prohibited until March 17, 2027.

Oil and Gas Industry  Mr. Speaker, we share the same priorities, but allow me to illustrate my earlier point by sharing some of the investments that the Government of Canada has made in southern Ontario, where the member and I are both from. For example, we provided $3 million to Kitchener-based Kuntz Electroplating Inc. to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities, creating 45 new jobs in the automotive and EV industry and supporting the growing green economy.

Oil and Gas Industry  Mr. Speaker, I will return the compliment and say I find the member to be quite a reasonable individual, too. When it comes to our energy future, I would refer the member to the recent report of the International Energy Agency, which stated that global demand for oil and gas will continue in some form for decades, but overall demand for oil and gas will peak in this decade.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. As I noted, our government has made several investments to address hate crime in Canada. The $5-million expansion of the SIP, which I mentioned, includes programs in my riding and in other ridings across the country. Our government has acknowledged the realities of racism and prejudice in the country, something not all parties are prepared to do.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, everyone in this country has the right to live their life free from fear of attack or abuse because of who they are as an individual. Hatred that targets people based on race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability or any other personal characteristic is counter to Canadian values.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, I will agree with him insofar as the facts do not lie. Some people just have a problem interpreting them. The reality is that we have toughened the sentencing requirements for auto theft. We have improved and strengthened the bail system. We have improved the system in a way that is going to protect Canadians and keep them safe.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, as I have said already, this a problem that requires consultation with all the parties involved: industry, different levels of government and the law enforcement community. Slogans are not going to find a solution. Jenni Byrne has obviously been hired by the bumper sticker industry, and that is her pool over there for drafting them.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, as we all know, auto theft is a very serious problem in Ontario, in Quebec and across the country. It requires consultation with experts to find a proper solution, not slogans or simple criticism that does not really address the problem. Today, we had the auto summit.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, this is a serious issue that requires a serious response. It is not something that should be highlighted in a negative way in the House of Commons. The Liberal government has taken steps through Bill S-12, Bill C-3 and Bill C-51. We have taken serious measures to address sexual assault crimes, including sexual assault offenders being included on the sex offender registry.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the reason behind the motion is simple: It is politics. The Leader of the Opposition read something in the paper and thought, “Oh, here's something I can talk about and score a few political points”. Let us be honest. However, what more can be done is why we are convening this meeting on Thursday.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I would just say that there is no such thing as a no-name member in this House. However, anybody who stands in this House or outside this House and accuses any other member of being soft on crime is being disingenuous and it is disrespectful to the people who live in this country, because everybody in this House, regardless of political stripe, believes in law and order.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I think the member already knows where I stand on cutting police budgets. I disagree with any effort taken by a municipal government that will somehow limit or curtail the ability of the police forces to do their job. This is a serious problem, and we do not deny it is a serious problem, but serious problems require serious solutions, not slogans.