Madam Speaker, I was listening to the remarks of the NDP member for Vancouver East, whom I served with on the opposite side in the B.C. legislature and now serve with here, and I must admit that a lot of what she had to say resonated with how we feel on the Conservative side, although we are not totally aligned.
I want to begin by thanking the residents of Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge and Mission for electing me for a third term. This is the first term I will be representing part of Mission. I share that responsibility with my colleague from Mission—Matsqui—Abbotsford. It is a privilege.
There were 13,000 more votes this election compared to the last election, and I attribute that to different things. Obviously, our leader is a very powerful spokesperson, but people are struggling economically in my communities, many people, and across Canada. A big concern is the rampant drugs and lawlessness sweeping our nation, which do not need to be taking place and were not prior to the Liberals being in power.
When I went door to door, I often asked people if they thought things had gotten better since the Liberals came to power in terms of the economy, prosperity, crime or in general. I would tell them that if they really felt that way, they should vote Liberal. However, I did not hear anybody tell me that things have gotten better. They have not gotten better at all. Things have gotten a lot worse.
With Bill C-2, the Liberals are trying to make it look like they are doing something about crime and the borders, but it is full of half measures, things they are overlooking and things they are getting wrong. Canadians are deeply concerned about the alarming upswing in violence that is shaking our communities. It weighs heavily on us, and there is such a dichotomy. My riding is in the Vancouver area. It is such a magnificent, beautiful area in the nation and the world to live in, yet what we are seeing happening in our streets at night throughout the land is totally out of sync. It should not be this way.
There have been horrific acts of violence that remind us of the urgent need to restore safety and security in our country. Think of the tragic Lapu-Lapu Day event in Vancouver, where 11 innocent lives were taken. It stands as one of the most devastating mass killings in our nation's history.
There have been senseless killings and violent crime in communities across the nation. They are not isolated incidents. They reflect a disturbing trend of violence that Canadians everywhere are feeling. Violent crime is up 50% since the Liberals have been in power, gang-related homicides are up 78%, sexual violations against children are up 118%, human trafficking is up 83% and sexual assaults are up 74%. In B.C., extortions are up 500%.
For generations, since the opening of the west, there was a real contrast between Canada and the U.S. in our minds in how we viewed Canada and how the world viewed Canada. Canada was known for peace, order and good government, with the RCMP going out on horseback to clean up places like Fort Whoop-Up in Alberta before it was formed as a province, which was filled with bandits and liquor smugglers.
When we compare what was in Canada then to the lawlessness in the States, that is no longer the case, which is terrible. People feel it. They tell me they are worried about walking in their neighbourhoods, about crime creeping closer to home and about whether or not their loved ones are truly safe. It is not the Canada we know and should accept.
Unfortunately, under the Liberal government, violent crime has gone up significantly. The facts speak for themselves. After nearly a decade in office, the Liberals have failed to prioritize public safety. Their soft-on-crime policies include reduced sentences for serious offenders and the erosion of accountability in our justice system, which have left communities vulnerable. Criminals are emboldened while victims and families are left behind.
The Conservatives take a different view. We believe that Canadians deserve to feel safe in their homes, their streets and their communities. That means ending catch-and-release bail policies that put dangerous repeat offenders back on the street. It means restoring tougher penalties for violent criminals and giving law enforcement the tools they need to do their jobs effectively. It means supporting families and communities as they heal from tragedies. We owe it to the victims in every community shaken by violence. The government needs to stand up for the innocent, hold violent offenders accountable and make public safety a true priority once again.
For over a decade, we have urged the Liberal government to reverse dangerous policies that have let violent criminals walk free. The Liberals have allowed our borders to become increasingly porous and have left our justice system in disarray. I know the Liberal member opposite said the Liberals put an extra $1 billion into border security, but the number of illegal immigrants going from Canada to the States is up 600% since they have been in power. We really do not keep good track of those coming from the States to Canada. Everybody is pretty much welcome. Look at Roxham Road.
Now, after years of ignoring the warning signals, after tens of thousands of Canadians have become victims of repeat violent offenders, the Liberals are scrambling. They have dropped Bill C-2, a bloated omnibus bill that tries to do too much and achieves too little where it matters most.
Let me be clear. The Conservatives are ready to support elements of this bill, but we are deeply concerned about several provisions that do not go far enough or go in the wrong direction.
What is the biggest failure of this bill? It is the failure to fix our broken bail system, the catch-and-release system. It is not just a phrase, but a dangerous reality that Canadians are facing in their cities. Criminals, including those charged with trafficking fentanyl, smuggling firearms or committing violent assaults, are being routinely released on bail, often within hours. In Vancouver, we saw the same 40 criminals arrested 5,000 times in one year. It is frustrating for police. They ask what the use of arresting people is.
The bill also fails to introduce mandatory prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers. It still allows house arrest for a shocking number of serious crimes, including some forms of sexual assault, kidnapping and human trafficking. It is too weak on crime and far too strong when it comes to government overreach.
We are extremely alarmed by the provisions in this legislation that threaten Canadians' civil liberties, provisions that could allow the government to open their mail without proper oversight. There are measures that allow authorities to compel Internet companies to hand over private data without a warrant. There is also concerning language about limiting the use of cash, which is vital to our seniors, small businesses and rural communities.
