Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the constituents of Kelowna--Lake Country, it is a privilege and an honour to stand today in support of Motion No. 315, a motion to express this House's desire to add property rights to the Canadian Constitution, to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
This is an important issue and one that affects the lives of all Canadians. Therefore, I thank the member for Niagara West—Glanbrook for presenting this motion before the House.
This motion is about much more than expressing the need to entrench the rights of property in our Constitution. It is about securing our liberty and freedom as Canadians. As the great Nobel prizewinning economist, Friedrich von Hayek, once said that the system of private property “is the most important guaranty of freedom, not only for those who own property, but scarcely less for those who do not”.
Together as Canadians, we have created a great and proud society through our hard work and, with this government's sound economic management, we have built a society that is the envy of the world.
Despite these efforts, we must always be vigilant to protect our hard-earned freedoms and prosperity. That is what this motion is about, the right to one's property is a fundamental right in guaranteeing our liberties and freedoms.
As early as the 18th century, Adam Smith, the founder of economics, observed the connection between secure property rights and economic wealth. As he noted, it is only when individuals can expect their property rights can be protected and enforced that societies can generate wealth and higher standards of living for everyone.
The eminent philosopher, John Locke, echoed this sentiment by proclaiming that societies are founded on the need to protect property rights. As he wrote, “Property rights are among the highest values that governments should respect”.
It is time for Canadians to follow this sound advice.
Too often these days, we read about governments around the world that arbitrarily seize the property of those who would otherwise invest in their countries, undermining individual freedoms. This drives away investment and weakens international confidence in those societies. It happens there because governments are not restrained by laws restricting the arbitrary exercise of their power.
We in Canada are different. By protecting property rights once and for all in our Constitution, we will demonstrate to everyone that Canada is a country that values the rule of law and the sanctity of property.
By expressing the support of this House for entrenching property rights in the Constitution, we will join a community of nations that protect property as a fundamental right. This began in the United Kingdom through the Magna Carta of 1215 and the English Bill of Rights in 1689.
Our neighbours to the south do this through the fifth and the fourteenth amendment to the constitution of the United States. Our allies in Europe have also guaranteed property rights in the European Convention for the Protection Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
The right to property is supported by international law through article 17 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These highly respected instruments all protect the rights of property. It is now time to add Canada to this impressive list.
For these reasons, on behalf of my constituents of Kelowna--Lake Country, I will be supporting this motion, and I urge all members of this great House to stand up and be counted in favour of Motion No. 315. Together we can support hard-working Canadians by demonstrating the importance of protecting the fruits of their labour in our Constitution. It is time we as Canadians demonstrate our desire to guarantee the fundamental right of property in the supreme law of our land.