Debates of Oct. 21st, 2024

RCMP Allegations Concerning Foreign Interference from the Government of India

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my esteemed colleague from Mississauga—Malton.

On June 18, 2023, a community leader from my riding of Surrey—Newton, Mr. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was brutally assassinated outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, Surrey-Delta, which is also in my constituency. This shocking act has severely affected Sikh Canadians across the country.

At that time, many in the community alleged that this heinous crime was coordinated by the Government of India. In September 2023, the Prime Minister stood in this House and addressed members, stating that there is credible information linking the Government of India to Mr. Nijjar's assassination.

In recent years we have witnessed a disturbing rise in serious crimes targeting Sikh Canadians and others from the South Asian community, leaving many feeling anxious and unsafe. Last week the commissioner of the RCMP confirmed long-held suspicions within the community, that agents of the Government of India have engaged in activities that pose significant threats to our public safety, including threats of violence and murder.

The RCMP has obtained evidence that proves four very serious issues, including violent extremism; links tying agents from the Government of India to homicides and violent acts; the use of organized crime to create a perception of an unsafe environment targeting Sikh Canadians and others from the South Asian community; and interference into our democratic processes.

Although the RCMP and national security officials have sought the collaboration of the Government of India on this matter, it has repeatedly refused to co-operate. The RCMP provided evidence to Indian officials indicating that six agents of the Government of India are persons of interest in these criminal activities, yet despite multiple requests, Indian officials have opted not to co-operate.

As a result, the Minister of Foreign Affairs took significant action by issuing deportation notices for those six individuals, ensuring they can no longer act as diplomats in Canada or re-enter our country.

The evidence presented by the RCMP cannot be overlooked. This is why our government has acted swiftly to try to disrupt criminal activities that continue to threaten public safety in Canada. Every Canadian deserves to feel safe. Canada is a nation built on diversity, peace and inclusion. We cannot and will not tolerate hate and violence. Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians feel secure in their own country. This situation raises serious questions about international relations and highlights our core values of justice, democracy and the rule of law.

As Canadians, we take pride in our commitment to human rights and the principles of freedom and safety for all, regardless of background or beliefs. The credible allegations regarding the Government of India's involvement in violence and intimidation against Canadians are troubling and require our full attention.

I have listened to the fears of many Canadians, including the residents of Surrey—Newton. When I go with my hon. colleague and dear friend from Surrey Centre to talk to the community, we get one message: Community members are anxious about their safety and well-being.

It is heartbreaking to hear their stories. I personally know of many individuals who have been targets of extortion in which money, services or information has been demanded through threats and intimidation. This not only impacts the victims but also tarnishes the image of Sikh communities in Canada.

Victims of extortion experience psychological trauma, financial loss and a sense of insecurity. The effects can lead to the breakdown of trust within diaspora communities, as fears may deter individuals from speaking out or seeking help. It is imperative that if anyone feels threatened, whether online or in person, they report the incidents to the police.

Since 1984, the democratic and human rights of Sikhs have been undermined globally, including right here in Canada. Many Sikhs have lost their lives in India and around the world. We must emphasize the importance of unity during these challenging times. It is crucial that we come together to condemn these heinous acts and uphold the principle of the rule of law. Our shared values demand that we address these threats head-on, supporting those affected and advocating for justice.

Canada is founded on justice, fairness and inclusivity. Let us uphold these values and ensure they prevail in the face of adversity.

In conclusion, let us stand united as a nation that values justice and human rights. We must support the ongoing investigations with integrity and transparency, ensuring that the truth prevails. Together we can reaffirm our commitment to a Canada that protects the rights and dignity of all citizens, fostering a society where everyone can live freely and without fear.

There is one other thing that bothers me, and I am hearing day in and day out from my constituents that every other leader in the House of Commons from every party, Bloc, NDP, Liberal and Green, all four of them, have taken their security clearance and looked at the evidence so they can come together, united, to work as a team and take action against the foreign government. There is only one leader, the leader of the Conservative Party, who is not taking that security clearance.

The word out there is that if he takes that security clearance and looks at that evidence, then he certainly would have to stand with other leaders and defend Canada instead of being on the side of India. That is the message the leader of the Conservative Party, the leader of the official opposition, is sending, and some of the members of his caucus are defending him.

I feel ashamed, and in fact they should be feeling ashamed as well with respect to what the Sikh community is facing, as some of them belong to the Sikh community. I would request the Leader of the Opposition to take the oath for security clearance and come up with the support shown by every other leader to protect Canadians and their safety.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for some of the things that he outlined in that discourse.

One of the ways that we would be able to hold hearings and get more information for Canadians about foreign interference would be if we did have a Canada-India committee struck, similar to the Canada-China committee on which I sit at the moment. Why has the Liberal Party chosen not to support the formation of such a committee, a committee that could do that very important work that we know needs to happen to reassure Canadians that foreign interference is not affecting democracy in this country?

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I want to be clear that I did not oppose this motion that came forward. The other thing is that we have full faith in our RCMP and the work that the RCMP is doing. We do not want that work to be jeopardized. I certainly can assure the hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona that I will stand together for anything and everything to protect Canadians and their safety.

[Parm Bains, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my dear friend and colleague from Surrey—Newton for all his hard work in bringing light to this issue. As we heard from the Prime Minister during his testimony, it is important for members across this House from the South Asian diaspora to bring these issues forward and raise them so that we can get to the bottom of many of these issues.

What else has the member heard on the ground in terms of the efforts that have been made by the RCMP to combat some of these threats. How has the community been reporting these incidents and how have they been met?

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Steveston—Richmond East for his inspiration. He always inspires me to do good in the communities.

With respect to the community, in Surrey we go together as a team, the hon. member for Surrey Centre and I, and we go and talk to the Sikh community. In fact, the members of the community appreciate the leadership that our Prime Minister has shown. They also appreciate the work that the RCMP has done and continues to do. That is what I am hearing on the ground.

One other thing I am hearing on the ground is that people want the leader of the official opposition, the leader of the Conservative Party, to take similar leadership and come together as a team player alongside the leaders of the other parties to protect Canadians and send a clear message to India and other nations that are intervening in our sovereignty and are playing with the lives of Canadians that we are united to protect Canadians and their safety.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, first of all, I want to thank the member for raising so many of these important issues. In Edmonton, we have seen examples of extortion being used as well, which is something many Edmontonians and many Canadians across the country are very worried about.

One of the issues that I have focused on as the foreign affairs critic for the NDP has been the way that the Arms Trade Treaty is being enforced. Right now, in this country, it is very difficult to know what arms being sent to different countries. There is not a lot of transparency. It is much less transparent than in many other countries, including in the United States. One of the things I wonder about is the arms transfers to India right now, as we do not know.

I know that the member is an expert, and I would like to get his perspective. Does he believe that Canada should still be sending arms to the Modi government, knowing that the Modi government has used genocidal language and that it has committed human rights abuses against its own people and against minority groups?

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona for her question and for the work that she does on human rights issues, which is unparalleled, and I have to give her the credit.

When it comes to human rights, whether it is at home or around the globe, our government and our Prime Minister take human rights very seriously. We make sure that we do everything, including in the trade of firearms or weapons that we send to other countries, to make sure that we are not doing that with countries that do not protect human rights.

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Madam Speaker, it was a little over a year ago when I rose in this very chamber and called on all Canadians to unite. It was earlier that week when the Prime Minister stood in this House to tell all Canadians that our security agencies had been actively pursuing allegations of a link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen. Since that time, much has taken place. I wish now to speak to all Canadians once more.

Last week the RCMP announced that it had indeed found evidence that agents of the Government of India are actively involved in a network of criminal activity here in Canada, including homicide, extortion, organized crime and interference in our democratic process, a network of crime that could even mean the involvement of some of India's highest-ranking diplomats.

In the RCMP's own words, an “extraordinary situation” compelled the RCMP to speak about an ongoing investigation. Despite law enforcement action over the past year, harm has continued to emanate from agents of the Government of India, so much so that the RCMP reached a pivotal point at which it had to confront that government and inform the public here of its very serious findings.

Let me be clear: The security of Canadians is our top priority. Our justice system will be relentless in holding accountable those persons who seek to harm any Canadian, regardless of their position or proximity to power, because the stakes could not be higher. It is clear that what occurred last year was not an isolated incident, and we continue to learn about the extent of the interference still. It is a culture of intimidation, endangering those in our communities. It is stunningly brazen interference in our democratic process, and in the worst of cases, it has manifested itself, as we have learned, in the deaths of fellow citizens.

The allegations levied against the Indian government, backed by evidence, demonstrate that we will not tolerate acts of violence. We will not tolerate efforts to retaliate against Canadians for simply exercising their constitutionally protected rights. These acts are a great example of the increased violent transnational repression that is targeting diaspora communities in Canada.

The core of the message that I seek to deliver today is the same that I delivered last September. It is our sovereignty, plain and simple, that is at stake, and defending it wholeheartedly requires all of us to set aside our differences.

Now, more than ever, is the time to stand by our law enforcement. I want to express my deep gratitude to those in the RCMP and across security agencies who have been working tirelessly to not only protect Canadians across this country but who have also been at the vanguard in the fight to defend Canadian sovereignty in doing so.

I want to be clear in the House that in this age, we condemn violence and terrorism as political tools. Canadian citizens, regardless of where they come from, must never be prevented from the free and peaceful expression of their opinions and concerns. It does not matter what those opinions and concerns are; that is freedom of expression, an idea so foundational to our democracy that it finds itself enshrined in our Constitution, not just as words on parchment but in the ideals we live by.

Any democracy can and must defend the rights of its people to gather, to speak and to protest, through peaceful means, within the laws of the land. That is the fundamental liberty of our people. I ask this of the chorus of cynics who stand ready to point fingers: If not this, then what?

In any other system, those in power would only repress those on the periphery. Those in the centre would keep those on the sidelines at the sidelines, as has happened for centuries. In the House, we must recognize the role we play as parliamentarians and as Canadians. Whether it is confronting difficult truths or challenging our long-held beliefs, defending our sovereignty deserves nothing less than our full commitment. It is unconscionable that any member of the House would willingly wear a blindfold rather than do right by Canadians. That is shameful. We, the citizens of this country, through our Constitution, have the right to hold whatever views we wish, to think what we want and to say what we think. Our fundamental liberties are the core tenets of our Canadian experience. They have guided us from the earliest days of our nation's founding, and they will guide us to brighter days ahead. I am sure of this.

A year ago, I called on all Canadians to unite, saying that, although our heritage could vary, our destiny would be common. I once again call on Canadians to close rank. Our democracy will only endure when we have set aside our differences in service of a greater purpose: to protect the sacred right to hold an opinion, to say what we want and to do it without reprisal. That is foundational to our highest creed, and we can only endure when this creed endures.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his heartfelt speech this evening. I have heard from members, from individuals across Canada, who have expressed the fear that they feel. They are worried about how to talk to their children and spouses about the violence they are threatened with. They feel that their community has been targeted and that they are at risk every single day. We have seen extortion happening across the country. Obviously, we have seen violence, including alleged murder.

Some of the members of the community, such as Canadians from coast to coast to coast who are part of the Sikh community, are experiencing such violence against them. They know that there is a leader of an official party in the House of Commons who will not get a security clearance. They know he is choosing to ignore the pain they are suffering and what they are going through. Could the member speak a little bit about how it must feel or how he would assume it would feel for those members of the community?

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Madam Speaker, in fact, that is a conversation I have had with my own family, in terms of what this means. Many deep-seated fears were realized when, last year, the Prime Minister stood in this very House, not too far from where I am standing now, and declared that there is evidence to show that agents of the Government of India have done some very bad things in this country to repress Canadians. It is even more shameful that the leader of the Conservative Party refuses to get security clearance so that he can know the names of the individuals in his own party who are compromised and remove those people. He has full liberty to do so. That is exactly what I hope to see from the Leader of the Opposition.

[Parm Bains, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Mississauga—Malton for his passionate speech and concern for the community. Does he see the Indian state-led media taking advantage of the fact that we are not showing a united front here, not only in the House of Commons but from across the bench.

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his work and advocacy on this file, as well as for the question he just posed.

Immediately after the Prime Minister stood in the House last year and again when he stood last week to indicate the news about the agents of the Government of India, we saw deflection and denial from Indian state media and, in fact, all Indian media. It is so coordinated. One cannot call it misinformation; it is disinformation. The fact is that they are denying and deflecting, and they are not treating credible allegations seriously.

I implore the Indian government and its officials to go over the evidence. India is also a “rule of law” country and has a legal system that is very similar to ours. I implore them to look at the evidence, and I implore the Indian media to paint a fair picture of it.

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Edmonton Mill Woods, AB]

Madam Speaker, my Liberal colleague has explained how agents of the Indian government have been taking part in organized crime in this country.

In the last nine years, under the Liberal government, the policies of the country have been changing. It is much softer on crime; it is easier to get bail. Violent crime has been increasing in Canada, and murders are up. Every type of crime statistic is up in Canada.

Does he believe this has made it any easier for foreign nations, such as India, to conduct organized crime and violent activities here in Canada?

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Madam Speaker, my colleague is very quick to react to the past nine years, but I implore him to look at the years in which he was in government, when he was a minister. Then, there was a lack of investment in our police service and in our security agencies.

It is our Prime Minister—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

May I remind some hon. members that, while they were speaking, nobody was heckling.

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Madam Speaker, when the member was a minister, there was a severe lack of funding for security agencies and for police agencies in this country.

It is our Prime Minister who set up NSIRA and NSICOP. He has stood in the House and declared that he was for Canada, for Canadians and for protecting their fundamental freedoms. That is our Prime Minister.

[Arpan Khanna, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Madam Speaker, the news we heard last week from the RCMP was extremely concerning and must be taken seriously. I want to be very clear when it comes to this: Any foreign interference from any country, including India, is unacceptable and must be stopped.

Our government's first job is to ensure that Canadians stay safe and that their livelihoods are protected. No Canadian should feel unsafe living in our country or feel unsafe because they are getting foreign threats. We expect a full criminal prosecution of everyone who has threatened, murdered or otherwise harmed Canadian citizens.

As a country, we need to ensure that we do every single thing possible and necessary to protect Canadians, our democracy and our sovereignty. However, over the years, under the Liberal-NDP government and with the current Prime Minister in charge, we have seen a failure to protect Canadians. We have seen the government and the Prime Minister fail to protect our democracy and our sovereignty.

Back in 2015, while working in the previous Conservative government, it would have been unheard of for foreign governments not only to threaten Canadians and their lives but also to go after them and take their lives. That never happened before, under our Conservative government. However, the Prime Minister has allowed foreign interference to run rampant in our communities and our country. He has dragged his feet and made things worse by bringing in soft-on-crime laws. We have seen the bills the Liberals brought in, such as Bill C-75 and Bill C-5; these catch-and-release bail policies are soft on criminals and hard on victims. These laws send a signal to criminals in other countries that we do not take this stuff seriously in our country. It sends a signal that organized crime can run freely in our country and that the criminals have more rights than Canadians. The Liberal policies fostered this environment. The Prime Minister's inaction made Canada a playground for foreign interference.

We heard some troubling news from the RCMP last week that foreign agents from India used organized crime to create a perception of an unsafe environment targeting the South Asian community in Canada, predominantly the Sikh community. We heard accusations of extortion and murder on Canadian soil, as well as the use of organized crime, intimidation and coercion.

Conservatives have been calling for action on foreign interference and clamping down on organized crime and transnational criminals for some time now. I have stood up in the House multiple times during question period to ask questions of the government on what its plan is to fight extortion. We got nothing from the government; it has been no action and all talk.

The Prime Minister did not want to act, and what that has meant for Canadians is the loss of safety in our communities. Under his leadership, homicides are up 28%. The member for Mississauga—Malton mentioned comparing the records of the two governments. I am talking about the Liberals' record. Violent crime is up 50%. Violent gun crime is up 116%. Can members guess how much extortion has gone up? That is the same crime that was mentioned by the RCMP last week. It has gone up about 360%. That is not a small number. Something had to have changed for that to happen.

It is the Liberals' policies. It is Bill C-75, Bill C-5 and the Liberal government's approach to fighting organized crime. If tough laws were in place, it would send a signal to criminals that we are not going to tolerate this in our country. Not just folks in Canada but those across the world would get the idea that Canadians will fight against this kind of action.

I have heard directly from business owners and members in the South Asian community who have been victims of extortion. I have listened to the calls they received, which they shared with us. Those are scary calls. Imagine a business owner, a prominent member of a community or an activist who gets a call from someone threatening to shoot up their home, their business or their family. Listening to those calls gives a person a chill down their spine. The Liberals' policies have allowed this to happen.

We have learned from the RCMP that transnational gangs are being used by foreign agents from India, who are trying to cause fear in our communities and take the lives of Canadians. Many people are afraid to return home. They are afraid to carry on with their businesses and worried about carrying on with their lives.

Some have separated from their families, with some living in different parts of the country and some living in hotels. Many have had to hire security and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep their families safe. They come from a wide range of industries. Some are in the trucking business; some are in hospitality or are restaurant owners. We have heard of prominent Punjabi singers being targeted in B.C.

This is not just happening in one part of Canada. We have seen this right across our country, in B.C., in the GTA, in Winnipeg and in Edmonton. No one should feel unsafe in their communities. Canadians from all faiths, Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, should not feel unsafe living in our great country.

That is why our Conservative deputy leader brought forward a common-sense Conservative bill to take on extortion head-on. The bill would have made it harder for extortion to happen in Canada. It would have sent a signal to these international gangs that we mean business here in Canada. These are the same crimes the RCMP mentioned just last week. The bill would have established mandatory minimum penalties and stopped extortion from happening, yet the Liberal and NDP members voted against the bill, leaving more Canadians susceptible to foreign interference.

Earlier today, the member for Calgary Skyview, who brought forward the motion for this important debate, shared stories similar to the ones I have heard from families who have been separated from their loved ones because of extortion. Here is what I do not understand. When we travel across our country and meet groups, as we have had town halls and seen other groups host town halls, they are asking for concrete solutions. When our deputy leader put forward that solution, a tangible piece of legislation that would have helped prevent this crisis, the NDP and the Liberal Party voted against it.

They voted against tangible solutions to the problems, and I know members hear about it in their communities. We have held dozens of town halls in the South Asian community where we have spoken to and heard concerns of those affected by extortion. They do not want symbolic gestures; they want real action. Our bill had real solutions. Those parties voted against it.

We have also seen the Liberals dragging their feet on this issue and not taking foreign interference seriously. The government was repeatedly warned about foreign interference within its own party, the Liberal Party, but refused to act. I wonder why. It is the Prime Minister and members of his government who repeatedly claim they just were not aware of foreign interference that was happening right under their noses, despite a paper trail of warnings from officials.

With Conservatives it is less talk and more action. Conservatives brought forward a foreign agent registry bill that, almost four years ago, was blocked by the Liberals and the NDP. The measures would have been useful as a tool to help keep our communities and the South Asian community safe. Despite multiple warnings, however, the Liberals continue to claim ignorance. The record shows otherwise, including mysterious delays of 54 days that we saw on a CSIS surveillance warrant for a Liberal power broker.

It is happening under their noses, yet they are not taking action. They plead ignorance. The ministers say they do not know anything about this. The Prime Minister makes excuses. We saw even former staffers who gave absolutely no answers to the commission. We heard in the Hogue commission that this is not a new problem affecting Canada. This has been happening for years under the current government.

The red flags have gone up, lots of red flags, but again, there is no action from the government. It makes no sense. We have seen flag after flag, leaks in the media, yet no action from the government.

If we look at the U.S., which has seen a similar situation unfold, within weeks it was able to arrest those involved, move forward with indictments and hold them accountable. Our government has not been able to do that. It has not been able to stop these attacks on our sovereignty. It has not been able to save the lives of Canadians. This is a serious matter. Canadians' lives are at risk, and the Liberals are in charge of keeping Canadians safe; it is their job.

At every single juncture, we have the Prime Minister and members of the government, backed by their coalition partners, who put pension and party before country, not acting on the information they have had. It is beyond rich for the Prime Minister to grandstand, given his government's record of not taking foreign interference seriously. Even with all the benefits he has from the government and agencies, and all the information he has from our great security services, he failed to act.

Conservatives are the only ones who have taken this foreign interference crisis seriously. The NDP members can laugh all they want, but they have been in bed with the government for nine years. If they cared so much about this, why did they not include it in the supply and confidence agreement? Why did they not make it a core pillar of their agreement? They do not care. They make it up on the fly.

Canadians deserve transparency. The Prime Minister must release the names of all members, from all the parties, who are collaborating with foreign entities, but he will not. The Prime Minister is doing what he always does. He is trying to distract us from the truth. He is trying to cover up a Liberal caucus revolt, which we are seeing. We saw four ministers recently announce they will not be running under his leadership again, because they continue to fail to make the lives of Canadians better. If the Prime Minister has evidence of challenges, he should bring it up to the public, because this is a public safety concern.

Conservatives are committed to protecting our democracy and our sovereignty from foreign interference. The Prime Minister must be held accountable for his government's failure to act, and we call on him to release all the names of MPs involved in foreign interference, to restore transparency and to defend the interests of all Canadians.

While some may try to divide our communities, try to stoke fear and hate, or spread disinformation to pit our communities against one another, it is important that we stand united as Canadians in protecting the integrity of our democracy. Our country depends on it.

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to comment and to ask a question of the member regarding extortion.

The member painted a very serious image of the extortion that is going on. In my community, in particular, I have had constituents come to me with videos of FaceTime calls from leaders of gangs sitting in prisons in India. How does that happen? How are people who are imprisoned in India contacting my constituents in order to extort them through local gang organizers in this country? There has to be foreign interference involved.

However, I have yet to hear from the member opposite as to why the Conservatives are not calling upon the Government of India and the diplomats who were here, who have been linked to these heinous crimes, spreading violence in our community, creating fear among Canadians, and targeting and murdering Canadians in Canada. The Conservatives stay silent. They are not calling for the diplomats to co-operate with Canadian investigating authorities, to give testimony so we can get to the bottom of who is doing this.

[Arpan Khanna, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is right. When the leader or members of our caucus have visited the GTA, including the member's own riding, we have heard horrific stories of folks being extorted. A 360% increase in extortion has happened under the Liberal government's watch.

The Liberals have been in charge for nine years. We never had this problem under our former Conservative government. The Liberals have created the conditions for it. More importantly, we gave them an opportunity and a tangible solution, a great bill from our deputy leader that would have made the situation better for Canadians. What did they do? They voted against it. If they are going to cry crocodile tears about the issues when they are not putting forward tangible results, it means absolutely nothing. Shame on them.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have to be honest; Canadians across the country are seeing that the leader of the official opposition has had the opportunity for 140 days to get his security clearance so he can get to the bottom of some of the information, and he refuses to do that. However, that is not the subject of the question I actually have for the member right now.

New Democrats for a long time have called on the government to ban entry for BJP officials from India who have called for race violence and genocidal violence against Muslims and other groups. Why will the Conservatives not call for those people to be banned from Canada? I wonder whether the member would like to do that right now.

[Arpan Khanna, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think that is a great question to ask the Liberal government, which the NDP has been in partnership with for the last nine years. The New Democrats could have spoken to the Liberals, but they failed to do that. They failed to raise this when the NDP was in a coalition with the government. It is ironic that the NDP members are talking about a security clearance when their own former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair has said that he would not have gotten a security clearance because it would gag the leader of the Conservative Party on the issues and holding the government to account.

The leader has been briefed. On October 14, he was briefed by the national security adviser to the Prime Minister. He received a confidential briefing on the matter, so the disinformation coming from both the NDP and the Liberals is quite concerning.

[Parm Bains, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the misinformation coming from the other side of the aisle is unbelievable. The Conservatives talk about nothing having been done here, but there have been 22 arrests for extortion and eight for murder.

The member's colleague talked about the problem having gone on for 40 years. That is a sincere issue that we have to talk about. We even acted on it. Forty years ago, the Security of Information Act was changed, and it is now responsible for making sure we find out about these nefarious crimes.

Was it not the member opposite's leader and the former Conservative government that set a precedent by allowing Chinese police officers to set up shop here? Now we are again seeing that officials from other countries are setting up shop and acting nefariously.

[Arpan Khanna, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, like with everything else, Liberals want a pat on the back for their own failures; that is their normal behaviour. They talk about a crisis that they have created, and now they want a pat on their own back. How does that make any sense? They dragged their feet on a foreign interference registry. That was under the current government's watch. It would have been a tangible solution, once again. They voted against an extortion bill that was in Parliament. They want a pat on the back for just empty words. It is not going to happen.

Canadian lives are at risk. Chinese police stations have been running and have been terrorizing the Chinese community in the GTA under the Liberal government's watch.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we keep hearing from the Liberals, over and over again, that they are angry, but the previous Conservative government spent less money with better results. Extortion was down, violent crime was down and auto thefts were down back then. They are angry that they are spending more money and hiring more people, yet all the numbers are up. Extortion is up more than 300% in this country and violent crime is up 34%.

The Liberals are bragging about their record, but they voted down a common-sense Conservative bill, Bill C-381, brought forward by our common-sense Conservative deputy leader, the member for Edmonton Mill Woods, and so did the NDP. Can the member please comment on how that makes any sense?