Debates of Oct. 25th, 2024

Democratic Institutions

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP report links the Indian government to serious criminal activity in Canada, such as extortion, interference in the democratic process, spying, arson and homicide. This poses a real threat to our country. National security experts also say that one key action political party leaders can take is to simply obtain their security clearance, yet the Leader of the Opposition refuses to do that.

Could the government explain why the Leader of the Opposition should join all other party leaders and get his security clearance?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Minister of Diversity]

Mr. Speaker, the involvement of Indian government agents in targeting Canadians, particularly Sikh communities, is a grave violation of Canadian sovereignty. Foreign interference costs lives, and Canadians expect party leaders to be informed and seek the truth on matters as important as their safety and national security. It is absolutely shameful that the Conservative Party leader is the only party leader in the House who is refusing to get his security clearance, closing his eyes to foreign interference breaches within his own party.

What is he hiding? Who is he trying to protect? Why does he put his own political interests above the safety of Canadians?

Public Safety

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of this NDP-Liberal government, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up.

Crime is up in Toronto, with shootings up 45% and gun-related homicides up 62% since last year. While the Prime Minister celebrates on social media, police associations are condemning his failed handgun policy. The Toronto Police Association said, “Criminals did not get your message.”

Will the Prime Minister stop working against the police and reverse his failed crime wave policy?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, this is really concerning. All Canadians should be aware that what Conservatives are proposing to make our streets safer is to put more guns on the streets. We have banned handguns and assault weapons that were designed for the battlefield, and Conservatives want to make those guns legal again. We know that investing in crime prevention and in our border to prevent illegal guns from coming into our country, as well as banning handguns, are the solutions to make our communities safe.

[Greg McLean, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, when the member responded on social media to similar claims, the Toronto Police Association said, “We are sharing data about gun violence in Toronto. These facts represent the work of our members and the lives of victims. Shame on anyone who suggests otherwise.”

After nine years, violent gun crime has doubled in Canada. In Calgary, it has quadrupled. That is the Liberal record.

Will the Prime Minister end his self-congratulatory rhetoric and start listening to the police to stop this deadly crime wave?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as Conservatives like quotes, let me quote their record on the issue. When Conservatives were in power, they cut $143 million from CBSA. That was 1,100 CBSA employees. What did the former president for public safety workers say at the time? He said, “more weapons, illegal drugs and child pornography will pass through our borders, not to mention terrorists and sexual predators and hardened criminals.” That is the Conservative record.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I think what the member just illustrated is what has happened over these nine years under the NDP-Liberal government. Taxes are up, costs are up and violent crime continues to go up.

The Liberals' gun ban does nothing to stop violent crime on our streets. In fact, violent gun crime is up 116% across Canada since the Liberal government took power. The Vancouver police association agrees. It stated, “Stopping legal sales won't stop criminals from getting guns illegally. You're only restricting law-abiding citizens while doing little to address actual crime and violence.”

When will the Liberals finally listen to police, stop attacking law-abiding gun owners and go after the violent criminals instead?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I spent 39 years of my life fighting gun violence in the city of Toronto, and one of the things I learned is that cops count. However, today, there are 700 fewer police officers in Toronto than when I was the chief. Those are the same police officers who fought guns and gangs, who gave evidence at bail hearings and who kept neighbourhoods safe.

Just like Stephen Harper, who cut a thousand RCMP jobs, successive Conservative mayors and premiers have frozen police budgets and police hiring. That is the price that we all pay for reckless Conservative cuts. If the Conservatives are looking for causation of the increase in violence, they should look in the mirror.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, under the Liberal government and the Liberal minister, RCMP recruitment is at all-time lows. They should be the ones looking in the mirror.

The Liberals' record on violent crime and car theft is abysmal. The Insurance Bureau of Canada published a report showing that car theft claims are up 138% since the Liberal government took power. Whenever the Liberals get up to brag about their action on car theft, people do not know whether to laugh or to cry. The Liberals are admitting that they failed terribly, but now they are bragging that they are failing just a little less spectacularly than they were before.

When will the Liberals finally stop targeting law-abiding Canadians and get serious about violent crime instead?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, once again, we hear Conservative hypocrisy. They think the way to keep our streets safe is by putting more guns in the hands of criminals. They think reducing workers at the CBSA to inspect illegal imports of guns is going to keep communities safe. Conservatives are all about cuts, including cuts to police forces and cuts to inspections at our border, and they want to ensure that handguns are legal again. We know, and Canadians know, that keeping our communities safe is done by banning illegal handguns.

Health

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, once again the Minister of Health is threatening Quebeckers' access to end-of-life care. He says that Quebec should wait before accepting advance requests for medical assistance in dying. He is even threatening to challenge Quebec's decision, and he promises to clarify his intentions soon.

For Quebec, the road ahead is clear. It will go forward for the sake of those who are sick. Quebeckers suffering from illnesses like Alzheimer's have waited long enough.

Will the federal government just get out of the way?

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, MAID is a complex and deeply personal issue, especially when it comes to advance requests. The possibility of expanding MAID eligibility to include advance requests is a very momentous decision. It requires collaboration with physicians, experts and health professionals nationwide.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec will begin accepting advance requests for MAID starting October 30. That is just five days from now. The federal government should be helping to ensure that things go smoothly, instead of making threats. One way it can help is by amending the Criminal Code to reassure doctors.

Just today, La Presse reported that doctors are worried about whether they will be legally protected, even though Quebec has instructed prosecutors not to lay charges.

Will the federal government finally reassure doctors by amending the Criminal Code?

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, given the complexity of this issue, we are going to take the time to review the details of the Quebec government's announcement. We remain committed to working with Quebec and all provinces and territories to carefully evaluate the next step.

Public Safety

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up.

Police across Canada are slamming the Prime Minister and his self-congratulatory social media campaign touting a failed handgun policy that has stopped violent gun crime. The Toronto Police Association had to fact-check the Prime Minister and remind him that 85% of guns seized by their members can be sourced to the United States. After nine years, violent gun crime is up over 100%.

Will the Prime Minister stop working against the police and reverse his crime wave policies?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, if Conservatives are so concerned about illegal guns entering the country through our borders, then why did they cut 1,100 jobs at CBSA and over $100 million of that budget?

Let me also quote what the former president for public safety workers had to say. He said, “What the government made us to believe here about the budget cuts not having an impact on direct service provided to our community is wrong.” He also said the the cuts threatened Canada's public safety and national security. Why should we trust a record like that?

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, just this week, the Toronto Police Association specifically pointed out the member opposite for her misinformation. Hopefully this misinformation today will get pointed out again. Police associations in Toronto, York, Vancouver and Surrey have all spoken out against the Prime Minister's failed handgun policy, which has done nothing to stop violent crime.

When will the Prime Minister listen to police, stop going after law-abiding citizens and start going after the gangsters and gun smugglers who are terrorizing our streets?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we promised Canadians that we would strengthen gun control and the Conservatives have promised the gun lobby that they will weaken it.

If we want to reduce gun crime in this country, we have to make it harder to commit gun crime and make it more likely to get caught. We make it harder to commit gun crime by increasing and strengthening gun control in this country. We make sure that criminals will get caught by not cutting thousands of police officer positions from our cities and from our provinces right across this country. We have seen the price that Canadians have paid for Conservative cuts to the essential services that we all rely upon. When they want to know what is really happening, the unions will know, as it was the Conservatives who cut their memberships.

[Rob Morrison, Conservative, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years with the NDP-Liberal government, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up.

Police departments are slamming the Liberal-NDP gun policies. Toronto police report shootings are up 45% and gun-related homicides are up 62% compared to the same time period last year. They also report that 85% of guns seized by the police are sourced in the United States. After nine years, violent gun crime is up over 100%.

Will the Prime Minister stop working against the police and reverse his crime wave policies?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, what Conservatives will not tell us is that, under the Conservative government, there were cuts to CBSA that have allowed more illegal weapons to cross our borders. Conservative provincial governments have cut and slashed police budgets, which has led to a reduction of police on our streets.

While Conservative governments create cuts, we invest in our police services, invest in our borders and get guns out of our streets.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Fayçal El-Khoury, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship presented the 2025-27 immigration levels plan. This plan responds directly to the changing needs of our country. We know that immigration can be a powerful tool for ensuring the vitality of francophone communities outside Quebec.

Can we have an update on our government's efforts to support immigration outside Quebec?

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, ensuring the vitality of francophone communities outside Quebec is a priority for our government. Under our new plan, francophone permanent residents will represent 8.5% of the overall permanent resident admission targets in 2025, rising to 9.5% in 2026 and 10% in 2027. These targets demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the growth of francophone communities outside Quebec and are consistent with our policy on francophone immigration.

Public Services and Procurement

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the NDP-Liberal government is not worth the cost or the corruption. Under the government, GC Strategies, a two-person firm working out of a basement, received a sole-sourced contract for arrive scam. They did no work, the app did not work and they ran off with 20 million taxpayer dollars. It was a total scam.

In the face of that, what specific steps is the government taking to get taxpayers their money back?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said time and time again, we expect our procurement process to be followed with the rules and regulations put in place. The CBSA has already initiated a number of measures to build a more robust system.

I would ask the member opposite how far back he would like to go in terms of these contracts. In just five years under the Conservative government, those two principled employees he speaks of had at least 13 contracts. Would he like that money back as well?

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the government has taken no concrete measures to make taxpayers whole. The RCMP has opened an investigation into GC Strategies and this week the Auditor General announced that she is investigating the $100 million in contracts awarded to GC Strategies by the Liberals.

If the Liberals will not even try to get taxpayers their money back, then will they get out of the way and call an election so Canadians can elect a common-sense Conservative government that will?