Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to rise in the House today to speak to Bill C-12.
As a Conservative member of Parliament, I am proud to stand and express my concerns with this legislation. I have heard from my constituents, and they have made it clear to me that the Liberal government is not going far enough to fix the messes it has created at our borders.
Conservatives negotiated the split of the original bill, Bill C-2, ensuring that one of the most egregious infringements on Canadians' privacy and freedoms was sidelined, while advancing measures that strengthen our border security and protect our communities. Bill C-12 is a step in the right direction, but make no mistake: It is only here because Conservatives held the line against Liberal overreach.
Let me start with the context. Bill C-12 was born out of the Liberals' bloated Bill C-2, introduced in June 2025. The original bill included warrantless access to personal information and the forced re-engineering of tech platforms for surveillance, and it even allowed Canada Post to open mail without judicial oversight, measures the Privacy Commissioner himself confirmed were drafted without his consultation.
As my colleague said, “Conservatives have successfully blocked the Liberals' infringements on individual freedoms and privacy in Bill C-2”, emphasizing, “Law-abiding Canadians shouldn't lose their liberty to pay for the failures of the Liberals on borders and immigration.” If law enforcement suspects something suspicious, they can get a warrant. It is that simple. Thanks to Conservative pressure, those poison pills are gone from Bill C-12, allowing us to focus on real security enhancements.
Let us dive into the substance of Bill C-12, which draws from the supportable elements of its predecessor.
Part 1 would amend the Customs Act to empower the Canada Border Services Agency, CBSA, to use private facilities free of charge for examining exported goods, mirroring its current authority over imports. This is crucial in combatting the export of stolen vehicles and contraband, which has surged under Liberal watch. According to the CBSA's own reports, auto thefts have become a multi-billion dollar industry, fuelling organized crime with thousands of vehicles shipped overseas annually. By extending the CBSA's reach, this provision would ensure that our borders are not a one-way street for criminals.
Part 2 of the bill would amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to create a temporary accelerated scheduling pathway for precursor chemicals like those used in fentanyl production. This would fill a critical loophole, but let us be clear that it is long overdue. Fentanyl has devastated Canadian families, with Health Canada data showing that in 2024, fentanyl was responsible for 75% of opioid overdose deaths, a staggering increase of 32% since 2016.
Figures from January to March 2025 indicate that 63% of opioid toxicity deaths involved fentanyl, contributing to thousands of preventable tragedies. I must note that Canada will need to do a lot more than pass this bill to fix the problem.
While this part would ban precursors, it falls short by ignoring tougher sentencing for dealers, as Conservatives have long demanded. Still, it is a tool that law enforcement needs, and we believe in giving our first responders the tools they need to save lives.
Part 3 would formalize exemptions for law enforcement officers from drug charges during legitimate investigations under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and Cannabis Act. This is straightforward common sense. Our officers should not fear prosecution while undercover fighting the very cartels flooding our streets with poison.
In part 4, amendments to the Oceans Act would enable the Canadian Coast Guard to conduct security patrols and share intelligence with defence and security partners. With increasing threats from smuggling and foreign interference, this would bolster maritime security without the overreach seen in Bill C-2. Canada has massive borders and we need to work with like-minded partners to enhance our protections and preserve our sovereignty.
Parts 5 through 8 address immigration integrity, a realm where Liberal mismanagement has been catastrophic. In particular, part 7 would extend authorities to cancel or suspend immigration documents in the public interest, and part 8 would introduce a one-year cap on refugee status filings while tweaking the safe third country agreement, the STCA.
Parts 9 and 10 target money laundering and terrorist financing. Part 9 would amend the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act to hike penalties, mandate compliance agreements with FINTRAC and expand registration to more entities. Let us not forget that money laundering in Canada is a big problem. It exceeds $100 billion, as reported last year. That is something the government has not paid attention to or has totally ignored dealing with or talking about.
The bill would also allow FINTRAC to share info with the commissioner of Canada elections. Part 10 would add the FINTRAC director to the financial institutions supervisory committee.
These steps intend to combat the financial networks behind organized crime, which have thrived amid Liberal soft-on-crime approaches. Also, let us not forget, and let us make sure Canadians listening understand, that the government's soft-on-crime approach has put a tremendous pressure on Canadians' lives and inflation, because money laundering creates an underground economy, which is known to be happening on Canadian soil.
Finally, part 11 would update the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the Customs Act, clarifying reporting, allowing physical characteristic records and permitting the CBSA to share travel data with law enforcement to prevent sexual crimes. This would protect vulnerable Canadians, which aligns with Conservative priorities. It is time we start doing more in this House to protect vulnerable Canadians.
This bill would cost money, but the real cost has been the Liberals' 10 years of failures: record overdoses, strained immigration systems and eroded public trust. The Conservatives look forward to the committee stage, where we will call for amendments for tougher sentences, real enforcement and protections for legitimate refugees. Only the Conservatives will deliver tougher sentences for lawbreakers and order at the border and will allow legitimate refugees to find sanctuary here.
In conclusion, Canadians deserve secure borders without sacrificing freedoms. I wish there were more Liberal speakers on their own bill. Unfortunately, they refuse to do that.
