Bob Benzen

[Questions Passed as Orders for Return, January 31st, 2022]

With regard to the Ottawa quarantine hotel set up for the Prime Minister and the delegation that travelled with him to Europe in June 2021: (a) what was the total amount paid to the hotel to accommodate the Prime Minister and his entourage for the purpose of quarantining; (b) how many individuals quarantined at the hotel; (c) of the individuals who quarantined at the hotel, how many received their initial COVID test results back and were permitted to leave the hotel in (i) less than 12 hours, (ii) 12 to 24 hours, (iii) 24 to 48 hours, (iv) more than 48 hours; (d) are the quarantine hotel travel expenses incurred by the Prime Minister and his exempt staff posted under proactively published travel expenses, and, if so, on what date were these expenses posted; (e) what costs were incurred to transform the hotel from a regular hotel to a designated quarantine hotel, and what is the itemized breakdown of the costs; and (f) how many returning international travelers not associated with the Prime Minister's trip were permitted to use this Ottawa hotel as a designated quarantine hotel upon arriving in Canada?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Return, January 31st, 2022]

With regard to usage of the government's Airbus CC-150 Polaris aircraft, since January 1, 2021: what are the details of the legs of each flight, including the (i) date, (ii) point of departure, (iii) destination, (iv) number of passengers, (v) names and titles of passengers, excluding security or Canadian Armed Forces members, (vi) total catering bill related to the flight?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Return, January 31st, 2022]

With regard to usage of the government's fleet of Challenger aircrafts, since January 1, 2021: what are the details of the legs of each flight, including the (i) date, (ii) point of departure, (iii) destination, (iv) number of passengers, (v) names and titles of passengers, excluding security or Canadian Armed Forces members, (vi) total catering bill related to the flight?

[National Defence, June 16th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, Parliament will rise this summer without receiving a report from the national defence committee into sexual misconduct allegations plaguing our military. Rather than facing tough questions on what transpired within the leadership of the armed forces on the current government’s watch, Liberal members of the defence committee, empowered by their partisan chairperson, have instead filibustered, delayed and repeatedly suspended the committee to prevent a report from coming forward. Our current meeting has been ongoing since mid-May.

To show how blatant and pathetic the Liberals' obstruction has become, they have lately been filibustering their own amendment to a motion: anything to avoid a vote they know they will lose, instead of giving answers to Canadians. Multiple defence reports are now casualties of the government’s partisan antics. The Liberal members continue to place their party above the people, and especially above victims of misconduct in our military.

[Firearms Registry, May 4th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, media revelations that the RCMP kept information from the Liberals' long-gun registry that Parliament ordered destroyed is blowing new holes in Canadians' already shaky trust in government. Now we know why the RCMP targeted certain homes for firearms collections during the High River flooding in Alberta. It is because it had a copy of the registry information. It was not supposed to have it, but it knew exactly where to look.

It is disgraceful that the government and its national institutions cannot be trusted to honour the same rules it, in turn, expects all citizens to follow. What a betrayal this is of Canadians' assumptions of equality under the law.

In light of these reports, the Prime Minister and his Minister of Public Safety need to ensure that the RCMP destroys its secret list and comes clean on just what other private information it has compiled that the law does not permit it to have.

[COVID-19, October 2nd, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, Ranchman's Cookhouse and Dancehall was an iconic business in my riding that built up a loyal following over nearly 50 years. It was also home for rodeo history, with hundreds of pieces of memorabilia loaned over the years by champion ropers and riders, yet even its unique profile could not save Ranchman's from the economic ravages of the COVID lockdown.

Solvent and profitable businesses like Ranchman's and others across Calgary, Alberta and Canada have disappeared or are struggling to survive commerce-killing, government-imposed restrictions. The negative impacts of job losses and isolation on individuals are having a detrimental effect on society as a whole.

The response to ongoing public health challenges cannot always be just more economic shutdowns that businesses have no capacity to endure. Will the Prime Minister finally present a realistic plan that balances keeping Canadians safe with protecting their jobs?

[Public Safety, February 6th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister said that law enforcement officers could not seize gun licences. He is wrong. An RPAL or PAL is invalidated when it is seized by police for public safety and that person has no ability at law to possess or acquire any firearm.

Will the Prime Minister now admit that Canada has long had legal options to seize firearms in public safety scenarios, and apologize for misleading the House yesterday?

[Public Safety, February 5th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, section 5 of the Firearms Act says that a person who has threatened or committed a violent crime, a crime related to harassment, drug crimes or has serious mental health issues is unable to have a firearms licence. A person without a gun licence cannot legally have a gun.

It seems that the Prime Minister's red-flag proposal is a solution in search of a problem. Is the Prime Minister's proposal different from what has existed for decades or was he simply unaware of the law?

[Ron Carey, December 10th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday family and friends held a celebration of life for a Calgary businessman, philanthropist and my friend, Ron Carey. Last month Ron died in a collision during a vintage car rally in England.

Ron built his company, J&L Supply, into a successful drill bit service provider for the oil patch, but among his passions away from work was collecting vintage automobiles.

Ron's collection was exceeded only by his generosity when he donated dozens of antique vehicles and vintage gas pumps to the Heritage Park Historical Village. In fact, Heritage Park built the Gasoline Alley Museum to showcase his vast collection.

Ron himself had a hand in restoring many of these beautiful cars and they will persevere at the museum as a tribute to the generosity of a man who delighted in sharing his passion and the rewards of his success with his community.

Ron Carey, a great Albertan, will be sorely missed.

[Government Priorities, May 17th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the history books will not be kind to the Prime Minister, who has played a shell game with Canadians. Four long, failure-prone years of broken promises, frequent scandals and controversy has Canadians realizing the Prime Minister sold them a bill of goods.

Where are the sunny ways and transparency the Prime Minister promised to bring to government? They certainly were not on display in the corrupt dealings that brought us the SNC-Lavalin and Vice-Admiral Norman affairs. Where is the balanced budget promised to Canadians by 2019? It is still more than 20 years distant, according to the finance department, as the tax-and-spend government continues to sink future generations into debt.

There is no lack of examples that the Prime Minister played a cynical bait and switch on Canadians four years ago in his bid for power. The good news is that Canadians have a chance, just a few months from now, to say, “no more” to a Liberal Prime Minister who is definitely not as advertised.