Bob Saroya

[Youth, March 7th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge 360° kids, an important intercommunity organization in the York region.

Last week, I participated for a second time in the 360° experience, an event organized to draw awareness to youth homelessness. Alongside 35 other community leaders, including colleagues from across the aisle, we have helped raise almost $100,000 so far.

360° kids serves over 5,000 homeless youth in the York region annually, and I can tell the House that the experience was very humbling. Walking all night in the shoes of homeless youth helps put everything else in perspective.

Thanks to the volunteers who made this event happen and to 360° kids for all their hard work toward this cause.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, February 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has been eager to make promises without plans. The refugee resettlement plan is failing. Health workers who are volunteering to work with Syrian refugees are confused about how many refugees are coming, what sort of care they will need, and who is going to foot the bill.

When is the Liberal government going to provide a real plan that works for refugees?

[Income Tax Act, February 1st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I asked the same question earlier today and I hope I can get an answer this time.

I have heard the term “middle class” 10,000 times in the last four weeks. What is the definition of middle class? Is it an individual with an income of $40,000, $50,000 or $60,000 a year? What is the simple definition of middle class? Who does the member consider to be middle class?

[Income Tax Act, February 1st, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I hear the term “middle class” repeated about 100,000 times a day. It is “middle class, middle class, middle class”. How do the Liberals define “middle class”? Is it $40,000, $50,000, or $60,000 a year?

Would the member tell all Canadians how the Liberals define middle class and who is considered middle class?

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, January 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claimed that bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada was only a matter of political will. From November 1 to December 14, 2015, the government brought in a grand total of 105 government-assisted Syrian refugees.

Can the minister explain why it broke its biggest election promise and now sees government-sponsored refugees spending weeks in hotels as perfectly normal?

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, January 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, Syrian refugees are being abandoned by the Liberal government in cramped, temporary accommodations. Can the minister confirm if in fact in London, Ontario, one of the hotels in which these refugees are being housed is located next door to a gentlemen's club, which features exotic dancers? Can the minister tell Canadians how much these so-called temporary accommodations are costing taxpayers?

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, January 27th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is on the record saying, “Are we treating Syrians differently than refugees from other parts of the world? Yes we are.”

Can the minister confirm that this is the government's policy and explain if being treated differently means being stuck in temporary cramped housing for weeks?

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, January 27th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, some Syrian refugees have been stuck in cramped temporary accommodations for weeks. They have said that there is hardly any communication from the government.

We are also hearing reports of low-income Canadians being asked to leave their housing to make room for the Syrian refugees.

Will the minister apologize to Canadians and refugees for his failure to provide long-term living solutions for Syrian refugees, because refugees are people, not a number on a scorecard?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 25th, 2016]

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. I come from a business background and as I said, business has to make sense. The books have to be balanced just as they do in families. If the family is spending more money, the family will go broke. If the nation is spending more money than it is bringing in, the nation will go broke. However, it seems this is the way we are going with the Liberal government.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, if we stop bombing ISIS strongholds in either Iraq or Syria, or any other place, they will be all over the place. There is no other good outcome. Our allies are working with us to keep them intact in either Syria or Iraq or diminish them. That is the only thing they understand. There is no other alternative as far as I am concerned.