Candice Bergen

[Points of Order, February 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I would agree. We all come from various backgrounds, and that is why we are called the House of Commons. We represent the people: farmers, bus drivers, receptionists. We represent everybody.

There are all kinds of laughter that occur here. We absolutely respect and honour all of the jobs that we have done, and the experience that we bring to this House.

[Ethics, February 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians need to know if their Prime Minister did not know the law or if he knew the law and chose to ignore it. Again, I ask the Prime Minister, did anyone in his office, the PMO or PCO, advise the Prime Minister that taking a ride in this helicopter, a private helicopter, was against the law? Was he advised that it was wrong?

[Ethics, February 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, we know the Prime Minister will be forced to answer the Ethics Commissioner's questions, because that is what happens when one is under investigation by the Ethics Commissioner. However, the Prime Minister needs to answer Canadians. His own platform said, “As the head of of government, the Prime Minister represents all Canadians and should be directly accountable to all Canadians.”

I am going to give him a chance to answer a simple question. Did anyone in the Prime Minister's Office ever advise him that it was against the law to get in that helicopter, and that riding in a private helicopter was against the law?

[Public Safety, February 13th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I am noticing that we are developing a bit of a bad habit in this hallowed place. Right after question period, we tend to take a lot of time chatting and visiting. To respect this place, immediately after question period we should take our talk outside the chamber so that we can proceed immediately to orders of the day.

You are doing an excellent job, Mr. Speaker, and you can only get as much order as we give you. If you would be willing to immediately call this place to order, that would send a strong signal.

I would encourage all of my colleagues, immediately when question period is over, to leave the chamber if they need to chat or to sit and give this place the respect it deserves and listen to what is going on next.

[Tim McLean, February 13th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, on July 30, 2008, 22-year-old Tim McLean was on a Greyhound bus bound for home. He did not make it home. Just outside of Portage la Prairie, Tim was murdered by a sick and deranged man. The details of what occurred that day are public. It is among the most shocking crimes in Canadian history.

Today, Tim McLean's murderer walks free. This individual was granted the right to change his name. He has no limitations on his freedom. A lot of people are talking about this. There is a lot of outrage because the system is not working and something needs to change.

However, let us never forget about the victim, Tim McLean. Tim was not the only victim. His family continues to deal with what happened on that day. Tim leaves a son who will never know his dad.

Today we stand with Tim's family, particularly his mom Carol. Carol is one of my constituents, an amazing mom and grandmother who has fought so hard for justice and for what is right. We stand with Carol and with her family. May Tim rest in peace.

[Business of the House, February 9th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, would the government House leader tell us about the business of the House for the rest of this week and next week?

[Taxation, February 9th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals can say what they want, but the record shows that on Tuesday they refused to vote against taxing the health and dental benefits of Canadians. That means that Canadians may be paying an extra $1,000 for their health and dental benefits.

My question is this. The Liberals did not talk about this in their platform, and they voted against our motion on Tuesday. What other tax increases are they trying to keep secret, being wishy-washy about, and playing both sides of the ledger? Where else will they be taxing Canadians?

[Taxation, February 9th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's words are in question these days because of his long list of broken promises. He just cannot be trusted. Therefore, we were skeptical when the Prime Minister said that he would not tax the health and dental benefits of Canadians, so we put the question to the House. We asked him to say no to this regressive tax. In true form, the Liberals were completely inconsistent, and Canadians are now worried that this tax is on the table. Why do the Liberals keep breaking their word? How can Canadians know that they will not have to pay more for health and dental benefits?

[Job Losses in the Energy Sector, February 8th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want to know what our practical solutions are. Frankly, we are not looking for more government programs. We are not looking for more EI. Albertans who are out of work and Canadians who are out of work because of the energy-sector job losses or the energy-sector difficulties are not looking for more programs. What we are looking for, and what Canadians are looking for, is a Prime Minister who will stand up and unabashedly say, “I support Canadian oil. I think Canadian oil is the most responsibly extracted in the world. It is the most responsibly transported, and I, as Prime Minister, will do everything I can to advocate for Canadian oil and energy. I will make sure that the process is fair and balanced and environmentally sound”.

“Guess what, Mr. Prime Minister”, we will say, “Our Canadian regulatory system is”.

What the people who have lost jobs in Alberta and across the country are looking for is a Prime Minister who will stand up and boldly say, “I support Canadian oil energy”. What that will do is tell the rest of the world that maybe Canada is open for business again. Right now, the message the rest of the world is getting, investors particularly, is that we have a Prime Minister who says that maybe we should shut down the oil sands, let us introduce a carbon tax, and maybe we do not like pipelines. That is what the problem is. We need a Prime Minister who will stand up and speak positively and be a champion for Canadian natural resources.

[Finance, February 3rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan for the economy is failing. The Liberals seem to have millions of dollars for office renovations, a lot of money for vacations on private islands, and receptions with billionaires, but nothing for Canadians who are struggling, nothing in terms of support, and certainly nothing in terms of policy decisions.

When will the Liberals stop doing what is best for the Liberals and all of their friends, and start doing what is best for Canadians, for Canadian businesses, families, and jobs?