Dan Albas

[Carbon Pricing, January 29th, 2026]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister often says that we should focus on what we can control. Well, I agree. His government controls the industrial carbon tax and the fuel standard regulations that have driven our food inflation to double that of the U.S.

A family of four now pays $17,600 a year, while two million Canadians line up at food banks, so which is it? Is the government driving up fuel costs to inflate the price of fertilizer and other farm inputs to satisfy its radical targets, or does the Prime Minister not see that taxing the tractor and then taxing the trucker ultimately means less food on Canadians' dinner tables?

[Business of Supply, January 27th, 2026]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate being in the chamber to hear the speech from the hon. member from Manitoba. She has done an excellent job at the industry committee.

In her speech, the member touched upon the need to have more Canadian innovation, particularly Canadian patents that are held in Canada. I know of several entrepreneurs who have told me that it can be years for the patents office, which has one job, to approve patents that can be used here in Canada. Entrepreneurs said that many of them will go to the United States instead, not because they do not want to have the IP here in Canada but because they get protections immediately because the United States has a faster process.

Does the member believe that the minister responsible should make this her job, in order to fix that one job the patent office has, which is to approve patents that are worthy?

[Committees of the House, December 8th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the only thing I know about the justice committee right now is that when we are in transport committee and, for example, we are suddenly told that the justice committee has ended abruptly, we get those resources and we specifically say we would like to continue the filibuster to let that member of Parliament have his say and maybe perhaps finally finish. Unfortunately, even with all the extra resources, the chair still ends the meeting early and before that member stops talking so he will again have the floor the next meeting. All I know about this place is that there is a cascading effect, and if this member feels the government is playing games at his committee, I guarantee they are playing games at my committee. This needs to stop.

[Committees of the House, December 8th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the member's intervention really does cause me to think of the reason I am here. As I said in my speech, we are here to be powerful voices for our constituents. I was here during the majority years when I first was elected in 2011. Sometimes I probably gave the government of the day a little too much latitude and not enough to the priorities of members in this space.

This member right here is essentially shining the shoes of the government rather than listening to the voices of our constituents. I bet that member's constituents want to see those recommendations from Driver Inc. and also want to see a government that respects parliamentary committees, so we actually have meetings and get business done.

[Committees of the House, December 8th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I would simply be mindful that no member was mentioned; I was talking about the House in general. I think all of us would consider that a strong presence by all parties would always be a welcome thing in a democracy.

At committee, I have found the government and its members to be unaccountable, undemocratic and obstructionist. I will be talking about each one today.

Unaccountable is when the transport committee sought to have the Minister of Public Safety and the former minister of transport, who is now just the member for University—Rosedale. We found it was like pulling teeth when we invited them to come and speak about the BC Ferries scenario. Again, let us be mindful that over $1 billion of federal taxpayer money is going to a corporation that is sending that money, effectively offshoring Canadian jobs in steel, aluminum and shipbuilding.

We could not get the Minister of Public Safety to come, even though the former minister of transport, in her capacity as minister, wrote to the B.C. government outlining her concerns with national security with those vessels being procured from a hybrid, both military and civilian, Chinese shipyard. The fact that those ministers never came, to allow us to have a complete study, means we still have not been able to do our recommendations. I hope that eventually the members of the transport committee will encourage those ministers or former ministers to appear and to share their expertise so that Canadians can know their Parliament is working and there is accountability for ministers.

I also mentioned the undemocratic or anti-democratic behaviour. I have to say, this pains me to no small extent. I work with the member of Parliament who acts as the chair of the transport committee on the all-party cancer caucus. Unfortunately, in his capacity as chair of the transport committee, Conservatives have twice had to invoke emergency powers under Standing Order 106(4) in order to force the chair to convene meetings while Parliament is in session. I will repeat that: meetings while Parliament is in session. I could understand the reticence of a chair to hold meetings, unless there are emergencies, during the off period, during the summer when we are in our constituencies, working with our constituents, but when Parliament is in session and our committees are running, there is no reason why we should not be having regular meetings.

During a meeting, we have seen the chair gavel out without the consent of the room, just leave and the meeting is over, even though there were resources, which was confirmed. We had one case where the chair suspended for technical reasons, walked out, and then all the Liberal members went while we were switching over to new translators and used that opportunity to effectively end the meeting. That is purely undemocratic and unbecoming behaviour of a chair who is supposed to be an impartial referee for our parliamentary committees. This chair needs to think deeply on his role.

The last one is obstructionistic.

The member for Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation keeps filibustering at committee. This behaviour is unacceptable. The Conservative Party and the other party, the Bloc Québécois, want to continue the study on the changing landscape of truck drivers in Canada.

We want to hear from victims and other people who can provide the committee with necessary information. The longer this one particular member filibusters continually, using up all the time and resources, is another day that victims are not heard. That is unacceptable to me, and it is unacceptable to the members on the transport committee on the opposition side, whether Conservative or Bloc. This member needs to stop and recognize that there are other voices that need to be heard, such as victims. Every day we do not have a step forward on that report is a day when we do not get to do those recommendations, which all members say that they want.

It is so important for us to hear from some of those final voices before we give recommendations that could save a life. It could safe the life of one of the Speaker's family members or the life of one of our constituents, so we need to move forward with this.

I have gone through a few things today. One is that we need to have an accountable government, with ministers coming to committee within a reasonable period of time. Number two, we need to change the undemocratic way that some chairs are choosing not to convene regular meetings during parliamentary sessions, gavelling out or taking advantage of technical situations, such as when translators are switching over. That is undemocratic behaviour that is unbecoming of the House. Lastly is the obstructionism coming from the Liberal Party, particularly one member on the transportation committee.

This is not what my constituents sent me here for. They sent me to be a powerful voice as they have sent all of us to be powerful voices for their interests. I cannot think of anything more important in our transportation system right now than having a safe highway, where we can have a safe, smooth and efficient exchange of goods using our trucking system, connecting with our ports, connecting with our jobs and connecting with our supply chains.

This is one of those things where the government needs to listen, and particularly the chairs of the committee, all committees. Just because members do not have a majority on committee does not mean they do not need to follow the rules of democracy, which means basic things like votes and motions. Those are what parliamentary committees are set up for.

I look forward to hearing from other members here tonight and answering their questions.

[Committees of the House, December 8th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, it certainly is a pleasure to rise to speak on behalf of the good citizens of Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna. Unfortunately, it is to do something that is not in my nature, which is to be negative, but it has to be done.

The government and its members have treated Parliament badly. One only has to take a look at the debate tonight. There are Liberal members here, but they are not in sufficient numbers that I would say shows they take this issue seriously—

[The Economy, December 8th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians he would be judged by the prices at the grocery store. In British Columbia, food bank use is entrenched, with about one-quarter of families food-insecure. A family of four will pay about $1,000 more for food next year. We know this out-of-touch Prime Minister does not do his own shopping, but Canadians still have to pay at the till.

Will he admit to B.C. families that he does not know a thing about grocery prices and that, under the Liberals, higher bills are the new normal, or will he adopt Conservative ideas to make life more affordable, like cutting inflationary spending and ending the industrial carbon tax?

[Committees of the House, December 5th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal chair's conduct shows contempt for this institution. He has refused to convene meetings three times, and even suspended one for technical reasons before leaving, never to return. Worse, a Liberal MP has been filibustering for the past month, not only resisting hearing from victims, but deliberately delaying recommendations that could save lives. Every day those recommendations are stalled, the Liberals put Canadians at risk. That is shameful.

A Conservative notice of motion has been filed, condemning this misconduct. The Liberal chair must decide if he is a political operative serving the government or an impartial chair serving this country.

[Committees of the House, December 5th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal chair's behaviour shows contempt for this institution. He refused to call three meetings. On Tuesday, he even suspended the meeting for technical reasons and then never came back. That is obstruction and abuse of power.

We were talking about the safety of our roads and the safety of Canadians. This is an urgent and serious issue.

The Liberal chair needs to decide whether he serves the government or Canadians.

[Points of Order, December 3rd, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, it has to do with the previous point the member for Winnipeg North raised.

I would like you to look back at the tapes. When the leader of the official opposition started reading from a budget book, you said it was being used as a prop. I think you, Mr. Speaker, need to analyze the use of official resources. Whether it be this fine fourth edition of the House of Commons Procedure and Practice or a budget book, I think we need some consistency. If someone is directly reading from a text in order to make a point, I think it should be allowed in this place.