Garnett Genuis

[Wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, June 3rd, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be able to comment on this very important debate on the forest fires this country is facing.

It is interesting, listening to those in the Liberal government talk during this debate. They try to focus in on the things over which they have the least control, and they do not want to talk about the things that are actually their responsibility that have gone very badly. It is typical, really. Forest management in this country has been woefully inadequate under the Liberal government. I can think back to Conservative members who have specifically raised issues, for instance, around the pine beetle and its impact on forests. Those members have warned all of us about the action needed, yet Liberals have failed to take action. There is such a gap in discussion around forest management by the Liberals. They always want to focus on other things, and it is because they have failed.

Could my colleague comment on the lack of even a mention of forest management from the Liberal benches in tonight's debate and what needs to be done differently going forward?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank the member for her powerful words about anti-Semitism. My grandmother was a Holocaust survivor. I remember hearing, when I was growing up, some of the stories she would share with us about her experiences. It is very dark to see some of the things that have happened in this country and other western countries around the world.

I did want to ask the member about youth unemployment, the rise we are seeing and what she is seeing in particular in her riding in terms of the unemployment crisis that is going on right now.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, we hear a lot of this talking point about the strongest economy in the G7. The reality is that youth unemployment of over 14% is really killing opportunities for young people. We are headed into a summer without summer jobs for so many. The lack of private sector job growth is killing opportunity for the next generation.

In that context, why can the government not offer a budget that shows what it is going to do to reverse its failures on youth unemployment?

[Employment, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has sat around the cabinet table for more than 10 years, and unemployment is steadily going up. It is actually at the highest point it has been in 10 years, outside of the COVID period. We have an unemployment crisis, and the Liberals are making things worse with another outrageous spending bill. The Prime Minister wants to spend even more than Justin Trudeau.

How can they ask Parliament for another $400-billion blank cheque with no budget, no plan for jobs and no plan to address the pain that their policies have caused?

[Employment, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, our most important job is probably our first job, because it starts us on the road to our career, but after 10 years of Liberal failures, that road is blocked for one in seven Canadian young people. This is already an unemployment crisis, with 100,000 more job losses coming.

Rather than address this crisis, the Liberals continue to waste billions on consultants, a $6-billion increase. Why are they choosing a great job market for elite Liberal insiders and consultants and a terrible job market for Canadian young people?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, on this point of order, we frequently have reason to object to the responses we receive from seasoned government ministers, given the fact that we ask questions in the House and government ministers who have been elected for a very long time stand up and say things that have absolutely no relationship to the topic or the question being asked.

Therefore, I find it a little surprising that we see a new standard being invented in relation to questions and comments for a new member that is not being applied to ministers of the Crown. If you wish to require ministers of the Crown to answer questions from the opposition, though, I think that would be great, and I would look forward to that.

[Petitions, May 29th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition about the very important human rights situation in Tibet.

The people of Tibet have a unique and distinct cultural, linguistic and religious heritage that has been increasingly endangered since Tibet was annexed by the People's Republic of China in 1951. Reports from human rights organizations have documented serious and ongoing human rights abuses in Tibet, including extreme restrictions on freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Further, many Tibetan political prisoners, including those engaged in peaceful protests, as well as Buddhist monks and nuns, are detained unjustly and subject to brutal and violent treatment.

The petitioners call on the government and the Prime Minister to advocate for the immediate and unconditional release of Tibetan political prisoners, who have been detained for exercising their right to peaceful protest, freedom of expression and freedom of religion, and to place sanctions on five PRC officials responsible for serious human rights violations in Tibet. Their names are as follows: Chen Quanguo, Zhang Qingli, Wu Yingjie, Wang Yang and Qizhala, a.k.a. Che Dalha.

[Petitions, May 28th, 2025]

Mr. Speaker, if you will indulge me, as this is my first time rising in this place, I want to congratulate you on your election and thank the people of my community for their trust.

I am limiting myself to one petition today, which is on behalf of Canada's strong Cypriot community. The community has brought this petition to the attention of the House noting that the Turkish military invasion of Cyprus in 1974 was illegal and brutal, resulting in the ongoing occupation of 37% of the island and 57% of its coastline. This occupation has led to significant human rights violations, including a loss of life, the displacement of thousands of Cypriots and the ongoing presence of Turkish military forces at illegal settlements.

This community, throughout the world and in Canada, marked the 50th anniversary of this tragic invasion last year and is calling for justice, freedom and human rights for the Cypriot people. There are various other aspects mentioned, including UN Security Council resolutions calling for an end to the occupation of Cyprus.

The petitioners call on the House to uphold all UN Security Council resolutions on Cyprus and condemn Turkey's ongoing illegal occupation of northern Cyprus; to advocate for the complete and immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops; to ensure no Canadian arms, military equipment or technology is sold to Turkey or used against Cyprus or other oppressed groups; to continue rejecting the recognition of the illegal occupation; and to advocate for a free, united Cyprus based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the European Union's statements.

[Petitions, December 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition on behalf of Canadians who are outraged by the government's attack on natural health products. They call on the House to pass the excellent private member's bill from my colleague the member for Red Deer—Lacombe.

[Ethics, December 11th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, it is sad to see the government now taking this posture. In fact, it was earlier this week that the Minister of Indigenous Services seemed to be making some progress in admitting that there was a serious problem.

Even more information came out that, frankly, I suspect the Minister of Indigenous Services was aware of months ago. She has said that there is now going to be an investigation, yet we have the parliamentary secretary taking this defensive posture.

Indigenous identity fraud is when people who are not indigenous pretend to be indigenous in order to take benefits that are supposed to go to indigenous people. In fact, this is rampant in programs run by the government. Over 1,000 businesses have had to be removed from the indigenous business directory, but there have been zero consequences for any business. Indigenous identity fraud is rampant, but there have been no consequences who those who engage in it.

Why is that?