House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2025, with 66% of the vote.
Petitions October 10th, 2024
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We cannot wear props in the House. I know this because it has been brought up in the past when I have been giving a speech on a topic I care very much about and have been wearing a button or something. It is important that the rules be enforced equally for all members.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, I do have many more, but I will limit myself to one additional petition.
This petition, which I am tabling today, raises concern about the politicization of charitable status determinations by the government. In particular, the petitioners are concerned about a 2021 platform commitment that the Liberals made to deny the charitable status of organizations that have opinions about abortion that are different from the Liberal Party's opinion. The petitioners note that this proposal would jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters and other charitable organizations that do not agree with the Liberal Party approach to these issues.
The petitioners also note that the government has previously applied a values test to discriminate against worthy applicants to the Canada summer jobs program. They say that charities and other not-for-profit organizations should not be discriminated against on the basis of their political views. The petitioners call on the House of Commons to protect and preserve the application of charitable status on a politically and ideologically neutral basis.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, next, I am tabling a petition regarding cuts the government has made to women's shelters. Women's shelters are sadly seeing an increase in demand.
The petitioners note that the high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing a violent home to find a safe place to live. Further, the petitioners say that, at a time when the government is dramatically increasing spending on bureaucracy and consultants, it is cutting millions of dollars from women's shelters.
The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to restore the funding to women's shelters that was cut.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, the next petition I am tabling relates to the Liberal government's feminist international assistance policy. The petitioners highlight the Auditor General's report, which shows that the Liberal approach to international development for women and girls has been criticized by the Auditor General for failing to measure results.
The petitioners further note that this policy has shown a lack of respect for cultural values and autonomy of women in the developing world by supporting organizations that violate local laws and push western priorities at the expense of local development priorities, such as clean water, access to basic nutrition and economic development. The petitioners further argue that the Muskoka initiative launched by the previous Conservative government involved historic investments in the well-being of women and girls around the world, emphasizing value for money and ensuring that investments were in priorities identified by local communities.
The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to align international development spending with the approach taken in the Muskoka initiative, focusing international development dollars on meeting the basic needs of vulnerable women around the world, rather than pushing ideological agendas that conflict with local values in developing countries. They also want to see an approach that actually constructively measures outcomes.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, the next petition deals with human rights issues in Venezuela. I will note that the petition was prepared and certified prior to some of the latest events, so it deals with the issue of political prisoners and does not mention the outcome of the last election. No doubt, petitioners would like to see the Government of Canada recognize the real results of that election, the opposition victory, and join our allies in doing so and maximizing pressure on the government of Venezuela to recognize those results as well.
The particular asks of this petition are for Canada to advocate for the release of political prisoners with close ties to Canada, particularly Ígbert José Marín Chaparro and Oswaldo Valentín García Palomo; to make calling for their release central in any discussions with the Venezuelan government; and to request the release and, further, the return to Canada, of these two individuals due to their strong family ties, before any concessions are given to Venezuela, such as any sanctions release and the reopening of mutual embassies or economic agreements.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, next I am tabling a petition highlighting some concerns from financial advisers. Petitioners say that financial advisers, while providing a qualified and professional service to their clients, are currently ineligible to individually incorporate; this causes them to be significantly disadvantaged, in effect, when they are taxed, especially in comparison to similar and related professionals. They note that stakeholders have brought attention to these legal and regulatory discrepancies and also to specific proposals to resolve them.
Petitioners call on the Government of Canada to act immediately with every means at its disposal to ensure that financial advisers are allowed to individually incorporate and that they are treated accordingly in regard to federal taxation. They also call on the government to actively promote this cause in working with all provinces and territories to make the same allowance and apply the same treatment to financial advisers within their jurisdiction.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, the next petition is regarding proposals that have been heard at committee for the expansion of euthanasia to include children. Petitioners are opposed to the expansion of Canada's euthanasia regime to facilitate the death of children within our medical system. Petitioners say that the proposal for the legalized killing of infants in particular is deeply disturbing to Canadians, and that infanticide is always wrong.
Petitioners call on the Government of Canada to block any attempt to allow the killing of children.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, next I am tabling a petition challenging the government's approach to natural health products. Petitioners are very concerned by how Liberal government policies could threaten access to natural health products through new rules with higher costs and fewer products available on store shelves.
The concern is that low-income Canadians in particular will be at a disadvantage as they seek to protect their health through natural health products, and that businesses that create and sell natural health products will be disadvantaged by the burdensome regulatory approach that the government is taking. Petitioners highlight in particular how the latest Liberal omnibus budget gave the government substantial new powers in terms of arbitrary action against natural health products.
Petitioners call on the Government of Canada to reverse the changes made in the last Liberal budget regarding natural health products. Petitioners are supportive of a Conservative private member's bill that would in fact reverse those changes.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, the next petition I am tabling is regarding the brutal regime in Eritrea. Petitioners raise a number of different concerns related to the actions of that regime. They highlight how Eritrea has been ruled by an authoritarian, brutal dictator, under a totalitarian system, for the last 30 years, with no constitution, no election, no parliament, no freedom of the press and no freedom of movement and association.
Petitioners identify the large number of people who have left Eritrea as a result of the repression. They also identify efforts at foreign interference in Canada and other places by the Eritrean government. Petitioners also want to draw attention to the way that the Eritrean regime collaborates with Vladimir Putin and supports the Russian government's colonial activities in Africa.
The specific asks of the petition, therefore, are for the Government of Canada to engage political and human rights activists and pro-democracy groups, to take a leadership role among western allies, to challenge the Eritrean dictator's malicious conspiracy with Vladimir Putin, and to investigate instances of foreign interference of Eritrea in Canada and take appropriate action in response.
They also would like to highlight the case of a number of imprisoned journalists and parliamentarians, specifically Dawit Isaak, Petros Solomon, Mahmoud Ahmed Sherifo, Haile Woldense, Ogbe Abraha, Hamid Himid, Saleh Idris Kekya, Estifanos Seyoum, Berhane Ghebrezgabiher, Astier Fesehazion, Germano Nati, Beraki Gebreselassie, and other political prisoners.
Furthermore, the petitioners want the government to strengthen sanctions against human rights abusers in Eritrea.
Petitions October 8th, 2024
Madam Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to present a number of petitions in the House today.
The first petition calls on the Government of Canada to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. The petitioners note that after eight years, it is clear that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost, the crime or the corruption. The petitioners further believe that the failed Prime Minister and his failed NDP-Liberal government have increased the cost of everything and that crime, chaos, drugs and disorder are filling our streets due to the failed policies of the Prime Minister and his government.
The petitioners ask the government to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. They also want to see an immediate non-confidence vote.
I present this petition on behalf of my constituents without commenting on it with my personal views one way or the other.