Gerald Soroka

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, December 16th, 2024]

With regard to Parks Canada's national fire management program: (a) as of July 22, 2024, what was the breakdown of firefighting equipment available through the program by (i) type of equipment (e.g., fire truck, water tender, helicopter, drone, portable pump, bulldozer, brush cutter, air tanker), (ii) quantity of each equipment type, (iii) storage location, including the quantity of each equipment type at each location; (b) as of July 22, 2024, what was the breakdown of firefighting personnel under the program by (i) qualification level (e.g., certified wildland firefighter, volunteer firefighter, support personnel), (ii) number of personnel at each location; (c) how much of the equipment and personnel specified in (a) and (b) were actively utilized in response to wildfires occurring in National Parks in 2024, broken down by (i) National Park location, (ii) type of equipment and number utilized, (iii) number of personnel deployed; and (d) for all equipment or personnel not utilized in wildfire responses occurring within National Parks in 2024, (i) what was the reason for non-utilization, (ii) what other roles or assignments were designated for this equipment and personnel during this period?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, December 11th, 2024]

With regard to Parks Canada's fire mitigation measures: with the exception of Jasper National Park, what are the details of any other instance in the last 10 years where Parks Canada analyzed, considered, studied, or received a proposal to conduct a prescribed fire or other fire mitigation measure but did not end up doing so, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) location, (iii) name of the national park or other area impacted, (iv) mitigation action proposed or considered, (v) reason for not taking the mitigation action, (vi) title of the person responsible for the decision not to take the mitigation action?

[Alberta, December 5th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, Alberta is the beating heart of Canada. It is where farmers, truckers and energy workers rise before the sun, roll up their sleeves and build this country's prosperity. It is where hard work, freedom and community are not just values; they are a way of life.

However, the NDP-Liberal government is hell-bent on crushing Alberta. It continues to hike the carbon tax, forcing families to choose between heating and eating. It is capping oil and gas, killing the jobs that built this country and leaving towns struggling to survive. It does not respect Alberta, its people or what we stand for. Albertans do not quit. We do not break. We work harder, stand taller and keep moving forward.

The solution is clear: a common-sense Conservative government that will axe the carbon tax, scrap the cap, and restore hope and prosperity to Alberta. Together, we will bring home the Canada we know and love: strong, proud and free.

[Emergency Preparedness, November 22nd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the government has thrown Jasper's recovery into chaos. The hand-picked minister from Edmonton, who was tasked with leading the effort, has resigned in disgrace after numerous scandals. The town is left without federal assistance in its time of need. Meanwhile, the radical environment minister ignored years of warnings, failed forest management and let a third of Jasper be destroyed.

Will the Prime Minister really put the same radical environment minister who let Jasper burn in charge of its recovery?

[Holodomor Memorial Day, November 22nd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, this week we observe Holodomor Memorial Day, remembering the millions of Ukrainians who fell victim to one of history's most horrific crimes. Stalin's brutal Communist regime deliberately starved families, silenced voices and waged genocide to destroy the Ukrainian people and their culture. My grandfather fled this oppressive regime in 1929, escaping a fate that claimed so many of our extended family. They were left to suffer under a system that showed no mercy or regard for life.

Nearly a century later, Ukraine still endures aggression, as Russia's illegal invasion just surpassed 1,000 days. However, just as during the Holodomor, the Ukrainian people stand unbroken. They are resilient and courageous in the face of tyranny.

Canada will always stand with our Ukrainian allies in their fight for freedom and sovereignty.

Slava Ukraini .

[Privilege, October 28th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I have to admit, while the member from Winnipeg North is stating that we are playing a game, this is $400 million on another one of their scandals with misappropriation of funds.

Could you please speak to this, that there are so many people in your riding who are struggling financially, and yet they see the government wasting another $400 million, even though the member says it is just a game that we are playing? Can you please comment on how this is affecting your residents and what you have heard from them?

[Privilege, October 21st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely right. What does government want to do, and I do not care at what level? It is study things to death and not get any answers.

That is exactly what the Liberal government is trying to do: take it to committee so we can study it to death. We are saying it should go to the RCMP. It is the law in Canada, and it can deal with this properly. What are the Liberals doing? They are hiding behind government priorities or policies once again instead of getting the truth, which is what Canadians want to hear.

[Privilege, October 21st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am not certain how this is a federal issue, but I guess I will answer that everybody who is working deserves to have a fair and equitable wage to make sure that they have a living.

One of the biggest problems that we have been dealing with here in Canada is our cost of living continually escalating year after year. Actually, I wish it was year after year, it is almost month after month that people keep going to the grocery store and they cannot believe how quickly the prices of everything keep rising.

I think we need to get rid of the government and have an election, so we can get some common sense back in this Canadian economy to have a standard of living that everyone wants.

[Privilege, October 21st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member said that he just had to stand up, that he just could not stand it anymore, really. This is what the hon. member does on a daily basis. It is almost laughable, what the member has brought forward.

It is funny, though, how just last week the Prime Minister stated that there has been foreign interference, and he knows where it is coming from but he cannot say. Actually, under the legislation, the Prime Minister has the authority to say. Then we could actually find out who these people are.

If we truly want to find out how foreign interference is affecting Canadians, then let the Prime Minister release the names and let them be judged accordingly.

[Privilege, October 21st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the great speech that the hon. member had just talked about. It is very true that so many times I am out in the community and people just start saying, where is my money going? How is it being wasted once again when it goes to government in Ottawa?

That is the biggest problem and that is what people are really questioning. The current government has spent more than any other government in 150 years, in all of Canadian history. Therefore, is it any surprise that there are scandals happening? People are questioning, where is that couple of million going? A million dollars is nothing anymore with the current government. Even $1 billion of wasted money is nothing anymore. We are at the tens of billions of dollars.

That is what Canadians want to know. They want to know where all this money is going and how it is that other Canadians are getting rich and they are suffering and paying for this and losing their jobs and homes over this kind of government.