Kenny Chiu

[Business of Supply, November 17th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the esteemed member for Kelowna—Lake Country.

Today, we have been discussing the harmful effects of foreign interference and influence in Canada. As we have heard from many others, foreign influence is an insidious practice that undermines Canada's integrity and national sovereignty. I would like to shed some light on how this practice harms individual Canadians as well.

Intimidation by foreign actors on Canadian soil is a very real and pervasive problem. In my riding, it has adversely impacted the ability of ethnic minority diaspora groups to fully participate in experiencing the rights we hold dear as Canadians. Despite being welcomed into our country, they are still unable to exercise free speech, free association and live freely for fear of repercussions taken upon them by bad-faith actors operating under the instruction of foreign government groups or repercussions against family members in their home country. I will highlight a few examples.

Protests organized by Hong Kong democracy supporters in Canada have been met by pro-Beijing counterprotesters who use aggressive, confrontational tactics and who expert observers believe may have been directed or organized by Chinese-state authorities. Face-offs between pro-democracy protesters and pro-Beijing protesters occurred in 2019 in Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa and Richmond, British Columbia, with a pattern of aggressive, threatening and intimidating measures employed by the pro-Beijing contingent.

Media reports indicate that communist China's united front work department has identified overseas students as one of the 12 target groups for ideological guidance and promotion of party policies, important for “consolidating and expanding” the party's base. A 2016 Chinese minister of education document similarly called for networks linking “the motherland, consulates and embassies, overseas student groups and the broad number of students abroad” in order to harness patriotic energy among overseas students.

Certain experts have identified Chinese students and scholar associations as an example of UFWD involvement in the educational sphere abroad. These associations are purportedly tasked with monitoring the thoughts and behaviours of Chinese students on Canadian school campuses and have been central to stifling free speech on topics related to human rights and democracy that are sensitive for the Chinese government. This is further substantiated in the Canadian National Security and Intelligence Committee report released this spring.

In that report, it is mentioned that Canada is aware of an increase in similar cyber intimidation in ethnocultural communities. The report cites information from Five Eyes allies that are also concerned with Russia, Iran and Turkey as nations that deploy broad-based and high-intensity political interference. I have personally heard many more examples that could be shared on how diverse groups in Canada are being targeted, be they Iranians, Uighurs or Falun Gong practitioners. Foreign governments are harassing Canadian citizens and they are desperately seeking help.

I would like to draw attention to the aspirational words but lack of deeds by the government on this topic. During the August 12 sitting of the COVID special committee, the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs engaged in an exchange with the member for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill regarding acts of foreign interference. He stated:

The safety and protection of Canadians is paramount to this government. We will never allow any form of foreign interference in Canada by state or non-state actors. Every time there have been allegations, we have taken action with the Minister of Public Safety. We invite any Canadian who might be subject to any form of such actions as have been described to contact law enforcement authorities. We will always defend the freedom and liberty of Canadians in Canada from foreign interference.

In response to this statement, Amnesty International has called Canada’s current efforts hapless, muddled and ineffective. Commentary from human rights groups suggests reporting acts of foreign interference results in no action, as agencies lack co-operation and victims find themselves confusingly referred back and forth between agencies that ultimately decide to drop cases for lack of evidence. They have put forward ideas for solutions, which include the creation of a hotline for complaints and the creation of a counterinterference law similar to the one in effect in Australia. The Australian legislation is well thought out and contains an important provision on communications activities that I believe Canada is sorely in need of.

Australia defends its citizens from the communications akin to propaganda through a proactive disclosure scheme. I have investigated this as an opportunity, but unfortunately I have been advised by our legislative counsel that such a rule would be impossible to apply or enforce in Canada. That is something we must work together to change.

I have written before to express the urgency of non-partisan co-operation on the issues of foreign interference and influence to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Public Safety. As parliamentarians, we owe Canadians assurances that their well-being is looked after. I humbly requested that the Minister of Foreign Affairs work with the Minister of Public Safety to provide a list of Canadian authorities that adversely impacted individuals can engage with. I also stressed the need for confidentiality in the reporting process.

I will repeat that as Canadian parliamentarians, we must acknowledge that this clear and present danger should not be allowed to continue. We must show Canadians that Canada is paying attention to these issues and that the ministers themselves are able to act and provide assurances that concerns will be addressed. I have yet to receive such assurances, and Canadians suffering from coercive foreign influence have yet to see action or hear more than an unsupportive statement from their government.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, November 16th, 2020]

With regard to the government’s position regarding visitors coming to Canada for the sole purpose of giving birth on Canadian soil and subsequently obtaining Canadian citizenship for their child: (a) what is the government’s position in relation to this practice; (b) has the government condemned or taken any action to prevent this practice, and if so, what are the details of any such action; and (c) has the government taken any action to ban or discourage Canadian companies from soliciting or advertising services promoting this type of activity, and if so, what are details?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, November 16th, 2020]

With regard to government involvement in the negotiations with Vertex Pharmaceuticals for a Price Listing Agreement with the Pan Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, in relation to cystic fibrosis treatments: (a) what is the current status of the negotiations; (b) what specific measures, if any, has the government taken to ensure that Kalydeco and Orkambi are available to all Canadians that require the medication; (c) has the government taken any specific measures to make Trikafta available to Canadians; and (d) how many months, or years, will it be before the government finishes the regulatory and review process related to the approval of Trikafta?

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 16th, 2020]

With regard to Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and Canadians living in Hong Kong: (a) how many Canadian citizens or permanent residents are currently registered as living in Hong Kong; (b) how many Canadian citizens or permanent residents has GAC confirmed are currently in Hong Kong; (c) what is the government’s best estimate of the total number of Canadian citizens and permanent residents currently residing in Hong Kong; and (d) on what date and what data did the government use to come up with the number in (c)?

[Post-Secondary Education, November 6th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, many recent graduates applying for student loan repayment are having difficulty receiving answers to their inquiries. When the phone lines are not dead or busy, they are placed on hold for an inordinate amount of time. The government had months of payment suspension to prepare, but apparently it did nothing. This once again proves that the government's commitments for helping our youth and Canadians in general are mere empty platitudes and lip service.

What specifically is being done to help our recent graduates, and will the government commit to rectifying their situations immediately?

[Income Tax Act, November 5th, 2020]

Madam Chair, let me start by expressing my appreciation to the Liberal government's ministers for finally staying up late in debating Bill C-9 to help Canadians. Unfortunately, throughout this ongoing pandemic, Canadians have been done a grave disservice by the federal government: a government that openly claims to be doing everything possible to help Canadians except, when this is closely examined, it is far from the truth.

Instead of effective help, what the people have heard are grandiose aspirations and empty promises. Instead of efficient support, the people have received confused and poorly implemented programs, like the original rental assistance and the initial proposal for the emergency wage subsidy. Instead of genuine assistance for all, the Liberals wanted an unprecedented power grab. Even with the limited oversight Parliament had been constrained to, WE, in upper case, found the true purposes and goals of that opportunity the Liberals saw.

Why is doing it right and optimally so important? Why is focusing on the future not enough to let us forget about the untrustworthy past? It is because, as in life, there is only one chance to do it right.

Many businesses in my riding of Steveston—Richmond East had no choice but to permanently close because of ill-timed or poorly implemented flawed policies. There is no future for them and little for their employees. When both CECRA and CEWS were pushed through the House of Commons, opposition parliamentarians stepped forward and proposed corrections and changes. Some of these were adopted, but so many others fell on deaf ears. We called upon the government to fix the rental assistance in April. That was almost seven months ago, and it has taken until now to see change: over a month after the previous and flawed program expired.

Members can imagine if this meeting we are having now took place seven months ago. The Conservatives have been advocating for incentives to help Canadians get back to work for equally as long, and we have brought solutions to the table to help small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy. Now, we once again find ourselves in the same situation, where the government is announcing programming and telling Canadians it will help, and the opposition parties are requesting more measures to effectively help Canadians and to efficiently assist our small businesses.

Canadians have received far fewer benefits than the hundreds of billions of dollars in extra debt the government has burdened on their, and future generations', backs. The finance minister earlier asked Her Majesty's opposition to consider which lane we are in. I can inform her that the government is not in the lane that will deliver the most effective and efficient results that our country deserves. In addition to traffic navigation, tonight the finance minister also wanted to teach us lessons in finance and philosophy.

Let me be clear. As I used to work in the software engineering business, I know that this is not a zero-and-one world: one can definitely chew gum while walking. Allow me to enlighten the hon. minister: What Canadians rightfully demand is assistance without a complete disregard and sell-off of their and their kid's futures. In other words, they expect smart, prudent and respectful use of their precious and very limited resources, and Her Majesty's loyal opposition wholeheartedly agrees and believes.

Will the government explain why it denied Canadian small businesses, entrepreneurs and workers the unanimous support of the Conservative motion to be flexible about increased CRA audits?

[Conversion Therapy, October 2nd, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition leader is correct in saying “the importance of respecting the rights of my fellow citizens was paramount” and that we as parliamentarians secure the rights of every Canadian, including the LGBT+ community.

I too will be clear. Harmful and coercive conversion therapy that seeks to demean and denigrate people for who are they are is reprehensible, is wrong and must be banned.

In March 2020, the government introduced Bill C-8 to ban the practice. However, the definition in Bill C-8 was so poorly worded, so unsound, that any rational individual would recognize it as an empty virtual signal.

Yesterday, instead of listening to feedback on how to improve the bill's sloppy wording, the government chose to reintroduce it verbatim as Bill C-6.

Ending conversion therapy must be done responsibly, with the spirit of compassion, wholeheartedly in good faith rather than cynically giving token recognition to a community asking for help.

[Petitions, September 30th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I find it very appropriate today, on Orange Shirt Day, that I have the privilege of presenting a petition on behalf of Canadians to draw the government's attention to the Uighur situation.

Canadians would like to bring the atrocities happening in China against Uighurs and Muslims to the attention of the government. They are fulfilling the definition of genocide in the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Canadians would also like the government to act beyond just mere concerns and use the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act to sanction those responsible.

[Petitions, September 24th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition from Canadians concerned with the passing of the national security legislation in Hong Kong. It is their belief that the passing of this law is in gross violation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the one country, two system framework. The petitioners call upon the government to impose appropriate sanctions under the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act.

[COVID-19 Pandemic and Other Matters, July 22nd, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been on record saying that the government chose WE Charity to administer the Canada student service grant because bureaucrats recommended it as the only organization capable of delivering such a program. Since then, we have learned that this is an entirely false statement.

In fact, it was a different charity called WE Charity Foundation that was contracted. It is an organization that only received charitable status one year prior to the contract date, and that had zero track record. That charity's stated purpose was to “hold real estate”. This is either gross negligence or blatant incompetence from a government that claims to fight for Canadians during a global pandemic. I would like to know which one it is.