Kerry-Lynne Findlay

[Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, October 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I personally and all of my Conservative colleagues have called for the IRGC to be declared a terrorist organization by the government, so that it could not organize here in Canada or raise funds here in Canada. On the Liberal side they have gone so far as to call it a state sponsor of terrorism.

Again, this is not a drill. This is reality. Iran sponsors terror throughout the region and, in fact, probably elsewhere outside the Middle East. We need to see it for what it is, call it out and stop the flow of funds to terrorist organizations like Hamas.

[Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, October 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that Israel, many times in the past, has been under violent attack from aggressor states all around it. We must remember that Israel is a very small country with vast aggressor states around it that mean to do it harm, which have vowed to push Israelis and the state of Israel into the sea.

In these circumstances, I think that Israel has always tried to follow international law, absolutely. I believe it will do so again.

[Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, October 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I agree that international law should be observed, but we are talking about extraordinary circumstances. We are talking about a surprise attack on a sovereign nation in the most brutal and horrific manner where innocents were slaughtered. They were not soldiers. They were people in their homes having Shabbat dinner or asleep in their beds. Babies are no threat to anyone.

I understand Israel's right to defend itself, and it must choose how and when to do so. It is making every effort, from what I can see, to warn those who were not involved to go to safety.

[Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, October 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned about the threat level here in Canada and in the United States. We know that we are seen as one North American entity by a lot of the bad actors in the world. We are referred to as the little Satan with the U.S. being the big Satan. We know there are people among us here who would do harm. I think it is essential that the Government of Canada assess the present threat level and inform Canadians.

[Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, October 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, October 7, 2023, is a day now permanently pierced into history, when the world witnessed evil in its purest form. Israelis were wrapping up the festival of Sukkot when sirens rang out. Israel was under violent attack. Like many Canadians, I was horrified to wake up to the news, images and videos coming out of Israel. This deliberate, coordinated attack by Hamas terrorists was despicable, unjustified, and I condemn it unequivocally.

Israel has the right to defend itself, just as Canada would if this attack were carried out on our soil. This should not be difficult to say, but some Canadian politicians and some in the media could not find the moral courage to say so. We have seen statements put out by both Liberal and NDP politicians that were so outrageous and morally bankrupt they had to be walked back or deleted.

The CBC instructed its employees to avoid referring to Hamas as terrorists. Our own state broadcaster ignored the fact that Hamas was put on the terrorist entity list by the Government of Canada in 2002, describing Hamas as “a radical Islamist-nationalist terrorist organization”.

We have seen reprehensible celebrations of these terrorist attacks right here in Canada, including, shamefully, in my own community in B.C. On Friday, in my community, a rabbi's home was vandalized with eggs and a swastika was drawn on his window. This is disgusting and unacceptable. This hate should not be tolerated in our country, full stop.

I condemn these celebrations and condemn the ideology of hate that has no place in Canada. There is no moral equivalence between Hamas terrorists who slaughter innocents, savagely rape women and children, behead babies and use their own people as human shields, and Israel exercising their right to defend themselves. This is a time for moral clarity.

I hope the CBC is paying attention when I say that Hamas is not a militant organization, a resistance or an activist group. Hamas is a sadistic, barbaric, terrorist death cult with no respect for human life. There can be no negotiating with Hamas. They must be defeated and destroyed. Their enablers must be exposed for the vile anti-Semites that they are. This includes state sponsors of terrorism, including the dictatorship in Tehran.

I have seen first-hand the strength of the Israeli people and how Israelis live under existential threat from Hamas, funded by Iran and other hostile actors in the region. Now this threat is reality.

My heart breaks for the families who have been destroyed, especially the families of the seven Canadians who were ruthlessly murdered. Last night in South Surrey, I attended a rally in support of the Jewish community and spoke to friends of Ben Mizrachi, a 22-year-old British Columbian murdered at the music festival. He was using his training as a medic with the IDF to help people who were wounded in the attack. He was trying to save lives when he tragically lost his own.

For those still in danger, we must do everything we can to bring them home safe. As we continue to watch the horrific events unfolding in Israel, there are concrete actions that Canada can and must take.

First, Canada must criminalize the IRGC, the terrorist arm of the Iranian government. Today again, the Liberals blocked the passage of a Conservative bill that would have taken this necessary first step.

Second, there are Canadians missing and presumed to be among the hostages. The Government of Canada must demand the immediate release of our citizens and all hostages taken by Hamas.

Third, Conservatives are calling for a full review of all foreign aid programs to ensure that no Canadian tax dollars are going to support terrorism.

Fourth, we must protect Canadian places of worship. Every person of faith has a constitutional right to worship here in Canada. “Never again” is a phrase associated with the atrocities of the Holocaust. Never again is now. Jewish people around the world are remarkably resilient. They choose to believe the promises of scripture that better days and peace lie ahead. However, they should not be continuously forced to prove their resilience by malevolent forces against their very existence.

I am proud to stand with our friend and ally, Israel.

[Business of Supply, September 28th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, the member for Surrey—Newton calls it global inflation, but even random Liberals such as John Manley and Bill Morneau have said that the Liberal government is causing inflation. It is homegrown. It is reckless spending. It is not prioritizing their spending the way they should.

We have adjacent ridings. In fact, the member lives in my riding, and I am often in his riding because we are neighbours. In our ridings, they cannot afford groceries. Our constituents cannot afford to fill their gas tanks. We have gas prices in the Lower Mainland at over $2 a litre. The very middle class that he is speaking about are the ones who are falling further and further behind.

I am wondering how much more pain the member for Surrey—Newton wants to inflict on his constituents and mine for a failed carbon tax that does not reduce emissions, does not fight fires and has not stopped hurting Canadians.

[Guests in the House of Commons, September 27th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister had all the tools at his fingertips to ensure President Zelenskyy's visit at a time of war was successful. The RCMP, CSIS and the Parliamentary Protective Service all had massive resources to vet the guest list. Global Affairs, the Privy Council Office and the diplomatic protocol office, on top of the PMO, had an obligation to vet any individual recognized at a globally significant event. All of these departments and offices ultimately report to the Prime Minister.

He has tried to shift all the blame to the Speaker, but the Prime Minister personally invited President Zelenskyy, on short notice, so he is personally responsible. It is the Prime Minister, and he alone, who is accountable for the success of all state visits. He tries to avoid it, but the buck stops with him. He must apologize to Canadians and to our allies and stop crippling Canada's reputation on the world stage.

[Guests in the House of Commons, September 26th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the government House leader lost all credibility when she moved to whitewash the official record and asked all of us to pretend this diplomatic disaster never happened. It did happen. The whole world saw it. It happened under the Prime Minister's watch, and he is refusing to take responsibility.

He is in Ottawa today. Will he do the honourable thing, the right thing, and stand in this place and apologize?

[Guests in the House of Commons, September 26th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, What do Global Affairs, the Privy Council, the diplomatic protocol office and the RCMP all have in common? First, they have massive resources to vet visitors in this place. Second, they all report to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is trying to shift the blame to the Liberal Speaker, but it is he and he alone who bears the responsibility for a successful state visit.

The Prime Minister is in Ottawa today. Will he take responsibility today for his international diplomatic disaster and apologize to Canadians and our allies?

[Foreign Interference, September 26th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I want to express again my deepest sympathies to the family of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, murdered in June.

If proven, the Prime Minister's allegation of a foreign government killing a Canadian on Canadian soil is about an outrageous violation of our sovereignty. These allegations must be investigated and justice delivered.

Many of our allies already have foreign agent registries. Conservatives introduced two bills, two and three years ago, to bring in a registry here to include agents from all countries, including India. Both bills were blocked by NDP and Liberals. Conservatives also moved a motion to create a foreign agent registry on May 4, 2023. All four Liberal members from Surrey voted against it, including the members for Surrey Centre and Surrey—Newton.

I am calling on Liberals and New Democrats to take the threat of foreign interference seriously, act with urgency and pass a foreign agent registry into law immediately.