House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 48% of the vote.
Public Safety December 5th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, the government has been very clear from the beginning. We are not targeting hunters. We are targeting criminals. We are targeting the assault weapons that were used in our country's greatest shooting tragedies.
Bill C-21 targets the criminal element with harsher sentences and with investments for the CBSA.
The Conservatives do not support this bill, which is a very bad thing. They need to change their position.
Public Safety December 5th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, I would have thought that my hon. colleague would be assured by the concrete action the RCMP is taking to root out allegations of foreign interference in this country as a means of protecting our national security.
I would have thought that my hon. colleague would be assured by the things we are doing around allegations of foreign interference, creating independent panels to assure the integrity of our elections and cracking down on foreign funding. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect our interests here and abroad.
Firearms December 5th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what the federal government is doing. We have already invested $450 million to add more boots on the ground for the CBSA. That is exactly what we are doing with this bill, which brings in tougher penalties for criminals.
Why are the Conservatives not supporting this bill? If they want to target criminals, they have to support this bill.
Firearms December 5th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, my Conservative colleague asks what the government is doing to reinforce our borders. We have invested $450 million over the last two years alone to add more boots on the ground for the CBSA, to add more state-of-the-art technology for the CBSA to allow it to build on the progress it has made in seizing illegal guns at the border.
What did the Conservatives do every moment when they had a chance to support those resources for the CBSA? They voted against it.
Firearms December 5th, 2022
Mr. Speaker, before I answer that question, tomorrow we are marking the 33rd anniversary of the École Polytechnique shooting tragedy. To the families of the victims and to the survivors, we stand with them. We know that despite the passage of time, the hurt and loss never completely heal.
We own it to them, to all victims and to all Canadians to end gun violence once and for all. I hope all members in the chamber will join me in a moment of solidarity.
Democratic Institutions December 2nd, 2022
Madam Speaker, I am very proud of the work that the government has accomplished under the leadership of the Prime Minister. We have augmented the values of transparency with the creation of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency and the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians. These are policy choices the Conservatives never made that reflect our dedication to finding ways to protect our democratic institutions in a transparent fashion.
Democratic Institutions December 2nd, 2022
Madam Speaker, I assure my colleague that we take all allegations of foreign interference very seriously. That is why we struck independent non-partisan professional panels to look at these allegations, which subsequently confirmed the results of the elections in 2019 and 2021 were both free and fair. More importantly, we are going to continue to do everything to protect our democratic institutions, including our elections, so that Canadians can have their voices represented in this chamber, including my hon. colleague, the parliamentary secretary for intergovernmental affairs, who does stellar work for her riding and on this issue.
Firearms December 2nd, 2022
Madam Speaker, I can assure my colleague and the NDP, and, in fact, all parliamentarians who want to advance a responsible debate about this, that we are not going to target those guns which are used conventionally for hunting.
We are targeting those guns like AR-15 style firearms, which have caused too many casualties right across the country.
I know that my colleague and I, and others who are contributing to a responsible debate about this, will get there.
What is important is that we keep our streets safe from gun violence and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Firearms December 2nd, 2022
Madam Speaker, in fact the expert my colleague is referring to refuted many of the misnomers and the inaccuracies the Conservatives continue to perpetuate.
More to the point, we have a plan to eradicate gun violence once and for all. That includes investments at our borders to support CBSA. The Conservatives voted against.
That includes addressing gun crime at its root causes. We invested $250 million. The Conservatives voted against.
It also includes common-sense laws like Bill C-21, so that we can get those guns that have no place in our communities off our streets once and for all.
Firearms December 2nd, 2022
Madam Speaker, it is very regrettable that today, Conservatives are resorting to personal attacks on me and on members of our side, in the government, who represent hunters.
More to the point, I have met with families who have lost loved ones to gun violence, and I do not know how we look any of them in the eye and not do the smart and sensible things we are doing right now, which is to get AR-15 style guns out of our communities, to stop illegal smuggling at our borders and to stop gun crime from occurring at every instance.
The Conservatives have filibustered and have gone with falsehoods when they should be supporting these initiatives.