Michelle Ferreri

[Committees of the House, June 3rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present the dissenting report that the Conservatives are tabling on behalf of what we call the “Supporting Women's Economic Empowerment in Canada” study done in the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.

This is a seven-page dissenting report that we feel is important to put forward, because some of these points were not covered well in the study. There are four main points that we have put into the dissenting report, because one of the key messages that was overlooked throughout this study was the access to affordable, quality child care.

In 2021, when the Government of Canada rolled out its national early learning and child care program, one of the fundamental pillars it presented was making it easier for women to return to the labour force. However, as we heard continuously throughout testimony during this study, it is quite the contrary.

Here is what we heard throughout the study. Women entrepreneurs are being targeted for extinction with no room for private representation; child care operators are closing their doors; parents have lack of choice and face long wait lists; and women's participation in the labour force is declining.

I will conclude with the following, “Canada's child care entrepreneurs are asking...whether they have a place in Canada's national child care program or a future in child care at all.” “It's to the detriment of all women that child care entrepreneurs are being targeted for extinction through the nationalization of Canada's child care sector.” Those are quotes from one of the witnesses, Andrea Hannen.

[Taxation, June 3rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, nobody believes a word that side of the House says. The Liberals have completely lost the trust of Canadians. They have caused chaos. They have caused crime. They have caused complete despair.

People are using food banks at the highest record level they ever have in their life. Nobody believes what the Liberals are saying. Do members know what 35¢ a litre at the pumps would save? It would save the cost to ship food. It would allow people to actually feed their families. Most importantly, it would take off the stress that is creating mental health crises in this country.

The Liberals stand over there and say that they will fight for this. Will they?

[Taxation, June 3rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the level of hypocrisy on that side of the House is nothing short of astonishing. The Prime Minister is literally jet-setting around the world on his gas-fuelled jet, while the health minister has said people should not go on a family trip because it will cause the planet to “burn”. We have the simplest common-sense motion right now that will save Ontario families $592. That might mean nothing to them, but it means a lot.

Will the government listen, have some compassion and axe the tax so that families can make memories and enjoy their time together?

[Housing, May 28th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, there is “not a chance” that the housing minister will reach his housing target promises. That is a direct quote from Richard Lyall, president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario. He testified yesterday at the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. He went on to say, “we're staring into a pit. What we're saying is that when cranes come down, they're not going back up.”

After nine years of the Liberal-NDP Prime Minister, housing costs have doubled. Yesterday's testimony from housing experts confirmed what Conservatives have been saying, which is that “first-time homebuyers are pretty much extinct”, said Lyall. He said, “We effectively tax housing like alcohol and tobacco. It's like a sin tax. It doesn't make sense”.

Clearly, there is no chance the Prime Minister can or will help Canadians. It is time for common-sense Conservative policies, where development fees are not the highest in the continent and where we restore the dream of home ownership.

[Housing, May 27th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, Canadians are hungry and homeless.

In the Minister of Housing's own backyard, 10 people are going homeless every single week. One in four Canadians feels they do not even have enough money to live. Canadians are spending 64% of their income on housing, which under the Prime Minister has doubled.

While tent cities become normal and the Liberals gaslight Canadians and tell them they have never had it so good, the Conservatives are fighting.

When will the Liberals wake up up and vote in favour of our “build homes not bureaucracy” bill?

[Business of Supply, May 23rd, 2024]

Madam Chair, the Liberals promised to review the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights, which was created by former prime minister Stephen Harper. They have never done this. Victims deserve a date, and they deserve it right now. When will it be reviewed, and when will victims come first in Canada?

[Business of Supply, May 23rd, 2024]

Madam Chair, I will ask, right now, for the minister to redeem himself just a tiny bit and to give a date when he will review the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights so that victims' rights are actually enforced in Canada. What is the date, please?

[Business of Supply, May 23rd, 2024]

Madam Chair, we have an increase of 815% under this minister's watch involving online sexual luring. He is trying to distract. He does not want to answer the questions. He is the one who brought up his proverbial Bill C-63 that is going to solve all these problems. He said Canada is not unsafe, yet we have stats that show an increase of 101% increase in gun crime.

Why, if Bill C-63 is so important and he is so worried about public safety and so worried about victims, has he not brought it forward to the House?

[Business of Supply, May 23rd, 2024]

Madam Chair, it is absolutely desperate and pathetic, and that is a shameful response.

This is my last question. The minister says he is so concerned about Bill C-63, which he is in charge of bringing forward to the House. If it so important to protect children, why has he not done it?

[Business of Supply, May 23rd, 2024]

Madam Chair, they were called to do a review in 2020 on behalf of victims everywhere. What a shameful representation from the Minister of Justice that this Canadian Victims Bill of Rights has never been reviewed. I ask the minister today, he is the Minister of Justice, to name the four issues that have been asked to be reviewed, because in this country, criminals have more rights than victims. What are they? Please tell the victims watching.