Tracy Gray

[Mental Health and Addictions, September 26th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the numbers speak for themselves. After nine years of radical, reckless Liberal policies, the drug crisis has gotten worse, not better.

Even the B.C. NDP requested that the federal Liberal government recriminalize illicit drugs after the massive failure of their joint drug experiment. This is no wonder, given that B.C., sadly, saw a 400% increase in drug overdose deaths in the first year of the decriminalization experiment. Many of our residential neighbourhoods, where children used to be able to play and seniors used to be able to walk safely, as well as business areas with small businesses, have been taken over by crime and people openly suffering from addiction.

The Liberals' drug policies are not working. We need to give people hope by focusing on addiction treatment and recovery so that we can bring our loved ones home.

[Mental Health and Addictions, September 26th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise on behalf of the residents of Kelowna—Lake Country.

I rise today to speak about the ongoing drug addiction crisis and its terrible impacts on residents in my community of Kelowna—Lake Country and across Canada. Overdoses are up; overdose deaths are up and addictions are up. Since 2015, overdoses have increased 184%, and that is nearly 45,000 Canadians who have, sadly, lost their lives.

The radical NDP-Liberal so-called safe supply drug experiment has done nothing to stem the tide of overdose deaths. It has instead flooded our streets, playgrounds, public spaces and even hospitals with dangerous illicit drugs. We have heard from expert witnesses that diverted so-called safe supply drugs such as hydromorphone are being resold and trafficked into our communities and used as currency in exchange for fentanyl. This fuels the drug trade even further.

A report commissioned by B.C.'s top doctor actually said that the program was “almost as good as giving [drug users] cash.” I have talked to first responders in my community who are, frustratingly, seeing the effects of these policies on our streets. The Vancouver Police Department noted that around 50% of all hydromorphone seizures were diverted from government, taxpayer-funded, drugs. Over 30 criminal charges were just made following a raid at a so-called safe consumption site in Nanaimo. We have heard that drug diversion is specifically targeting children.

We have already seen what happened when the federal addictions minister approved an open drug use policy. The federal government has also approved an open drug use policy in public spaces, including parks and playgrounds. Open drug use in playgrounds normalizes exposure to deadly drugs to children and was a contributing factor for the reckless policy to be backtracked when it was repeatedly called out.

There was a drug paraphernalia vending machine in British Columbia, distributing crack pipes and syringes. Only after much massive public pressure during a provincial election did the NDP provincial government stop it.

Unfortunately, the ideology-driven minister appears to show no signs of slowing down from implementing radical policies. In July, a memo to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions was obtained through an access to information request. The memo advised the government to “use all tools” at its disposal to address the crisis, including using national drug decriminalization. This means that the Liberal government is considering the legalization of hard drugs, like crack, meth and fentanyl, across the whole country. This reckless expansion cannot happen.

We continue to see the disastrous results of the NDP-Liberal drug policies in British Columbia. Recently on Vancouver Island, a tribal council representing 14 first nations declared a state of emergency over the ongoing opioid crisis. In British Columbia, drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 18. This is absolutely heartbreaking. We cannot afford to continue with these Liberal policies, nor can we afford to entertain the expansion of deadly programs that are flooding our neighbourhoods with drugs.

The taxpayer funding of dangerous drugs must end now. Therefore, common-sense Conservatives will end the failed NDP-Liberal drug experiment for good. We will instead bring hope and healing through addiction treatment and recovery to bring our loved ones home.

[Old Age Security Act, September 25th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, it is always a privilege to rise on behalf of the residents of Kelowna—Lake Country. Today I am here to speak to Bill C-319, an act to amend the Old Age Security Act. I have spoken on this issue in the past and appreciate the opportunity to do so again.

Our seniors deserve respect. Seniors have raised families, teaching their beliefs and values; founded businesses, employing people; taught and taken care of people; volunteered; built our country; and served our country, fighting for the freedoms we have today. Time and time again, I am told remarkable stories by seniors in Kelowna—Lake Country. There are few areas of life not touched positively by our seniors. It is clear that Kelowna—Lake Country, and really all of Canada, would not be the same without the hard work of seniors and all they have contributed over their lives and still do.

Seniors are mentors and leaders in our communities. That is why it is so unacceptable that seniors are facing the challenges they currently are. I have talked to many seniors who are very stressed and concerned. The cost of living has ballooned after nine years of the Liberal Prime Minister, causing seniors to struggle like never before just to pay for basic necessities.

Seniors in my community have reached out about how they are struggling to pay their heating bill. Many have sent me pictures of their heating bill, which includes the carbon tax. The minimum amount for the tax is set by the federal government, and the government is increasing it every year to be on track to increase it to 61¢ per litre.

Local seniors have also commented on how GST is being charged on top of the home heating carbon tax, which is a tax on a tax. This is wrong. A resident, Grant, wrote to me about his heating bill and all the taxes. He said that he used $50.18 worth of gas, yet owed $316.65. He then went on to say that he has worked since he was 12 years old, non-stop, and has paid his fair share of taxes.

I have talked to retirees who have had to go back to work and who feel sad that they cannot spend as much time volunteering or cannot donate as much to their favourite charities as they used to. I hear from seniors who are afraid to walk around their own neighbourhood that they have lived in for many years due to crime and concerns over their safety. I have talked to many seniors who are worried about their adult children making their mortgage payment and about their grandchildren who will have a tough time ever owing their own home.

Seniors have reached out to me who were just about to retire, and because of the Liberal capital gains tax increases, they have told me they will have to work longer. Seniors who are looking to retire on modest savings are finding that this is no longer possible in Canada, especially with the new Liberal tax changes. It is untenable that seniors are finding themselves priced out of the country they have built.

Here is the situation of many seniors: They worked their whole life providing for their family and contributing to this country. They have contributed economically through their job and through creating businesses. They have raised a family and volunteered in their community. They have contributed by being a good citizen by following the rules. They have saved for their retirement. However, now the golden years for many have melted away. This is not the reality that seniors deserve, yet it is the one that many of them face due to the Liberal Prime Minister and his partners in the NDP, the costly government.

Many seniors in my community struggle to make ends meet, and many are forced to choose between paying for necessities such as food and medication. One senior reached out to me and said that there is absolutely no hope for those on fixed and low income as they are being taxed to death, literally. The senior went on to say that every time they go to the grocery store, prices are going up. A senior couple from Kelowna—Lake Country reached out to me to say that living on their pensions is becoming harder and harder all the time.

This is a result of the reckless, inflationary spending of the Liberal Prime Minister, who is propped up by his partners in the NDP and, now, apparently also the Bloc.

Liberal policies have led to record inflation, with millions of Canadians now struggling to simply keep their heads above water. The standard of living continues to drop in Canada, which has experienced the worst decline in per-person income out of all the G7 countries over the last five years. Seniors on a fixed income are uniquely at risk from inflation, as fixed incomes are unable to keep up with the cost of living, which keeps growing because of all the increased spending.

It is not just in my own community that seniors are struggling, but across Canada. According to the Salvation Army, 75% of Canadians currently face challenges managing limited financial resources. Moreover, 25% of Canadians continue to be extremely concerned about having enough income to cover their basic needs, such as food and shelter. Not all seniors have paid off their mortgages, and this has led to even more stresses. The Bank of Canada recently confirmed that Canadians will see a steep jump in payments as millions of Canadians renew their mortgages over the next two years. This is just one more area in which seniors, especially those on fixed incomes, are struggling.

This legislation provides equity for all seniors, ensuring that old age security is available to those between 65 and 74 years old. Seniors aged 65 to 74 should not be treated differently than seniors 75 or older, something that has occurred under the Liberal government. As such, Conservatives support this measure as part of the legislation.

The legislation also serves to safeguard seniors from potential clawbacks within the guaranteed income supplement. It seeks to increase the exemption amount for employment income that is taken into account for eligibility. Increasing the GIS earnings exemption would minimize some of the clawbacks seniors may experience. Seniors should be able to continue to work or go back to work, if they choose to and are able to, without the loss of federal retirement GIS. Especially considering that rising inflation has had a disproportionate impact on seniors, they should not be penalized for working if they choose to and want to.

To be clear, however, I must say that the legislation will not fix the cost of living crisis or the devastating situation caused by the Liberal government. Conservatives will continue to focus on fixing the budget to get the government spending under control, as well as axing the tax and stopping the tax increases during this unprecedented cost of living crisis, which has affected seniors in my community and communities across the country.

In stopping the broken policies of the Liberals, along with their NDP and Bloc partners, common-sense Conservatives will bring back the promise of Canada: If one works hard, one should be able to get ahead and live and retire in a safe community.

[Housing, September 24th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, homelessness is up and tent encampments are up. In fact, homelessness is up 38% in Canada. There are now 1,400 tent encampments in Ontario alone. Liberal photo ops will not build the 5.8 million homes that are needed to restore housing affordability in Canada. Tomorrow, there is a chance to break down the costly government on behalf of all Canadians, so we can build the homes they need.

Will the NDP-Liberal government let Canadians decide on a carbon tax election?

[Housing, September 24th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, under the NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up. It is reported that a mother living in a homeless encampment in London, Ontario, said, “I'm a mom of three and I'm homeless. I just want to get inside, into a warm place before winter, so I can get my kids back with me where they belong.” Tomorrow, on behalf of all Canadians, there is a chance to break down this costly government, so we can build the homes they need.

Will the NDP-Liberal government let Canadians decide on a carbon tax election?

[Government Accountability, September 20th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, in Kelowna, recently someone broke into a home and stabbed a woman. This was a violent, random crime, so for the member to talk about discounting crime and chaos in our communities, shame on her.

Canadians cannot afford this costly coalition that taxes our food, punishes our work, takes our money, doubles our housing costs and unleashes crime and chaos in our communities. Common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.

When will we have a carbon tax election?

[Government Accountability, September 20th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up. The coalition just got bigger after the NDP leader's fake stunt of ripping up his agreement. Now the NDP-Liberal government has new partners in the Bloc. These coalition partners support being part of a government that hiked taxes, ballooned food costs, doubled housing costs and unleashed crime and chaos in our once safe streets.

When will Canadians have a carbon tax election so they can decide between the costly coalition government and common-sense Conservatives?

[Carbon Pricing, September 19th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, for the member to insinuate that I do not care about residents in my community who are low- or middle-income is pretty awful and pretty shameful.

This Liberal member has made the Liberal Party position very clear about the carbon tax, well, unless it is carving out exceptions due to fear of losing elections, like it did in Atlantic Canada.

Conservatives and most Canadians, including those in my community, do not want to keep paying the carbon taxes. The facts are clear that Canadians are forced to eat less, they are skipping meals and they are buying less healthy food. There is lots of information on this. There are more lineups at food banks, in the millions, just to make ends meet. Just recently, Food Banks B.C. reported that it had served 100,000 food bank users in a single month for the first time.

Canadians cannot afford to endure 12 more months of this cost of living crisis. They should be given the choice to axe the tax and have a carbon tax election.

[Carbon Pricing, September 19th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise on behalf of the residents of Kelowna—Lake Country.

After nine years of the NDP-Liberals, housing, gas and groceries cost more, and hard-working Canadians increasingly cannot pay their bills, yet the NDP-Liberal government wants the carbon tax to continue to rise to add 61¢ per litre, driving up the cost of almost everything. When we tax those who farm, who transport, who warehouse and who retail, we tax the one who buys. Families will already be paying $700 more for food this year than in 2023.

The carbon tax has already been such a costly disaster for Canadian small businesses and for family pocketbooks that there are fewer politicians in Canada now defending it. In their latest desperate publicity stunt, both the leader of the NDP here and the NDP premier of British Columbia have tried to make Canadians believe that now, on the eve of, or with the possibility of, an election, they were opposed to the carbon taxes, which they have strongly supported their entire political careers. Who can believe their baloney? The NDP voted to defend the carbon tax 24 separate times in the House, even though 70% of Canadians wanted to cancel the increase earlier this year.

The Fraser Institute reported that a carbon tax that continues to increase to 61¢ per litre would cost the average Canadian worker $6,700 by 2030. It is estimated that it will also reduce Canada's GDP by 6.2% by 2030, resulting in 164,000 fewer jobs. The federal carbon tax will also have a negative economic impact on Canada's real gross domestic product, the GDP, of $25 billion by 2030, according to the government's own figures, numbers the government tried to hide even from the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That is just carbon tax one.

Recently, Conservatives forced the government to turn over documents on its second carbon tax, which show carbon tax two will cost the Canadian economy an additional $9 billion by 2030.

The carbon taxes are not an environmental plan, but a tax plan. Forcing carbon taxes on Canadians has not stopped a single natural disaster. Meanwhile, the NDP-Liberal government killed green energy projects, such as Sustainable Marine Canada's tidal energy project and continued to import dirty oil from foreign dictators with poor environmental standards. Canada fell to 62nd out of 67 countries on the climate change performance index.

Canadians are not going to be fooled. The phantom finance minister, carbon tax Mark Carney, may now be writing government policy from the boardroom of the Liberal Party of Canada, but it was just one year ago that he wrote that the Prime Minister was wrong even to exempt home heating fuels from the carbon tax.

Canadians face a clear choice between a continuing cost-of-living crisis with the costly coalition or a Conservative government that would axe the tax.

[Carbon Pricing, September 19th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a fairy tale that people cannot afford to feed themselves in Canada. The NDP leader has voted 24 times for the carbon tax. The NDP members talk a big talk, but they cannot be trusted to do what is best for Canadian families. The NDP-Liberals tax people's food, punish their work, take their money, double their housing costs and unleash crime and drugs in their communities. Common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. Time is up.

When will we have a carbon tax election so Canadians can choose their future?