On Parliament Hill

Recently we’ve seen several very questionable decisions coming from Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Government.

Motion M-103:

My office has been receiving many calls regarding the Liberal Motion M-103 which calls on the government to, among other things,”condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination.”

Although I would certainly agree with the condemnation of unjust discrimination toward people of faith, I cannot support this motion because it singles out Islamophobia by name while not doing so for other forms of religious discrimination taking place in Canada. I have additional concerns about the long-term implications on freedom of speech as the term “Islamophobia” is undefined. This, in effect, blurs the line between hate speech and fair critiques of Islam and indeed all faiths.

In response, our Conservative opposition introduced a far more balanced and inclusive motion which condemns “systemic racism, religious intolerance and discrimination of Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, and other religious communities.”

On Tuesday, every Liberal Member of Parliament in attendance voted against the more balanced motion we put forward. Judging by their vote, we must assume the Liberals will continue to move forward with their less inclusive “Islamophobia” motion.

Illegal Border Crossings:

Canada is a generous and accepting country, but we also need to ensure the integrity of our border. We must always consider our national security and do our due diligence to make sure we know who is entering our country, where they are entering and why.

Last Friday I met with local CBSA and RCMP officials to discuss the influx of migrants crossing illegally into Canada. Concerns were expressed regarding safety and security for the residents of Emerson. Due to this ongoing situation, RCMP and CBSA resources are stretched very thin in the area.

I brought this up to Minister Ralph Goodale in the House of Commons this week during Question Period. Minister Goodale responded that the government has decided to monitor the situation.

Canadians deserve action, not more monitoring.

Tax Benefit Removed for our Troops:

In another questionable move, the Liberal Government recently decided to remove a tax benefit which provided $1,500 to $1,800 per month to Canadian troops in the fight against ISIS.

The men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces volunteer to leave their families as they travel abroad to perform dangerous work and put themselves at risk in service of their country. They miss important milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations.

In cutting this benefit, the Liberals have cheated our troops and their families out of hard earned money that they expected, counted upon, and deserve.

Given that this Liberal government continues to rack up record deficits, it is absolutely astonishing that the one place they would choose to pinch pennies is on the backs of the hard working men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces.

All of these recent actions call into question the competency and decision making of this current Liberal Government. Canadians deserve better than this.