On Parliament Hill

The House of Commons is officially on its summer recess. With the conclusion of a busy session, it seems appropriate to reflect on the major issues that Parliament dealt with during this time.

I and my fellow Conservative colleagues worked hard to hold the Liberal government accountable to Canadians.There were a variety of issues that were before parliament that I will touch on, but probably none more important than the issue of physician assisted suicide.

I sit as the Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the Committee that was tasked with studying and examining Bill C-14. In the beginning I was hopeful that the Liberal Government would listen to well-reasoned fact based presentations on improvements to the bill. We presented many amendments, including protections for individuals and institutions that do not want to participate in physician assisted suicide for reasons of conscience. We also sought to ensure that no one would be forced to provide or refer for assisted suicide. Unfortunately we were continually met with excuses, and in the end, the Liberal Government made no significant changes. I remain very concerned over the impact this law will have on our country.

Also during this session of Parliament, Prime Minister Trudeau and his Liberal Government unilaterally decided that Canada is in need of electoral reform and proposed to change the way we elect our government. This would forever change democracy in Canada, with the Liberal Party benefiting greatly from the changes. To make matters worse, the Prime Minister, to this day, continues to refuse to consult with Canadians in the form of a national referendum. If our entire electoral system is changed, the people of Canada must have a say!

The 2016 federal budget was also a large focus of debate during this session. As you know, the Liberals campaigned on a promise to limit the deficit to $10 billion, but only a few months later we learned that Canadian families would be on the hook for a deficit at least three times that, leaving our children and grandchildren with the burden of an increased debt load. Unfortunately the bad news doesn’t end there as, according to their own projections, they will not be able to balance the budget for many years to come.

This spring I was also extremely busy with my Private Members Bill – The Fairness in Charitable Gifts Act (Bill C-239). This bill would have allowed registered charities to provide their donors with the same generous donation receipts that politicians can now issue. The bill would have greatly strengthened charities and helped foster a culture of generosity in Canada. Unfortunately most Liberal and New Democrat Members of Parliament voted in their own self-interest to keep their preferential tax treatment. Apparently many still believe that feeding politicians is more important than feeding the hungry.

Earlier this spring, interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose made a stop in Provencher where she toured WS Steel’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Steinbach. There she witnessed the incredible entrepreneurial spirit that is such a key part of our economic success in SE Manitoba. The Conservative Party will continue to press the current government to respect the private sector as the engine of the Canadian economy, and create the conditions for Manitoba businesses to thrive and create jobs.

These are just a few of the highlights from the past few months. The work continues this summer as my Conservative colleagues and I will be traveling throughout our ridings listening to our constituents, many of whom are feeling increasingly distant from Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. I look forward to meeting you at the numerous community events across Provencher.