What They Call Filibustering, I Call Debate: Conservatives Fight Against Censorship Bill C-11
Plus Conservatives call upon Public Safety Minister to resign, the Sindhi Foundation's 'Long Walk in Canada', vaccine mandate ended for domestic travellers and public servants, and more
What They Call Filibustering, I Call Debate: Conservatives Fight Against Censorship Bill C-11
In Parliament, closure is a procedural action that is used to shut down debate by a majority decision of the MPs, even if all MPs wishing to speak have not done so. Only the government can use this procedural tool. This week, the federal Liberal government chose to use this to shut down debate on their online censorship bill C-11, a law that would allow the government to regulate the internet with extremely broad powers. I participated in the debate and made this statement:
“Madam Speaker, none of what the minister just said is accurate.
The Senate is not going to pass this bill before the end of June. We just heard that the committee has been considering this bill since the middle of May. I have been to that committee. What the cabinet is calling filibustering is what I call debate and raising the issues our constituents are raising.
Thousands of Canadians emailed us and said they did not want to see what was called Bill C-10. The government brought it back as Bill C-11. The bill has not been fixed. They have not fixed section 4.2, which does generate the ability of the government, through the CRTC, to moderate and censor the content uploaded by users.
This motion is truly a lack of confidence in the chair of the Canadian heritage committee. This is entirely of the government's making and entirely the government's fault. This legislation has not been reviewed or debated in 31 years. There is no reason to rush it through in the next few weeks. The government is being completely inaccurate in the way it is presenting it. It is a darn shame that we will not be able to review this bill as it deserves to be reviewed, because Canadians are interested to know if they will still be able to use the Internet, their YouTube channels, their Facebook and their TikTok in the ways that they have always been able to without the censorship of government and the CRTC.”
Passed by a vote of 174-146, the motion compelled the parliamentary heritage committee to rush through over 150 amendments with immediate votes on each and without debate. This legislation remains flawed. The Liberal government has done nothing to address the censorship elements that remain in the law like section 4.2, and it is a disservice to Canadians concerned about the continued enjoyment of online platforms in the manner of their choosing. The Senate will now study the bill in their committee, and they have pledged not to rush the process. I will keep a close eye on the work of the Senate and work alongside conservative senators to make sure we strip this legislation of its censorship parts.
Conservatives call for Public Safety Minister to resign
Invoking the Emergencies Act is an extremely serious measure for any government to resort to. Given its wide-ranging powers, Canadians expect clarity and transparency from their government if such a law is used. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Public safety minister Marco Mendicino continuously claimed that law enforcement asked the federal government to step in to stop the Ottawa protests and border blockades in February, explicitly stating “at the recommendation of police, we invoked the Emergencies Act”. In recent weeks, these claims have been refuted entirely by current and former police chiefs of the RCMP and Ottawa Police, all of whom said they made no request to the government to invoke the Act. Even other cabinet ministers have distanced themselves from his comments. Minister for Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair disagreed with Minister Mendicino, saying that police did not ask the government to invoke the Act in testimony before a parliamentary committee. The public safety minister bears responsibility for his misleading statements and this lack of clarity has corrupted the work of the parliamentary review committee and the Rouleau inquiry. Both of these review bodies are probing the actions and words of the federal government as required by legislation and both are relying on public statements from government officials to determine whether the threshold was met. The public safety minister has brought confusion as to who actually asked for the Emergencies Act to be used, and misled Parliament as well as the citizens of Canada. The right thing to do here is to accept responsibility and resign.
Federal government lifts vaccine mandate requirements for domestic travelers and federal employees
A victory for Canadians. This week, the federal government announced the lifting of COVID-19 vaccine requirements for domestic and outgoing travel, along with mandates on federal public servants and transport workers. These changes will come into effect on June 20. It must be clear that not all rules have yet been lifted. The vaccine requirement remains for foreign nationals entering Canada, the ArriveCan app remains mandatory, and mask mandates are still required on planes and trains. This news came after three separate motions from Conservatives calling for the return of pre-pandemic rules and the lifting of pandemic restrictions, all of which were voted down by the Liberal government. As recently as May 30, Conservatives had proposed a motion calling for an end to all COVID restrictions, which the Liberals voted down only to introduce similar measures two weeks later. It was only after intense public pressure from tourism groups, airlines, the conservative opposition, and even many of the Liberal caucus, as well as citizens like you, that the Liberals gave in on their unnecessary federal mandates. Conservatives will continue fighting for Canadians so we can move into the post-pandemic future.
Government records reveal a $40m payout to Russian-owned steel manufacturer
Part of my role in Parliament includes the hard work of investigating the minutiae of government spending. It is unglamorous work. It is necessary so taxpayers are aware of how their tax dollars are being spent. Documents tabled by the federal government in Parliament in response to my written questions revealed a $40 million payout to Evraz Incorporated, a Russian-owned steel manufacturer operating in Canada, owned by a businessman with ties to Vladimir Putin and sanctioned by Canada and our allies. It was classified as a “partially repayable contribution with conditions” by the Department of Industry, whose staff could not detail the terms. Canadian tax dollars should not go towards Russian-owned corporations, and I will be pursuing this matter more closely to determine how these grants were allowed.
Statement in Parliament on the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps 344 Victoria
This week, I rose in Parliament to recognize the exceptional young men and women of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps 344 Victoria. The cadet program offers youth an opportunity to gain many useful skills and opens opportunities for careers in the Navy. They held their first post-pandemic parade to honour cadets Chief Petty Officer Jayden Traimany, Chief Petty Officer Pablo Silva, and Petty Officer Miguel Sharif with medals. Watch my statement below congratulating these deserving cadets and their leadership in Parliament.
Sindhi Foundation’s ‘Long Walk in Canada’
This week, the Sindhi Foundation completed their annual ‘Long Walk in Canada’, which began in Toronto on May 28th and ended in Ottawa on June 15th. This walk brings awareness to minority issues in Pakistan, where ethnic and religious minorities like the Sindhis are persecuted. These proud Canadians of Sindh heritage have worked to build bridges between themselves and the international community through public diplomacy, defending human rights, cultural events, and education. I had the honour to address, meet and greet with them, and give my support to their cause.