44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 4, 2023 10:00AM
- May/4/23 1:24:11 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, members will recall that I actually said in my comments that in 2022, there were 49 members of Parliament; 26 MLAs; 17 councillors or reeves, those classified as municipal; and a huge number of Canadians affected. Some of them were really tangibly affected. I just made reference to, not that long ago, meeting with individuals who were nervous to have pictures taken for the simple reason that they were concerned about repercussions back home. That is the motivating factor for the Prime Minister, the Minister of Public Safety and, indeed, I would like to think, for all of us.
No one inside this chamber, I would like to think, supports in any way whatsoever that a foreign country would try to interfere, directly or indirectly, with the lives of Canadians. This is the reason that the Prime Minister and the government take the issue seriously; this is why we have taken the actions we have taken to date. It is just the Conservatives who continue to want to politicize the issue.
173 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:25:36 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we learned a few months ago in the Journal de Montréal that there were two Chinese police stations in Brossard. However, when I asked an RCMP officer about that at a meeting of the Special Committee on the Canada–People's Republic of China Relationship at the beginning of February, he told me that there were none in Quebec. A few weeks later, we learned that there actually were.
We also learned that the woman who heads up those two Chinese police stations was a candidate in the Brossard municipal election. She was elected and we now know that the Chinese platform WeChat was sending messages in Mandarin to members of the Chinese community in Brossard. That is likely one of the reasons why she got elected.
How can we ensure that this type of interference does not occur in the federal process if we do not hold a truly independent public inquiry?
158 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:26:29 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, there is zero tolerance for international interference into Canadian society. I talked about the importance of Canadian values. I can say from a personal perspective that there is no appetite at all, as in zero tolerance, for any form of international police force being established that is not Canadian—
52 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:26:54 p.m.
- Watch
On a point of order, the hon. member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies.
17 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:26:58 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, there seems to be a problem with facts here. I would like the member to explain what he means by “zero tolerance”.
26 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:27:06 p.m.
- Watch
The hon. parliamentary secretary.
4 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:27:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, on the same point of order, “zero tolerance” is something that has been well established for many years at different levels of government. It means we do not tolerate it at all. If that helps the member, I am glad to be of assistance. I hope this did not come off my time.
57 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:27:24 p.m.
- Watch
That is not a point of order.
Questions and comments, the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre.
16 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:27:33 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am rising to ask a question, but I just want to point out that I appreciate the quiet in here. I am really worried about the state of our democracy. The NDP first put forward the need for an independent public inquiry. The member for Vancouver East urged all parliamentarians not to be partisan and to bring the leaders to the table to pick somebody independent, chosen by all party leaders. The partisan bantering, including from the member for Winnipeg North, is a stage for all the foreign interference that is happening now.
In fact, I find it disturbing, particularly in the riding that he represents and my riding, which neighbours his, that there is all this anti-Asian hate happening. My colleague, the member for Vancouver East, spoke about how these kinds of debates impact people who look like her.
I appreciate the quiet and the decorum in the House right now. In terms of democracy, this is how it should be. I think this is good. Does the member across the way agree with the NDP that we need an independent public inquiry and that oversight by somebody who is agreed upon by all leaders of the political parties, the Conservative, Liberal, NDP, Bloc and Green parties, needs to happen?
215 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:29:25 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure, in my speech, that I made reference to any single country. It is quite possible I might have, but I did start off by making it very clear that there is no single country that participates in political interference and interventions in Canadian society. Rather, there are a multitude of different countries doing this. Moreover, Canada is not alone; there are other countries, whether Australia, the United States, European countries or other democracies, that also get interfered with by a wide variety of other countries.
I am very sensitive to the issue. I would suggest to the member that she might want to give serious consideration to having confidence in the former governor general doing the work he needs to do, which could ultimately lead us to have a public inquiry. He was a Stephen Harper government appointment as governor general.
147 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:30:33 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, that is just it. After all we have learned in recent days and weeks, my question to the parliamentary secretary is this: At what point is it enough? At what point have we already learned enough information that we do not need to wait for recommendations from a rapporteur? When is the need for an independent public inquiry on foreign interference pretty clear? When do we say that enough is enough?
73 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:30:58 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I have confidence in the former governor general, the hon. Mr. Johnston, in terms of his being able to look at what would be in Canada's best interest and how we can best proceed. If that means we have to be patient and wait an extra few weeks or a couple of months, I am quite prepared to be patient, knowing full well that at the end of the day, it could lead to a public inquiry, if it is deemed necessary.
85 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:31:34 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, today the 2022 public report by CSIS was tabled. In 2013, there was also a report tabled, and it was received by the then minister of democratic institutions, who happens to be the leader of the Conservative Party right now. That report said:
Canada, as an open, multicultural society, has traditionally been vulnerable to foreign interference activities. When diaspora groups in Canada are subjected to clandestine and deceptive manipulation by a foreign power in order for it to garner support for its policies and values, these activities constitute a threat to the security of Canada. As boundaries between foreign state and non-state actors become increasingly blurred, it is particularly challenging...to differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate activities. Foreign interference in Canadian society—as a residual aspect of global or regional political and social conflicts, or divergent strategic and economic objectives—will continue in the coming years.
This was a report received by the member for Carleton. What did he do about it?
167 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:32:41 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It sounded like the member was making a speech; it was supposed to be a question, which is limited in time. I would just like him to stick closer to the time.
41 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:32:54 p.m.
- Watch
It is questions and comments, so it does not necessarily need to go into a question.
16 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:33:01 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I just want to correct my hon. colleague, who was the chair of the committee I was formerly on, and who I do not like to normally cross. It is not that he was making a speech. It is that every time he speaks it sounds like it is a speech because it seems to go on for so long. Maybe if he were briefer in his comments, it would be easier on all of us and we would not get confused.
91 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:33:20 p.m.
- Watch
We are going to descend into another major debate. How about we give the member a whole 59 seconds to respond?
21 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:33:38 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I just wanted to say that I agree with the comments the member across the way made.
26 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:33:43 p.m.
- Watch
The hon. parliamentary secretary has the floor for one more minute and then I will move on to the next speaker.
21 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/4/23 1:33:50 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, what it does is it reminds us all that foreign interference is not new in Canada. It has been around for more than a decade. CSIS has made us aware of it.
What is important to recognize is that this government, since 2015, has taken concrete steps toward providing assurances. There are many other opportunities for us to not only improve this system, but ultimately to work in an apolitical fashion, hopefully, through standing committees and other mechanisms, so we can all get onside and assure Canadians we have a democracy that is healthy, vibrant and that will be there for future generations.
105 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
