- Member of Parliament
- Member of the Board of Internal Economy
Chief opposition whip
Member of the panel of chairs for the legislative committees
- Conservative
- South Surrey—White Rock
- British Columbia
- Voting Attendance: 65%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $130,172.43
- Government Page
- Oct/16/23 10:12:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I personally and all of my Conservative colleagues have called for the IRGC to be declared a terrorist organization by the government, so that it could not organize here in Canada or raise funds here in Canada. On the Liberal side they have gone so far as to call it a state sponsor of terrorism.
Again, this is not a drill. This is reality. Iran sponsors terror throughout the region and, in fact, probably elsewhere outside the Middle East. We need to see it for what it is, call it out and stop the flow of funds to terrorist organizations like Hamas.
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- Oct/16/23 10:10:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I believe that Israel, many times in the past, has been under violent attack from aggressor states all around it. We must remember that Israel is a very small country with vast aggressor states around it that mean to do it harm, which have vowed to push Israelis and the state of Israel into the sea.
In these circumstances, I think that Israel has always tried to follow international law, absolutely. I believe it will do so again.
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- Oct/16/23 10:09:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree that international law should be observed, but we are talking about extraordinary circumstances. We are talking about a surprise attack on a sovereign nation in the most brutal and horrific manner where innocents were slaughtered. They were not soldiers. They were people in their homes having Shabbat dinner or asleep in their beds. Babies are no threat to anyone.
I understand Israel's right to defend itself, and it must choose how and when to do so. It is making every effort, from what I can see, to warn those who were not involved to go to safety.
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- Oct/16/23 10:08:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned about the threat level here in Canada and in the United States. We know that we are seen as one North American entity by a lot of the bad actors in the world. We are referred to as the little Satan with the U.S. being the big Satan. We know there are people among us here who would do harm. I think it is essential that the Government of Canada assess the present threat level and inform Canadians.
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- Oct/16/23 10:02:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, October 7, 2023, is a day now permanently pierced into history, when the world witnessed evil in its purest form. Israelis were wrapping up the festival of Sukkot when sirens rang out. Israel was under violent attack. Like many Canadians, I was horrified to wake up to the news, images and videos coming out of Israel. This deliberate, coordinated attack by Hamas terrorists was despicable, unjustified, and I condemn it unequivocally.
Israel has the right to defend itself, just as Canada would if this attack were carried out on our soil. This should not be difficult to say, but some Canadian politicians and some in the media could not find the moral courage to say so. We have seen statements put out by both Liberal and NDP politicians that were so outrageous and morally bankrupt they had to be walked back or deleted.
The CBC instructed its employees to avoid referring to Hamas as terrorists. Our own state broadcaster ignored the fact that Hamas was put on the terrorist entity list by the Government of Canada in 2002, describing Hamas as “a radical Islamist-nationalist terrorist organization”.
We have seen reprehensible celebrations of these terrorist attacks right here in Canada, including, shamefully, in my own community in B.C. On Friday, in my community, a rabbi's home was vandalized with eggs and a swastika was drawn on his window. This is disgusting and unacceptable. This hate should not be tolerated in our country, full stop.
I condemn these celebrations and condemn the ideology of hate that has no place in Canada. There is no moral equivalence between Hamas terrorists who slaughter innocents, savagely rape women and children, behead babies and use their own people as human shields, and Israel exercising their right to defend themselves. This is a time for moral clarity.
I hope the CBC is paying attention when I say that Hamas is not a militant organization, a resistance or an activist group. Hamas is a sadistic, barbaric, terrorist death cult with no respect for human life. There can be no negotiating with Hamas. They must be defeated and destroyed. Their enablers must be exposed for the vile anti-Semites that they are. This includes state sponsors of terrorism, including the dictatorship in Tehran.
I have seen first-hand the strength of the Israeli people and how Israelis live under existential threat from Hamas, funded by Iran and other hostile actors in the region. Now this threat is reality.
My heart breaks for the families who have been destroyed, especially the families of the seven Canadians who were ruthlessly murdered. Last night in South Surrey, I attended a rally in support of the Jewish community and spoke to friends of Ben Mizrachi, a 22-year-old British Columbian murdered at the music festival. He was using his training as a medic with the IDF to help people who were wounded in the attack. He was trying to save lives when he tragically lost his own.
For those still in danger, we must do everything we can to bring them home safe. As we continue to watch the horrific events unfolding in Israel, there are concrete actions that Canada can and must take.
First, Canada must criminalize the IRGC, the terrorist arm of the Iranian government. Today again, the Liberals blocked the passage of a Conservative bill that would have taken this necessary first step.
Second, there are Canadians missing and presumed to be among the hostages. The Government of Canada must demand the immediate release of our citizens and all hostages taken by Hamas.
Third, Conservatives are calling for a full review of all foreign aid programs to ensure that no Canadian tax dollars are going to support terrorism.
Fourth, we must protect Canadian places of worship. Every person of faith has a constitutional right to worship here in Canada. “Never again” is a phrase associated with the atrocities of the Holocaust. Never again is now. Jewish people around the world are remarkably resilient. They choose to believe the promises of scripture that better days and peace lie ahead. However, they should not be continuously forced to prove their resilience by malevolent forces against their very existence.
I am proud to stand with our friend and ally, Israel.
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- Feb/28/22 9:52:45 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, on both sides of the aisle, everybody is talking about a need for NORAD modernization. I do not think that is news. What needs to be done is like the expression “use it or lose it”. As far as China and Russia are concerned, they have been very clear that they want to be the powers in the Arctic, whereas Canada believes we should be standing up for our Arctic, and that means all of Canadian sovereignty. We simply have to do more.
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- Feb/28/22 9:51:10 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, yes, I do think the ambassador should be expelled at this point and that we should recall ours.
Yes, dialogue is always important, but this is a ruthless, tyrannical dictator who is now in charge of an enormous army, the second-largest military force in the world. He has shown over and over again that he is not interested in dialogue. He is not interested in talking. There have been all kinds of opportunities for that dialogue. I am always one who pushes for dialogue and for talking and not going that extra step unless we have to, but this person is not listening at this point. If he shows any indication at all of being willing to listen, there are avenues for us to make that happen.
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- Feb/28/22 9:49:36 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, yes, we are working away at the defence committee, and in fact we were just there earlier this evening.
The member has made a very important point about something all Canadians should be proud of. We have had trainers in the region for some years now, and no doubt Canadians have had a big hand in Ukraine's readiness to fight.
One cannot put the heart in people; they find that themselves. However, what we have done and can do is continue to train those who stand up for democracy and face an actual threat, as Ukraine has been dealing with now for a long time.
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- Feb/28/22 9:43:20 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, as I stand here tonight, as with all of my colleagues in the House, my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Ukraine, their indomitable spirit and their keen sense of patriotism as they stand up to a ruthless Russian dictator in Vladimir Putin.
As shadow minister for national defence and a former associate minister of national defence, my mind is also on the 550 Canadian soldiers in Latvia and the crew of our frigate, HMCS Montréal, now in the Mediterranean, and their families and what they are going through right now. I think of the reinforcements we are sending as well.
When I was in cabinet, we had made the transition from war-fighting in Afghanistan to the Afghanistan training mission. These things weigh on one's heart and mind. I can imagine that my government colleagues are not sleeping that well right now, so my thoughts are also with the ministers who are directly involved and the government at this time.
Close to home, Canadians pride themselves on their majestic and largely untapped Arctic. Our Northwest Passage and surrounding areas are increasingly of interest to China and to Russia for access to minerals and natural resources and for sea trade between Asia and Europe. Russian aggression on the European continent brings home to Canada that an aggressive Russia might also be eyeing our Arctic. Russian aggression could just as easily take place in the area adjacent to our Arctic coast and waters, and this must be understood by all Canadians. The prospect of further Russian aggression in the north only reinforces the need for this government to purchase new F-35 fighter planes without delay and to cut steel on new warships.
As we all know, Canada has its signals intelligence listening post at Alert and an Arctic training centre and command centre at Resolute Bay. This year, we are supposed to see our first Arctic port become operational. In terms of defence capabilities for this vital region, we have our aging CF-18 fighter fleet, Victoria-class patrol submarines that can linger near the edge of the ice cap, a force of Canadian Rangers and Arctic offshore patrol vessels. It is simply not enough, and we must do more. Canada's northern warning system needs a major upgrade of its sensors and its coverage, both north and south, to protect us from a variety of new military threats, such as hypersonic ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles, all armed with nuclear warheads.
Russia's Kola Peninsula is one of the most militarized areas on the face of the planet. It is home to Russia's northern fleet and therefore home to its sea-based nuclear deterrent. In the last few years, Russia has refurbished 13 air bases, 10 radar stations and 20 border posts, and has integrated emergency rescue stations on its Arctic coast. Russia has also created a special forces Arctic brigade to be deployed to the region and has tested a series of hypersonic cruise missiles and nuclear-powered undersea drones. Canada must take our Arctic sovereignty security much more seriously and not allow Russia's huge military buildup to go unnoticed and unchecked. Canada must push back on the Russian government with several initiatives.
I note, and my colleague mentioned it, that the latest reports say that Putin has used thermobaric weapons today in Kharkiv. These weapons cause massive shock waves that suck the air out of the lungs of its victims. This is very serious, and there is now a 14-mile long Russian convoy outside the capital of Kyiv.
There are many things we can do. We can expel the Russian ambassador. We can recall our ambassador. We can give visa-free access. We can immediately move to remove Russia from the G20. We need to send more help. These concrete actions will send a message to Putin, his oligarchs and the people who keep him in power that they cannot invade a sovereign state. It is time for them to listen to the words of a great leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, who said, “The world will not accept dictatorship or domination.” We need only look at the patriotic fire in the eyes of Ukrainians and their President Zelensky and Ukrainians here and everywhere to understand that they too yearn to be free.
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- Jan/31/22 10:07:20 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I absolutely agree that it is essential. You may have noticed that the Russians shut down a lot of Ukraine's cyber abilities before stepping up even further with aggression. This is part of modern warfare: It is something that goes on all the time with aggressor states, and we need to do more to be alive to it, monitor it and prevent it.
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- Jan/31/22 10:06:01 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I believe sanctions do work and diplomacy usually works, but we are dealing with a very aggressive country that has decided that in its interests, whatever it deems them to be, Ukraine is part of them going forward. Diplomacy should always come first, and sanctions along with diplomacy absolutely are a deterrent, but offering Ukraine every support short of assistance, I suggest, is not good enough. We have to stand stronger with Ukraine and democracy.
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- Jan/31/22 10:04:04 p.m.
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Madam Chair, this is a crucial issue within our Canadian Armed Forces right now. Madam Justice Arbour is tasked with looking at further recommendations, because the earlier recommendations were not all put in place. We are looking for further insights there.
We need more personnel in the Canadian Armed Forces and retention and recruitment are huge issues, but we have serving men and women who are trained and we know that they can do even more to help train in Ukraine and in vulnerable democracies such as Ukraine. As I said, Ukraine may not be part of NATO, as least yet, but it is surely a NATO ally.
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- Jan/31/22 9:58:01 p.m.
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Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Thornhill.
The Russians are ready for war with Ukraine and have the elements of 10 combined arms and tank armies surrounding Ukraine's borders. The Russians say they are normal troop deployments and that they are not looking to invade Ukraine. They said the same things in 2014 before they seized Crimea and the Donbass. With Georgia in 2008, Russia said its military buildup was a war game, and they took the northern part of the country by storm.
This time we know differently about Russian President Vladimir Putin's claims. Typically, only three Russian armies are stationed opposite Ukraine, and now we are seeing units from six other combined arms armies and the main strike force of the western military district, the 1st Guards Tank Army, move within miles of the Russian-Ukrainian border.
More Russian troops have been sent to Belarus along with fighter aircraft to both deter NATO and to threaten a northern invasion march on Kyiv. Belarus's army is on a heightened state of alert and ready to join Russia in battle. Russian forces in Transnistria have also been built up. Between five and six large Russian amphibious ships are on the way to the Black Sea with naval infantry. Smaller amphibious craft are coming by road. Russian pipeline troops have been deployed forward to establish fuel hubs for their armoured forces. The Russian navy is engaged in war games in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the North, Baltic and Black seas. Russia's strategic rocket forces are in war games, on a heightened state of alert and dispersed, and blood has been sent to Russian field hospitals, the last thing that happens before they become battle-ready. Blood is such a precious commodity that we use coloured water in exercises.
My husband and children are part Ukrainian. My heart is with that vulnerable democracy and its people. My heart is with the men, women and families of Canadian Armed Forces members who may be put in harm's way. The U.S., U.K. and other NATO states are ready to deploy forces to deter the Russian and Belarusian aggressors. What about Canada? In 2019 the Prime Minister announced in London Canada's contribution to NATO's high readiness force. Canada's total commitment to the NATO readiness initiative includes 12 CF-18 fighter jets, an expeditionary air task force, a maritime patrol aircraft, three frigates, a submarine, a mechanized infantry battalion, a mobile hospital and a platoon for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence.
Right now in the face of unprecedented Russian aggression against Ukraine and hybrid warfare directed at Poland and the Baltic states through its proxy Belarus, we have a 550-person force in Estonia helping to train and protect that vulnerable NATO state. We have 200 trainers in Ukraine with a couple hundred more maybe on their way, and a small special forces detachment, and the minister just announced that they are moving out of harm's way west of the Dnieper River. We have one warship, HMCS Montréal, in transit to the Black Sea, and one being made ready in Halifax.
The government has watched the Russian military build up in real terms since Zapad 2021 in September. We have had months to put together a robust list of both non-lethal and lethal aid to support Ukraine. It may not be a NATO member state, but it is surely a NATO ally. At this stage we should be supplying lethal defensive aid to help this fledgling democracy stand up to the bully of central and eastern Europe in Vladimir Putin.
As well, the cyberdefensive capabilities in our Communications Security Establishment should be leveraged to help Ukraine. As well, Canadian signals intelligence could be invaluable to monitoring Russian interactions. The satellite intelligence from RADARSAT would be most helpful in tracking troop movements. The Canadian Armed Forces can provide training in a much wider range of lethal combat skills than they are doing now, and Canada should start as quickly as Ukraine can accommodate extra help. Even a maritime patrol aircraft to monitor Russian actions in the Black Sea and Baltic would be helpful at this point.
If Canadians care at all about democracy, if we care about freedom and sovereignty, we must care about it everywhere.
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