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Ron McKinnon

Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
Liberal

Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam
British Columbia
Voting Attendance: 67%
Expenses Last Quarter: $132,686.42

Government Page

Mr. Ron McKinnon (Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, Lib.)

Nov/8/23 6:59:56 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-316

Madam Speaker, I want to start by thanking everyone who has participated in this debate. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is critically important to the good of our democracy and of our country. It exists to ensure that the rights and freedoms of minorities are respected and protected in our laws and by our governments. However, it is not and cannot be merely a static document. We must be able to call upon it at need, to weigh and measure the laws that we enact in this place, to ensure that these laws and government actions do, in fact, respect and protect those rights and freedoms. Doing so cannot be the sole purview of those who are financially well off and who can personally afford to engage the legal process. There must also be recourse for ordinary people to challenge laws that they believe are unjust or that unreasonably infringe upon their rights and freedoms, to test those laws against the fundamentals of the charter. That is the court challenges program. The court challenges program, however, has been on and off again over the years, and this is problematic. The purpose of this bill, Bill C-316, is to provide an enduring mechanism wired into legislation, administered by arm's-length, independent experts, to support the examination of nonfrivolous, nonvexatious questions that are significant to the public good. This will enable these important questions to be brought forward, irrespective of the financial means of the proponents, to be answered properly in a court of law. In doing so, we strengthen the charter itself and bolster this critical foundation of our democracy. I urge all members to support this bill. Let us get it to committee.

286 words

Context: House Hansard - 183 - Apr/24/23

Mr. Ron McKinnon (Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, Lib.)

Apr/24/23 12:20:11 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-47

Madam Speaker, I also would like to compliment my friend on his sartorial splendour today. I take particular notice of his mention of his recent visit to India. I understand there are unique challenges with trade with India and particular states within India. Can the hon. member comment on how we can address those challenges and how that will affect our economy going forward?

64 words

All Topics

Context: House Hansard - 164 - Mar/6/23

Mr. Ron McKinnon (Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, Lib.)

Mar/6/23 3:36:40 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-316

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-316, An Act to amend the Department of Canadian Heritage Act (Court Challenges Program). He said: Mr. Speaker, I am happy to introduce my private member's bill, which would enshrine the court challenges program into federal law. The court challenges program supports Canadians seeking to bring cases of national significance that protect our constitutional rights. It plays a vital role in ensuring that the government acts within the bounds of the Constitution and the Official Languages Act. Enshrining this program into legislation would provide greater certainty for the program and allow it to continue its important work well into the future. It would send a strong message about the importance of protecting the rights of Canadians, and it would demonstrate Parliament's shared commitment to ensuring that the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the charter and the Official Languages Act are respected and upheld.

152 words

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Member of Parliament

Ron McKinnon