SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Michael Barrett

  • Member of Parliament
  • Conservative
  • Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes
  • Ontario
  • Voting Attendance: 67%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $133,355.09

  • Government Page
  • Oct/24/23 10:10:22 a.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to present the supplementary opinion from the official opposition for this important report from the standing committee. The comments of the chair are with respect to thanking our analysts, the clerk and the witnesses. Everyone who participated is incredibly important. This is a very important report about a very important subject. Of course, there were some recommendations that the Conservatives did not concur with, which is why we have added a supplemental to the report. There is important context included in this, and the official opposition wants it to be noted that an audit of the Trudeau Foundation is an important component that should be considered by the government and undertaken. The official opposition rejects the 16th recommendation included in the report.
131 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Oct/24/23 10:09:33 a.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent that the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics presented to the House on Tuesday, October 24, be amended by appending an amended dissenting opinion of the official opposition.
48 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Oct/3/23 6:38:11 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, the saying goes that one eats an elephant one bite at a time, and I am happy to hear from the parliamentary secretary that we have convinced the government to take a small bite, but what we need to know is when. When is it going to implement that foreign agent registry? One needs to be registered in this country to lobby for the food bank, but we do not register, or require registration of, people who are paid by foreign governments and are operating on our soil with the interests of their foreign government, like the dictatorship in Beijing. It took the Liberals the better part of a year, with all kinds of time wasted on their special rapporteur process, to actually name the justice who is going to be responsible for the inquiry into foreign interference. What I would like from the parliamentary secretary this evening is for her to reassure Canadians. On what date will they introduce legislation for the foreign agent registry?
168 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Oct/3/23 6:30:43 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, Canadians have seen a very tumultuous year when they look at the cornerstone of our democratic system, Canada's Parliament. I found myself going back over the questions that I had put to the government that needed more exposition, further review and another opportunity for the government to answer. I was speaking with two great members of our team: Leah Young and Jordan Johnston. They do a great job. They are great Canadians. We were a little disappointed when we looked at the series of issues that Canadians had to witness in the news on a daily basis with respect to foreign interference and with respect to a failure to act by the government to address the real and present threats that our country has faced. The question of the Trudeau Foundation and the foreign influence operation that targeted the Prime Minister through the foundation that bears his family's name is incredibly concerning. It gave rise, of course, to calls and demonstrated the necessity for Canada to have a foreign agent registry. This is a tool that is used by our allies and it is very effective, but there is no tool like it in Canada's tool box right now. What happened in this particular case? We saw cut-outs acting on behalf of the dictatorship in Beijing give $140,000 to the Trudeau Foundation in an attempt to influence or gain influence with Canada's Prime Minister. This is obviously incredibly concerning. What we saw in that same time period were two occasions where these individuals acting on behalf of the dictatorship in Beijing did get access to the Prime Minister, raising a question for Canadians: Is that the price it is going to cost foreign regimes to get access to our head of government? The individuals pulled in the Prime Minister's brother. It was the first time in his involvement with that foundation that he was directly linked to donor activity like this, taking in this large six-figure donation. The question about whether or not the influence was effective and whether or not this operation by a foreign government was effective is what undermines Canadians' confidence and creates concern about the health of our democratic institutions. Therefore, Canadians want to know this from the government, and I am looking to the parliamentary secretary for a response: On what date can Canadians expect to see the foreign agent registry, which is one of the critical tools necessary to help restore Canadians' confidence in our democratic institutions?
423 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/30/23 2:16:36 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, over the last several months, Canadians have seen reports of foreign interference in our democracy by the Communist dictatorship in Beijing. What was the Prime Minister's response? He appointed a member of the Trudeau Foundation to investigate, the same Trudeau Foundation that has been the target of a foreign influence operation that saw it accept $140,000 from the Communist dictatorship in Beijing. The House called on the government to hold a public inquiry, but instead, the Prime Minister's ski buddy and Trudeau Foundation board member covered up for him. When that came to light, people could count on the official opposition. Could they count on the New Democrats? When the chips were down at committee, they delayed this for the government's benefit and continued to cover up the Prime Minister's inaction, to the detriment of our democracy. Canadians deserve a public inquiry now.
150 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/29/23 2:39:01 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, if the minister does not know what a conflict of interest is, let me give him an example. The Trudeau Foundation takes $140,000 from the dictatorship in Beijing. Then, in investigating foreign interference, the Prime Minister, who shares the same name as the foundation that was the target of a foreign influence operation, appoints a member of that very foundation, two members of that foundation, in fact, to investigate foreign interference. They do not understand what a conflict of interest is, and that is exactly why we need a public inquiry: to get to know what these Liberals knew and when they knew it, and so we can restore confidence in our democratic institutions. Will they call the inquiry today?
123 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/29/23 2:37:40 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister appointed a family friend and Trudeau Foundation member to investigate, more like cover up, foreign interference by Beijing in our democracy. That family friend then appointed another Trudeau Foundation member to supposedly clear them of their conflict of interest, and then hired a lifetime Liberal donor to work for them. This has been a sham from the very beginning. Canadians do not have confidence in this process. That is why they want a public inquiry, and that is why that was what was passed in the House. Will the Prime Minister call one today?
99 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/11/23 2:36:56 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, The Globe and Mail reported that the Trudeau Foundation was used as part of an influence operation to get access to the Prime Minister. We heard from the CEO this week that with the donation there was no oversight and no due diligence or audit. Within five weeks of the Prime Minister's brother signing this $200,000 donation agreement with two Beijing-backed donors, they both had direct access to the Prime Minister. The question is very simple. Does the Prime Minister still believe the allegations in The Globe and Mail are false?
96 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/3/23 2:40:54 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the exact opposite has proven to be true. For two years, they failed to inform the member for Wellington—Halton Hills about these threats against his family. This is an attack on all parliamentarians. We have now known, based on the reports in the Globe and Mail, that the government knew two years ago. The question is very simple, and instead of the minister carrying on with non-answers, he needs to be very direct. When did the minister's office become aware of this specific instance?
90 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/3/23 2:39:40 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the only light that is being shone is by the Globe and Mail on the government's failure to keep parliamentarians informed and safe when foreign actors are threatening them. We heard very clearly from CSIS officials at committee who said, “In those specific cases, we definitely brief our government on the challenges that are being faced.” We heard from the Prime Minister's own chief of staff that the Prime Minister is a voracious reader of all the briefing notes that come across his desk. Are we supposed to believe that the Globe and Mail gets briefed by CSIS before the Prime Minister?
108 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/1/23 2:52:05 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canada's intelligence agency warned the Liberal government that Beijing was the foremost offender for perpetrating foreign influence on Canadians and that it feared no repercussions from the Liberals. In fact, a Beijing-backed donation of $140,000 to the Trudeau Foundation was designed to influence the Prime Minister. What did he do in response? He appointed two former Trudeau Foundation board members to investigate: $140,000 bought a blind eye from the Prime Minister. How can Canadians believe anything he says about foreign influence or about the Trudeau Foundation?
92 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Apr/21/23 11:23:18 a.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, only the Liberal government would call the largest public service strike in 40 years “good news” for Canadians: long lines at our passport offices, good news for Canadians; record delays at our airports, good news for Canadians; having hundreds of men and women in uniform at CFB Petawawa without heat and hot water because of Liberal incompetence, good news for Canadians. The Liberals are not in it for Canadians, and that is exactly why this morning, when we tried to call Alexandre Trudeau from the Trudeau Foundation to committee to talk about how he signed for a $200,000 cheque from Beijing as part of an influence operation to get access to the Prime Minister, which they did in fact get, they sent their Liberals in to block it. When will the Liberals stand up for Canadians?
141 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Mar/28/23 2:17:16 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians need the truth about Beijing's interference in our democracy and to know what the Prime Minister is hiding and why he refused to act in defence of Canada. The Globe and Mail reported that Beijing “employed a sophisticated strategy to disrupt Canada's democracy in the 2021 federal election campaign” and that “their proxies backed the re-election of [the member for Papineau's] Liberals”. For weeks the Liberals blocked the Prime Minister's chief of staff from testifying, and it was only under the pressure of Conservatives and an outcry from the public that the Liberal obstruction collapsed. It is no wonder the Liberals are blocking the truth. The Prime Minister has benefited from dictator dollars through the Trudeau Foundation and a sweetheart book deal pushed by the Communist regime's propagandists. The Liberals' plan to have a secret committee with secret evidence, secret hearings and a secret conclusion is just not acceptable. A fully independent public inquiry is the only way to credibly investigate Beijing's interference in our democracy and to uncover what and when the Liberals knew about this foreign interference in our democracy.
196 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Mar/20/23 2:39:42 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, what we have received is horrific partisanship from the government House leader and the Liberals. They appointed a family friend of the Prime Minister, a board member on the Beijing-funded Trudeau Foundation, to advise the Prime Minister on whether he maybe should, probably, might, could have a public inquiry. We are looking for a public inquiry for Canadians, and we are looking for the Prime Minister's chief of staff to testify at committee. Why will the Liberals and their NDP coalition partners not allow the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Katie Telford, to testify?
99 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Mar/20/23 2:38:20 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the official opposition brings one interest to this place, and that is the interest of Canadians to find out what the Prime Minister knew about foreign interference by the government in Beijing in our elections in 2019 and 2021. However, the NDP, a party that twice voted to send Conservative staff to committee when we were in government, and that twice voted for Katie Telford to go to committee when their coalition partners were in government, are now unwilling or unable to send her this time. Is it a condition of the supply and confidence deal between these coalition partners that the NDP not send Katie Telford to committee?
111 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Mar/9/23 2:36:38 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, documents reported in the Globe and Mail illustrate how the communist dictatorship in Beijing was operating an interference campaign in Canada, and it had two aims. One was to elect a Liberal government. The other was to defeat certain Conservative candidates. Canadians deserve answers. We know that the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Katie Telford, was briefed on this very situation. Will the Prime Minister allow Katie Telford to testify at committee or will the Liberals continue, for a fourth day, their cover-up filibuster?
88 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Mar/7/23 2:54:52 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the committee that these members on this side of the House sit on is banned by the Liberals from talking about what took place. Today, I was at the procedure and House affairs committee, where the Liberals were engaged in one of their cover-up filibusters. My question is for the chair of that committee to find out if she will resume the committee today at 3:30 p.m. so there can be a vote on having the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Katie Telford, testify on what she knew and when she knew about the foreign interference efforts. If the chair will not stand, will the vice-chair of the committee stand and tell us if that committee will resume today?
126 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/14/23 3:04:47 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, obviously some members are more concerned than others. Let us be clear. It is our national intelligence service that has alleged that former Liberal minister Michael Chan has direct connections to a spy network from Communist China. That is why he is on its watch list. He also chaired campaigns for the Liberal trade minister. The Prime Minister was warned about Liberal minister Michael Chan and was told to warn the trade minister. Who is the Liberal trade minister taking her advice from if she is ignoring the PMO and CSIS?
93 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/14/23 3:03:40 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal trade minister had former Liberal minister Michael Chan chair her election campaigns. It turns out Mr. Chan is on a CSIS watch list for alleged connections to a spy network of the Chinese Communist regime, and the Prime Minister's senior staff, including Katie Telford, were told to warn the trade minister to be cautious in her dealings with Mr. Chan. The trade minister refused to answer the question yesterday, so I will ask again. Why did the minister ignore the warnings from the PMO and Canada's intelligence service about having Mr. Chan chair her campaign, even though he had ties to spies for Communist China?
111 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Feb/13/23 2:52:42 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the media reports have told us that a former Liberal minister, Michael Chan, is on a CSIS watch-list due to his ties to the Chinese communist regime and suspected spies. Chan was hired by the Liberal trade minister to work on her campaign. This is the same trade minister who was just found guilty of breaking ethics laws. After eight years of this Prime Minister, Canadians have come to expect that the Liberals will, of course, break ethics rules, but why is the trade minister ignoring the advice of Canada's intelligence services?
96 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border