SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Michael Barrett

  • Member of Parliament
  • Conservative
  • Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes
  • Ontario
  • Voting Attendance: 68%
  • Expenses Last Quarter: $133,355.09

  • Government Page
  • Jun/2/23 11:18:47 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, David Johnston is in a clear conflict of interest. He was a member of the Trudeau Foundation, and he is the Prime Minister's friend. He released a report meant to whitewash Beijing's influence with the Liberal government and Beijing's interference in our elections. However, this whitewashing is what he was always going to do, is it not? After all, he is there as a special adviser exclusively for the Prime Minister. Canadians have rejected Johnston's cover-up, and they want the facts from the Prime Minister. Will he call a public inquiry today?
99 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/9/23 2:33:55 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, what we would like is for the government to actually start doing the work. Yesterday, all members on that side, including the public safety minister and the Prime Minister, voted against a public inquiry. They voted against expelling a diplomat. They voted against a foreign agent registry. All of these tools can be used to protect members of the Chinese diaspora community from intimidation from the Communist dictatorship in Beijing. It is operating here on our soil, and the government has the ability to stop it. We have a very simple question. The minister says that, if we ask the same question, we will get the same answer. We would like some action to go with it. Will they implement a foreign agent registry and shut down these Beijing-backed police stations?
134 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • May/9/23 2:32:39 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, it took two years for the government to do the right thing and expel the diplomat who was directly involved in interfering in our democracy and intimidating the family of a member of the House of Commons for a vote of his in the House of Commons. Meanwhile, the dictatorship in Beijing continues to operate illegal police stations in Canada, which are used to intimidate members of the Chinese diaspora community. Are the Prime Minister and his public safety minister going to wait two years, or will they commit today to shutting down these foreign influence operations running out of these Beijing-backed police stations?
107 words
  • 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/28/23 11:41:57 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, by using the Trudeau Foundation, a Beijing influence operation was successful. For $140,000, Beijing had access to the Prime Minister and to the man the Prime Minister picked to investigate and report on foreign interference in our elections. What did that report say? It said there was nothing to see. Is $140,000 the cost to influence our democracy under the Liberals?
65 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Apr/17/23 2:51:56 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Trudeau Foundation accepted a gift of $200,000 from an agent for Beijing's dictatorship, and senior PMO officials were made aware of the gift and where it came from. The Prime Minister's chief of staff told committee that the Prime Minister is briefed on everything and nothing is withheld from him. On what date did the Prime Minister become aware that the Trudeau Foundation accepted a $200,000 gift from the Communist dictatorship in Beijing?
80 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 6:06:28 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, foreign interference by any country in our democratic institutions is absolutely unacceptable. When we have credible reports about it, as we have seen in this case in The Globe and Mail and in Global News about the communist dictatorship in Beijing, it should call for swift action. We have case-in-point evidence in this case, and that is why we are calling for this motion to be passed and for the Prime Minister's chief of—
80 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border