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MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

Philip Lawrence

Conservative Northumberland—Clarke 24 statements translated

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Lawrence presses for relief from the cost of living, calling on the government to scrap federal fuel taxes for the rest of 2026 and to restore Via Rail’s cancelled route 641 for his community, while seeking firmer definitions in Canada’s space launch legislation. He frequently wanders into asides, pausing his argument to muse aloud, as when he remarks, “I always at least enjoy the passion brought by the member for Winnipeg North.”Written by AI from their statements. Updated .

Average grade
B+
81 / 100 over 23 statements
Signal 68 / 100
Relevance 87 / 100
Reasoning 78 / 100
Respect 100 / 100
Clarity 92 / 100
Averaged over the 23 of 24 statements graded so far.

In their own words

Loses points more than most for

A remark off to the side of the point.2 times as often as most members.What the tags mean ×2.0

Loses points less than most for A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.Less often than most members.What the tags mean

Does well more than most

Answered ×2.2

Statements 24

Government Orders ·

Medical Assistance in Dying Safeguards Act

“Canada now has one of the highest rates of medically assisted dying in the world. We need to talk about this. I do not want people to qualify for medically assisted death only because of a mental illness. Mental health can improve, and we should help people get better instead of ending their lives.”

  • Speech on a bill

    Reasoning 100 of 100

    This statement drew 4 conclusions and gave a reason for each one.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I want to start my speech by congratulating all members of the House for the debate so far. I have been here observing it. I thought the member for Winnipeg North had an excellent question about hospice. The Bloc Québécois members talked about a very difficult subject in a sensitive manner. I am not sure if Canadians are always proud of us in the House, but I definitely think they could be this afternoon and morning with this important debate. This debate is quite frankly overdue and necessary. Like I said, I commend members in the House again for the compassionate way in which we have been able to have a dialogue, with many members I am sure having many different opinions. In addition to Bill C-41 and the content in it, a general discussion about MAID is important, regardless of where, I might add, someone is on the issue and whether they are an advocate or believe there should be additional safeguards. Canada is about to hit the highest rate of medically assisted dying in the developed world. In 2024, we were number two in the world, next to the Netherlands. We were at about 5.1% of total deaths. I do not believe we have a national number yet for 2025, and if someone wants to interject, I am happy to take it, but for Ontario in 2025, the rate was 7.3%. We are creeping up to about 10% of total deaths being done by medical assistance in dying. I do not believe this was a number that was projected or that we thought would occur at the time that the legislation was initially passed. Numbers do not always tell the whole story. In fact, they rarely do, but data points can point us in the right direction. Regardless of where someone is on the issue, I think we need to have a discussion, especially as MAID creeps up closer and closer to 10% of total deaths in Canada. On to the substance of the legislation, one of the more troubling elements that has occurred since 2019, when I was first elected, is the potential inclusion of mental illness as the sole reason for accessing medical assistance in dying. This is challenging not because mental illness is not as real as a physical illness. It very much is. In fact, I would say 100% is. The challenge is that with some mental illnesses, it is very difficult, according to the experts and the practitioners, to fully understand the impacts of certain mental illnesses. What we would never, ever want to see is that there was a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I think most people in here, regardless of the suffering if in fact it was for a finite amount of time, would want to be there in supporting people to get through to the other side of that. If it is possible to get to a point where someone can once again enjoy living and the suffering is no longer overwhelming, I am sure the vast majority of Canadians would want to see the community and health practitioners helping a person get through it. Once again, I would like to commend the House on a thoughtful dialogue. I thank the House for allowing me to contribute to it.

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Oral Questions ·

Finance

“The Bank of Canada is raising interest rates to fight inflation, but the government keeps spending more money and making inflation worse. I want the minister to promise to spend less in the upcoming budget.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Governor of the Bank of Canada was quite clear: He has raised interest rates because of increasing inflationary pressure. All experts agree that expansive fiscal policy accelerates inflation. In effect, the Governor of the Bank of Canada is hitting the brakes hard while the Minister of Finance continues to accelerate faster and faster. Will the minister commit to some fiscal restraint in the upcoming budget so that Canadians are not pushed over the inflationary cliff?

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“Government debt causes inflation. Canada now spends more on debt interest than on health care or the military, and rising interest rates will hurt millions of Canadians. I want the government to lower the deficit as a share of the economy, like it promised.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Bank of Canada raised its interest rates for the first time since 2023. The government is claiming that inflation and interest rates are like the weather and are completely beyond its control, but we know that is not the truth. We know that sovereign debt accelerates inflation. Canada now spends more on interest than it does on health care or on the military. The interest rate hike means that millions of Canadians will be forced to the financial brink. Will the government commit to achieving its own fiscal anchor of a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio?

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Government Orders ·

Business of Supply

In response to a question from Elizabeth May

“The Liberals are not using our ideas. Conservatives would put Canadians back in control of their lives and put money back in their pockets, instead of giving it to government insiders.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I have heard perhaps the best compliment I have ever heard given to the member for Winnipeg North and the Liberal government. Although I have heard that before, I do not think it is a reality. Here is the difference. Here is what Conservatives would do. Conservatives would put Canadians back in control of their lives. They would put dollars back in Canadians’ pockets, not give them to Liberal government insiders.

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In response to a question from Kevin Lamoureux

“The Liberals only call us far-right when they are losing the debate. The economy is struggling, and their policies are forcing more children to use food banks. I invite the member to visit the food banks in my riding to see it for himself.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have a tell. Whenever they are losing, they use the phrase “far right”, so we know we are winning on this debate. I could give members the numbers: the flat GDP per capita, the ever-increasing deficit, the debt at $1.4 trillion and the increase in interest rates. I could go through all that, but I invite the member to come down to Northumberland—Clarke and go with me to the food banks. They will all explain to him the dramatic increase in the use of food banks by children. That is because of his policies, and I—

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In response to a question from Ziad Aboultaif

“The Prime Minister made these economic plans, not the member who is speaking for him. The plan is failing. I want the Prime Minister to come to committee to explain it.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I always at least enjoy the passion brought by the member for Winnipeg North, but he is not the one who came up with some of these economic plans. That was the Prime Minister. In fact, I am so old that I can remember two years ago when the member was arguing for the exact opposite of what the Prime Minister is now saying. Let us bring the Prime Minister before committee and have him explain why his plan is failing.

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In response to a question from Kevin Lamoureux

“Canadians spend their own money better than the government does. If the government spent less, parents could feed their children, businesses would do well, and people would have jobs. The government caused these problems itself.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, this comes down to a decades-old, if not centuries-old, debate. Conservatives believe at heart that the best people to spend Canadians’ money are Canadians. We do not believe we need the government to control our lives. Ronald Reagan once famously said that Liberals define compassion by how many people the government helps; Conservatives define compassion by how many people the government does not have to help. If we simply restrained spending, parents would be able to feed their children, businesses would be able to thrive and people would have jobs. These are all self-inflicted wounds by the government.

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In response to a question from Blaine Calkins

“The Liberal government is spending recklessly, and it is driving up the cost of living. Federal debt interest now costs more than our health care transfers. Higher interest rates mean families renewing mortgages will pay thousands of dollars more each year. Despite record spending, our economy is not growing. I want the government to cut spending in the next budget so Canadians can afford to live.”

  • Speech on a motion

    Respect 97 of 100

    This statement targeted a person rather than their actions or views: “this Goldman Sachs wonder kid”.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to be here today. I will be splitting my time, to acknowledge that at the front end. We have been asked to speak today on an opposition day motion, but it is so much more than that. This is about where Canada is right now in the world. We have a government that continues to spend recklessly, which is driving up the cost of living for all Canadians. We have a Parliamentary Budget Officer who has been using certain terms for over a year: stupefying, not hitting financial targets, mesmerizing, and additional costs that are driving up costs for Canadians. We now know that the Liberal government is set to spend more on interest than it is on health care transfers. We know that the share of interest for a family is about $6,000. That is money going to bondholders and bankers across this country. We also know that the Prime Minister, in an election that occurred a year and a half ago or so, promised that he would have a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio. We will talk more about the deficit-to-GDP ratio too, because that in itself is a way to avoid accountability. Let us talk about the impact this is having on Canadians. We can see that inflation is starting to creep up. It is now up to 2.8%, and it continues to grow. In fact, all of the experts are now ringing warning bells and telling everyone. From markets to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, they are all predicting that the rate of inflation will increase and interest rates will also increase. Even Tiff Macklem is indicating that he will increase interest rates. That means that if someone is renewing a mortgage in the next three to six months, a $250,000 mortgage at standard rates for a five-year term, they could see an annual increase somewhere in the neighbourhood of $3,000 to $5,000. I would ask all members in this House which families have an extra $3,000 to $5,000 to spend. Just to do some simple arithmetic, if it were not for the Liberal government, we would not have an interest cost for the federal government of $6,000. We would not have an increase in the cost of mortgages, which is now up to $3,000 to $5,000. That is thousands of dollars. Here is a simple thought exercise. Let us think about what could be done with that money if it were not going to interest. It is money that could go to health care. It is money that could go directly to Canadians to be used for their children to play hockey. It could be used for Canadian kids to do the extracurricular activities they desire. It could be used for families to feed themselves at the end of the month, so they would not have to scrimp, save and put their grocery bill on their credit card. Let us talk a bit about the fiscal anchor. The promise the Prime Minister made is not something the Conservatives or the leader of the official opposition made up. It was from the Prime Minister. Most of the world, nearly all of it in fact, judges debt by something called the debt-to-GDP ratio. Our debt is a big, scary monster. In fact, it is $1.4 trillion. Instead of linking his promise to that, because he must have already known, this Goldman Sachs wonder kid, that he would not be able to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio, he chose a different number. It sounds a bit like debt to GDP but is entirely different. He chose deficit to GDP. Instead of the cumulative debt, it is the amount the government is spending over what it is earning each year, which is eminently more in the control of the government of the day. He said that we were going to have a declining deficit-to-GDP number, but he cannot achieve that. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said that the government is going to miss it for the next two years. When it comes to promises from governments beyond two years, I do not put a lot of stock in them, because two years is a long way out for the Liberal government. For the foreseeable future, the government will not hit that mark. Some on the progressive left will say the problem is that we need more taxes and revenue, but the government is raking in record revenue. Is it because our economy is growing and doing great? No, not at all. It is because the government’s inflation is driving up the cost of everything, suffocating our ability to live. It also drives up government revenue. That, combined with high oil prices, means the government is taking in more money than ever, yet somehow this banker has been able to outspend our record revenue. Let us talk about a few more stats. As I said, Canadians are going to the grocery store and are realizing that a dollar does not go very far. It is $50 to fill up one bag of groceries. The $100 that used to pay for groceries for a week now lasts but a day or two. It is because of two issues. One we have talked about: inflation and higher interest. The other side of the ledger is income. Generally, when a government has an expansive fiscal policy, we get higher income. It makes sense. If we are lowering taxes and spending more, according to Keynesian economics we should get economic growth. However, the government has managed to spend more and not get economic growth. It almost defies reason that it was able to do this. Only the Liberal government could spend billions and still have our GDP per capita, which is analogous in many ways to our income per capita, stay flat over the last 11 years. If we do a comparison, our gross debt is about 110% and the U.S.’s is, to be frank, about 125%, which sounds a bit better. The U.S. has the reserve currency, which puts it in a stronger position compared to our country, as the Canadian dollar is not the reserve currency. The other thing that the U.S. and some other countries have going for them is economic growth. At the same time, we have had practically zero economic growth, GDP per capita, over the last decade. America’s economic growth has averaged well in excess of 2% to 3%, in some years even touching 4%. We can imagine our personal finances. If someone has a large mortgage, even if they have some credit card debt, and has a high income that is consistently increasing, that problem is fixable. The challenge for the Canadian economy, because of the Liberal government’s poor economic and fiscal management, is that we have high debt and low, flat incomes. Our GDP per capita would put us at the very bottom of any U.S. state’s. These are significant economic challenges that have real economic consequences. When we talk about bond yields, interest rates, inflation and other metrics, the reality for the people of Northumberland—Clarke is that they are suffering. Over the summer, I spent numerous days going to various food banks across my riding. Every single one of them has had a massive increase since 2015. I really hope the Liberals do some soul-searching. They can pick data points and numbers and we can argue about them, but what they cannot argue about is the people in Northumberland—Clarke who are suffering right now. Just one of those food banks, if I can share a number, has seen a 3,000% increase since 2015. There is a wide cross-section. It has seen a dramatic increase in children, for example, who have to use the food bank. It has seen seniors having to use the food bank. It has seen people who are employed having to use the food bank because of the Liberals’ reckless spending, which has driven the cost of living out of control. The government really needs to do some soul-searching and think about the ways it can reduce costs. I hope it does that in the next budget. I do not think it will, but Canadians desperately need the government to get spending under control so that Canadians can afford to live.

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Statements by Members ·

Cost of Living

“Interest rates are going up, and that will make mortgage payments much higher for Canadians. The government's high spending is causing this inflation and driving rates higher. When will the government cut its spending so Canadians can afford to live?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, markets are predicting it, the Parliamentary Budget Officer is predicting it and even Tiff Macklem of the Bank of Canada is indicating there is a good chance that interest rates are going to go up, maybe even as early as this Wednesday. Last Monday alone, the five-year bond yield that drives fixed mortgage rates rose by over 14% basis points, but what does that mean for Canadians? Well, if someone has a $250,000 five-year, fixed mortgage that is renewing in the next three to six months, that means their mortgage payments are going to go up about $3,000 to $4,000 this year. What family in this affordability crisis has an extra $3,000 to $4,000 for their mortgage payments? The reason for this is the government’s out-of-control spending. Its credit card budget is driving inflation, driving interest rates higher and higher, and making life unaffordable for Canadians. When will the government finally rein in its spending so Canadians can afford to live?

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Oral Questions ·

Finance

“A food bank in my area has seen use go up by 3,000% since 2015. The government needs to spend less money so Canadians can afford to live.”
Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, I will be honest. I have not been speaking with the IMF, but I have been speaking to people from the food bank in Newcastle, which has seen a 3,000% increase in usage since 2015. When will the Liberals finally get the message to curb their spending so Canadians can afford to live?

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“Interest rates are going to rise again soon. That will make mortgages and business costs go up. The government's high spending is causing this affordability crisis. I want them to cut spending.”
Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, the markets are predicting it, the government’s own parliamentary watchdogs are predicting it, and even Tiff Macklem is indicating interest rates could go up by a quarter of a point as early as next week. That is going to mean higher mortgage payments for the residents of my community. That is going to mean higher costs for our business owners. The Liberals are literally fuelling the affordability crisis they deny exists. When will the Liberal government finally curb its spending and allow Canadians to live their life?

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Statements by Members ·

Train Route Cancellation

“Via Rail cancelled a train route that people in my community need for work, school, and doctor visits. The government wants to spend billions on high-speed rail while cutting the trains we already use. I want the minister to order Via Rail to bring this commuter service back.”

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Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, a few weeks ago, Via Rail announced that it is cancelling train route 641. Since the announcement, I have received countless emails, phone calls and messages. I have heard from students who cannot get to class, from patients who cannot get to their doctor’s appointments and from folks with jobs in Toronto who bought homes in our beautiful community with the hope of travelling to work on a commuter train. For some, this might just be another train route cancelled, but for my neighbours and friends it is an incredible disruption. The Liberals are ready to spend billions on a high-speed dream while at the same time cutting needed services to my community. I am calling on the minister to issue a directive to Via to reinstate a commuter train option for our community. It makes no sense to talk about high-speed dreams while at the same time cancelling trains my residents depend on. I urge the minister and Via Rail to listen to the voices of our constituents and act now to restore this critical service.

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Private Members' Business ·

Arab Heritage Month Act

“I support this bill to create Arab Heritage Month. Canada's economy is struggling, and we need the strong business skills and innovation that Arab Canadians bring to our country.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I will get to the punchline because I do not want to keep the member waiting. We have always needed the type of entrepreneurship and innovation that has been led by Canadians of Arabic origin. I want to tell members a story about a Lebanese gentleman who I got to know. His name is Ziad. He is not the member in the House. I think I am allowed to say that. I got to work alongside Ziad and it was an absolute honour and privilege. This gentleman is a true shining light for what Canada should be and what the Lebanese community in Canada is. When working beside him, I learned that there was not a business opportunity that this guy could not see. I will not get into the details of the business, but obviously like any business, it is important to have more sales to grow it and to be more productive. When everyone else said that they were not going to get the sale or the business was not going to grow, Ziad would always find a way. If members have had the honour and privilege of meeting Lebanese Canadians, they know that, bar none, there are no better business people in this country or anywhere in the world. They bring with them an incredible power of positivity. They have a natural mind for business. They get to deliver those products and services, not just because they want to be successful or they want to make a profit, although we know that those things happen, but because they have a deep sense of community and believe, support and trust one another. Canada is in an economic quagmire. We are in an extreme challenge. We have the most indebtedness of any G7 country outside of Japan. We are facing high unemployment. Our inflation is still within range of 2.8%, but is creeping up. We have the highest food inflation. A quarter of the population is food-insecure. While we have always been highly dependent on Canadians of Arabic origin, we are even more dependent right now, because we need their entrepreneurial spirit. I want to tell members a story about my friend’s dad. She told me the story. Her dad came over here with literally not a dollar in his jeans. He built a construction business. He did not speak English or French. He had everything in life stacked against him, but once again that incredible Lebanese spirit, mind for business, innovation and entrepreneurship shone through. Not only was he able to create a successful business, but he was able to raise a family and help build a community. He supported other Lebanese members of his community within Canada. His daughter went on to be a very successful lawyer. That is the type of entrepreneurship innovation that Canada is increasingly in need of. One of the stats I will go back to again, if the member will indulge me to digress, but I promise to bring it back, is with respect to what is called the entrepreneurial drought in Canada. Throughout recent history, there have always been more businesses starting than closing in Canada. That ended in 2024. We are now seeing more businesses closing every day in this country. Actually, more businesses are now closing than are opening in Canada. In fact, over 50% of folks who are business owners today say they would not recommend to a friend or an acquaintance to start a new business. However, we desperately need that business in Canada. Certainly, government policies, as one government official said to me, have put a lot of snow on the runway and we need to clear it off now. I think that is very well put. We need to clear the path for these entrepreneurs so that the great entrepreneurs of Arabic or other origin have the ability to succeed and be more successful. Ultimately, Canada has, I believe, the best workers, the best brains and the most intelligent people in the entire world, which is in no small part because of our diversity. We bring the best and brightest from literally all around the world. I have certainly been impressed by people of all different origins. It makes all the sense in the world to acknowledge that diversity with a spirit of inclusivity so we can allow all Canadians to achieve the economic dream that, unfortunately, because of 10 years of Liberal mismanagement, has increasingly become more difficult to achieve. We have a whole generation that is finding it very difficult to buy a house. The average age of first-time homebuyers is creeping further and further along. I believe all Canadians should have the opportunity to own a house. I know that Canadians of Arabic origin will be there pushing, as they have with their tremendous legacy throughout the world. They, of course, have been responsible for breakthroughs in nearly every single discipline one can imagine, whether that is culture, mathematics, engineering or science. They have been there, making those breakthroughs, making our world literally a better place, including saving lives with medical breakthroughs. Canada is more independent. We need Canadians of Arabic origin more than ever because, as one Liberal official said to me, of all of the snow that has been put on the runway over the last 10 years. Now I believe the population is over a million people who count themselves as of Arabic origin, and that is absolutely tremendous. I, for one, am hoping that number grows, because of the amazing contributions they have made. They are some of the best doctors in the world and some of the best engineers. As I said, my own personal experience is with several Lebanese business owners who contain this incredible energy of optimism and spirit that Canada really needs more than ever. With that, I would say that this private member’s bill, the Arab heritage month act, has my full support, and I look forward to it being unanimously passed. I say this as a House of Commons member and a people’s representative acknowledging the tremendous accomplishments of Arab people. If I could, I would give a whole year, in fact, but I guess April will have to do. It is my pleasure to stand here in full support of this private member’s bill. I cannot wait for it to be law and to celebrate it here with some great shawarma.

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In response to a question from Shuvaloy Majumdar

“I am speaking about the bill to create Arab Heritage Month. Before I talk about that, I want to talk about Canada's bad economy. Canada is in a recession, our growth is the worst it has been since the Great Depression, and unemployment is almost seven percent.”

  • Speech on a bill

    Relevance 10 of 100

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  • Speech on a bill

    Signal 38 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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  • A repeated line

    “A third higher than in the United States.”

    Said 4 times by 3 members since June 2.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise every time I get the opportunity, but in particular, for this very important private member’s bill respecting Arab heritage month. Before I get into the speech, I would like to take a moment, because it has been some time since I have risen in the House, to say what a great privilege it is to represent the great people of Northumberland—Clarke. It is a true honour to be here. I thank them very much for sending me here three times, and who knows, there may be a fourth. The heart of today’s speech is obviously Arab heritage month. I am going to start by painting the macroeconomic picture, and it will become clear as to why I am doing that. Canada, right now, is in an economic challenge, really an economic struggle. Of course, as was said many times in the House, we are the only G7 country that is currently in a recession. Our GDP per capita has barely grown over the last 10 years. In fact, it is the worst growth per capita since the Great Depression. We also have an unemployment rate, which is rising, of almost 7%. It is nearly a third higher than the United States—

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Statements by Members ·

Food Security

“Canadians are struggling to afford food, but the Prime Minister spent $200,000 of taxpayer money on luxury meals for three flights. Food prices are up 40% under this government, and record numbers of people are using food banks.”

  • A repeated line

    “After more than a decade of Liberal government.”

    Said 13 times by 11 members since May 7.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, after more than a decade of Liberal inflationary spending, the Prime Minister is sticking Canadians with a bill for his lavish meals while they struggle to put food on the table. Food inflation is up 40% since the Liberals took office. Last year, a record 2.2 million Canadians lined up at food banks in a single month. Just today, we learned from the National Payroll Institute that employed Canadians are struggling to put food on the table, going into debt just to afford food. One-fifth of people even reported that they were losing weight due to food insecurity. While Canadians cannot feed themselves, the Prime Minister is having taxpayers fund $200,000 in luxury food on just three flights: Normandy buttercups, veal escalope and a pricey wine list. Last year, when the Prime Minister told young Canadians they would have to make sacrifices, he was clearly not talking about himself. The Liberal Prime Minister said for Canadians to judge him at the grocery store. Well, the verdict is in: Canadians are furious with the prices at the grocery store and his lavish meals.

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Government Orders ·

Canadian Space Launch Act

“This bill does not clearly define launch vehicles, and it leaves out safety, certification, and national security rules. If the government will not put these details in the bill, it should publish the draft regulations instead.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I just want to clarify something. The member earlier said that there are definitions in the bill for “launch”, “launch vehicle” and “re-entry vehicle”. The reality is that there is a transitional definition, and the minister can now call a “launch vehicle” anything. He could call it an orange if he wanted to. There is no real, permanent definition, in contrast to what he says. I would go forward to things that are absolutely not in there, which are the certification and operation of a launch re-entry vehicle, safety requirements and anything on national security. If the Liberals do not want to put it in the legislation, will they at least publish the draft regulations?

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In response to a question from Bardish Chagger

“This bill needed to be done, but it was not done well.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, when I talk to my son about doing his homework, I repeat a line that has been used for hundreds of years. Every job has two things in common: It has to be done, and it has to be done well. We have only the first accomplished here.

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In response to a question from Xavier Barsalou-Duval

“I do not support this bill in its current form. It is too short and simple for space travel, which makes investors worry they will lose their money.”

  • Reply to a debate question

    Relevance 97 of 100

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I find it troubling, but more importantly, so do many Canadians, including those who control the capital that would ultimately be used to build space launches and invest in rockets here in Canada. Because of this uncertainty, they would not know whether their investment will be returned to them. I agree 110%. A piece of legislation on something as complex as space travel should not be a couple of pages in length.

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In response to a question from Tamara Jansen

“Launching rockets into space is very important for Canada's economy. The government rushed this bill and did a poor job. We should have made a separate, well-thought-out law instead.”

  • Reply to a debate question

    Relevance 46 of 100

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, having the ability to launch rockets into space is incredibly important for our Canadian economy. This is why it is that much more critical that it be done correctly. I do not understand why the government has created this slapdash job of legislation. It really would not have been difficult to create a separate piece of legislation that would have understood and contemplated the complexities of space travel and put Canada on the right foot going forward.

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In response to a question from Kevin Lamoureux

“We should slow down and rethink this bill. The government is trying to regulate space rockets with an old law meant for airplanes.”

  • Reply to a debate question

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I think in this case, it would make a ton of sense to go slow to go fast. We need to walk this legislation back to provide certainty going forward. To give an idea to those folks who are watching out there, the government did not even create a new piece of legislation. It is amending the Aeronautics Act, which is really there to regulate airplanes. When the government understands that there is a difference between airplanes and rockets, we will be well ahead.

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