Dear Constituents, an update from my office:
Opposition Motions
This week the Conservative Caucus put forward two Opposition Motions. One Motion calls on the Liberal Government to develop a plan to put an end to federal pandemic mandates and restrictions, and to table that plan in the House no later than February 28, 2022. I am proud to support this Motion and I will continue to fight for a return to normalcy.
Conservative leader Candice Bergen spoke on the Motion yesterday, which you can view here.
The other, a motion to amend the Saskatchewan Act, passed in the House with unanimous consent. This amendment will remove a permanent tax exemption for Canadian Pacific Railway in Saskatchewan, which was written into the Saskatchewan Act in 1905 and has deprived the people of Saskatchewan hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue.
Follow me!
While I try to keep you informed through these email updates, the best way to keep up with me is by following my Facebook page. I regularly post updates on what is going on in Parliament and in our community, and many of the emails I receive are questions that have been answered on my page.
I look forward to engaging with more of you there!
Xyólhmet ye Syéwiqwélh (Taking Care of our Children)
I am pleased with the news that the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia have partnered to provide funding to the Stó:lō Nation’s Xyólhmet ye Syéwiqwélh (Taking Care of our Children) project. This project will include the creation of the “Lost Stó:lō Children” register, and will include community engagement events and the honouring of the children who attended the residential schools at Coqualeetza (Sardis), St. Mary’s (Mission) and All Hallows (Yale).
Last June, I tabled a petition from Indigenous constituents calling on the Federal Government to fund the search, re-internment and commemoration of the children lost at these schools. This announcement highlights the impact petitions can have. If there is an issue you’d like to see addressed and would like to sponsor a petition, please reach out to my office.
Recovery Support for Farmers
This week in partnership with the Province, the Federal Government announced $228 million in recovery funding for farmers in BC who were affected by the floods. This funding will supplement costs not covered by insurance and existing programs. I will be reviewing the program parameters with industry stakeholders over the next couple of days.
With Budget 2022 likely just a month away, I will continue to press the government, and the Minister of Finance particularly, to make funding flood mitigation infrastructure a top priority.
Lytton Recovery
I am happy to hear the Province of BC’s announcement to deliver over $8.3M in funding to support Village operations, debris removal, remediation, water system assessments and more.
Last week I spoke with the Minister of Emergency Preparedness directly on the status of the Village of Lytton’s recovery. We are both very concerned about the lack of progress. Minister Blair agreed to follow up with his Provincial counterpart and speak with me on the matter again next week.
Getting regular mail service in Lytton has been a major issue and I am happy to see that the temporary Canada Post office in Lytton is finally operational 5 days a week. Albeit I was advised they are closed on February 10th due to an unforeseen highway closure; Canada Post expects to be resume services tomorrow. A larger, more permanent trailer is awaiting the greenlight from the BC Ministry of Transportation to be delivered to a new location south of the Gas Station on Lytton First Nation which will serve as the Post Office for the next few years.
Next week I will be making a statement outlining the frustration and rightful anger of my constituents who are impacted by the unacceptable lack of progress. The only real tool I have right now to impact the recovery is my voice. I need to use it more.
Home Sale Surtax and Quebec’s Proposed Vaccine Tax
Last month, I asked for your opinion on the proposed (and since cancelled) vaccine tax in Quebec, and the home sale surtax proposed in a report from Generation Squeeze. Thank you to everyone who participated, your feedback helps guide my work in Ottawa.
291 of you responded, and the results were quite clear. You expressed strong opposition to both of these taxes, with 77.7% opposed to the vaccine tax, and 85.25% opposed to a home sale surtax.
Internet Censorship – Bill C-11
This month, the Liberal Government is moving ahead with Bill C-11 (Online Streaming Act). This legislation is similar to last Parliament’s Bill C-10, which died on the Order Paper when the federal election was called.
The government says this legislation brings back the exemption for user-generated content that was removed from Bill C-10, but I’m not so sure that is the case. The Bill gives the CRTC the power to potentially censor any content that earns revenue, whether direct or indirect. This would mean that virtually all content on social media, including the content of independent creators earning a living on social media, could be subject to censorship.
My Conservative colleagues and I stand firmly opposed to this legislation as written, but I want to hear from you. Please consider filling out this survey on Bill C-11.
You’re My Boss
Your feedback is valued and I appreciate all of your responses. Please do not hesitate to contact my office to voice your concerns or seek assistance with any federal government programs at 604-814-5710 or [email protected].
As my email list grows, it is increasingly challenging to respond to each reply. Please be assured that I read all of your emails, but you may receive a form response.
Thank you,
Brad Vis, MP
Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon