Dear Mission—Matsqui —Fraser Canyon,
The past two weeks have been incredibly busy, filled with meaningful events and important work both in our riding and in Ottawa. With the Christmas season just around the corner, I’ve been attending community events and preparing for the weeks ahead.
To mark the coronation of His Majesty, King Charles III, I had the honour of awarding medals to 20 individuals who made significant contributions to Mission – Matsqui – Fraser Canyon!
Those honoured in the ceremony include:
Matthew Fisher Jagjit Toor Damon Matkovich
Shirley Hilton Valerie Billesberger Wallace Mah
Lukas Steele Norman MacLeod Somē Mosogau
Ron Leger Bernie Fandrich Nelson Drozdowich
Sue James Darren Oike Samarpal Brar
Wayne Reardon Rick McKamey Alexander MacDonald
Patrick Michel Gerald Basten
The Crown is a vital part of Canada’s system of responsible government. The coronation medals award at this ceremony honours' the long history of our connection to the Royal Family, and our democratic traditions which it safeguards.
Thank you to all these distinguished individuals for their talent’s generosity, and service to our communities!
Mission Candlelight Parade
One of my favourite events every year is the Mission Candlelight Parade. I was encouraged by the massive crowd and the many kids that came out to celebrate for this Christmas season. I believe that this parade brings together people of Mission and the Fraser Valley in a fun and friendly event that were look forward to every year! Special thanks to the Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce for organizing this amazing event.
My office attended the Tourism Abbotsford Ugly Christmas Sweater Holiday Mixer at the Agora and Apothecary at Tanglebank Estate. The Grinch came by to celebrate the festivities with the MLAs, city councilors and others in attendance. My staff heard about the great accomplishments by businesses and organizations in the Abbotsford area. These achievements were made possible through collaboration by the leadership of the Tourism Abbotsford staff and board.
Congratulations to the Abbotsford Rugby Club! Last weekend was the BC Provincial Championships, where the U16 Boys became the BC Champions. The U16 Girls and the U18 Girls both earned silver. It’s so exciting to see the growth of the game within our community!
In respect to children’s sport, I’ve heard through many in their community about the crunch on available field space. For example, at Delair Park at any given Tuesday or Thursday evening there are more that 100 kids practicing on two soccer fields. As you’ve requested and even though its outside of my jurisdiction as an MP, I will raise the idea of installing lights to the fields so that the fields can be accessible at night.
Transport Committee
My Conservative Party colleagues and I started a study on the transportation of dangerous goods on Canadian rail lines. This week I spoke on the importance of protecting the iconic Fraser Canyon region when transporting dangerous goods by rail.
I requested information on risk assessments on the Fraser and what steps the department took after the landslides and washouts in 2021. It became clear that the risk assessment information is very vague and unknown by officials.
Please click here to see my committee intervention.
Auditor General Report on Canada Emergency Business Account
Recently, the Auditor General of Canada released a damning report on the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) program. As the Shadow Minister for Small Business, I am participating in the Public Accounts Committee on the report. We still haven’t received any answers for who is getting fired. It is clear that Justin Trudeau’s spending is out of control.
The report revealed that $3.5 billion in taxpayers’ money was paid to approximately 77,160 recipients who did not meet the eligibility requirements. This means that 9 percent of the 898,000 loan recipients were ineligible for the funds they received. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance failed to provide effective oversight, leaving important program elements unaddressed. This mismanagement has cost Canadians dearly.
The Auditor General also found significant issues with the government’s contracting practices. Accenture, a private consulting firm, was awarded $313 million—92 percent of the $342 million in contracts to support the delivery of the CEBA program. Many of these contracts were awarded non-competitively and involved work conducted in Brazil, even though the Liberal government claimed it would be performed in Canada. Federal officials failed to uphold principles of fairness and transparency, allowing contractors like Accenture to determine the scope and pricing of their work instead of negotiating in the best interest of Canadians.
The problems with the CEBA program are part of a broader pattern. Justin Trudeau’s government has lost control of its spending. Just a few weeks ago, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported that the federal deficit is likely to exceed the Liberal government’s own $40 billion cap by an additional $7 billion. Yesterday in Question Period, Pierre Poilievre asked “why is Trudeau pushing Canadians off the fiscal cliff?”
Since 2015, Trudeau has added more to the national debt than all other Prime Ministers in Canadian history combined.
Canadians deserve better. Under Pierre Poilievre’s leadership, Conservatives will bring accountability back to Ottawa. We will end the reliance on high-priced consultants, ensure fairness and transparency in government spending, and restore fiscal discipline.
Click below to see the videos I’ve done on this report.
Public Accounts Committee Clips
General related CEBA Loan videos
Parliamentary Internship Program Award
Last week I received a distinguished Alumni Award from the Parliamentary Internship Program. I was an intern in 2010, and it was one of the best experiences of my life!
This program gives recent university grads from across the country to work on Parliament Hill from September through June. During the program each intern has an opportunity to work with two Members of Parliament – one from the government and one from the opposition. In my year I worked for the Bloc and conservative…Brings together some of the most talented Canadians across the country!
Hearing from you!
In my last newsletter I asked about your thoughts on the government scrapping the GST tax on some goods for the holiday season. A majority responded that these changes are “just to win votes,” will be hard to small businesses to implement, and that Canadians will have to pay this all back later.
I also asked about your thoughts on the government giving working Canadians a $250 rebate for those who earned under $150,000 in 2023. While some agreed with this, others voiced that seniors and disabled people would not receive the benefit. In addition, some said that it is a poor gesture as the carbon tax will only rise shortly after.
Overall, the majority of respondents believe these changes will not help Canadians.
Like many of you I am ready for the Christmas holidays. Rather than asking a political question this week, I think it's important to be commemorative with this season that brings people together! This week I want to know, what’s a Christmas tradition in your family that brings people together? And just for fun, what's your favourite Christmas movie? Please click here to fill out the survey!
Your feedback is valued. 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]. I also encourage you to follow me on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube, where I post more frequent updates on my work as your MP.
Thank you,
Brad Vis, MP
Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon