Menu
I have always said that Canada Day is my favourite day of the year. On this day as a Member of Parliament, I have the privilege of travelling all over the riding, waving the Canadian flag, visiting with members of the community and honouring our Veterans in thanks for their contribution to the greatest country […]
In my first column after the 2015 election I wrote that ‘change is the law of life’ quoting John F. Kennedy as I contemplated the roller coaster ride of my first three years in politics. The 2019 election is now behind us and I have come to realize that with change comes wisdom. The learnings […]
Last week I spoke at the Clarington Board of Trade to launch an important new initiative and challenge the business leaders in attendance to think big when it comes to the future of our region, our country and our planet. The Clean Energy Capital initiative highlights the cluster of innovation in the Durham Region that […]
In my first column following the election, I want to start by saying how honoured I am to remain the Member of Parliament for Durham and how much I appreciate the support of my community. Thank you. Whether I earned your vote, or whether you voted for someone else, I pledge to work hard to […]
I am proud to represent Durham in Parliament and my pride in our area swells whenever I get the chance to meet some of the exceptional and passionate people who call Durham home. This is particularly the case on Canada Day when I have the privilege of visiting each community and sharing in their celebrations […]
The diplomatic dispute between Canada and China is in its seventh month and seems to get worse with each passing week. Two Canadian citizens—Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor—continue to face harsh conditions in a Chinese jail in detention best described as diplomatic hostage taking. Two others have had death sentences imposed in legally unusual trials. […]
We are heading into summer in Durham with some welcome wind in our sails. After months of uncertainty following the announcement of the General Motors closure in Oshawa, news that Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is planning to establish their headquarters in Clarington was just what we needed to hear. With the consolidation of offices from […]
According to the Government of Canada’s statistics, as of December 2017, 97.9% of employer businesses in Canada were small businesses. That amounts to 1.15 million out of 1.18 million employer businesses. A staggering proportion—more than half—of those small employer businesses are concentrated in Ontario and Quebec. The numbers send a clear message: small businesses continue […]
According to Greek mythology, Icarus flew too close to the sun and plunged to his death after his wings melted. In his iconic poem, Williams Carlos Williams depicts Icarus’ fall as an afterthought: “Unsignificantly/ off the coast/ there was/ a splash quite unnoticed/ this was/ Icarus drowning.” The fall of Canada’s Icarus has created a […]
Shortly after the Liberals won the 2015 election, Justin Trudeau claimed that “Canada is back”. This cringe-worthy claim was his attempt to paint the previous Conservative government of Stephen Harper as some sort of outlier from past Canadian governments. Not only does this statement personify Liberal arrogance, but it is disconnected from the historic reality […]
