LIVE from B.C.: Conservatives Fight for your Property Rights

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]man Gil, our member of parliament from Abbottzford South Langley, a farmer, a small businessman, an MP, Jeff Kibble, a a naval veteran and a brilliant MP from Vancouver Island. And Steven Curran, our candidate in North Vancouver, Kapalano, very successful British Columbombian who has a tremendous track record in the community, in business, as a family man, and as a future member of Parliament.

[00:00:23]And they all share in the Canadian promise. The promise that anyone from anywhere can achieve anything. That hard work comes with an affordable home and food. Uh life on a safe street. Home ownership. The ability to raise a family. Uh live uh in security and retire with peace of mind. All with a flag on the front porch representing our pride in our beautiful, affordable, safe, and strong future. That promise is broken after 11 years of Liberal government. The cost of homes, food, and fuel are all skyrocketing. Crime is out of control. Immigration is broken. And our economy is weak, shrinking, and overly dependent on the US. Now, Mark Carney promised that he would reverse everything that he had said and that his party had done in the preceding 10 years when he ran in the last election. But we're now in the second year of Mark Carney Liberals. And we see that all of these promises were an illusion. Nothing has changed. Everything is worse. More costs, more crime, more corruption. Mark Carney is just another liberal. People are paying record amounts for gas. Sure, there's a war in Iran. Of course, there is. But that doesn't explain why prices are 13% higher in Canada than in the United States, where they of course pay the same global prices, meaning we pay 22 cents a liter equivalent more than American consumers pay. And why is it that gas prices are about 50 cents per liter higher than they were under Steven Harper when the global oil price was the exact same $100 it is today? and where when there were also wars in in Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine. Why are they so much higher now under the Liberals? Well, because Mark Carney has given us a weak dollar uh among the weakest in Canadian history, and his taxes drive up the cost at the pump. And that's why Conservatives today are renewing our call to get rid of all fuel taxes for the rest of the year. get rid of the GST, the fuel standard tax, and of course the excise tax through to January 1st, saving you 25 cents a liter, $20 a fill up, and $1,200 between now and Christmas. And Statistics Canada pointed out, the rise in energy prices is a major contributor to last month's increase in inflation. Uh, and Canadians see that at the grocery store with food prices now rising twice as fast as when Mark Carney took office. Mothers have to turn back items at the checkout because their bank accounts have emptied before their grocery card has. That is hard. It is humiliating and it should never happen in Canada. A quarter of our children go to school hungry every single day according to this government's own data. Canadians see the results also in a weak overall economy.

[00:03:28]Liberal taxes have driven away investment, jobs, and opportunity. In fact, in the first three months of 2026, venture capital investment in growth stage stage companies was zero. Now, the Liberals love to to brag about foreign direct investment. Foreign direct investment. According to Statistics Canada, that increase is exactly the result of one thing. American companies buying out Canadian companies, not new investment in new activities, simply taking ownership over Canadian assets.

[00:03:59]They get the control and the ownership.

[00:04:02]Not investment. For every dollar of foreign investment in Canada coming in, $2 have left. That's the largest capital exodus in Canadian history. And it's on top of the trillion dollars of net investment that has left since Liberals took office. Stats Canada reports that 112,000 Canadians have lost their jobs since the beginning of this year.

[00:04:22]Unemployment is now 6.9%, a third higher than in the US and the second highest in the G7. No wonder the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcies found that in the first three months of 2026, the number of Canadians needing to reorganize their finances to avoid bankruptcy has gone up by 8%. In fact, it's the highest level since 2009 in the middle of the great global recession. And no wonder CHC says that mortgage delinquencies have reached the highest level since co. The streets are also overrun with crime and drugs as Carney has kept all of Trudeau's anti Trudeau's soft on crime laws. Yes, he's made announcements that he will change those things, but none of those changes have actually passed through the liberal dominated Senate. It was all an illusion. He's not changed a single word of the criminal code. Shootings and extortions take over Suriri. Another shooting yesterday in Newton. People are afraid to go outside. So So more people still are actually leaving Canada after a year of carne liberals. It has been more cost, more corruption, but also more more crime, more chaos, more disorder, and more drugs. Mark Carney is just another liberal. And now here in British Columbia, people are facing a new threat to home ownership. This goes beyond prices, jobs, and mortgages. It goes to the foundation of our economy, private property rights. Last August, the BC Supreme Court ruled in the Kawichin tribes versus Canada, a federal lawsuit involving the federal government that Aboriginal title takes priority over landowned fe simple that includes legal the legal term for homeownership and small business title and it ensures that Aboriginal title will take precedence over small business owners and homeowners. The ruling covers 800 acres of Richmond worth a billion dollars but has impact right across British Columbia because almost all of the province is under some sort of claim. And if this president holds up then all of British Columbombians may be fe may face the loss of their title. Hardworking British Columbombians saved up, made a down payment, paid mortgages and property taxes and now they live in fear. Fear that they could lose their homes. Many of our treasured retirees who just want peace of mind so that they can enjoy the retirement they earned now fear they could lose their most valuable material asset, their home. And where is the federal prime minister in this federal lawsuit? Again, the Kawichin case was not directed at the government of British Columbia, but at the government of Canada, and he leads that government.

[00:07:18]He also leads the government that negotiated uh agreements with First Nations that did not protect property rights. And despite the illusions and words, he has kept in place instructions banning federal lawyers from fighting for property rights and putting property rights first in disputes with other claims. Carney sets federal policies. So when Mark Carney says he believes property rights are fundamental, British Columbians asks why won't he defend them? Why has he kept litigation guideline 14 in the attorney general guide can of Canada's directive on civil litigation involving indigenous people?

[00:07:59]That guideline stops federal lawyers from arguing that fe simple property rights takes precedence over all other claims. This is a liberal directive brought in by this federal liberal government in 2019.

[00:08:12]Mr. Carney has kept it in place. Then in February, the Carney Liberals signed the Musquium Rights Recognition Agreement with no public scrutiny or consultation.

[00:08:22]That agreement recognizes Aboriginal rights and title over 533,000 hectares of Metro Vancouver Bernabby Richmond Delta and in fact the parts of the Richmond that are already affected by the Kawichin ruling. It creates the framework for future land governance and economic matters but it does not protect private property rights of homeowners.

[00:08:45]That's why Conservatives have put forward a motion in the House of Commons calling on the Liberal government to do four things, four reasonable things to defend your property. First, it calls on the Prime Minister to instruct federal lawyers to argue in court that private property rights take priority over all other claims. That includes reversing litigation guideline 14, but currently bans lawyers from doing so. Second, it requires explicit property protections in all future federal agreements with First Nations so homeowners and businesses can take comfort in knowing their title is firm. Third, it requires the prime minister personally publish a plan within 30 days to protect Canadians affected by property rights risks after Kowichin and Musquam. It has been almost a year since this started and we've seen nothing but words from Mark Carney.

[00:09:39]Fourth, appoint a special committee to study every legal, constitutional, and political step that Parliament can and should take to protect private property rights in Canada. These are reasonable steps. They are all within the power of the federal government, and they are urgently needed. Yesterday, we began running a a radio ad campaign to increase support for our federal li conservative motion protecting property rights. Contact your member of parliament and tell them to vote yes for property rights on Monday in the House of Commons because BC homeowners cannot take liberal sound bites to the bank.

[00:10:16]They cannot use Carney's words as collateral and they cannot protect their homes with another photo op, another promise or another liberal illusion. If Mark Carney really believes private property is fundamental, if it is not just an illusion, then he should act accordingly and vote for our motion. He can defend owners. He can put property rights first and he can work with us to restore the promise of Canada, a country that is affordable at home, safe at home, and strong at home. Thank you very much.

[00:10:49]>> Thank you. We'll now take questions from reporters. Please identify yourself and your outlet. One question each.

[00:10:54]>> Hi, Jared Jagger here with Sitcom Media.

[00:10:56]So, we're seeing uh land claims all across Canada, but there seems to be the most uncertainty here in British Columbia. So I'm wondering what what makes the situation here so unique.

[00:11:06]>> The what's unique about British Columbia is that we haven't had land session treaties like in the prairies for example. In for in the prairies you have treaties where the first nations seated claims on large parts of lands in exchange for other things. um the the the land that they uh they now uh do control um financial compensation uh and other uh concessions. Uh those treaties did not happen, at least not on the same scale in British Columbia. And as a result, you have a lot of claims with no session whatsoever. And that's why British Columbia is unusually threatened by this ruling. Although there are other parts of the country where this precedent could spill over. Um in places where there are not land session treaties in Ontario, in parts of Quebec and Atlantic Canada, you might also see risks. But right now, British Columbia really is ground zero. And in this province, you have basically every square inch of the province that is claimed by one or another First Nation group. Um, so if you take the Kawichin ruling and apply the precedent provincewide, you could see basically every major British Columbia community threatened with the loss of uh, home ownership uh, that we now face in Richmond.

[00:12:26]>> Hi, Daria Zargo with Global News. Um, on that strain, what's your reaction to the Supreme Court of Canada agreeing to hear the BC government's appeal of the ruling to incorporate UNRIP into BC laws?

[00:12:41]Um, well, did you want to you you were saying something? Do you want to jump in on this one? Or I'm just going to bring forward uh my my lawyer here. Um, this is uh he's our the chair of our property rights task force. Go ahead.

[00:12:52]>> Did I believe you're referring to >> billing by the hour by the way?

[00:12:55]>> No. Okay. All right.

[00:12:56]>> Free today.

[00:12:57]>> Okay. Uh I believe you're referring to the Gitzfall case uh which um came as quite a surprise out of the court of appeal to David Eie uh when he discovered that the court actually uh put teeth into the dripple legislation.

[00:13:14]I think that was a big surprise to David Eie. He tried to backpedal from that uh and he ran into trouble with his own caucus. So, uh, I believe that that decision from the Court of Appeal was wrongly decided. I'm very happy that the Supreme Court of Canada has given leave to hear, uh, to hear it. Uh, and I'm sure that many people right across the country are going to be very interested in the outcome of that decision. Thank you.

[00:13:42]>> And I would just add that conservatives voted against UNRIP. Uh we think that it creates a bad uh legal framework that could potentially risk resource development, home building, and maybe even home ownership. Uh so these um these bills that Liberals and NDP governments have passed uh are now uh bringing serious risk to our economy and to our people and it's time to reverse course. Thank you.

[00:14:11]>> Hi, Leanne Young from CBC. So, do you think Premier Daniel Smith should call a referendum on Alberta's place in Canada?

[00:14:17]And in that vein, as an Alberta MP, what action will you try to take to keep Alberta within Canada in the face of a referendum?

[00:14:25]>> So, I'm a strong Canadian federalist, a proud Albertan, and a proud Canadian. I want a strong Alberta within a united Canada. and all conservative all conservatives will be campaigning for Canadian unity in Alberta and potentially we hope not but potentially in Quebec as well if if the separatists win there. Uh we believe that um Alberta deserves a fair deal in this country which means that we unblock the resources uh we allow the oil and gas sector to grow. we get the federal government off the backs and out of the way of Alberta workers and small businesses so the province can prosper.

[00:15:03]Uh reverse the gun grab and other unnecessary federal liberal irritants.

[00:15:09]But all for the purpose of you making our country more united, more affordable and uh more strong. Um it is the job of the prime minister of Canada to unite the country. And as prime minister in waiting I will begin that work myself. I will be campaigning across the the province of Alberta, encouraging Albertans to stay as part of the Canadian family and encouraging nationwide unity for all Canadians.

[00:15:40]>> Just in French as well, please.

[00:15:48]Canada politic.

[00:16:30]responsibility.

[00:16:50]Me showc.

[00:17:05]And if I can be nostalgic for just a moment, I just want to recognize that it was only about 10 years ago under a conservative government where there was absolutely no separation movement whatsoever in Alberta.

[00:17:19]>> That's right.

[00:17:19]>> And the PQ and the BQ, the two separatist parties in Quebec, they didn't even exist anymore. They have been wiped off the electoral map. And it was thought that separatism was a thing of the past in Canada. I want to thank Prime Minister Harper for uniting the country in that way because it is the job of a prime minister to unite and it's worse worth asking how the current prime minister is doing in that regard given the situation in both Quebec and in Alberta. But as for me, I know where I stand. I stand for a united country and we're going to campaign every day and every way to unite this country around hope. Thank you.

[00:18:00]>> Hey, Mr. Polyv. Uh Kevin Sherack, CTV News. As I'm sure you're well aware, indigenous rights and DRIPA has become a political flash point in BC over the past few months or so, uh, virtually all of the BC conservative leadership candidates say their number one priority is to repeal DRIPA. Uh, Premier David Eie has gone back and forth on amending DRIPA and has resulted in a response from First Nations groups, including threats of lawsuits and protests for major projects. So, I'm wondering with this motion that you're set to introduce on on Monday, how do you think that'll impact government and indigenous relations?

[00:18:37]>> Well, my motion would improve uh indigenous relations uh by by bringing clarity uh that homeowners are protected. Uh and quite frankly, it's time for Mark Carney to step up. The Kawichin decision came from a federal lawsuit and it was the federal government, this federal liberal government that directed its lawyers not to defend property rights in that case. A decision that the judge recognized when she rendered her judgment. So, it's time for the for Mark Carney to stop hiding. This is a federal issue. uh he has done absolutely nothing in the nearly one year that has passed since uh this ruling came down. We're telling him, Mark Carney, if you are serious about defending property rights, then prove it. Change your directives to direct lawyers at a federal level to fight for property rights first. Make a commitment that you won't sign any more agreements that do not explicitly defend property rights. publish a plan to protect British Columbia homeowners and small businesses from the risk of property loss within 30 days. It's time for leadership and Conservatives are providing that leadership.

[00:19:57]>> Uh hi Miss Pier, I'm a reporter from the Canadian Press. Uh since you made a call to drop fuel taxes in April, prices have skyrocketed and which have eaten up the drop in taxes. And why do you think dropping taxes would help? Thank you.

[00:20:12]>> Thank you very much. Well, we said we should get rid of all taxes. The Liberals have only got rid of a third of the tax for a third of the year. But you're you're wondering why prices uh keep rising. Well, in part because we have such a weak dollar. Oil is a globally priced commodity and it's and it's denominated in US dollars. This morning, the Canadian dollar is at just 72 cents. And this is because of the weak economy that Mark Carney has delivered. We've got basically the weakest economy in the G7. And that gives you a weak dollar. When you have a weak dollar, everything costs more for customers, particularly fuel and food.

[00:20:58]And what are Canadians struggling with right now? Fuel and food. We need a strong dollar with low taxes and more energy production and that's what conservatives will fight for.

[00:21:08]>> Thank you very much. This concludes today's press conference.

[00:21:11]>> All right. Thank you very much. Oh >> uh so sorry I have another question.

[00:21:15]Anyway, sorry to be aggressive. Um the Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to hear a mining rights appeal today in BC.

[00:21:21]Um and is there anything I wonder the federal government can do in that case given that it's the provincial government legislation that's the basis of this? Thank you. Sorry, I I I didn't hear the mid part. Which appeal are are we referring to now?

[00:21:35]>> Same one.

[00:21:36]>> The funeral rights appeal. The Galler Nation appeal today. Yeah.

[00:21:40]>> Right. Do you want to add anything on that? Any more than you already have? Do you want to get in on that one?

[00:21:45]>> Okay. Takeo, get in there.

[00:21:48]>> Good. So, thank you. the same case we're talking about I believe the Gitscala case uh where uh the BC court of appeal had said that uh the duty to consult starts with uh the initial mining claims not final decisions uh and that came as a big surprise to David Eie that's not what he had expected his own legislation would be interpreted to say uh so I think that the BC Court of Appeal got it wrong I'm just going to repeat myself and I'm very pleased that it's going to the Supreme Court of Canada and uh and we're hoping for better outcome. Whether the federal government should intervene on that, I don't know. We'll leave that up to the Justice Department, but uh certainly a consideration because this decision coming out of the Supreme Court of Canada will affect all of Canada.

[00:22:38]Thank you.

[00:22:39]>> Excellent. All right, I think we're done.

[00:22:42]>> All right, thanks everyone.