Ottawa – Yesterday, Garry Breitkreuz, MP for Yorkton-Melville, hammered the Liberal government’s most recent freedom bashing bill in the House of Commons. "Bill C-55 should be scrapped, killed and abolished for four reasons," claimed Breitkreuz. "It violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Bill of Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the North American Free Trade Agreement."

Breitkreuz told the House, "Bill C-55 makes it unlawful for Canadians and Canadian businesses, small and large, to advertise in foreign magazines that are sold in Canada - especially those magazines that are published in the United States. How is this legislative sledgehammer supposed to protect Canadian culture?" he asked. "By prohibiting Canadians from advertising in American magazines, the bill actually guarantees that Canadians will only see American ads in American magazines – not Canadian ads. Even a foreign magazine that published only articles about Canada couldn’t sell ads to Canadians. Now that’s a long leap of Liberal logic that is bound to make everyone shake their heads in amazement."

In his speech, Breitkreuz explained how Bill C-55 violates freedom of speech guarantees in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He explained how Bill C-55 violates the property rights provisions of the Canadian Bill of Rights. Finally, Breitkreuz pointed out how C-55 violates NAFTA, opening up Canada to compensation claims of $250 million a year by foreign publishers who will now be prohibited from publishing ads from their Canadian customers. "This is money the Canadian taxpayer can not afford and the government should not put at risk."

"Throughout Canadian history, it has been taken for granted that we have property rights including freedom of contract. In fact, people have come to this country because Canada is known for protecting this fundamental freedom and defending the economic liberty of its citizens," declared Breitkreuz. "Property rights and freedom of contract have provided a foundation for the culture that has developed this continent and especially Canada. Canadians value their property rights and see them as a part of their heritage. For government to use ‘protection of culture’ as an excuse for this bill is ridiculous. Any thinking person would realize it does the very opposite."

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The Office of Garry Breitkreuz, M.P.