Jim Bélanger

Madam Speaker, over the past decade, we have seen an alarming rise in rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm and other mental health challenges among young people. Many parents, educators and health professionals have raised concerns about the role social media may be playing in this trend. Social media has fundamentally changed childhood. While these platforms can help young people connect with [more]

C-34 Mr. Speaker, Conservatives want to make sure kids are kept safe and platforms are held accountable. The concern many Canadians have is that the Liberals would give the proposed commissioner sweeping powers with little accountability. Billrequires much more scrutiny at committee and needs non-partisan work to get it right.

Madam Speaker, I completely agree that this matter should be studied thoroughly. Conservatives want to ensure that young people are safe and that platforms are held accountable. C‑34 However, many Canadians are concerned about the very broad powers the government wants to grant the proposed commission without sufficient accountability mechanisms. Billdeserves much closer scrutiny in committee. [more]

Madam Speaker, it goes back to asking what on earth happened to teens in the early 2010s. It was the move from regular phones to smart phones. The rewiring of childhood has interfered with children's social and neurological development. I think that has been the greatest cause for the crisis we are in today.

Madam Speaker, yes, that is absolutely the case in my riding. Closer to home, in my family, I have three young people who are parents, and they tell me all the time that what is happening on social media today is very worrisome. In my grandmother's day, as I was saying, progress took a long time. We went from horse-drawn carriages to the telephone, then to radio, television, and sending a man to [more]

Madam Speaker, my colleague talked about a sharp rise in anxiety and depression in children. Can he tell the House what he thinks is the major cause of this crisis and what we need to do to identify the causes and potential ways to reverse this crisis?

Mr. Speaker, we all know that we are facing a cost of living crisis, and we acknowledge that. That said, it seems to me that the government is taking money out of people's pockets and then putting some of it back through subsidies and other programs, all while the debt continues to grow. Does the government intend to examine and address the root causes of the rising cost of living, rather than [more]

Madam Speaker, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the interest on the national debt is the fastest-growing category of government expenditures, outpacing health care transfers. How does my colleague think the government could reduce spending and put the budget back on a more responsible path?

Mr. Speaker, government spending is driving up the cost of living, and the national debt continues to rise. That debt will cost families an extra $6,000 in interest alone. How serious should the government be about tackling that debt?