Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.

I thank the residents of Richmond Centre for participating in our democracy. In our country’s 44th General Election, Richmond voters have voted for change. I respect their decision and thank them for placing their trust in me for the past 13 years I have served as a Member of Parliament.

I offer my congratulations to Richmond Centre’s new MP-Elect, Wilson Miao. The needs and challenges of Richmond change over time and I offer my best wishes for MP-Elect Miao to represent us all.

On August 15, 2021 the 43rd Parliament was dissolved and a general election was called for September 20, 2021.

This is MP Alice Wong’s historical website. As Members of Parliament are no longer Members after the dissolution period, this website will not be maintained until after the election is over.

May 12, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RICHMOND, BC – Alice Wong, Opposition Shadow Minister for Seniors and Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre, has the following statement in regards to the May 12, 2020 announcement by Prime Minister Trudeau on measures for seniors due to the COVID-19 pandemic:

“Seniors are the most affected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. Overwhelmingly, the largest quantity of those that die of COVID-19 are elders. From my consultations with seniors, it is their physical health that is the highest concern. There is also a strong mental health concern of living in fear from a virus that kills seniors more than any other age demographic.

Since March, we have seen announcement after announcement by the Liberal government. This announcement on seniors, while appreciated, is late. While the one-time OAS/GIS payment increase is in-line with the one-time increases announced in March to parents and low-income Canadians, the lateness of this announcement merely reflects that seniors are an afterthought by the Liberal government.

The Liberal government was too late to close our borders to COVID-19. The Liberal government was too late to advise wearing masks in vulnerable environments. The Liberal government was too late to secure sufficient quantities of personal protective equipment (PPE). The Liberal government was too late to implement a mandatory quarantine for international arrivals. And now, the Liberals are too late to recognize the true needs of our seniors.

Seniors have been affected financially from COVID-19, just like the rest of Canada. But the primary challenge that COVID-19 has presented for seniors is health. Not having enough PPE supplies at care homes. Living in isolation from your loved ones. And finally, knowing that people of senior age are the most likely to die of COVID-19. This is the biggest concern of seniors – health. The Trudeau government has made matters worse with their decisions that have come too late.”

The following letter was sent to the Minister for Seniors, jointly signed by MP Alice Wong (Richmond Centre) and MP Martin Shields (Bow River):

============================================

April 14, 2020

Minister Schulte,

I am writing to bring to your attention items in regards to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While acknowledging the seniors-specific actions your government has taken regarding RRIF withdrawals, changes to the New Horizons for Seniors program, and the funding provided to the United Way, I have been in physically-distant consultation with seniors across the country that are rightfully concerned about the lack of further action. Given the inherently interdisciplinary nature of the portfolio, I know these changes can take time, but I have every confidence that you and your team will work with your counterparts in Cabinet to get seniors the help they so desperately need.

Specifically, our seniors need the federal government to protect their physical and financial security during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic brings with it a host of challenges that your government must face, a challenge that you need not face alone. I draw upon my years of experience to relay what I am hearing from my constituents, caucus members, and seniors from coast to coast to coast that are facing significant uncertainties during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Physical Security:

Minister, I am sure I do not need to reiterate to you that by virtue of age, Canada’s seniors are the highest mortality risk during this pandemic, and as such are bearing the brunt of its force.

Physical distancing, while assisting to flatten the curve, brings with it a number of serious issues, particularly for our seniors. According to the March 2018 Advancing Inclusion and Quality of Life for Seniors report by the Standing Committee on Human Resources, nearly half of seniors experienced social isolation and the host of negative effects associated with it.  With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, that number has surely increased. I was pleased to see the government’s changes to the New Horizons for Seniors program to include initiatives that helped combat social isolation during this trying time. I urge you to continue to work with stakeholders and healthcare professionals to find proactive ways to help maintain both the physical and mental health of Canada’s seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The caregiver is an integral part of aging in Canada. In a nation with infrastructure limitations and a rapidly aging population, the role and demand of the caregiver has increased dramatically. Particularly, informal caregiver support is a pillar of effective healthcare across Canada with the majority of all care provided to Canadians being in the form of friends or family. I urge the government to take steps to ensure our seniors are continuing to receive the caregiver support they need while also ensuring the physical safety of both senior and caregiver alike.

Financial Security:

The risks posed to our seniors by COVID-19 are not just physical, but financial as well. The majority of seniors are on a fixed income, meaning they are particularly vulnerable to increases in the cost of living.  With increasing government taxation, such as the increase in the carbon tax, coupled with a large portion of the economy being shut down due to COVID-19, it is virtually certain that the cost of living will be rising.

One of the most frequent requests I have heard from seniors is for the government to allow a one-time tax exemption of up to a certain amount for any seniors that wish to withdraw additional amounts from their RRSPs and RRIFs. This would allow for those seniors that are able to draw on their own funds to see them through this pandemic and pump money back into their local economies. This, combined with the action already taken on the RRIF withdrawals would incentivize seniors to access their capital without significantly increasing what is going to be a record-setting deficit in this fiscal year.

Canadians are ageing and they now find themselves in the midst of a pandemic that discriminates against the elderly. Working to strengthen the physical and financial security of our seniors must be addressed. I urge you to work with your caucus colleagues to ensure that your government takes immediate and significant steps to protect the people that built our country and its institutions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regards,

Hon. Alice Wong, P.C.., M.P.
Richmond Centre
Opposition Shadow Minister for Seniors

Martin Shields, M.P.
Bow River
Opposition Deputy Shadow Minister for Seniors

Thank you to the voters of Richmond Centre for your support. Thank you Steven Kou, Dustin Innes, Francoise Raunet, Ivan Pak and Zhang Zhe for standing up for what you believe in and bringing choice to Richmond voters. I look forward to continuing to work hard for Richmond.

Richmond, BC – During Question Period on June 11, 2019, MP Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South) asked a question alleging that, “… the member for Richmond’s law firm facilitated a secretive transaction that may have helped the drug cartel launder money through a Vancouver condo development”.

The ambiguity is that there are two Members of Parliament serving in Richmond. In addition, MP Alice Wong was formerly the Member of Parliament for the Richmond electoral district (2008-2015).

While MP Singh’s statement was subsequently corrected in the written parliamentary transcripts (Hansard), this release is being issued to correct any ambiguity concerning the wording of MP Singh’s question as actually stated in the House of Commons. The Member of Parliament that he is referring to is MP Joe Peschisolido (Steveston-Richmond East).

Subsequent to Question Period, a Point of Order was raised by MP Mark Strahl (Chilliwack-Hope) that asked for a clarification and MP Singh confirmed he was referring to the MP for Steveston-Richmond East.

For inquiries, contact:
Office of Hon. Alice Wong, MP (Richmond Centre)
alice.wong@parl.gc.ca
613-995-2021

May 21, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Richmond – On May 14, 2019 the House of Commons passed Motion 203, which recognizes the effect of fraud activities against seniors across Canada, and calls to coordinate a national response to fraud activities.

Alice Wong, Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre and Shadow Minister for Seniors initiated the motion. The motion builds on past Conservative initiatives to help seniors such as C-36, the Protecting Canada’s Seniors Act which was passed by the previous government in 2012.

MP Alice Wong stated, “I am pleased that all sides of the House of Commons recognize the impact of fraud on Canadian seniors. Recognition of fraud is the first step, and Motion 203 also calls for a response and engagement with local law enforcement agencies and the CRA to put forward future legislation that will stop fraudulent activities.”

MP Wong continued, “Canadians expect our parliamentarians to work together to putting an end to fraud. I will continue to work for all my constituents in Richmond Centre and seniors across Canada to increase our awareness of how fraudsters operate. I look forward to further progress on this front.”

Attached is the full text of Motion 203.

-30-

Contact Information:
Office of Hon. Alice Wong, Member of Parliament (Richmond Centre)
613-995-2021
Alice.Wong@parl.gc.ca

Motion 203 (Fraud activities against seniors) as passed by the House of Commons

That, in the opinion of the House, the government should:
(a) recognize the disproportionate effect of fraud activities against the seniors community across Canada;
(b) coordinate a national response to fraud activities to ensure that seniors and other vulnerable groups have the resources they need to understand the signs of fraud;
(c) establish tangible recourses for victims of fraud; and
(d) work with local law enforcement agencies and the Canada Revenue Agency to introduce legislation to combat fraudulent attacks targeting vulnerable seniors.

July 18, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA — Alice Wong, Conservative Shadow Minister for Seniors and Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre, was pleased to learn that after nearly 3 years of demanding fair treatment of Canada’s seniors, the Liberal government has finally acquiesced to the demands of the Official Opposition and re-establish an independent Ministry of Seniors.
​
This decision reverses the Prime Minister’s unfortunate move to scrap the Ministry in 2015, which left many of Canada’s most vulnerable without a dedicated voice in cabinet.

The Minister of Seniors is a continuation of the previous Minister of State (Seniors), which former Prime Minister Stephen Harper created in October 2008. MP Wong was appointed Minister of State (Seniors) after the May 2011 election and served until November 2015.

“While I am in agreement with the decision to re-establish the Ministry of Seniors, I find it very unfortunate that this government’s advocacy for seniors is essentially three years behind. Moving forward, together my colleague MP Mark Warawa and I are eager to collaborate with Minister Tassi to better the lives of Canadian seniors by addressing real and urgent issues facing our aging population, especially regarding caregiving, elder abuse, palliative care and income security strategies,” said MP Wong.

-30-

Contact:
Office of MP Alice Wong
613-995-2021
Alice.Wong@parl.gc.ca

On March 8, 2017, Alice Wong made a statement in the House of Commons on the topic of Women in Small Business.

The following is a transcript:

Hon. Alice Wong (Richmond Centre, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise on this day, International Women’s Day, to highlight women in small businesses. In Canada, 47% of small and medium-sized enterprises are wholly or partly owned by women. As a former small business owner myself, I understand that running a business requires dedication, hard work, and finding the right balance between business and family.

We must continue to encourage and empower women of all ages to accomplish their goals. We also need to ensure that the right tools, mentorship, and opportunities are provided to guarantee the success of our small businesses.

I hope this day reminds us that every day women in Canada and around the world greatly impact our economies and communities for the better. We must ensure that all women have a chance to pursue their dreams.

MP Alice Wong made the following statement in regards to the Quebec City Mosque shootings that occurred January 29, 2017:

“I am shocked and saddened by the attack in Quebec City last night. My thoughts and prayers are with the families who are affected, and with the entire community of Quebec City. There is no place for this type of violence in Canada.”