A Tax Break for Canadians

Plus the Canada-Beijing Committee, Supporting Russians against Putin and more...

A Tax Break for Canadians

This week, conservatives on Parliament Hill again made the cost of living crisis the priority of our efforts. On Thursday, October 21st, we moved a motion in Parliament to exempt all forms of home heating fuel from the carbon tax for all Canadians. Media reports and expert analysis predict that prices will more than double this winter as international market constraints and low storage in Europe lead to price spikes. In Canada, decisions by the federal government to continue with carbon tax increases and a new amended clean fuel standard will further push prices up. When I last checked, the price of furnace oil in Atlantic Canada and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador was over $2 per litre. Canada also remains the only G7 country to have raised fuel taxes. Many of our trading partners have moved to provide relief for consumers facing high prices and all the while these same trading partners are also trying to meet their international carbon reduction commitments. This latter point is an often used excuse by the Canadian government to stick it to consumers and force them to pay more to heat their homes and at the pumps, but good government is about seeing the changing landscape and adapting when its required.

We find ourselves facing high inflation, well over triple the rate targeted by the Bank of Canada because of the $500-billion inflationary deficit increasing the cost of goods we buy and the interest we pay. The more government spends, the more things cost. Even before the pandemic set us back financially and required public spending to shore up the economy, the federal Liberal government had added $100 billion to the national debt. This despite their promise in the 2015 federal election to only run small, less than $10 billion dollar deficits for no more than 3 years. They’ve never met that fiscal target. Just like every carbon reduction target they have set; they have never met any of those either. Even before the Russian Federation had invaded Ukraine in February 2022 the federal government had added $500 billion to the deficit when inflation was over 5% and of that $500 billion, more than $200 billion was identified as non-COVID related spending. The Parliamentary Budget Office identified this spending during its review of government spending and this independent office labeled $200 billion as not related to pandemic needs. That was a choice the federal government. This choice led to rapidly rising interest rates and energy prices.

The argument that carbon tax increases are necessary and that tripling the carbon tax is needed by 2030 is also based on an extremely shaky proposition that the federal Liberal government carbon tax reduced carbon emissions. It did not. It has not and it very likely will never. The government has failed to hit a single climate target with its tax so far. The promises to meet the targets are always put off into the future.

Often the pivot when the Liberal MPs are reminded of these facts is to accuse energy workers of receiving subsidies to their energy companies and therefore being responsible for the federal government not meeting its carbon emission targets. The truth according to public information put together by RBC, the biggest bank in Canada, is that oil and gas companies paid $48 billion to governments in taxes and royalties in fiscal year 2022, a 200% increase from 2021. Taxes and royalties are estimated to reach $64 billion by end of March 2023. Canada’s energy industry paid over $505 billion in federal, provincial, and local taxes as well as royalties since 2000. That is an incredible contribution towards paying for important public services like healthcare and education across Canada.

Canadians are facing a cost of living crisis. Food prices are up 11% and inflation is running triple over the central bank’s target. We are losing buying power of our wages and salaries every single month this continues. This conservative motion is entirely about making life better for Canadians. This is a critical vote on Monday, October 24th and I will be voting heartily in favour of providing tax relief for Canadians.

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Special Committee on the Canada–People’s Republic of China Relationship to investigate Beijing police stations in Canada

I recently becane a permanent member of the special committe on the Canada-PRC relationship. Its role is to keep accountable the federal goverment in its dealings with the government of Beijing, including trade, national security and the protection of Canadians of Chinese heritage who are dissidents of mainland China.

In a September report, European non-governmental organization Safeguard Defenders published an article stating that Beijing has established over 50 overseas police stations in cities around the world – three of which are in Canada. This seriously threatens our national sovereignty and our ability to enforce laws on our own soil.

Conservatives passed a motion at the Canada-PRC committee to investigate the opening of these Beijing police stations in Canada. This is a serious concern and we will continue to press the government for answers.

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Supporting Russian Dissidents in Opposition to Putin’s War

Parliament voted unanimously to support Russians who oppose Putin’s illegal war on the people of Ukraine. We voted to support dissidents in Russia against Putin’s regime, to find ways to help conscientious objectors to the Russian conscription, and to aid human rights defenders. Canadian parliamentarians will continue to find ways to support Ukrainians and peace loving Russians opposing their government.

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Joining the Opposition Shadow Cabinet

Last week, conservative leader Pierre Poilievre announced his inflation-busting conservative shadow cabinet. I am honoured to have been given the role of shadow minister for Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship. As an immigrant from Poland, I have benefited from Canada welcoming people from other countries to seek peace, prosperity and a new chapter in their lives. The current Liberal government has failed continuously on this file. From supporting our Afghan allies after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban to the 2.6 million backlogged applications, Liberals have proven themselves incapable of managing this basic government function. I look forward to this new challenge.

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Meeting with Chamber of Commerce Representatives

Had a lively discussion with chamber of commerce representatives from across the country. There is an exceedingly high number of job vacancies in Canada. We discussed ways in which we can empower our new immigrant population to meet the current job demand.

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