Conservatives Force Vote to Axe the Carbon Taxes

Plus the Speaker resigns, upcoming town hall, my new role as vice chair, and more

Conservatives Force Vote to Axe the Carbon Taxes

Canadians have done everything right. But after eight years of this Liberal government, Canadians have seen their lives become more unaffordable. Seven million Canadians are struggling to put food on the table. 1 in 7 food bank clients are employed. Food, gas and rent have all gone up significantly during this inflationary period. We see it at our grocery stores, at the pumps and at the end of the month when rent and mortgage payments are due. There is another major reason why costs have increased for everyday families: the carbon taxes. Despite claims by the Liberal government that their carbon rebate will net out more than its cost, many studies, including costing analysis by the independent Parliamentary Budget Officer, have found that the carbon tax will have net costs for the average family, even after rebates. For Albertans, everyone is paying more in carbon taxes then they net out in rebates. The worst is yet to come. Not only is there the original carbon tax that will triple to $170 per tonne by 2030. There is a second, hidden carbon tax to further hike the price of gas, heat and groceries. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, this second carbon tax will cost the average Canadian household an extra $573 per year without any rebate, with families in some provinces facing costs as high as $1,157. This means the combined carbon taxes will cost Canadian families up to $4000 each year. This will be an extra 61 cents for every litre of gasoline, including both carbon taxes and sales tax applied to the taxes. This second carbon tax is branded by the Liberal government as the clean fuel standard, introduced without a vote in Parliament using enabling laws passed years ago over the objection of conservatives.

The tax burden is so significant that even Liberal MPs have come out against the tax. Newfoundland MP Ken McDonald criticized the Liberal tax, stating “we’re punishing the rural areas of our country and the most vulnerable people in our society.” Two others have also voiced their criticisms. By increasing the cost of gas, heat, and groceries, they make the most basic necessities out of reach. Driving to work, putting food on the table and heating homes in the dead of winter have all become more expensive under this Liberal Government. This is not just a rural issue. The number of Canadians living paycheque to paycheque is growing everywhere in the country. New numbers out this week show the amount of debt Canadians owe, particularly on credit cards, is growing rapidly. Yet, these MPs, and their colleagues, voted for these policies time and time again. Since 2015, they have supported carbon tax measures 23 times. On numerous occasions, Conservatives have put forth opposition day motions calling upon the Liberal government to either end the tax or hold off on future tax increases to help Canadians struggling with the cost-of-living crisis we see today. The Liberal government dismissed these concerns. They fail to recognize that these taxes have had a profound impact on the price of everyday goods and services as these taxes are applied at every step of food production.

Conservatives remain opposed to further tax hikes. We have put forward a motion calling on the federal government to repeal all carbon taxes to bring home lower prices on gas, groceries, and home heating. This NDP-Liberal government is simply not worth the cost. When Conservatives earn the right to govern, we will axe the carbon taxes to bring home lower prices.

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Speaker Out, Trudeau Remains

Last week, it was revealed that the Prime Minister personally met with and honoured a veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a Nazi division in World War II. This guest was invited by Liberals to attend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech in Parliament and fêted by the Speaker as a “hero.” This was an appalling error in judgement on the part of the Prime Minister, whose personal protocol office is responsible for arranging and vetting all guests and programming for state visits of this kind.

Without warning or context, it was impossible for any parliamentarian in the room (other than Mr. Trudeau) to know of this dark past. This was an international embarrassment that handed the Russian Federation a massive propaganda victory as they continue their illegal invasion of sovereign Ukraine. This diplomatic error was gleefully exploited by Russian-affiliated accounts worldwide.

Despite this shocking error, what did the Prime Minister do? He did what he always does: passing the blame to others. Speaker Anthony Rota announced his resignation after five days of scandal.

Canada has hosted prime ministers, U.S presidents and heads of major international organizations like the European Union to speak to joint sessions of our Parliament. In my time in Parliament, I have seen various levels of security screening for these visits. Vetting individuals who have access to the halls of the House of Commons and are within touching distance of the very floors on which foreign dignitaries stand to speak is a responsibility that rests with the Prime Minister and the government, who are solely in charge of maintaining diplomatic relations. This is nothing new from the Prime Minister. He never takes responsibility for anything he does but moralizes about our common responsibility for his actions and in this case seeming inaction. It's always "all Canadians" that must learn from his poor conduct. There has never been a greater diplomatic embarrassment to this country and the Prime Minister is responsible. The Prime Minister in the name of the Government of Canada must apologize to our allies and to Canadians for allowing this diplomatic embarrassment to occur under his watch.

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Vice Chair of Canada-China Committee

This week, I was honoured to be elected vice-chair by my peers on the Canada-People's Republic of China special parliamentary committee. In the past, I had urged the federal government to revive and establish this very committee to hold the government, and specifically the various departments handling these issues, more directly accountable to Parliament after several years of worsening diplomatic relations. I emphasized the need to acknowledge the changing global landscape as China gained economic and political influence. Our nations' interactions have frequently been marked by disagreements, including issues like the unjust detention of Canadian citizens, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Beijing's security measures related to Huawei, and violation of the Basic Law in Hong Kong for which Canada had given guarantees. These concerns remain relevant today, underscoring the critical role of the Committee on Canada-People's Republic of China Relations in safeguarding Canada's national interests. To that end, serving as vice chair enables me to lead the Conservative opposition on the committee and hold government accountable on how they handle foreign relations with Beijing, as we hear from witnesses, request government disclosures and produce committee reports.

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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Today marks the third anniversary of the national day for truth and reconciliation. It is a federal holiday for Canadians to reflect on the past and present experiences of Indigenous Canadians. While the path towards truth and reconciliation is long, it is only together that we can mend what has been broken and move forward as one.

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Reminder: Upcoming Town Hall on the cost-of-living crisis

On October 11, I will be hosting a town hall with former Liberal MP Dan McTeague, a whiz about energy policy in Canada and a strong critic of the Liberal government. He is President of Canadians for Affordable Energy and is the brains behind the gaswizard.ca website that tracks gasoline prices in Canada. We will speak about the carbon tax, policies to promote Alberta’s energy sector, and many other issues. I hope to see you there!