Good to be home
I am pleased to be home with my constituents where I will be spending my time in communities across this beautiful riding of Yellowhead. Returning home allows me the opportunity to meet face-to-face with you, attend events, catch up on phone calls, and answer correspondence. Meetings, events, phone calls and responding to your letters will help me represent you better when Parliament resumes in September.
The spring parliamentary session concluded on June 21, 2017. Below is a summary of hot topics:
1. Interesting how the federal government can quickly produce $10.5 million to pay Omar Khadr, who fought against Canada, but can’t seem to provide enough funding in the Veterans Affairs budget to make sure our elderly veterans are properly cared for. Mr. Trudeau was wrong to compensate Omar Khadr, and wrong to do it in a secret deal.
2. Métis commissioner, Marilyn Poitras stepped down from the five-member commission, citing issues with the “current structure” of the inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls.
3. Prime Minister Trudeau promised to borrow only $10 billion, and balance the budget by 2019. The Finance Department’s report shows a different story. It says the deficit won’t be eliminated for at least 35 years! His borrowing and spending is out of control. So much for a ‘modest deficit’.
4. Thanks to this Liberal government, we won’t have a softwood lumber deal anytime soon. This is one of the main industries in our riding of which I have repeatedly brought to the Government’s attention.
5. The Liberal government must immediately act on the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation before it is too late. This is another issue I have repeatedly brought to the Government’s attention.
6. The Trudeau Liberals have scrapped important tax credits for kids’ sports and arts programs; slashed the Tax-Free Savings Account; put tax hikes on public transit, beer and wine; and applied GST to ridesharing services like Uber.
7. Their proposed national carbon tax will increase the price of gasoline by 11 cents by 2022, costing the average family $1,250 to $2,500 per year.
8. Their payroll tax hikes will make it harder for companies to hire young people. So much for our farmers and our youth! This must be stopped!
9. The taxpayer-funded Infrastructure Bank has been widely criticized by industry professionals for putting tax dollars on the line to cover risky investments made by private companies. This bank will only help a lot of well-connected insiders and lobbyists. What about building the roads and bridges communities need?
10. What about the status of the Kinder Morgan Pipeline? After all, Canadians can have jobs and a clean environment.
Trudeau’s “Sunny Ways” is leading us to “Gloomy Days” as his government becomes even less transparent, less accountable, and less cooperative.
As we look ahead to the fall session of Parliament, our new Conservative leader, Andrew Scheer, and our team will continue to stand up for everyday Canadians. We will hold this Liberal government to account for raising taxes; introducing policies that have stalled job growth; the Prime Minister’s unethical behavior; the release of dangerous criminals because of judicial delay; out-of-control spending; new tax hikes on the middle class; lavish vacations; and a litany of partisan appointments, etc. All are examples of poor leadership.
Jim Eglinski, MP – Yellowhead