SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 100 - Sep/22/22

Mr. Dan Albas (Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, CPC)

Sep/22/22 4:13:03 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-30

Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the minister to reflect on a quote and answer a question. Avery Shenfeld, the chief economist at CIBC, said, “In a period of high inflation and excess demand, cutting taxes or handing out cheques can add fuel to the inflationary fire, and make the job of a central bank that’s raising rates to cool demand all that more troublesome.” The government spent this whole summer in repose. I imagine its members were polling, but they did not do the hard work. In their budget this spring, they talked about a policy review to reprioritize spending to cut back wasteful spending. Why did they not do that hard work so that when they presented this tax relief to the low-income families who are going to depend on it, the inflation concerns were at least diminished, if not, on a one-for-one basis, removed? Why does the government continue to spend and make things worse? Why is it not doing the hard work of finding equivalent cuts?

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Context: House Hansard - 100 - Sep/22/22

Mr. Dan Albas

Sep/22/22 4:58:04 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-30

Madam Speaker, I think my fellow British Columbian answered his own question. The New Democrats tend to want too many things connected to too many other things. They are ideologically against the oil and gas sector, despite its being one of the chief sources of green technologies and despite its helping pay for hospitals and other important social services. They are ideologically opposed to that. Conservatives look at every single request, whether it comes from the government or through a motion, and we look to see what is in the best interests of Canadians. Today we have seen that this is important to help a small targeted group of the population that we know is hurting. Inflation, as I said, is a silent tax that particularly harms the most vulnerable, but this is not supporting broad-based things like reducing GST at the pumps. I will also remind the member that he had the opportunity to support that and did not. When his constituents ask him what kinds of things he has done for people that are outside of this bill, I would ask him to look in the mirror and say that he voted against giving people a break at the pumps because he is ideologically against oil and gas and the utilization of fossil fuels. This cuts both—

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Context: House Hansard - 100 - Sep/22/22

Mr. Dan Albas

Sep/22/22 5:00:20 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-30

Madam Speaker, that is a great question. I thank my colleague for his work, standing up for his constituents. First, I hope that the Prime Minister can avoid wanting to act as Santa Claus and handing out these kinds of cheques himself during that time. That is just a bit of a joke. Getting to the issue, this one-time help, which Conservatives support, is welcome tax relief for families, which would be around $467. The average family of four is now spending over $1,200 more each year to put food on the table, not to mention the rising costs of heat, gasoline and rent. In British Columbia, where we have tons of natural gas, we are seeing natural gas prices go up. We are seeing, right now, that people cannot get by. If it is a cold winter, it will be really difficult, especially for those areas that do not have access to things like natural gas. This is only a small piece. It is already going to be up against so much inflation in groceries, gas prices and home heating.

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