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House Hansard - 334

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 18, 2024 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 334 - Jun/18/24
Mr. Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, NDP)
  • Jun/18/24 6:29:56 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in my riding of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford on beautiful Vancouver Island, search and rescue and firefighting services are largely staffed by hard-working volunteers, members of our community who put their lives on the line to act as first responders. One measure in this bill would increase the search and rescue and volunteer firefighter tax credit from $3,000 to $6,000. I want to recognize my colleague, the member for Courtenay—Alberni, for his private member's bill and the efforts he has made to campaign for this. We successfully used our leverage in this House of Commons to push the Liberals to do this on behalf of volunteers. I am wondering if my colleague can comment on this particular aspect of the bill and maybe reflect on it as yet another example of how we have used our leverage in this place to help hard-working volunteers in ridings throughout Canada.
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Context: House Hansard - 334 - Jun/18/24
Mr. Don Davies
  • Jun/18/24 6:31:10 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, there are a lot of issues in this budget that we do not have time to touch on, but I am very grateful he raised that one because the spirit of volunteerism in this country and the things that bind communities together, particularly in rural Canada, deserve to be recognized. This budget would do that by doubling the search and rescue and volunteer firefighter tax credit from $3,000 to $6,000 in recognition of the essential role and sacrifices of these volunteers in keeping Canadians safe. I hear a lot of rhetoric from the Conservatives about public safety. They are going to vote against a budget that would put money in the hands of the people in our communities, the men and women who volunteer in their communities to help keep their neighbours safe in times of strife. That goes back to what I said at the beginning of my speech about values. The New Democrats believe that government can pool resources and use them to help make communities better in this country, to make Canadians safer, more secure and healthier and to give them greater opportunities. The Conservatives do not share that view of government. They think government needs to shrink, get out of the way and cut taxes and services. Where will that leave people in rural communities? I wonder. It will leave them less safe, less secure, less healthy and with fewer opportunities. That is not the Canada that I want for my children.
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