Lethbridge Herald: Gratitude for our Community

As we transition into the fall season and see the farmers wrap up this year’s harvest it is a wonderful time to slow down and reflect on the many blessings we’ve enjoyed throughout the year.

Like many of you, I look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with loved ones. Before we enjoy turkey dinner, one of my family’s traditions is for everyone at the dinner table to share something they are thankful for. Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life and the challenges we face, it’s a powerful way to stop and appreciate the many good things we enjoy each day.

As I reflect on the many things for which I am thankful, our country is top of mind—not the policies that currently govern it—but the people who call this place home. 

Despite past and present hardships, the people of Canada have always held great promise. With their ingenuity, dedication, and care, Canadians have given back to this country and forged it into a place of hope and prosperity.

I think of the brave men and women who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy. Our nation has been significantly shaped by the valiant efforts of soldiers who fought in battles like the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Their courage and strength forever changed the course of history for good.

I think of the revolutionary achievements of the Famous Five, a group of incredible women from the province of Alberta who victoriously fought for women to be recognized as persons capable of civic responsibility. Their vision and grit blessed Canada with equality for women.

The long-lasting accomplishments of past Canadians are a blessing to present generations.

There is so much to be thankful for today.

Lethbridge is known as one of Canada’s most generous cities. In fact, we rank in the top ten across Canada.

Throughout the year, the people of Lethbridge find joy in giving back to the community. Be it through generous financial contributions to various non-profits, or the countless volunteer hours that keep these organizations running, we are a community that steps up and helps out.

In the face of an affordability crisis, the people of Lethbridge have taken great initiative to help their neighbours. I am grateful for the many helping hands that humbly serve our community.

Our first responders serve in incredibly difficult circumstances to ensure we are kept safe. I am immensely grateful for our police, fire, and EMS who selflessly serve and protect our community. As we gather around the Thanksgiving dinner table for our meal with family and friends, let’s remember those on the frontlines who give up time with loved ones during the holidays to keep our community safe and care for those in need of help.

The foodbanks and other service organizations in our community work tirelessly to provide food for those in need. From hampers for the holidays to everyday necessities, these community organizations diligently serve Lethbridge with kindness and compassion.

Sadly, many of these charities are beginning to experience shortages. The cost of living continues to impact everyone, and the strain is being felt by many. We are an incredibly generous community, and we must continue to work together to help our neighbours.

I encourage everyone to give where you can and help as you are able. Together we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Not only does our community step up locally for those in need, we also go above and beyond to help those outside Lethbridge.

I’m in awe of those in our community who volunteer their time and labour for good causes. I think of a large group of local farmers who graciously work the land, sell the crops, and donate the proceeds to the needy around the world.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, there is so much to be grateful for.

Even though we face challenges, we are blessed by the people of Canada who continuously strive to make this country a better place.

We need only to look at our own community to see the good that brings hope during the darkest times.

This Thanksgiving let’s take time to reflect on all the blessings that surround us and celebrate all those who make our community so special.

Happy Thanksgiving Lethbridge!

Lethbridge Herald: My Focus as I Return to Parliament

During my childhood, it was normal for strangers to join my family for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. If my parents learned of someone needing a place to spend the holidays, an invitation was quickly extended. My four siblings and I were always excited to meet new people and get to know them.

To this day, there is nothing I enjoy more than gleaning from the stories and experiences of others. It is the main reason I look forward to being home for the summer. I love being out and about in the community to hear from people like you.

Your stories fuel the work I do in Parliament. Whether it is having a conversation at Latin Fest, visiting with members of the community on Canada Day, engaging in a short chat during a parade or community event, or receiving an email or a phone call, I value hearing from you.

As Parliament resumes in September, I am eager to address the concerns and feedback I have received from you over the summer.

Many of you have reached out to discuss the heavy burden of taxes and the rising cost of living. Others have highlighted the fact that homeownership is becoming increasingly unattainable—even in Lethbridge. Many of you have shared your wish for a responsible government that will fix the budget and get Canada back on track economically.

Additionally, many of you have raised concerns about the impact addiction and crime are having on our community.

As I head back to Parliament to hold the Liberal government to account, I will be calling for four key things: axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget, and stop the crime.

Taxes have increased dramatically under the current government. In 2023, the average Canadian family spent 43 per cent of their income on taxes, which is more than the cost of housing, food, and clothing combined.

Despite the hardship so many are already facing, Trudeau hiked the carbon tax by 23 per cent on April 1st and plans to increase it again in a few months. I recently reviewed someone’s natural gas bill where the carbon tax was 4.5 times the actual cost of the gas. I have seen hundreds of others where the cost of the carbon tax is more than the cost of the actual gas used.

Across the country, Canadians are begging for much-needed relief.

My Conservative colleagues and I will fight to bring back powerful paycheques so Canadians can once again enjoy life to the fullest without having to worry about choosing between buying medication or making their rent payment.

And it is not just taxes that are making it difficult for people to make ends meet, it is the cost of housing too. In 2015, Trudeau promised to make housing more affordable. Nine years later, Canadians are living in a housing hell. Mortgages have doubled. Rent has doubled.

Not long ago, it used to take 25 years to pay off a mortgage. Today, it takes 25 years just to save up for a downpayment. Too many families must choose between making rent and putting food on the table. And countless young Canadians—who have done everything that we have asked of them by going to school, getting educated, working hard and saving up— are giving up on ever owning a home.

Traditionally, Lethbridge has been known as an affordable city, but things are changing. The latest statistics show that rental costs in Lethbridge have increased by 20 per cent since last summer.

My colleagues and I are returning to Ottawa to fight for greater housing choice and affordability.

But we also recognize the larger problem that is having a negative impact on everything—Trudeau’s mismanagement of the federal budget.

While Canadians line up at food banks or work multiple jobs to make ends meet, the Liberal government squanders the money it squeezes from hardworking Canadians. And where does this money go? To the bloated bureaucracies the Liberals have created. The same bureaucracy involved in scandal after scandal while delivering abysmal service to the public.

Canadians deserve value for the money they pay. Conservatives will put an end to the massive spending binges and hefty debt taken on by the Liberals.

And on top of dealing with fiscal concerns, my colleagues and I are also committed to restoring safety.

Under Trudeau’s dangerous catch-and-release crime policies, violent crime has skyrocketed by 50 per cent and many of our streets have become unrecognizable.

Trudeau’s wacko policies are just not worth the cost – especially when that cost is measured in human lives.

My Conservative colleagues and I will push for jail, not bail, and bring back mandatory jail time for serious violent offenders. We will ban hard drugs and bring loved ones home drug free.

As I head back to Parliament this month, I look forward to advocating for the community of Lethbridge so that people from all backgrounds and walks of life can build a life and look forward to a vibrant future.

Lethbridge Herald: Celebrating Albertans

On Monday our province will celebrate Alberta Heritage Day. This special day gives us the opportunity to reflect on our history and culture with gratefulness and pride. From being a leader in energy production to functioning as an agricultural powerhouse, Alberta has much to be proud of!

What is the key to this success?

Some may think it is our natural resources, but to me, the answer could not be clearer. It is the people.

The spirit of the Alberta people is strong and enduring.

There is an understanding that we are constantly building for a more secure and prosperous future for the generations that will come after us. Though we are living in the present, we are dreamers and creators; we restore and invent. We say no to complacency.

Our province is globally known for its natural beauty with mighty mountains, glacier lakes, bountiful energy reserves, and expansive prairies. Though we face hardships like wildfires that ravage through beautiful towns like Jasper, the strength of our province shines through adversity as we come together to defeat the flames, support our neighbours, and rebuild our communities. Resilience is a hallmark of Albertans that has carried throughout generations.

This province is home to the Famous Five, who fought for women to be recognized as "persons" under the law. But Alberta’s significant impacts extend beyond extraordinary historic moments like this. Our perseverance powers Canada's wealth and success daily.

Agriculture is a crucial part of our heritage in Lethbridge. Generations of farmers in the region have displayed incredible grit, determination, and creativity, turning what was once was the desert-like Palliser Triangle into some of the most prosperous farmland in the world. Today, our producers are responsible for much of the grain, meat, and produce that feed our nation and the those in other countries.

Our community is home to early ground-breaking innovations like the Noble Blade, invented in Nobleford, which tills the soil with minimal disturbance, or Andrew Briosi's sugar beet lifter, which modernized the harvesting of sugar beets. Today, the people of Lethbridge continue pursuing innovation in food production and processing by forging paths toward sustainability and increased production.

The key to Alberta’s prosperity lies in the hands of the people. Unfortunately, this potential is under threat by an Ottawa-knows-best federal government that is doing its best to erode our province’s resolute spirit.

Punitive policies like the carbon tax punish workers and retirees alike.  

The Liberal government’s inflationary spending has made life increasingly unaffordable for many. My office continues to hear heart-breaking stories of families making the difficult decision to visit the food bank for the first time, young people giving up on homeownership, and seniors choosing between medication and food.

But it doesn’t need to be this way. We desperately need a common-sense government that empower Canadians to innovate and create without these burdens. It is time for a small government that will exhort the people and make big citizens.

Under a common-sense Conservative government, people will be empowered to dream, take risks, invest capital, and generate wealth without layers of red tape obstructing them. This promising future will finally allow their hard work to pay off, filling us all with hope and optimism.

Ottawa will no longer destructively leach from its citizens. Instead, it will let Canadians receive the powerful paycheques that they have so rightfully earned.

This future is not just a possibility; it is a promise we can all look forward to—a future where Canadians are unleashed to lead the way forward, a future where the hard work of regular citizens is our true strength.

The key to prosperity lies in you—the people— who have consistently risen amid challenging times by stewarding their gifts and talents, while demonstrating incredible fortitude to achieve great things.

Our rich heritage is not a product of government. It is the collective legacy of those who call this place home.

As we celebrate Alberta Heritage Day, let us reflect with gratitude on the past, commit to stewarding the present, and build toward a vibrant future.

What kind of inheritance will we leave for those to come?