Lethbridge Herald: We are Living in a Government-Imposed Affordability Crisis

I recently had a conversation with an elderly woman whose only source of income is CPP. With this small allotment of money, she is struggling to pay her rent, put food on her table, heat her home, pay for her bus pass, and cover the cost of her prescription. Her expenses have skyrocketed, but her income has remained the same.

Sadly, this is only one of many similar stories shared with me.

The first few weeks in parliament have flown by, and while there is no shortage of noteworthy topics to discuss, affordability tops the list for those in Lethbridge.

This crisis has escalated and spilled into Thanksgiving, making this year more challenging for many Canadians.

While this would usually be a time for feasting and celebrating the bounty of this land and those who work on it, this year is marked by a backdrop of anxiety and frustration.

Whether it is farmers experiencing higher input costs, truckers paying more for fuel, families struggling to buy school supplies for their kids, or seniors being forced to choose between filling their prescription or putting healthy food on their table, everyone is feeling the pinch.

The frustrating truth is that this higher cost of living is not happenstance or a simple by-product of global conditions. This is a government-imposed affordability crisis. Mr. Trudeau and his government have caused record inflation through their tax and spending measures. In fact, Mr. Trudeau has accumulated more debt than all 22 Prime Ministers preceding him. Is it any wonder we are struggling?

The carbon tax is top of mind for many. They feel it does more harm than good. The Liberals tax the farmer who grows the food, the trucker who transports it, and the stores who sell it. This accumulation of carbon tax ultimately gets passed to the families who simply want to put food on their tables.

With no evidence, the government has argued the carbon tax is necessary to protect the environment. Still, Canadians do not see evidence of this claim. In eight years of governing, the Liberals have not met a single environmental target. The financial burden is causing more problems than it will ever solve.

As if the cost of necessities like food and fuel is not overwhelming enough, many are also struggling to find or keep a home they can afford. Many young people are resigned to the fact they may never own a home. For those who took out mortgages trusting the government when they said interest rates would remain low, government inflationary spending has thrown a massive wrench in their long-term plans and caused their monthly payments to skyrocket.

What happened to the Liberals’ 2015 election promise to make housing more affordable?

Rather than punishing Canadians with high taxes and inflationary measures, the government should rein in spending, cut taxes, and unleash the power and potential of the Canadian people.

Serving as a Member of Parliament has afforded me the extraordinary opportunity to speak with many Canadians about the Canada they wish to live in.

I have heard countless stories from visionaries who want to build businesses, invent new technologies, help those who are suffering get ahead, and improve our society in areas where we are falling short.

I am encouraged by the growing number of Canadians who are dreaming of a better future.

A future that only freedom can deliver.

Imagine what Canada would look like if hard-working people were free to earn powerful paycheques that buy affordable food, gas, and homes.

This is the type of Canada we can create by generating opportunity for each and every person to reach their greatest potential.

Lethbridge Herald: Canadians are the Solution, not the Problem

Imagine your favourite sports team is going up against its greatest rival. Suddenly, the referee announces that for every drink of water taken by a player, the team will receive a penalty. Of course, the players protest, but to no avail. They are scolded for their disruptive behaviour and other punitive measures are threatened.

How long do you think your team will be able to play before they must succumb to their need for hydration and therefore find themselves subjected to unwarranted penalties?

Likewise, when a government targets its citizens’ necessities like gas, heat, and groceries, how long do you suppose a country can go before problems emerge?

The Liberal carbon tax has been a harsh reality for some time already, but recently, amid the wildfires affecting western Canada, the former Minister of Environment, Catherine McKenna, tweeted: “Conservative politicians want to fight about a price on carbon pollution? You want to make it free to pollute while Canadians pay with their lives threatened, homes destroyed, and their communities obliterated? So what are you going to do? You are the arsonists.”

Is opposing the carbon tax truly equivalent to arson?

I have looked for studies that might show the correlation between imposing a carbon tax and preventing wildfires. I have not found any. I wonder where the former Environment Minister found her “facts.”

Aside from being curious about the science behind McKenna’s claim, I am truly concerned about the Liberals’ demonization of anyone that might think differently than they do.

At the heart of the matter, we have a government that sees the people of this great country as the problem, rather than the solution.

G.K. Chesterton once said, “A citizen can hardly distinguish between a tax and a fine, except that the fine is generally much lighter.”

Money taken from Canadians in the name of “putting a price on carbon pollution” causes more problems than it will ever solve. On April 1st, the original carbon tax on fuel was increased to an additional 14 cents per litre. Then, on July 1st, the Prime Minister implemented a second carbon tax. When the two taxes are combined, it costs the average Albertan household $3,930 per year.

I have heard from many of you that the government’s punitive measures are having a significant impact on your ability to heat your homes, put groceries in your fridge, and fuel up your car. Those living on a fixed income, such as seniors and people with a disability, are among the hardest hit.

With September here, parents are struggling to cover the extra expenses associated with back-to-school. On average, parents must spend $700 per child to ensure they have the materials required of them. I don’t need to tell you about the anxiety this induces in many of the parents in our community.

One of the chief responsibilities of the federal government is to facilitate economic prosperity.

The Liberal Cabinet recently met in P.E.I. to plan for the year ahead. This was their chance to spend time discussing the things that matter most to Canadians. Instead, it was used as an opportunity to enjoy a luxurious vacation spot and try great seafood. If you are interested, the new small business minister tweeted out a video of her eating lobster and oysters. This comes as more and more Canadians hit up food banks.

Meanwhile, the environment minister flew to China to discuss environmental policy. Before the minister took off, Beijing made it clear they had zero intertest in what the minister had to say, but still, he felt it necessary to hop on a jet and fly halfway around the world. Never mind the emissions.

A board member with the China Strategic Risks Institute even described the communications coming out of Beijing as “marching orders” for the minister. To fraternize with a dictatorship that has sought to interfere in our democracy, while ignoring the affordability crisis at home demonstrates a massive lack of care for the citizens of this country.

The solution to these darkening economic days is Canadians themselves—we, the people!

Canadians are the innovators, the problem solvers, the solution makers, and the wealth generators that can get us back on track. The potential held within the people of Canada is immeasurable, but the punitive measures taken by the government need to stop.

Human flourishing should be the goal of government. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Canadians now, more than ever, need to be entrusted and empowered to build their own future. We must axe the tax to make room for Canadians to thrive.

Lethbridge Herald: Celebrating our Heritage

On Monday we will celebrate Heritage Day, an annual holiday set aside to commemorate Alberta’s heritage and the diverse traditions, thoughts, beliefs, and ways of life that shape our identity today.

Before European settlement, our region of southern Alberta was known as the home of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) people. What is now called Lethbridge was part of their wider hunting grounds. Early European settlers were originally connected to the whiskey trade and Fort Whoop Up served as their trading post. This drew the North-West Mounted Police, who established their presence here in 1874. In 1882, Sir Alexander Galt and his son established the first coal mine in a town called Coalbanks, which later became Lethbridge.

With the success of the first miners, railways were built to support a growing economy, including our world-famous single-track viaduct across the Oldman River Valley, now know as the High-Level Bridge. This growing prosperity attracted people to the city of Lethbridge to pursue economic opportunity and make a home for themselves.

To say the West was hard to settle, is an understatement. Those who chose to make this land their home were characterized by grit and determination. Courage was second nature to them. It is only through the hard work of Indigenous peoples and pioneers that this area grew into a strong local community.

As the coal industry waned and the vision of irrigation was realized, farming became the predominant livelihood. The mining town became an agricultural hub as farmers and ranchers grew canola, sugar beets, grain, and livestock. Soon, southern Alberta became a leader in food production.

By 1897, the first Lethbridge Exhibition was underway—eight years before Alberta even became a part of Canada! This exhibition sought to advance the burgeoning agricultural scene and served as a hub for Indigenous folks, farmers, ranchers, and businesspeople to partner with one another to advance the region’s prosperity.

In the span of less than a century, Lethbridge grew from a frontier outpost to a small metropolitan centre built by those committed to working hard and caring for their neighbour.

Today, the Lethbridge area is a beautiful tapestry of diverse cultures. From the Blackfoot peoples to fourth-generation Dutch farmers, to newcomers from Nepal, Syria, numerous African countries, Ukraine, and beyond, our region is a beautiful example of what hard work, innovation, and collaboration can produce.

Our population has grown, and the region’s workforce has evolved, but agriculture remains at the heart of who we are. Agricultural production, food processing, agri-science, agri-technology, and agri-business are what keep our region strong and hold the greatest opportunity for our future.

In just a few days, the Lethbridge Exhibition will hold a grand-opening for its expansion, known as the Agi-food Hub & Trade Centre. Continuing the legacy that began in 1897, this will mark our renewed commitment to being the premier hub for agriculture and agri-food in Canada. This world-class project will provide tremendous opportunity to do business, build community connections, and strengthen our ties to the rest of the world.

As the globe grapples with unprecedented challenges, the same bravery, grit, and determination that our predecessors exemplified will be required as our region rises to meet the needs of the future. We occupy an exciting point in history. Equipped with the knowledge of our past, we have an opportunity to steward our present and build a vibrant future.

Reflecting on our history helps us understand what we have inherited, how we can best steward our present, and determine what we hope to leave for those who come after us.

This Heritage Day, we have so much to celebrate—from the early coal mining days of the late 18th and early 19th Century to the dawn of a new era in agriculture and beyond. Let us appreciate our past, champion our present, and forge a legacy that will provide hope and opportunity for generations to come.