Lethbridge Herald: A Bigger Win Than Just Hockey

After weeks of political tension and threats to Canada’s economy, our victory over the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off could not have come at a better time.

The game was intense, going into overtime until Connor McDavid scored the winning goal!

The arena exploded in red and white as Canadians celebrated a thrilling comeback. Across the country, people proudly wore their Team Canada gear and cheered late into the night.

But this was more than just a hockey win—it was a symbol of national pride at a time when Canada needs unity. With Trump threatening tariffs on key Canadian industries, this victory reminded us of our resilience.

It was a powerful moment of patriotism. In my office, we even ran out of Canadian flags and pins because so many people wanted to show their pride. Now, we must keep this momentum going.

Putting Canada first is more important than ever, especially in government. For years, the NDP-Liberals have pushed the idea that Canada has no core identity, weakening our national sovereignty and dividing us. This cannot continue.

Conservatives will always put Canada first—through both words and actions. Our goal is to restore the promise of Canada: a country where hard work leads to a good home, safety, and opportunity. We must fight to pass down the prosperity and freedoms that generations before us built.

So how do we restore the promise of Canada?

To secure Canada’s future, we need to strengthen our economy. That means bringing home jobs, investments, and businesses. We must reduce our dependence on the U.S. and build a strong, independent economy that rewards innovation and hard work.

A growing “Buy Canadian” movement shows that people are ready to support local businesses. Yet, it’s harder to trade within Canada than with foreign countries. Conservatives will break down provincial trade barriers, helping Canadian companies thrive.

We’ll axe the carbon tax—cutting energy costs, making homebuilding more affordable, and boosting manufacturing to create powerful paycheques for workers. After years of a Liberal government neglecting our economy, it’s time for common-sense leadership.

And after a decade of a Liberal government that has neglected safety and security, it’s time for common-sense Conservatives to restore order and prioritize Canadians.

We must take back control of crime, drugs and the border.

Our Canada First plan will deploy military helicopters and surveillance to the border; add 2,000 new border agents and expand their powers to patrol the full border; install new high-powered scanners, towers, and drone systems; and track departures so we know when those deported from our country have actually left.

We will also end reckless drug policies that have led to the rise of fentanyl, a deadly drug responsible for thousands of deaths. Not to please Trump—but to protect Canadians. We will invest in recovery programs to help people rebuild their live, so our loved ones can come home drug free.

Additionally, we will protect our people, our seas, skies, and soil.

Conservatives will honour the service and sacrifice of soldiers and give them the tools they need to defend Canada.

Our country is worth fighting for, and that is what Conservatives will do.

We have a duty to preserve the promise of Canada and pass it on for generations to come.

We are at a turning point in our nation’s history. The next election is a chance to choose real leadership that will put Canadians first.

It’s time to win beyond the hockey rink. It’s time to bring it home.

Lethbridge Herald: Amazing Race to Power: How the Liberals Are Failing Canadians

Have you ever watched The Amazing Race?

Teams of two race around the world, completing challenges in different countries. The goal is to overcome obstacles, solve clues, and outpace other teams to reach the final destination and bring home a cash prize.

Things can go really well for a team with a shared vision, trust, and communication. With these qualities, a team might even win the whole race.

But imagine if one partner decides to leave the other behind, just to win for themselves. That’s what’s happening in Canada right now.

The Liberal government, led by Justin Trudeau, has chosen to leave Canadians behind in pursuit of its own partisan interests.

As we face big challenges, like the threat of 25 per cent tariffs from our largest trading partner, the Liberals have chosen to abandon Canadians and the wellbeing of our country.

Faced with a rupture in Canada-U.S. relations— potentially costing 1.5 million jobs, causing a major economic downturn, and disrupting supply chains—Trudeau and the Liberals have prioritized their internal leadership race over actually governing.

By proroguing Parliament, they’ve brought government business to a halt.

While the country faces a massive crisis, the Liberals have chosen to prioritize themselves by avoiding accountability and delaying an election as they turn inward to sort out who will replace Trudeau as leader.

Canada has never been so weak, and things have never been so out of control. Liberals are putting themselves and their leadership politics ahead of the country.

As the frontrunners in the Liberals’ leadership race, Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney are fighting for power rather than fighting for Canada.

They’ve been complicit in making life worse for Canadians by supporting policies that have resulted in a higher cost of living, more taxes, out-of-control government spending, and increased crime.

Take Chrystia Freeland, for example. She has supported Trudeau every step of the way, even voting to raise the carbon tax over 40 times. In front of the Finance committee, Freeland said “I absolutely believe that a price on pollution is the right thing for Canada and for our economy.”

She now claims to be fighting against the establishment, but this is laughable. Having spent nine years as a minister, she is the establishment. As Trudeau’s second-in-command, she helped lead the country into this mess.

Then there’s Mark Carney. In a bizarre interview aimed at American audiences, Carney tried to present himself as an outsider. But he’s been deeply involved with the Liberals for years, advising Trudeau and backing policies like the carbon tax. In his own book, Carney wrote: “One of the most important initiatives is carbon pricing…the Canadian federal carbon pricing framework is a model for others.”

As Chair of Trudeau’s Task Force on Economic Growth, Carney helped Trudeau craft a budget with a damaging $62 billion deficit.

These so-called "fresh faces" are just like Trudeau—they’ve been with him all along.

This cannot go on. The Liberals are not worth the cost, the chaos, or the corruption.

Canadians deserve better.

We need strong leadership that will focus on the people, not on personal power.

The Conservative Party is the only one ready to fix the damage the Liberals have caused. We will eliminate the carbon tax, build more affordable homes, balance the budget, and tackle rising crime.

Canada is at a crossroads, and the Liberals have proven they can’t lead us out of this mess. With the cost of living rising and the threat of 25 per cent tariffs from the U.S. looming, we need a leader who will put Canadians first.

Just like in The Amazing Race, we can’t win if our government leaves us behind. Canadians deserve a government that works with them, not for itself. It’s time for a change. We need an election now.

Lethbridge Herald: New Year, New Canada

 The New Year is a time for fresh starts—an opportunity to leave behind the past and set new goals for the future. 

For Canada, this New Year holds even greater significance, as we stand at a crossroads.

Canada was once a beacon of opportunity on the global stage, a country where anyone could succeed, regardless of their background. Hard work and personal responsibility were the keys to success, and the Canadian economy was a model of prosperity. Jobs were plentiful, wages were rising, and Canadians could afford to buy homes in safe, thriving communities. The Canadian dream seemed within reach for everyone.

But today, the promise of Canada is broken.

Canadians are struggling under the weight of a corrupt government. People across the country are finding it harder than ever to make ends meet. Rising rent, soaring grocery prices, and sky-high gas costs have stretched household budgets to the breaking point. Simple pleasures like taking a road trip or going on vacation have become distant memories for many.

We are not at our best. But it doesn't have to stay this way.

As we usher in 2025, Canada stands at a critical moment in its history. We face a choice. One path leads to further decline—continued government waste, rising crime, crushing debt, and higher taxes that drain the life out of the Canadian spirit. The other path leads to the rebuilding of the Canadian dream—a Canada where hard work pays off, where homeownership is within reach, and where streets are safe again.

This is the vision that conservatives are committed to. It’s the common-sense approach to getting Canada back on track. It starts by uniting this country.

While Justin Trudeau has spent his time dividing Canadians— pitting one people group against another, one region against another, one language group against another, one religious group against another—our approach is different. Pierre Poilievre’s vision for Canada is one of unity, where we come together around a common hope: human flourishing.

And we will do this by returning to the values that built this country. We will champion the hard-working Canadians who make this country run—the electrician who ensures that homes have light, the farmer who puts food on our tables, the policewoman who keeps our communities safe, and the grandmother who looks after her grandkids so their mother can work an extra shift to pay the bills. These are the people we are fighting for.

Like any New Year’s resolution, this starts by removing what holds us back. And right now, the biggest roadblock is the Liberal government’s endless taxation. Our priority is simple: eliminate the carbon tax so Canadians can afford their gas, groceries, and home heating again.

In the fall of 2024, the House of Commons declared that housing in Canada is in crisis. In Lethbridge, housing prices jumped by 16 percent in 2024. This isn’t an isolated problem; it’s a national issue. A common-sense Conservative government will build homes, not bureaucracies. We will tie federal infrastructure funding to housing construction and eliminate the gatekeepers who stand in the way of new developments. We’ll also remove the sales tax on new homes under $1 million, making homeownership more accessible to Canadians.

But the biggest challenge we face is fixing Canada’s budget. Just before Christmas, the Fall Economic Statement revealed a shocking $62 billion deficit, bringing Canada’s national debt to an eye-watering $1.3 trillion. Trudeau has added more debt than all previous prime ministers combined. And when the government borrows, Canadians are stuck with the bill.

A common-sense Conservative government will cap government spending with a dollar-for-dollar rule, ensuring that every new dollar spent is matched with a dollar in savings. This will help lower interest rates and inflation, bringing financial relief to Canadians who are struggling.

Alongside affordability and housing challenges, we are facing a surge in crime and drug abuse. In December alone, Lethbridge police charged eight people with drug trafficking. Since Trudeau took office, overdose deaths have risen by 184 per cent. This is a national crisis that demands action.

A Conservative government will end Trudeau’s catch-and-release policies for drug criminals and reinstate longer jail sentences for those who traffic in drugs. We will also ban the importation of fentanyl precursors to stop the flow of deadly drugs into our communities. This crisis must be addressed. We owe it to our families to make our communities safe again.

As we move into 2025, we are more determined than ever to restore the promise of Canada. We will eliminate the carbon tax, build more homes, fix the budget, and tackle crime head-on. The choice is clear: together, we can restore the promise of Canada we all know and love.